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+{"93338": {"reviews": [{"text": "I've been to NYC many times, but had never stayed in the Upper Westside area before. I found out about Hotel Beacon while going over other TripAdvisor reviews, which rate it very high also.\nAt first, when I booked I had some doubts about location, I thought that this could be too far from Midtown. But after my recent stay, I am quite sure that this has got to be one of the best places to stay in NYC. \nFirst of all, it is very conveniently located: The neighbourhood is very pleasant and well kept, with mostly local newyorkers passing by. There are also many great bars, restaurants, caf\u00e9s and stores. Central Park is just a few blocks away and a good supermarket can be found just across the street. A subway station is only 2 blocks away, where you can ride the express train all the way to downtown after only a few stops. \nThe hotel itself is very well mantained and comfortable, with spacious, clean and tidy rooms that among other things include a desk, a small sofa, a flat screen tv and a nice little kitchen (stove, microwave, coffe machine refilled daily, fridge and sink). All the hotel staff was also quite nice and very helpful.\nOn top of it all, the rates are very reasonable considering NYC standards. Overall, I have to strongly recommend this place.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We've just spent 8 nights here with our two young daughters (7 and 9 years old). It really is hard to fault the Beacon. What we liked:\n- the suites are large (especially our corner one 1802), and have everything you need. In particular, the complete kitchen means you can buy groceries from the fantastic market across the road, and prepare your own meals when you want. This was great for us, particularly for breakfasts - the room has a neat little coffee machine - and the occasional dinner.\n- the location is great. A minute from the 72 and Broadway subway stop, and three blocks from Central Park.\n- the staff are friendly, informal and competent.\n- there's a coin laundry on the 7th floor, so you save on the usual ridiculous laundry costs.\nAny negatives? If I was being picky, I'd say the rooms are a little dated, and the walls somewhat thin. But honestly, this wasn't a bid deal. The stay was great.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I have stayed at the Beacon Hotel three times in the last two years (and two times in the last six months) and have stayed there with my whole family (husband + 4 kids) and most recently with just my husband. It is the only place in NY that I like to stay because of 1) Location. I grew up in the suburbs of NY and lived and worked in the city after college. The Beacon is more accessible to major NY sites than most of the hotels in Mid-town due to its close proximity to the 75th street express subway stop. Cross town bus is close by and NJ and Westchester are easily accessible by car. Fariways Rocks - so convenient to have across the street, open 24/7. 2) Rooms. They are spacious and clean. Much nicer than most chains. Suites are affordable and its great having a kitchen, especially if you are travelling with kids. 3) Service. The hotel staff is friendly and informative. As a return guest they have been gracious in granting late check out and upgrading our rooms. Can't wait for our next trip to NY. We'll be staying at the Beacon again, for sure.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "Our daughter attends college in NYC. We discovered The Beacon because it was listed on the visitor guide from the university web site. This is our 3rd year of frequent travel to the city. We've tried other less pricey hotels but nothing compares to this place. Each room has a complete kitchen. Located across the street is an amazing 24 hr. grocery store. This the upper west side so it's residential with lots of restaurants and shopping. Liquor store on one corner, Starbucks on the other and a great little deli just out the front door to the right. The front desk staff is always most gracious. We've stayed here 10 + times and never had a bad experience. The AC works...the heater works. The bed is comfy and the room is always spotless clean. This has become our home away from home.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We (a family of 4) stayed at the Beacon hotel for a week in December 2011.\nThe hotel is very conveniently located on Broadway and a short walk to the 72nd street railway station.\nWe booked a 2 bedroom suite which had a separate lounge room, kitchen and bathroom.\nOur stay at the Beacon was a joy from start to finish. \nWhen we arrived our room wasn't ready but we left our bags and went for a stoll along Broadway, heading down towards Columbus Circle where we had lunch and checked out the Christmas market.\nOn our return at 2pm the suite was ready so we headed up and were so surpised at how spacious the suite was, it was like having our own apartment in NYC.\nThe suite was overlooking Broadway and was light, bright, immaculate, spacious, tastefully decorated and with our own well equipt kitchen we were able to eat breakfast daily and a couple of dinners in our suite.\nThe Fairway market is across the road and has everything we needed for the week. \nStarbucks in on the next corner.\nA Diner is next door to the Beacon. \nSephora is one block north.\nLevain Bakery (great cookies) is a block away.\nA liquor store is a couple of stores away (next to the Beacon Theatre)\nCentury 21, Banana Republic, Urban Outfitters, American Apparel, Loehmanns are all within a block or two from the hotel.\nLast but not least, the staff were all very pleasant from the front desk staff to the lovely cleaner who left us extra towels, pillows and toiletries and kept the suite immaculate.\nIf ever we head back to NYC we will definitely stay at the Hotel Beacon again....Highly recommended!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "This was a great experience for us, a family of four visiting an older daughter. I'll try to provide some details that might help.\nFirst, as you probably know, the hotel is 3 blocks to Central Park and about the same distance to the Am. Museum of Nat'l HIstory. There is a subway station a block away at pretty Verdi Square at 72d & Broadway. Next to the station is a Trader Joe's and Gray's Papaya. The station serves the lines to Lincoln Center, Columbus Circle and Times Square. Broadway at this point is a divided street with a median of trees and flowerbeds. Across the street are two markets. Next door is a wine store and a cafe. On the corner is a Stabucks. \nBroadway is lined with beautiful residential buildings around the Beacon, and there is a good mix of commerce (a Barney's), markets, theaters, and restaurants. We walked Broadway from the Beacon in the uptown direction as far as 83rd (Artie's Delicatessen) and \"downtown\" to 71st (a beautiful Gothic church). We walked to Columbus Ave. (Isabella's and the museum, both at 77th) via 75th (brownstones) and to the Dakota & another subway (serving a different line to Rockefeller Center) via 72d (shops). It wasn't unusual to see a cab waiting in front of the hotel.\nFrom some descriptions I expected a small lobby and an understaffed staff. The lobby is small but very comfortable and was often used by guests to meet up with their families or to wait for a cab. Even at our very late check in, there were at least two, very friendly, very professional front desk clerks. There was no concierge, per se, but a \"customer services\" desk. Housekeeping and maintenance were equally responsive and gracious. We loved our doorman. On the day it rained, he gave us umbrellas. There are three small, quick elevators in the lobby, \nWe had a one bedroom suite. The room is done in a soft, pleasant green palette, with simple-designed furniture. Even the art is tasteful by many hotel standards. In our suite, there was a large closet at the entry, with a large flat safe that you could use with your own pin (number). The living area and the bedroom had separate, efficient climate zones.\nThe kitchenette included a sink, a microwave, an apartment refrigerator, a stove, and an electric coffee pot. We didn't ever use the stove or coffee pot. There's only a couple of pots and pans, a cutting board, some utensils, and a set of dishes, flatware, and glasses for four. I found out later that there is a little sign inside the cabinet that tells you that you can ask for more, including wine glasses and a sharp knife. Our little sinkful of dirty dishes was washed for us during the maid service. \nThere is desk near the kitchenette, another large closet in the bedroom, and lots of drawer space. Two televisions (with lots of cable choices), an ipod dock, and three phones. Ours was a very nice queen bed. The sofa bed in the living room didn't look like much but was surprisingly comfortable. \nThe bathroom is small but very pleasant. A large frosted window opens from the top, allowing air and the sounds of the city. The sill is wide enough for your personal items, as there is no vanity. The bedroom and the living room each had tall windows. The living room sill was especially wide. \nWe learned that the upper floors had good views. Our was on the 23rd floor, with views toward Central Park and over to Midtown. There were no close buildings obstructing our view. \nI first learned about this hotel from asking questions on tripadvisor, but came to learn that it is recommended by many other sources as one of the best values for families in the city. The recommendations here came from both NYC experts and people who visited from other countries. Indeed, when we were there it seemed that there were many families staying there and we heard several different languages spoken. I booked online almost 3 months in advance and got their internet special rate. If you've looked at their reservation site, you know what the rate is. My understanding from my reading is that it is the same rate year-round. I believe this is considered moderate in New York City, and I considered it a value only when I remembered (1) it was for four people, with room and (2) it was on the Upper West Side, away from (but very close to) Times Square. After making the reservation, I emailed the hotel about special requests for floor with view, late check-in, and no smoking (which I hadn't made at the time of the reservation) and I got a response within 24 hours acknowledging my requests.\nOur stay was wonderful. We relied on the subway quite a bit. We got a week's pass our first day. The trains run frequently, which is good because you get to your destination quickly and because it can get pretty hot down there waiting. 72d is a good station because all the lines it serves stop there and it is right next to the hotel. I carried a map on our outings which had the official MTA map on it. I never felt unsafe on the streets or on the subway.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We did a 4 week tour of the USA over December/January 2007, with 3 older children (girl, 22, boy, 19 and boy, 18), going to San Francisco [Omni Hotel], Miami (South Beach) [Beacon Hotel], Orlando (Disneyworld, Pop Century Resort), Chicago [Drake Hotel], New York (for Christmas) [Beacon Hotel \u2013 no relation to the one in Miami], Boston [Omni Hotel], New York (again) [Roosevelt Hotel] (including New Year\u2019s Eve at the Renaissance Hotel overlooking Times Square), and a day trip to Niagara Falls. It was sometimes very cosy - sometimes downright stressful - with the kids.\nAnyway, here are my accommodation reviews. I\u2019ll mention side trips and tours too. Sometimes the accommodation was arranged through a travel agent, but on a couple of occasions I organised it direct. \nWe spent 6 nights at the Beacon Hotel in New York, including Christmas Day. We actually saw this accommodation favourably reviewed in a travel article in our local Sunday paper, and made enquiries direct as a result. It\u2019s located on Broadway on the Upper West side.\nWe had a 1 bedroom suite, which was capable of sleeping 5 - there were 2 double beds in the bedroom and a fold-out couch in the separate living area. Ultimately, we took another double room as it seemed a bit cramped to have 5 of us there, especially over Christmas. Management arranged this on the spot, and conveniently, the room was immediately next door. \nThe suite had a large living area and kitchenette, complete with large fridge, stove (hotplates and oven), cutlery, cooking utensils, crockery and glasses. Housekeeping was generally very quick with our requests for such things as extra towels, a sharp knife and cutting board, and a tray of champagne flutes.\nThere was a TV in the bedroom, along with drawers, comfy chair, wardrobe and room safe, as well as the 2 double beds (quite a large room). In the sitting room, there was another TV on a chest of drawers, the couch, a desk/table and 2 chairs, a coffee table and 2 other end tables tables, lamps, and plenty of room for a trundle bed, which management provided when the fold-out couch was found to be broken (in terms of being a fold-out bed - it was still ok as a couch). The other standard double room had 2 double beds, desk/table and chairs, comfy chair, drawers, wardrobe, safe and a small kitchenette with hotplates, crockery, etc. The bathrooms in each were a reasonable size for New York standards. There was a large laundry on a floor above us, with coin-operated washing machines and dryers (great to be able to wash clothes properly after a couple of weeks on the road). Wireless internet was $10.00 per day. The hotel is quite old (most buildings are in New York), but don\u2019t let this put you off.\nWe were particularly happy to have the living area for Christmas (I even bought a small tree and had some Christmas lights). The kitchenette and large fridge were a delight after so long in ordinary rooms with a bar fridge (if you were lucky). The best thing was the huge market across the road, which served every kind of food imaginable (from fresh fruit to sushi, gourmet cheeses and olives to TV dinners). There was a liquor store next door too. This meant that you could be completely self sufficient in your room. We had all breakfasts, several dinners and even a lunch in our room. It was a relief from having to eat out every night (and day) - we cooked up pasta in our room instead.\nAs far as the location was concerned, it depends what you want to be close to. New York is a huge city, so the Beacon is miles away from, say, Little Italy and Wall Street, the United Nations, the Guggenheim museum, or even the Empire State Building. Conversely, we walked easily to Central Park, Strawberry Fields and the Dakota, the American Museum of Natural History and even Columbus Circle. The subway was nearby, which is the best way to cheaply get around the longer distances (get a multi-journey ticket - dispatched by vending machines using a credit card on subway stations). Close by was a multiplex cinema with an IMAX theatre too. Like most big cities, you will never get a hotel in NY that is convenient to everything.\nAs for tours, we got our money\u2019s worth from a City Pass (valid for 9 days to see 6 attractions), and it saved us time when queuing for the Empire State Building. The City Pass included a boat cruise (Hudson River, Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, and the East River under the Brooklyn Bridge) which was well worth it. [Hint - trade your travel agent\u2019s voucher for the book of City Pass tickets at a less popular attraction, where the queues are shorter. For instance, at the Empire State Building, there\u2019s a huge queue to get your City Pass, then you\u2019ll have to join the back of the queue for the building itself.] The Gray Line hop-on hop-off loops (open top double-decker buses) were good too (both of these were purchased through the travel agent before we left). \nWe also did an awesome helicopter ride over Manhattan through Liberty Helicopters (the chopper takes 7 passengers plus the pilot) on Christmas Day, but that, as you can imagine, was hellishly expensive. \nThe Empire State Building is a must, but I\u2019d recommend the Top of the Rock too (the viewing decks at the top of the Rockefeller Centre). From there, you get a much better view of Central Park, plus you look south over Manhattan and see the Empire State Building too (which you can\u2019t do when you\u2019re atop it!). The big bonus is that, whilst it took about 2 hours to get to the top of the Empire State Building, there was virtually no wait to get to the Top of the Rock. We went mid-afternoon, and I stayed until the evening to get the sunset and night photos.\nThe Beacon was a great choice, for the kitchenette and for it\u2019s location across the road from the market. I\u2019d stay there again, especially if I was in Manhattan for more than a night or two.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Booked a one bedroom suite at the Beacon & it was a good base for us. It is located in a residential area near to the subway which was really handy. The rooms were a good size but the decor & carpets are dated & we had a resident cockroach who we were starting to become on friendly terms with. We had a high floor (23rd) & had views over Central Park which were brill. The kitchen area was handy & we had some great breakfasts courtesy of the Delis across the road from the Hotel. Overall the desk staff were good but we did come across one Assistant Manager who had a real attitude problem & was abrupt & rude pretty much to everyone. He was clearly in the wrong job. Re the lifts......we did have to wait a while at peak times but it wasn't too bad. Overall the Beacon was a reasonable place to stay so don't worry about booking it. If you want something more luxurious & can't live with the dated decor then its not for you.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "This is my second time in close to 10 years at this hotel and it has not improved with time. It was awful back then and if possible it has got worse! The staff are rude and incompetent, the rooms are terribly dated and the lifts do not work. Try having to walk down 11 flights of stairs everyday after waiting 10 minutes for lifts (both guest and service) that never arrive. I am a travel agent and I would never recommend this property to my clients - be warned!!! Oh and FYI - avoid the cafe next door if you can as they give the Beacon staff a run for their money in the rudeness stakes!", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "We stayed at the Hotel Beacon for 3 nights the middle of December. I had a hard time getting a hotel for a reasonable price and settled on the Beacon after reading the reviews on this site. We were definitely disappointed. The first room we were put in was a small, shabby room that was a smoking room. I asked to be moved because of the smoky smell in the room. The management agreed to move us, but pointed out that they could not gaurantee a non-smoking room. The second room was somewhat better and had more room. On the plus side, housekeeping was very good and the towels were very clean and soft. The hotel is close to a subway, some decent diners and a wonderful market and deli across the street. We did take cabs a lot and hailed our own cab. The conceirge booked a shuttle to the airport for us when we were leaving. We used the fridge in the room and also the tea kettle. I would stay here again mainly because it was the most reasonably priced hotel that I could find in a decent area. It is definitely better than staying in mid-town which is so crowded and expensive. I would also think it might be a good choice for families.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "I just returned from a two night stay at Hotel Beacon because I had tickets to the Metropolitan Opera. Apart from its location to Lincoln Center, the Hotel Beacon has little to offer. Compared to other hotels that are closer to Times Square, the Hotel is high priced and run down. The room that I had was lack-luster and rather dingy for the $250 price. The cost was about $70 more than it was for the Hotel Belvedere where I stayed two months earlier, and the room was not nearly as attractive. My biggest complaint was the front desk service. When I went down and checked out of the hotel and asked them to get me a cab to the airport, they said they couldn't do that and I had to find one on my own. In my last three stays in New York during the past year every hotel was courteous enough to get me a cab. The Hotel Beacon's excuse was that they couldn't call a cab in New York and that guests had to hail them. Funny how every other hotel was able to call the Yellow Cab company and get one--except for the Hotel Beacon. On may next visit to New York, the Hotel Beacon will be at the bottom of the list for places to stay. I'd rather walk a few extra blocks for better and more courteous service.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "This was our first visit to America. So we had no Idea what to expect, I was a cross between nerves and excitment. But it was everything we expected only 100 times better. The Beacon Hotel was fantastic, I had e-mailed them to request a room on a high floor, and thats exactly what we got, a lovely big room on the 19th floor, with views looking out towards Central Park. The rooms were kept clean and the kitchen was a big bonus and very well equiped, with a full size fridge, (handy to keep the beers cold, which you need after a hard days walking!) microwave and coffee maker. Tea towels, dishclothes and washing up liquid are also provided.\nThe staff very very helpful, and provided us with a great map. \nLocation for us couldn't have been better, it is quieter than Mid town Manhattan which we liked, only 2 blocks from the Dakota Building and Central Park. Subway minutes away, which we found very safe and very cheap to use, ony 2 dollars each.\nFairways, the deli over the road is an experience in itself, It must sell everything for everybody, its amazing!\nViands is a Resteraunt/cafe next door and the food is lovely, most nights we were that shattered from being out all day that we used to phone for a take away delivered to the room, some may call that lazy, but we thought it was heaven! Starbucks on the next corner, of course, they're on every other corner.\nMust recommend that you book in advance for the empire state to avoid que's. we waited about 2 hours. Hardly any que for Rockerfella Building which to us, we thought had better views.\nLiberty and Ellis Island, we booked on-line which was a god send, saved on hanging around. good tip to arrive first thing in the morning.\nBy far one of the most memorable things we done was to go for evening dinner with the world Yacht cruise, which we also booked on-line, it cost \u00a394.00 which was worth every penny, the food and the service was fantastic, and as for the views of the manhattan skyline all lit up, well that was priceless.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I had researched the Hotel Beacon on Tripadvisor and it certainly lived up to me expectations. My daughter and I stayed for 4 days at the beginning of November. Our room was a good size, clean, with fresh towels every day and basically everything we needed for our stay. The staff were helpful without being too intrusive and the concierge Jason organised a shuttle bus for our return to the airport and gave us any help or information we needed with a lovely smile. The subway was only a 2 minute walk away and five minutes on the subway took us right into the centre of Times Square. We found a lovely place called Gigi's for breakfast near the subway stop on 72nd street and felt extremely safe in the area around the hotel. We are hoping to return to NYC as soon as possible and will definitely be staying at the Hotel Beacon again and again and would also recommend it to anyone.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We have just returned from 5 days in New York and stayed at the Beacon Hotel. I had read some reviews before booking that weren't too favourable so was quite nervous about our stay there, but I have to say it was a fantastic hotel for the price.\nThe room was huge with 2 double beds and a walk in closet. The kitchenett was great with a new fridge and microwave and everything you could need. The bathroom was lovely and had everything we needed. The room was really clean and made up every day. We over looked the Fairway Market and on our arrival on the Friday evening we could look out of our window across the street and see a ballet class taking place in the dance studio opposite.\nWe were on the 12 floor and didn't find it too noisy at all. We were able to sleep with the windows open without being disturbed by the road noise.\nThe subway is a 2 minute walk up the road. The Dakota Buildings and Strawberry Fields in Central park a 10 minute walk away. Time Square is a 25 minute walk away. There are some great shops near by and great places to eat and drink. The people are so friendly. When ever we got our map out people would stop to offer help.\nWe will definately be returning to the Beacon Hotel for our next stay in New York and I thouroughly recommend it.\nClaire", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We had a long weekend in New York at the end of August, to visit our daughter who had just finished work at Stage Door summer camp and we needed somewhere for the three of us to stay as our base to explore the city.\nHad read reviews on Tripadvisor which put me off other hotels, and chose the Hotel Beacon on the strength of reviews. Very glad we did. Friendly and accommodating staff. Comfy and spacious room with two double beds, good storage, kitchenette and bathroom and still room to walk around the room. They would have cleaned every day if we let them. \nThere's no restaurant on the premises, but there is one next door and there are enough choices within a few minutes walk for breakfast if you don't want to make your own. Subway only a couple of streets away. Central Park only 10 minutes walk.\nWe had a great time in New York and this was helped along by having clean, comfy and safe accommodation, at a reasonable price. Would recommend this to everyone.\nA big thanks to previous reviewers!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed only one night, but it was great! As everyone has already reported, the rooms are generously sized and well-kept. Kitchenette is well-equipped. We stayed in king suite with two young sons (they had the sofabed in LR). The boys enjoyed very much as well. Parking was easy around the corner for $31/day. Subway entrance is in sight 1-1/2 blocks to south. Fairway market across street, La Brea card store for great cards and souvenirs, nice restaurants on Amsterdam, 72nd, CPW. Breakfast at on-site restaurant was good and reasonably priced. Very polite and helpful desk staff and concierge; baggage check (we checked out at 8am but toured city until 4pm). Would stay again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We have stayed at several 2-3 star places on the Upper West Side and would definitely stay here again. Great location with clean, comfortable rooms. Europeans who are used to smaller rooms will be pleasantly surprised.\nWe chose a suite just because we like the extra living space (3 adults in 2 doubles). Never opened the sofa bed so can't comment on that. Furniture in living room a bit worn, sort of like your grandmothers apartment. Great location as others have mentioned with lots of affordable very good restaurants nearby including the adjacent Viand. Staff was very pleasant and responsive to all requests. Plenty of closet space, bathroom clean but small. Full kitchen was nice especially the toaster for all the bagel places nearby \nAdd this place to your list whenever you need a reliable hotel.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "Recently spent 7 nights at Beacon on our 1st trip to New York from Scotland.\nView from our room on 23rd floor at rear of hotel was great.\nRoom was large with two double beds and plenty of space round the beds.\nBathroom/Shower was good & the small kitchen alcove with Fridge/Microwave/Coffee maker/kettle & two ring hob was neat & very clean.\nRoom was cleaned daily & fresh supplies of teabags & Coffee were left.\nAs previous visitors have remarked Fairways supermarket which is open 24/7 is amazing with a great range of fruit/vegetables/cheese & all sorts of deli items.\nUpstairs restaurant is great for breakfast & also does dinner in the evenings.\nAlso Bazars on 79th street is a real NY breakfast experience.\nArea around hotel is a welcome respite after the congestion of midtown & as other people have said you feel you are with the locals rather than the tourists.\nThere are plenty of bars/restaurants both on Broadway & on the next few streets ie Columbus & Amsterdam Avenues with loads of sidewalk tables. 72nd street Subway \nis less than 5 minutes away & has lines 1,2 & 3 all of which go through midtown & one of which takes you right down to Staten Island Ferry terminal.\nHotel issues complimentary detailed NY maps to help find your way around.\nThey can also sell you daily & weekly subway passes.\nCentral park is also very near & is great to walk through on your way back to the hotel after a tiring day taking in the sights & sounds of NY\nFact that Beacon does not have a bar or restaurant is a positive thing as it encourages\nyou to try the local bars & restaurants.\nBottom line is I would book Beacon again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "My family and I stayed at The Beacon in August and found it to be a great place to stay. We thought that the location was ideal, within walking distance of the subway, Central Park, Lincoln Center and, I found, MOMA. If you like strolling, you could easily walk to Times Square from here. The neighborhood was as we wanted New York to be, full of life and not overly priced. Fairway and The Food Emporium meant we were able to eat cheaply and well, as did several of the restaurants within a 5 minute walk. We also enjoyed browsing in the stores close by, especially those with sales on!\nMy wife and I stayed at The Waldorf last year, which was impressive as a building, but The Beacon, we thought, has the edge definitely over being a place to stay and be comfortable. Our two rooms were large, quiet (we were on the 11th and 16th floors, at the back of the hotel), well serviced and comfortable. The desk staff were polite, helpful and friendly at all times.\nThis is the 4th time I have been to New York and The Beacon has to be the best place I have stayed in so far. A definite recommendation!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 28}, {"text": "The Hotel Beacon is a great find in a great location on the West Side. From there we could walk to museums, and Lincoln Center.\nFor $199, we got a clean, spacious suite overlooking Broadway, which, even though it overlooked a noisy street, the noise was well-suppressed. Having a well-equipped kitchenette was a bonus as we went to Fairway market to get whatever breakfast goods we needed. There are many fine restaurants and bars in this area as well.\nThe check-in was quick and efficient, the rooms were ready even though it was 12:30 PM, and the checkout was also efficient.\nWe'll remember the Beacon. This could be our home away from home.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "I stayed at this hotel after a tour as a way of seeing new york city.staff are freindly,rooms are huge and its close to everything new york has to offer including walking distance to central park!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Stayed at the Beacon during the heat-wave in August 2006 with two young children, ages 9 and 6, and my husband. The location to the subway station was great-a short walk. The market across the street allowed us to eat breakfast in the room each day, thus saving money to do the tourist spots. Nice, small kitchenette (microwave, toaster, two-burner stove, coffee maker, dishes and silverware provided by hotel) was great for us. I would recommend buying either napkins or paper towels at the grocery next door. The hotel even provides dish soap and a cloth/towel so you are able to wash your dishes. The room included two double beds, a tv, and a small table with 2 chairs making it just the right size for the four of us. Housekeeping cleaned the room daily and a newspaper was delivered everyday. The staff was very friendly and has a great map of the subway and bus system. I would highly recommend this, especially if you are unfamiliar with the subway lines as this map saved us. \nThe area around the hotel was under a lot of construction and after reading other reviews from this website, I requested a room high-up on a quiet floor. Even though we were on the market side on the 16th floor, the outside noise was still heard but by no means did it keep us awake or wake us up in the early morning. \nTo request this room, I called 2 days before we were scheduled to check-in and the hotel staff had no problem with this request.\nWe would stay here again if we were ever in New York City again. \nAs a side note, I went ahead and purchased tickets for the Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Museum of Natural History (including the Rose Center) over the internet before we left on vacation. This was a huge life-saver and time-saver as we did not have to stand in long lines out in the heat!!!! Except for the security line as the Statue of Liberty with the special pass to go up to the pedestal and look up inside the Statue. The special pass is free but can only be obtained through the National Park Service website--it also allows you to walk through a very interesting museum all about the creation of Miss Liberty. All other visitors to the island can only walk around the Statue. A great trip!!!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "I stayed at the Beacon in early August 2006. The room was a good size with a king sized bed, small kitchnette and bathroom. Good power shower and the towels were changed regularly. The air conditioning was efficient and kept the room at a constant temperature during one of the hottest of New York summers. There was a safe in the room but I used the free safe deposit box at reception. A free newpaper was delivered every morning. Hotel staff were polite and helpful.\nThe diner next door knows that it is serving tourists and there are plenty of cheaper places around to eat according to your tastes and pocket. Do visit the market on the opposite side of the road which is always busy, even at 3am! The hotel is in a good area on the west side of Central Park, a safe place to walk in the evening. The main subway routes into mid town are two minutes away. I'd recommend the metro card which allows you to use the buses as well.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Our daughter attends college in NYC, and I usually stay at the Beacon while visiting her. The location is excellent, near the A and 1 Trains, and it's a great neighbourhood for walking. The staff at the Beacon are also friendly & efficient. However, as far as the rooms at the Beacon go, each one has been a very different experience, none of them quite perfect. \nThere was the (rather small) king suite next to the elevator on the 22nd floor, views of Central Park, but... no running water (no bath, no toilet! nothing!) when we arrived. They did fix that the next day, but... 2 days' worth of construction noise in the utility space next to the room, and constant elevator noise. I called the front desk who offered to move me, but the view was so compelling I decided to stay put. The work noise finally ended, and it was ok after that (except for the elevator, but it really was a splendid view!). \nAlso stayed with friends in a 1 bedroom suite, and that was very nice, except for the big, scary cockroach! just one, that was a year ago, and the only time I saw one. Because I read reviews here about street noise on the lower floors, I usually ask for a higher floor, but have stayed on the 9th floor, which was fine -- except for garbage pickup day. \nMy most recent visit was 2 weeks ago on the 19th floor, facing west (just above the Fairway). TV didn't work very well, teeny kitchenette, barely room for the coffee pot, but the bathroom was fairly large and the closet, huge. I was happy, it was very quiet, very comfortable. \nThe layout of each room I have stayed in has been different. Some double rooms are really big, with big kitchens; some suites are comparatively small (though big for NY standards). So would I stay again? yes. Excellent location, friendly staff, big rooms, handy kitchenette. I am sure I will stay at the Beacon again. (but not in the room next to the elevator!)", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Although it was during the recent heat wave, our stay at the Beacon was wonderful. We requested, and received, a 20th floor room facing Central Park. The rooms are neat, and the kitchenettes are a great benefit. We went to the Fairway Market to buy breakfast essentials, but actually there is a market further up Broadway about 2 blocks that is a little better in our opinion. Close to the 72nd street subway and in a wonderful area, the Beacon is a great hotel.\nWe will stay there again on our next trip to NYC.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We have stayed at the Beacon more than ten times now and find the location etc just spot on for trips to our fave city. Its close to the Dakota building (for John Lennon fans) and is just a couple of blocks from the Lincoln Centre. There are two large cinemas within easy walking distance and there is a Filenes basement closeby.\nThe rooms are spacious and have their own kitchenettes. There are some good supermarkets opposite so self catering is good. However we haven't bothered much since Viand (24 hr diner)opened up downstairs. Viand serves cheap and good quality food.\nThere is a laundrette on the seventh floor which is handy if you don't want to take dirty clothes home with you!\nThe only down side we have found is that if you go in February/March a large chunk of the hotel is occupied by school groups. I don't know about you but we didn't appreciate hoardes of teenages running riot (British I'm sad to say). To their credit the hotel staff did their best but I would recommend checking if similar groups are booked in when you want to go.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Hotel Beacon is located on Broadway between 74th and 75th, Upper West Side, walking distance to Central Park, Museums, etc. It is an older hotel that has been remodeled, marble baths, kitchenettes. It was clean and the A/C worked well. The rooms are spacious, enormous compared with anywhere else we have stayed in NYC. We have stayed in singles, one-bedroom and two-bedroom suites. It is a mostly residential neighborhood and it is very quiet, however there are shops, Sephora, pharmacy, Filene's, etc. Directly across the street is the Citadella Bakery and Fairway Market. The lovely market and the kitchenette work well to have snacks, some meals in the room, good for traveling with children, families. Besides the produce is just wonderful. \nThere is room service through restaurant next door, Viandes. They have a concierge, theatre packages and seasonal special rates. There is no swimming pool, but the trade off for the size of the rooms and other amenities makes it an excellent value. Unless something changes, this is \"our place.\"\nI would rate it between above average and excellent.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "My spouse and I rely on Trip Advisor for guidance in selecting hotels when we travel, so we spent many hours reading others' reviews and studying the options before we chose the Beacon Hotel. We've traveled from the West Coast to New York City many times (our son lives in NYC), but, until this trip, we have never been satisfied with the lodging we've chosen.\nWe were very pleased overall with this hotel. We stayed 4 nights and were able to get a daily rate of $180 (plus the taxes, etc.) \nWe hoped to avoid the noisest and most congested parts of Manhattan and wanted to be near the 1 subway line. (I suppose it is 2 1/2 blocks from the hotel to the subway entrance, but it feels like a walk of one block). Other positives of our stay at the Beacon included:\n1. The location is superb - many others have covered this in their reviews.\n2. The hotel was very clean.\n3. The staff was friendly and professional. (This fact bears mentioning, because it is often not the case, in my experience; even in more expensive hotels in New York.)\n4. Our room was quite large by New York standards. (We had a standard room with 2 double beds and a kitchenette.)\n5. The room was remarkably quiet and peaceful (more on that below).\n6. The maid service was excellent. The first day we slept in due to a late arrival and the time change. We didn't leave the room until late afternoon. Nonetheless, the room was cleaned cheerfully at that hour. \n7. The kitchenette was adequately equipped and will allow you to have some meals in, if you wish. Fairway Market across the street has great produce (grocery items are overpriced) and it remains open until 1a.m., I think. Other markets are close by.\n8. We stayed during the heat of mid-summer. The air conditioning in our room was excellent. The room had its own heating/cooling unit. We could easily set the temperature (within one degree) and got nearly instant response. Room units do make a little noise, but it wasn't a problem (and, alas, I'm oversensitive to noise). \nWe knew we would be arriving late so we phoned early that day to request a quiet, non-smoking room, located high up in the hotel. (I also indicated that preference on the online reservation, but experience has taught me that often does no good at all.) The phone call worked: Our request was honored perfectly. We were on the 18th floor at the end of the hall and the entire floor was non-smoking. It was so nice to be able to return to the hotel to a quiet, cool room.\nThe hotel was old, but our room was upgraded substantially. Nice tile in the bathroom; new cupboards in the kitchenette. Yes, the carpet was old and the bedspreads looked as unappetizing as most hotel bedspreads, but we felt very comfortable in this room.\nNice folks in the lobby arranged a shuttle for us to Kennedy Airport. (This required cash. We were able to pay for almost everything else - except cabs - by credit card.) For those who don't know, you can travel from Kennedy or LaGuardia (I'm not sure about Newark) TO Manhattan for a fixed cab fee; but the trip BACK to the airport from Manhattan is on the meter if you take a cab.\nSmall problems: \n1. Another recent reviewer mentioned the raised marble step into the bathroom. This is not a good situation at all. We placed a stack of cardboard on the floor in front of this to prevent injury. (No joke, I'm sure this has caused broken or painfully bruised toes.)\n2. The beds were hard; not firm, but hard! This is a problem in lots of hotels (perhaps because this makes the mattresses last longer). I had to strip the bed, double up the bedspread and put it under the mattress pad and bottom sheet. That helped a little but was still not adequate. I realize this will not be a problem for all people. \n3. A nitpick, I suppose, but I wish management would allow late check outs. They were inflexible on this; which is ridiculous, because they obviously can not clean all the rooms at the same time. Also, they require you to check out in person in the lobby, without adequate staff. In my experience, most hotels provide some form of express check out (often through the TV's). Instead, we had to wait in a long line to check out. \nOverall, we were very happy with our stay at the Beacon Hotel and plan to stay there on future visits. After reading all the reviews here I was a bit fearful that the hotel would be a bit run down. We did not feel that was the case at all.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "me and my wife stayed there for five nights the staff were very freindly\nthe room was very clean there is a great shop acroose the road were you\ncan get about anything.the subway was a two minute walk some restarants near by\nand a couble of good pubs if i was going to new york again i would stay there again", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Spent three days and nights in NYC (6/22 - 6/24) with my wife and three teenage daughters who were all seeing the Big Apple for the very first time. The Hotel Beacon was an excellent launching point for our daily and nightly journeys all over Manhattan.\nLocation is just about fifty yards from one of the main subway stops, 72nd and Broadway, and for seven dollars a day (until 3 am) or twenty four dollars for seven days, you can travel unlimited on the subways. We took the subway everywhere and felt very same at all hours of the day and night.\nSpecifics about the hotel:\nGreat points: LOCATION. Two blocks west of Central Park. Great neighborhood. Fine breakfast/lunch cafe next door, full liquor store/wine shoppe next door the other way and directly across the street from the Fairway, one of the few full service grocery stores in all of Manhattan. Also across the street from a parking garage which is $31 a day with a hotel stamp - otherwise it would be $40 a day. Rooms were bigger than I was expecting for NYC. We did have five people with each of my daughters agreeing to sleep on the floor on a sleeping bag one night each. We never told the hotel we had five people and never received any hassles. Concierge has great map of Manhattan and Subway system that was our bible to the city. We could get anywhere with our map and the subway and a little help from a lot of friendly New Yorkers. Kitchenette was handy. Refrigerated worked great - don't turn it up to the top setting unless you want your Milk and soda to freeze like ours did. One of my daughters used the stove top to cook some rice and we also used the toaster. It's a little hard for me to say the price was GREAT but compared to all the other hotels I researched, it was a bargain. Total Bill for three days including 30 minutes in the internet cafe ($5) and one day of in room high speed internetn service ($10) was $675 - hotel was $210 a night plus four more taxes added in. We found the concierge, front desk, and other staff members very helpful at all times and would not hesitate recommending the Hotel Beacon to anyone else\nCouple of small nits - I understand some of the concerns about the A/C. We kept it on High the whole time and were comfortable most of the time and it was in the mid 80's and humid in NYC during our stay. There is a small marble ledge leading up into the bathroom that I absolutely smashed my left foot into one morning. They should have some type of leveling plate on that. We just put a towel over it the rest of our stay so nobody else mashed a toe. Bathroom didn't have a fan and had poor ventilation so no to get too graphic here, we would send people to the 2nd floor public bathrooom if they had any real \"business\" to do as the whole room would otherwise smell. This was not a big inconvenience given all of the postives.\nSummary of our trip, in just 2.5 days we did more than five people humanly should including riding the Staten Island Ferry (it's free) past the Statue of LIberty, going up in the Empire State Building (not worth the cost or time), shopping and eating in Chinatown, visiting Ground Zero, now just called the \"WTC site\", saw both \"Chicago\" (fantastic) and \"The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee\" (hilarious) on Broadway, ate at a friends deli on Park Avenue, the girls shopped until they dropped at Century 21, H & B, Bloomingdales, Macy's, and all the wholesale shops on Broadway in the Garment District, ate great Pizza at three places, visited Times Square (our kid's favorite place) and sampled the night life in the West Village on Bleeker Street as well as getting crazy at Hogs and Heifers which is supposed to be the place that gave rise to the Coyote Ugly practice of dancing on the bar. Wild, wild place. Thank you everybody who bought us shots (I think) although staying out until 4 am made our ride back to Mississippi the next day a little more challenging.\nOverall we had a fantastic time and I thank Trip Advisor and all the other people who give their input into helping to make the trip such a success. I don't know what I'd do without Trip Advisor.\nBottomline, the Hotel Beacon met all of our expectations and we will most likely return sometime in the future.\nSteve and Beth Szabo\nJackson, Mississippi", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 36}, {"text": "Stayed for a couple of nights in May. The location was fine, rooms a little worn but comfortable. Bathroom small but clean. The staff at reception were OK, but a minimum charge of $5 to use the internet for a few minutes was a bit too much.\nNo breakfast, but next door sold a full breakfast for about $8. Overall quite good", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "My 3 year old's main passion in life is dinosaurs so my wife and I promised we would take him to the Natural History Museum in NYC. He almost turned inside out with excitement when he saw their collection and his mother and I were almost as pleased with the Beacon. It is a perfect home away from home for familties.\nPROS:\n - Easy walk from Central Park and the Museum, even for a 3 year old, plus a very nice public playground along the way. Safe, tree-lined streets. \n - $220 a night for a suite with a small kitchen. You can put the little one to bed, close the door, and the adults can have a drink or snack, or watch TV without disturbing him.\n - Fairway Market across the street. You can buy anything there ( I think they are open 24 hr). You can save major money and avoid the hassle of eating in a restaurant with a toddler and prepare all you need in your own kitchen.\n - I went out to buy a bottle of wine and strolled around the neighborhood a little. As other reviewers have said you do feel like a local. There are newsstands, curbside book vendors (at least on Sunday), and many small shops, bars and restaurants. Many trees, too.\n - The hotel lobby is clean and inviting, the staff was polite and efficient, we requested wineglasses be brought to the room and they arrived quickly. \nCONS:\n - None to speak of, really. Some might find the decor and architecture a bit dated but it is an old building and I found it reminiscent of the classy old days of NYC. Everything was very clean and no bugs, bed or otherwise.\n - My son had one disapointment, though. We went to the museum first and when we were walking into the hotel later he asked in a loud voice \"DO THEY HAVE DINOSAURS IN HERE TOO?\" He now thinks all big buildings in NYC should have dinosaur skeletons in them. The Beacon does not have any dinosaurs but does have everything else you need to relax and explore NYC. Will return.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 29}, {"text": "We stayed at the Beacon Hotel for 6 nights the week before Christmas 2005 on our honeymoon. I was referred to this hotel by a friend who had stayed there 6 times and also the Flight Centre. The photos do not do the hotel justice. It looks quite old in the photos but the room is very spacious and though the furniture is a bit dated, the beds were comfy and everything was clean. This hotel has everything you need. The kitchenette is handy, we had breakfast every morning purchased from across the street at Fairway. 72nd st station was a few metres away (which we missed the first day there!) and that takes you everywhere. The subway is easy to use. We had a weekly metro card which you can top up, with trips anywhere costing something like $2.20/trip. There are also many, many laundrettes around the hotel. There's also a camera shop around the corner where we dumped our photos from our memory card onto CD at. We couldn't find this facility anywhere! The only thing I would strongly recommend is checking out early. We went down 45 mins before and the lobby was packed. This hotel is in a great location. It is easy to walk around the area and to get to other places. Our first day we walked down to Fifth Ave which wasn't too far away. We highly recommend this hotel. Enjoy your stay.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We stayed here two days at the end of a nine-day trip to New York in April. I had been unable to get a room at the Beacon for the entire time, so we compromised by splitting our stay between two hotels. I wish I had made reservations earlier so that we could have stayed here the whole time!\nI was in a funk at first because I had lost my camera somewhere between hotels, but the staff was sympathetic and friendly. The room was very comfortable, and it had a mini-kitchen with basic utensils. It is only a short way to the subway or bus, and there were many interesting restaurants and shops in the neighborhood. You could walk to Central Park!\nBest of all, there is a wonderful market right across the street that has a large selection of food. In their health food section their granola section was the largest I've ever seen.\nWe were on the eighth or ninth floor, and in the morning I woke up to find sunlight streaming in the window. Seeing this, I suddenly realized that in the previous hotel, where we had also stayed on the eighth or ninth floor, the buildings around us were so high that we never got direct light while we were in the room and we often thought that the day was overcast until we got out to the sidewalk to find that it was actually a clear day. \nAgain, I would like to comment on the friendly staff. When you came into the lobby there was always someone who smiled instead of being annoyed that you were just another tourist. That made a great difference!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "We visited NY for 4 days/nights.The room was clean and well serviced. Very handy to the supermarket, liquor stores and local attractions. We did the 48 hour hop on/ hop off tour. The second day we picked up the tour from opposite the Dakota Hotel about a 10 min walk from the Beacon. \nThe checkin staff were not helpful and I found their attitudes rather rude. I asked for a few basic directions eg which way to Time Sq, how long it would take to get there instead I was handed local map. Eye to eye contact was never made and hardly a word spoken by the concierge. We asked for help booking our return shuttle to the airport and were told it wasn't his job but he did it begrudgingly.\nThe kitchenettes are small, I had to cook 1 breakfast at a time as we only had 1 small frypan. But the laundry facilities were very handy.\nWe didn't let it affect our time in NY, the negitive was outweighed by the positive. If you are looking for A1 service don't stay here.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I have read many reviews trying to find a good hotel and this did live up to the comments. We stayed at the Beacon the week after Easter and found it very comfortable for a family of 4. The room we had had two full beds in one room and a sleeper sofa in the other. The kitchennette was a saver. Wtih the Fairway across the street we were able to save money by eating breakfast in our room and packed munchies as we explored the city. The location is very convienent with a subway station just a block and a half away. You can get to any part of the city very easily. We did not feel uncomfotable walking around at night in the neighborhood or riding the subway at night. \nThere are plenty of resaurants to choose from in the area and most of them were family friendly. A woderful restaurant we tried was Josies on Amsterdam. \nThe park and the Natural History museum are within walikng distance. The area is completely different taht being in Times Square. It was nice to be able to walk around the neighborhood and not be crammed on the sidewalk or worrying about losing the kids in a crowd. \nWe would recommend the Beacon Hotel to anyone and we plan on going back to this hotel the next time we go the New York.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "In my opinion, the only thing the Beacon Hotel has going for it is it's excellent location and friendly staff. The Hotel itself is in desperate need of a facelift. The rooms are antiquated and are painted a disturbingly gloomy shade of pink. The air conditioning system belongs in the National HIstory Museum and the bathrooms are uncomfortably small. To best conjure the perfect image, think dodgy seaside B&B in a backwash town circa 1970's and you have the Beacon interior. Do not expect 'any' of the usual perks and luxury you would usually expect from such a costly hotel. Although shabby, the rooms are clean and a newspaper is delivered, roughly every second day, however that is the extent of it. \nOn the upside, the Beacon Hotel is situated beside Filene's Basement Department Store and adjacent to 72nd Subway station. I urge you to utilize the subway, great efforts have been made to make it safe. My mother is in her 70's and is happy to use it alone (during daylight hours). The Hotel receptionist will furnish you with a good map free of charge.\nIn real terms, it's hard to get great accomodation in NY unless you are willing to bend your platinum card, however, it is really not good enough to pretend that this hotel is acceptable under modern day value for money standards. Rather, consider it the best of a bad bunch within the room rate bracket.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My family and I stayed in a standard room on the 5th floor facing the Fairway market. The other reviewers are correct--bring your earplugs--the delivery trucks begin coming at 3am every morning. With earplugs, it's no problem. \nThe good news is that the Beacon is just wonderful! The 72nd street express subway station is only 2 1/2 short blocks away. In one stop, you can be at Times Square. The area around the Beacon is easy to explore by foot. There are actually signs warning drivers not to honk their horns, and it works! The area feels like a neighborhood (unlike Times Square and Midtown). The American Museum of Natural History is an easy walk; and the Metropolitan Museum of Art is a slightly longer, but enjoyable, walk to the east side of Central Park. In the standard room, the kitchenette consists of a half-sized refrigerator, a two-burner stovetop (with teakettle), a sink, toaster, and a microwave. We ate H&H bagels every morning in our room (just 5 blocks up Broadway for some of the best bagels), and we ate dinner in our room. We saved a lot of money eating in, and it was easier for our kids to relax at the end of the day in the room rather than having to behave at a restaurant. There are also some wonderful-looking restaurants in the neighborhood. We feel that the Beacon was a perfect place from which to explore the city.\nI can't figure out why the site lists the Beacon as a one-star hotel. It seems worthy of at least 3 stars.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "When we first arrived we though we were out on a limb as we had previously stayed at Times Square, but after finding our bearings we appreciated staying a little out from the hustle and bustle, being able to have the choice to walk through Central park, on Broadway and catch the many sights of New York or catch the very handy Subway to anywhere in Manhattan.\nThe rooms were clean and very comfy beds, although they were perhaps in need of a little decoration, but by no means let this put you off.\nThe consierges were very helpful, with maps available of Manhattan and they were only too happy to answer any questions and also booked our helicopter ride with Liberty Helicopters, which saved us any headache.\nThere was a very handy supermarket straight across the street and a wine merchants on the corner which was very handy! The fridge was a god send especially with having two children travelling with us and obviously to chill wine.\nThere are numerous restaurants nearby to suit the majority of tastes.\nENJOY!!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "Stayed at the Beacon for 5 nights over Easter. We were in a 1 bedroom suite on the 4th floor. Niggles first - if you are at the front of the hotel, there is early morning noise from the deliveries to the (wonderful) Fairway market, so bring your earplugs. The room safe was broken, and I spotted some crumbs on the floor at the side of the cooker. However, using the hotel safe was easy and free, and the suite was otherwise very clean, if in need of redecoration. I would be more than happy to stay here again.\nThe hotel is in a great situation, very handy for the subway, and for Central Park. We mostly ate breakfast in the room, but were pleased with breakfast at the diner downstairs, where we also had a decent evning meal.\nIf you get chance in amongst the more obvious sightseeing, the Tenement Museum on the Lower East Side is a gem for a bit of social history.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We had a one bedroom apartment on the 5th floor for a 7 day stay over Easter.The apartment was spacious especially by NYC standards,with two double beds in the bedroom and a living room with a kitchenette at the end.(Good sized fridge).\nThe marble bathroom was small but perfectly adequate.\nThe coin operated laundry on the 7th floor with six washing machines and six tumble dryers was a very useful amenity.\nDecor a bit dated, but beds and sofabed comfortable.\nThe staff are friendly and the Concierge supplied us with maps, booked our helicopter flight and offered useful advice about how to get to Yankee stadium etc.\nThe location is great,opposite Fairways(food market to rival any)close to 72nd street subway,express stop,easy walk to Central Park and Riverside Park.\nApartment cleaned and sheets changed every day.\nAll the benefits of a hotel, but no guilty feelings when you take in your own food and drink.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "We have just returned from 3 nights at the Beacon. The hotel is very clean, in a great location (close by to many restaurants that are reasonably priced, grocery stores, museums, subway etc..) The staff were very friendly and very keen to please. We have stayed in other more expensive hotels in NY which had much smaller rooms with no kitchentte, and without a doubt, the Beacon is fantastic value for money - with little compromise on quality or service.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "We have just arrived home after spending 5 nights at the excellent Beacon Hotel. We had booked following recommendations read here and were not disappointed, in fact it was even better than we had expected. Our room was spotlessly clean, comfortable and well equipped, the kitchenette was an added bonus. We had great views from the 24th floor toward the Hudson River (spectacular sunsets!)and we found the location of the hotel excellent, a short walk to Central Park or the subway which takes you directly to Times Square. The Fairway Market just opposite was amazing, even for someone who hates shopping, vegetarians are well catered for there so no problem finding my veggie bits and bobs. Absolutely no hesitation in recommending this hotel to anyone wanting value for money and good quality accommodation. We are definitely going back!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We have just arrived home today after 6 wonderful nights spent at the Beacon. We chose it after reading hundreds of hotel reviews on this site, and we were not disappointed. In fact we were thrilled with the size, quality and cleanliness of the rooms, the courtesy of the staff, and the location. It's on the M104 bus route to midtown /Times Square area and 2 mins walk to 72nd St subway station which is on the 1,2 and 3 routes. Every major part of town is accessible from here, including Times Square, Staten Is Ferry, Brooklyn and Bronx. Central park is an easy 10 minute stroll. The neighbourhood has a more laid back feel than the hectic midtown areas, and with plenty of good eateries nearby it's a real winner. If ever we are privileged to visit NY again we shall certainly stay here.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 26}, {"text": "We stayed at the Beacon between 19th and 23rd March 2006 based on the reviews given on Travel Advisor. Hotel is very clean it is slightly dated however would definately return. The room had two double beds, a safe, mircowave and fridge. Staff in the hotel more than happy to help. Our flight was not until 21.25, hotel more than happy to store the luggage until we were picked up. You can see the subway station from the hotel, 1 stop to Time Square on the express line. Would recommend Macy's basement for food. Fresh pasta cooked in front of you for $7 - excellent taste and value. 21st Century Department is great for shopping bargains, its diretly across from Ground Zero.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "This hotel is FABULOUS, can't recommend it enough. Having stayed in cramped, not too clean places in midtown the Beacon was a revalation. BIG room, flat screen TV, fully equipped kitchenette, nice bathroom, couldn't have wished for a nicer hotel. Even the view was great, from the 24th floor I could see clean across the Hudson River. Makes a nice change from a grimy brick wall or an air conditioning unit which is usual for NYC! Subway is only a 2 minute walk away, so easy to get to anywhere.\nGreat food shops nearby and a nice diner downstairs, so no need to go far for breakfast!\nVery nice staff too. When I went to make a phone call home, the operator intercepted me dialling out and recommended I buy a $10 phone card from the front desk as it would save me a lot of money. And it did!!! Decent of them to point this out to me.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "An inexpensive hotel that would pass easily as a three star property in Europe. Good room which are well decorated with decent sized bathroom. Try and get an upper floor for the best views. We were on floor 22 so we could see over the Hudson river and in to Jersey. Location near to Subway and the excellant Zabar's deli and coffee shop. No better place for breakfast in New York.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "Just returned from a week at the Beacon Hotel. Excellent hotel, location and staff. Planning second trip already and will definately be returning to this hotel. Highly recommend room 1909 completely refurbished, only downside faces Fairway market which can be quite noisy during the early hours when deliveries are being made, not good if your a light sleeper like me. We did tried Vinnies pizzeria as recommended on tripadvisor, never go there again worst pizza I have ever had. Plenty of other great restuarants to choose from and your never faraway from Starbucks which is always good news. We were there for the St Patricks day parade which was fantastic. Next trip planned for fall to see Central Park in all its glory. This hotel is so close to Central Park that we walked through it everyday, its amazing.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "we stayed at beacon for 3 nights and i must say we really loved it.previous reviews on this hotel made us decide to try it this time and they were right..the room was big with 2 double beds and the kitchenette is a big plus.the room was cleaned everyday,so no problems in that as well.our room was a smooking room( not our choice though) ,but it didnt smell the single bit.it was the same as a nonsmoking one. the hotel's location was great,we usually stay in times sq. area but we really liked the neighbourhood.the fairway is just across the street, a starbucks on the corner and a lot of different options around.we wld definitely come back to this hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "My husband and I had fantastic time at Beacon and in New York. We were there for 4 nights Feb 9-13 2006 and were thrilled to experience the biggest ever recorded snowfall in New York - 27 inches in Central Park!\nHad researched many hotels and reviews before booking and can confirm Beacon is one of best deals. Hotel clean, warm, heating works! Rooms massive - 2 double beds. Powerful shower with plenty of hot water at midnight when we arrived. Kitchenette etc all as per other reviews, great! Reception staff accommodating. We arrived late and although I had previously e-mailed to request non-smoking room these are allocated on arrival so we had smoking room 1st night. However, there was no evidence of its use as a smoking room - smell and condition of room no different to non-smoking room we were swiftly moved to for rest of our stay. So if arriving late would advise telephone beforehand. Don't use hotel phones - we didn't, but got a $5(\u00a33) phonecard which gave us over 3 hours uk landline calltime! You can use card in public hotel phones on 2nd floor. Once you have dialled number, you are told how much calltime you have. \nAlso bad idea to order takeout - massive pizza but as we'd ordered 2 bill was also massive! \nCitypass good value, everything in New York a must and of course impossible in one visit! Some of best times we had were in Manhatten Diner a couple of streets up from hotel on Broadway. Excellent food, value and well frequented by local residents!\nSubway great, we got 7 day pass as good value. Covers all of New York City. We had no problems using it late night as plenty of people still about. We also used AirTrain/subway link to travel to/from hotel/airport. No problems with traffic and cheapest transfer fare. However, elevators/lifts for AirTrain but not at other subway stations. Need cash for subway tickets as credit cards can only be verified if you are U.S. resident. \nClothes not generally cheap, best value Gap, Old Navy and Dave's (where you can get Levi's for under \u00a320). The latter 2 shops are virtually opposite each other on 6th Avenue (of the Americas) at 16th St. \nI managed to break my wrist ice-skating in Central Park but this didn't mar our stay. Lenox Hill Hospital staff great, efficient, just make sure you have travel insurance! Preferably with an office address in U.S. then hospital can bill them direct!\nGo and enjoy!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "Had no hesitation about booking this hotel again for my second trip to New York. The room was clean, comfortable and, from my experience, quite large. The bathroom could be considered small, but I did not find this a problem. The room also contains a small fully equiped kitchenette area, with fridge, microwave and a two ring stove top (including a coffee maker and tea/coffee which was topped up daily). \nWireless internet is also available, but this carries a daily charge if used. The access code needs to be obtained from reception and it changes daily. \nNew flatscreen TV in the room, with a huge selection of free TV channels. Also, the usual selection of pay tv. But why bother, if you want to pay to see movies then there are several cinema multiplexes within a few blocks walking distance from the hotel (and cheaper too).\nAs for hotel's location, couldn't be better, in a residential area on the Upper West Side. Only two stops from Penn station on the express subway line and one from Times Square. The hotel is only 1-2 blocks from the 72nd street subway station. Across the street is the excellent Fairway 24hr supermarket and a few blocks away is probably the best deli in New York, Zabars. Also, within a stone's throw from the hotel entrance are numerous Starbucks, cafes, diners and restaurants. \nAll in all a great place to stay. BTW, both times I stayed here I managed to get great rates, less than half the hotel's own advertised rate, by hunting round the various online booking agencies.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "I stayed at The Beacon from 10th to 14th February. It's a great hotel and I highly recommned it. It is on the Upper West Side, a few minutes walk from a subway which will take you to the busy areas (Times Sqaure etc) within a few minutes.\nMy room was huge with fantastic views over the city on two sides of the room. It was room 2412. The little kitchette was great and well stocked with items. It's great if your on a budget and want to cook something light in the evening or for breakfast rather than eating out. There is a wonderful supermarket ouver the road listed in a few guide books - called Fairways. It was great for bagels etc if you want to self cater.\nThe hotel has no bar of it's own but that is no big deal. There is a free same in the room and the staff were polite and helpful.\nI'd definitely stay there again!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Fantastic location, great hotel, felt like we lived in NY for a week. Don't tell everyone, before you know it looses it's charmes.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Our family of seven, 5 adults and two children stayed at the Beacon from the 18th Dec to 26th Dec 2005 to enjoy our xmas in New York, as expected everthing was great about the Beacon, location is really good, rooms are a good size, we had rooms on the 25 & 27th Floors with a view as requested, the rooms are great with a small kitchenette, which we did not use a great deal as the option of eating out was much better, the meals and service at Viand Cafe downstairs was great, very nice people, and great food at reasonable price, good laundry, nice new Lobby. Plenty of food markets closeby to the Beacon, The Fairway is directly across Broadway from the Hotel, even had vegemite (for the Aussie visitors). The one big problem we encountered was the strike by the Transit people (first time in 25 years), no buses or trains, if you know New York this is a disaster, particulary at Xmas time, but we managed to turn the negative into a positive, taxis and a lot of footwork, even visited a lot of places that we normally would not have gone to.We had a great stay for our second visit at the Beacon, would definitely stay again, hopefully one day.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "We stayed at the Beacon for the second time (first time was in 2002), and we loved it again. The room was clean, comfortable, and relatively spacious, everything worked well, a request for an extra towel and more tissues was fulfilled in minutes, and the location is superb. It's a block to the subway and just a short walk from great restaurants, Barnes & Noble, movie theaters, and Central Park, and most importantly, it is across the street from the wonderful Fairway Market. The kitchenette seals the deal: it's a great value for a family wanting to \"eat in\" to save money on meals. Look for their specials on their website; our room was $170/night before taxes and was perfectly comfortable for four people.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "My wife and I flew in from Oslo, Norway, for a 6 day easterbreak and found the hotel without any trouble (great about New York numbered streets). All of a sudden we found ourselves in a room on the 25.th floor, view of the park and all the hihgrise you could need. No breakfast (but who needs it in NY), perfect service, nice and clean big rooms and smart kitchen solution. The best place I have stayed in so far in NY. Coming back to Beacon for sure.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "Stayed here for 4 nights - hotel was brilliant, slap bang in the middle of upper west side. Loads locally and only a 10 minute walk from central park. Good diners and eateries nearby - would definitely go back.\nStaff were friendly and extremely helpful Just grand!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 24}, {"text": "Stayed here with my sister and daughter for five nights. We had booked a triple room and were initially disappointed to find just two standard size (4'6\" wide) double beds. We were offered an upgrade to a suite for an extra $70 per night which we declined. However, our room, though not overly large, was comfortable, warm, clean and quiet, as it was at the rear of the building on 14th floor. Cannot fault the facilities in the room, as mentioned in previous reviews. Staying here is like having your own appartment in New York. The neighbourhood feels safe and the local shop and restaurant staff very friendly. Excellent weekday breakfast specials at the Viand Cafe next door and good evening meals. Also enjoyed the Fairway across the road for breakfasts and dinner, and groceries. Plentiful restaurants and cafes adjacent which cater for the locals and therefore don't charge tourist prices. This location is great for using the subway and a Metro Card will take you all over the city. If you like walking, it's a pleasant half hour stroll through Central Park to 5th Avenue and all the shops. Reception staff efficient and friendly. The concierge arranged a shuttle back to the airport costing $21 per person, and stored our luggage after check-out.\nTo sum up, we really liked the hotel and really LOVED the location, and would stay here again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 34}, {"text": "I found this hotel referenced in a New York for Dummies book. My husband and I were traveling with our 4 children. Upon check-in, we were informed that we had been upgraded to a 2 bedroom suite rather than the 1 bedroom that we requested. Very nice suite! The rooms were very large by NYC standards. We even added another night to our stay and they were extremely accommodating. The neighborhood is excellent for families and the subway stop is extremely convenient. We will stay at the Beacon again!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "We stayed at the Beacon Hotel,December 3rd to the 8th.Found the staff very friendly,Mary the assistant manager arranged early check in for us.\n Room much nicer and larger than expected,very clean and well equipped.\n Excellent location we actually felt part of New York not just in a tourist area.\n We will certainly return.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "We came to New York after eight weeks in the UK and Europe, and were very pleasantly surprised with the Beacon. It's old and a little bit shabby, but better than many we had stayed in. The room was large and pretty comfortable, but the kitchenette with stove, fridge and microwave was an unexpected treat. There is a brilliant 24-hour market just opposite, and we were able to stock up and eat some home-cooked meals that didn't cost a fortune.\nThe location is good (handy to a subway station and a nice walk to Central Park). The staff were more helpful than average for New York. And having a laundromat just down the hallway from our room was extremely convenient.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We loved the Hotel Beacon. We were there Dec.6-9, a very busy time, and were treated very well and efficiently. Wonderful location, ON Broadway, on the edge of a very nice neighborhood, with lots of eateries around with in a 5-10 block walk. There is an AWESOME grocery across the street, and a liquor store 2 doors down. We had a room with 2 double beds, it was quite large and very comfortable. The mattresses were comfortable. Very clean and well appointed. We were unable to make a connection to a wireless network, but it was a short visit, so it was OK. (It may have just been the location of our room.)\nWe booked this hotel as a package with Broadway, and it was a tremendous value. I will plan to stay again if I'm ever in the city! \nIf you stay there, you gotta eat at Vinnie's Pizzeria one block away on Amsterdam. Mmm mmm good!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "The Beacon Hotel is a diamond in the rough. Taking on NYC with two teenagers is an experience made easy with this hotel. Knowing we needed a suite hotel, I was impressed with the reviews of this property on Trip Advisor. We took a chance and were extremely pleased. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable. Having traveled to NYC on business for over 15 years, I can truly say it is my favorite over some of the better known properties. The neighborhood is something to treasure. We really liked the convenience of the shopping and dining such as the Arte Cafe on 73rd near Columbus Ave. My spouse and I would like to return on our own for more of this perfect setting for the true NYC neighborhood feel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "The Beacon Hotel is a gem. The rooms are spacious, comfortable and clean. The staff is efficient and accomodating. The hotel's proximity to shopping, markets, the theater and Central Park is ideal. Particular commendation goes to Frank Dee, Sales Manager. Frank went out of his way to make our stay at the Beacon special. We're already booked for next December!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "As a family of 5 travelling from Australia, the beacon was the most comfortable place we stayed on our trip to the states. We checked in late in the evening after a 10 hour flight from Frankfurt and the desk clerk was such a lovely man. We had originally booked a one bedroom suite but he upgraded us to a 2 bedroom suite! 2 bedrooms with 2 most comfortable double beds in each and 3 TV's. The kitchen was well stocked and the the location cant be beat. I wanted to stay in Times Square but we lost our booking at the salisbury but i am glad we did. With 2 of my children aged 3 and 6, this was the better choice. Subway was close, market across the street and central park a short walk down lovely tree lined neighborhood streets. I agree with a previous poster about our experience at the diner next door, Vinard. The food was not nice, the staff were too interested in the soccer match on the TV, yes they did seem not to want to be there and they didnt seem to like having children in their diner, yet they had a childrens menu. Each to their own, it was an experience, but i know i will stay at the beacon again but not dine next door.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I was a little worried before checking in but I was plesantly surprised!!! I will stay here again for sure!\nWe arrived on time for check in and found the computers were down so it was a little slow. But, the staff was friendly and found us a room. It was exactly what was reserved. A one-bedroom suite, 2 double beds, non-smoking. room 707 The suite was huge!The beds were nice ! Everything was clean and well-kept. The daily maid staff was great! I guess the maid reported a light bulb out, someone came right up to fix it! They even washed our dishes and left pleanty of tea/coffee for the coffee maker! The kitchenette is fully stocked with plates, cookware, etc! Even dish soap! there was no sponge but we picked on up at the market along with our food supplies :) Having the option to make something was a great help! We only made breakfest but, it saved money for sure. We stayed 4 nights and 2 of our friends stayed 3 out of 4 and we found in not to be too crowded. The sofa can really on fit 3 people, so that did leave the 4th sitting on the floor or in one of the dining room tyle chairs, but it all worked out well. There did seem to be some remodling going on in the suite next door, but the workers were not there on Sat and Sun and left by 4 ish on the weekdays. When we checked out we had a few hours to kill before our bus back to Boston and the front desk even offers a bag check! So that was nice! Would recommend this hotel and will stay here again!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Three things outstanding at the Beacon: 1. Location at 75th and Broadway, 3 blocks from an express subway, and directly across from a Fairway Market and a Citarella. 2. A complete kitchenette to prepare the nice breakfast things you just bought across the street. 3. There is a guest laundry hidden away on the 6th floor.\nRooms are big enough, there are in-room safes, and the bedding is old but serviceable. Desk clerks are friendly and helpful.\nProblems: Concierges don't do their job, whatever it may be at this place, and what they do do, they do badly. Further, getting cabs is difficult because there is no doorman, and delivery trucks park for long times in front of the lobby. Cross to Fairway and join the crowd of New Yorkers taking their groceries home, and you'll get a cab there.\nIn sum, we always stay here because it has become our neighborhood in NYC, and at home you sort of lose the need to be waited on hand and foot.\nAnd it's nice to just walk down to the Met and back with everybody else.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Stayed for four nights on a prolonged weekend, primarily for performances at the Metropolitan Opera. I chose the hotel primarily on the strength of reviews on this site, and I can only subscribe to those who have found the hotel excellent in all respects, particularly if you have no need for a full-service hotel, which I don't, as I like to get around. The best of all is the ideal location, which can hardly be bettered, with a subway station two blocks away (on 72nd street) and a comfortable walk to Central Park, Lincoln Center and Times square. The neighbourhood was (relatively) tranquil, and it felt totally safe at all times; I walked alone from Lincoln Center up Broadway (10-12 minutes) around midnight three nights in a row without feeling in the least uncomfortable. The staff was corteous and competent and the rooms were adequately furnished, clean and well kept. I will definitely recommend this hotel wholeheartedly to any traveller. At the price I paid it can hardly be beaten.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "I stayed here with a Contiki Tour. The rooms are very clean and each room has a kitchennette with a microwave and fridge and stove top which is very useful (there is a fantastic market right across the street which is open 24/7). Starbucks is on the corner for caffeine addicts like me! Bathroom was spotless. There were 2 double beds in our room and a safe. TV with loads of channels. Pay TV as well although didn't have time to watch any. The hotel is a 5 minute walk from 72nd Street Subway Station which is on the express and local lines so was 1 stop to Times Square. I walked from Fifth Avenue back to the hotel and it only took 25 minutes - slow walk.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Just arrived home from a three night stay at the Beacon. Three of us shared a suite with two double beds, a fold out sofa and small kitchenette. The room was huge by Manhattan standards. We were able to save money by eating breakfast in the room. The hotel is close to the subway, Central Park, Museum Row, Lincoln Center and not a bad walk to the Broadway theatre district. Staff at the front desk and concierge were very helpful. I will always try to stay at the Beacon when in NYC.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We spent 9 days in the Beacon Hotel on vacation from the UK last month. It was well reviewed in local guide books,but it was the comments on this forum which made up our mind. \nAs some of the reviewers have already stated it did not have a great deal of facilities and cannot comment on the internet use provided as we didn't try it. However,the Viand cafe next to the hotel was excellent for breakfast. We didn't have a suite,but we had 2 double beds in the room which was very large. We had microwave,fridge,stove etc so ate in on 2 or 3 nights as there was an excellent market across the road which has frequently been commented on. In addition there were other markets and delis etc all around the hotel.\nIn addition to all these positive points the real bonus was the location - it was brilliant! We arrived on Amtrak from Boston and were in our hotel room via the subway in 35 minutes. The subway is only 5 minutes walk away which will take you virtually anywhere. The bus goes past the front door and Times Square is a pleasant 25 minute walk. We saw some of the expensive hotels in midtown,but not a patch on this area,\nwhich because of its residential nature has a much more pleasant \"feel\".", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "We spent a week at the Beacon on Broadway at 75th St West, and were surprisingly pleased. The room wasn't big (but you don't spend your holiday in your room), but it was clean, comfortable, had all mod cons, a good view to the west (we were on the 21st floor) and a little kitchenette with microwave, oven, toaster etc so we could save money by getting our own breakfasts.\nBut the location was the thing. A three-minute walk to the 72nd St subway (the 1 Train to Times Square, one stop to the Lincoln Center), a five-minute walk to Central Park, and good shops and restaurants and cafes all round.\nStaff under pressure (are they short-staffed or is the reception desk too small?) but friendly and helpful.\nWe will definitely stay there again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "We stayed at Beacon hotel for 3days & 3 nights last October 11-14, 2005. The hotel was just 1 1/2 blocks away from 72nd train station. We arrived early, 6:30 am, it was cold and just rained but the lobby was warm. We couldn't check-in but the staff allowed us to store our luggages and use their restroom to refresh. Once checked-in, the room has cute kitchen and equipments + coffeemaker :) We had two full comfy beds; bathroom is good size and clean; shower has good water pressure; tv has all cable channels. We were in the 3rd floor, so we couldn't see the view. The room is quiet and stayed in the right temperature. The location is the greatest...it was surrounded with markets (across the street), bank, diner, souvenir stores & shops. The Viand cafe on the right side was great--great food & service! We came home from Time Square around midnight and this cafe was still open, coffe & deserts are wonderful. Overall, no complaints here. Highly recommended!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "As a family of four we were very impressed with The Hotel Beacon. The room was very spacious and exceptionally clean.The kitchenette was a god send,with fresh tea and coffee every day.The location was perfect,with a good selection of shops and restaraunts just moments from the hotel,and the Fairways supermarket had a wide variety of food and drink,all available 24hours a day.Times Square is only 20 minutes walk or 5 minutes on the subway for all that New York has to offer.Also with Central Park only 5 minutes walk away it was great for the kids after a hard days shopping.All in all I would reccomend it for a romantic weekend for 2 or like us a 7 nite stay doing all the touristy things as a family.We will definately be staying here again and will be recomending it to all our friends and family.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "A group of young moms enjoyed The Beacon on our \"Moms Take Manhattan\" adventure! The room was ideal for the 4 of us and the rate worked out to about $65 a person. This can't be beat! Our room was newly renovated and very, very clean. The only complaint had to do with the air conditioner as NY was unusually hot during our stay. The units were controlled by a \"motion detector\" and only turned on when motion was detected in the room. When everyone was still b/c we were asleep, the a/c would turn off. This led to our random, ritual looking movements throughout the night to get the a/c to kick on--leg lifts, pillow tosses and crazy waving of arms got the job done, but we wondered if we were part of a hidden camera show! We have never heard of motion driven units---we did make the best of it and had lots of laughs! This truly was the only complaint! A great location with easy subway access and a wonderful neighborhood feel. Highly recommend!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We arrived at the hotel, immediate impressions was, this is a better location than we thought, and we were not proved wrong. Checking in no problem. Gave us the top floor, a must! Room 2511. Views from all windows, well just fantastic, room clean and tidy everyday, felt like we had our own apartment, with kitchenette- go to the chotic supermarket across the road, not just for the experience but the delicious goodies they have!\nAccess to the subway, 72nd street great, 100yrds.\nLocal bars, dining, shopping etc, behind hotel great, amsterdam street, especially at the weekends, you get the true feel of new york, rather than the plastic of times square.\nThe only bad experience was the so called dinner next door, attached to the Beacon, Vinard, bloody awful service, with attidude!!\nYou will love this place, never thought i would go onto something like this, but, yes, why not tell others!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I stayed at this hotel for five nights in September along with my wife and teenage daughter. The location is wonderful you are surrounded by shops\nand restaurants, it is a very short walk to the subway. We found the situation perfect after a long day walking in Manhattan in baking temperatures, we came back had a rest and a drink (nicely chilled in the fridge!)then just walked to a local restaurant of which there are loads covering every price range and taste. There is a very well stocked wine store two doors away and an excellent 24hr supermarket straight across the road. With regard to the hotel itself it is situated right on Broadway and it can suffer from traffic noise, delivery trucks and garbage collectors seemed to appear around 3am every morning. It seems to be the luck of the draw which room you get ours was on the 15th floor and consisted of two good sized beds and a small kitchen, with microwave, fridge( very useful!) cooker and kettle, plus bathroom and air conditioning. It is fair to say that the rooms do need updating, but they are perfectly adequate.\nTo summarise if you want a reasonable hotel in a convenient location this ideal. The kitchen is very useful especially for families on a budget you can get up to four people in one room which cuts down on costs.\nThere are no other facilities in the hotel, no bar or restaurant.\nWe would recommend this hotel and would stay there again, it depends on what your priorities are, incidentally we paid \u00a390 per night for a family of three which I thought was very good value. We loved New York and can't wait to go back!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We have stayed here many times and this time was the most exciting because we were able to stay in a renovated room (1217). It had funky colors of greens, gold and pastels. The bed was thee most comfortable and the overall feel was a pleasure. Some other guest stated that the place needs cleaning, my suggestion would be for that individual to get glasses the place is spotless and there are no undesireable people residents at this hotel it is the safest and most relaxing place we have been. Try it you won't be disappointed", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "You are now reading a review by an individual who is very biased! I love this hotel! I live in Hawaii and try to visit New York as often as possible.\nOne of my favorite experiences is to stay at the Beacon. The staff is truely\noutstanding. They go out of their way to help in any way possible. The rooms are immaculate thanks to a wonderful housekeeping unit. If you\nmake a reservation via phone, the manger and his staff will try to\naccomodate your request even on busy holidays. Shopping is a dellight.\nYou do not need to go downtown to find a special goodie, I especially\nlove the grocery stores and the excellent eateries. It is so convient via\nbus and train to see all of New York. Now the truth! I have been going to\nthe Beacon for over 10 years. I think it is like a visit to my family.\nHave fun in New York because of the Beacon. Aloha\n.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "I had requested a room at the top but we arrived too late & was given a refurbished room on the 12th floor. Fantastic room everything and I mean everything was brand new, the bed hadn't even been slept in! Great air con to THANKS GUYS !!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 29}, {"text": "Hotel Beacon exceeded our expectations during our stay in June 2005. Excellent loaction - one stop via the express #2 train to 42nd St. Walk to Central Park. Out of Mid-Town madness. Kitchennette and grocery stores across the road resulted in savings.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 27}, {"text": "We selected the Beacon hotel - my wife and I with our two adult children - because of its proximity to the Beacon Theatre; we usually stay in the Theatre District. We had reserved two rooms but they upgraded us to a suite. The room was spacious and very comfortable. The staff was friendly and helpful. And, as other reviewers have noted, the location is excellent. It is close to the 72d Street subway station, but is in a neighborhood which is more relaxed than the Theatre District. It is within easy walking distance also to the Lincoln Center and to Central Park, and from the two where we ate, there seem to be a lot of good restaurants nearby.\nWe will return to the Beacon the next time we visit the City.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 26}, {"text": "We stayed at the Beacon for a week at the end of May and it was great. It was our second stay there after 1999. When planning our recent New York trip we first of all thought about choosing a hotel more downtown. But after having read the positive reviews we decided to go back and we are more than glad that we did so. The stay already started great when upon an e-mail send to the Beacon a while before our trip, we got a room as requested on one of the upper floors to the back of the hotel. Our room was on the 18th floor with a great view (we even caught a glimpse of Central Park). It was spacious and as many other reviewers we enjoyed the small kitchenette. The staff was always helpful and friendly. One morning we told them that our TV did not work properly and when we arrived back in our room in the afternoon it was fixed. \nWhat\u2019s also great, is the location. The next subway station is just two short blocks away (Central Park and Museum of Natural History only 3 blocks) and the neighbourhood offers lots of nice small affordable restaurants and shops (incl. supermarkets and the usual suspects in men\u2019s and women\u2019s apparel for a little pre-dinner shopping ;-)). After a day of sightseeing in hectic and noisy \u201cdowntown\u201d Manhattan, we enjoyed to step from the subway and stroll around Broadway, Amsterdam and Columbus Ave. For breakfast we can not only recommend the upstairs bakery of the Fairway supermarket (as many other reviewers) but also the Viand Caf\u00e9 (connected to the hotel). From Monday through Friday they offer breakfast specials which we found reasonable priced and of good quality. \nWe really hope that the Beacon team keeps the standard and we will definitely choose the Beacon again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 24}, {"text": "We (family of 4 with teenagers) stayed here for 5 nights- May 31-June 5th. The location is good if you want to get out of the hustle and bustle of midtown. It is a very short walk to the subway( I was expecting longer blocks). The area around the hotel seemed very safe even late at night walking back from the sub. Our room was a 1 bedroom suite located on the 11th floor at the back of the hotel. We didn't have a \"good view\", but that was ok since we didn't have to listen to the noise from the street. We had a LARGE storage closet located in the hallway with a hanging space at the rear, along with 2 other closets, one in the hall and one in bedroom. The bedroom had 2 double beds, and the living area had a regular size sofa bed, even though we were told it was a queen sofa. There was more than enough room for our clothes, etc. Having a kitchen was great, especially when traveling with teenagers who want to eat in the middle of the night. After checking into hotel, we walked across street to the Fairway Market and stocked up on snacks, drinks, and breakfast food. However, I don't recommend going there during the typical rush hour after work, it was horrible to try to find your items and check out. I had read one complaint about roaches, so I bought a box of large storage zip bags and stored all our food in them, along with keeping all food/drink items in the refrigerator (it was about 3/4 size of a regular refrigerator). The hotel supplies the dishwashing liquid, so I washed the things (glasses, flatware and a couple bowls/plates) I thought we would use and kept those in the refrigerator also. Turns out that the only bugs(2 small roaches) we saw were both in the bathroom.\nWe found the employees to be very helpful and quick to respond to request. We had to call once because the room above ours had some kind of leak over our tub area, and the maintenance man was up to our room in less than 5 minutes. They called us back to report what they had found and corrected. We were constantly asking for more bath towels, and they were always delivered in less than 5 minutes. Several times, we just left a note for the housekeeper to leave extra towels, and she left more than what we actually used.\nThe negative things about the room was the bathroom was not as clean as it could have been. There was a lot of mold in the tub--around the caulking where the tile met the tub, and in the corners going up the tile walls. So as a result, it made the whole tub/shower area feel dirty. The bathroom itself was very small; you cannot have more than 1 person at a time in there. The furniture in the living area was very old, and the upholstery was stained and grimy looking. The lighting was not as bright as it could have been, so we kept the windows wide open to help with the light. We paid $235 + taxes per night, which I thought was a little high, but with the extra space, it was worth it in the end. We had friends who stayed in the Times Square area last summer, who paid $195 + taxes per night, and their room was TINY. \nWe liked the location, the restaurants in the area were good, and would consider staying here again if I knew the furnture would be in better shape, along with a cleaner bathroom.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We stayed at the Beacon in mid May 2005.\nWe're a family of 5 and really liked the space in the rooms and the great location of the hotel (close to both the river and the Park).\nI've seen some other reviews that slag off the decor - well it is a bit faded and if this matters to you then I guess you shouldn't stay at the Beacon.\nIf however you need a good location, good prices and great space for your family then I'd definitely recommend the Beacon.\nOther things of interest:\n1. Fairway market is great\n2. The nearby Boat Basin Cafe, just on the Hudson river, is great for a meal and a drink", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "We stayed for 4 nights on the 10th floor and the room was large, clean and full of natural light, the wireless internet in the room was a big plus as well. The lobby is the same as the rooms. The neighborhood cannot be beat and the staff is very pleasant. We loved this place. On our last day we noticed another room being worked on and the staff person told us that this was a model room of what would be coming. They showed us the room and it was a very nice upgrade in style and decor. We will be back to check out the new rooms for next time. I highly recommend this place", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Stayed in this hotel for 3 nights at the end of May 2005. The short summary is this hotel is junk for a couple, maybe suited to a family. It was my first trip to NYC and I got a cheap rate but to be honest would never stay here again, and would gladly pay more on my next visit for a better hotel.\nLobby: nice lobby. As soon as you get out to your floor the wallpaper shows its age, the doors to each room much be at least 20 years old (just the locks upgraded to a keycard system).\nRoom: the rooms are BIG, thats the only good point, if you have a child or another person it would be very easy to live comfortablt. It also has a mini kitchinette and microwave, which again is good if you want to save $, but when you are out and about in NYC, it's not worth catching the subway back from times square to heat up something..its new york..pretzels are $1, enjoy the city. Furthermore, there are alot of places around the hotel which have good food at all hours.\nLocation: upper west side: subway is approx 3 min walk to 72nd street, then you can catch an express train to times square. (one stop). There is a fairway supermarket across the road for water, snacks if you want. Plenty of restraunts around the neighbourhood. It's quieter than the midtown hustle and bustle which is sometimes a good thing.\nOther expieriences: When we got into the room, the safe didnt work. They sent up a tech who replaced the batteries. Unpack and settle down a bit, then we notice the bathroom has not been properly cleaned from the previous occupant (bins are unemptied, no shampoos or soaps). Called housekeeping to tell them, they said they would send someone up right away. As we were waiting, I wanted to turn the heater on, the heater didnt work. \nAfter 50 mins of waiting and calling housekeeping again, I was annoyed I wasted this time on my first trip to NYC and told them to forget it. I didn't even ask for a room change as the staff just didnt seem interested. Figured I would enjoy the great city and just sleep in this hotel.\nNext day early morning my room was made AND CLEANED and stocked. However I just bared it with the lack of heating.\nInternet: they offer internet, I checked mail the first day after being told to go to level 2 computer room. The next day at 1am I also wanted to check my email/flights, when I went to the front desk, this time I was told they charge $5 per half hour?? When I mentioned yesterday I was not asked, they chap said ok thats fine then he unlocked the pc room for me. So I don't know if he wanted to pocket $5 or what the system is.\nConclusion: This hotel is OK if you can get it for $125 a night..its not worth $1 more.\nThe only saving grace is if you have a family, then I can see how the kitchenette may benefit if you want do some cooking in the room. But for a couple there for 3 nights wanting to explore all of manhattan, this hotel is not all that its cracked up to be. The cleanliness and sharpness of the rooms fail to rate at all.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I stayed in the Beacon Hotel for 5 nights in May 2005. Our party was two adults and one child. We had requested a double room. The room consisted of two queen beds and was huge!!It had closet with an electronic safe (very handy). There was a kitchenette with micorwave, cooker hob and a fridge. Great to have with a 3 year old in tow. The bathroom was grand. The toilet flooded once and got blocked a second time but the staff were down asap to unblock and clean up. The cleaning of the room was brilliant, they came every day. The AC was great. The only drawback was the noise from the traffic outside. We were on the 8th floor. I was up at 5 or 6 every morning with the noise but there is lots to do in nyc so I didnt mind too much.\nWhen you exit the hotel turn left and continue on to subway station on 72nd street, dead handy - goes straight to Times Square. There is also a great funky clothes store near the station, Urban Outfitters, cute stuff you dont get in Ireland. Also if you exit the hotel and turn right and walk down to 79th street you will find Feline's Basement shop, good bargains.\nThere is also a great market directly opposite the hotel for supplies.\nAll in all the hotel was great. They even let me stay in the room a bit later on our last day as I had an evening flight. They can also arrange transportation to the airport for you.\nWould definately stay again.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "The Beacon hotel is a great choice for anyone new to New York as we were. Found it very relaxing and our room was nice and large. Nice to have a small kitchen if you need to cook as there is an amazing market opposite called the Fairway that we could have spent a fortune in if our baggage allowance had permitted. Ate out though. A good wine shop was 2 doors down. Hotel is on the upper west side so we usually walked to places (times Sq was about 25 mins) Get the Gray-line tourist bus around and it will cost you about 50 bucks for 2 days hop on/hop off for all the loops (uptown & downtown), they have great guides! There is a restuarant connected to the hotel that we didn't use but always looked busy but Amsterdam Ave is just behind and there are loads of bars and places to eat and there are plenty of restuarants nearby that will deliver.\nThe Beacon is not the cheapest hotel in the district and we paid \u00a3106.00 per night. Having some knowledge now, would probably look for somewhere a little cheaper if we ever return.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We just got back and had a great time. The staff were probably the most accommdating in any hotel I've been to. The neighborhod is so peacefull but only a few stops by subway away from the action. The lobby is neat and cozy and the rooms were large and vey clean. The kitchens were a huge plus for making food and saving time when you in a hurry, there is a market right across the street that helps compliment the stay. We will definatley be back", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "You know, we chose this hotel for friends to stay in based on the reviews of this site. C'mon, I am now convinced that the Hotel itself is writing their own reviews. This place could never garner more then an \"adequet\" review from anybody. I mean without a doubt it was the least attractive hotel in the neighborhood. The rooms were dreary and depressing and when we went downstairs to the desk to ask for a better accommodation we were told that we were in a newly renovated room. If that's true then thy need a new decorator. Also there were many unsavory people in this hotel and we were told by someone later that many of them live in the hotel.\nWhat I think is we were snookered by who are probably the owners of the hotel, because the truth is it was a less then average hotel with some matching rates, surely it should not be in the top third of hotels in New York.\nWho's kidding who ?", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We stayed at the Beacon for a week in early April. I booked the hotel on the basis of good reviews from this website and we were not disappointed. The room was spacious and clean with two double beds and a little kitchenette. It was our first visit to New York and we had the most wonderful time. At the end of a very busy day it was heartening to know that we were returning to a lovely comfortable room. Loved the location as well.......I wish I was there now!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "This hotel is easily accessible, clean and the kitchen area within the room is excellent. I can only echo the other reviews and would recommend this hotel. There is a huge market across from the hotel, it is situated on Broadway and the shopping nearby is great. Try the Utopia Restaurant for excellent affordable food.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Beacon Hotel was great! It is on Broadway near the subway- near 5th and Central Park and the rooms are comfortable and roomy. The kitchenette made such a difference - we didn't have to go out for every single thing we ate or drank. Right opposite is the most marvellous shop called Fairways which sold food/drink - everything you ever thought of and much more. The deli was amazing and we bought lots of interesting things there and tried them out in our room eating at the dining table in our room. I bbecame quite addicted to Fairways and would find it a perfectly good reason for living in NYC!\nThere is also a launderette. \nThe staff were polite and friendly and I cannot recommend it too highly.\nChrissie from Kent UK", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "An excellent location although we were on the 7th floor at the front of the hotel, it was extremely noisy. The road noise went on all night, and the Fairways Market opposite was having goods delivered at all hours. Definately ask for a room higher up or at the back of the hotel", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We have just returned from a 5-day trip to New York and we stayed at the Hotel Beacon. Its my first vist to New York and when I go back which I definitely will. I will stay here again. The staff are friendly and helpful. The rooms are clean and spacious. (think Holiday Inn standard) with the added bonus of a large fridge and two ring cooker, microwave and coffee maker. Although we didn\u2019t do any cooking it was great for making drinks and keeping drinks and fruit in. The Beacon is in a great location on Broadway but away from the tourists. This is a residential area but it is lively with a real New York buzz to it. The area felt really safe in fact the whole of Manhattan did. There are coffee shops, clothes shops, numerous restaurants, bookshops which stay open until 10.00pm! 10mins to Central Park, 10mins to the Natural History Museum (a must if you have kids, especially the planetarium), 1min to the nearest subway (72nd St) which will take you right down to the bottom of Manhattan and over to Brooklyn without having to change trains. The famous Zabars is just up the road but I have to make a special mention of Fairways Food market which is opposite the Beacon. You can get everything you may need foodwise there and more. If the weather is nice get a picnic from the Deli and head for Central Park. And they have a great cafe upstairs where you can get a good breakfast (my kids loved the pancakes with maple syrup) but at 5.30 it turns into a restaurant with candles and tablecloths. We went and had a fabulous meal with a decent bottle of red for $18 (\u00a39) which was\u2019nt the cheapest! Thank you New York for a fantastic holiday and see you next time.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "The Hotel Beacon is truly a find - we are so glad that we took Tripadvisor's advise and booked a stay there. It is excellent value for NYC and offers, clean, comfortable and spacious accommodation. Our room was generously sized with 2 double beds, a bathroom and kitchen area. A gourmet 24 hour market is opposite the hotel and as you have a fridge, microwave and hobs in your room, it is easy to be self catering. There is also a laundry room, where you can do your own washing, which came in handy. There is also a great diner next door, where the food is excellent and good value. The hotel is also very convenient for the subway and is situated in a pleasant part of the city. We can highly recommend a stay here and wouldn't hesitate to stay there again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Family of four w/ 2 kids (ages 10 & 5)...room was excellent w/ 2 double beds...kitchenette with mini-refrigerator, microwave, two burner stove, very small sink, coffeemaker, toaster, eating utensils ....very handy able to heat up leftovers when too tired to go out to eat at night...Fairway grocery store right across the hotel, plenty of reasonably priced diners/restaurants in the area...Museums nearby, etc..The B/C subway 2-3blocks west towards Central Park, the 1/9 subway was 3 blocks south on 72th St...Price was right, we got the room for $150/night thru AAA..Why 4 stars rather than a 5...A big cockroach under the sink and asked for a non-smoking room but the room stank...", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I booked this hotel based on the reviews on this site and the recommendation of Fodor's. Having been in many NY hotels - I expected, based on the price, clean and acceptable. Instead I found a wonderful, large comfortable room. My sister and I were taking our parents to the city for the first time. We had booked a one room suite and were given a free upgrade to a two room suite without asking. The room had a large sitting area with a small but fully equipped kitchenette, two full baths and two large bedrooms with two doubles each. We were thrilled. Across the street is a wonderful 24 hour grocery that will serve any food needs if you are not into the restaurant scene. There is a subway stop less than two blocks away and taxis are very easy to get right out the door. I found the location to be convenient for siteseeing and and shopping. I will definitely recommend to friends and family.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Stayed here with my family last week in March. I'd previously been on my own in 2002. It's been refurbished (bigger brighter lobby). We had two rooms on the 25th (top) floor - great views. \nDecent sized rooms with all amenities, including safe in closet, microwave, kettle, coffee-maker, fridge, electric cooker, colour TV with loads of channels. Maid service every day.\nService was very friendly & helpful. Fairway market acroos the road has everything you will need (and a cafe upstairs). La Viand restaurant next door serves meals all day and night. We ate there three times. Plenty of good eating places within walking distance. \nTen minute walk to Central Park. Brief walk to 72nd St. subway. If you catch the 2 or 3 subway train (express), it's non-stop to Times Square. Actual JOURNEY time is 3mins 30 seconds !!! (not bad for 30 blocks).\nWhen we checked out, we appeared to have been given a discount on the second room - can't be bad!!\nI'd happily stay here again and would recommend the place to anyone.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 29}, {"text": "Three friends and I stayed in the Beacon for a Spring Break college class trip. I agree with some users that the hotel may be a bit dated in appearance, but in general the lobby is nice (with a ramp for rolling luggage) and the staff are even nicer.\nStaying for 8 nights, we called about a lot of things (blankets, pillows,wakeup calls, silverware) and though the desk gave us the \"30 minutes at max\" answer, we always had someone up in no more than five minutes.\nWe never had ANY problems with bugs and trust me, we had a lot of food in the room, both in the fridge and on the counters. Often we had overflow trash just sitting in the kitchen waiting for pickup the next day, and we had no problems whasoever.\nThe rooms are a good size (we got the 1 bedroom suite) and we all felt very safe there. The kitchennete it quite tiny (I am 5'1 and the fridge was shorter than me) but enough for one person to move around in. The beds could use some updating: they were rickety and not extrememly comfortable.\nThe prices were moderate, but they have great specials on their site and I was very pleased with their services! Great location and only two blocks from the 1 and 9 subway!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We stayed here back in November 2004 for a week. Great location - up by 74th/75th Streets, so away from the midtown/downtown tourist trap. Lots of great diners, restaurants, markets & shops in this area of the Upper West Side. Fantastic subway links (with 72nd Street about 3 mins walk). The hotel itself was very good - above average size rooms, each one with kitchenette for tea/coffee & that morning bagel or slice of toast!! Internet facilities in the hotel, friendly staff and all good. Definitely worth a visit!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We were here when the Allman Brothers show started and the place was over run by fans. The staff managed to keep order in their boutique style lobby. Plus they had a group of kids from a school there as well. The rooms a huge and very very clean. The staff were always pleasant and accommodating. We will be back next year, however it won't be around the time the Allmans are playing", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I am getting ready to stay at the Beacon for my 5th time over the past 2 years. Our most recent visit was in January 2005. My teenage daughter and I LOVE this hotel. Here are the reasons:\n1. Location - Staying on the Upper Westside gives you the feel of LIVING in New York instead of being a tourist in Times Square. The Upper Westside has tons of good, reasonably priced restaurants within walking distance from the hotel or just a few subway stops away. The subway is a 3 minute walk from the hotel and Grey's Papaya - THE BEST HOT DOGS IN NEW YORK - is a 5 minute walk. You have great supermarket across the street so that you can stock up the refrigerator in your room if you so desire. \n2. The rooms are neither trendy or luxurious, but they are clean and nicely sized with comfortable beds. I would recommend the suites although we could only get a double room last time and it was fine. Each room has a kitchenette with a small range, microwave, sink, full-size refrigerator and coffeemaker. This is a big PLUS.\n3. Price - the rates are reasonable.\n4. Staff - Professional and courteous. \nI guess the thing that we like most about this hotel is that it doesn't feel like a hotel, it feels like a home away from home and being on the Upper Westside lets you experience a real part of New York.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Just had my 5th stay at the Beacon. I have found the staff always to be excellent, friendly and helpful. The rooms that I have had have been generously large. The lobby (which has been recently enlarged and redecorated) is very comfortable and attractive. Definitely my favourite place to stay in New York - I had free wi-fi access (don't know how!) and not only is the diner downstairs excellent but the 24 hour market across trhe road Fairway, is a gourmet's paradise.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "I have stayed at the Beacon Hotel five or six times since 1998 and I think it is fantastic. The staff are always friendly, rooms always very, very clean and I have never had a complaint. The standard rooms are a decent size but for the little extra upgrade to a suite and they are huge and very nicely decorated. You could quite comfortably sleep 6 in a suite. Bathrooms are quite small but very nice. Fantastic location near the subway or only a 25 minute walk to Times Square straight down Broadway. Having supermarkets across the road is very handy and you feel like you are part of the action as opposed to being a tourist!!! Love this place and can not wait to come back", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "Stayed here in Feb 2005. The best thing about this hotel is its location. Walking distance to Central Park and the subway nearby and its in a nice area. The worst thing was the lifts (elevators) there are only 3 to serve 20 something floors. Trying to go down in the morning, every lift that came was full of people from upper floors. So try to get a high up room and get on first or a low down room so you can use the stairs.\nStaff OK. Rooms are good. We chose it because of the kitchenette. Having a fridge and microwave on holiday is just great. There are supermarkets opposite and good places to eat in easy walking distance.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We (a large group of students) just stayed there and as the group leader I must admit everything was great we tried the patience of housekeeping and the frontdesk with multiple requests and all were met with a smile. The rooms were large, clean and the kitchens were a God send. Go to Hotel Beacon you won't be disappointed.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "I chose the Beacon Hotel after days of researching where to stay in New York City for my one night personal extension from a business trip in December 2004. Not only did the reviews from this site give it a thumb's up, but also various travel publications as well. \nI will say the location of the property is very good, with it's walking distance to the subway and to Central Park. The lobby is also presentable, but small. The problem I had was as soon as I got off the elevator, the halls were musty, ugly and very run down. I knew I was not in for a treat when I got to my assigned room. When arriving outside the door to the room, the door handle was broken and therefore, the key did not work. Not a good sign. Having to go back to the front desk for another room assignment, I was given a new room on the same floor - oh joy!\nUpon entering the room, it was what I expected after seeing the condition of the hallway. The room was rundown and dowdy. The size of the room was adequate, but the bathroom was small. Some may rate this hotel with high marks due to the kitchenette in every room. I learned a lesson that in the future I will never stay in rooms with kitchenettes due to what kind of \"visitors\" it attracts.\nAfter spending one sleepless night, I woke in the morning only to find roaches in the room and bathroom. They were on the table, the chair, the bathroom floor and sink! I totally freaked out that they were in my opened luggage. After a quick exit, I got out of that room as soon as I could as I was totally disgusted!\nNeeding a ride to LaGuardia airport, I asked the concierge for assistance. They were too busy helping others obtain rides that they contracted and told me my best bet was catching a cab. Not only did they not help me hail a cab, but told me I should go across the street since most cabs were on that side of the road during that time of day. Not only was it pouring rain, I had two suitcases to handle. Gee, thanks for the warm send off.\nAfter this trip, I vowed not only to stay away from the Beacon Hotel, but to never stay in a hotel that has a kitchenette!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 36}, {"text": "My wife and I and 11 year old daughter were lucky enough to get a room for the Wednesday before Thangiving Day Parade (2004). This hotel is absolutely fine and we recommend it, especially for its value and location. Somone said it was a little dated and perhaps so, but it was not run down by any means, not at all. Everything was clean. Plus the rooms have a refrigerator and microwave which is a teriffic advantage, especially for leftovers. And the rooms may be a bit larger than most other hotels in their class because they are converted apartments, I believe. (So, maybe not so dated after all). The location is excellent. For the parade, just a few blocks away from Central Park West (but get on the parade route by 6 AM to stake out your spot) and the Upper West Side is a great location, for walking, eating (and grazing). And you don't have to spend a fortune to eat in NYC. For example, there are several \"upper crust\" places for breakfast, brunch, etc.in the general neighborhood, such as Sarabeth's and Good Enough to Eat. But, also nearby (on 78th and Amsterdam) is a \"diner\" called Shining Star. We just had breakfast food and is was excellent on all accounts. Pancakes for $3.95--you can't beat that anywhere in the USA much less the Upper West Side. And they are open 24 hours, a full fledged diner. Plus. it may not be as \"fashionable\" as some of their neighbors, but it's still a place where neighborhood folks go, so you get plenty of NYC flavor too. Don't overlook this place. Also for cheap eats in the surrounding area: Fairway supermarket (and Cittarella's) are just across the street, an excellent Greek/Meditteranean place (Nikos is a few blocks away, and Zabar's (a NYC institution) at 80th and Broadway, both the corner cafe and the supermarket, with excellent appetizing counter and also prepared foods to go, fairly priced. And for great pastry try Le Pain Quotidien at 76th and Amsterdam, or 72nd and Columbus and, fantastic bakery at 90th and Broadway (Georgine's ???). As an alternative to Beacon Hotel, check out The Lucerne at 79th and Amsterdam (I posted a review there too). Both are excellent choices and values. Beacon rooms are a bit bigger and have the advantage of a refrigerator and microwave; Lucerne may be perceived as a \"step up\" in some guidebooks, but maybe only a fraction of a step (but no fridge). You'll do fine at either. Final note re. Beacon--I left my cell phone charger there. I called up, they located it and sent it back to me by Fed Ex--at no cost to me. That was nice and is representative of their hospitality.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "I stayed at the Hotel Beacon last September and it was a economical choice in a safe neighborhood (important for a woman traveling alone). Although lacking any real style, the rooms and bathrooms were clean and large (for New York) and the kitchenette was nice. It's very close to the subways, Central Park, Lincoln center and lots of good shopping. Another plus is that they offer discounted day passes to an adjacent health club. That said, it was not the quietest hotel. Garbage trucks on the side street woke me up at 3 or 4 am. All in all, it's still a good value.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My teenage daughter and I have just returned from a week's stay in a suite on level 17 of the Beacon Hotel (6-13 January 2005). Our rooms were large, well maintained and clean, although the hotel wins no awards for style! \nLocated on Broadway it was fantastic to have an excellent 24/7 gourmet deli right across the road (The Fairway). The grocery store has a wonderful selection of fresh fruit, vegetables, pasta, bread as well as a wide range of general groceries. The ability to prepare a simple evening meal after a busy day of being good tourists was invaluable. The laundry located in the building was also a bonus. \nThe Beacon is located close to a subway station and is within walking distance to Central Park and the Natural History Museum. Hotel staff were ok although a gift delivered to me before I arrived was mislaid and no one wanted to claim liability for it going missing. We would stay here again and recommend it to practical travellers looking for convenience, location and sound value for money.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Stayed in the Hotel Beacon for six nights with my sister and daughter in early December and couldn't fault the hotel. Especially the consierge the young feller was so helpful and nothing was ever too much trouble, The supermarket across the road was great, especially upstairs where we had breakfast (best ever) and the Manhattan Diner up the road had such good cheese cake (to die for) Super position and super hotel - would definitely stay there again and recommend it.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Taking the kids to New York? Don't look further than the Beacon for your accommodation. A one bedroom suite was more than ample for our family of mum, dad, a fifteen year old and an eleven year old. It cost us $225 per night plus taxes, a bargain when you consider we would have needed two rooms at a 'normal' hotel. Not only that, the Beacon is situated in a residential area just a few minutes from downtown and near a subway station if you don't fancy a walk. There are supermarkets, shops, cinemas and good, reasonably priced restraunts nearby to make you feel as though you are seeing the real New York, not just the touristy bit. The hotel is clean, the staff are pleasant and the much discussed lobby work was just being completed as we left - what more can you ask?", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "WHEN: Stayed May 7-12. Two adults.\nROOM: Guestroom with double beds and kitchenette\nFIRST IMPRESSION: Room isn't your upscale type of hotel room but it isn't your Motel 6 either. It definitely is bigger than your budget NYC hotel room. Good size for the price. Didn't have a view but faced the sidestreet; didn't have any noise from the street like I've read. We slept well through the nights. Perhaps the rooms facing Broadway Avenue may have had more noise? The carpet looked a bit dingy. The beds were comfortable; firm. Small table with two chairs provided. Dresser with two larger drawers. TV with cable. Shades that you could roll up or down by simply pulling on a cord. AC worked well. Alarm clock available. Iron and board in small closet.\nKITCHENETTE: Microwave, electric stove, and small refrigerator. You also are provided with plates and utensils for four people. We made ourselves breakfast burritos each morning! In addition there is a nonstick pan, a couple of serving utensils, and a toaster! \nBATHROOM: Very small. Bathtub/shower combo. Not too much counterspace. Toilet with strong flush.\nSTAFF: Not overly friendly but then we're not ones to ask for a lot and complain.\nLOCATION: Upper West Side\nHOTEL BEACON NEIGHBORS: Fairway Market is right across the street and closes at 130am. You can get fruit, eggs, various meat, etc. If you're more interested in gourmet type groceries then you can head uptown to Zabar's which is about 7 blocks away (80th Street). Starbucks is practically next door on the right. Vivaldi cafe is literally next to the entrance. \nTRANSPORTATION: **SUBWAY**About a block and half from the subway, 2 minute walk; 72nd Street stop to be exact. Jump on the Red 1, 2, 3, or 9 line and that'll take you straight to Battery Park (South Ferry stop) if you go downtown with various stops such as Times Square and Columbus Circle (Central Park). **TAXI**Easy to hail a cab as soon as you step out on the sidewalk. \nRENOVATION: They are currently having some work done to update their really small lobby. Should be complete by midsummer. Noise is not bothersome. We were out all day and only really just pass through the lobby so the work being done was not a nuisance. They do have fairly quick elevators (3). \n**All in all, we would consider staying here again on our next visit although we would also consider trying out another more upscale hotel such as the Marriott or Sheraton just to see what a regular hotel room in this type of hotel would be like. But only if the price is right. Hope this helped. Post any questions as I regularly review this site.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "My partner and I stayed at the Beacon between October 20th and October 27th 2003. It was my fourth and my partners first visit to NYC, and we were both extremely pleased with the location of the hotel. The residential neighborhood is friendly and lively with a great amount of stores and restaurants, and it felt very safe even late at night. As you enter the street you have both Fairway Market and Citarellas just across Broadway great places to fill up your reserves and a bit to the left you see the Ansonia building, one of the most magnificent buildings in the entire city. Next to the Beacon you find the Viand Caf\u00e9, open 24 hrs, where you may want to have your breakfast. The subway at 72nd St is just a couple of minutes walk away, Zabars is a five minute walk, and you have lots of restaurants just around the corner. (We highly recommend Papardellas at 76th and Columbus, and Bruculino at 225 Columbus Ave!)Our room was large and very clean and the bathroom was spacious. We were especially pleased with the in-room safe, big enough to fit cameras and other valuable belongings you didnt necessarily want to bring with you late at nights. The view from the 20th floor was great. We didnt see a lot of Central Park, but well some nice views of the Dakota and the San Remo buildings. The traffic in the streets could be heard through the windows, but we didnt think it was a problem.The staff at the Beacon were accommodating to us at all times. Everyone was friendly, from the manager to the cleaning staff.The only hesitation we had was that there seemed to be a small draft from the windows. On the other hand did the air conditioning efficiently solve that problem.Indeed, the Beacon isnt a luxury hotel, but it absolutely fulfilled our every need, and as the say on their home page, it is a place you want to come home to after a long days browsing the Manhattan neighborhoods. We will definitely recommend this hotel to any of our friends, and wed be happy to stay here again ourselves.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "My husband and I have stayed at the Hotel Beacon on two separate occasions. Both times we were very pleased with the accomodations, and the location of the room. We found the hotel staff to be very helpful with any question that we put to them. Jim Tracy, at the front desk, was very helpful. The housekeeping staff was courteous and very thorough. We love the location, near the park, and also only being a couple of blocks from the public transportation. We have recommended the hotel to our friends, and we will continue to do so. Thank you for a great stay, and we look forward to being with you again. Sincerely, Mr. and Mrs. A F Gelinas", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "The Hotel Beacon was a great place to stay. I just got back from my first trip to New York and we all had a wonderful time. My daugher, my mother, her other granddaughter and I spent 9 nights at the Hotel Beacon. We were very very pleased. I booked this hotel on-line from the Hotel's web site after reading the reviews here at Trip Advisor and I was glad I did.The hotel staff was wonderful and very helpful. The room was clean and large with an average size very nice bathroom with a hair dryer. The room also had a small refrigerator, a microwave, a toaster, a coffee pot, and a 2-burner stove with pots and pans, plates, bowls, glasses, and silverware for four. For some reason there was not a spatula, so I don't know what you would do if you wanted to cook some eggs over-easy. Also, there is no ice available other than two small ice cube trays in the refrigerator. We did request two more trays that were brought up promptly. The Fairway (a very interesting grocery/deli store) was just across the street so we got some food for breakfasts and snacks. Zabars (another very interesting grocery/deli store) was about six blocks north.We were just a few short blocks from the subway which was very convenient. An Avis car rental location was just one block north. If you wanted a taxi generally it took a little longer to get one that was available around 9 a.m. One day we just gave up and walked the 11 blocks to where we wanted to go.Because we were in the upper West Side it was away from all the hustle and bustle of the Times Square area and other tourist areas. That was nice when it came time to go back to the hotel because it wasn't so crazy like other parts of the city and was very relaxing. We all felt very safe and well taken care of at the Beacon and the immediate area and I would not hesitate to recommend this hotel.I would suggest asking for a room above the 15th floor to help with traffic noise, etc. We were on the 10th floor and it wasn't too bad but it could possibly easily disturb someone not used to little slow due to them stopping on each floor (or so it seemed) to pick up or let off passengers.The next time I go to New York I will certainly be planning on staying back at the Hotel Beacon again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "The Beacon is almost unique in my experience of NY hotels in that their rates are dependable ALL year round so you don't get stung in the Fall and December peak months. Most recently we stayed at Christmas 2002 and as always the hotel exceeded all expectations. Great spacious rooms with fab kitchenettes, the studios are huge and the 1 bedroom suites even bigger. The high floor rooms at the back have Park views that other hotels would charge $$$$ for. The location is superb, Fairway Market across the street, Zabar 5 blocks for the best breakfast in the city and the 72nd Street Express subway stop 1 minute away (1st stop Time Square, 2nd stop 34th Street). As you can tell, we love it and cant wait to be back!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We stayed at Hotel Beacon during Thanksgiving holidays, '02 four nights. We had the 1 bedroom suite and it was very roomy and very nice. Plenty of closet and storage. Very helpful staff and nice location. Having the kitchenette allowed us to 'dine-in' with fabulous food from the neighborhood restaurants. Nice change from dressing for dinner. ~We'd rather stay here where it is so roomy and nice and take a cab to our destination;s rather than stay in a small, cramped hotel closer to TimesSquare for about the same $. I recommend Hotel Beacon!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "1762573": {"reviews": []}, "1776857": {"reviews": [{"text": "We visit NYC regularly and usually stay at one of the other luxury hotels in the area. After reading some reviews which placed the Setai atop the hotel world in New York, we decided to give it a try.\nI'm not sure what the guests who commented so favorably experienced, but it was nothing like our experience. Also, I'm going to review this room as compared to other five-star hotels in NYC. And also given that the rack rate for a Studio Suite is $745 a night... (although AMEX got us a much better deal).\nThe lobby is very small and unimpressive. Check-in was delayed because the room wasn't ready (at 5:45 p.m.). The front desk personnel graciously offered us free drinks in the lobby bar while we waited. However, we needed to move fast because we had a 7:30 reservation at Daniel. \nThe room still wasn't ready at 6:40, so my GF had to change in the spa... Certainly not ideal.\nWhen we did get back to the room to check-in, we noticed what looked to be drips of blood going from the carpet near the bed out to the mini-bar. Gross! We called the front desk and, rather than move us to a different room, they sent someone up to disinfect and clean the spots (they referred to them as 'coffee', yea right. I've never seen bright red coffee before).\nThere was a large tear and hole in the bedsheet. The bed was billed as a 'king' but was not. A queen at best. They initially offered only two pillows, but we had more brought to the room. \nThe room itself is large, but with a bunch of wasted, empty space. Minimalist doesn't begin to describe it. Emptiness is perhaps a better descriptor?? Bathroom was great. Expansive and lots of marble.\nThe 'personal assistants' offered by the hotel (branded name for 'concierge') were very nice, but useless. I've read other reviews where they forgot to give a wake-up call or didn't make a dinner reservation, and I couldn't believe it at a hotel of this supposed stature. But sure enough, that's exactly what they did to us, on more than one occasion. \nAlso, you can rarely get them on the phone. Many times the phone would just ring, with no answer. What is the point of selling a '24-hour personal assistant' when you can't get them on the phone for 23.5 of those hours??\nThe Bar on Fifth was nice. Great place to relax and have a drink. Fitness center was decent too.\nHowever, all-in-all, we both agreed that we would never stay at the Setai again. It's off the beaten path, nice people but terrible service, especially in concierge and it's just not worth the money given the number of high-quality hotels in much better locations in the city.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "1641016": {"reviews": [{"text": "My weekend stay at this hotel was akin to sitting on an aisle seat at a movie theater, watching a magnificent film, all the while having to tolerate someone in the center repeatedly exiting and entering the row, accidentally stepping on my toes, and saying \" I'm sorry\".\nCould you leave that theater where you were viewing a memorable film, genuinely feeling satisfaction about the aesthetic experience?\nA lot of reviewers on this site speak ecstatically of the \"service\". The \"service\" I witnessed was exactly like the movie scene I described above. WANTING to provide top notch service is not the same as PROVIDING top notch service.\nI've got to begin at the end-----because the Chatwal Checkout Experience wins the award for \"Most Irritating & Objectionable Checkout\" of all time. I had no incidentals on my bill, and my lodging was paid for by my Starwoods points ( for an equivalence of approx. $1500. for 2 nights). I expected a quick check out process and then heard the front desk woman say that I owed $54.00.\nWhen I inquired as to what that charge was for?\nShe told me she couldn't figure it out, initially, then haltingly said \" Soup? Crab Soup.\"\nAnd I said \" Well that would be impossible, since i am highly allergic to crab.\" 9 last time i ate it---15 years ago, I broke out in a rash all over my body ----- my doctor cautioned me that If I consumed rab again, the reaction could escalate into anaphalactic shock-----so , unless i was suicidal, I would not have ordered crab soup.)\nHOWEVER, she literally gave me ATTITUDE, when I denied having ordered \"crab soup\" as though I was trying to get away with having consumed crab soup----and then not paying for it. I mean, she was looking down her nose at me and behaving in an aloof unhelpful, even hostile manner , like \"pay up for the crab soup!\" then, she said, there was an additional charge for the taxi the hotel had supposed brought it in! I said, that's hilarious. you must have someone else's room pulled up because that person is not me.\nShe persisted in accusing me of having crab soup sent to me in a taxi, until I asked her exactly what the bill looked like. and she said \" something...okay, maybe NOT crab soup.\nM& G, I can't pronounce it.\"\n\" Malin & Goetz? the hand soap your butler asked me if I wanted when I could not use your heavily perfumed bar because I am allergic to scents (as it says all over my Starwood Preferred). Are you telling me that I was charged $54.00 for hand soap? After the butler offered to replace it and never mentioned that I would be charged anything extra at all?\"\n(note: as a Ritz Carlton Platinum Elite member, I have become accustomed to their policy of offering an alternative to heavily scented products as a matter of course and was given NO INKLING that I would be charged any amount, let alone the outrageous amount of $54.00, to cover a TAXI TAKEN BY THE BUTLER! \nSo, she tells me \" Oh, sorry you weren't told.\"\nAnd I said, \"there is no way I am paying $54.00 for hand soap, ever, but most especially in an instance where I was not asked if I WOULD AGREE TO PAY THESE CHARGES.\"\nAnd then she spoke to me as if I was an ignoramus, and perhaps not upper class enough to KNOW that I would be charged an outlandish sum of money for alternative non-perfumed hand soap!\nSo, I asked to speak with the manager on duty and he erased the charge. Of course, her getting the manager on duty was laboriously SLOW ( like all the other services)when it could have and should have been handled quickly, efficiently, and expertly----------but then, how could any guest, accused of ordering something as ridiculous as a $54.00 bowl of crab soup when she has repeatedly communicated that would have been impossible due to severe food allergy EXPECT ANY professionalism at that point!\nGranted, most of you are neither allergic to a lot of stuff, nor are you partially disabled ( as I am, which requires some consideration in adjusting some things in a hotel room setup,\nnor are you solo female travelers---so your husbands handle all this annoyance-----or you are the guy and you wouldn't be spoken to in the same way that a petite solo woman would be spoken to). Nevertheless, THIS IS THE SAME HOTEL THAT OTHERS ARE RAVING ABOUT ECSTATICALLY and I have NEVER experienced such a noxiously incompetent check out, nor have I ever been offered an alternative non-perfumed hand soap at a fine hotel and been charged $ 54.00 for it ( without even being informed this would happen).\nFrom the beginning, I entered this beautifully designed interior landscape of serene elegance with expectations set up by these other reviewers, so , perhaps,some of you might want to pay attention to the chronically appearing downsides to ever upside that I \nexperienced. How would you feel about hiring a cleaning person who cleans all the rooms in your home perfectly and then dumps all the garbage in the library? At a tasteful luxury----it's a similar all-or-nothing proposition. Otherwise, why not simply stay at a decent Hilton on the Club Floor, as I did for a conference iN february, where I received COMPLETELY CONSISTENT BETTER SERVICE FOR A THIRD THE COST.\nI passed on the St Regis, where I could have stayed with my points, where the service is impeccable, for this wacky place, where it seemed like everyone, however well-groomed and polite , had just been hired yesterday.\nFACTORS TO KEEP IN MIND IF YOU ARE ANTICIPATING NIRVANA HERE:\n1. Bring Your Own Flashlight : the lighting in the rooms ( and I was in the Junior Suite) is exceptionally dim and there is no option for brightness, so if you want to read anything, you have to sit up in bed and focus a reading light on it. Or, you could read int eh bathroom, where the potential for brightness is highest.\n2. If you are not already a Tech-Savvy person, you will need an \"orientation\" and even then, things won't work. this is the high tech twilight zone. I had electronic keys replaced 7 times until, on the morning of my check out, the female butler showed me her \"trick\" for getting the key to work in the elevator. The height of absurdity was reached when the manager on duty himself could not work the curtain remote and had to call maintenance.....\nwhich happened as he attemtped to trouble shoot a \"turn down service \" that was INCOMPREHENSIBLE.\n3. THE TURN DOWN SERVICE : Earlier in the afternoon, the supervisor of housekeeping \nset up the room so there would be no hazards , meaning clearing walkways, and raising lighting to highest capacity. ( I sustained catastrophic injury 5 years ago, and must go through this process in every room. In the only lodging where I did not, I had a serious accident with lasting consequences.) In darkness, my balance is even worse and I cannot sense objects.\nShe was professional and expert in every way ( this is the \"good film\" part----but , remember, this weekend stay was an ongoing pattern of something good followed unexpectedly by something inscrutably messed up---that';s the guy going in and out of the aisle while you are attempting to watch the fabulous film, and stepping on your toes).\nWhen I returned from the broadway play, I entered the room hallway and all those lights were off, along with the bathroom lights, so that I was entering a dark area, at the end of which housekeeping had opened up a luggage rack, directly in my path, where they had placed, oddly the Pillows from the bed.......??????does anyone really want their pillows placed on a luggage rack, especially in this climate of bedbug risk?) For me, that constituted a very unsafe situation. For most women traveling solo, as well,there is always the guideline of leaving your room well-lit. The 2 small dim bedside lamps were on, but they shed no light in the area I was entering. When I got to the bed, which had not been \" turned down\" at all--- the only service i really needed) There was a stack of literature on the side I was to sleep on,\na tray on the bad ( that, for me, was heavy to remove) with shoe shine stuff, etc.).Now, these touches alone would prove daunting if you were having a romantic weekend with your significant other, come back to the room, seek to fall into bed, and land in the middle of a stack of adverts and a tray of show shine stuff, would it not? ( and forget anything like a chocolate, that's not part of this set up). However, removal of an expensive dress laid out on the bed that I was keeping wrinkle-and-hangar-tab-free , balling it up with another item, and tossing it on top of another luggage rack holding my overnight bag, WAS a part of this \"service\", as was the removal of my ice bucket keeping my water cold AND the water, which I needed with my medication, BUT LEAVING 2 USED DRINKING GLASSES THAT MY FRIEND AND I HAD DRUNK WATER OUT OF BEFORE DINNER. Interesting concept, all the way around.\nThe manager on duty came upstairs and expressed shock at some of these procedures ---- and this was when he couldn't figure out how to work one of the remotes that control everything. He left at 2 am. It took him 90 minutes to figure out that I could be supplied with a bottle of cold water n the meantime.A bell man first brought up a small container of ice, in which no bottle would fit, then he brought up a veritable laundry-size bucket, and it wasn't until after that that the manager thought of simply bringing a cold bottle.The bellman told me he \"iced\" a glass.\nIt was unspeakably weird. And the mechanic kindly did the one thing I needed, pulled the comforter and sheeting out, because I am disabled and in extreme physical pain so cannot pull or lift.\nThe bathroom is computerized and I was told when I checked in, but both my friend and I burned our buns on the hot toilet seat without being able to figure out how to turn it off--- (and we both have graduate degrees). The mechanic kindly turned the heat on the seat off.\n3. Because I have the kind of physical injuries that are exacerbated by stress, I was in a collapsed condition the next day and had to stay in my room, missing everything planned.\nBrandon, the butler-in-charge, showed up in my room, guaranteeing that my stay would be \"smooth and enjoyable for the duration \" of my remaining time at their property ( see check out description). He was professional , knew how to being the right size ice bucket with 2 water bottles in it, assured me the lights would be ON when I returned that night, as I told him I was NOT having any turn down service again, nor id I want anyone entering my room, except for him. He, like all the others, wore white gloves, but genuinely manifested \"white glove treatment\". Regrettably, he was not there for most of my stay.\n4. After requesting a NYTimes for Sunday, there was none at my door, as there had been the previous morning. ( They ask what papers you would like)\n5. Here is the most benign, but characteristic interaction I had at the hotel : on that Saturday, when I could not leave my room , I called room service and ordered an item, a kind of juice that was on teh menu, carrot ginger.\nthe guy said \" we have the carrot, but not the ginger.'\nme : well, then, why is it listed on your menu?\nhim : I don't know.\n6. Parenthetically, my friend and I had dinner in the lamb's club Friday night.\nthe wine, a Saint Veran, was excellent. The food was underwhelming borderig on awful I had gnocchi that tasted like a pound of salt had been mixed into the recipe.\n7. On the morning of check out, the female butler asked if I wanted a later check out. I replied only by maybe 30 minutes.\nShe told me she would alert the front desk.\nAt 11:30 am I called her to remind her that this would be my timing, pretty much.\nShe told me again that she would let the front desk know.\nAt 12:15 pm I was in teh shower, the phone rang, persistently, I exited , picked it up, and was asked in an aggressive manner by a front desk man, \"Do you need help with your bags?\" I said \" you know, I am kind of in the middle of something,have you NOT gotten a message from the butler?\"\nhe said \" No, I haven't\".\nso I suggested that he speak with her, while I stood there, and then told him I had to get back to what I was doing so that I could get ready to leave.\nsmall thing?\nmaybe.\nannoying, time consuming, feels like \"work\" on the part of a guest at a high-end hotel that applauds itself for excellence in customer service? yes, indeed.\n8.pillowcases were oddly rough, compared with other sheeting on bed.\n9. Breakfast -- which I was given gratis as an apology for he wretched turndown experience, was 2 dry slices of bread \" french toast\" stacked on top of one another, divided by the thinnest blue line-color of something.\nadvertised as \"stuffed french toast, with blueberry jam\". \noverheard one of the other 2 people at breakfast complaining about the cuisine.\nit was ridiculous. I ate the top piece.\nHere are the good parts that were obscured by the ongoing wacky gaps:\n1.Fabulous Mojitos at Bar\n2.Exquisitely tasteful interior design\n3.Fantastic lap pool ( the motorized swim-in-place system) with perfect temp\n4.Tranquil pool room environment with hot tub that has no chemical odor.\n5.Bathroom is descreetly located, so that , when traveling as a couple, privacy is maximized.\n6. Incredible soundproofing between rooms, and from the street noise, even on the 6th floor.\n7.Mini-bar and snacks are elegantly presented and would be appealing if you like that stuff.\n8.Most Aesthetically Pleasing Television ever----- large screen, appears in picture frame, directly in front of bed, clear reception. ( no pay-per-view movies, though, that I could find)\n9.LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION. You can walk to every broadway theater, catch 5 shows on a weekend, and return to an oasis of quiet. \n10.No blaring cliche hotel music of the Phillippe Starck variety. instead, new agey music in hot tub area.mellow motown in dining room, but, reminder, food not worth it.\n11. NO Smoking.No discernible scent in rooms.\nIf you have no special needs whatsoever or allergies, and don't mind having to do things like remove stuff from your bed after turndown, or clean up after the housekeeper turndown ( i.e. pick up balled up dress or whatever),\nand are TECH SAVVY, maybe you can rave along with all the others on this site who found Nirvana.\nI'd rather spend a third of the $$ on the Hotel Indigo in Chelsea, or a little more on the St Regis NYC, then endure this wacky ride again.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "1456560": {"reviews": []}, "93396": {"reviews": [{"text": "This was a three day (Fri-Sat-Sun) trip to NYC for my 10 year old daughter and me. Her first trip to NYC and I wanted it to be special, since it would be a memory of a lifetime for her. First task: Pick a hotel.\nFirst, we saw the Iroquois featured on a TV travel show and I made a note of it. Second, I used the TripAdvisor Reviews extensively to check out independent reports of the several hotels I was considering. One criteria was for a small, luxury type hotel ( 4-star minimum) that would not overwhelm my daughter but provide comfort, class, service, relative safety and great location. In this regard the Iroqouis met my expectations.\nI expected smaller rooms per the reviews I read and was not surprised. Even with a double bed room, the room was \"small\" by some standards. Same goes for the bath; but it was marble and spotlessly clean with very high quality towels and robes.\nThe beds were fantastic. The bed linens and comforter were first quality. We slept well.\nA note about room location: Many first timers to NYC want rooms overlooking the city. From experience I knew that an \"inside\" room is generally preferrable for noise considerations. I also booked the room from the hotel's website and took advantage of an off-rate program for the time of year I was visiting. So, room location was what I expected. We got room 1108. Yes, another Review writer (who had room 1107 )commented on a noisy \"compressor\" (actually a fan) audible from the room. I heard it also, but my take on such things is different: As long as something like that is not overwhelming and is classified as \"white noise\" I find it can be a benefit for sleeping.\nThe TV is a top notch flat screen plasma unit. High definition channels come alive. BUT, there were some stations listed on the channel card that were not available. And that list was somewhat limited to begin with. This actually was not a big deal, because we were not hanging around the room anyway and late night arrivals meant we promptly went to bed.\nThe closet space was very limited but ingeniuosly fitted into the room. A room safe was provided.\nWe noted the snack and drink bar unit but I instructed my daughter not to touch it due to the high prices that normally accompany them.\nThe free bottle of Perrier was nice.\nStaff was great and helpful. Even the desk clerk hailed a cab for me when the bell staff was otherwise engaged. Concierge very nice and helpful.\nWe only ate one breakfast in the hotel. It was good and not that high priced by NYC hotel standards. I wish we could have tried the Triomphe Restaurant for lunch or dinner but time did not permit. My impression from their menue is that they try to keep the meal prices within a somewhat affordable range at least as hotels go. (For budget friendly eats, go a few steps west in the same block to the Red Flame.)\nThe best thing about the Iroquois,aside from the great way they treated my little girl, is LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION! Can't beat it in midtown.\nNow, if that bathroom was just a bit bigger......!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I stayed at the Iroquios hotel during a business conference July 25-27, 2005 in a standard queen size room. I had read the reviews from this site regarding the rooms because my biggest concerns are cleanliness and space. I am willing to pay the extra money to have clean sheets, minus the bugs! Anyway, the rooms were clean, no bugs, and spacious. I would definitely stay there again, without a doubt. The price was reasonable as well to be in midtown area ($275.06 per night). Please view the pictures I have attached.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "The Iriquois Hotel is full of wonderful caring people, beautifully appointed rooms, delightful amenties, and little \"spoil me\" surprises that have made me a loyal fan for life. I simply will not stay anywhere else in Manhattan ever again unless I have to!!!\nI was so impressed with the friendly helpfulness of the staff (they even remembered my name!), the \"surprises\" on my pillow at night, the gratis shoe shine for my morning meeting, a comfortable, well-lit room and fast computer to get my e-mail, a sumptuous bed that even eliminated my usual nightly leg pain, a gorgeous room with a marble bathroom, lovely bathrobe, hair dryer and toiletries, beautiful wood furnishings, down and feathers, immaculatly clean and even a refrigerator, stocked with lots of my favorites!!! Yes, you pay for those, but after a long meeting, it was a nice little treat!!\nI arrived to a warm, comfortable, stunningly appointed room, and just loved the quiet and comfort. So much so, I spent as much time as I could there, morning meditation, pre-dinner bath and evening reading, and of course, the news on the TV in the armoire.\nAnd don't let me forget the great restaurant as well. I took time to tell the manager I was so pleased and pleasantly surprised at my \"find\". He was so gracious and pleased he invited me to speak with the owner. Now tell me, when do you ever get the CEO and Chairman of the Board on the phone?? It is truly understandable, after speaking with them, why this Hotel has everything going for it. No wonder the staff is so loyal and happy in their work.\nStay here, you will love it... it is worth every cent, has the highest rating on Orbitz, and don't even think twice next time about where to stay... I told everyone I know about this Hotel, and know they will kiss me on both cheeks if they take my advise and stay... do it, and have fun!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}]}, "80112": {"reviews": [{"text": "My husband and I recently went to NY City to attend a show taping. We stayed at the San Carlos hotel and what a wonderful place it was! We had a great room that was extremely clean and full of amenities. The staff was quick and accomodating when we requested something be sent up to the room. They were also very friendly. The price was a little more than we wanted to spend, but after staying there, it was worth it. The room was spacious and the entire hotel was very quiet. We would definitely recommend this hotel! And we'd stay there again if we're ever in NY again. Overall, this was the best hotel we've ever stayed at!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 28}, {"text": "Just returned from a 4 night stay at The San Carlos NY and what a gem it is!! \nWe had flown in on a much earlier flight than we had booked as our airline tried to avoid the major snow storm in the EastCoast, and so when we walked in at the hotel soon after noon, we didn't expect to be able to get our room, as check time is 3 pm. \nBut Gabriel at the front desk checked us in with no problems, and up to the 8th floor we went. We had very comfy beds, complimentary internet, cable tv, microwave, coffee maker, cutlery and small fridge, and most importanly a very clean and quiet room. Aveda toiletries were a nice touch.\nTheir complimentary continental breakfast was great. And yes, it is just that, continental style, with pastries, toast, bagels, coffee, teas, yogurt and fruit. But just right for a quick bite before venturing out into the city. No inhouse restaurant, but they do room service from the restaurant next door, Mint. Mint is hip, cool and food is yummy. It is Indian cuisine, but very popular and very good.\nLocation is ideal for visiting the museums, Madison and 5th Ave. shopping, and great restaurants.\nService was great, from Bobbie the bellman, to our room attendant and Front Desk, always very helpful and informative.\nAfter many past visits to NY and many different hotels, and based on price and service, San Carlos is definitely a future choice for us!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 32}, {"text": "Really comfort hotel, with great great location. The whole staff was very friendly, and they have a very good breakfast. You can believe in the pictures that you're able to see in their homepage. From now on, my first choice in NYC is the San Carlos.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 28}, {"text": "This is a great hotel. One of my biggest \"must haves\" in a hotel is that it be very clean with updated decor and furnishings. This hotel had both. I was very impressed. We took advantaged of an \"off season\" promotion...stay two nights get the third free, I think we paid $260 a night?? This deal scored us a one bedroom suite with a king sized bed. It was plenty big for my husband and I and I would actually say it was be large enough for a family of four or for a girls trip of 4. We actually didn't really even take advantage of all the space. There is a full bath and a half bath which made getting ready great. The staff was friendly and the continental breakfast was a nice perk. Location was good. A subway station was close by and it seemed the walk to Central Park / 5th Avenue Shopping and Times Square were pretty much equal in time..give or take. The elevators were super fast for a smaller hotel. Maid service and turn down service was great. My only complaints would be the bed was very firm (which some people like), however the linens were very comfortable. Also, the street noise was distracting (mainly the horns coming from the nearby intersection), but we were on the front side of the hotel on the 10th floor. The rooms on the back may have been less noisy. \nOn my last visit to NYC, a year earlier, on a girls trip we stayed at the Doubletree Suites located in Times Square. While I would recommend that hotel as well, I wanted to stay out of the Times Square crowd this visit. I enjoyed the location of the San Carlos Hotel, I felt a little less like a tourist. I will say that at the Doubletree, because our hotel room was so high and I assume because the building was newer and more sound proof, we heard NO noise from the street... and the beds were way more comfortable. \nI would highly recommend this hotel, especially at the rate we received.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "Great stay at the San Carlos during the last week of 2006 for our family of five, 2 adults and three children ages 10, 8 and 2. The service was perfect and the rooms were unusually large for NYC. Highly recommended for families with small children not only because the the very friendly and helpful nature of the staff but also it because is perfectly located for all the attractions for families with small kids.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "First, not every can be pleased and not all experiences are great, BUT I stay in San Carlos every 2-3 weeks for the past 3 years, therefore, I can say that . . .\nBreakfast - The breakfast is NOT just orange juice and a toaster, for the past 3 years at least from what I know is that they serve yogurt, cereal, milk, pastries, bagels, toast and apples. Also juice, coffee and milk. Last time I checked this IS a continental breakfast. And they are consisent and clean which as a frequent business traveler, this is what is most important. \nRooms - The rooms are aged, as it is a boutique hotel in an old building, but I have yet to ever get a dirty room and the decor is very modern. Oh, and they tuck every night with chocolates every seems not to be mentioned, which is definately not something you will get at the Marriott, or some of the nearby hotels. Also, it they are generous with their toiletries (Aveda hair products, mouthwash, ear cleaner, hair cap, cotton balls, etc.) which is in line with a 4 star hotel. Also, bathrooms & linens are always clean with decent decor. Last, most rooms are pretty roomy and about 50% or more now have flat screen LCD TVs or an flat screen TV. There is a mini bar and all the basics like most decent hotels (coffee maker, blow dryer, robes, etc.). \nSecurity - They have security cameras EVERYWHERE, not because it is a bad place, but to make sure their guests feel and are always safe. I think this is super important. \nGym - Although MOST hotels do not have gyms like the Leows hotel in Philly like a gym club, they do have a roomy gym with decent cardio equipment and water, towels and a bathroom. \nNoise - This is true, noise cannot be avoided, heck you are in between Lexington and 3rd, I choose this hotel for location and unfortunately, there will be lots of traffic & noise here. For me it is ok, b/c when I want to get out for a coffee or snack at 1 in the morning, there are always people around, so for me, safety overrules noise, but I admit it does not work for all. \nService - I have yet to have any bad service, or any of the numerous collegues that I have recommended to stay there. Most of the time, they are super friendly and the door men, boy they can get you a taxi or give directions anytime. \nComputers - they have 3 computers and a printer on the 2nd floor for use for free. They also have free high speed broadband in all rooms. And the couple times I have a project crunch, the front guys have helped me by holding or sending off packages and faxing for me, which I do not abuse this, but it is nice to have in an emergency. \nLocation - OK, within minutes you can be anywhere worth visiting in NYC. And for the business traveler, there is fed ex kinkos 3 blocks down on 3rd and also another on Lexington and 2 blocks up on Lexington a Staples. Also, there are several subways near by, like 1-2 short NY blocks away that can get you virtually anywhere in NYC. Shopping & restaurants galor, need I say more!!!\nI agree, there are much nicer hotels, at a heftier price, like the Waldorf, but for $300'ish a night this is a great deal and not less for any of the comparable hotels like the Benjamin or Affinia 50 (trust me, been there, they are pretty much the same!). What has won me over from San Carlos is how they treat their loyal customers, which is something I am seeing less of these days in this economy. I stay there every 2-3 weeks and I now have the owner's email to let him know when I am coming, what other hotel in the 300'ish range is going to care about one person???? But this hotel will treat regulars like a super star and from feedback I have receieved to those visiting 1-2 times, they felt the same way.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Having recently returned from another New York City visit, we thought it necessary to provide another insight for this hotel which seemingly garners good to top reviews. We say NO. This hotel is quite less than what it and others says about it.\nFirst, the property is neither elegant nor charming and defnitely not sophisticated. The reality is that the property is nothing more than a bit above a Holiday Inn Express or similar hotels that you may find on any airport strip,\nSecond, while the Hotel trumpets its offering of a free continental breakfast one would be well advised to brace themselves before viewing the selection and confines of the offering. A closed and spartan room with tables and chairs accompanied by an orange juice dispenser and toaster does not, a continental breakfast make. \nThird, previous commentary on Trip Advisor laud the staff for their friendliness and desire to accommodate. That was not our experience. On our arrival, we were confronted with ATTITUDE and plenty of it from the front desk representative who in a pre-emptory fashion dictated that one of the two rooms that we had booked was to be changed. No discussion or advance advisement. We challenged the representative and only when asking to speak to the Manager, were we able to arrive at a compromise.\nThe room(s) were not elegant nor sophisticated but rather what would you expect from a hotel that is definitely not a 4 star hotel. The interior of our rooms on the 10th floor ( Junior Suite and Exec King) were well worn with the bathroom showing distinct signs of use and needing a good painting,\nFinally, previous writers on Trip Advisor have referenced the street noise. We agree and there was plenty of it. For a hotel that has spent a significant amount of money on refurbishment ( their words) and notwithstanding that New York is and can be a noisy city, the noise from the street at all hours is quite incredible.\nFor our money ( and the hotel is not cheap) we say that the San Carlos is not what it seems nor says and to that extent, we say exercise caution in choosing the San Carlos Hotel. There are better hotels in the same area at the same price.\nOttawa, Ontario", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "After reading many reviews of many NYC hotels, we chose the Thanks to previous Tripadvisor reviewers, we stayed at the San Carlos in August, 2006 for 8 wonderful nights. We previously had reservations at the Avalon hotel, but the reviews of the Avalon started getting worse, so I took advantage of Tripadvisor's review and found the San Carlos. \nThe San Carlos is PERFECT. We traveled with our two grandchildren (age 10 and 7 years) and they loved the hotel too. We took advantage of the business center on the 2nd floor to \"play\" on the internet during the evenings and the kids used the workout room a lot (always with our supervision). We enjoyed having the continental breakfast available...it was nice to have a quick bite to eat before we journeyed out in the morning. \nGabriel at the front desk taught our grandson magic tricks (that was a hit!) and Matthew on the door was wonderful. Housekeeping staff are friendly and do a fabulous job. We also saw quite a bit of the hotel owner, whom we found to be charming. The kids were really impressed that the HOTEL OWNER knew them! You don't get that kind of attention in the chain hotels.\nWe adored the rooms (we had a one bedroom suite), and appreciated having two televisions. The refrigerator and microwave both came in handy as we were able to bring leftovers home from restaurants and enjoy them later. The hotel is very quiet, and in a great neighborhood. We are from Seattle and we felt a lot safer walking around NYC after dark than we do in our city. It's also extremely close to a subway entrance.\nWe were lucky enough to have Arlene Dunn as our Big Apple greeter (this is a great thing to schedule... you'll learn so much and it's free!). She felt like family to us. \nWe took the all day Royal tour of New York and it was wonderful. Steve, the owner, was very informative and made us feel like he was an old friend who was showing us around his home town. His tour costs a little more than the others, but I think it is well worth it. He doesn't book a lot of people on each tour so you don't spend half your time waiting for someone to show up so you can go on to the next stop. \nWe did most of the things that tourists do in NYC, and thought that the Top of the Rock was a better view than the Empire State building. \nHighlights:\nTony and Tina's wedding (an interactive play). We all loved this! \nThe Statue of Liberty\nTrinity Church, where the rescuers went on and after 9-11 (be prepared to cry).\nSt. Patrick's Cathedral\nA New York Yankee game\nBronx Zoo\nConey Island (everyone needs to go there once)\nCanal Street in Chinatown...you get to barter there, and believe me, it's very addicting.\nA cruise around all of Manhattan with Circle Line tours (we had a very informative and dapper narrator). [--]\nEating at Mickey Mantle's restaurant and PJ Clarkes. \nI know I'm forgetting some things that we did and loved.\nBottom line..when we come back to visit NYC, we will stay at the San Carlos. This is one of the best hotels we have stayed at.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "My family stayed at the San Carlos for 4 nights in July and had a wonderful experience. They had a special rate on a 1 bedroom suite to get one night free if you booked for four nights. The room was very nice and well kept. The kitchenette and bathroom were very nice with beautiful marble countertops. It was very nice have real coffe cups to use in the morning. The hotel staff was very courteous and helpful. The breakfast bar was nice but could of use a little more variety by the 3rd morning. This was a convenient location for touring the city by foot, subway, or doubledecker tour bus. I would recommend this hotel to others and I would stay here again.\nBW, Lexington, KY", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We enjoyed a relaxing week-long stay at the San Carlos Hotel. The location couldn't be beat (walking distance to 5th Avenue shops, wonderful 2nd Street restaurants, theatre, etc.). The frontdesk staff and doormen were friendly and provided excellent recommendations to nearby restaurants. The only complaint was the extra firm bed that bothered our backs. But when you're in New York, who has time to sleep!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We found the San Carlos via the reviews on this website, we did lots of research and this one looked to be the best in this side of NYC. This hotel is great, great location, great staff, great rooms, and a great room rate given its in a very expensive neighbourhood. We travelled with our 2 kids, requested a quiet room away from lifts and were given exactly that, room 910. The room was clean, housekeeping ere through by noon each day, the guys on the front desk were good and the doormen were excellent. It rained a couple of days and they had plenty of umbrellas for guests to take out each day. Only downside is that the only room service available was from the Indian restaurant located on the ground floor, irrespective there is a 24hour convenience store that also served a great selection of cooked and fresh food. The complimentary breakfast served on the ground floor was just right, serving pastries, coffees, yoghurts, toast. An excellent hotel that we recommend 100%. Thanks.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "After reading many reviews of many NYC hotels, we chose the San Carlos for a 5 night stay in NY--and we're so glad we did. For us (two women in our late 40s) it was PERFECT: the room was quiet, comfortable, large, and spotlessly clean; we had high-speed internet access from the room (WiFi from the Business lounge on the 2nd floor). We appreciated, as well, the small fridge and countertop. All the staff (from the desk to the front door to the housekeepers) were friendly and professional but not intrusive. When we return to NY, we'll definitely check out the San Carlos first. As other reviews have noted, there's a decent grocery store on 2nd, and numerous restaurants within walking distance. We were most satisfied with the restaurants in the more residential areas (to the N, E, and NE) of the hotel. Thanks to all the previous reviewers who tipped us off to the San Carlos--I don't know that we would have found it w/o TripAdvisor! A great place!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We have stayed at a number of different Manhattan hotesl for each of our mini-getaways over the course of the past several years, but the San Carlos is the one we've decided we'll return to when we don't wish to indulge in a big splurge. Located across the street from the comparable Kimberly and Affinia 50, we ike it better than either of those. \nThe San Carlos offers a lobby with ample & comfy seating (unlike the Kimberly); a very well equipped, sunny \"fitness center\" with individual TV screens at each of the treatdmills, the recumbent bike, and stepper ( this workout room isn't huge, but this isn't a large hotel, I had the place to myself on more than one occasion); an attractive breakfast room; and a computer center on the mezzanine with 4 PC's which have high speed internet service and a laser printer for which there are absolutely no charges (also WiFi).\nThe high-ceilinged rooms are generously proportioned, airy and serene with windows you can open (always a plus in my book) covered by both semi-sheer draperies to the marble sills and \"blackout\" Roman shades which operate smoothly. The climate controls in both the bedroom and LR & the variety of lighting throughout -- little \"downlights\" over framed artwork in both the living room and bedroom (we had a 1-bedroom suite), wall sconces, table lamps, overhead lighting and a good desk lamp -- are notable. And the contemporary furnishings are tasteful, comfortable and more upscale than those we found in our rooms at the Affinia or the Kimberly. \nIn addition to the well-stocked \"honor bar\" (with less outrageous prices for its contents than at many Manhattan hotels), there is an under-the-counter refrigerator, a microwave, and small sink in the kitchenette/wet bar area whose cupboards and drawers hold glassware, dishware & flatware. The two closets and a number of deep drawers gave us more than enough storage space for our clothes & luggage. There are no drawers or cupboards in the bathroom, but the counter is wide and runs the length of the room, so we found it perfectly acceptable & the Aveda toiletries are a nice touch. Lastly, everything was scrupulously clean & well-maintained; we never heard any noise from fellow guests in the hallways or the rooms around/above us; and our sleep was not disrupted by street noise as is often the case in Manhattan.\nThe free breakfast isn't the spread you'll find at the Embassy Suites, but it doesn't pretend to be more than a continental breakfast: the pastries were skippable, the coffee & OJ were above average. And since there are a number of eateries just outside the door and most hotels don't offer anything to their guests, I'm not going to knock the SC on this score. We did experience a few intermittent problems with the in-room internet access, but they were short-lived, and with the computer center on the 2nd floor, you'll never be \"stranded\".\nWhere the San Carlos falls a bit short is on its front-end service. With the exception of Gabriel (who I think is the manager and seemed topnotch), the desk clerks and doormen were quite young... very pleasant, but not super polished, could use a bit more training & level of information about what's in the neighborhood. Check-in/check-out, however, was efficient and there were no errors in our billing.\nIn short, given its location, the quality of accommodations and the amenities, the San Carlos is an exceptional value. I recommend it highly!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "In all honesty I can not say anything really bad about my stay(4 days). Perhaps, the web description and some of the reviews I read got the better part of my expectations. When I arrived(5:30p.m.)there was no one at the curbside to greet me and say \"welcome to the San Carlos\", as a matter of fact, I had to carry my lugage inside(three of us), while a doorman looked at us with out moving a finger. The check in process was average and no special attentions or welcomes were provided. The room was fine(one bedroom suite) The a/c unit is within the inside of the room, looking bulky and occupying space. The kitchenette is a plus. Flat screen TV's do not mean flat screen TV's(not plasmas). Pillows are of foam and not confortable at all. Bath towels are very small and ver thin. Bed is ok and linnens are not what they are potrayed. Bathroom inside of master bedroom with out an independent entry from living room. Requested ice a couple of times and was delivered very promptly and courteous. A young lady at the desk recomended an Italian Restaurant\"Pescattore\" and turned to be excellent. No maps were available at the front desk. Breakfast is somewhat simple, with paper cups, plastic forks/spoons/knifes(not what I expected).\nI went to visit the Benjamin, The Kimberly, and the Affinia 50, all located in the same block and across the street. In my humble opinion, for the price the San Carlos charges, a better, more confortable and luxurious accomodation can be obtained from any of these three suite hotels. I can say that the best part of my stay was the reservation process. A very attentive person(susan) handled my reservation in the outmost proffesional and amicable manner. Will I stay here again? I dont know.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Just returned from a four day stay at the San Carlos, during the Blizzard of 2006!! I found it to be a delightful, comfortable, well located gem for slightly high but reasonable rates. The rooms are larger than typical NYC, are decorated nicely and very comfortable with wonderful reading chair and ottoman, along with desk and two double beds. Ample closet space. Bathroom was a little on the small side with little room to store toiletries, makeup, etc, but very nicely done. There is an internet room on the mezzanine at no charge, which was wonderful for checking email, etc. Had four computers with very little waiting. Also very nicely done small fitness room. Staff was very courteous and helpful, suggesting alternate transportation on the subway when cabs were not in abundance during the snow storm. No bar or restaurant directly in hotel, but an Indian Restaurant is attached and provides room service. We didn't try it, so can't comment. However, there is a great little luncheonette across the street which we used for breakfast and lunch once each. Also ate at the steak place directly across the street - it was fabulous. Wish we had tried it sooner. The breakfast buffet provided by hotel was adequate - coffee, juices, pastries, bagels and toast only. Nothing to write home about, but a nice touch for the days you don't want to eat heavy early in the day. There was a small refrigerator, a microwave, plates, silverware and coffee bar in each room, along with an honor bar, which was much appreciated. Hotel definitely has more charm than typical large chain hotels. Very welcoming and homey. The location was great, about 20-25 minute walk to most Broadway plays and Times Square, and only blocks from St. Pat's, shopping and Radio City Music Hall. Felt very safe in the neighborhood even very late at night.\nWould definitely stay again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "As a Mum travelling alone with 2 boys aged 12 and 10, I would thoroughly recommend the San Carlos hotel. It was extremely comfortable and absolutely spotlessly clean. The staff were really friendly and helpful and we were made to feel very welcome. Our room had a fridge, a microwave and coffee making facilities. There were plates and cutlery too. The sheets on the beds were changed daily unless you were mindful of enviromental issues! Same with the towels and fluffy dressing gowns! We had continental breakfast each day. The gym is small but well equipped and all in good condition. There was free access to the internet.\nLocation is very good too. You can walk to Central Park in about 15 minutes but it is close to the trains and buses. There are a couple of cafes nearby that do good meals at reasonable prices. If you are thinking of staying here, just go for it. One of my friends stayed a couple of months ago and she was really impressed too. I would stay here again without a doubt.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We have booked at the Bedford Hotel but when we arrived a very rude man told us that they had problems and had no rooms for us. So he gave us $5 dollars and the address of the San Carlos...WOW! that was luck!\nThis is a very nice, clean and comfortable hotel. The rooms are spacious as well as the bathroom. All the staff was very friendly. And it is located in a WONDERFUL zone. Definitely will stay there in the future!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I was upset to read the review of the person who posted before me complaining about the old man in this hotel. To me it seemed the reviewer in question would prefer the staff to be grumpy and not offer him any friendly assistance whatsoever. Well I know that's not what I look for in a hotel...\nI stayed at the San Carlos with two other relatives for a week in September and we all thought the experience was wonderful. The hotel has a very friendly and homely feel to it as I guess it's relatively small compared to some of the other hotels around the city. It was our first time to New York and all the staff were really helpful in advising us in what was worth seeing during our stay. There was always someone waiting outside the hotel to open the door for you when you came back to the hotel and the staff always said hello; nothing seemed to much trouble.\nI guess it was lacking in facilities compared to some of the giant firms, there is no pool or hotel bar/restaurant, but in New York you only have to step outside the hotel to find whatever you are looking for so we were not bothered at all by this. The gym was small but I thought it was brilliant, each station is equipt with a tv so you can watch while you work out. The cyber lounge is a brilliant idea and was really useful; there is even a printer if you need to print anything off.\nThe rooms have such comfortable beds and are kept immaculately clean everyday by the wonderful housekeeping staff; the Aveda bath products are a great addition. The TV is fab too - a pretty big flatscreen - wonderful! You get a complimentary newspaper every morning and complimentary breakfast. Some people have complained about the breakfast but I found it pretty fine. It is basically just coffee, orange juice, yoghurts, bread, pastries and toast; we all found this wonderful though because we weren't interested in having anything too heavy for breakfast.\nDefinitely worth the money and definitely worth staying in again. I'm going to miss this hotel!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "We stayed 2 nights at the San Carlos Hotel - 3 adults & 2 children. We all cannot rave enough about this hotel. The hotel staff are extremely friendly & very helpful. The room we had was a 1 bedroom suite & it was quite large, very clean & elegant. Loved the Aveda products. \nThe hotel is in a great location. We would not hesitate to book here again especially when you consider the price of such a large room - it seems like a bargain.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We have looked at this hotel before, having stayed at the Kimberly and the Benjamin Hotels across the street. In contrast to the Benjamin and the Kimberly, this hotel has a quiet, european feel to it. \n We booked through ---, and immediately had problems at check in. The staff, however, was extremely helpful, and got things straightened out immediately. The suite was spacious and quiet. One problem we had, however, was that the bathroom was in the bedroom area. This was contrary to what we had been promised, and it proved to be in inconvenience with 4 people in the suite.\n The continental breakfast was very nice, and the cybersuite on the second floor provided a great opportunity for our teenagers to get away.\n This is a great area in which to stay. Rockefeller Center and St. Patrick's Cathedral are just 3 blocks away, and Times Square is 6 blocks away. The area is very safe; you can walk anywhere in this section of Manhattan.\n I would say that the San Carlos is an excellent value in mid-town. The many european tourists staying in the hotel provide an indication of its value and quality. We would definitely stay here again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "After flying up from Florida with great expectations for a cheaper hotel on the West side (in which we fled in horror), we found ourselves struggling to find a place to stay with no time to spare. Fortunately for us the fabulous San Carlos was able to give us a suite immediately and turn a horrible day into a wonderful stay. We had stayed at the San Carlos before with a positive experience but looked for a less expensive hotel as we were also paying for our two student family members. But as we found out, you get what you pay for. After the disappointment of another hotel, the San Carlos was worth paying for. The service as always was swift, efficient, pleasant and professional. Now if they would only give discounts for frequent guests I would feel complete...\nWould definitely stay again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I visited new york for the first time in march, therefore i had no idea what kind of hotel i was getting into so i read users reviews and looked at many photos and found that the san carlos had very few low reviews so for the price i was sure i picked a great hotel, once i told many people i was going to new york and staying there no one had ever hear of this hotel therefore i got a little worried. Once i got to new york and got off the bus at grand central station, i ended up walking about 7 blocks to find myself walking into a very poor area, again i got a little worried that i paid a good amount of money for a low hotel, but once i turned the block and saw this hotel i was very pleased just by seeing the outside, this hotel is just about the nicest hotel in the area! The man at the front desk was very nice and helpful, the room was VERY clean and quite, it had everything it said it would, fridge, microwave, bathrobes, mini bar and lots of room for a new york hotel! the breakfast was great also! This hotel is located perfect to everything also, there is a subway stop on the same corner and its just up the street from rockerfeller center. Every time i return to New York i will be staying here again! I was very pleased!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "93559": {"reviews": [{"text": "We have just returned from a 3 night stay at this gorgeous hotel and would certainly return.The hotel is situated right on 5th Ave and is a 10 second walk to the nearest subway-great for tourists!! This hotel offers luxury things that other hotels in NYC just dont have - including the biggest suite I have ever stayed in, high ceilings, massive bed,huge lounge and a huge bathroom that was all beautifully decorated and so clean.The small touches of fresh flowers and luxury chocs were lovely as were the aveda products in the bathroom.The staff were amazing they couldn't do enough for us including ordering us a takeout delivery and chilled wine when we just wanted a night in.Its a small hotel so the service is fantastic-being greeted by name is almost unheard of in most hotels.Its not cheap, but you get what you pay for! I would certainly recommend calling them to find out if they have any deals on, which is what we did. If you would like a intimate hotel with luxurious accomodation that gives fantastic service, is near the 5th Ave shops and a subway than this is the hotel for you.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed only one night at the Sherry, for an anniversary celebration. We loved the location, across from Central Park. The doormen were attentive, and went to great lengths to flag down a cab for us in the pouring rain. The room was furnished nicely, very traditional, and came with fresh flowers, chocolates, and a welcome note from the hotel. The refrigerator was well stocked with bottled water, orange juice, and soft drinks, which were complimentary. We did not have a view, as our room faced a courtyard. We were out for the evening, and when we returned, the bed was turned down, and chocolates were left on our pillows. A complimentary breakfast was served in our room, consisting of coffee, juice, fresh fruit salad, and a basket of five assorted muffins, croissants, and other breads. We had a terrific price for the room, and, considering all the extras, it was a great value. We wished we could have stayed longer.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I have stayed at the hotel twice. It is excellent, uptown though in a bit of a chi-chi location. \nIt is far from the wonderful vibe of downtown, but it has something that downtown doesn't have. SPACE. Each time I have stayed in this wonderful hotel I have enjoyed a large suite with spacious bathroom and kitchenette. Downstairs is Cipriani's for breakfast lunch, dinner if you wish and room service.\nI love the fact that I (lots of luggage always) never have to see a bag or anything to betray the horrors of shlepping all that stuff around! There is so much storage space here.\nAs a Californian (by way of being a Londoner originally) I have come to find serenity in lots of space. NYC can be exhausting when you are there on business. The Sherry Netherland is a tranquil hideout, the prices are great, often somewhat negotiable, and always, always an elegant option.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We have just returned from our first trip to New York and we stayed at this hotel for 3 nights. It is more expensive than other hotels but it well worth it!\nWe got a special romantic package deal, which cost $500 per night, which included continental breakfast in the restaurant and a horse & carriage ride in Central Park. We also got expensive chocolates and fresh flowers in our room!\nThe room was fantastic - loads of space, lovely furniture including a huge comfy bed. The bathroom was also lovely and the toiletries supplied were the best I have ever come across in a hotel! \nThe staff were very friendly and helpful at all times - there is always someone close by to help with luggage, doors, directions etc. \nThe hotel restuarant was quite expensive, hence expensive room service food. However, the food is fantastic and the service from the staff is excellent. \nI liked the additional items which were available on room service - such as painkillers, antihistamine etc, as well as snacks and other essentials useful if you are caught short.\nThe location is fantastic - right across the road from Central Park - although we felt that there was not much to do in the evenings in this area of the city.\nThe only bad points were the view from the room (we were on the 5th floor at the back of the hotel - I think this is the cheap rooms!), and the noisy air conditioning!!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "My daughter and I stayed at the Sherry Netherland in Nov 2004. It was a mother/daughter shopping weekend and I wanted to treat her to some place nice. The Sherry Netherland was a big disappointment, especially for the price. The front desk people were not very nice. I do have to say that the elevator operators & bellman were very nice though. But we arrived a little early for our room, and we were told the room wasn't ready and to come back at 3, as that it when check in was. We came back at 3:30, only to hear that our room still was not ready. After waiting another 15 minutes, they told us we could go up, but that they were still cleaning, so we got to watch them vacuum & finish cleaning our room. Not what you would expect for a \"luxury\" hotel! For the money you spend, I would highly recommend looking into another hotel. There are plenty to choose from.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Many years ago, as a student and NYC taxi driver, I got to see every building in the city, again and again. This hotel is the most beautiful in the city architecturally, and I finally got the chance to stay there early this year. Nearly everything is worthy of the legend; the lobby is exclusive and quiet, though welcoming, and is beautifully appointed. \nThe elevators have hand-painted details with medieval style art showing animals and flowers among the carved wood and coffered ceilings. The hallways are a bit to Plaza-ish for my taste, a bit too frou-frou but not as garish as the Plaza (as if something could be). Our Park View Suite was on a high floor at the corner; one side had a perfectly-framed view of the Empire State Building, while the majority of the windows looked out onto the park where we could see up to about 96th street on CPW. The bellman said that our room was John Travolta's favorite place to stay in New York (I immediately heard my own lying voice telling fares in the Taxi years ago that Mick Jagger had just got out of the cab, which usually made for a good story and a good tip). \nThe room was gigantic by NYC hotel room comparison, and the fantasy-inspiring park view held our attention for quite a while before it slowly sank in that the room must have been decorated by the art director from Saturday Night Fever, and no wonder Travolta likes it. I would be surprised to see calculations showing that less than 35% of the walled surface was covered by mirrors, and the mirrors seemed to live in the bathroom where they covered every single inch of everything except the floor (marble), commode, counter, basin and ceiling. Utter reflectivity, and images of one's self cascading to infinity. Even the back of the bathroom door was completely covered in mirrors, in case you wanted to close it and shoot a sequel to \"Enter the Dragon\" there. \nLarge brown sectional sofa with tan and brown pillows (I remember the '70s term - \"earth tones\"), sharply contrasting with a clean Biedermeier-style entertainment center and a large round glass dining table far, far too big for that part of the room. That's it for complaints, any my dwelling on them reflects $900 a night in different expectations. When I asked for a different room, something less-reflective, they said all the Park View suites were booked (and explained that each unit is actually a privately- owned condo, decorated by the owners).... But still, each staff person was helpful, friendly and unobtrusive. The nightly Godiva chocolates and daily flowers were cheerful. The room service from Cipriani's should be a model for everyone to follow. The bedroom had a walk-in closet where the kids delighted in hiding. The small kitchenette had a full-size fridge which we stocked with items from Katz's and Zabar's and Balducci's. We had a terrific time- with the views, the service, proximity to the park and Wollman Rink, the immense room space, and the happiness we got just from looking at the structure. It's the architecture and the location that made me want to stay there, and if they write to say they've dropped Steve Rubell from the interior design contract, we'll happily go back anytime.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "I had the most wonderful time at the Sherry- Netherland. The staff was excellent and meets every need I had. They are some of the nicer people I have met in New York. I would definitely recommend the Sherry- Netherland to any one who likes a great view, great food, superior service and a need for elegance in a more old school style. Take my word for it a night at the Sherry is a night you will never forget. The most miraculous thing about the Sherry- Netherland aside form its location is it quite serenity. Not only are they very discreet about all matters they have your best interest at heart and will upgrade you with out giving it a second thought. I loved my time there and I am sure you will to.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}]}, "282699": {"reviews": []}, "1158926": {"reviews": []}, "98952": {"reviews": [{"text": "The Four Seasons Hotel in Houston has it all. This hotel, in my opinion, is one of the best that the city has to offer. It is conveniently located in downtown, near one of Houston's Metro Rail stations. Only a few minutes from the hotel are the Museum and Theater Districts, Montrose & the Heights, and Uptown (the Galleria area). My suite included a color scheme of green and white (very cheery and uplifting), a nice bathroom, a wonderful view of the skyscrapers and hotel pool, and one of the most comfortable beds I have ever slept in in a hotel room. The service is definitely up to par with the other Four Seasons Hotels. The hotel's restaurant, Quattro, had excellent Italian cuisine and offered a great night view of the urban park across the street, with the Texan, American, and Canadian flags blowing in the wind. To complete my experience, the Four Seasons had an outstanding health club, with an indoor hot tub and a serene, outdoor pool area. I will definitely be coming back!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}]}, "283873": {"reviews": [{"text": "This was my second stay at the Hotel Icon, as I wanted to give it two chances a month apart.\nHere's the skinny: the hotel is far, far different from your average chain hotel, luxury or otherwise. Everything about the place is unique and you definitely feel like it's a hotel that needs \"exploring\", from the enormous lobby to the wonderfully dark and moody Whiskey bar to the spa in the basement. Note that the staff at the Whiskey bar are wonderful, but it is REALLY really smokey, so I can't spend as much time there as I would like.\nThe decor is quite ornate and heavy, and will make you feel as though you are staying in a hotel from 100 years ago (this is a good thing; you might not love it, but at least it's different from 99% of other hotels with bland white walls and grey carpet). Dark red carpeting, green wallpaper, heavy drapes and bedspreads, and my room had illustrations of various cows on the walls (really). It is Texas, after all.\nThe rooms are quite large, and the bathroom I had was larger than some apartments I used to live in. The rooms are spotless and are maintained very well. The rooms are quiet for INTERIOR noise, but leave a bit to be desired for EXTERIOR noise. If you're on the non-street sides of the hotel like I was, there's no traffic noise but instead you get to listen to the giant industrial-sized air conditioning unit all night. You get used to it, but it's a bit surprising for a hotel of this class. The single-pane windows are the biggest reason, I bet.\nFor those that like top-notch service, you'll enjoy the evening turn-down service (complimentary and standard). It's always a nice suprise to come back to chocolates, flower petals, and your robe draped on the bed, with a light on too. Note that the beds and pillows are quite comfortable, if a bit overly soft, and the linens are great. \nIf you stay downtown often, you'll know that parking is always an issue. The Icon, hands-down, has the best and quickest valets, and they are exceptionally polite. Plus, the hotel has its own parking garage, unlike many other boutique hotels in the area, so your car is close at hand and relatively safe. By comparison, the Alden Hotel (old Sam Houston hotel), a few blocks away, parks your car all over the block, so the valets have to run down the street to get your car. This is a pain all around. \nOn the downside, here are a few strange incidents:\n1) The first time I stayed, I didn't arrive until midnight because of my flight. I was informed that I had already checked in and somebody was in my room. I pointed out that since I was standing in front of them, it wasn't me, and I was on an airplane and hadn't been there yet to check in. It took 30 minutes to resolve (they had to send the doorman up to see if anyone was actually physically in the room or not). This was very confusing and annoying, when all I really wanted to do was sleep.\n2) As I stayed on lower floors both times, I often used the stairs instead of waiting for the elevators. I complained about a pile of broken glass on one of the landings (tells you how often the STAFF use the stairs), and had to tell someone a second time on a different day before it was resolved. All in all, took 48 hours to clean a pile of broken glass from a fire-escape stairway. Yikes.\n3) On this trip, my robe spontaneously disappeared from my room. Since I was worried about them charging me for it as though I had packed it and taken it, I told them about it. I got a pretty suprised and blank stare from the front desk, as opposed to the \"we'll look after that right away\" that one might expect at these prices (and the hotel's reputation). Took a bit of prodding to get a satisfactory response.\n4) Room service is exceptionally expensive ($30 for a fruit plate, toast, juice, and milk) and has a mandatory 21% gratuity, on top of the $3 delivery charge. Wow, 21% tip for riding the elevator with my food! Bravo.\nSo, did I like it? Yes, enough to stay a second time, because it has a great location on Congress and Main with lots of great restaruants within walking distance. It's convenient to the Metro light rail (right on Main a block away), and it has some great amenities. \nWill I be staying there on my next trip? No, I'm still searching for the \"best\" downtown hotel in Houston. I'm hoping this isn't it, because there are enough \"misses\" that have disappointed me with each stay. I've definitely stayed in better hotels for less money, although not in Houston. The search continues.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "This hotel is wonderful! From the time the valet opened my door to the time I checked out, this hotel took care of my every whim. I enjoyed the 24 hour room service, the 24 hour business center, the free high speed internet access, 27 inch flat screen tv and most importantly The Whisky Bar. I stayed Thurs. - Sun. and the weekend crowd was fabulous. \nThe front desk agents were quick and very friendly. Check out was a breeze. I have never experienced such a wonderful team. Every one remembered my name and everyone knew it was a very special occassion for me. They all congradulated me on my special occasion. I felt as if I was whisked away into a wonderful escape. I definitely recommend this hotel to anyone who enjoys luxury. I have been to plenty, but all pale in comparision to Hotel Icon!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "1200103": {"reviews": []}, "99081": {"reviews": []}, "99060": {"reviews": [{"text": "The general service of the reception area and doormen was excellent. However ,the hotel is really let down by the poorly trained staff and money grabbing ploys in the restaurant Cafe on the Green. On 2 separate occasions our order was either wrong or incorrectly cooked. Having pointed this out the meals were taken away and returned still incorrect. As soon as you sit down to breakfast you are charmingly asked if they can offer you some fresh orange juice and coffee. When we get the bill we realise these cost 4 dollars each item. Thats 16 dollars for 2 people before we've eaten any food.Once we realised this we refused coffee and orange juice . The smiles soon disappeared. Are they on commission?We had noticed generally how well kids are looked after in the states but not at this hotel. One of the reasons we chose it was because they had a \"kids programme\". This meant receiving a backpack with colouring stuff and books. I was told they had run out because they had so many children staying. Where these mountains of children were I dont know because I didnt see them. If this is a feature of the hotel, doesnt someone check supply?Basically I feel this hotel is trading on past reputation. It needs to get its act together because someone has taken their eye off the ball", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "665163": {"reviews": []}, "570279": {"reviews": [{"text": "The Hilton Garden Inn Galleria Hotel has been host to my Company's monthly educational meetings for the past 2 1/2 years. These monthly meetings include 4 nights stay.\nWe keep coming back because of the first class service we receive. The hotel employees are very personable and responsive to all guests. This hotel has a full service restaurant and great tasting food. You will find this hotel to be very clean and well managed. \nMost important, this first class service is consistent from month to month. In the past 2 1/2 years not one of our employees or meeting attendees has ever made a complaint about this Hotel! Whether you\u2019re in Houston, Texas for business or personal you will have a great experience at this Five Star Hotel!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}]}, "641273": {"reviews": []}, "596013": {"reviews": []}, "99055": {"reviews": []}, "224224": {"reviews": [{"text": "I visit NYC often and tend to hang out around midtown so I've stayed at many of the Central Park South hotels and generally find them to be adequate but not particularly impressive. For a change and having been pleased with Ritz Carlton elsewhere I decided to stay at the Central Park hotel this May for 6 nights. I booked a Deluxe Avenue Suite with Club Access and looked forward to a pleasant stay. Unfortunately I was more than a little disappointed.\nCheck-in was fine and certainly the lobby is small but nicely maintained but on walking into the suite I was struck by the strongest carpet deodorizer imaginable. It was horrible and permeated the entire place. I told the desk clerk to please make sure this was not used again. Now maybe it wasn't but the smell never faded and really made the place quite unpleasant to relax in. The rooms were fine with a reasonable living room and bedroom and one small bath and one decent sized, but the furniture was a dated Federalist revival and the carpets were slightly worn. Not what I would expect of a five star hotel in Manhattan. Maid service continued to be a disappointment with wet towels being left in the bath on two occasions and a broken remote for the Bang and Olufsen not being repaired after 3 calls to the front desk. Service elsewhere was similiarly poor - a call to the concierge about a desired restaurant reservation was unsuccesful and yet when I called Eleven Madison myself they were able to get me in!! I'd flatter myself that my name carries more weight than the Clefs D'Or's concierges at the Ritz but I know thats not the case, leaving me to assume that they simply never called. The club lounge is fine with a pleasant assortment of food and drink available but to try and get a glass of champagne or even a cup of coffee in the morning seems tantamount to an insult and again there is always the expectation that to greet a server you need to have a 20 dollar bill in your outstretched hand. A dinner at BLT, the american bistro attached to the hotel was horrendous with an hour wait between appetizer and entree and the maitre'd finally admitting that the meal ticket had been misplaced, and for the piece de resistance upon checkout when a car to the airport was requested two hours in advance - no car showed up.\nAll of these errors would be acceptable in a 3 or 4 four star hotel but at the Ritz where the expectation is that you'll give someone 20 dollars for opening a door it really is quite unpleasant. I'm not sure if staying in the Presidential Suite gives you some access to what really good service is supposed to look like but if you're really looking for a service-oriented hotel I can think of half a dozen that will do you better than the Ritz Carlton Central Park.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husband and I love to travel and love the Ritz Carlton - we pay the premium for what is supposed to be five-star premium service. We had a wedding to attend in NY and we had looked forward to staying at the Ritz NY CP all year. On the first evening, Sat., we stayed in with the DND on the door - housekeeping respectfully left us alone, but left a card stating they had attempted turn down. So far, so good...\nThe next day, Sunday, we again relaxed in our room all day with the DND and left for the wedding around 4 pm. We called housekeeping to tell them we would be leaving so they could take care of our room. We left around 4:10 and removed the DND. We returned to the hotel at 2 am AND THE ROOM HAD NOT BEEN CLEANED - no cleaning, no replacement towels or toiletries, no refreshment of the minibar, no turn down, nothing. Not even a card stating they had attempted to stop by. My husband called the night manager who was apologetic and offered to take \"fresh towels\" up to us. Since they had about 10 hours to do that, we declined.\nThe next day, Monday, we complained to the assistant manager. Again, very pleasant and apologetic fellow. He stated that housekeeping had noted our DND sign. We said we had called AND removed the DND sign before we left the room around 4 pm. We understand that at a 5-star hotel, they won't enter your room with the sign on, so we are careful to remove it when we are away.\nHe offered to upgrade us and/or give us a discount - we responded that we don't stay at the Ritz to save money, we go to the Ritz to be pampered and taken care of. That's the point. We left to go shopping and as is \"normal\" our room was cleaned. We then returned and readied ourselves to go out to dinner around 7:30 pm, removing the DND from our door before we left. We returned around midnight. Again - no turn down card. What we had was a voicemail (?!) stating that they had \"tried\" to give us turn down but that there was a DND on the door. Patently false. If they had bothered to simply walk by the room, they would have seen that.\nWe have stayed at 6 Ritz Carlton hotels, of these - NY and New Orleans (we stayed in 2004) were the worst in terms of service. We were extremely disappointed that there was a complete and total breakdown in service and instead of making sure it did not happen again (or at all), we were blamed - \"You had a DND on the door\" - for their lack of attention. For 2 nights in a row, a simple walk down the hall would have revealed no DND sign on our door or, alternatively, accurate records by housekeeping noting that our room had not been cleaned/turned down.\nSince the Ritz is a chain, it has a responsibility to offer its guests consistently excellent service. Average or \"Ok\" service that we experienced at the Ritz, especially the Ritz NY, which one would rightfully expect to be a bit of a standard bearer, is unacceptable. Given the fact that NYC is full of luxury hotels we have other choices - we won't be returning to the Ritz NY. \nIf you enjoy true luxury travel, we suggest you spend your money elsewhere while in NY. The Ritz NY CP simply is not worth the money.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My 2 best friends and I stayed here for 4 nights in July. We really love this place! Upon check in we were greeted by Ender who is fabulous. We then were escorted to the Club lounge as our room wasn't ready. We frequented the lounge several times during our stay and always loved the services of Kahn, he's so attentive and helpful. At the door we would always get a \"good morning\" form Felix, and an umbrella when it rained. We loved the concierge George, who helped us out on rainy days!\nThe rooms were awesome and of course the bathrooms were to die for.\nUpon our departure, the club lounge fixed us a \"to go\" box to eat lunch at the airport.\nI highly recommend this marvelous hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Past Ritz's I used were Amelia Island, SanFran, and Palm Beach and to date, the Ritz has been good, but NOT Four Seasons quality. The Ritz Central Park however is a pleasant surprise and management at other Ritz's would do themselves good to visit this place. \n************************************ \n*PRE-ARRIVAL: NO problems on the phone and concierge was fine reserving a sedan from Penn Station. \n*LOCATION: Took 25 mins from Penn Station, and it's right on Central Park. Close to Times Square and Broadway in a more subdued part of town. \n*CHECK-IN: GREAT. Wonderful greetings and bags are taken within 60 seconds. Front desk was expecting us by name. They had suites and wouldn't upgrade me, but all was well and they escorted us to the room. \n*LOBBY: Lovely, typical Ritz. Lovely decor, floral arrangements, lounge area and kind of a sanctuary in NYC. \n*ROOM: Park View room. 450 square feet, and the pic on their website is very accurate. \nVery comfortable bed, typical high thread count sheets and good pillows. \nSurprisingly the air conditioning was almost of proper strength for IMO, you should be able to sleep comfortably with a blanket. There was decent lighting in the room and the view of Central Pk was lovely. I suggest not being lower than 11th floor for this. \nNice marble bathroom with upscale toiletries, robes, and seperate shower. The water pressure was LOW and erratic throughout a shower. Sometimes I think hotels are using the recent enviro-fashion to skimp. Sure we can make adjustments, but decent water pressure shouldn't be outlawed either. \n*SERVICE: Everyone was friendly and great. Phones, room service, concierge. The concierge IS helpful and goes beyond merely making you a reservation, or looking things up in Zagat that you already know. \n*HOUSEKEEPING: No problems. Just what you'd expect at a Ritz. \n*ROOM SERVICE: We ordered it once and the delivery was prompt, friendly, accurate, and warm. Food was good. \n*DINING: We ate in the lounge which doubled as restaurant as they remodel. I'm a comfort-food guy and SURPRISINGLY, the food was marvelous. 3 mini burgers were great, fries were hot and crisp, service was perfect. Next table ordered a type of garlic pasta and just from the smell I could tell it was well prepared. \n*WORKOUT: I forgot to use this as I usually do. But I'm sure it's nice. The burgers sure were :) \nEnjoy, and safe travels to all of you.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "I paid $895 for a standard room on the third floor looking at 7th Ave. I understood that from the reservationist, so I wasn't surprised or dissappointed. Being in the hotel business, I am not use to spending money to stay at hotels, but I figured it's The Ritz and I didn't have a connection. The arrival experience was fine, but it was very very in my face. I was out of breath by the time I got to my room. It was all down hill from there. There was a light out in the bathroom (no big deal) and it took 4 times to get it fixed (big deal) and it didn't get fixed until I was checking out. It was the main light so I couldn't see when I needed to shave and that was a problem because I cut myself and bleed on my only white shirt. There was three inches of dust on the picture frames over the bed. There was chipped paint on my chair and chipped paint all over the walls. I only had two pillows in the entire room and they were horrible. The bed wasn't even close to The Algonquin Bed or The W bed. The sheets weren't even close either. The service in the lobby was flat and I had to get up to get the waitresses attention. It took 45 minutes for me to get an appetizer and when I received it, it was terrible. Every time I walked in I heard the bellmen and doormen speaking about their personnal lifes. One person is having problems with his wife and the other had chicken soup for lunch. \nI don't usually care about this kind of stuff, but I was there to review what it's like to stay at the \"best hotel in NYC\", it wasn't good. \nI stayed in The Ritz in Orlando and it was amazing. Great service when you needed it and when you didn't they were gone. The cleaniness of the rooms was amazing--favoriate hotel in the world.\nThe Ritz in NY is not worth the money--trust me. There are many great boutique hotels in NY that are half the money. \nReally wanted this to be a great review. Sorry.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "I have stayed at many Ritz Carlton Hotels, and this is the nicest one by far. My husband and I took our two sons, 13 and 9, here for Spring Break. The location is fantastic- right at Central Park's ice rink, a block from 5th Avenue shopping, close to Broadway...\nOur suite was not ready when we arrived. The front desk staff assured us it would be ready in 20 minutes and offered all 4 of us a complimentary lunch in the lounge. The food was delicious, a harpist was playing, and we enjoyed relaxing in the beautiful room.\nOur room was ready as promised by the time we finished our lunch.\nWe stayed in a Deluxe Park View Suite. It was very pricey but absolutely worth it. The suite was impeccably clean and our housekeping service was perfect. My husband asked for a few extra shampoo bottles, and she left over 15 extra bottles for him! A nice plate of cookies and drinks were sent to our boys compliments of the manager.\nThe view of Central Park was mesmerizing. We could even see the ice skaters! It had 2 large, fabulous marble bathrooms. The bed was the most comfortable that I have ever slept in. The room actually reminded me more of an apartment than a hotel room.\nSame with the feeling of the entire hotel. We felt like it was our home. The Club Lounge is a must. Six different food presentations daily-of the highest quality. The concierge was fabulous here!\nThe hotel has its own Bentley that will drive you to a nearby restaurant or Broadway show. We were lucky to ride in it twice- compliments of the hotel! We felt like royalty.\nI don't have a single complaint about this hotel. I can't wait to stay here again. It is expensive, but worth it!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My wife and I just returned from a weekend stay at the Ritz Central Park. We requested and recieved a park view room on the 10th floor. The room was great and the view was worth the extra expense. At first we were impressed with the attentive staff and the overall ambience of the hotel. We requested tickets for a sold out show and the concierge came through albeit at a significant premium. The stay would have been prefect if not for three problems. First, the only belt I took was missing after the housekeeping staff cleaned the room. We looked everywhere but the belt never appeared. We certainly do not think it was stolen but feel that it was gathered up in the linens and mistakenly taken from the room. We reported this to the front desk and so far they have not found it. We requested dinner reservations at a new restaurant on the hotel's recommended list. The conciere desk printed out a confirmation which included an address for restaurant. Infortunatley, the address was incorrect and we did not realize it until our taxi had dropped us off and left. We finally made it to dinner 45 mintutes late and our table was gone. The next morning before leaving for the airport, I pointed out the problem to the concierge. While he was apologetic and expressed a desire to compensate us for the mistake, he did not offer to do anythihg. I would have thought he would have offered to take us to the airport in the hotel car. Finally at check out, a bar tab that was not our charge was on our bill. GIven the price of the room, (over $1000 a night) three significant mistakes in two days is not acceptable and not up to the standard of a Ritz Carlton.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I initially checked in expecting the Ritz-Carlton service and experience especially since the New York Central Park branch has had a number of positive reviews.\nThe staff were indeed very friendly, given New York City standards, and put me in a deluxe 9 series room due to my extended 3 week stay.\nHowever, by the 2nd night, rumbling/rattling sounds were vibrating through the room and disturbing my sleep intermittently. It worsens during the day. I immediately thought of the review of another guest about trains and called front desk for help. After 2 visits by engineers, I was told it was the elevator and moved to a 3 series room; but not before being misinformed by the front desk that the 3 series room had a \"larger wardrobe space\" and told to go to the wrong floor first and being embarassed by the guest already occupying the room who was in the midst of drying up after a shower. On talking to the night manager, who apologised for the misinformation but said he couldn't do much except for giving us a wheeled clothes rack in the room, I went to sleep somewhat soured in my experience but hoping to get some sleep. Unfortunately, I was awakened again by rumbling/rattling sounds the next day.\nI've resigned to sleeping with uncomfortable ear plugs but I'll NEVER stay in the Ritz-Carlton New York again. For the price you pay and the promise made by the chain, you'd expect more. This hotel is nowhere near the Ritz-Carlton standard of other hotels I've stayed in.\nA definite disappointment.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We love the Ritz-Carlton hotels......we've stayed in Orlando twice this year, St Thomas and New York a few times. I'm starting to wonder if the Central Park location is either too busy or just don't care anymore.\nLast night we went to dinner...( we were out of our room by 5pm ) and returned at 9:30. When we walked into our room, we realized that turn down and towel service had not occured. It was very disappointing. We called the front desk and asked if they changed their policy on turn down service, they replied that they have till 10pm to complete that service. I'm not sure that answered our question and is not typical of Ritz-Carlton hotels. We then asked for towels in order to shower in the morning(there was only 2 upon our arrival)....after waiting over half and hour (we were getting tired and wanted to sleep) we called again and the front desk said she sent them up and she has no idea what happened. Does that sound like Ritz-Carlton to you? After a call back by the front desk a woman brought towels to our room and told us of her woes on how busy she is and they just couldn't get to our room tonight. I can get that kind of response at any hotel.....not at $700 a night.\nNeedless to say, I was very disappopinted in the service. No one apologized or showed any remorse for inconviencing us at 10pm on a Saturday night. I'm used to a different Ritz-Carlton. It's too bad.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "The Ritz Central park was nice but none of these reviews mention the fact that this hotel sits right atop a subway tunnel.\nMaybe I noticed it because we took a nap once we got into town around 1:00 PM. After hearing a constant rattle every 5 minutes and the room shake I had to call maintenance.\nWell, sure enough it was the subway. Not much you can do about that!! Not so bad at night but during the day... forget taking a nap!\nAlso I agree with all who say this hotel is way to much buck for the bang. I am a travel agent and stayed on TA rate so my price was only a 1/4 of the $1000 rate these rooms command. If I'd have paid full price I would have felt incredibly ripped-off for the small rooms and sub-standard Ritz feel.\nDefinitely save your money and avoid the premium on this one.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "As a treat I took my Mum and Sister to New York for a long weekend. In my opinion this hotel cannot be faulted. It is in a perfect location just a few minutes walk from 5th Ave. The rooms are decorated to a really high standard (the bed is too comfortable!) and the bathroom is exceptional. The view from the room overlooking the park was great to wake up to every morning. The staff are incredibly friendly and helpful especially Jenny on reception, Felix and Eric the barman. We did take advantage of the courtesy Bentley as suggested in another review. If you are going to New York and want something a bit special then stay here. I cannot wait to go again!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "The Ritz at Central Park is in a great location--within walking distance to shopping and restaurants. Also, it is close to the subway to get around the city. The room was reasonably quiet (our room was on the 10th floor overlooking Central Park). The staff were wonderful and the room/bathroom were clean and spacious by NYC standards. The hotel had a complimentary bottle of champagne delivered to our room to celebrate our first year anniversary. Even though everything was expensive (we expected the cost), it was well worth it.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I feel compelled to begin by confessing that I never liked the Ritz-Carlton portfolio. The rooms they show in their ad campaigns often remind me of my grandmother's condo in Boca, and the whole \"Ladies and Gentlemen serving Ladies and Gentlemen\" slogan seems a little pretentious. It's almost like Madonna trying to fake a British accent.\nDespite my negative first impression, I decided to stay at the Ritz Central Park because of its rave reviews on this site as well as its outstanding location. Needless to say, with the rate that I was paying, I arrived with high expectations.\nThe moment I got off the cab I realized that the location is indeed stellar. The lobby is intimate and the check-in process was flawless. Excellent service free of \"ladies and gentlemen\" attitudes. Elevator access to guestrooms require guestroom keys, which I think is an outstanding idea to ensure the safety of guests (especially single female travelers).\nAlthough I had a deluxe room that looks into the building's courtyard (i.e. mechanical space), my room was well appointed. The design scheme is more conservative/traditional than the Four Seasons or Mandarin Oriental, almost like a newer version of the Carlyle. The room is slightly smaller than the standard rooms at Four Seasons, though significantly larger than such Upper-East-Side gems as the Carlyle and the Mark. The four-fixture bathroom is modern and cozy, although I find it strange yet pleasurable that there are windows next to the toilet.\nGiven my favorable review thus far, you may wonder what prompts me to award this hotel three stars rather than five stars. As the subject title suggests, it's \"All About the Bentley\". My friend, who is a frequent guest of this property, reminded me on numerous occasions that I must use the hotel's house car. It is basically a Bentley that the hotel uses to take its guests around the midtown area free-of-charge. As the car service runs on a first-come-first-serve policy, I headed down to the lobby at 7:15 for my 8:00 dinner appointment 15 blocks away, and instructed one of the bellmen that I wanted to use the house car. The bellman responded by asking me to wait in the lounge. I asked how long would the wait be, and he answered \"15 minutes\".\nTwo glasses of Sancerre and too many cashew nuts later, I became impatient. It's 7:45 and car-less. I walked out to see if everything is okay, just to witness a couple handing a bellman tips, and immediately directed to the Bentley. Strange, I thought. I approached the bellman and asked if there's another house car coming soon, and he said, \"No, this is the only one, it just came back\". Interesting. Car left during the discussion. I asked, how long have those people waited, for I have waited for half an hour in the lounge.\nHe said, \"You should have told me you wanted to use the car, otherwise I wouldn't give them the car\". It turns out that those people were never in the line, but due to miscommunication on \"my part\", I was overlooked. Needless to say, I was furious. \"I told one of the bellmen\", I said, \"where is he now?\" \"Went to dinner\", he said, \"you never told me\", as if it's my fault. Okay. \"Is it because I didn't tip you?\" I asked. He said, \"No...\" I got myself a cab and left.\nThe next afternoon, I had a business meeting and saw the Bentley parked in front of the hotel. The same bellman was there. I gave him tips and asked if \"this time I could use the car\". I can be a jerk when provoked. Three seconds later I was in the car, which is really quite nice.\nWill I come back? Without the Bentley incident, maybe. With the Bentley? No way. Meanwhile I will return to the Four Seasons and the Carlyle, both of which don't blame their guests for staff miscommunication.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 31}, {"text": "We needed transportation back to the hotel after the ballet and the best the hotel could do is a car for a minimum 2.5 hours at $95/hour. After paying $1200 for a suite, I thought they could have done better.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 28}, {"text": "OK, so you pay through the nose to stay here, but does that matter if you get your money\u2019s worth? Of course not, and as one who has stayed in a number of other top-end hotels (The Waldorf in New York, The Savoy in London) the Ritz-Carlton is the first place I\u2019ve ever been that has, without exception, failed to disappoint.\nMy wife and I were staying here for 6 nights with our 4 month old daughter, and as it was our first time travelling as a \u2018family\u2019 we were just a little apprehensive. Having got only a slight reduction on the standard rate by contacting the hotel directly - $675 a night for a Park View Room \u2013 our expectations were pretty high. Check-in was quick and efficient and the room was beautiful, complete with the promised view of Central Park. The only slight down side was that we were only on the 9th floor, so the view was more of trees rather than the park itself.\nThe following morning, 7.30am, upon flushing the toilet the bathroom flooded. Big time. Called reception, and a maintenance chap was with us in 3 minutes, followed by two other staff armed with mops. A manager followed shortly and we were offered the option to move rooms, which we took, and were moved up to a similar room on the 20th floor. Much better view, and they threw in complimentary breakfast in the room every morning of our stay as compensation (probably over $400 worth of breakfasts). They even refunded the tips we made to room service. OK, so it was a shame the first room had to flood, but these things happen, and the real test for a quality hotel is how they react to such problems. In the case of the Ritz-Carlton, it was handled perfectly, and we were more than happy with how we were dealt with.\nOther points of note? The bathrooms are great with wonderful showers, the bed provided some of the best nights sleep I\u2019ve ever had, the lobby bar is a shining example in understated elegance, and the level of service from every member of staff \u2013 from managers to maids and doormen \u2013 is exemplary. Just make sure you carry a pocket full of loose dollars for all that tipping!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "My wife and two children stayed in a suite at the Ritz Carlton and I was not all that impressed. Rooms were nice, clean and well appointed. But dresser had broken drawer, hard to monitor temperature of rooms.\nBathrooms were wonderful, clean and marble throughout. But rooms were small.\nLobby was small and the bar area was nothing special.\nDidn't really care for the pro athletes wearing muscle shirts and adorned with bling using profanity. That was a huge turn off. If you are going to charge top shelf price- enforce the dress code!! I complained to the front desk about the language and the staff was apologetic but really not willing to do anything.\nOverall nice but I would not rush back there, lots of great hotels in NYC for less money and equal accomadations.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed here on for our tenth anniversary. I must say that Marek, (not sure how to spell it) the hotel's driver was FABULOUS. He not only drove us to two venues, but also recommended some great places for cocktails before our anniversary dinner. Take advantage of the hotel's car if you can get it... very nice! The concierge was great getting reservations at the restaurant of our choice... La Bernardin. Champagne was sent to our room, along with fabulous chocolate-covered strawberries. The bar of the hotel was great, with a great mojito (at closing... sorry, bartender!) All around, a GREAT experience. Be prepared to pay dearly for everything... breakfast, coffee, the room, but for a special experience... it's worth it!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We came to this hotel for our wedding night - the staff pulled out all the stops for us and were amazed at the high standards of service and attention to detail.\nThe hotel is very expensive but worth it. We stayed in room 2214 on the 22nd floor and were lucky enough to have the most spectacular view out over Central Park - it was breathtaking. \nIf you can, take afternoon tea in the Star Lounge - the service was great, and the surroundings are beautiful.\nThe hotel sent champagne and strawberries to our room and even made us the most fantastic wedding cake which was a complete surprise - we couldn't have asked for more. \nThe great thing about this hotel, is that the staff here made a huge fuss over us knowing that it was such a special occasion, and paid attention to every detail. We lost count of how many of the hotel management came to congratulate us - it was fantastic and we felt like royalty. \nIf you can, stay here.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "It was a busy weekend in NYC and all the hip hotels in Lower Manhattan were booked. Luckily, I was able to secure a Deluxe King room (had to settle for the 3rd floor). The rooms are incredibly spacious by New York standards and the bathrooms are over the top! Frederick Fekkai products, great finishes. The bed and linens are fabulous!\nThe Lobby is tiny, but the location cannot be beat!\nHighly recommend staying if you want Central Park location.\nClassic Ritz Carlton service!\nSuperb!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "We stayed for a week and had club level access. This place is just about the best place i have ever stayed. The service, the room, the food, the friendliness...absolutely fantastic. The location couldn't be better. I will never stay anywhere else when we go to New York.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My wife and I stayed for three nights in July 2005 to celebrate our tenth wedding anniversary. I booked through Amex platinum travel and had a great rate of $685 for a Park View King room which included breakfast. Upon checking in, we were wished a happy anniversary and the high room that I had requested was given to us. We were also given late checkout until 1600 and were invited to use the Club Lounge for the duration of our stay. We were escorted to our room on the 18th floor and the usual explanations given. The main area of the room had a king bed, which during the day had a geat selection of daytime pillows, an easy chair, table, desk and chair, TV, DVD, Satellite/Cable and a great selection of storage space. The room also had an entrance foyer with table and lamp and a closet. The bathroom had a separate WC with door, bath, one wash basin and separate shower cubicle. A super selection of designer toiletries was constantly replenished. The best part about the room was the two picture windows with fantastic views over Central Park.\nWe made use of the Club Lounge on every day of our stay. The welcome was always personal, warm and genuine. The service at all times of day was professional and efficient. The ambience was casual in spite of the quite formal surroundings. The food and beverage selections were imaginitively presented and the quality never faltered.\nThe atmosphere in the Lobby bar was that of a private club. It's position allows guests to view the comings and goings of the hotels famous and not so famous guests. We did not eat at the hotels restaurants but the menu looked very good at prices you would expect to pay at a hotel like this in the city.\nMy wife had a spa treatment in the La Prairie Spa and was very impressed.\nThe location of the hotel is second to none with the greenery of Central Park and its activites just across the street. Times Square is in easy walking distance.\nWe thoroughly enjoyed our stay at this hotel and would not hesitate in returning again. The service and attention from staff is first rate and personal. A bottle of champagne and a tray of chocolate dipped strawberries was even sent to our room to help us to celebrate our wedding anniversary, as if this extra touch was needed!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 57}, {"text": "Overall:\nVery nice hotel as expected. Fairly clean, although there were some flies in the club lounge. There were several minor issues that most people would probably overlook. I would not go back because I felt the Pierre was a much better hotel overall.\nRoom:\nDeluxe King was well decorated and had good amenities. There was only one regular chair, which made In-Room Dining a bit difficult. Typical, large Ritz bathroom which is about half the size of the actual guestroom. My wife and I did not find the bed and pillows to be comfortable.\nClub Lounge:\nVery inviting atmosphere but not much variety in food. Food quality was not too great either.\nIn-Room Dining:\nFood came very quickly. The one time it was delayed, I received a call telling me it would be another 5 minutes. However, it took over an hour and 2 phone calls to have them remove the table from the room (on 2 occasions). Food quality was average.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 55}, {"text": "i travel quite frequently and i was blow away by the staff at the ritz, they were attentive without being obtrusive, every request was answered with \" it would be my pleasure to take care of that for you\". the room was huge by nyc standards, very comfortable bed, nice spa products, separate shower and tub. absolutely loved it and will most definately stay there whenever i am in nyc .", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 50}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed here for 2 nights in April; we got a club level room. The location was great - close to so many things and right on Central Park. The only disappointment was our view...of a brick wall - other than that it was wonderful! The room was beautifully decorated, the bed was comfortable, the bathroom was large and covered in marble. The evening turn-down service with jazz music was a nice touch. The club lounge was great, it was very nice to sit in the lounge and enjoy the food and drinks while overlooking Central Park. I especially enjoyed the afternoon tea service. The club concierge was very helpful. The spa was wonderful too. The hotel staff was very pleasant and we were always greeted by name. To top it off, we stayed for free using our Mastercard rewards. We will definitely return to the Ritz on Central Park and look forward to it! We didn't know about the Maybach, we'll have to try that on our next visit! This was my husband's 1st visit to NYC and my 2nd - we loved it and we are already planning another trip!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 55}, {"text": "This was every bit a professional and impressive as expected. (But they do charge you for it!)\nTook my mother as a treat for her 60th last November and didn't regret paying the extra - great location and staff fantastic.\nIf I win the lottery I'll definitely return!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 46}, {"text": "We stayed in a Parkview room 22-25 April 2005 to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary. This was to be a no-expense-spared blow-out. I was a little anxious that my high expectations might not be met - I needn't have been. The room was great, the staff friendly, welcoming and eager to please. I had read on the internet about the Bentley 'house car' available for guests and boldly asked the doorman if it was available to take us to the Empire State building. Not only did he call round the stretch Maybach mentioned by the previous reviewer (a truly astonishing car), but the concierge provided us with the hotel's VIP pass for the Empire State, which allowed us to jump all the queues. We were in and out in 20 minutes. The burger I had from room service one lazy afternoon was the best burger I've ever had (and I've had a few!). I now have 10 years to work out how I top this for our 20th anniversary. Any faults? Well, everything's expensive (food, cocktails) but then I expected that, and the quality justifies the high prices.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 63}, {"text": "Me and my wife stayed at the Ritz Carlton Central Park on April 22nd and 23rd. Our experience there was wonderful. The employees of the hotel where friendly and helpful. For example, we asked the doorman to catch us a cab for dinner after being unsuceesful for less than a minute he called over the hotel limo to take us. The limo is a $400,000 Maybach mercedes Benz. Which we thought was going above and beyond great customer service. Im very selective when it comes to hotel and seldom pleased. My stay here was very refreshing. I've stayed at many five star hotel and I would say this Hotel ranks among the best. So enjoy you wont be disappointed.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 32}, {"text": "Service is this hotels strong point. If your traveling here with children they appear to put you on the 5th floor in the back. No view, just the back of the other buildings around you, so bad you don't want to open the curtians. We traveled here with our friends and thier two children. I was not impressed with the location of our room. That would be the only negative thing I could say about the hotel. Everything else here was great. The attitude of the staff made you feel welcome. The food was very good. Many celebrities were staying at the hotel including Jennifer Anaston, Courtney Cox, Frasier (Kelsey Grammer?) Charles Barkley and so on. The location is great, just around the corner from 5th ave the shopping. Across the street from Central Park, one block away from the subway station, but you don't need that as the hotel car (450K Maeback) not sure that is correct, is available to drop you off. \nThis is a true 5 star hotel. And I say that as we have recently had the misfortune of staying at a Sheraton dba Starwood hotel which claims to be a 5 star but really is a one star hotel. \nThis is really nice hotel with great service, give it a try.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I booked the Ritz Carlton to finish off a Queen Mary 2 cruise in style. Sadly during our 4 night, 5 day stay we were not impressed. (2nd to 6th April 2005) The staff were very young and seemed poorly trained. We had a park view suite (over \u00a31,000GBP per night!). For example; every day we had to ask for towels; the mini bar was examined in minute detail whilst we were in the room. There were also other niggles regarding the standard of cleaning and the operation of the Club Lounge. I know this might sound like nit picking but at the cost and their reputation the experience should have been a lot better. We stay at top hotels and go on 'no expense spared' cruises and holidays with our two children aged 7 and 9. Disappointingly, this visit to the Ritz Carlton, Central Park, NYC was not up to the standard expected.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 48}, {"text": "The five days I spent at the Ritz-Carlton Central park marked my first visit back to New York since I moved away from the city. I splurge when I travel... and am usually a Four Seasons addict, but the FS New York property leaves much to be desired, so I tried to find the most luxe hotel in NYC. After looking at this website, and the Ritz-Carlton website, I decided to stay at this hotel. \nI booked a Park-View room for $590 per night, through AmEx Platinum. Upon arrival, I was given Club Lounge access as an upgrade. The first room the receptionist escorted me to was unacceptable: dark, shabby (fringe torn off the curtains), and an ugly gold color that didn't suit my tastes. I didn't like the room, so she was kind enough to show me two others, one of which was perfectly lovely. The bellman kindly moved my luggage and the flowers and giftbasket which had been placed in the room before my arrival (however, they lost the cards that arrived with them, so I had no idea who they were from until someone said, \"Did you get the flowers???\").\nYes, the rooms are nice... but nothing to die for. (Sometimes I wonder what the homes of Tripadvisor users must look like since they're drooling over hotel room decor...) Small but elegantly furnished. \nRoom service is a little better than average. \nThe lobby and bar was happening every night, but the restaurant was EMPTY. \nThe whole \"club lounge\" concept isn't my scene. Guest excited about FREE FOOD and drinks hovering around appetizer platters is disappointing. \nIt is a lovely hotel, and the service is good. But, is this the best NYC has to offer? Is this as good as it gets? If so, I'm terribly disappointed. I imagined so much more. I think every hotel should aspire to be like the George V is Paris: absolutely flawless.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 28}, {"text": "We stayed over the Easter Weekend for 3 nights. Had a club level room. No view but use of the club lounge and their own concierges. Great location opposite central park . Room luxurious but internal view...we paid $625 per night , but we did have two kids with us so had a room with 2 double beds so not too bad. Lobby was very small and not as spectacular as other Ritz we have stayed in but no doubt New York is short on space! Club Lounge a little disappointing . Concierges here were low key...helpful yes but not overly. Food presentations were pretty meagre (compared with Ritz Key Biscayne where we went after) eg no champage left out. It was there but you had to ask for it.\nOverall not my favourite Ritz and if, like us you are sight seeing all day you probably don't need to spend so much on a room. Would I go back to New York...yes! Would I stay at the Ritz...don't think so. We like luxury but will try somewhere else next time", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I really can't see what all the fuss is about here.\nThe rooms are OK (but small) and the rates are way too over-priced. The location is OK but everything else was just about average. - Still, if you've got money to burn, don't listen to a word!", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "There are not enough stars in the galaxy to rate this fabulous hotel.\nWe were really going for it anyway. Valentine's Day spoily excess had already been booked. We're talking Park View with access to the Club Lounge package. Not cheap and my wife was initially somewhat in awe of the $845 per night price tag. So was I, this was a 'it had better be good' scenario.\nNeedless to say this crowned emperor of the hotel world delivered beyond our wildest expectations. Where do I start?\nI cheekily asked for an upgrade and was initially turned down.\nEmbarrassed, I smiled and muttered something about if one didn't ask one didn't get. Then as we were being escorted accross the lobby, the deft sign language/telepathy/5 star communication systems so unique to the best hotels indicated that yes an upgrade was available later in the day.\nWe went to the Museum of Modern Art (Tip: Avoid Mondays, it is a fabulous museum stuffed full of some of the world's greatest treasures, but you need dedication to wait in the cold and the rain for 45 minutes and then queue yet again to deposit bags) and returned several hours later.\nWe were allocated a brand new Park View suite (2014) on the 20th floor.\nWe were literally the second or third set of people to stay there.\nIt all smelt wonderfully new and the view of the park was unbeatable. As art lovers we were very much looking forward to seeing The Gates installation but were concerned that our room would not afford much of an overview. Imagine our delight at seeing from the 20th floor this entire\nsaffron (we thought orange!) multi million dollar art extravaganza in front of our windows!\nI prefer plain decoration but somehow the Ritz Carlton furnishings work wonders with patterns. French styled without the overkill.\nI adored the stripey padded walls.\nIf you can afford it, I strongly urge you to go for the Club Lounge package. The staff are so helpful and friendly and the 6 complimentary food presentations just sumptuous. I have to admit we took full advantage of the hotel's generosity including champagne for my wife and vodka tonics for me.\nWe were treated so well and all staff were genuinely thankful for their $10 tips. The delightful young woman from reception who showed us our $1695 (we think) suite, even initially refused her tip!\nWe were sent on our way by everyone with a cheery smile and plenty of banter. The commissionaire who opened our taxi door commiserated with us regarding our next sojourn to the Hotel Giraffe, but that's another story if it gets printed!\nIn the words of Kojak.....\n'Ritz Carlton...We loves ya baby.'", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "Just spent three nights here with my mother and my daughter (age 8). It was my second stay at this hotel and I enjoyed it even more than last year. The location is wonderful. We walked to MoMA, American Girl Place, Barney's, the theatre and much more!\n The level of service is excellent and traveling with my daughter seemed to get me even BETTER service than without. Upon arrival one of the staff members gave my daughter a Lizzie Maguire DVD to watch in the room. Our first morning, on the way out the door, the doorman greeted my daughter by name! Our bellman was very grateful for his tips...everyone was fantastic!\n Our room was at the back of the hotel. We needed two double beds so we booked the lowest room category, which is the only way to GET 2 doubles. It was exquisite! And we still had three large windows, including one in the spacious bathroom.\n We had breakfast every morning at the hotel's restaurant, Atelier.Again, the service is unparalleled. Dinner at Atelier our last night was divine (and now prix fixe); the Master Sommelier was very kind.\n Although I love shopping and exploring downtown...I will never be able to stay anywhere but the Ritz Carlton on central Park - as long as I can afford it. It is absolutely a dream hotel! I'm hoping to take my daughter again this summer.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}]}, "1465162": {"reviews": [{"text": "About the moron thing! I recently booked through Expedia to stay at the Staybridge Times Square in NYC for the period 1-3 June 2012 - or so I thought. When I got to the hotel, the lovely and talented Miss Sasha on the front desk seemed to be having difficulty bringing up my reservation. After a minute or so, she discovered that the reservation was for 1-3 July, not June. I suspect what happened was that when I booked through Expedia, the date registered as 1-3 July, and I didn't bother to check it. I've noticed on previous occasions that the entry dates sometimes have a mind of their own, and default to something entirely different. The other possibility (one which I don't really want to consider, because it casts serious aspersions on my intelligence!) is that I put in the wrong date from the start. Naw, that could never have happened, could it?? Either way, I didn't confirm the dates before submitting the reservation. I accept the \"moron\" title with distinction, if not pride!!\nAnyway, back to the check-in. Young Sasha looked at me as though these things happened all the time, and told me not too worry. She went and talked to her manager, Idriss, and when she came back a few minutes later, she advised that she had good news, and not so good news. Good news first - they had an available room for Friday night, and Idriss had managed to get in touch with Expedia to get the dates changed. Bad news - the hotel was totally booked up for Saturday night, with a wait list. I'm thinkin' - jeez, I'm gonna to be spending most of the weekend looking for a new hotel room, and I can kiss the non-refundable $300 room charge adios! Sasha, of course, gave me a motherly Tsk! Tsk!, and told me not to get in a swivet quite yet (Actually, I don't think she used the term \"swivet,\" but I'm sure she didn't tell me not to get my \"knickers in a knot!\" either!). She advised me to check in at 9 a.m. on Saturday morning to see if anyone had cancelled out overnight.\nAt 09:00, I dutifully went down to the front desk, where I was greeted by Sasha's colleague, the equally outgoing Daniel. Once again I had to bear my soul as to how I had screwed up the whole internet reservation process. Daniel told me not to worry, something might still come up. He advised me to come back in an hour. Frankly, I was starting to get a bit worried, because I felt that if the Staybridge was full, it might be difficult to find another comparable hotel in the city with available rooms. Anyway, after a very good free breakfast (included in the room price - free pitch!), I went back to Daniel, and was informed that the Manager (I believe it was the shadowy Idriss once again) had managed to work his magic, and had come up with a room. He had also cleared things up with Expedia, and I was once again saved from myself!\nNow, I have to admit that, under normal circumstances, I wouldn't write a hotel review. Nothing personal - it's just that I'm pretty lazy! Also, I always fear that if I write a good review, thousands of people will subsequently go to \"my favourite hotel,\" and I'll never get in again! But in this case, I couldn't avoid it. Sasha, Daniel and Idriss were all great, and went beyond the call of duty to save both my dignity (such as it is) and $600 in hotel charges! Besides, they told me if I didn't write to TripAdvisor, they'll make sure I never ever get another hotel room anywhere in NYC (just kidding - they said nothinbg of the sort!).\nIn addition to the excellent service provided, I suppose I should also mention that the rooms were clean, large and very well appointed, with a full kitchen. The price was about $300 (including about $50-$60 in various taxes), so it was really only about $250/night. Mind you, this also included free wifi (a lot of hotels charge an extra $15 or so for wifi), and a full buffet breakfast (another saving of $15-20 per day per person). In the end, the rooms were almost free!! Well, that may be a bit of a strethch, but as so many have said before me - invariably in a much more eloquent fashion, if I may say so - the Staybridge is a really good deal for NYC. Another little bonus (which I didn't realize until it was too late), the express buses to LaGuardia and JFK go directly to the Port Authority Bus Terminal. The drop off point is on 42nd between 8th and 9th Avenues - about a six minute walk from the hotel. Round trip price between LaGuardia and the Port Authority Bus Terminal is $22.50, and the buses run every half hour. You'll be happy to know that, for the past 10 years, every time I took the bus from LaGuardia into downtown, I would always get off at Grand Central, and than either hike across Manhattan to the Times Square area (if I was feeling really cheap), or spend an extra $10 bucks for a taxi, if I was feeling flush. Once again, this comes from not bothering to read the fine print!! Sadly, now that I've learned all these clever tricks, I'm too old to remember any of them, so I'm probably destined to continue to make the same old mistakes. What's the old saying - oh, yeah, it goes like this - \"Of all the things I've lost in life, I miss my mind the most!\" \nSo there you have it - Old Joe's review of the Staybridge in New York! You have to go, and when you do, say \"hi\" to Miss Sasha, Daniel, and the ever mysterious Idriss (that is, of course, if you are lucky enough to catch a glimpse of him!!). They're a really good bunch, and it's a great hotel!\n Joe from Vancouver", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We booked the Staybridge Suites through Orbitz.com approximately one month prior to our stay of May 6th to 11th. We are happy we booked early as we noticed the prices increased up to $90 per night as the date got closer to our stay. We chose this hotel based on the excellent reviews on Tripadvisor. We were very pleased with our selection. We found that the hotel lived up to all the excellent comments posted on this site. Even though we arrived before the official check in time the front desk was able to immediately provide us with a corner room on the 21st floor. The room was clean, modern and nicely decorated. Our view was okay, we looked towards another high rise building but honestly I think I only looked out twice while we were there. The room was very quiet from any street noise and we heard very little noise from people getting on or off the elevators. The king sized bed as stated many times in other reviews was excellent. \nThe bathroom was very modern and had a glass shower (which I prefer to tub/shower). The kitchenette was well designed with large fridge, stove microwave and dishwasher. All the plates, glasses, cooking utensils looked modern and new. We mainly used the fridge but it was nice to have a microwave and coffee machine available, in the room.\nOur room was cleaned daily and the maid even washed any dishes we may have used. I would suggest that everyone leave a few dollars daily for the maid. They do a great job every day.\nThe free breakfast was great; the staff was very friendly and worked very hard to refill the various dishes as quickly as possible. I found the variety and number of items available very good and as we were there for 5 days we were glad to see a change daily to most of the hot food items. Yes it can be a bit crowded but we managed to find a seat very quickly every day.\nThe free evening reception Tuesday through Thursdays 5:30 to 7 pm was also excellent. You can help yourself, among other beverages, to beer such as Bud Light or glasses of red or white wine. The snacks and hot food that they provided were also very good and we also noted the staff works very quickly to replenish the food and the beverages. Again the area can be a bit busy but we were always able to find a table and chair and sit down. I also found the white wine to be very good. \nI did not have very much personal interaction with the hotel staff (because I did not have any major issues and had booked my tours etc before I arrived) but they certainly were very friendly and appeared very efficient.\nI noted in a previous review that a person was somewhat unhappy with just one night table. Our room with a king bed also had one night table and we would have preferred two night tables. My understanding was that due to the layout of the rooms the king suites may either have one or two night tables. My wife actually thought that we, maybe, should request a different room with two night tables but I basically told her it was a nice corner room on the 21st floor which they made available to us early, why complain. I moved the nice chair foot stool to my side of the bed and used as a night table which was adequate for my purposes.\nPeople have commented on the elevators, we had virtually no problems with them. We noted on a previous review that the hotel and elevator company had made a change that once an elevator has reached its maximum weight it will automatic go to the main floor without stopping. We experienced this several times and it certainly is very efficient.\nWe asked for a late checkout on Friday morning the front desk extended our checkout time which was really appreciated as our flight was not leaving until later in the day.\nI would not be concerned about some of the comments regarding the area that the hotel is located in. We had absolutely no problems walking anywhere in that area at any time. In fact the location is great only a few minutes walk to Times Square and across the street from the Bus station. In fact we took the express bus to EWR airport. You catch it about a block away on 41st street and info can be obtained in the bus terminal at the Gray Line counter. It was fast about 35 minutes (although I would allow more time due to the traffic in New York) and only $16 per person. It drops you off at your choice of terminal A, B or C. \nWe also researched restaurants on Tripadvisor.com and reserved through Open Table at Tony's Di Napoli \u2013 Midtown. Service and food was very good and prices were also very good. In fact we went back a few nights later without a reservation, it was busy with wait times of over half hour. We explained we have been there a few nights before and they found us a table within 15 minutes. We also went to John\u2019s Pizzeria, again prices were very good and the pizza was excellent. Both restaurants are within easy walking distance.\nI hope this review is helpful to people. I plan and book all our vacations online and use Tripadvisor.com to research and learn about the location where we plan to go and I rely a lot on the reviews on this site, so I believe we all should try and contribute to this site.\nTo summarize it was a pleasure to return ever night to a hotel room that was clean, modern, comfortable and upbeat.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "From start to finish our trip to New York was perfect and we owe a lot of that to this hotel! We were able to check in early, which after a long transatlantic overnight flight, we were hugely grateful for. Our room was on the 32nd floor and had amazing views of the Empire State Building. We were celebrating a birthday and were warmly welcomed with complimentary wine and chocolates in our room, which we thought was a really nice touch.\nAll of the staff that we interacted with were helpful, pleasant and took a genuine interest in whether we were enjoying our stay. Even maintenance staff greeted us in the elevator and asked how we were, which we've never experienced in other hotels. It seems that with regards to employing staff, this hotel has got it exactly right!\nWe were extremely relieved to find the room was absolutely spotless- seriously couldn't fault a thing. The bathroom was absolutely sparkling and the bed was the comfiest bed I've ever slept in and HUGE! The Tv was great- hundreds of channels to flick through whilst getting ready in the morning and really big. The shower was a really good size, always plenty of very hot water. \nBreakfast the first morning was a bit chaotic, to be perfectly honest. We took a few mins of circling to find somewhere to sit and it was definitely a free for all. Having said that, the staff were extremely efficient and well mannered in clearing away tables to make more space and replacing food and coffee. The standard of food I thought was great. Hot and cold, plenty of choice and filled us up for many hours, saving a fortune on big lunches. We also would take some muffins and a carton of milk up to the room to keep in the fridge because there's a proper filter coffee machine in every room, which comes in handy after a long day. Every other morning after the first was much better and there were plenty of places to sit and wasn't as busy.\nThe location for us was excellent. A few blocks one way and you're in Times Square and onto Rockefeller Center towards 5th Ave etc. A couple of blocks the other and you're at the river where you can catch the Circle Line boat tours around the island (recommended).\nI was a bit apprehensive following other reviews that mentioned the street being sketchy and yes admittedly we did see a few suspect characters lurking by the bus terminal, (including one relieving himself against a wall right opposite the hotel) but never felt intimidated or harassed. The area around Times Square is very busy and bustling all the time and the street where the hotel is was always full of tourists walking to and from their hotels so unless you'd prefer a much more upmarket looking street, then I really wouldn't give two seconds' thought about the hotel location.\nOne final thing- maybe because we were on the top floor and so always the first to get in the elevator, but we had absolutely no problem with them at all. I don't know if other guests were just impatient or had bad experiences but we never waited more than a few mins for one, which I think is pretty much a given, since there are so many floors. It definitely never caused a problem for us. \nJust down the road is a 2 Bros Pizza place where you can get great big slices of pizza for only $1. Recommended! ALso the Shake Shack a few blocks down on the same street as Port Authority parallel to Times Square, does amazing burgers and milkshakes. \nOverall, a perfect first stay in New York and I would thoroughly recommend this hotel to anyone looking for a spotlessly clean, warm, friendly, great value hotel with great views and a great location.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Se voc\u00ea est\u00e1 pesquisando um hotel para ficar em NYC e est\u00e1 com d\u00favidas, v\u00e1 por mim; fique no staybridge que no m\u00ednimo n\u00e3o vai se arrepender...\nExcelente localiza\u00e7\u00e3o, bom caf\u00e9 da manh\u00e3, cama confort\u00e1vel, cozinha toda equipada (geladeira, microondas, maquina de lavar lou\u00e7a, cafeteira, tostadeira, panelas, pratos, talheres, copos, x\u00edcaras, etc...). No subsolo tem uma lavanderia completa (eles inclusive fornecem o sab\u00e3o em p\u00f3) com maquinas de lavar e secar (n\u00e3o trouxemos praticamente nenhuma roupa suja da viagem...).\nEnfim, um hotel com excelente custo-benef\u00edcio indicado para casais e fam\u00edlias.\nAcabei de voltar de l\u00e1 e confesso que fiquei com saudades da maravilhosa cama king size que me proporcionou \u00f3timas noites de sono e descanso ap\u00f3s o dia inteiro de bate\u00e7\u00e3o de perna em Manhatan.\nO happy hour oferecido aos h\u00f3spedes nas ter\u00e7as, quartas e quintas com vinho, refri, comidinhas, etc, n\u00f3s achamos o m\u00e1ximo!!! No \u00fanico dia que tivemos tempo de ir n\u00f3s praticamente jantamos de gra\u00e7a, pois tinha muitas coisinhas gostosas... Um charme extra que o hotel oferece...\nComo li aqui no Trip que os elevadores podiam demorar um pouco em hor\u00e1rios de pico, no check in pedi um andar mais baixo e ficamos no sexto andar. Ent\u00e3o nesses hor\u00e1rios us\u00e1vamos as escadas...\nO Port authoroty \u00e9 ali do lado. ... uma entrada para o metr\u00f4 na esquina... E a times square h\u00e1 duas quadras, ou seja, logo ali!!!\nDicas legais: \n-Se for ficar nesse hotel e estiver em casal vale a pena pegar o onibus aeroporto-port authoroty-aeroporto que custa 15,5 d\u00f3lares por pessoa (mais barato que taxi)...\n-Restaurantes \u00f3timos, bons e baratos: olive garden, bubba gump, carmines, red lobster, dallas BBQ, Ruby Tuesday e Fridays. \n-Compras bom-barato: Century 21, Duffys, modells, footlocker, Strawberry, Sephora e Super Target. Achei a Gap fraca. Sacks e Macys muito caras para nosso realzinho que agora est\u00e1 um pouco em baixa em compara\u00e7\u00e3o ao d\u00f3lar.\nEspero ter contribu\u00eddo com algu\u00e9m. Abra\u00e7os e boa viajem!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}]}, "208454": {"reviews": [{"text": "$1800 Stolen from our room at the Sofitel New York Thanksgiving weekend...Both hotel security & NYPD made a report & said \"It was most likely an \"inside job\" & good luck trying to recover the loss\"...I've contacted the hotel manager and he said \"deal with NYPD and NEVER contact neither him nor the hotel regarding the stolen $ again...They are NOT responsible!\"...I would assume a so called 4 star luxury hotel would hire only licensed/bonded professional housecleaning/staff working for them but apparently not!...I am warning everyone NOT to stay at this hotel...It is very overrated...We booked a \"luxury king\" room and upon arrival were given a small standard room with a queen bed because they claimed to be overbooked...After complaining for 20 minutes, the apathetic staff with faux French accents and major attitude finally agreed to comp us breakfast...Unbelievable!!! This definitely was the WORST hotel stay I've ever encountered in New York. I frequently travel worldwide for both business & pleasure & I have NEVER been robbed in my hotel room & treated so poorly...Stay away from this hotel !!!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Booked a luxury king room and checked into the hotel and were given our room key. We notice that the room was a queen room and called the front desk to make sure, and they said yes, you are in a queen room but that they were sold out so they would comp us a breakfast the next day and they would also upgrade us to a junior suite king room for our last two nights. We thought this was fair enough and accepted. \nThe next day they had someone move our luggage to our new room and everything was going great. The hotel does seem a little dated, but not in a a run down kind of way. It's a great area if you like being near Times Square. They are pet friendly and we had our dog with us. If this was the end of this story it would be a wonderful one, but it is not.\nWe were gathering our things to check out of the hotel and my partner noticed that our money had been stolen out of his shaving kit. This was about a couple thousand dollars. We immediately called hotel security and we insisted that they call NYPD. There was no indication that the room had been broken into so it was clearly a hotel employee. Also, that was all of the cash we had left for the trip and still had a full day in NY. The manager did nothing but let us keep the room until we had to leave for our flight. To top it off when we were checking out the person behind the front desk tried to charge us for the breakfast that they said they were comping for us. Now, I would think that this supposed luxury hotel would have had a note on our reservation stating what had happened to us and would acknowledge our plight, but alas, no, I had to ask to see the manager and he still didn't acknowledge what happened. When I called the general manager, Florian Shutz, he in essence told me that there was nothing he could or would do to help us and that he took no responsibility for what his employees did or did not do. This guy would be good at testifying before Congress because he was good at not giving a straight answer. \nEither this hotel has a thief that works for them, or this hotel is being burgled by a guy/girl who can get into your room without a key and busting down the door.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Wow, where to start? I must say that i found this hotel lacking in every aspect except for the concierge who were fantastic. We booked a prepaid room with a supposed special rate for a preferred room, when we checked in we spent 15 minutes listening to the staff discuss all the rooms they couldn't give us for whatever reason. We were eventually given a room and went on up. The carpets were stained, there were crumbs on the bedside table, the window looked out on to a brick wall......this is a preferred room????? I called down and complained and they miraculously found us a room on the 22nd floor, it did seem smaller and more cramped and as it turned out it was. They moved us again the next day to a more comfortable room.\nWhat was so bad? The over all housekeeping i found to be poor, the general areas were not well cleaned, dust everywhere, dirty water in the flower pots etc.. the bedroom was very poorly serviced, i noticed before leaving for the day that there was an item on the floor in the bathroom as well as a piece of paper by the bed on the floor (scrap). The room was cleaned and neither item were even moved, quite how they managed to clean the bathroom and make the bed without even disturbing these items i have no idea! We waited 2 hours and had to make 4 calls to get extra pillows. The bell boy told us to call downstairs to get some complimentary drinking water as none was in the room. Next thing, room service arrive with a bottle of water and a $15 check........i sent them away. Next thing someone lets themselve into the room without checking anyone was there and proceeded to check the mini bar, they left 2 complimentary bottles of water on the floor in the hallway.\nOn one of the mornings we decided to go out and grab some breakfast and then come back to the room and prepare for the day ahead thus i put the do not disturb sign on the door as we left. I can only assume housekeeping noticed this as by the time we returned they had made up the room, this was exactly what i wanted to avoid. I confronted the housekeeper and her response was there was no sign on the door as if there was she couldn't go in, she claimed it was in the room on the floor. I am 100% certain this was not the case.\nThe worst thing about all this was that after several complaints from a guest you would think management would talk to you about it and try to rectify things, not a word. Anyway, my only regret was not staying at the Giraffe Hotel which we stayed at earlier and which was wonderful.\nI wouldn't be misled by the name and expect quality as in the words of the reception, \"we are only a 3 star diamond hotel\"\nPerhaps i was just expecting too much", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We stayed 9 nights at this wonderful hotel based on the reviews from this site. The bottom line is that this is a great hotel and would stay there again. There was only one issue and it was a small one but you could hear the doors close of other rooms through the door of our room. Quite often it sounded like somebody coming into our room when actually it was somebody else closing or opening their door.\nOther than that:\n* it was very clean. Definitely a 4+ star equivalent in AU standards\n* staff were excellent, friendly and nice at all times\n* the location was brilliant. \nWe spent 9 days in Manhattan and walked several kms everyday and saw many other hotels and we went back to the hotel every night happy we stayed here. The one thing that we were so glad about is the location. Its literally near everything including 5th Ave, Grand Central station, Times square, etc etc. We are only talking a couple of hundred meters away to these spots. The subway was interesting but safe however you could catch a cab from the hotel to Greenwhich Village for under $10 and to the financial district for not much more. Its also next door to the NY yacht club which some people may remember was the HQ for the America's cup. There are a couple of nice restaurants next door and there is also the diner a couple of doors up which we would sometimes get takeaway and crash in our room. \nWe were upgraded to the 27th floor (there are 29 floors) and had a great view of the Chrysler Building 24/7. \nLastly we weren't sure as to whether to get breakfast there or not and we were glad we didn't because the food in NY is unbelievable and there is so much within walking distance of the hotel. I would quite often go around the corner on 5th Ave into Barnes & Noble bookshop and have breakfast overlooking 5th Ave in the starbucks on the 2nd or 3rd floor.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We've just returned from a 4 night stay at the Sofitel and were very impressed. It was our first trip to NYC and a birthday celebration. I had emailed the hotel the week before to request a higher level room to get views of the Chrysler Building & a late check-out on our departure day. They replied to say this was possible. Check-in was quick & easy - staff very pleasant. Our room was on the 27th floor and was much larger than expected with great views plus complimentary bubbly & chocolates for my birthday. Great start! The hotel was in a great location just a few blocks away from many of the sights, yet away from the bustle & noise. The beds were really comfortable & we slept really well. During our stay we found all the staff friendly & helpful especially the concierge. The gym was a great extra which we managed to use despite all the walking we'd done!! We didn't eat at the hotel but used the bar which was good but a bit pricey as most city hotel bars tend to be. The only criticism is the lack of tea & coffee-making facilities in the room. Would recommend this hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I just returned from a three-day stay at the Sofitel New York. I've tried to stay there several times because it has often ranked Number 1 at TripAdvisor. It was always booked when I tried, and I was therefore thrilled that I was finally getting to stay there.\nHowever, now that I have, I wonder why hotel guests rank it as highly as they do. I travel all over the world, stay in 4 and 5 star properties wherever I go, including Sofitels in London and Rome. The Sofitel New York does not live up at all to the standards at these hotels.\nLet's talk about the service -- or shall I say, the lack of customer service. When my husband and I walked in, I walked over to the front desk, and greeted the guest service agent with a big smile, and said: \"Hello, how are you today?\"\nThe man didn't lift his eyes to even look at me, and said. \"I'm fine, thank you.\" Never bothered to ask me how I was -- or indeed greet me at all.\nI had negotiated a rate that included breakfast, but the agent said there was nothing on my file about that. He made no attempt to look into it, and relied entirely on me to find the documentation to prove it. That took some time to resolve, but finally it was and we received the breakfast coupons.\nThe room itself was not at all impressive. We were two people staying in a king room. Most people travelling alone do not need a king bed, so one would think that king rooms would have sufficient drawers and hanging space to allow two people to unpack their suitcases. Not so in this room. \nThe hanging portion of the closest was about a foot wide, with an iron and ironing board crammed in there as well. I had to remove them to make room the clothing we had brought for our 3-day stay, which included evening attire, day clothes, and business suits.\nThe bed had only a comforter, with no single sheet between the duvet and the fitted sheet. That meant that, if we found the comforter too warm, which we did, we had nothing to cover ourselves with.\nThe view we had outside our window was obstructed by buildings, making the room very dark. The floor lamps did not have bright enough bulbs to give ample light for reading.\nThe Panasonic TV was an old model, not one of the flat-screen kinds I've seen in most hotel rooms I've stayed in elsewhere recently.\nThere was only one bathrobe in this king room, which disappeared on two day, never to be seen again.\nThe doors to the bathroom open outward into the closet area, requiring guests to remember to close one set before opening another. Not a well-thought out design.\nThe best part of our stay there were two Albanian servers in the hotel restaurant. They brought a friendliness and eagerness to the hotel that was lacking in all the front desk agents.\nAll in all, this was a disappointing stay. I will not likely return to the Sofitel New York, and would not recommend it, given its high cost and lacklustre service and ordinary accommodations, well below any 5-star hotel I've stayed in.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "The Sofitel in New York is by far the best hotel we have ever stayed in!!!!!!\nWe prompted for the hotel after using Trip Advisor!\nThe hotel staff were all extremely friendly and couldn't be more helpful. \nWe got them to recommend restaurants while in new york. To be honest we would never have found them if it wasn't for the concierge staff who booked it. They also sorted out a helicopter ride (not cheap but well worth it).\nThe hotel was extremely clean. In fact it was almost over the top the amount of times the maids changed the towels (probably twice a day!). They made the beds and then if you weren't in the room in the afternoon / early evening then they would come and turn the bed down.\nThe location of the hotel is perfect. It's about 45th st, it's around 200 yards off 5th avenue. It a 10-15 min walk to central park or the same amount of time going south towards empire state etc.\nWould highly recommend this hotel and the helicopter ride, Top of the Rock (better than the empire state) and Central Park horse & carriage ride. Time square at night is a must, it doesn't look half as good in the day\nHope you find this useful!!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Just got back from a long weekend in New York city and stayed at the Sofitel for 3 nights. There are some definite positives about staying at this hotel. Definite positive is the location--which cannot be beat. Great Midtown West location which is convenient to just about everything. No need to take a cab or any other public transportation. We had great weather so had no problems walking to Central Park, Times Square, or Uptown. We did walk all the way to the World Trade Center, but should have probably taken the subway (due the amount of time that it took) which we did on the way back. Walked down 6th Avenue so that we could get a feel for the different areas such as Greenwich, Chinatown, and Soho which I have never had much chance to visit. With regard to the hotel, I don't have much to add that hasn't already been said. The hotel is fine for the most part. Great beds--no yucky bedspread only crisp white sheets and comforter/duvet. The bathroom was clean and nice and the bath products were very good as well. The carpeting was a little stained looking and the room was a little small, but no smaller than most hotel rooms in New York. Didn't eat at the hotel as it seemed rather pricey and I prefer to experience independent establishments. The concierge was very good at providing recommendations and for the most part we enjoyed the recs. Make sure to get the free Sofitel privilege card as it entitles you to free drinks when you arrive. My one complaint was that the hotel was unwilling to adjust my room rate despite the fact that the website was now showing a better rate. I booked about 2 months prior to my trip and got a room rate for about $303 which did not include breakfast and could be cancelled up to 24 hours prior to arrival. The week before my trip I noticed that the Sofitel website indicated a $274 room rate (for the same room that I had booked at $303) or a $309 room rate which included breakfast. I printed out the sheet and when we arrived I assumed that the hotel would be willing to honor the $309 rate and include breakfast. I realize now that I should have cancelled the reservation (since there was no penalty) and then rebooked at the $309 rate as it was only $6 more but would be well worth the increase as both my spouse and I would get breakfast each morning. I assumed that the hotel would be willing to make this change and honor the rate but was fed some line about it being an \"internet only rate\". It amazes me how customer service is valued differently at various organizations. I really expected more given that I am a Sofitel Privilege member. Anyway, I didn't make a big fuss about it, but will probably be less likely to book a room at the Sofitel for my next New York trip. I might consider the Iroquois which is right next door as I have heard good things about it. Restaurant to consider--Del Friscos -nice steak house with a reasonably priced 3 course meal served prior to 6:30 PM and within walking distance from the hotel in view of Radio City Music Hall.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I've stayed here a couple of times, and it's easily (to me) the best hotel in Manhattan. The rooms are nicely done and always spotless. The restaurant is outstanding (even if I'm in Manhattan for the day, I go to their restaurant for dinner). Service was great - very helpful and courteous staff.\nIt's just a very classy place where you feel very comfortable.\nIt's not really a place for children, so if I'm in Manhattan with the family we stay at the Doubletree, but on business or for a couple, this is the best.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We booked this hotel after reading the reviews on tripadvisor as everyone seems to think it is the best hotel in NY. Don't get me wrong it wasn't bad but it wasn't anything special. We arrived to a friendly bellman and concierge who took our suitcases promptly. we checked in and were given a room on the 15th floor. I paid for a room between floor 15-30, queen bed and city view - i got the first two but not the last. The room was small and overlooked some sort of enormous air vent. The room itself was nice enough - lots of nice goodies in the bathroom with a big marble bath and an excellent shower. The bed was very comfortable and we were only there for one night so did not see the need to ask to be moved. There is free internet downstairs which was useful for checking in to our flight the day before we left. The location is good if you're a first time New Yorker (we were not!) it is a couple of blocks from Times Square, Empire State, Grand Central etc. However, as we know NY very well now we know better places to stay and at an affordable rate. There are no little extras here and it feels like a big chain hotel with no character or anything to remember it by. \nOverall it was an average hotel however, as a whole although the room was very comfortable and it is in a good location for those visiting for the first time.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "I have stayed at other Sofitels before, and the Chicago Sofitel many times. My expectations were very high because T.A. ranked the New York Sofitel best luxury hotel in America and #12 in the world, which it definetly is not. I think that is why I was disappointed. The New York Sofitel was nice, but not as nice as other Sofitels. No comparison to the Chicago Sofitel. We booked through expedia and did get a very good rate, so maybe they gave us one of their worst rooms. Our very old T.V didn't work very well, but they came up quickly to try and fix it. They offered to move us to another room, but the TV wasn't that important to us. We were told they will be updating the rooms soon, which needs to be done. \nOn the plus side, I would stay at the NY Sofitel again and recommend it, but only if the price was right. The beds were very comfortable just like all Sofitel beds. Very clean rooms. The service was very good and quick. The staff was above average for Sofitel. This is just by comparison. In my experience some of the Sofitels front desk staff, (usually the staff from France) can be abrupt, but that is part of the French feel right. Well not in New York. Everyone was very nice, friendly and helpful. Another big plus was having The Red Flame restaurant so close. We were able to get coffee and breakfast to go to bring back to the hotel for the slowpokes. Saved us lots of time and $$$.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 24}, {"text": "After doing much research on Trip Advisor we decided to follow everybody else and book directly and managed to get the hotel within our budget. \nThe hotel is just perfect - we arrived and were told we had been given a upgrade on our room to a higher floor which we were delighted about. The room itself was lovely and the bathroom was to die for! The bed, as everybody else has said, was fantastic - just wish we could have fitted it in the suitcase! \nThe hotel's location is also excellent - when you come out of the door you turn right and you are a 5 minutes walk from Times Square, on the way passing The Red Flame which is also as good as all the other reviews say, and by turning left at the hotel and after 5 minutes you are at Grand Central Station. \nWe would recommend the Circle Line boat trip, and Empire State Building as good points to view New York.\nAs far as steaks go, we met up with a family member who works in Manhattan and he treated us to a meal at the Capital Grille. We had the most amazing food at this restaurant starting off with French Onion Soup which was layered with Gruyere cheese. The steaks are just to die for, washed down with excellent wine and just for more badness we finished off with cheesecake .... you have to be bad sometimes! \nWe did use a cab twice but this was only on our first evening - after finding our bearings we walked everywhere apart from going to ground zero when we took the subway. \nOur top tip if you are going to Macys - go to the visitor centre and collect your 11% discount card. The prices are cheap compared to what we pay at home anyway, but this makes it evey better. \nWe absolutely loved the Sofitel and would not hesitate to go back there, or to recommend it to anybody.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My girlfriend and I stayed at the Sofitel over the New Year. \nThe hotel is great. We chose it because it was rated number one on tripadvisor and it didn't disappoint.\nThe room was extremely clean, a good size and the bed is like sleeping on a cloud. As others have mentioned, if you are in New York for a special occasion let the front desk know in advance. We were there for my girlfriend's birthday and after mentioning this we were given a room on a higher floor and champagne (sparkling wine).\nThe hotel is in a great location and is within walking distance of most of the big tourist sites (Times Square, Fifth Avenue, Empire State Building etc.)\nMy top tip - register for the Sofitel privelege card. It's free and you gets you guaranteed late check in, free drinks on arrival and late check out (4pm) which was great as we had a night flight back to the UK.\nNext time I'm in New York I know where I'll be staying...", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Every word of the positive reviews on Tripadvisor are true, we picked this hotel, after lots of homework, for our 5 day honeymoon over Valentines weekend. \nWe took the advice and joined the hotels priviledge club and was upgraded to a higher floor room with a king bed and a view of the Chrysler Building. We got 2 free drinks at the bar (champagne) chocolates and a bedding turn down every night not to mention the free bottle of champagne sent up to help us get our honeymoon off to an amazing start!\nEVERY member of staff work terrifically hard to give you a great feeling about this hotel and it became 'home' for us on our trip. In New York the people are not always too friendly so it was refreshing to get back to the luxury and oasis of service that is the Sofitel\nInstead of boring you by repeating what has already been said about this amazing hotel. I will give you our tips for a great trip to NY, and also things to avoid\nWe didnt try the breakfast at the hotel and followed others advice and went to the red flame diner a couple of doors down from the hotel. A bit rough and ready, but good food and service make it all good and great value.\nIf you want to really splash out and have a world class breakfast, take a cab to Le Parker Meridian up near Central Park, and BOOK into Norma's inside Le Meridian, all they do is breakfast and boy do they do it well, outstanding and a bit pricy but you will NEVER have a better breakfast, make sure you book, while we were there people were being quoted 1.5 hours for a table and still staying!!\nAt the same venue is a Burger Joint that you wouldnt find in a month of Sundays, tiny place hidden behind a curtain at Le Meridian, signed only by a small neon burger sign, keep an eye out for it, its easy to miss! World Class burgers and fries, and thats all they do but wow its done well.\nAvoid Rainbow Room Grill like the plague, it was a fab view no doubt there but the food was appalling and they 'recommend' a 20% tip on a $300 bill, and that was with no dessert or coffee, massive rip off and not to be repeated.\nBook in at Metrazur in Grand Central Terminal - sounds mad to eat in a station, but what a station, the ambiance is amazing and ask when you book for a balcony table, you wont speak much but you will marvel at the view!\nAfter Metrazur cross the main floor up the stairs, come out of the main doors and turn left and head into Campbells Apartment, a hidden gem of a cocktail bar, small and atmospheric...the mojitos and prohibition punch were the best we have ever tasted!\nGotham Bar and Grill was divine, words cant measure it, service and food to die for, every bit was amazing.\nGo to Woodbury Outlet about an hour out of the city for discount designer shopping heaven!! We went by bus so got to asee a bit of the countryside\nForget about Empire State building, the place is a dump, queues were 3.5 hours and once I got up there I couldnt wait to come down as I was so naffed off from queuing and pushing, it was rubbish...head for Top of the Rock at the Rockerfeller centre, no queue, up and down in 30 mins, and much nicer, glass panels so you can see more, a bit smaller than Empire State but the same experience, but no queuing and messing about. TRUST ME ON THIS ONE\nAll our meals were reseached on Zagat...highly recommended .. and booked through OpenTable.. again really recommended. Thats it, amazing trip, if you go to any of these places you WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Due to the excellent ratings at Tripadvisor we booked Sofitel New York from Dec. 21 - 25, 2006. We stayed in a standard room (347,20 USD Tax incl.) and a suite (503,00 USD Tax incl.) located on the 22th and 26th floor.\nThe \"plus\":\n- modern rooms in good condition, very clean, comfortable bathroom with separate shower stall,\n- turn down with a free bottle of still water,\n- good location\nThe \"minus\":\n- a la carte breakfast menu only (quite expensive, just a few choices), no breakfast buffet,\n- lobby with not inviting atmosphere (too cool music),\n- no shoe shine service available (not even a machine),\n- a dvd-player (which is not standard in a suite) was brought to the room free of charge but there was a country code restriction so you couldn't play an european dvd (an international hotel chain should be better prepared with its technical equipment),\n- the last morning housekeeping first disturbed at about 8am and came back twice within the next hour! When coming back after breakfast the bedding was already changed and the luggage stored in the corridor,\n- a forgotten tie wasn't found two hours after checking out (it probably was thrown away from the housekeeping).\nIn total Sofitel has nice and comfortable rooms, a good location but some aspects to improve. Compared to others N.Y. hotels one can recommend the hotel when the rate is O.K.\n P.S. Although we are Sofitel privelige card holders we didn't get a free welcome drink or choclate.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed at the Sofitel New York hotel in early December for 4 nights, this was our first visit to New York and we wanted to book a special hotel that was in the right location for ease of getting around. The Sofitel seemed to fit the bill.\nWe really couldn't have chosen a better hotel, the Sofitel New York is amazing, what an entrance. We can see why it is rated No.1 on TripAdvisor!\nWe'd recommend that you pay that bit extra for one of the Deluxe rooms which are located on Floors 15-29. Our room was on the 21st floor, the view was good view and it was very quiet. It was a good size room, the marble bathroom with it's seperate shower was lovely. In all a spacious room. The beds are so comfortable, you'll get the best sleep ever!\nThe hotel is in the ideal location for getting around easily, you are never far from shops, restaurants etc.\nThe hotel staff are all very helpful, the bar is a cosy place to enjoy a drink or two. We really couldn't find any faults with the Sofitel New York.\nThe complimentary web access and printer located in the main lobby are a great touch, as we found it very useful on our last night, as it meant we could check-in online for our flights back home and print out our boarding passes. Saving us time in the queues at JFK.\nConcierge at the hotel is excellent, we asked for recommendations on nearby restaurants, we were given a list but one of those was \"Keen's Steakhouse\" on West 36th Street, what a meal we had, the service was the best we've received anywhere and the food was amazing. If you appreaciate good food and wine, you really should go to Keen's.\nThe Doormen are friendly & attentive. On our last day, we were offered a private hire car back to JFK for $60. Compared with $45(ish) for a Yellow cab, we decided to go for it. What a good choice! It was a great way to end our trip. We travelled in a luxury black people carrier, a Chrysler we think. The driver was friendly, gave us free bottled water and it was a very comfortable and stress free drive to the airport.\nRather than have breakfast at the hotel, we had breakfast at the Diner along the road, turn right at the front entrance to the hotel, heading towards 6th avenue. It's a great wee place, busy but great service, and the breakfast menu is vast. We tried various items each day and we never left disappointed or hungry.\nOverall a wonderful hotel, we have recommended it to friends & family, and we will personally be staying at this hotel when we return to New York.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "We stayed here for 5 nights in November as a stopover from flying home from visting relatives from Houston. \nHaving stayed in NY several times in the last few years this was the first time in the Sofitel and was booked purely on the strength of reviews from Trip advisor.Previously we had stayed at the Plaza as a 30th birthday pressie to my wife in a great room (sad to see its being turned into apartments) and before that I had stayed at other hotels around Central Park area. This was the first time we had stayed more centrally and to be fair I had some concerns that noise would be an issue. However, this was not the case.\nThe room was good without being great, but being a light sleeper this was more than made up for by the fact it was quiet. And in a busy, hustling city like NY, this is a blessing. \nThe location could not be better. Basically two blocks to Times Square and almost everything in close reach. Having stayed near Central Park previously the one criticism of that area is that it is a fair old walk down to the Theatre District and Macy's etc etc.\nFrom the Sofitel its fantastic. Everything is within walking distance altho I would still recommend the bus tour 2 day pass as a means to getting around New York cheaply. And you learn things on the way round also!\nThe Hotel foyer and lobby is beautiful and spotlessly clean. The service is great and mostly the concierge is very helpful. The guys at the door are even more helpful and a good means of information. \nA couple of helpful hints.\nUse the Hotel's town car service for pick up and drop off's at the airport. It's only marginally dearer than a standard cab, and an aawful lot more comfortable. When you add toll fees etc to a standard cab its practically the same. The hotel arrange this without hassle. The guys at the door can also aid you with this on the way back.\nAvoid the Hotel bar...its pretentious beyond belief and the service here (unlike the rest of the Hotel) was very very poor. They were more interested in preening themselves and looking cool for the business people populating the bar than actually serving anyone. Besides NY is full of good bars and restaurants (by the way the Indian restaurant 200yds to the left down the street of the Sofitel is very very good).\nOverall, I would recommend this hotel to anyone looking for a great starting base in NY. Its clean, comfortable and stylish. Even better, if you get a deal I cant think of better value in NY, as its location is perfect. We'll be back here...we'll just avoid the bar!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "Stayed 14-18 Dec with my girlfriend, chose hotel on the basis of tripadvisor reviews and was not disappointed. Main selling point has to be the location, handy for most of the main tourist and shopping attractions, lots of restaurants and bars close at hand too. Hotel itself is a very nice four star, staff very friendly and helpful, our room on the 19th floor was a decent size, modern decor and furnishings, spotless, with a nice view towards chrysler building. Had a drink in the very chic bar but didn't eat in the restaurant.\nAs mentioned elsewhere, the beds are certainly as comfortable as any i have slept in!\nOverall, very deserving of its reputation, certainly will stay here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Not that I have a ton of experience staying in big city hotels, but I have enough to know that the staff makes or breaks an experience. And I must say that the staff at the Hotel Sofitel NYC was over-the-top. \nThere were eleven of us (ranging in age between 6 and 75) plus luggage plus a wheelchair traveling in a very large stretch hummer. Upon our arrival the doormen and bellhops were incredibly personable, professional, and efficient unloading our luggage and whisking it away and then gracefully ushering us into the grand hotel. We arrived well before check-in time, yet four of our five rooms were already prepared. The staff at the reception desk was very friendly and handled the confusion of our particular check-in quite quickly (five rooms reserved under different names but paid for by me).\nAlthough we were on a smoking floor (as requested), the smell was very negligible. That's remarkable. Our rooms were impeccably clean, and throughout our stay the 24-hour housekeeping staff on our floor (the 8th floor) was very attentive. I will say, however, that although we all received turn-down service (which included complimentary bottles of Evian water), only some of us got all of the little touches such as the box of chocolates while some of us didn't -- that would be my only comment.\nRoom service was quick and efficient and, I feel, well-priced. A plate of delicious cheeses and fruit for two was $12.00 and arrived within 15 minutes. The concierge desk provided asked-for information with professionalism. The doormen were so observant and anticipated our approach every time\u2014not once did any of us have to open a door ourselves. Although we never needed a taxi, I did observe how quickly and efficiently one was hailed for others many times.\nCheck-out was also handled quite quickly, and I was very impressed with the doorman who cleared the much-congested roadway outside for our hummer to pull up to the door.\nI must mention Catherine (not certain of the spelling of her name), the front desk manager who administered our reservation and who was on duty during our weekend stay. I cannot say enough about her. She handled the arrangement of our five rooms with aplomb so that all of us could be accommodated comfortably and together. During our stay she was indescribably attentive, especially honoring my daughter with some special birthday gifts (which was the reason for the trip -- my daughter's 18th birthday). Catherine made us feel as if we were the most important guests in the hotel -- she remembered what our planned activities were and every time we entered the lobby she came out from behind the reception desk to ask how we enjoyed such-n-such. She is an incredible asset to the Hotel Sofitel NYC. I cannot thank her and the staff enough for such a memorable stay.\nAs for the accommodations themselves, the rooms were small BUT much larger than expected. We have experienced that rooms in NYC hotels tend to be small, but at the Sofitel we did not feel cramped thanks to the mirrored closet doors on one side and the huge window on the other. A plus is that the window can be opened for fresh air.\nThe room had just about everything one could need \u2013 except a coffee maker (presumably 24-hour room service can handle that request). The honors bar was well-stocked with snacks and drinks (alcoholic and nonalcoholic). The price list was in the closet (along with the safe and a basket of other necessities) which was a little bit too much out of the way to find before indulging, and we discovered, after the fact, that prices were very expensive ($4.50 for a small can of Pringles, for example, but I\u2019m not experienced enough to know if this is \u201cnormal\u201d.)\nWith a variety of pillows and a pillow-top mattress, the beds were very comfortable except that, although wonderfully fluffy, the duvet was the sole covering and it was a little too heavy and too warm. Adding a sheet as an alternative would have been ideal (and I\u2019m sure a call to housekeeping could have solved that.) Among our five rooms we had 2 kings, 2 queens, and a room with 2 twins. The king was large enough to accommodate two adults and a 6-year-old. There would have been space in any of our five rooms for a rollaway although it would have been tight.\nThe bathroom was huge and had a tub with hand-held shower and a separate shower stall. The countertop was expansive and held a variety of luxuries including fresh flowers and a candle, as well as many nicely-appointed necessities. The mirror was large and well-lit and somehow did not fog up during a hot shower. There was also a swing-away magnifying mirror. Excellent water pressure made for a superior shower. The towels were over-sized and absorbent, and the complimentary bathrobe was a great plus. Use of the bathmat was mandatory since the beautiful marble floor was very slippery when wet. Privacy was compromised a little bit due to the crack between the double doors of the bathroom; however, the doors were not facing into the room itself, so it wasn\u2019t a huge issue. Two fun touches were the commode seat that closed automatically and the hidden speaker which piped in the sound from the TV.\nThe room was well lit with a number of lamps. As for electronics and technology, high speed internet access was available for an extra fee, and there was a keyboard of some type for wireless access to something on the TV. None of us had time to try out either of these. The alarm clock was too much of a high-tech gizmo for any of us to figure out. One in our party gave up and called the front desk for a wake-up call (which they received exactly on time in the morning.)\nWe didn\u2019t eat at the Gaby restaurant on-site in the hotel, but we did stop in at the bar just before last call (midnight). It wasn\u2019t crowded at this time and there was only one server. He made up for the unfortunate slow service by offering us another round even though it was past last call\u2014a nice touch.\nI don't believe there is a health club on-site, and I'm not certain if Sofitel has a partnership with a private club -- we didn't have time to pursue that amenity. \nThe public areas of the hotel included a lovely gift shop and a large lobby full of very comfortable chairs and couches and tables. There was a fireplace full of lit candles, and being the holiday season, the Christmas decorations were beautiful and elegant. French influence was found everywhere from the accents of the staff and their welcoming \u201cbonjours\u201d to the magazines and newspapers found in the lobby and the gift shop.\nFor some, the price may be deemed expensive, but I feel that $500 per night for accommodations of this caliber in NYC during the Christmas season was a good value. The hotel\u2019s location was perfect: \u00bd block east was Fifth Avenue and two blocks west was Times Square. Although 44th Street was sometimes congested, it was incredibly quiet and calming inside the hotel.\nWithout a doubt we will stay at the Hotel Sofitel NYC again. As well, if ever in a city that has a Sofitel, we will purposely seek it out. It is my belief that a fantastic staff is not unique in the NYC location but that top-notch service is a philosophy of Sofitel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I'm not a luxury traveler, but I will spend the money if necessary to ensure a great trip. After reading many travel horror stories about hotels (fleas, shared baths) in new york city, I decided to opt for high-priced to avoid any disasters. The Sofitel turned out to be well worth the money. Great location. Attentive staff. And not too busy. You never felt rushed and there were never any lines, not even for taxis or the concierge. We arrived around 8AM at the hotel and we were just planning on leaving our luggage, but they had a room available so they let us check in. That was a pleasant surprise. Everything is expensive in new york in December, but short of the Plaza or Le Meridien, Sofitel was a perfect match of price and comfort. I look forward to staying there again in the future, sometime other than Christmas when it is a little less expensive!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "This hotel certainly lives up to all the excellent reviews on Tripadvisor. I booked it on the recommendations on this site and wasn't disappointed.\nWe arrived at 1pm and the receptionist went personally to check if our room was ready, after he confirmed that it was he showed us to it and we were very pleased with it. We were on the 20th floor with a lovely view of The Chrysler Building. The room was very clean and the bed was very comfortable. There was a complimentary bottle of bubbly on ice,(for my wife's birthday).\nThe location of the hotel is excellent, with most of the main tourist attractions within walking distance. (Empire State 10 blocks, Central Park 15 Blocks, Time Square 2 Blocks, Central Station 2 Blocks) We didnt need to use taxis or the tube, instead we bought \"hop on Hop off\" bus tickets which not only get you to all of the tourist sites but the commentaries are very entertaining.\nWe didnt eat at the hotel so cant comment on the food, but there are plenty of good food restaurants within a couple of blocks.\nI would certainly recommend this Hotel and we will definately stay there again, couldn't fault them on anything.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Just returned from a long weekend in NYC with my husband who was celebrating his 40th birthday. We booked this hotel purely on the reviews we had seen on this site and we were not disappointed. The hotel location is perfect. The bed was to die for - if was sooo comfortable. A bottle of champagne, chocolates and a birthday note were delivered to our room the evening we arrived. We did have a slight hick-up with the bathroom - the toilet did not flush properly - the following day we were moved from the 12th to the 20th floor which gave us a fantastic view of the Chrysler Builder and if you pressed your face against the window you could see the Empire State Building too! Daniel on the concierge desk was extremely helpful in helping us find a particular gift for our son, and recommending/booking some restaurants for us. We did not eat in hotel but used the Red Flame Diner a couple of doors down for breakfast which was perfectly adequate. Can't wait to go back to NYC and will definitely stay here again. Only downfall was that there were no tea/coffee making facilities in the room.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "Stayed at the Sofitel from November 3rd to 5th. Great location. The hotel was spotless, the staff courteous and accomodating and the room nicely appointed. We will be using this hotel again for our New York weekends.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Recently stayed for 2 nights and it was heavenly!!! Great Lobby, great front desk staff; upgraded our room from 7th to 24th and it gave us access to a balcony/terrace! The room was huge with a sitting room and a large size bedroom with a fabulous bathroom. My husband and I are very picky travellers and we pay attention to the details. Two complimentary drinks tickets, and Champagne delivered for our Anniversary, with a special letter! Very fine touches, of fresh flowers, water and chocolates for an evening turn down. Really nice decor and quality of room furniture. WE LOVED the bed, and the bathroom the most!\nWe would definitely stay here again! Great location, great bellman, and even gave guests access to 3 computers in a private area off the lobby! Extremely attentive to the guests needs! Love it!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I had originally booked a different hotel in New York, but based on rave reviews for the Sofitel I changed the booking, and was very glad that I did so. We liked the hotel very much - the location is excellent on West 44 th Street - within easy walking distance of 5th Avenue, Times Square and Broadway. The staff were very pleasant and helpful without being intrusive, the hotel public areas were comfortable, and the food in the bar and restaurant very good - as were the attentive staff. My only complaint was the chill in the restaurant, a cold draught was coming through the front doors and it was not pleasant to sit near them. Our room was a good size, completely quiet and spotlessly clean, with a lovely comfortable bed. The bathroom was super, a bath with shower attachment plus a separate shower cubicle. The hotel seems to try that extra bit harder - two small bottles of Evian were left in the room each evening, and the the large candle and spray of orchids left in the bathoom were a lovely touch and much appreciated. The Sofitel is a gem.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Just returned from a 5 night stay in the Sofitel. Overall we liked the location - only 2 blocks from Grand Central, easily walkable even with suitcases and 2 blocks from Times Square for tourist buses. Near the theatre (we saw the Producers at St James' theatre which was fantastic) but although Fifth and Sixth Avenues were close, it didn't feel like a busy street. Diner on the same street - but very busy at breakfast time. We were moved up from the 7th to the 26th floor on request (reception staff were extremely friendly and 'can do', but be warned, the view came with the compromise of having to hear the rattle of the elevator machinery at the top of the building! Room was big but not a huge amount of storage aspace. Getting little bottles of water and chocolates in the room was nice. The bed was very comfy and surprisingly not too hot. Bathroom to die for - gorgeous shower and lovely decor - huge, too. Didn't have time for a soak in the separate tub though unfortunately! The only thing we didn't like was the concierge staff, who were stuck behind a tiny desk at the front of the hotel and didn't seem over-friendly. We were recommended a good Mexican restaurant by Daniel, but we didn't like it and did not ask their advice again. Don't waste your money in the hotle restaurant - go to Candle 79 on 79th St instead it was the best meal I have ever had!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We booked this hotel after reading all the great reviews, and as many have said before, we were not disappointed.\nThis trip was for my husband's 40th birthday. I also emailed the hotel beforehand and signed up for the Sofitel Privilege card.\nWhen we checked in we were offered a King size room on a higher floor which was great. The rooms are a great size and the beds are sooooo comfortable, you do not want to get up in the morning!\nOn the first evening a bottle of champagne arrived with a letter of congratulations for the 40th Birthday. A nice and very welcome touch!\nThe staff were all very helpful and were not at all stuffy.\nWe ate fantastic breakfasts in the hotel restaurant 'Gaby', about $50 for two of us. The Classic eggs benedict were wonderful and the yoghurt granola with fresh berries equally as good.\nThe location is superb. Times Square, Fifth Avenue. Grand Central Station to name a few all within a moments walk or so.\nHad a fabulous meal in 'The Palm' restaurent on 2nd Avenue. A great experience.\nWe would definitely recommend this hotel and look forward to staying again in the future.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We stayed at the Sofitel for the last night of our honeymoon and I can honestly say it was one of the three or four best Hotel experiences I have had.\nI was a little wary at first since I tend to stay away from large chain hotels as they generally lack personality or charm, but Sofitel had both in spades.\nThe room \u2013 VERY large for NY \u2013 separate bath and walk-in shower in the marble bathroom, four large towels, and all extremely clean. We were on the 22nd floor, great view, no noise from other rooms or lift, air-conditioner purred rather than roared.\nReception \u2013 doorman was efficient and very helpful, concierge could not do enough for us, even going so far as organising theatre tickets for that night. All done with a genuine smile and desire to please. When we checked in we mentioned to the front desk that it was the last night of our honeymoon. Two hours later as we were getting ready to go out, there was a knock on the door and a waiter appeared with a bottle of Crystal champagne courtesy of the Hotel. It was extremely impressive.\nWhen I went down to the bar, they had a number of beers I had not heard of before. As I couldn\u2019t decide, the barman without prompting poured a half-glass of each for me to try. I tried all four and settled on a glass of wine instead. He did not of course charge me for the beer.\nOur flight the next day was not until 6.30pm. The Hotel offered us a free late-check out on the room until 2.30 pm and stored our bags with the concierge until we left.\nFrom beginning to end the staff went out of their way to make our stay as pleasant as possible. The price is steep, but unusually in New York, here you really are getting what you pay for.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "What a great hotel!!\nWe booked the Sofitel after many hours trawling through New York Hotels on trip advisor. I am so glad that we chose the Sofitel as it was such a lovely hotel. It is definately 4-5 star and the rooms are replenished and cleaned every day, great classy facilities and the staff are all polite and most helpful. Gaby's bar & restaurant are really nice if a little expensive, however you expect that from this kind of hotel. DO NOT USE MINI BAR! $6 for a bottle of water! You get 2 free bottles of Evian every evening anyway and a weather report card.\nWe had the most amazing weather for this time of year - 70-80 degrees throughout stay. First 2 weeks of October are great for New York city as there are a couple of parades on 5th avenue where you might spot a few stars. It all starts on 44th so you get to see the beginning of the parades without even leaving hotel!\nJimmys bar is only across the way and is a great little bar to go to.\nOur best reccommendation for seeing New York for the first time is to get on a Grey Line sight seeing open top bus. You get great info from the guides and the best view of buildings and you can hop on and off as many times as you like. Cheap and value for money. Also I'd do the Top of the Rock before the Empire State for views as there are no queues and the views are great!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "In summary - wonderful staff, great location, clean attractive hotel with sumptuous rooms at a very good price. Couldn't have hoped for more.\nMy girlfriend and I stayed at the Sofitel for a long weekend at the end of March. We are both professionals in our late twenties if that helps.\nThe trip was a surprise for her, and I wanted to pick a hotel with exceptional and friendly service, and a good quality room at an acceptable price. I chose the Sofitel purely based on the reviews here on tripadvisor. \nOf course I considered all sorts of other hotels (Mandarin Oriental, Michelangelo, Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons....). I am sure all of these are splendid hotels, but either the reviews here didn't match their 5-star status or the price was just too high.\nPrior to my arrival I requested the best suite available, preferably with a good view of the city. Upon arrival, the staff were fantastic - they had pre-booked a fabulous room with a huge balcony overlooking the east-side of Manhattan which was a great surprise to both of us. We had superb views of the Empire State Building, the Chrysler building and many others. We were also treated to a complimentary bottle of Champagne, kindly delivered at a suitable moment chosen by me. The photos do not do the view justice. I appreciate the best views of the city come from place such as the Mandarin Oriental and Ritz-Carlton, but you'll expect that when you see the price!\nOur room was spacious enough for two, and well decorated. The bathroom was excellent - (I probably wouldn't have noticed, but my girlfriend tells me it was first-rate, and she's very particular about that sort of thing).\nThroughout the weekend the staff were friendly, helpful, courteous and professional. I am extremely grateful to them for making our weekend so special. \nWhilst this is not a five-star hotel, the overall attention to detail and quality of service is first-class. Certainly I found this to be the best priced hotel of this class, particularly by booking in advance.\nFinally, the hotel is superbly located for visitors and sightseers alike, situated just a couple of blocks from Times Square and only a few minutes from Fifth Avenue and Grand Central Station.\nI would certainly stay here again, and can thoroughly recommend it to others whatever the occasion.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We stayed at the Sofitel for 3 Nights 18/19/20th April 2006 we came over from Ireland to get married on 19th and we had the best time ever ! This hotel is PERFECT ! cant believe it is not a 5*.\nWe chose the hotel because of the amazing reviews and it definitely lives up to them tenfold ! The staff are absolutely amazing ! so nice and friendly and would go totally out of their way to help you (The lady on the reception desk was absolutely brilliant) Rooms are gorgeous and bed is Fabulous !\nWe checked in and were trying to organise somewhere for our 26 Wedding guests from Ireland to meet on the morning of our Wedding (for which the lobby was perfect, lots of lovely seating area) and when they heard we were getting married they gave us an upgrade from a Queen room to a King, the lady said they would have given us a suite but they had none available that day, but if we left all our luggage ready the next day they would move us when we were at our Wedding ! we couldn\u2019t believe it ! \nWhen we returned back that Night after our Wedding they had moved rooms for us and the Room was completely and utterly UNBELIEVABLE ! firstly there was a bottle of champagne and a card from the staff and strawberries dipped in chocolate waiting for us which was beautiful ! such a lovely touch ! \nthe Room was massive with TWO bathrooms, a sofa area a big bedroom and best of all a HUGE SUN TERRACE outside the patio doors with table and chairs and two sunbeds !!!!! we were totally blown away ! I had never seen anything like it and never even thought it could exist in the City ! we were sitting out on terrace looking right at the Chrysler Building easily the most beautiful building in the city, it was fabulous, and all our guests came over the next day and we sat in the sun and drank champagne all day ! (no one could believe the room) then ordered room service that evening which was very nice too.\nI can easily say the Sofitel made our Wedding Day truly MAGICAL !\nIt is also situated brilliantly, just short walks to the main attractions and on a side street so no street noise whatsoever. Red Flame Diner is ace for breakfast!\nThe Top of the Rock is good, but it is $18 each to go up to the outside viewing area, which we did a few days before our Wedding, but on our Wedding day we went up to the Rainbow Room for cocktails which is also in the Rockefeller Building and only 2 floors down from the top of the rock and we paid about the same and had a cocktail and were not outside in the wind ! (and we had cosmopolitans which were supposedly invented in the Rainbow Room !) the views from it were amazing no different than the TOTR, the cocktails were expensive but definitely worth going up for one ! but we were lucky as the lady waitress bought us a free cocktail as we had just got married !\nI would also recommend a trip to China Town (Canal Street) especially for girlies who love handbags ! bargains galore !\nOverall, the Sofitel is FABULOUS and we will definitely, 100 % be back as soon as we possibly can !", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We had a great stay at the Sofitel, came into NY for an anniversary weekend, prepaid room for lower rate. Stayed on upper floor with view of the Empire State Building.\nStaff were very good, the right mix of engaging without being intruding and very professional, from the doorman to check in/check out everyone was friendly and quick.\nRoom was nice, great bed, clean, electronic minibar, good closet/drawer space, bathroom was new separate shower and tub...\nWe used concierge to recommend restaurants for dinner and breakfast and the recommendations were good. On this trip we did not eat at Gaby's or stop by the bar there but I have in the past had very good breakfast(s) there....\nI used the gym in the morning, it is in the basement and has plenty of treadmills etc and new weights, medicine balls etc.\nThe location of the hotel is great for midtown, you are 6 blocks from Radio City, 2 blocks east of Times Square, right around the corner from St. Patrick's and 5th avenue shops etc...the hotel is on the same street as the Algonquin hotel which has nightly entertainment and the NY Yacht Club, City Hotel, and a few other hotels....about 15 blocks from Central Park, I ran to the park, took about 5-6 minutes...probably a 10-15 minute walk.\nIf you are not going to eat at Gaby's there is a diner on the same street (44th) and a Starbucks on 45th and 6th (around corner) so you can pick up Sunday paper and your Grande half caf mocha no whip latte....\nWe had a great time, I would definately go back and would recommend to others....", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We decided to visit NYC to celebrate my wife's birthday. Wanting to really get to enjoy the city we decided to spend 8 nights, which was to be the longest continuous stay for us at any one hotel. So, of course, I wanted to choose a place with a good reputation and convenient to many of the sites we intended to visit. We were not disappointed!\nThe staff was professional and friendly throughout the duration of our stay. Our room was very clean and tidy upon check-in and remained that way during our entire visit (as did the rest of the hotel facilities). While the restaurant, room service and lounge were all a bit pricey, everything we ordered was top quality and the drinks at the bar were enjoyably long pours.\nWe utilized the expertise of Daniel and other concierge staff for restaurant suggestions, a hard to get reservation and general info/tips about the local scene. All of the recommendations and advice were right on the money, with one exception (a Thai-fusion restaurant at the Thompson Hotel, which was a bit too trendy for mid-forty-somethings and the food fusion was more like fizzle). \nThe only problem we encountered during our stay was a malfunction with our in-room safe. A simple call to maintenance was all it took and within minutes a supervisor was at our door to assess the situation. Within a few seconds he called a technician via his two-way radio and moments later the problem was fixed. The whole thing didn't even take ten minutes. A nice touch of professionalism was that the supervisor remained right there until the matter was completely resolved to our satisfaction.\nGet this one: Upon being presented with our final bill at checkout we were stunned to find that the hotel was actually issuing a credit to our account . They applied a lower rate for our room than the rate we had reserved (and paid) in advance. With getting nearly a 15% reduction over an eight night stay, it was as much a welcomed surprise as it was a first! \nWhen we return to New York the first place I will check for availability is the Sofitel. It is a very nice place to stay, with a great midtown location and a courteous staff that makes you feel welcomed. What more could you want?", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 26}, {"text": "Pros: Nice midtown location, new and sleek design, clean rooms and comfortable beds.\nCons: Would not honor Sofitel Privilege Card (despite paying $300/ night ) because I booked through Priceline. Was given a room with two oversize twins despite calling ahead to tell them that this was an anniversary trip. Our room # was the same number you call to get guest services if you forget to dial the 9 first, so we received calls all hours of the day and night from other guests. (Do not stay in 1212) And received little apology for this.\nThe shower door opened the wrong way making it almost impossible, actually humorous, to get in and out. \nNot worth the money.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 34}, {"text": "My husband and I celebrated our anniversary over Labor Day weekend at the Sofitel. After all day in the hustle and bustle of the City, particularly near Times Square, it was like Shangra La to walk into the calm, quiet lobby of the Sofitel.\nIt is a great location, nice sized rooms, wonderful bathrooms, very comfortable beds, and quiet rooms. The service is anything but snooty. The hotel restaurant is a bit pricy, but there is a diner about 1/2 block away.\nJoin the rewards program and get free drinks and late check out. Also, they left a card, a bottle of champagne, and a box of chocolates in our room!\nWe can't wait to return!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 26}, {"text": "We were upgraded to the 29th floor. The trip was for our 15th wedding anniversary. The conceirge and the entire staff are great. The property was extremely clean and bright. We will definitely be back to the Sofitel again. In fact we are looking at booking the one in Rome based on our experience. A can't miss hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "We have just come back from the Sofitel in New York and were expecting great things after reading the other reviews on here, we were not disappointed. On arrival we were greeted at the door and excorted to reception, whilst our bags were taken to our room. Check in only took about 5 minutes which was great after a 7 and a half hour flight. All the staff were very polite although I did find their accents quite hard to understand and I think they thought the same of me. We were escorted to the escalators and once we got to our room (which was on the 23rd floor) we found an amazing room with a bottle of champagne and a welcome card from all the staff. The bed was gorgeous, and just as comfortable as it looked. The bathroom was huge and it had a shower big enough for 2 (ooh errr!) and a separate bath, also loads of free goodies and fresh flowers.\nThe bed is incredibly comfortable and is hard to get out of in the morning but the promise of the wonderful shower helps. The TV has 40 channels and their was always something on, its particularly good for weather and Times Square info as their seemed to be different celebrities their on a daily basis. There are also pay per view channels for the latest films if you have the time. \nThe room was cleaned once a day immaculately, and a turndown service is offered between 6 and 9 which can be a little bit annoying as that was the time we usually were having a snooze before going out in the evening as all the walking does tire you out. However, this is when fresh water is given to you though and it is appreciated in the humid conditions of New York.\nWe only visited the bar once, it was very pleasant but not very lively and the drinks were on the expensive side, 2 vodka and cokes were $24 dollars so make sure you have plenty of cash, they do have very tasty complimentary bar snacks.\nOverall our stay was wonderful, the view from our room was very good too and the hotel is in a brilliant location for shopping and sightseeing. All the staff went out of their way to help you especially the concierge who gave us free passes to two top nightclubs. I would recommend this hotel to anyone, you will not be disappointed.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "We had a wonderful Labor Day weekend staying at the Sofitel. We picked this hotel based on Trip advisor's reviews and recommendation. Location is primo for all of midtown (44th between 5th and 6th) and you can walk everywhere! Subway is just a few blocks for farther trips. Staff were very accomodating. They even included a wonderful bottle of champagne and personalized letter to celebrate our anniversary. The concierge (Daniel) was excellent as well and steered us to many nice restaurants (try Kellari right down the block). Beds were very comfortable with the feather duvet. This was the quietest hotel we have ever stayed in, and we do a lot of travel. Definitely lived up to the reviews on this site. Also, the gym is small, but great. The cardio machines are very new, each with their own TV, and there is a good assortment of weights and acccessories. Try to go during off times on the weekend though as mornings were very crowded. Bathrooms are also larger than most with shower and separate soaking tub. We will definitely return!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 26}, {"text": "My partner John and I stayed here for 6 nights at the beginning of September. From check-in to check-out everything was just great. Room on the 21st Floor, huge, spotless, modern and those beds, so comfortable!! The hotel is in the heart of 5th Avenue but so quiet and safe. The Red Flame Diner a good start to the day but also try the Au Bain pon Delis great place to pick up a tasty breakfast or snack and a third of the price. Once you get in the swing of what to do (self service) you are well away! For a gem of a reastaurant try the \"Hour Glass\" based on 46th Street and 8th Avenue (known as Restaurant Row). For 76$ you get 4 courses two bottles of wine, tea or coffee. Ambience best I have ever come across in New York. Service second to none. Table turnaround is roughly 1.5hrs but if eating earlier in the day sit outside, drink relax and watch the world go by and take longer! We eat here 3 times and with such a varied menu could be there all month! Go there you will not be disppointed just don't tell everyone about this hidden secret! \nIf you are from the visiting from the UK mention to Maria, & Megan that Jeanette & John from Essex say hi and we are coming back!\nEnjoy just stay at the Sofitel!\nPictures will follow!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Good location if you want to be in midtown near Times Square. Rooms are HUGE, great service and staff. Would recommend and go back in a heartbeat.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "Hard not to repeat what many other tripadvisor.com users have already said. Sofitel's #1 ranking is well deserved. It has a great location on 44th - close to Times Square but not too close. It is well built - we never heard a peep at night. Room was great - we were upgraded to one of the higher floors. Exercise room was 24/7 and fully equipped. Concierge was well-connected - we were able to acquire house seats to Wicked on short notice. We had a wonderful time using it as our base and look forward to trying other Sofitels. BTW, for a good dinner pre-theatre that is located just down the street, try Osteria al Doge.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We have just returned to the UK from a six day trip to New York. We stayed in a 26th floor suite (great views!). The room was fabulous, large bathroom, walk in double shower, separate lounge area etc.\nWe arrived early but were given a great welcome and as I had told the hotel in advance the trip was for my husband's 40th birthday, the hotel manager came out to greet us, discreetly accompanied us to the lift and very genuinely pointed out that should we need anything during our stay to let her know. This was followed later that evening with a complimentary bottle of champagne and chocolates delivered to the room.\nWe only had one problem during the stay (safe not working) which was fixed within five minutes(genuinely less than 5 minutes!!).\nThe location of the hotel is outstanding - Times Square, Grand Central, Central Park all only a short walk away. Fifth Ave partically on the doorstep.\nA hotel of this quality with staff who are so helpful and friendly is great anywhere in the world but in a busy city like New York is a real find!\nCouple of tips - Red Flame Diner on 44th or Cafe Europa on 5th or 6th are great for breakfast. Enrol for a Sofitel Privelege card before you go and get late check out plus other benefits.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Check In / Check Out\n-----------------------------\nOur check in was fast and easy. A porter took our bags from the curb up to our room while we got the keys. The whole process took about 3 minutes. We got exactly what we asked for - a room on an upper floor with a view of the ESB. We also got mineral water instead of champagne as I requested via email a few days before we arrived - perfect. Check out was even faster than check in. There was never a wait at the front desk for us.\nRoom\n-----------------------------\nThe best feature was a very comfortable bed - maybe the best I've ever had in a hotel. The bathroom was all marble and came with decent amenities. The walls were pretty quiet - heard some hall noise but nothing from outside. The curtains blocked out all light in the morning.\nGuests\n-----------------------------\nThe guests were a mix of Europeans and Americans. Some couples. Some families. Some students. Some dressed up. Some casual. Mostly tourists. Overall a sharp middle-class group. In comparison, we stopped by the Super 8 a couple of blocks away to visit some friends one morning and the crowd there was quite different - hanging around the lobby in their pajamas for example.\nLocation\n-----------------------------\nPretty good. It's about halfway between the Times Square / Broadway area the St. Patrick\u2019s / Rockefeller Center area (but so are about 100 other hotels). 44th between 5th and 6th has some good restaurant choices - decent breakfast joint, an Indian lunch buffet, a classy Greek restaurant, a slick bistro / bar. The Algonquin is also on this block. You have a lot of good apr\u00e8s-New York choices right next to (and in) your hotel.\nOther Compliments\n-----------------------------\nDespite the polished appearance of the lobby they play jazzy techno on the sound system - which I thought was a very cool touch. The halls on our floor had red marble, red carpets, and cinnamon potpourri scent filling the air. The room safe was convenient. The turn-down service / towel change / free Evian was very nice - we essentially got room service twice a day.\nComplaints\n-----------------------------\n1. The ice machine on our floor wasn't working.\n2. The TV remote control didn't work.\n3. The hallway on our floor was too warm.\n4. A cabinet door in our room was broken off one of its hinges.\n5. We could not get anywhere near the computers in the lobby. Even at 11 PM all 3 were overtaken by kids writing email - when all we wanted was 5 minutes to check out a bar review or the Troussard's hours of operation. Pretty annoying.\n6. Too many people using the concierge for recommendations instead of just getting info. Having a conversation about what attractions to see in Manhattan is not appropriate when others are waiting behind you to get the Met's hours or a bus route number.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "We chose this hotel because of what we had read on Trip Advisor. We had booked the basic room and on checking in at 1.00 p.m. asked if we had a good view. We were told we could have a good view if we came back at 3.00 p.m. the normal check in time when one would be available. We returned at the said time and the guy on reception personally went up to our room to check the view and on return said it was good. It was as well, 22nd floor and a good view of the Chrysler building. The beds were everything they were reputed to be and so were the pillows. One criticism may be that there are no tea or coffee making facilities in the room. Despite what others say, I don't think the bar prices were that expensive when you compare with UK hotels of a similar standard. Cleanliness was excellent and the hotel so quiet. You couldn't hear the people upstairs or next door. Good idea to get a Sofitel loyalty card before you go as you can get to keep your room until 4.00 p.m. on check out day and a free welcome drink. The location of the hotel was excellent and the staff very friendly and helpful. There is nowhere else to stay in New York as far as I am concerned.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "I picked this hotel after reading all the positive reviews and was very pleased at how accurate they are! Everything about this establishment was top-notch from the service to quality of rooms and cleanliness. The location is also very convenient for sightseeing, dining and, most importantly, shopping on 5th Avenue! It was a pleasant surprise to also find that it's only several doors away from the famous Algonquin Hotel. We tried breakfast at the Red Flame Diner upon other reviewer's recommendations and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. It was our first visit to NYC and we had a great time. New Yorkers are a lot friendlier than we'd expected. If we return to NYC we will definitely stay at this hotel again as it probably ranks amongst the top 5 of the best we've ever stayed in around the world and we have stayed at some pretty good hotels! I simply cannot recommend it enough.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Sofitel in New York is a truly amazing hotel...nicely located midtown (44 between 5th and 6th) so it's easy to walk to museums, theatres, shopping, restaurants, Times Square etc.\nI arrived on a Saturday in July and was quite early (noon) but was immediately offered a choice of rooms on low or higher floors (chose the 26th for a great view) The early checkin is always nice so you don't waste your day. The room door would not open (my error) but security showed up in under a minute and was more than helpful. Staff are courteous and helpful, and speak with charming french accents--they also speak perfect English of course. The room blew me away...I am very particular about cleanliness and comfort, so was pleased to see a spotless room,. very chic and elegantly furnished, cooled with central air and a gorgeous marble bathroom with deep tub and glassedin shower stall as well. The bed was heavenly, a featherbed and a soft duvet as well as high thread count sheets made for deep sleeping after wandering all over Manhatten. There is a gift shop, bar and restaurant, and fitness area. On the final day of my stay I was able to check out a 5 pm, and once again staff were very gracious about this. Then the doorman found me a limousine to the airport for $35.00 US (normally a limo is over $100.) Not all cabs have air conditioning that works and many smell, so a clean cool limo ride out of the city to La Guardia is always welcomed. I checked comparable rates on various hotel search sites on the Internet and then found a weekend special on their own hotel site that was very reasonable. They did email me a confirmation at a higher rate, but this was immediately corrected when I noted the discrepancy between rates quoted on the phone and those advertised on their site. If you become a Sofitel priviledge card member (apply immediately online) you can get things like room upgrades, late checkouts, points etc.\nI was alone for this trip, as I left my husband and children home so I could shop and immerse myself in museums but I felt safe and pampered at Sofitel. Now I'd like to return in the fall with my family.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 26}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed at the Sofitel New York August 4th-6th. After much research and reading of reviews on this site, I chose this hotel. It was our first trip to NYC and this was the ideal location, centrally located to tour the city. We walked just about everywhere. It was also very nicely tucked on a side street so it was always very quiet. The hotel is very clean, beautiful and offers friendly service. The bed was so comfortable; I could not wait to come back to our room every night just for that!!! I followed the advice that many people wrote and signed up for a free Sofitel Privileges card and also emailed the hotel to let them know we were there to celebrate our anniversary. We were upgraded from a queen to king room with a view! We also received champagne and chocolates our first night. With the Sofitel card we also had a 4 PM checkout which was great. This is definitely my most favorite of all hotels I have stayed in and would absolutely stay here again and any other Sofitel. I highly recommend this hotel especially for couples. It's fantastic!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 49}, {"text": "We choose this hotel mainly because of the Tripadvisor rating and it turned out to be our best hotel stay ever !\nFirst, about the location. It is located between 6th and 5th avenue, on West 44th Street, next \ndoor to the \"big gun\" hotels Algonquin and Iroquois. It is within a walking distance from\nRockefeller Center, Grand Station Terminal, Times Square, Broadway, Central Park. You can\neasily walk to the Empire State Building and to the West 42 Street pier (at 12th street) where\nyou can visit the Intrepid aircraft carrier and the Concord airplane or embark on a Circle Island \ncruise. Half of the Manhattan at your door. More than that if you want to have a good breakfast at\nvery reasonable price the Red Flame restaurant is next door.\nSecond, the room and amenities. They are top class, beautiful lobby, enough elevators to get you \nin/out in a couple minutes, concierge, 3 free internet access stations in the lobby (which people take\ntoo much advantage of !). We had a nice dinner at \"Gaby\" - very nice staff, good menu, good food \nand prices in line with the New York restaurants. The room is great, distinctive, with very nice amenities, from \nthe bathroom with separate shower, mini-fridge, iron, safe and very comfortable beds. Always clean, with complimentary\nbottles of water every day (very helpful when you walk miles and miles in the torrid weather of August).\nLast but not the least, the staff. We felt like home from the moment we arrived. The staff is very courteous and always \nready to go the extra mile to make you happy. In our case they went more than a mile: my wife birthday was during our stay \nand to our surprise, a nice (and tasteful) birthday cake surrounded by berry fruits was waiting for us in the room, along with a \npersonalized letter from the management. This was on top of the complimentary drinks (any, including Champaign !). \nWe went to many hotels in Europe and North America, including Novotel, Mariott and Hilton which is their main competitor\nbut we never felt so good as at Sofitel New York. We will not forget this wonderfull experience and we would go back in a \nheartbeat !", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "my husband & i just returned from a FANTASTIC stay at the sofitel. we were celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary & i happened to include that while making our reservation online. vladimer, the conceirge, recommended a great romantic restraunt with exactly the type of cuisine we were wanting. not only did he call us in our room & let us know the time of our reservation, but later that day room service delivers a bottle of champagne with a letter from the hotel manager wishing us a happy anniversary. so nice! i immediately called down to order a wonderful cheese plate to enjoy with the bubbly! everything about our stay at the sofitel was wonderful. the king suite we had was huge with a seperate living area that had a tv, mini bar & a nice size desk. our bedroom had a tv also and both rooms had windows that opened. SUPER comfortable bed with very high thread count sheets. everytime we walked through the lobby we were greeted by at least 2 hotel staff members. the elevators were very fast. the bell staff was excellent in giving directions and getting taxi's. on our way out to jfk the bell suggested a car to the airport rather then a taxi. it's a flat rate to the airport and the taxi is meter, so if there is traffic- well. my husband & i did think it a little weird that our minibar was never restalked . especially since we drank both coke's & bud's on the first day. there was a little trouble printing our boarding passes before we left in that the printer wasn't working, but the conceirge printed them for us. no big deal at all, but i would definately check if the printer is working before checking in online because i had to call the airline and have a manager uncheck us in. it was kind of a pain but certainly not the sofitel's fault. just an fyi. we will definatley stay at the sofitel the next trip to nyc!!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "I must admit I had very high expectations for this hotel after reading all the positive reviews but after staying there for 3 nights I have to say it is almost perfect. IMHO the location is ideal - so close to Broadway/Times Square, 5th Avenue, Grand Central Station, Rockerfeller Centre, 2 major subway lines, etc. You can even walk to Central Park easily. The rooms are a very good size by NY standards and the beds and bathrooms are basically what you dream of having in your own home. I'm not one to regularly use the services of a Concierge but there were always a couple on hand and they looked very friendly and helpful. They also have free internet in the lobby (3 computers and a printer). We didn't have a great view from our room on the 9th floor but who cares you don't go to NYC to stay in your room anyway (try Top Of The Rock for an amazing view of the city). There is a diner (The Red Flame) just a few doors down towards 6th Ave where you can get a fast and excellent breakfast. If you fly into Newark buy a round-trip bus ticket on the Newark Liberty Express ($23) and get dropped off at Bryant Park. You'll only have to walk a couple of blocks to the hotel on 44th street. PS. If you plan on buying an All-Loops bus tour buy it at the airport WITH your bus ticket b/c they do not honour the discount at the Greyline Visitors Centre on 8th Avenue. What else? Fresh fruit in the lobby every day, ice-cold A/C, did I mention the beds? I will stay there again in a heartbeat.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "I am a self-professed hotel snob, and am still mourning the closing of the Plaza. I have since stayed at the St Regis, Trump International, Waldorf Towers, and Four Seasons. They are all \"nice,\" and expensive. That's fine. . .you get what you pay for. I saw the rates of the Sofitel (booked on their website for around $250/nt) for three nights in late July. I didn't have the highest of expectations given the price for a hotel in NYC, but boy what a pleasant surprise. I was able to check in almost 2 hours early, and took advantage of their late check-out, and I greatly enjoyed the location in midtown. The twice daily maid service was wonderful, including morning service on the day I checked out! I echo everyone else's comments on the beds, the great Roger & Gallet amenities, the huge bathroom, and I greatly appreciated the peace and quiet (and I was in a room right by the elevator) and rarely heard anyone outside in the hallway. Finally, my room on the 14th floor didn't have much of a view, but it was nice and quiet and comfortable. I believe I may have finally found a new home base in NYC!! Merci Sofitel!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "Went here to celebrate my girlfriends 30th birthday and cant say enough about this hotel.\nStaff were very friendly and as we were celabrating they upgraded our room with a great view of the chrysler building.And the next day we were greeted with a bottle of champagne and a lovely birthday cake complete with candle left in our room.Really nice touch.\nRooms are great and the beds are comfy as hell!\nGreat location too.\nSUPERB", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "There's a reason that the Sofitel is ranked #1 for NYC hotels on TripAdvisor. The service is simply excellent. Yes, the hotel is elegant and clean and the beds are fantastic, but the service is what really sets them apart.\nWe arrived and were warmly welcomed to an early check-in on our room, which had been upgraded. The staff is beautifully trained and friendly, even when they're just passing in the hallway or the lobby. The room was so clean and nice, and the beds ensure that you won't do much sight-seeing because it's too hard to get out of them. Plenty of immediate hot water in the bathroom. In fact, be careful because it you're like me, you're used to waiting for a long time at other hotels. You won't be waiting here, so watch your fingers. The bath products are a cut above most of those you receive in hotels. \nIt was a nice touch to receive complimentary Evian water at evening turndown, but if you want more than water, the bar has an amazing wine selection. Granted, the prices aren't what I'd call a bargain, but the selection gets kudos.\nAll in all, we had an excellent experience, and we'd stay here again, especially after \"discovering\" Kellari Taverna, a wonderful Greek restaurant, just a few doors down. \nWe were cautious about staying at an unknown hotel chain, but the raves in TripAdvisor swayed us. Glad they did!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My fiancee and I stayed at the Sofitel July 22nd-24th. Bottom line, a very nice hotel that I would stay at again. \nYou can expect very comfortable beds, decently sized rooms, and upscale amenities typical of a hotel of this class. Sofitel is in a spectacular location for sightseeing and tourism, safe and convenient to most of NYC's major attractions.\nI echo the other posters in highly recommending the free Sofitel card, which allows for a room upgrade, complimentary drink and late check-out. It's free, so why not?", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "An excellent hotel, ideally located in downtown NY with friendly and efficient staff. We spent three nights in NY (July 13 through July 16) and this was a great base for our visit. The room (Queen Deluxe) was pleasant and the bed was a dream. We would thoroughly recommend this hotel to friends who are visiting NY, in particular first time visitors where the location near Times Square and Broadway is ideal. There is also a great diner down the street to kick off your day which is a perfect way to see how New Yorkers live on weekdays in particular, a really great place to eat and watch the world go by !", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "I booked a suite. Excellent value for New York. $440 per night, large bathroom, excellent accomodations and view directly to the Empre State building. Perfect! Would recommend and personally repeat anytime.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We have just returned from our 1st visit to NYC.The Sofitel was perfect in every way, all staff were helpful, decor was styish and intimate, beds and pillows were heaven to sleep in, rooms were so quiet considering this is center of city. Location was great, loved the bar and wonderful food at Gaby's hotel restaurant.The Red Flame diner a few doors away is fine for quick breakfast and Daniel Bisto is next door, also amazing food. I would stay in this hotel next visit and recommend others to do so. This is also 1st time I have used Trip Advisor but it will not be the last. Christine N.Z.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I am surprised at the last review being so negative as I have just got back from the Sofitel three days ago and my husband and I thought it was great.\nWe visited for my husband's 30th and having stayed in an extremely dodgy hotel in New York before I wanted to make sure he had a great time and booked this given the great reviews.\nThe hotel arranged a luxury transfer for us from the airport which was smooth and quick and meant we didn't have to wait in line for a taxi. When we arrived check in was extremely quick and we were directed straight to our deluxe queen room (2420). The staff brought our luggage up for us almost immediately after we got in.\nWe went straight to the concierge to ask about basketball tickets and whilst they were not able to get the tickets we wanted they tried for us and they were very helpful with directions and restaurant bookings. We ended up going direct to Madison Square Gardens for the tickets and got second row seats for only $55 each. It was a great night and I would highly recommend it.\nThe hotel is on 44th street directly between 5th and 6th Ave. As you go out of the hotel to your left a couple of blocks is Grand Central and 5th Ave, to your right again a couple of blocks is Times Square. We found that everything was practically on the doorstep, which made the whole stay hassle free.\nThe bed was fantastic! When you lay on it you sink into the feathers as it moulds round your body for ages!! We had a view of the Chrysler Building, which was amazing and at night was even better. The bathroom was lovely but I would say the bath was a little small for an average size person (over 5ft 4) but big enough to have a bit of a soak and relax tired feet from walking. The toiletries were lovely and the bathroom was all marble and looked really nice. There were plenty of towels and the turn down service at night is lovely as even if you have a snooze in the day at the end of the night you come back to a lovely tidy bed.\nWe had a look on the different floors of the hotel and found that there seemed to only be about 5 or so rooms on each floor. This meant that you did not have people slamming hotel doors all the time (which I have found happens in many hotels) and it was always quiet.\nThe concierge booked a restaurant called Del Frisco\u2019s for us and it was lovely. It was a very 'nice' steakhouse (also did things like lobster) with a large selection of wines. Beautiful decor and silver service. The food was cooked to perfection and they even whisked up a pepper sauce for us even though it was not on the menu so remember always ask if you want something extra! The meal came to about $180 with tips but it was worth it and I would recommend the restaurant and will be going back again myself. Like everything else it was about an 8 min walk from the hotel.\nI would recommend logging onto the hotel website and registering for a Sofitel privilege card. This is free to do but takes about 3 weeks for your card to arrive. From doing this we got a little box of chocs in our room and a drink at the bar on arrival. It also meant that we didn't have to check out until 4 pm which was great for us.\nHope this helps. All I can say is that I know where I will be staying for any future visits to New York!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 30}, {"text": "We have just returned from six nights at the New York Sofitel.\nWhilst this is our first Tripadvisor report - our opinion of the Sofitel is based on comparison with a variety of Hotels across four continents.\nOur 'Best' Hotels to date have been the Shangri La Singapore and the Bangkok Marriott Resort & Spa.\nUntil now we had not stayed at a Sofitel Hotel.\nSo why has staying at the Sofitel caused us to go into print?\nBecause the Hotel made a great visit to New York even better.\nWe were on the 23rd floor with a great view of the Chrysler Building.\nThe room was a good size with ample space around the bed and a separate seating area.\nThe bathroom had both bath and separate walk-in shower which we consider essential.\nThe non-smoking room was well presented, clean with good quality furniture, towels etc.\nThe bed was simply the best Hotel bed we have experienced - just so comfortable.\nThe room was serviced twice a day which meant when you dropped back to the Hotel (great location \u2013 central but quiet) to have a midday shower (its hot and humid in July) you knew that the clean room and towels you were using would be replaced for the evening.\nBest of all - all the staff are so friendly, informative and helpful.\nMeals were expensive compared to local eateries.\nWe choose to to eat out for three quarters of the time on the basis of cost and also to experience New Yorkers food \u2013 but when we did eat in the Hotel we found the food and service excellent. \nWhy was the Sofitel New York so different and so good?\nIt is very difficult to put into words - we have stayed in many Hotels which provide equally as good rooms, clean beds and showers, a pleasant ambiance, friendly staff and are situated in good locations.\nBut being at the Sofitel just made us \u2018feel\u2019 good.\nThe overall experience was greater than the sum of the parts.\nYou will just have to try it for yourself.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Five night stay - June 21-26 -my son's wedding - had booked months in advance - \"Superior Room\" for me and wife - $379 a night - plus taxes - \nTHE ROOM WAS SO SMALL we couldn't both walk around up at the same time. This was clearly a single room - one bathrobe in the rroom - at night when they gave you the little water bottle (big deal) 1 was left - the towels were sparse - \nI complained and i must say they responded to my complaint promptly - a Ms. Aline Bitkind was sympathetic and offered us another room - the next day - the room was more to what we had expected - nice size - except the smell of cigarette smoke permeated the room even though it was supposed to be a non smoker -but by this time i didn't feel like complianiung again .\nEven with this room I don't see the no. 1 rarting - sure it's a good location - it's quiet - friendly helpful staff - but they charge $10 a day for wireless service three computers in the lobby are always beeing used)\nIt's a very nice hotel - clean and good service but really - at those prices - nothing that special. \nreading some of the reviews i am certain that they are not -- at least some of them - by unaffiliated people - I have nt prroof - just the way they're worded -", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 27}, {"text": "Travel advisor members are right again. We stayed at the Sofitel this past weekend. It exceded all our expectations. It was our first visit to New York and it was close to everything. The hotel (starting with the wonderful lobby) was beautiful.\nThe spacious (by NY standards) room had a nice view, cool artwork, and a very, very plush bed. The extra large closets include robes and slippers. Inside the swinging doors to the bathroom we found a marble shower next to the tub, fresh flowers and candle with matches. Little extras like many light switches and plugs almost went unnoticed. Wow!\nAs an extra bonus, Chris Rock was shooting a movie scene right across the street on our last day there. We had a great time.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "My husband and I recently stayed at the Sofitel and had a great time. The staff was so kind and helpful, they made us feel very welcome. Because we were celebrating our anniversary, they left us a bottle of wine in our room. I thanked them and told them that we don't drink. The next day they left us fruit, chocolates, and all these goodies in it's place! It was very thoughtful of them:) The room and bathroom were a good size and very clean and nice. The bed was sooo comfortable! Aside from that, the location was prefect, right in the middle of all the good stuff. I definately recommend staying at this hotel when you visit NYC!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "My daughter and I stayed at the Sofitel at the end of April and were delighted with the hotel, in common with most other reviewers - room and bathroom very clean, very comfortable beds and friendly staff. Despite all the good mentions of the diner just outside the hotel, we decided to be lazy and had room service breakfast every day, which was brought up by a delightful lady. However, on the last night, when we came to settle the bill, we noticed that there was a charge of approximately $50 for Gaby's Restaurant food, and we had only been to Gaby's for one drink on one occasion. On further enquiry, this turned out to be a breakfast of French Toast. When I asked to see the signed bill, someone had written my surname (but spelt it wrongly) and my room number. As we had obviously not been there, due to the room service breakfast, the item was deducted from my account. In view of this, I feel there should be some form of checking when signing in the hotel, and the fact that my name was on it, was quite worrying. \nAs I was checking out of the hotel, I asked for the manager's email address. I was given a business card, which I later noticed was an Assistant Front Office Manager's card. I emailed her when I returned, but six weeks later, have had no response.\nAs I said at the beginning of this review, overall we were delighted with the hotel and would certainly return, but I am disappointed that no-one saw fit to reply to my email.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "An exceptionally great hotel, very clean (I'm very fussy about that kind of thing!) and the location couldn't have been better for a base to explore NYC.\nWhen we checked in the lady at reception said as we were staying for a full week that they would upgrade us to a King room which had a view of the Empire State Building!\nI know everyone reviewing the hotel has mentioned the beds, but they are most definitely worth mentioning again! it was like sleeping on a big fluffy white cloud! exactly what is needed after full days and nights of shopping, sightseeing and enjoying NYC nightlife.\nI think that although the hotel is a bit expensive it is worth it as NYC can get a bit hectic and I personally found the Sofitel to be a comfortable and relaxing haven to recharge!\nThe buses were a great way to get around and see more sights, we paid 24 dollars to get a weeks pass which is unlimited travel on the buses and also the subway (which is about a million times better than the London underground) otherwise each trip is 2 dollars regardless of destination.\nI personally found New Yorkers to be incredibly friendly and very helpful. I hope anyone choosing the Sofitel will have a great stay as we did.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "We were spending only one night in New York, so I did a lot of online research to pick one that sounded nice, comfortable, was convenient to the theater district but not right in it, and which fit our budget of $300 or less. Based on the reviews here, I chose Sofitel and booked the cheapest room at $259. What a great deal -- you get so much for what you pay, particularly in New York.\nAs recommended, I mentioned it was our anniversary online, not thinking anything would come of it, but when we arrived, the extremely friendly and helpful Gabrielle told us we had been given a deluxe room on the 27th floor. We had a view of Chrysler Building (and the Puerto Rican Day Parade preparations the next morning) and there was sparking wine waiting for us with a thoughtful note.\nThe bed indeed was the most comfortable I've ever slept in. The room was big by any standards, and the bathroom was enormous by any standards. Both a shower and a tub (with a detachable showerhead), large sink with a large lit mirror, mood lighting, a candle, and fresh flowers. Lots of closet space with all different kinds of hooks. The blackout curtains were great, as we were up late the night before. The room was totally dark. \nBest of all was the soundproofing. Not only could we not hear any street noise, particularly the preparation for the Puerto Rican Day Parade, replete with bands and DJs blaring full blast as we discovered when we went outside, but, most incredible of all, when I opened the door, I discovered someone vacuuming right outside our door. I couldn't even hear the vacuum when I was on the other side of the door!\nLeft our bags with the concierge as we explored the city on Sunday. No charge to leave the bags. Also, when we checked in the night before, Gabrielle asked if we wanted late checkout. Staff was extremely helpful. We were sad to go and wished we could have stayed longer.\nOnly criticisms: bathrobes were a bit scratchy (big deal) and the air conditioning was finicky. Either too cold or too warm, even if you only adjusted it one notch.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Just got back from a quick 2 night get away to NYC with my girlfriend. We had been to NYC once before but stayed in a different hotel. I did a lot of research this time around and all the reviews on this website about the Sofitel are bang on.\nWe had a great room with one of the best beds in the world! I think it was better than my bed at home. Anyways, hotel staff was great and very friendly. The hotel was pretty quite for NYC and overall a great atmosphere.\nAs for location you are about 1 minute to all the shopping on 5th and 6th Avenue, 5 mins to Times Square, 15 minutes to Central Park.\nOne suggestion is to join their rewards program on-line (it is free) you get a late check-out (if you ask 4pm) which is perfect for a late flight, 2 free drinks at the bar and points towards a free stay.\nNext time we go to NYC we will be staying at the Sofitel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Just returned from five nights at Sofitel New York, and it is every bit as good as the reviews here suggest.\nSo...I won't repeat all the compliments about the beds, the views (we were on the 22nd floor looking towards Chrysler Building), the helpful concierges etc - because they have all been covered and I agree with all the comments.\nLet me say therefore:\n1. If you want a room with a view, ask, preferably by e-mail a few days before. (it was our anniversary, and whilst we did not get the champagne some have mentioned, they did wish us a happy anniversary when we arrived).\n2. The doorman suggested we try the Cafe Manhattan for breakfast, and we went there every morning thereafter. Out through the restaurant exit, turn right and it is on the opposite side of 43rd St. Looks like it is new or recently refurbished - really clean, excellent selection and reasonable prices. BUT it was not open on Sunday.\n3. Our only real moans were that the air con was a bit noisy, but it did not spoil the trip, and like most US hotels they did not have tea/coffee making facilities in the room - but again you can nip down to a deli and bring one back.\n4. The concierge will lend you a very big umbrella if it rains!!\n5. We did not eat in Gabys at all, but expect to pay mid-class hotel prices if you do.\n6. The hotel really is ideally placed to explore Broadway, Fifth Avenue or Central Park - all a short walk - and if you have never tried the Subway, take your courage in both hands and give it a go - we found it safe and reliable - but make sure you get a Subway map from one of the stations as the maps once you are down there are a bit few and far between.\n7. Discount tickets for shows are now moved to TKTS which is under the Marriott on Broadway (and 43rd I think).\nStay at the Sofitel and you won't be disappointed", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 30}, {"text": "I booked accommodation for a six day stay in May direct with the hotel early in February and asked that if possible my wife and I could be upgraded. The total cost with taxes was not cheap at $2,259 but I was encouraged by the reviews on this site. Sure enough upon arrival we were given an upgrade to a large well furnished room on the 18th floor. King size bed, air/con that worked perfectly and big fluffy towels in a large marble bathroom were very satisfactory. After two days however we were apologetically asked to vacate our room as work had to be done to an adjoining room and access was needed. We were given a 25th floor suite as compensation.....large well furnished sitting room and adjoining bedroom each with independent air/con and of course that marble bathroom; a couple of happy campers.The entrance hall was delightfully understated with marble floor and leather seating. Highly scented pot purri and fresh fruit in bowls were changed frequently. Being in such a great situation we didn`t eat in the hotel except for a well served and large pot of tea one evening. The restaurant 50 yards from the hotel served marvellous New York food at any time. The highest breakfast bill we had was $16.00 for two full breakfasts including tip. The nearby Indian restaurant was also of good standard and about the same cost as London. Taxis were always available within seconds and the staff at all levels were an example to other supposedly 4* or 5* establishments. There is no doubt we will return here for future visits to New York.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "We booked our stay at sofitel not knowing that it will be a disaster in waiting. For a hefty amount we booked a room for 5 nights. When we go there on 5/27 1:30 am the manager Melisa got rude with us when we asked for the King room. She said we will only get the Queen room. She forced us to contact price line if we wanted king room. Priceline was closed at that time so we disappointingly settled for Queen room. She was also not willing to give us any room above 15th floor.\nNext day we talked with Priceline to ask for King room and they said it was upto Hotel management. I was on phone for almost one hour with Priceline and Sofitel managment tossing me to each other. This was our first trip to New York which had already started on a bad note. Eventually Sofitel management asked us to pay $100 extra per night if we wanted the King size room. Interestingly another staff person at the desk had asked for $80 earlier and yet another one for $50. Me and my wife were so frustrated and disappointed with Sofitel that we settled with our Queen room and focused on the NY City and tried to forget the worst experince that we had with Sofitel and Priceline.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "i stayed at the Sofitel due to the reviews i read on this site and i wasn't dissapointed. Iit has a great location, one block from Time Square and one block from fifth avenue, and like everybody else the beds are the most comfortable ones i have ever slept in, the rooms are huge for NY and are very well presented, i would recommend this hotel to anyone and i will stay there again next time.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "\"What could we have done to make your stay more enjoyable\" - this was the key question of the Sofitel N.A. survey we found in our inbox returning home from a 6-nights stay at Sofitel N.Y. And indeed we had to leave the answer blank as nothing came to our mind. Thanks to all Sofitel employees that contributed to make our N.Y.C. experience enjoyable ! \nWe have chosen Sofitel based on the positive reviews on Tripadvisor - thanks to all that have taken their time to report on Tripadvisor allowing others to take advantage of their experience and putting pressure on service providers to all travellers benefit ! \nPrevious reports have given detailed descriptions - we wish to add some elements we found important with regard to our stay:\n1. We have done the booking at the lowest available internet rate with full advance payment and no cancellation option. As we were sure about our dates with international flights confirmed and with a private trip insurance in case of Force Majeure, we found this option attractive and it worked out well.\n2. We have acquired a Sofitel Priviledge card through the Sofitel website giving points towards a free stay and enjoyed a free drink of our choice during our stay and late check-out until 4 PM which was just perfect in light of the early evening flights to Europe.\n3. The first few mornings, we followed earlier advice to get breakfast in neighboring coffee shops as to give support to the common travellers' claim for more reasonable breakfast charge-out. Indeed the in-house American breakfast sums up with gratuity and tax to $26. Nonetheless, the various coffee shops we tried out charged between $15 and $19 with incomparable quality and service. The last two mornings, we had in-house American breakfast including espresso, which for Europeans unused to American breakfast and especially what is commonly called \"coffee\", appears still to be the lesser of two evils.\n4. As first-timers to N.Y. we found a room with a view essential. Either thanks to the Sofitel Priviledge card or to my wife's smile, but this is how our room's view looked like... \nGood night and good luck!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 26}, {"text": "I spent 3 nights in the The Sofitel New York and that is where I'll stay when I return to NYC. This hotel is a dream. My room was on the 20th floor, and I had a spectaular view of the Chrysler Building. My room's queen-sized bed was like heaven, covered by a very soft down comforter. The bathroom had both a large soaking tub and a large shower. The room was very clean and everything was in fine working order. I ordered room service several times and found the food delicious. The service in this hotel is just fantastic - friendly and prompt. Local friends told me that the room was large and luxurious compared to what one would find at most hotels in NYC for the price, which averaged 439 per night ( I made the reservations at the last minute on Expedia).\nThe Sofitel is centrally located in Midtown Manhattan, in the theater district, which means you are in the center or the center of the cultural universe. I walked everywhere I wanted to go - MOMA, Central Park, the Manhattan School of Music, to Carnegie Hall, the Trattoria Dell'Arte (great Italian restaurant), the NYC Public Library, and Times Square, and the Sofitel is just a short cab ride to Greenwich Village and all of the jazz clubs (check out the Zinc Bar). Fifth Avenue shopping is just around the corner and Little Brazil a few blocks away.\nI can't wait to return!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed at the Sofitel for 3 nights (May 20-23, '06). We paid $302.35 each night including taxes thru Expedia when booked with our airfare. I have seen better and I have seeen worse rates....\nAnother guest did the following which I think are excellent ideas- I didn't read thoroughly enough though to do this for our visit- I hope you do....: \n-emailed the hotel prior to arrival to confirm booking and request a room with a good view\n- also mentioned that it as a special trip for both\n-On arrival they were given \n-a free upgrade to a deluxe Queen room on the top floor (29th) with an amazing view of the Chrysler Building\n- a complimentary bottle of Champagne on ice with 2 small boxes of chocolates and bottled water\n- It's in a great location, with plenty going on in the surrounding area - between 5th & 6th Aves. at 44th& 45th Sts. Theatre district to the west and shopping to the north.\n-Our room was #1414, no view but still nice. Very neutral decor and everything is newer and updated throughout.\n- The room was a nice size with a desk, chair, 2 side chairs and table, mini bar ($5.50 for 1 can of Diet Coke), 2 nightstands, safe large enough for laptop, built in lighted closet and shelves for clothing.\n -The bed was very comfortable., it felt like you were sandwiched between two duvet covers, ask for a top sheet though!\n- Nice marble seperate shower, sink and porc. bathtub , makeup mirror, towels were large but not thick and fluffy- given 3 for 2 peoplle, ask for more if needed!\n- That diner is really good and convenient, Starbucks out the back door thru the restaurant.\n-Restaurant/bar nice for after dinner drink, decorated in leopard prints.\n-We would definitely stay there again!\nAnd do take the Top of the Rock tour at Rockefeller! Also, the Boathouse restaurant in Central Park was beautiful on the pond on a beautiful sunny May day! Also the discount tickets box office has been moved off of Times Square (think west) near the Marriott Marquis Hotel!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 30}, {"text": "We stayed at the Sofitel Hotel in NYC for two nights in May. It's a really good hotel. The room was extremely comfortable, clean and modern - great beds! The bathroom was excellent - a wonderful shower!! The bar and restaurant were lovely but really pricey! The Red Flame Diner a few doors down is perfect for breakfast. The location was great - midtown near Times Square. We walked everywhere. Central Park was good fun and the new Apple Store opposite the Plaza Hotel is worth checking out. The staff at the Sofitel were very helpful but they were also a bit frosty... The man at Conceirge wasn't really that helpful - a forced politeness. However, I would definitely stay at this hotel again. A perfect Hotel to stay in especially if this is your first trip to NYC. It was worth paying a little extra for the Sofitel because it was so comfortable - it's also a safe hotel and in a good neighbourhood. Not five star - but a very good 4 star!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I have stayed at this hotel 6 times in the last year. The location is perfect. Vlad, the conceirge, is only out ranked by his assistant, the most beautiful female concierge in New York! The room is spacious and extremely tasteful. The service from the bellmen to the front desk is efficient, friendly, and extremely professional. I would rank this as one of my favorite hotels in the world. Period.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "We stayed in a basic double room facing 45th Street on the 16th floor for the Internet rate of $399 + $56.89 taxes = 455.89. The check-in was fast at a well-staffed front desk. The room, while not large, was well furnished and well-equipped with the exception of coffee/tea-making equipment, which is not even available from housekeeping on demand. The bathroom had a separate, glassed-in shower stall. Everything in both the bedroom and the bathroom was like new.\nThe biggest plus was the excellent soundproofing, which yielded total silence throughout the night -- no trace of any traffic noise -- something not provided by many much more expensive NYC hotels. Another unusual plus in New York City was the very smart, polite, efficient and apparently bilingual staff in both the hotel and the restaurant.\nThe biggest minus was the lack of coffee/tea making equipment. The minimal continental breakfast from Room Service costs just under $25 per person when the taxes and mandatory tip are factored in. \nCheck-out was fast and accurate.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Absolutely perfect. Cannot fault this hotel. Have been to NYC many times and this is the best hotel I have stayed in here. Perfect location. The rooms are spotlessly clean. The bathrooms are enormous. The beds? Well, you could just lie on them all day...apart from the fact that there is so much good stuff to do and see in NY.\nOK, so the bar and restaurant are not cheap. But hey, show me a city centre 4* plus hotel that is. Leave that to the business travellers on expense accounts. these things are not important in a city like NY for holidaymakers.\nWhat is important for all is the comfort, the excellent service and all the little things that make a perfect holiday. The Sofitel is second to none!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Stayed at the Sofitel for 3 nights between 20th April to 23rd April 2006 which was purely based on the recommendations on Trip Advisor and I am pleased to say I was not disappointed. I booked it online direct with the Sofitel as I found this was cheaper. The trip was a surprise for my husbands 40th birthday and after requesting a high floor we got a free upgrade on arrival to floor 26. (We didnt get the champagne that others have mentioned but didnt let this spoil it). The reception staff and Concierge were always helpful and we were allowed to check out 1 hour later and left our luggage at the front desk until we had to catch our flight.\nGreat view from our wiindow of the Chrysler Building and round the corner from Empire State Building. The room size was ample for the two of us and yes the beds are the best we have ever slept in. We have never walked as much as we did in New York and we felt the comfort of the beds more than met our standards. (I agree you do need comfortable shoes). Bathroom was quite large and the room had lovely finishing touches and we were told the weather forecast and given free water every night by the maid service. Did not eat at the Sofitel mainly due to being expensive but there are so many great places to eat that this was not a problem. Turn right when you come out of the hotel and there is a great diner called Red Flame which serves great breakfasts which were great value. Also try Planet Hollywood they do BOGOF drinks between 4 and 6 pm. Other good places were TGI Fridays which had several locations throughout NY. There are a couple of good Irish pubs on 45th Street, one of which is called Connollys which do nice food and it has a good atmosphere. On a Sunday there is a big street market going down this street which was quite good.\nThe hotel is located within 5mins walk from Times Square and close to Grand Central Station, Chrysler building, ESB, Bryant Park and Rockefellar centre. It took us about 15-20mins to walk to Central Park. We used the subway to get down to Ground Zero and the Statue of Liberty which was hassle free. One experience worth doing is the Helicopter Tour called the Big Apple which takes you over the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and down the Hudson river with Liberty Helicopters. Try to catch a show on Broadway, we went to see Chicago at the Ambassador Theatre which was excellent. Shopping in New York is excellent we found Maceys as one of the best stores (dont forget to get your discount card from the customer service desk in Maceys). We flew into Newark and got taxis to and from the Sofitel which cost about \u00a335 including tip one way. \nWhilst in NY we had two extreme sides of the weather - first 2 days were scorching hot and the last 2 days were downpours but the hotel very kindly borrowed us a large umbrella so we were still able to walk about and not get wet. We flew with Continental airlines which were also excellent and by being able to check in online at the hotel we found this saved us queuing up at Newark. All we had to do was drop off our suitcases at a desk. \nNew York is a great city where we felt safe walking around and we would definitely stay at the Sofitel again, its a bit pricey as you don't spend much time in your bedroom while visiting NY but well worth it for a once in a lifetime visit.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Stayed for two nights early May in a suite as a special trip. Suite was spacious and decor was lovely, however there were large tears in the sofa which I was a little surprised at.\nBathroom was great, again very spacious and very clean.\nBed was very comfortable as other reviewers have stated.\nI signed up for the privilege card which meant we were given free drinks tokens at check in, for cocktails/champagne, this was a nice touch. The card also entitled us to a late check out of 4pm. Good in theory but in reality we had to pack/finish getting washed, dressed etc with the maid in the room as she told us she had to have the room cleaned and ready for 4pm. Note that we checked out at 3.30 so she was in our room with us from about 3pm. Not so good for privacy.\nOverall a good hotel but I wasn't too impressed with the service for the price I paid for a suite.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "i am just back from 5 nights in new york and reason i stayed here was trip advisor.. and the reviews didnt let me down, cos we are irish we normally stay in fitpatricks never again! wouldnt stay anywhere else in new york then the sofitel.. from the moment we pulle dup outside the hotel the experience was brilliant! the beds were the best beds i have ever stayed in the staff were out of this world.. my mum was very ill when we arrived they nearly carried her up the the bed!\nthe bathrooms were fab so clean and the extras like the candle and all that was brilliant\nwe walked down to the show in times square (7 mins)\nwe walked to macys( 14 mins)\nits just brilliant\nwe had rooms service... we had club sambo pizza burger and salad it was all just lovely\nbreakfast of pankcakes and porridge was yummie to delivered to the room and so fresh and tasty\ni cant say enough i just loved it\nwe were 4 out to shop for the 4 days and it was prefect two twin rooms right beside each other on the 21st floor... u couldnt hear a car or anything\ntwo words sofitel hotel - perfect for shopping id say a romatic weekend or bussines i will defo be going back and cant wait", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I stayed at the Sofitel from the 23rd to the 30th of April for my girlfriend\u2019s birthday.\nOur trip turned out perfect thanks to this fabulous hotel, Located just off 5th Avenue on 45th Street it is the perfect location to start from every morning (although you will find it hard to get up sometimes because the beds are unbelievably comfortable).\nI got a Sofitel privilege card before I booked on their website (which I found to have the cheapest deal) which gets you a complementary drink on arrival, a small box of godiva chocs on the first night and a room upgrade, we were on the 29th floor and the views of the Chrysler building were simply magnificent. \nThere is a turndown service every night and you get two small bottles of Evian and the next days weather report which is a really nice touch. The bathrooms are gorgeous and the complementary toiletries are French designer. Along with the piles of fluffy towels, you get cozy bath gowns and slippers. \nThe Gaby bar is really trendy and relaxing and there is a lovely little shop in the reception selling French style gifts and newspapers. Oh and expect a big bonjour on your arrival. I was so happy with this hotel that it brings a smile to my face as I write this.\nThe concierge and doormen are really good for recommending bars and restaurants although we really liked Mulligans bar on 39th and Madison for a quiet drink in the evening or Scruffy Duffy\u2019s on 46th and 8th for a kicking atmosphere and great chicken wings. \nGrand Central is just a couple of blocks away and I found it great for getting downtown, The 4,5,6 trains are very regular and are very handy for getting to wall street, city hall, and bowling green. I advise people who are not too sure about using the subways to stick with these lines as I got lost a few times on the other lines including once when I jumped off and left my bewildered girlfriend behind when I realised we had caught the wrong sub.\nWe ate breakfast at The Red Flame diner every morning which serves a magnificent \u201cRed Flame Omelet\u201d which will keep you full for the day and it is very reasonable considering its on a street amongst the most expensive and luxurious hotels on the island. \nOh and if you\u2019re feeling extravagant why not book dinner at The River Caf\u00e9 in Brooklyn for around sunset and admire the amazing view of Manhattan in all its glory as the lights come on, Its formal so smart wear is essential and prepare to be there up to 3 hours while your every need is catered for by the excellent staff, expect to spend $350 - $400 for dinner for two people including a nice wine and pre-dinner drinks but in my opinion its worth it even if your not a fan of seafood.\nOur trip was made very special thanks to the Sofitel and all their staff. This hotel is most certainly my recommended hotel and totally worthy of its place on the top of the tripadvisor popularity index.\nBon voyage mon ami", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "We stayed here from April 26-30 after reading all the positive reviews on Trip Advisor. We were in NYC for our 10th Anniversary. Upon checking in we found out that they upgraded us to a suite on the 29th floor with a beautiful view of the Chrysler Building.\nThe staff was very nice and made us feel right at home. This hotel is perfectly located in downtown Manhattan.. easy to walk to most things you would want to go to. Perfect for shopping on 5th Ave and not a far walk to Lord and Taylor and Macys.\nWe ate breakfast at the Red Flame every morning since the hotel restaurant seemed quite pricey.\nWe had originally booked a room at the Westin on Times Square.. VERY glad we didn't stay there.. was very noisy around that hotel. The Sofitel is very quiet and peaceful.\nSaw Monty Python's Spamalot.. totally hilarious!!! Would recommend this musical to anyone.\nWould definitely stay at the Sofitel again!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We had a fantastic stay at the Sofitel New York, and strongly encourage anyone looking for a hotel in NY to choose this one. The rooms are very spacious and spotlessly clean, with extremely comfortable beds, large windows with nice views (we looked out at the Rockefeller Center, our parents looked out at the Chrysler building). There is a great gym, an excellent restaurant and free internet in the lobby. The location is great, between 5th and 6th Ave, a short walk to just about everything in midtown.\nWhat really sets this hotel apart from others and gives it the #1 spot that it so rightly deserves are the people who work there. Every single person was extremely friendly, well mannered and helpful. From the second our taxi pulled up outside, we were greeted with big smiles and service beyond what we would ever have expected.\nWe had two standard rooms reserved and upon checkin, one was kindly upgraded to a suite. Furthermore, the hotel manager came out to personally introduce himself to us and to ensure that everything was ok. My parents were there to celebrate a very special anniversary and the hotel could not have done more to make this a trip to remember. From the champagne, to the specially made cake and the beautiful suite, we were all in awe of just how much this hotel and its team members really care about their guests. In the 4 days that we were there, it was actually impossible to get past the front desk without being warmly acknowledged by whoever was on duty. Housekeeping was outstanding - they kept the rooms looking like we were the first people ever to stay in them, I have never seen a bathroom sparkle so brightly before, and the turndown service was a nice treat to come back to after dinner.\nWe all agreed we would never stay anywhere in New York again other than the Sofitel. All the people we met during our stay, from the manager to the concierge, front desk, housekeeping and restaurant staff, we now think of as our friends. Whoever reads this review, I hope you get to experience the satisfaction of staying with them also. We can't wait to get back there again one day soon.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "We stayed for five nights at the Sofitel at the end of April and had a great time. I've given it 4 out of 5 only because I think 5 should be reserved for outstanding hotels and I think the Sofitel fell just short.\nWe arrived at about 1pm and they had a room ready on the 12th floor. I asked if they had anything higher up and they said they would have a room on the 18th floor that would be ready at 3. So we plumped for that one and went for a wander around. When we came back later the 18th floor room wasn't ready so they put us on the 20th floor.\nGood points:\n- Good size rooms\n- Lovely bathroom\n- Rooms were quiet\n- VERY comfy bed\n- Excellent maid service - the rooms were done twice a day\n- Good central location\nThere are no major negative points but if I'm being REALLY picky:\n- The shower lacked power\n- Towels were not particulalry luxurious\n- Service was a little cold\n- A TFT television would have been nice instead of the CRT\n- The air con was a bit on the loud side\n- The reception desk was in an odd location around the back of the lobby\nOverall a really good hotel that made for an excellent first time in New York.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Stayed at the Sofitel for three nights, what can i say thats not already been said, wonderful hotel, great location and hugh rooms. Been to New York several times and this is by far the best hotel we've stayed in. Booked a suite which was hugh with a seperate sitting area, large bathroom and a bed thats really confortable.\nStaff where really friendly and concierge sorted us out a great resteraunt.\nNext time we go to New York, this is where we will be staying.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We arrived at the Sofitel mid afternoon on a Saturday. Our room wasn't ready, we asked for a room on one of the upper floors and were asked to return in an hour. When we did that they said there was still nothing available so as we were tired we took the room we were offered on the 4th floor. The person we spoke to on both occasions was most unhelpful and dismissive. The next day we got someone far more helpful and he promised us a room mid afternoon. When we went back we were given something on the 19th floor.\nOther than that, this hotel is very good, very quiet and the staff other than the person we got when we arrived very helpful. The Concierge gave us some really good recommendations for restaurants and also helped us with the subway routes. The Red Flame a couple of doors down is great for breakfast. The shops, TOTR, ESB, Central Park and Times Square are all within easy walking distance.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Have just returned from a 4 night stay over Easter with my boyfriend. Was not disappointed by this hotel and it lived up to the great reviews I read. Location is excellent and my top tip is there is a great diner to have breakfast just down the same street. The room and particularly the bathroom was fantastic and couldn't fault the service either. Would definitely recommend. \nAnna from London", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "I have just returned from a week long business trip to NY. I had a choice of the Affinia Dumont but chose the sofitel because of its location to my work place and the reviews at tripadvisor. Let me begin with saying the reviews are spot-on. I arrived on a thursday night and was greeted by the friendly reception staff who were very pleasant. I had phoned the previous night and asked for a quiet room if possible. They had remembered this and gave me a room on the 26th floor, which was great as it was really quiet. The room itself was a generious size very similar to that of the Barclay intercontinental where i stayed previously. A clean room with all the necessary requirements that a business traveller would need. Part of my package included breakfast at the hotel. The breakfast was excellent prompt service and a very good menu. Overall i am very pleased with my stay at the sofitel and can see why it is number one on this list", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "It hardly needs saying again considering all the great reviews on this web site but I don't think I would ever stay anywhere else in New York having been to the Sofitel. It is a lovely hotel, in a perfect location, with great staff and worth every penny.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I won't repeat all that has already been said about the excellent Sofitel New York, just to say that my wife and I had a wonderful experience staying for four days in April. The hotel is excellent with exceedingly friendly and helpful staff and can not be faulted.\nA few ideas\n1. Don't bother with the Empire States Building, the queues are very long (allow at least an hour) and the whole experience is tacky and tired.\n2. Go to Top of the Rock which is excellent, the queues are short, the experience is better and there is much more room to look around and admire the views.\n3. Try Rosen\u2019s Deli, 23 East 51 Street, good deli in art deco surroundings.\n4. Depending on your point of view either take your partner or avoid Diamond Street (47th Street). There are some amazing bargains in comparison to the inflated jewellery prices in the UK.\n5. Finally, the pretzels are heavy going and one between two is sufficient!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Just returned from the Sofitel over Easter Weekend and had the best time in New York. The hotel is positioned between 5th and 6th Ave. on 44th Street so puts it within 10 minutes walk of everything worth looking at. The place is simply splendid, fresh flowers every-other-day and everyone (barr some but i'll explain later) is so helpful.\nWe were recommended to get a high room, we were on the 15th floor and could see nothing but when you realise that New York is only huge due to everything being so high you'll understand!\nThe lack of view didn't spoil a thing, the hotel was just the perfect place to relax after a hard day of walking and shopping. We didn't eat in the hotel cos they tend to be more expensive and we'd had some other recommendations.\nThe only thing that let the Sofitel down was the fact that my girlfriend and i are quite young so the doormen didn't -ever- open the door for us on the way in. The concierge seemed reluctant too, but yet overly helpful to the older guests! Ah well.\nIf you stay here go to breakfast at The Manhattan Cafe across the road, round the back. It's fantastic! And for dinner Michael Jordans The Steak House, at Grand Central Station is great but dress smart, it's a bit glam! Buffalo steak is superb, but the garlic bread for starters is divine! The other place we tried was Del Friscos on roughly 49th and 6th, the McGraw-Hill Building. It's a bit expensive but we were sat next to Colin Farrell so who can complain!!!\nIf you need any info then please email me, i loved it! \nEnjoy!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We booked this hotel about 2 months ago after cancelling another booking at an alternative hotel. This decision was due to the first class reviews the Sofitel receives on Tripadvisor and we could not have made a better choice!! \nUpon arrival at the hotel we had a couple of teething problems in the room but these were dealt with immediately. We were celebrating our wedding anniversary during the stay and on our 2nd night the hotel had a complimentary bottle of champagne delivered to the room - a much appreciated gesture!!\nIn our opinion the hotel itself charges a little too much for the breakfast. However, you can't go wrong with the Red Flame Diner a few doors away - be sure to get there before 9 a.m. to avoid the queues.\nToo much to say about the city itself other than it feels like you are walking around in a movie set!! If you are planning to go up the Empire State Building you can purchase your tickets in advance on the internet (---) for an extra $2 and beat the queues - well worth the extra $2.\nIf you are planning to see a broadway show we can highly recommend \"Jersey Boys\". \nThis is a city we will definitely be returning too at some point!\nOverall an excellent break in a great hotel and a fantastic city.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We stayed at the Sofitel New York from 7-10 April, and booked it based on the reviews we read on Tripadvisor. It lived up to expectations in every way. Minutes from both 5th & 6th Ave on 44th St, the location was fantastic. We were on the 10th floor and our room was so quiet, we did not hear any traffic, sirens or noise the whole three nights. Bed was the most comfortable we have ever slept in. Spacious, clean room, and excellent marble bathroom with large shower cubicle and separate bath. Staff were extremely friendly and made us feel very welcome. Hotel has a nice bar and thought drink prices were reasonable. Only minor criticism would be the lobby which is quite dark, but apart from that, we loved it and would go back.\nTravel tips:\nFor a cheap breakfast go to the Red Flame diner, turn right out of hotel, 1 min away. Always busy, great bacon and eggs! \nDinner - we tried Tavern on the Green. Firm believer people should make their own minds up about restaurants, as everyone likes different things, but we were very disappointed, overpriced & boring food which lacked flavour, no atmosphere....but good location though and pretty park views.\nTop viewing spot - \"Top of the Rock\" observation centre at Rockefeller centre. 67 floors up, stunning views, cost $17 per person. Well worth it.\nNice walk - we did a great 3 hour walk from Pier 17, through financial district, then up West Broadway through Tribeca, lunch in Soho cafe and Greenwich, then back up 5th Ave to hotel. Saw so much, brilliant weekend.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Recently stayed at the Sofitel NY for 2 nights on a Friday & Saturday evening in early March. It's my favorite chain and it's too bad Sofitel doesn't have more properties in the U.S. As was the case when I stayed at the Sofitel Chicago, & Philadelphia, the Sofitel NY didn't disappoint. Everything was as good as it could possibly have been from check in to check out. I requested a view room on a high floor and got it. Bed was very comfortable and bathroom very spacious & clean and the toiletries were fantastic. Room service was good and arrived promptly. For those that are not familar with Sofitel, it's a French chain that is very popular in Europe, the middle east, and Africa, but only has like 12 properties in the U.S. I'd compare it to a Westin, Le Meridien, or W. Sofitel is certainly as good as any of those chains and I'd argue that they're actually better due to the room amenities they provide that American chains lack. Those little extras make all the difference. Although it's ranked #1 in New York by this website, it's certainly not the best hotel in NY by ultra luxury standards. For value, convenience, and service, the Sofitel NY is absolutely deserving of its Trip Advisor ranking. That said, wealthy travelers expecting the Sofitel to deliver Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton, Penninsula, or Mandarin Oriental style decadence will inevitably be disappointed. It's a fantasic hotel for vast majority of people, just don't be confused by the #1 ranking and expect it to be the most luxurious place in New York. It isn't, nor does it claim to be, but it is a fantastic hotel nonetheless.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "My wife and I stayed at the Sofitel for two nights and were very happy there. The staff was very professional and courteous, accomodating each request we had: a high floor, a late checkout, a specific newspaper each morning, a yellow pages...all handled quickly and with a smile.\nOur room was larger than the typical New York hotel, even though it was among the least expensive of the 3.5/4 star hotels we looked at. The bathroom was great: very new, very clean. The bed was a queen, but felt bigger somehow.\nThe location was very convenient. We could easily walk to restaurants, theatres, subway stations, and attractions in minutes. You could get to either 5th or 6th in less than a minute.\nThere's a diner-type place called the Red Flame just down 44th toward 6th that does a decent breakfast; for dinner one night we ate at Triomphe (right next door in the Iroquois Hotel) and it was fantastic.\nAll in all, a great hotel in a great spot. Highly recommended.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Stayed 6 nights early March. Paid $359 per night for room on 22nd floor with a city view!, so not cheap and a city view is relative - remember New York city views are limited. Thought the room and facilities were excellent, comfortable large bed, decent sized room, good well stocked bathroom and to me most important peace and quiet. Both my wife and I had 6 nights of excellent sleep only waking when my body clock thought it was time to get up - usually 4 in the morning.\nMaid service was spot on with bathrobes changed without asking and a plentiful supply of toiletries. Turn down service was always done when we out so no problems.\nDidn't use the restaurant facilities as I thought they were very expensive and with 13,000 restauarants to choose from I like to venture out. Reception and door staff spot on and as a Sofitel \"Privilege\" card holder was able to use our room through to 4 pm which fitted perfectly with our 6pm flight back to UK. Any body can have one of these!\nWould almost certainly stay there again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I travel to NYC about 7-8 times a year. This is my first visit to the Sofitel. I got an average rate of $240 a night over four nights for a King bed on a lower floor. The overall experience was very good, very comfortable and hospitable. The bed was excellent. I will come back to the Sofitel again soon. NY City hotels have really gone up in price over the last year and I can't find anything in the $250-325 range as good as the Sofitel anywhere in the city.\nThe room was large by NY standards. I can't remember the last time I had a shower and seperate bath in a NYC hotel. The location is great. Although this hotel isn't a \"scene\", it is relaxing and hospitable. \nWhat would I change? The menu is expensive. (Food is good) The workout room needs towels and tuned up machines. The carpeting in my room was starting to show it's age and the room had a strong lingering air freshener smell.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I wanted to give them 5*, as we had a great time and were very happy here, but not quite perfect.\nRooms: Even the small rooms have plenty of space other than between closet/bathroom (depends on your room as well, they are different configs I believe). Bathrooms are very large and nice. Overall quite cozy, and very clean. Once forgot to add more towels but responded to call immediately. Bathtub drain didn't hold water -- didn't call to see if they would fix asap.\nService: Good response from the desk, the doormen (usually), and the concierge. Good overall, not spectacular based on other experiences we have had.\nLocation: Excellent, on \"hotel row\" pretty quiet street, walk around corner to Best Buy/Duane Reade/Starbucks. Diner on same street. Easy walk to Times Square and all theatres. Can even walk to Central Park from here without too much trouble.\nThey provided a DVD player at no charge when I emailed and asked about availability of one (and I didn't even ask to provide, I just inquired) -- this was excellent service.\nOverall I give them about 4 1/2 out of 5.\nWe would definitely stay there again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Stayed at the Sofitel for 4 nights at the end of February 2006. My partner booked the hotel as part of a trip to New York to celebrate my 40th. We selected the hotel based on trip advisor reviews and booked through expedia.\nAfter requesting a high room (as per previous trip advisor recommendations) and notifying the hotel that I was celebrating a special occasion, we were dissapointed to be located on the 7th floor. Apparently this was due to the hotel being full. We were however, promised a high floor for the next 3 nights and this resulted in a relocation to the 21st floor and a view of the Empire state.\nHotel: staff were generally very friendly, accommodating and attentive.\nAmbience: the hotel in my opinion lacked any real atmosphere, there was no buzz in the lobby (probably due to the general layout).\nPrices: as a tourist you don't visit New York to stay in your hotel room, therefore, we didn't use any of the facilities, although did notice that the food prices were very expensive. $18 dollars for a waffle plus tax and service charge and probably a tip!\nRooms: as many have mentioned the beds were very very comfortable. The bathroom although luxurious was very cold, please add heating!!\nMaid service: again the rooms were cleaned to a high standard, however, we only once had the room turned down as we were generally getting ready to go out when the maid knocked at 19:00. (call me a cynic, the only time my 40th celebrations were mentioned was on our last morning when the maid knocked on the door and wished me happy birthday!!)\nConcierge: again very informative and friendly and a fountain of knowledge.\nLocation: excellent, only two blocks from times square or fifth avenue.\nTips: there is an excellent breakfast diner called the red flame on the same street, turn right outside the hotel. Get to the empire state early to avoid the crowds. Try a restaurant called Tao its fantastic!\nIce Skate in Central Park! Avoid the cafe part of the Boathouse restaurant in Central Park. Get to the Central Line queues early to ensure you are able to get inside the statue of liberty. Otherwise you have to be satisfied with a walk around (which is fantastic anyway). Visit Macy's on a monday morning, it is fairly quiet.\nEnjoy the big apple!", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "We stayed here for four nights in February 2006. We took advantage of a 30% discount deal from Expedia and stayed in a Deluxe King Suite on the 26th floor. We looked out on to the Rockefeller Centre and at an angle could see down to Times Sq and the Hudson beyond. A problem with staying in this part of New York (mid-town) is that all the buildings are tall so good views are few and far between in any hotel. \nThe hotel is in an excellent location and staff we came across very helpful and friendly.\nLovely clean, quiet and spacious room with seperate sitting room. Very comfortable bed. Also had a wonderful bathroom with candles and mineral water. The mini-bar (working on sensors/weights so don't touch anything!) prices were ludicrous however but free ice down the hall kept shop bought drinks cool!\nDon't go for convenient therefore expensive hotel breakfasts (looked as though a standard breakfast for two in the Sofitel is in the region of $70) but find a nearby diner/restaurant. The best breakfast we have ever had in NY is at the 'Pershing Sq cafe' - on 42nd St opposite Grand Central Station (under the bridge).", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I chose this hotel (3 visits in one year) for each of my trips to New York City because of the reviews on trip advisor. \nThe sofitel did not spend so much money on a large grand lobby, but they made up for it in your room.\nI have to say it is one of the cleanest hotels I have ever stayed at and that is one of my most important criteria. \nMy favorite feature of their rooms is the bathroom. The bathroom is very clean and luxurious. \nI stayed in a twin bed room for one visit and it was not quite a twin bed, but slightly larger, maybe a double bed. The room was spacious and clean.\nNext two times, I stayed in a king bed room and that was even better! The bedding was so awesome that I copied down the information on the label so I could purchase it for my home. The duvet was all white, no spots and very soft, high thread count Egyptian Cotton. The pillows were very comfortable (I have neck issues and need to be selective). \nRoom service was so good,The food is excellent, but it cost a fortune. There are several charges in addition to the actual cost of the food. I love the cheese tray and french bread as an evening snack and it is worth the money to me. \nThe staff was so friendly and helpful. I liked that part of the nighttime turn down, they left bottled water, Evian of course. Great touch, classy hotel. \nAs for location, I love it. Right off of 5th avenue, it was walking distance to great shopping and a two block walk to Times Square and most theatres.\nDuring my last visit, I left my bags with the concierge so I could do some last minute shopping and there was no charge. My friends did not stay at the same hotel, but paid $5 a bag for each bag they stored at their hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Having chosen this hotel by the tripadvisor rating I have to say I was somewhat disappointed. (might I add that this is my first disappointment with tripadvisor which I consult every time I travel).\nBooked this trip as a surprise for my husbands birthday. I contacted Guest Services to request an upgrade to a suite and champagne to be in the suite when we arrived. This was confirmed on request. On arrival we were told there were no suites available and allocated a small room on the 11th floor. When I opened the curtains to see the fantastic view I was greeted with a man in an office block across the street. My husband sensing my disappointment requested a move to a higher floor and a larger room. Although we were moved to a slightly larger room on the 27th floor it was definitely not what I had expected. (the champagne eventually arrived after the relocation) The view was better but the room was quite tired with black marks on the carpet and curtains that required a good washing. I was awake most nights with the noise of the lift beside us. \nI, at this point did not wish to complain and be moved again as I didn't want to spoil my husbands trip.\nThe front desk were ok with a hint of super almost icy efficiency. The concierge was more than helpful and friendly and the door man was just great. (couldn't help enough!) My gut instinct tells me there are definitely better hotels in New York that wouldn't be nearly as overpriced. Wouldn't stay there again.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "After reading all the reviews on Sofitel, it seemed the be the best value/cost hotel, thus I got a deal \nthrough the internet somewhere in September. \nAs I would love to have a room on one of the higher floors, I gave them a ring just to check where my \nonline deal would bring me. Inhouse reception confirmed my order and informed that I am either going to be \non the 3rd or the 4th floor... which did not make me very happy. \nAnd indeed on arrival we got assigned a room on the 3rd floor, but I had to simply express my preference \nonce, and we got an excellent room on the 18th!!!!\nRoom was very tastefully decorated, the bed just excellent, bathroom very spacious and clean.\nWe found that the hotel is very well situated, did not have any problems getting around in NY. \nThis was true also during the snow storms!I found staff very helpful, they gave updates on what we \ncould do and what to better avoid. It seemed to me they had extra shifts on, as they had to deal with \nmany people (specially whose whose flights got cancelled). Fortunately we rather enjoyed the snow, \nand had a lovely time in the Central Park.\nOne thing though, on the first morning we went to have breakfast in the Gaby restaurant and ordered\nbreakfast. It was my negligence not to check the menu, but ended up with a $50 bill for eggs, \nbacon and croissant(which were all very tasty). This made sure we never stepped foot back again the\nrestaurant.\nIt was a very nice stay and would highly recommend!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Under most circumstances I may have rated this hotel much higher. However based on the reviews here on this website which have proven time after time for me to be right on. I was highly disappointed in my stay at Sofitel. Concierge was extremely unhelpful and cold, front desk was more apt to provide an eloquent response as to why not.... versus how they may....\nWe were there during the storm and were really needing extra attention as we put our alternative plans into action, no help here\nThe location for me was good not outstanding.\nThe bathrooms were nice, but the rooms were somewhat congested where both the bathroom and entrance door meet. \nI've had much nicer stays in New York and would not choose to stay here again.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "This hotel lives up to its high tripadvisor rating. The rooms are contemporary yet so comfortable. I loved the bed - I am pregnant with twins and it's hard to get comfy at night, but I slept like a baby on this bed! We enjoyed the restaurant, and the service from everyone was impeccable. Everyone treated us very nicely. The hotel is well located - within blocks of Times Square and the theaters.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Everything about it was just right. Perfect combo of value and luxury.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My wife and I stayed here five nights from Jan 27 - Feb 1, 2006. We picked this hotel based on the reviews here. \nThe good: It was definitely a very classy business hotel. All the staff was extremely friendly and the rooms were impeccably clean which greatly pleased my wife. The rooms had a crown dental molding and nice finishing touches that set it apart from other upscale hotels. Room service and housekeeping were very efficient. You can get a very nice (and inexpensive) breakfast across the street so you can avoid the $25 USD per person breakfasts at the hotel. Overall a very classy place on par with a Ritz Carlton and well located.\nThe bad: I'm very sensitive to smoke and I noticed a slight smell of smoke in our non-smoking room. I complained and they came in and sprayed the next day. It got rid of the smell until late at night when the smell came back through the A/C system. I complained again and they brought in an ionizer which did alleviate the smell. I just didn't want to have to deal with a smokey smell in my room.\nEven for a NYC hotel room, our upgraded deluxe room was extremely small and there was practically no closet or drawer space... so don't bring much to wear. Although the bathroom was a nice size.\nI would recommend this hotel as I've payed much more and gotten much less in NYC.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My girlfriend and I just came back from a weekend in NYC. I had selected the Sofitel based on reviews from this site and the ability to get a slightly discounted room. The location was also great because we were spending time uptown and downtown. It was nice to have a centrally located home base.\nThe whole experience was great from start to finish. We were greeted promptly by the doorman who took our bags immediately. We were escorted by another gentleman to the reception desk. We were checked in less than 5 minutes and our bags were brought to our room right away. Every staff member we encountered was very friendly and eager to help.\nThe room was great. Everything looked new and it was decorated very nicely. We loved the bathroom with the separate glass shower and tub. Basically it had everything you could need. Linens and toiletries were replaced nightly.\nI've read about the beds and I have to say that it's all true. The beds were so damn comfortable it made it tough to get up in the morning. Man, I'm glad my bed at home isn't that good cause all I'd ever do is sleep.\nThe only time I called room service was for an ice bucket for champagne and it literally arrived about 1 minute after I hung up the phone.\nI highly recommend staying there if you're up in NYC.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We stayed at the Sofitel for 3 nights at the first beginning of January. After our stay I easily see why this hotel is rank number 1 on [------------]\nAs our taxi pulled up, almost immediately the doorman came opened the door and took our bags.\nThe lobby is impressive, dark and sheek- instantly we knew we made the right choice! A friendly receptionist had us checked in and within minutes we were escorted to the lift and wished a good stay.\nThe room was great, bathroom modern, and like many others have said,the bed was extremely comfortable!\nWe didn't eat at the hotel so cannot comment.\nA wonderful time all for $177 a night. (Yes we searched around for the best price)", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "This hotel is perfect for a stay in New York. The location is ideal - walking distance to all the key attractions, plenty of good eateries around it, and a very relaxed atmosphere with the staff visible but not obtrusive. We stayed at the Plaza on Central Park last time we visited and the Sofitel was better in every way. The rooms are a good size, the beds very comfortable and the bathrooms lovely - although the water pressure is pathetic and it takes forever to run a bath! Bottled water was left in the room at night and there was fruit available in the lobby.\nOverall it was perfect for us and we will definately be back.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Totally agree with the last review from Trip Advisor members from London. We booked this hotel because of the excellent reviews on Trip Advisor and whilst we were not disappointed, we wouldnt rave about it. All that has been said is true, very quiet, fabulously comfy beds, nice rooms, etc etc. We believe that you are actually paying for the location of the hotel, two minutes walk from 5th Avenue. We were told we had a suite but it wasnt a suite it was just a normal hotel room but it was big for New York. You HAVE to eat at the Red Flame Diner. We loved it, food was good and reasonable but the best part was hearing the orders being passed to the kitchen, eggs over easy, all the way, etc!! Loved it. Dont be put off by this review, we would definitely stay at the Sofitel again but only if we got a good deal because it is very expensive in every way, rooms, drinks, meals.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We picked this hotel purely on the basis of Tripadvisor reviews for a three night stay in New York with our children. We have a suite and an executive room.\nThe experience did not get off to a great start, arriving at 1500 we were told by an unsmiling receptionist that our rooms were still occupied. Her solution was for us to wait in reception for 90 minutes while they were emptied and prepared. Then, as if this made it better, she said that the squatters had actually paid for a late checkout! So this wasnt even an accident.\nAfter an hour of faffing we got into our rooms. Mostly as advertised, but in our suite the bahtub was only 36 inches long at the bottom, and 45 inches at the top. ie you cant stretch your legs out in it.\nIn the bedroom of our suite the TV was set off to one side by about 60 degrees, so we couldnt lie in bed vegging at the tv without getting a severe cricked neck.\nAnd the window of our suite, 240 feet above street level, has a three foot crack in both the inside and outside panes - slightly alarming.\nTo console ourselves we tried to make a cup of tea. No kettle. We rang housekeeping to be told that they dont provide kettles, but \"we will see what can be done\". An hour later nothing had been done, so we rang the manager, and 20 minutes later a kettle arrived, but in this heart of the world's greatest economy the kettle has no automatic off switch.\nNot impressed, at $1000 a night, and puzzled by all these great reviews - suggests that the rest of NY's hotels must be pants!", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed at the Sofitel New York for 4 night from 19th October. After many months of searching for an ideal hotel (it was our 10th Wedding Anniversary) we booked Sofitel having read some amazing reviews on TripAdvisor.\nWell what can I say we were not disappointed at all. Location wise the hotel is in the heart of everything you'll need to do and see especially if your a 1st timer like we were. Easy reach to Time Sq, Empire, Macy etc etc. Subways as expected are not too far.\nThe hotel was very spacious very deceptive from the outside but once entering the lobby area you know you made the right choice. Service was excellent, no delay in checking in. Were given a smoking room despite asking for non but this was swiftly changed by the staff. The rooms are very good in size and the bed is WONDERFUL. There is nothing about the hotel we can fault staff always welcoming and greeted with smile. Did not eat at the restuarant as there is a super diner just 5 doors away \"Red Flame\" this is a must excellent value prices and portion we never felt we had to dine within hotel.....anyway you want to soak the NY atomsphere! We did find the hotel is mainly catered for the business market (we arrived mid-week) and at weekends older leisure breakers.\nOverall would say although not cheap is well worth the money for special occasions or treat. We strolled past many hotels and non looked as grand but no doubt were not charging \u00a3180 per night that we paid. Wouldn't hesistate to stay again but would look for special rate/deals to make the most.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I had high expectations of this hotel and booked 6 nights at the Sofitel based on it being rated the No. 1 hotel in New York by tripadvisor.com. I was disappointed with this hotel.\nSofitel New York is a comfortable 4 star hotel for the average tourist. You should not expect high standards of service or luxury staying here.\nSofitel is a 4 star, not a 5 star hotel. People travelling to this hotel should expect comfort, but not luxury. It is not a luxury hotel with consistent excellent service in the same league as The Ritz Carlton, The St. Regis Hotel, or Four Seasons Hotel in New York. Having checked out these five star properties while in New York, for my next stay in New York I would probably choose the St. Regis.\nThe room rates at Sofitel New York are very high. I was paying $US500 a night for a queen bed room with no view.\nGood points:\n-Modern marble bathroom with separate bath and shower\n-Comfortable queen sized bed\n-Midtown location near Broadway and Times Square\nBad points:\n-Room service ordered on my first night arrived almost cold. I ordered a Vegetable Lasagne and it was luke warm. Also, the night menu seems to suit the hotel rather than containing appealing options.\n- I returned to the hotel around midnight a couple of nights to find absolutely no staff on the property at all (no doormen, and concierge and front desks were both empty). For a 4 star hotel I think this is not satisfactory. Also, when I returned late on a Saturday night (Sunday morning), there was one staff member in the lobby who was sitting on a chair in a deep sleep. My walking past didn't even wake him!\n-Doormen do not open doors for guests consistently. For a 4 star hotel charging $500 a night, I tend to expect this.\n-Internet access terminals in the lobby are always down. I complained a couple of times and they were fixed, only to be down again. One of the terminals was taken away and not returned for 3 days. There seemed to be no rush to ensure it was fixed.\n-Concierges are not available all the time. There were times when a concierge was not on the property. One night I wanted a restaurant recommendation at 7pm and went to the concierge desk only to be told that there is no concierge on the property at the moment.\n-Maids are stingy with replacing toiletries. I had used all the shampoo and on one day when my room was serviced and the toiletries were replaced, my empty shampoo was replaced with a half-empty bottle. I asked the maid whether it had been used by another guest and she said \"I don't know\" and brought a new one. Equally, with the turndown service, they are supposed to provide bottles of Evian for both guests. We had 2 guests, and for most of the nights only 1 bottle of Evian was provided.\nI wouldn't rush back to the Sofitel at $500 a night, but if you can get a room for under $300 a night it would represent good value. And remember, it is not a luxury hotel, it is a standard 4 star tourist hotel.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed in the Sofitel in mid October 2005 for 3 nights and thought it was wonderful. The location was brilliant, just 5 minutes from Time Square and all the hussle and bustle of the Big Apple. But....even though it was so close to everything it was incredibly, a small haven of tranquility. We booked a suite (which was huge by NYC standards) so we were on a high floor. It was utterly silent up there and I slept brilliantly on the beautifully comfortable bed. The bathroon was lovely with a huge walk in shower but the 'large' bath we were promised when we booked failed to materialise!! The lifts were very speedy and we never had to wait for them unlike in other hotels (Parker Meridien). Free internet in the lobby topped it off. We would definately stay here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I normally stay in 3 star hotels but wanted to stay in somewhere special for our visit to New York and we werent disappointed with our 4 night stay at the Soiftel.\nArrived in yellow taxi from Newark ($65 i think), and were immediately met and helped out with our luggage. We were able to walk right in and check in without having to haul bags. Arrived at about 1.30pm and got checked in straight away (no problem swaping to a smoking room). We were given a room on floor 29 and when we pulled back the curtains the view was breathtaking. Superb view out to the Chrysler Building and if you strained your neck you could also make out the Empire State Building too.\nThe room was clean and spacious (Not sure where other complaints about the room being too small, maybe we arent used to larger tooms). Plenty of coat hangers and a wonderful bathroom with bath and a very spacious shower (water pressure could have been better though). Bed was wonderfully comfortable.\nWasnt expecting to need air conditioning in November but it was great (21deg outside). \nAfter changing and heading out we arrived back exhausted later that evening and went straight to bed. It was after i switched off the airconditioning that i noticed an irratting noise from the bathroom area. It seemed to be the extractor fan which was not switching off and unfortunately the noise was such that i spent a very sleepless night! Not a good start to holiday. In the morning i reported to receiption and they said they would check it out.\nWe arrived back later that evening and the noise was still there. Went to reception and they said they would send an engineer round. He arrived about 5 mins later and said he thought he knew what the problem was. We were leaving to go to a show and had to leave him to it. When we arrived back it was late and we were exhausted, the noise was still there and there was a phone message left for me. Basically said that it was a pump above the room which controlled the water and could not be switched off however they would be more than happy to move us to another room. It was too late so i thought i would give it another go. Slept a little better but the noise was still very annoying.\nI should have moved the next night but again we arrived back late and i didnt want the hassle. Slept with the window open and slept like a log!. The noise in the room seems to switch on and off whereas the background noise from outside was constant and helped to smooth out the sound!.\nWould reccomend getting the sofitel privelege card for the late check out, and free drinks in the hotel bar. We didnt receive our complimentary chocolates though we did get the evian water delivered every night.\nOn the morning we were checking out i looked up the bill on the tv an noticed that we were being charged the full rate. I had actually been allowed a lower rate on the \"Price Match less 10%\" deal on the Sofitel Website. Luckily I had all the paperwork and copies of emails with me. Took a bit of explanation as it seems that the Hotel did not receive notification that I had been given the lower rate ($500 less) and this created some confusion. Eventually Albert was able to sort out the matter and my bill was duly reduced. Watch out for the minibar-I had lifted out 2 bottles to look at the alcohol content and these showed up on the bill. These were immediately removed when I mentioned it. There is a sensor in the minbar which shows up when anything is removed.\nChecked out a 4pm and the doorman offered us a yellow taxi for $51+Tip+Tolls or a Limo for $60+Tip+Tolls. We took the limo and had a very comfortable trip to airport.\nThe location of the hotel is superb, just off 5th Avenue, easy walking distance to subway, Broadway, Empire State, Macys, Central Park etc.\nAll in all I would give the Sofitel 5 stars. They made us feel welcome and despite the problem with the noise in the room it was I that chose to stay on when they had offered the change. I would reccomend anyone who avails of the \"price match deal\" to confirm the rate directly with the hotel to prevent any confusion. \nWe ended up paying $1350 for our 4 nights and i would stay here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "This hotel is truly superb. As to whether it is the best in NYC I don\u2019t really know as haven\u2019t stayed in any others in NYC but I am happy to say this is easily the best hotel I have ever stayed in.\nThe staff are just great, polite, courteous and friendly without being too pushy or \u2018sickly\u2019 as so oft. experienced in the US. The attention to detail is just fantastic, they obviously work to very high standards but seem to enjoy giving great customer service \u2013 they are a credit to themselves and their management.\nWe were there for our 25th wedding anniversary and I emailed them in advance requesting a high floor with a view of the Empire State/Chrysler building \u2013 we were allocated a room on the 16th which (just!!!) gave us a view of the Empire State. The room was great in all respects both in terms of it\u2019s size and cleanliness. The bathroom in particular was very very nice. The queen bed was just massive and extremely comfortable \u2013 the bedding was turned down nightly by a very courteous maid, who also supplied mineral water, a card to order breakfast and a card with the following days weather forecast \u2013 nice touch!! Another nice touch was the small cake and mineral water (With a card) sent to our room to mark our anniversary.\nThe circulation spaces are also cleaned and kept to a very high standard, and the whole place exudes \u2018quality\u2019.\nJust a couple of gripes \u2013 we tried the room service just once for a meal and whilst the meal we had was OK, the quality was not IMHO consummate with the price. (we didn\u2019t try the \u2018Gaby\u2019 restaurant as there are just too many great places to eat in NYC so I can\u2019t comment on the std. here). That said the service itself was extremely quick and efficient so we used it to get coffee sent up most mornings and just went out for breakfast \u2013 more on where later. Also the in room internet access seemed a bit pricey too \u2013 in days of low cost or even free wi-fi hotspots in hotels the wired broadband access provided here seemed a bit costly. We just used the small lobby located business centre to keep in touch with home via. web based email.\nThe location of this hotel is great too \u2013 the street it is on is quiet (By NYC standards!!) and you are just a short walk from Times Square, Grand Central and the Rockefeller Centre. The proximity to Grand Central gives ready access to the whole city via. the Subway and the proximity to Times Square meant we could walk to the theatre/restaurant rather than the hassle of taking a cab. Don\u2019t whatever you do go to NYC and miss the \u2018Lion King\u2019 \u2013 a really great show and if you think it is going to be like what you have seen in Orlando, think again, it is very very different and a really great night out.\nOn the eating side do not miss the \u2018Red Flame\u2019 diner just a couple of doors up from the Sofitel \u2013 great value food here particularly for breakfast even when it was very busy the std. of service was very very good and the place is just spotless. Also good for breakfast was the dining concourse in the lower level of Grand Central \u2013 very convenient to grab a bite here as you set off on your daily city expedition. \nAll in all a great hotel in a great city and without question where we will stay again when we go back to the Big Apple\u2026\u2026\u2026", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "My daughter and I stayed three nights at the Sofitel New York .Lobby was very pretty with nice sitting area and the fresh cut flowers were beautiful. Our 14th floor room was great. Nice room decor, marbled bathroom was nice with separate shower and tub and the candle in the bathroom added an extra nice touch.Cannot say enough about how comfortable the beds were..soooo comfy. Hotel staff were very nice..Rene' (sp?) at concierge was very helpful.Doormen were always there to help and getting a cab when we checked out was no problem. Computer room complete with printer was real nice. We were able to check in and print boarding passes for our flight back home. Hotel is within walking distance for most everything..Times Square..Radio City..Rockefeller Center. Saint Patricks Cathedral. Fifth Avenue shopping.Grand Central.. We took subway to Chinatown. We saw Phantom of the Opera at the Majestic theatre and it was a couple of blocks away. We also went for taping of David Letterman show which was also within walking distance. Red Flame Diner just a few doors down was a great place for breakfast. We will most definitely stay at the Sofitel on our next trip to New York!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Beware of using the Softel web site for booking hotels. They do not honor their \"Best Rate Guaranteed\" Policy. \nI booked the Sofitel for 10-21 thru 10-24 at $1397 on their site. Sidestep found a lower rate and I forwarded this on to Sofitel.\nSofitel refuses to match the price because the online reservation had a cancellation charge and Sofitel's did not.\nTo my knowledge, almost every online web site has a cancellation charge or is nonrefundable (Expedia charges $25).\nThis is a \"gotcha\" buried in their fine print.\nThis is apparently a common problem too because the person answering the 800 call from their web site explained that it would likely not be honored for this reason as soon as I called. Apparently this is a common answer.\nIn their defense, I will say that the hotel itself was much more cooperative when I called them direct to cancel my reservation. However, at that point I had already made other arrangements.\nThey also pointed out that Sofitel offers a \"best rate\" and \"hot deals\". The \"best rate\" is cancellable; the \"hot deals\" are not. At the time I booked (10-11), the best rate (cancellable) was $100 LESS than the hot deals. \nAs explained to me then, I would have to book the hot deal at the more expensive rate to get a price match.\nToo much hassle. Too much fine print. Too Mickey Mouse for a reputable company. \nBottom line. A company that advertises a best rate guarante on its site that apparently routinely refuses to do so.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Stayed at Sofitel for four nights based on reccomendations on this web site. Reviews were exactly as described; I was not disappointed.\nLocation is superb; just off Times square and Broadway, and close enough to shopping district on Fifth Avenue.\nReception staff were always helpful and curteous. The room was well presented, with the best bed you are ever likely to sleep in, (much appreciated after each day's lengthy walking), along with iron and board, safe, TV and mirrored wardrobe. The impressively spacious bathroom with seperate bath and powerful shower also had some great toilettries as well as fresh flowers, candles and a hairdryer.\nFree internet access in hotel's lobby was also very handy.\nAs with previous reviewers, I can heartily reccomend the breakfasts at 'The Red Flame Diner' five doors down from the hotel.\nI enjoyed New York immensely, I will certainly be returning and definately staying at The Sofitel again.\nP.S. Do take your most comfortable shoes as you will do plenty of walking!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Booked the Sofitel for a bargain price of \u00a3364 on airline-network.\nWe were given a lovely king room, gorgeous bed, decor and bathroom. The room was just lovely after a long flight from Heathrow.\nThe reception staff always said hello or mostly \"bonjour!\" The location\nwas perfect, close enough to Times Square and 6th Avenue for some fun but quiet enough for some peace!\nThere was also a great restaurant almost next door which did some great breakfasts!\nWe drank at the bar both nights and had some great fun.\nCould not fault this hotel at all.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Only stayed in New York for 3 nights this time around so sleep and comfort were a priority and we were not disappointed at the Sofitel.\nOur queen room was large for NY standards (much larger than I expected!), very nicely furnished (with big cupboards/ iron/ safe / full-length mirror / fluffy bathrobes), and delightfully quiet. The bathroom had both a bath and a shower and lots of lovely products + candles & fresh flower (and the towels are from Frette...). The bed is just amazingly comfortable with fresh crisp linen - we're thinking of writing to Sofitel to ask where they got their beds from and buy the same one for our home! \nService was faultless, and both checking in and out was extremely quick. \nAnd of course the location is brilliant - minutes off Times Square and 5th avenue. \nPrice-wise, it is expensive but then again everything is expensive in NYC. We paid the same price for the Hudson hotel last year and had a very disappointing stay there. You can get the best rates on the internet, especially if you book the non-refundable option. Only drawback of the whole stay: the price of the breakfast which we did not know about until we signed the check (and it was too late!) - USD45 for 1 continental breakfast + 1 coffee... extortionate! Once bitten, twice shy - we went to a nearby diner for the rest of our stay. \nBut we'll definitely be back at the Sofitel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husband and I visit New York several times a year to visit our daughter. We stay in different hotels every time we go. This time we stayed at the Sofitel and although it was over and above what we would normally pay, it was worth every single cent. The staff are among the best we have encountered anywhere. Just walking through the lobby you know you are in for something very special. We had booked a \"Superior\" room, which is the cheapest, but there was nothing cheap about this room. The bed was the most comfortable we have slept in. The decor was understated elegance. The bathroom was amazing, not only a bath with shower, but an extremely large walk-in shower, enough for at least four people to shower at the same time! Only ever staying in 31/2 or 4 star hotels it is very unusual for \"room only\" hotels to have a turn down service at night. Not only were the beds turned down, but all the towels changed as well. They also supply big fluffy robes and slippers.....what more can you ask for. They also leave a note of what the weather will be like the next day....wow. Money permitting, we will definitely stay at the Sofitel again. All this and a five minute walk to Times Square.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "My wife and I visited this hotel during out first visit to New York\u2026 And what a hotel it is! Situated within walking distance of Broadway, Time Square, Central Park and the shopping sectors.\nA very elegant, stylish lobby greets you and around the corner awaits a humungus reception desk. The multi-lingual hotel staff were very pleasant and well turned out. We stayed in a \u201cDeluxe Queen\u201d room on the 14th floor as it was our wedding anniversary and shortly after settling into the room we were greeted by complimentary drinks and a handwritten card from the customer service manager wishing us a happy anniversary. Nice touch!\nThe room itself was spotless. Large mirrored double wardrobe across one wall. All the usual utilities (digital clock radio, big TV, internet, hairdryer etc). The bathroom had a separate tub and shower cubicle, large washbasin, and was very clean. \nBreakfast at the hotel restaurant was also pleasant, with continental and classic NY breakfasts (pancakes, eggs, bacon etc) being offered along with regular top ups of coffee and OJ.\nWe recommend this hotel to anyone visiting Manhattan; the location and the service make this a top notch hotel!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "I am always skeptical about reviews on these sites as i always think they are written by the staff, especially when they rave about a hotel. I needed to go to NY for a wedding so I wanted to be centrally located within a good area so I opted for the SOFITEL. There was a bit of a mix up on the booking as they deducted 4 payments within 1 day, however this was rectified immediately. When we arrived they checked us in swiftly then sent us to our room. The hotel is very clean, very art deco with a modern feel. The rooms are a little on the small side, however I now know what they mean about all good things come in small packages. The bathroom is superb (the shower is heaven) the marble surround is very plush. My biggest criticism is always the Iron never works properly and the bed is uncomfortable. Well this was certainly not the case. The bed was out of this world the most comfortable I have ever slept in. The iron actually ironed a cotton shirt to perfection. The room service was prompt and the staff was very helpful to say the least. I could not really fault anything about the hotel except there was no laundry service on a Sunday, hence ironing my own shirt. Thanks Sofitel it was a great experience", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "I stayed at the Sofitel 8/17-8/21 with my mother. This was our fourth stay at the hotel in the past two years and like the others, it was perfect. We didn\u2019t have any major complaints. We will definitely return.\nOur room was nice and our beds were super comfy. The hotel is soooo quiet! Even at night. \nThey have changed their bedding somewhat so it was a bit odd because instead of having a top sheet on your bed you just had a thick, down comforter. As luxurious as it was it was WAY to warm of something to sleep with in August so we requested \u201cregular\u201d sheets and housekeeping complied. Also, housekeeping kept shorting us on towels and wash cloths but they gladly brought extras up when I called. \nI\u2019ve never mentioned it before, but the lobby has a very nice seating area . It\u2019s a great place to wait after you\u2019ve checked out and you still have time before heading to the airport. There\u2019s free internet access off that part of the lobby too.\nAlso, I would recommend the Red Flame Diner just down the sidewalk for breakfast, lunch or dinner. We headed there every morning and got excellent food and service.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I stayed at the hotel for 8 nights at the end of July and early August. I based my decision to stay at this hotel by the reviews on this website. I was not disappointed. The staff, including the concierge, were professional, friendly, personable, and very helpful. I received a room upgrade (I was celebrating a marker birthday and this was acknowledged). Before I arrived, I talked with the hotel several times before booking to confirm details. I was pleasantly and efficiently serviced. I also called the concierge a few times asking for advice on what to see and for arranging theatre tickets. The service was personal and efficient. The rooms I had (I moved once from a lower level floor to a higher level floor) were large, clean, and nicely decorated. The marble bathroom, including the large acrylic shower stall, was modern and spacious. The make-up lights on the mirror were fantastic - the best I've ever experienced. The location was superb - just blocks to Times Square, the NY Public Library (try the free tour and use the wonderful reading rooms), Bryant Park (next to the library), the theatre district (what a joy to be able to walk to and from and not have to try and find an after-theatre cab), Central Park.... a great and safe location...\nBy the way, I booked through expedia and got a great rate!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My wife and I just returned from 4 nights at the Sofitel. We based our decision on the reviews from the TA website, and wanted to be close to Times Square. Our flight was delayed 2 hours, and because of Deltas \"Frequent Snorer\" program, sleep was not a possibility on our red-eye. We arrived at JFK at 6:30am, and by the time our cab made it through rush hour, we showed up at the front desk at about 8:00am. \nMy wife (6 months pregnant) was spent. I asked if I could pay a day rate to check in early, and they said the hotel was full that evening. The manager overheard, took one look at my wife, and came over to assist. She found us a room, with a beautiful view of the Chrysler bldg, and offered it at no charge! +1 Sofitel!\nThe room was fine. Very typical size, but very nicely appointed. +2 Sofitel!\nDelightful bed (we sleep on a tempur-pedic at home) +3, stunning bath room+4. The shower was so good we are now contacting the manf. of the showerhead to have one shipped and retrofitted to ours. +5!!!\nLocation was amazing. So close to TS, but just as easy to the Today show, and then another block or two to 5th Ave shopping. +6\nStaff was great from them moment we checked in. Very accomidating, and very personal. Always a smile to greet you even when you are walking by. +7.\nThe lobby is stunning, and in general the decor was A++++, +8 \nOur flight was late afternoon, and a late checkout was no problem. +8.5 Sofitel !!!!\nNow the glitches...\nYes, we got our bottled water about half the time, and if we were in our room during turndown time, the housekeeper never came back, the doorman was a tad preoccupied, and Gaby's was overpriced. Our stay included free breakfast and we only ate there 2 of our 4 days, even though it was free. The juice is $5/glass, and frankly, for $10, the Red Flame breakfast was better, in our opinion. \nAnd true, for some reason, the hallway to our room was toasty, yet our room could feel like the southpole if we had the thermostat set below 70. We kept it on automatic 72 and it was pleasant the whole trip. If you think the hallway is hot, try the ice room by the stairs.. wow!\nI got a kick out of the room service menu, mostly because a Red Bull is $18. I love NYC for stuff like that!\nAll in all... with all the glitches... -1 Sofitel. No big deal! \nEverything that mattered was perfect. The things that we didn't expect made up for everything else. The hotel, staff and location are incredible, and when we return, we'll stay there again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I. LOCATION: 1/2 block from 5th Ave, 2 1/2 blocks from Grand Central Station, 2 blocks from Broadway. Located in a much more quiet and less traffic street (W. 44th). This is more of a boutique hotel where you can find a quiet, cozy, warm lobby in contrast with the big American hotels. \nII. CLEANLINESS: Very clean. Nicely, tastefully and artistically decorated from the lobby to the rooms. They change your sheets and comforter so everything is fresh and clean. \nIII. COMFORT: The bed is superb. Nice room size for a NewYork Hotel. The tub and bathroom are surprisingly large. Very impressive furnitures. The amenities in the room are outstanding: you can find q-tips, listerine mint, umbrella, robes, slipper, safety pin, needle and threads, magnified mirror, candles (where applicable)and a scale. My room even had some fresh orchid in a stainless steel vase. The only missing one is a Bible and NO CABLE TV. They even have internet access in the room for $9.99/day but why pay if you can use one of the 3 super fast computers in their business center that includes a printer? \nIV. SERVICE: This is the best part of the hotel. Customer service was outstanding from replying to your email to checking in/out. My room was upgraded to a suite (without any request) because they know that we were the for a very special occasion. They even delivered a bottle of champagne to our room within 30 minutes of checking in. Housekeeping service is excellent. All requests were handled in a timely and professional manner. I'm a clean freak, so I normally request disinfectant and clean the room, especially bathroom and commode whenever I check in to a hotel. After that, I normally put a \"do not disturb\" sign outside so no one would come in and \"clean\" the room again with the same \"wiper\" they have used in other rooms. I only call for extra towels and shampoo...if needed. This time wasn't an exception. The bad news is, SECURITY knocked on my door after coming back from a long and tired trip and loudly stated that:\"it is the New York Policy that we have to check on you randomly, especially if you have the \"do not disturb\" sign out for too long. It is also hygiene that we are concerned of. We need to come in to clean your room unless you refuse the service. Do you refuse the service?\" \nV. COST: Reasonably priced comparing to other 4 stars hotels\nVI. TIPS: \n1. FOR THE FOOD: The food at the hotel is expensive but good. The pizza place across the street has great service and very good food (try the linguini with chopped clams in marinara sauce or white sauce for less than $9) The red flames cafe down the street toward 6th Ave doesn't have good service and the food quality is below average to me but at average price. My best choice for something fast, inexpensive, good and healthy is Cafe Europa (walk 1/2 block toward 5th Ave then make a right). Must make a reservation to Club 21 in the evening. Try the better Prefixe (choice of Apetizer, entre and desert) for $68 or spend a little more for the \"Taster\" which includes different wines and foods. Check out (---) for more. Must experience the Bateaux New York Cruise and dinner at night along Hudson River. Want something more romantic on this cruise? Upgrade the package to \"Romance on the river\" and you will be treated like a VIP, the lady will get 1/2 dozen of roses. For more, check (---)\n2. FOR THE SHOWS: Don't need to spend big bucks on expedia or online to get \"good seats\". Most of these theaters give you extremely good view of the stage. In fact, I think you will get better view seating upstair. You can save 50% by standing in line at the ticket booths on Broadway (cash only).\n3. FOR TRANSPORTATION: \na. From and to airport to hotel: If you want to save money then subway is best. If you have at least 2 people in your party then go with the taxi and save you from traveling all over town in a super shuttle. It is only 8-10 dollars more if you have at least 2 people.\nb. Around town: Best to walk even if it is 15 blocks away. Too much to see and too many people walking, we walked 15 blocks before realizing it. From Sofitel to most destinations would cost you $5.50-12.00 for 2 (Taxi charge: $2.50 starting + 40 cents for each 1/5 mile + 40 cents for each stop that is longer than 2 minutes + $1 for extra person during a certain period of time. Going to Financial District or China Town, the least expensive way is subway ($2-4)\n4. FOR THE SHOES: Bring your most comfortable walking shoes or slippers (best with open toes to prevent friction) and some bandages. You are guaranteed to have blisters even with the most comfortable shoes. \n5. SOFITEL HOTEL CHOICE: Don't stay at Sofitel if you have kids who need more attraction and kid's amenites. This hotel is a perfect choice for adults and business travelers.\nOVERALL: A wonderful hotel. A must stay and must come back.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 31}, {"text": "My girlfriend and I stayed at Sofitel on July 23rd and 24th during a quick little getaway to NYC. Most personnel were quite friendly and accomodating, the lobby is quite nice, and I appreciated the free internet room off the lobby. One very annoying detail was the Lack of Air Conditioning In The Hotel Hallway! If I am being naive, please tell me, but I have travelled all over the world and stayed in a great many hotels. Never have I paid $300 and had to sweat while waiting for the elevator - NYC was in the mid-90's during our stay. Bizarre, but the couple from Boca in the room next door (who apparently paid close to $600 for a room that was just a tad larger) were neither shocked nor put off by this. Whatever. Workout room is decent, no pool, no jacuzzi, no sauna. Concierge is a passive aggressive guy who does things sequentially and slowly. Bell staff were quite nice. large stain in carpet in the room (pretty unacceptable even to rent a room with this problem, I feel, but the bell guy offered us another room, which we declined. bathroom clean, room otherwise pretty nice, but small. I did use my privelige card and got a 4pm checkout, as well as a small box of chocolates and 2 bottles of evian - nobody said anything about the free drink at the bar, which is promised, and I didn't ask. I was told by the older couple that I got a great deal (259 I think, plus a boatload of tax), and I guess I did okay. I like being wowed, though. Maybe you can't do that in New York for these prices, however.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed at Sofitel for our 10th anniversary and we were extremely satisfied with the hotel. After reading some of the not-so-hot recent reviews, we were worried. Not to worry...everything was perfect with Sofitel. \nBefore we arrived, we asked for early check-in and a high-floor room. When we arrived at noon, a room on the 22nd floor was waiting for us. However, because there were no Executive King Suites at the time we booked directly with the hotel, we asked if they had any cancellations since our booking and if so, could we upgrade to one from our Premier Queen room. They found a King on the 20th floor that we had to wait for but we didn't mind since it would be free of charge. We later found out that they had moved us without a fuss, even though they had already set up champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries in the first room. The champagne was a nice touch from the hotel and the strawberries were sent from a friend.\nWhen we got into our room, we had a nice view to the side of the Chrysler Building and could see part of the top of the Empire State Builidng. The room was nicely decorated, not too modern and none of the furniture was shabby (as one past reviewer mentioned). The room was fairly big for a hotel room in a big city and the carpet looked and felt clean even walking on it barefooted. Strangely though, the room was not a suite even though the bed was a king bed. We had assumed that it would be a suite with it's own sitting room since a past reviewer had mentioned that the only way to get a king bed was to book a suite. I don't think that's the case now. The bed was absolutely comfortable!!! I like firm beds and my husband likes softer beds. For some reason, we BOTH had no problems sleeping in comfort on this bed. \nThe spacious bathroom was extremely clean, with the marble floor so clean that I didn't feel like I had to lay down towels or use slippers while standing bare footed. There is a separate bathtub and a separate shower which is nice since you don't have to step over the side of a tub to get into the shower. The water pressure was adequate and the toiletries they had were nice enough. I would recommend you bring your own hair conditioner if you use it regularly to get out tangles. The hair conditioner they provided never did the trick. The lighting was great in the bathroom, especially with the lights surrounding the entire mirror...great for when you were putting on your make-up or shaving. \nUnlike a previous reviewer, our air conditioning for the room worked extremely well and was a blessing when we would come back after a day of sightseeing in the heat and humidity. Oddly though, we noticed that the hotel cools the lobby areas nicely but only cooled the hallway of our floor at a minimum. The lobby area was so nicely cooled that you could sit there for hours. Plus, Sofitel provides guests with access to three computers and a printer 24 hours a day in their lobby. This was wonderful for getting Broadway tickets at the last minute (sign up for free membership to Playbill and you'll get discounts or check Craigslist for last minute tickets) and for checking in and printing out your airline boarding pass the night before you depart.\nFor the $289 a night we paid, we were extremely happy with Sofitel. We've stayed in much worse for the price. The hotel is in great shape and it truly is within walking distance to everything...2 blocks to Time Square and the theaters and 3 blocks the opposite direction to Grand Central Station where you can take the subway to all tourist areas. It's even easier to hail a cab from Sofitel than say if you stayed at a busier hotel in or closer to Time Square where you have to compete with others for a taxi at busy commute times. \nP.S. Try to get Broadway tickets to Spamalot...it was costly but SOOO worth it. \nAlso, do NOT buy the \"New York City Pass\" which offers admission for several museums and attractions for one price for a set number of days. We barely recovered the money we spent for the passes because you just couldn't do too much with the lines and the crowds. The pass claims that you get to bypass the ticket lines at some of the attractions. True, you don't have to wait in the TICKET lines at some places but you will have to wait in the line for those people like you who purchased the pass. These lines were almost as long as the ticket lines! For example, we could have used the computer kiosks (no lines) for purchasing admission tickets at the Museum of Natural History but since it was covered in our pass, we waited in a long line. And at the Empire State Building, we had to wait in line with everyone who was buying tickets. If we didn't have the pass, we could have spent a little more money and purchased \"Express\" tickets that allowed you to bypass all the lines or move to the front of the lines (i.e., security check).", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "First time visitors to NYC for a romantic fling, my wife and I booked the Sofitel based on reviews from this site. Not disappointed at all. Great location in the center of everything, especially busy Times Square. But once inside the front door, quiet beauty surrounds you. All staff seemed friendly (but we had no issues or special requests). Room was smallish. Bathroom was best ever - esp. the shower and the surrounding marble. Red Flame, a few doors toward TS + the only real option for breakfast, was delicious, fast, and coffee cups constantly filled. Helpful to us could have been info re: best was to get Broadway tix, tours, recommended deli's, nearby sites (Bryant Park is a jewel and only two blocks away), etc. Would we stay at Sofitel again? Yes!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "This hotel is definetly worthy of the rave reviews. The location is fantastic, easy to get everywhere, but not in the middle of chaos. The rooms are nicely decorated, not gaudy and not overly modern. The bathroom is above what I expected with a separate marble shower and tub and a marble top sink. However, I will say this is what I expect in a hotel in this price range ($250+/night). Front desk was extremely accomodating in giving us a room with a view of the chrysler building when asked. Worth noting, however, is not all rooms are outfitted with feather beds and down comforters as noted in other reviews. All suites and King rooms have them, but only scattered queen rooms do. Our first room had a normal hotel polyester bed setup, not what I would expect for this price, so I called the front desk and they came and changed our linens, no questions asked. Overall a great place to stay.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "My daughter and I spent a couple of days at the Sofitel for our first visit to NY. I made the decision based on the reviews here at this website. First off we are not regular travelers but we both wanted to stay in a 'luxury' NYC hotel within our budget.\nThe room, beds, BATHROOOM, view, service could not of been better for what we wanted. We wanted a clean, safe, quiet, above average hotel and we got it plus some. I had a problem with my bank charges and the hotel staff was extremely patient with me as it turned out it was my bank and not the hotel that doubled a charge. They were superb in every way. They kept my bags at the hotel all day Sunday as our flight was not till that evening - all at no charge. Randy at the front door will take care of anything you need. He let me park my rental car in front of the hotel for a few hours at no charge.\nWhat can I say... when I return to NYC I know where I will stay. Only 2 blocks from Times square but not a lot of pedestrians. We got a room with 2 single beds but they were larger than an average single size bed. We paid 289.00 per night + tax (we booked straight from the Sofitel website)\nThis is my first review ever and maybe the last, but I wanted to share my opinion, as I was able to take advantage of others sharing theirs.\nI am sure there are tons of great hotels in NYC, however based on the positive things written about Sofitel on this website, I was not dissapointed or suprised at the quality. My fear was that it would just be average like a double tree or something - don't worry, it is NOT average but above average. Imagine walking into a simple yet beautiful hotel with helpful and professional staff, a clean comfortable room with beds that you can really snooze on and a bathroom like one in a beautiful custom home. \nLIke I said almost perfect. Almost because this review is subjective to my opinion.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed at this hotel in the middle of June for 2 nights. When we checked in the staff was very nice and reminded us to use the priviledge card because we definitley forgot. When we got to our room it was very impressive.........lacked a little character but it was very clean. The bed was sooooooo low and small I didn't notice this until I got up close. \nBe sure to put the extra lock on your door because house keeping just tried to walk in on us the first morning there (without knocking) she apologized and we said \"no problem\". The second day it happened twice (this time with just 1 knock!)......the apologies started getting old by then. We had priviledge card so check out was supposed to be at 4pm but someone from the front desk showed up at our door questioning us about it and when we told him we had the card he said that we were supposed to notify the front desk ( remind you the front desk reminded us to use our card and we DID). I explained to him that we showed our card at front desk and he said \"okay\"...........no apologies for the inconvenience. \nI would not stay here again. Sooooo not worth the $350.00 a night.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We stayed at the Sofitel for two nights and experienced incredible service. Having booked a premier Queen room, we were upgraded to a deluxe King room. I had emailed ahead of time to let them know that it was a special occasion (husband's first art opening in NYC), and that we would be arriving at 8am on a redeye. In my email I asked to store our luggage upon arrival, and if possible (it was a longshot) to check in early. To our surprise, when we arrived at the hotel at 8am as planned, they had the upgraded room ready for us! And they didn't charge us for an extra night, as is usually the case when you check in that early. We took a nice luxurious nap in the extremely comfy King size bed before heading out into the city later that day. Our entire stay was wonderful, the food at Gaby's is very good (if pricey) and the location is right in the heart of Times Square. We have stayed at four-star hotels in NYC several times, and have never received such warm and generous service. I would highly recommend this hotel to anyone traveling to NYC.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed for 5 nights in June 2005 and whilst the hotel was OK, I cannot work out why it is hyped up by so many people on this website. The rooms are a reasonable size with nice bathrooms. The staff are friendly, though the dinner recommendation from the concierge the first night was so poor I can only assume she was on commission. We had no major complaints and felt the hotel was quite adequate, but far from memorable and lacking in any character. We will not bother returning.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "stayed here for 3 nights after a 5 night stay in las vegas. I would have to say that this hotel was excellent. The service for me couldnt be faulted the doorman, concierage, reception staff and bar staff were all friendly and very helpful. the red flame diner is great for breakfast and there is also a good french restaurant further down the street for a late dinner (recommended by doorman). I thought the hotel bar was also great from my perspective, its a very art deco, relaxing bar with great cocktails, its not a party bar but for me and my wife it was perfect for quiet conversations at the start or end of an evening. Definately a hotel i would go back to", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "This is a warning to travellers like me who have read the effusive reviews of SofitelNYC on Tripadvisor.com, this hotel is nothing special and there many other hotels in this city that offer better value, like W Tuscany who have similar \nrates. The service is undeniably friendly yet barely competent, the property is reasonalby well maintained though lacks any flair.\nIn short staying at Sofitel has not been a disater but has no wow factor", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 29}, {"text": "We stayed at the Sofitel May 12 - May 19 for 7 nights in a deluxe room. \nI did a lot of research before I chose my hotel as I wanted somewhere really romantic and special. Tripadvisor reviews helped me choose the Sofitel and I don't regret it. I passed a lot of other top hotels while in New York and they certainly did not look nearly as nice.\nI highly recommend the Sofitel hotel and here's why:\n-The rooms are beautifully decorated, romantic and luxurious. The rooms still feel very new (which may be unusual in New York). The rooms were certainly large enough and I cannot see any need for a suite. We had plenty of storage areas for both our clothes. The beds are also very comfy. I would have put some photos on but they are identical to the ones already available and identical to the photos on the Sofitel website.\n-I booked a deluxe room (one with a view). The view was well worth the extra money. We had a view of the Chrysler building, which when lit up at night is beautiful. On a couple of evenings we ordered room service, dimmed the lights, opened the curtain and put on some romantic music. This was probably the most romantic meal to be had in the whole of New York.\n-The marble bathroom (with shower and bath) is everything you would expect of a top hotel. The shower is hot and powerful and I found it very relaxing after a day traipsing around New York.\n-The staff are extremely attentive, prompt, friendly and polite. The door staff were always on hand opening doors and getting cabs. Whenever I called room service or any other staff someone arrived very promptly. Maid service is very good and twice a day.\n-Location is good (20 minutes to Central Park, 2 mins Time Square and 10minutes from nearly every shop). That said, my ideal location would be nearer central park and not so near Time Square. \n-The lobby and gym look wonderful.\n-You cannot hear any other rooms or outside from the rooms in the Sofitel. Again I think this is unusual in New York.\nOther points:\n-I arranged a Sofitel card before I arrived and so I got a late check out (although I had to ask twice).\n-If you want a high floor (some room prices are not for a high floor so I don't think you will get one) ask for one, I asked for the 27th floor and got it.\n-Room service is 24 hours which is very handy when you are too exhausted to leave the room. The food is nice.\n-As with many Tripadvisors mentioned, the Red Flame Diner next door offers a very good breakfast.\n-For anyone worried about snobbery, don't... we were young AND in jeans all week and were treated very nicely!\n-Traveller's tip: book the tour of the statue of liberty (to go inside) in advance otherwise even if you turn up early you may only be able to visit the island.\n-Traveller's tip: If you are a foreign visitor in Macy's go to the visitor's centre on the 1st floor for an 11% discount card.\nDrawbacks:\n-Its not cheap so book early and use the internet to reduce the cost.\n-For some reason there was an occasional noise in our room, possibly the air con. It didn't really bother me, but I guess it could be a draw back.\n-The hotel is not really a social place with a lively bar, so if you need somewhere like that I hear that the Hudson is better.\n-There is very slight wear and tear in the rooms, again I think it is probably far better than any other older hotels (the Sofitel is only 5 years old).\nOverall I would rate this hotel as luxurious with excellent service and staff and beautiful rooms.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "We stayed in this hotel for only one night, but it was excellent. The hotel room is quite big and the bathroom great: a great separate shower cabin and bathtub. The bed is soft and luscious, the only downside being that it is also somewhat springy - i.e., if you move a lot during your sleep, your bedpartner will bounce along with you.\nLocation is great, walking distance from Grand Central station, right between 6th and 5th on W 44th st. Helpful and courteous staff.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Just returned from the Sofitel and I can not recommend this hotel enough. Its in a great location which allows you to walk almost anywhere. The rooms were really clean and well worth the money. I stayed in the Larger rooms on the higher floors which were great as you got a proper sitting area as well as your bedroom. The Bathrooms are really nice with a seperate shower. I would recommend this hotel to anyone. There's a diner just down the road called the red flame, very reasonably priced - good for breakfasts! The staff at the hotel were always willing to help and very friendly.\nIf anyone wants to go to the theatre do not purchase tickets before hand. There's a kiosk in times square and they sell tickets for the day at a 50% discount. We went on the day we wanted to see the show at 4pm (show was at 8pm) there were hardly any queues and got brillant seats for half price.\nA must go to restaurant for steak lovers is Smiths & Wollensky's. Making a reservation is advised as they are so busy but the food was great!\nAnyone that stays at the sofitel will not be dissapointed we had a terrific stay and I'm sure you will too", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Stayed at Sofitel 6 nights in april 2005 and it's really one of the best in NYC. Went to other NYC hotels (Marriott, Westin, Hilton, Ritz..) nothing is like the Sofitel. Rooms are nice size, very good decoration and the bathroom with the french toilleteries is amazing. All the hotel is in very good condition, beautifull desing and very quiet after a busy day in manhattan. But what is makes sofitel different, are all the little extras(chocolate, evian water,slippers, candel ,floyers..) and attention from good staff that we canot find in other american hotel chain. And for those who are looking for the clothe drawers they are located in the bedside desk!!! It will be my home from now in NYC, location is perfect. Nothing wrong at all to say about this hotel, Tres bien, excellent!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "The Sofitel is a wonderful place to stay unless a really comfortable bed is important to you. Their beds are just average, their pillows below average. The sheets are 100% cotton, but the blankets are velux (yuk) and the duvet is polyester. \nPLUSES:\n-Wonderful location - close to Fifth Avenue and the Theatre District.\n-Fantastic bathroom, marble, glass, soaking tub, separate shower, large luxurious towels and robes. Bath products are Roger & Gallet, slippers are provided.\n-Service is fast, very friendly and gracious. We were shown three different suites until we found the one we liked.\n-Tall windows that open at the bottom. Great views available on the higher floors.\nMINUSES:\n-Beds are not that comfortable. Too bad because everything else at the hotel is very high quality.\n-In order to get a king bed you have to get a suite. \n-No drawers for clothing. You have to use shelves and a very small closet.\nOne tip - go to the Sofitel website and get a free Accor Privilege Card. This entitles you to a free drink per person, chocolate, Evian and 4:00 pm checkout.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "I chose the Sofitel for my recent stay in New York, based on its Trip Advisor popularity.\nThe hotel is new and the accomodations are pretty good. The staff was always pleasant, but not THAT efficient.\nBut several things were not as good as I would have expected.\nEven though the bathroom was beautiful, the sink was cracked and THE SHOWER DID NOT DRAIN PROPERLY.\nTheir TV e-mail was slow and not user-friendly.\nBut the really unforgivable part was their phone system. They charged me $15,46 for a one minute call to Argentina (probably several hundred times their cost) and they also tried to charge me for several calls that had not been completed.\nTo make things worse, their phone system is set up so that I was unable to use a toll-free phone card I had. I got a busy signal every time I tried and wasted a lot of time trying. I stepped outside to a pay phone and got through immediately.\nThat is why my review is titled \"Highway robbery\".\nIf I go to New York again, I will try another hotel.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "We just completed another stay at the Sofitel. We moved from there to the Millenium Hilton because i had some HHonors points to use. Despite the Millenium Hilton being a nice hotel the Sofitel excels in many ways. As we are staying back to back in the two I thought I would offer a comparison.\nBathrooms are much better at the Sofitel. They are truly beatiful, with a seperate glassed in shower, marble floors and granite counter tops. Hiltons bath is very average with a shower curtain over the tub (ick!). Hiltons shower control had 2 inch in red and blue that say HOT COLD. Its very tacky/ institutional.\nTowels in the Sofitel are thick and absorbant. You can also lounge around in the provided robe and slippers. Towels are nice at the hiton but not as thick, no robe, no slippers. \nBath Products in the Sofitel are Roger et Gallet. I love them and stock up on them at every stay. I also find the sewing kit handy. Hilton offers Neutrogena which is okay but I am not compelled to keep them, no sewing kit in sight.\nAC unit in the sofitel well conceled in the ceiling and cools the rooms swiftly. The Hilton has a large metal unit under the window. The AC happens to be out in the entire hotel today.\nDespite the two hotels being about the same price I find the Sofitel much more luxurious.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "my wife and i stayed at the hotel for three nights between 31st march and 3rd april.i had booked this hotel way back in october 2004.i also had a sofitel privilege card which was free and well worth having.you get complimentary free drinks and late check out which we used.my wife was forty whilst we were at the hotel and i had emailed the hotel in advance to tell them and ask for an upgrade.the upgrade was not available but they left a bottle of champagne in our room in a bucket of ice.the room was lovely with a great bathroom.the queen deluxe was a lovely room and more than adequate.very polite and professional staff.the only thing that lets this hotel down is the entrance which is dull and lacking in colour.that was my only gripe.drinks were reasonably priced in the bar as well.excellent hotel and i would definitely stay there again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "Stayed for four nights wished we had longer to stay. Elegant,charming,peaceful yet in a superb position to enjoy the pleasures of New York. The rooms, the staff and the general ambience make this the place we will return to when we go back to New York. Concierge and door staff helpful with a great knowledge of the city. Vive la France!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 35}, {"text": "We booked 4 nights at the Soffitel seeing all the positive reviews. And we were not disappointed!!! We arrived at 11am in the morning hoping to be able to put our bags with the Concierge. Instead they offered us a room!!! That was very nice considering that the check-in time is at 3pm. We really appreciated this. (We did have the Soffitel Privilege Card)\nEverything in the room was very well organized. The room was very clean and had all the amenities. The only thing we could have used was a coffee maker. But not critical at all. We were also given 2 free drinks and chocolates the first night.\nThe bathroom was big, spacious and had all the little knick-knacks one needs. Cosmetics were all french, a bonus for those who prefer french toiletries.\nThe service at every level was impeccable and helped to make the stay very very pleasureable.\nAlthough room service was expensive, there were a number of very good restaurants within walking distance to the hotel. As a tourist, the subway was very close, shopping at 5th avenue was 2 mins away, and the museums were either within walking distance or a short subway ride away. The location was excellent.\nAnd yes, I would recommend this hotel to all my friends. And we would stay there agian when we went to NYC.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 38}, {"text": "Just returned from an excellent break at the Sofitel New York, my husband and I booked a suite which was on the 26th floor directly with the Hotel. We stayed from Friday 1 April to Monday 4 April 2005. We also completed the privilege card which allowed for a late check out (4pm) & complimentary drinks. The service was fast and friendly from beginning to end, and the hotel well located for shops, museums etc. The decor was great as was the view!\nThe suite was a good size,equipped with iron and board !\nBreakfast in the Gaby Restaurant was also good, but there are sooo many places to eat that you cant go wrong!\nIf you are going before June 2005, spend an evening at the Belesco Theatre, 3 minute walk, where Julius Caesar is running, starring Denzel Washington and British Actor Eamon Walker. The whole cast was excellent! Shopping in New York is good, we walked everywhere and did not feel intimidated in any way.\nI will be returning later this year and the Sofitel will be my first choice , thank you to previous write ups for assisting us in making such a good choice which is why I am doing one in return !", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 32}, {"text": "EXCELLENT! MARVELLOUS!! Very clean, excellent staff, high quality room...... I could go on but I guess you get it! WAY better than The Time hotel we had the misfortune to book into last Easter!!! Got that one?....... The Time, 49th Ave :o(", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "I booked the Sofitel based (after exhaustive research) on the reviews here, and it really does deserve the reputation it's earned here. This review applies to a suite - I splashed out this one time as it was a special occasion. Good accomodation is something I place great importance on - it's great to just crash out sometimes and watch a movie for a few hours - the Sofitel surpassed this expectation in every measurable sense.\nRooms are absolutely luxurious - they look identical to the pictures on their site (something that's very rare these days). Attention to detail is extraordinary; mini Hi-fi, CD clock radio, travel adapter in room, bathrobes, slippers, candle in bathroom (along a little box with a nail file, shower cap and some mints), separate shower, silk coat hangers; there was even an umbrella provided in the closet.\nLocation is perfect - 5th Ave (including Met Life building) on one side; Times Square is a few blocks away on the other, but it's still in a very quiet spot. The room was totally soundproof; I never heard any street noise, and couldn't even tell if there was anyone in the room next to me - it's the first hotel I've stayed in for a long time where I've had a proper nights sleep.\nStaff go out of their way to help their guests - nothing is too much trouble. Just to give an idea of the high quality service - on the first night, there was some ambient noise from the air conditioning in the room. When I asked to change rooms the following morning, the receptionist brought to a suite that had an even better view of the Empire State building. When transferring the bags to the new room, he not only insisted on carrying both (heavy) bags, but would not accept a tip for the trouble - that truly is first class service. The only problem after that was that I didn't want to leave the room !\nAll in all, fabulous; if like myself, good accomodation is of great importance, don't hesitate to book the Sofitel - I know I won't next time.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Yes i'm afraid i am going to write a similar review to every other one posted on this hotel.We had booked a King Suite for a 3 night stay over Easter on the back of the recommendations on this page and as you would expect me to say,we were not disappointed.A beautiful hotel with great sized rooms and everything you need to have a beautiful stay and probably the world's most comfortable bed.My wife and I had stopped in a suite at the Bellagio in Las Vegas earlier this year and there wasn't any difference in the quality or the service at all and all this on top of being in the middle of everything.We were delayed by 5 hours on the way out so were worn out by the time we got to the hotel as it was very late,it was a pleasant surprise then that it took us all of about 30 seconds to check in with the exceptionally friendly staff on reception.I asked for a room with a view of The Chrysler Building and The Empire State to which i was told that the views from this room were exceptional but if we were not happy in any way at all just ask and we would be moved.When we woke up early the next morning we didn't have views of either building but even though it was made clear that we could move we are not the fussy type and were more than happy with our room anyway so we stayed put.The fact that the offer to move was enough,you really couldn't fault the attitude of the staff,it was first class.We did go to the Red Flame every morning for breakfast and,as everyone says,it is great.A real old school,friendly place just 4 doors down from the front entrance to the hotel but get in there before 9am otherwise you'll have to wait a while.I can also recommend a deli on the same side of the street as the entrance(the back of the hotel) to Gaby,the hotel's retaurant about 5 doors down,everything you needed in there.Also the worlds best Pizza parlour was opposite the entrance to Gaby,a place called Little Italy,it has been voted New York's best pizza place and if you have a slice you can tell why.A great hotel,great location and everything taken care of so you don't need to worry.We would definitely stay at the Sofitel again if we go back to New York.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I can simply say that anytime we return to NYC, this is where we will stay. I cannot imagine a better hotel for: location (peacefully quiet and only a 2 block walk down 44th and you are in Times Sq), ammenities (imagine a large king bedroom with perfect A/C, a good sized bathroom with seperate bath and shower and great toiletries and this in NYC?), staff (always friendly and polite with a ready smile), facilities (4 elevators and our maximum wait was about 15 seconds!!!, quiet bar/lounge, plenty of quality umbrellas for use).\nWe arrived on the red-eye from San Francisco at 6:00 am on Sunday morning and were at the hotel by 7:00 am. Although room checkin is usually 3:00 pm and the hotel was FULL the previous night, they were able to get us a room by midday.\nI recommend breakfast each day 3 doors down at The Red Flame diner - cheap but nice and not rushed. We didn't use the hotel restaurant for eating, though we had a couple of night cap cocktails that were nice and not overly expensive (I do recommend the 8th floor lounge at the Marriott on Times Sq for cocktails and Tapas).\nCabs are convenient because they are EVERYWHERE however a cheaper alternative is the subway. The nearest subway entry is 42nd and 5th - 3 streets down - a great/safe way to explore the city for $7 a day jumping on and off as often as you like. Greyline bus tours is located on 46th and 8th - again a short walk.\nI could go on and on about the benefits of this hotel, but that would only duplicate other reviews. Go on, just do it!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Exellent hotel - perfect location, excellent luxurious large rooms with lurvely duvets, huge marble bathrooms, lovely brasserie downstairs, courteuos staff. Stayed here for a month in August 2003 when it first opened - what a wonderful experience. Times square and Lexington are just a stonesthrow away.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "we stayed for five nights in early March 2005 and absolutely loved the hotel. It is just in such a fantastic position, the view from our 23rd floor window was the Empire State Building straight ahead and the Chrysler Building to the left. Such a lovely bed and bathroom with all those gorgeous little touches making it special. Great toiletries,robes,flowers,ironing board,powerful hairdryer etc,etc. The bar prices were the same as everywhere else...EXPENSIVE. so worth stopping there for the one for the road!!!!! We didn't eat in the Gaby but it looked inviting.Breakfast in 'red' diner few doors down on the right was fine.\n New York is exciting,interesting and exhausting and it was always a pleasure to retreat to the Sofitel. Thanks trip advisor.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My wife & I have just returned from a 4 night stay at the Sofitel (9th - 13th March '05). Our decision on booking this hotel was primarily based upon TripAdvisor reviews and I'm glad to say the good reviews are accurate.\nThe staff were polite & friendly and there was a distinct french feeling about the place (possibly being greeted with bonjour & bonsoir each day!). The lobby/reception areas were spacious and very smart. There were 4 lifts which were very quick, so not much hanging around. The concierges & doormen were helpful - in fact the concierge organised our transfer back to the airport with SuperShuttle.\nThe room was excellent - spacious, clean, tastefully decorated and being on the 27th floor, we had a magnificent view with a window that went from floor to ceiling. The room was quiet and even with the window open it wasn't too noisy. Didn't use the TV except for the TV Internet facility ($10.95 for 24hrs) which was useful for checking emails & info on Broadway shows, Heliport flights etc etc). The bathroom was a good size with separate bath and shower cubicle and all fitted to a high standard.\nHotel location was also excellent. It felt as though it was in a very safe area on 44th street halfway between 5th & 6th avenues. Very close to Grand CT, Time Square, Rockefeller Center and so on. Didn't try the Hotel restaurant so can't comment on it, but there is a great diner (The Red Flame) about 30 metres along the street that opens at 6:00am and serves all your breakfast needs at reasonable prices.\nThe Sofitel isn't necessarily a cheap hotel, but worth the extra to have somewhere decent to crash out after a busy day. Would certainly consider staying here again on our next visit - can't think of any reason not to.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 33}, {"text": "My fiance and I got engaged in New York last September and stayed at a different hotel over in Murray Hill which was great if a little old. However, we were coming back to the city (to buy wedding rings this time!) and we wanted to stay somewhere different, so I checked out the Sofitel, was very impressed with the reviews on this site and booked it.\nWe stayed there from 5-8th March and it was simply the best hotel that either myself or my fiance had ever stayed in (and we've stayed in A LOT of hotels!). There is no way that this is a 4 star hotel - its 5 star all the way, from the impressive lobby, to the courteous staff, to the fantastic bedrooms.\nI was totally thrilled from the minute we walked in, we requested a room with a view and were given a room on 21st floor - no problem, the bathroom was absolutely fabulous, the room spacious and spotless. We even had the maid come in again at night to turn down our bed, and leave a bottle of mineral water with the weather forecast for the next day!\nI can't rate this hotel enough, its in a great location between 5th and 6th Avenues, 2 blocks from Times Square and close to many great attractions and stores. Definitely sign up for the Sofitel Privelege card, worth it for the late check out alone. Also the restaurant in the hotel (Gaby's) is top class and well worth a visit.\nWe would not stay anyway else in New York now!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Stayed here from March 7th '05 to March 11th and like a lot of other reviewers I decided on the Sofitel based on reviews left by others on sites like Tripadvisor and based on the detail available on the hotels website. I really can only support what other have said .. the hotel is in an excellent location, the 25th floor suite was in perfect condition and the staff were extremely helpful. \nThis was my first trip to New York and as I planned to pop a certain question to my girlfiend, everything needed to be perfect. As requested, the roses, rose petals, champagne and gooey chocolate dessert arranged via the Concierge were setup perfectly. The blanket of snow outside and the twinkling city lights (not in the hotels control I know) made the night a very, very special one.\nThis really is a first class hotel and we will definately book future New York trips with the Sofitel. In fact we'll check if there's a Sofitel hotel in other locations for all of our future trips in Europe, the U.S. and beyond. \nOh, she said 'Yes' by the way. Hooray !!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Just returned from a three night stay at the Sofitel, NYC and was very impressed. Check-in staff were lovely, rooms spacious and the most comfortable beds ever. Fabulous big bathrooms with a great separate shower.\nThe room was immaculate every day and the turn-down service superb. The weather forecast and bottles of evian very nice touches.\nCheck-out was quick and efficient and the doorman kindy arranged a fabulous car to the airport for us.\nCan't imagine staying anywhere else if returning to New York - if you have a stay at the Sofitel booked be very excited and if not, do not be afraid to book this exellently located hotel. It was certainly worth every penny we paid.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Stayed here for six nights last week of january into February.From the word go I knew I had made the right hotel choice.The absolutely beautiful foyer and desk area were a welcome sight after a long haul flight.The receptionist was a delight,she greeted and made us feel like we were the only guests staying here.I had asked for a twin room on a high floor via e-mail prior to arriving and was assured this was no problem at all.The room allocated was on the 23rd floor right in a very quiet corner,and it was beautiful.Much bigger than in the photos the site prints.Two double beds with luxurious bedding.Floor to ceiling mirrors,lots of closet space.and what felt like brand new carpets.The bathroom was very large and very modern.A huge walk-in shower and lovely fluffy towels and lots of French toiletries.The towels were changed twice a day and flowers and scented candled are positioned there also.Turn down service also great.with complimentary evian water every night.\n The gym is small but has all up to date excersise machines.The bar looked lovely too,although we did not eat or drink there.There is a restaraunt just a few doors down called the red flame which is perfect for breakfast etc...and very cheap!.\n All in all I was delighted with this hotel.After a day of exploring and sight seeing I could think of no better place to rest my weary head.\n If you are going to new york don't stay anywhere else.Pay a little extra and stay at the 'Sofitel'. You will not be sorry.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "My wife and I are what you might call 'High Maintenance' in fact our standard line when getting to the check-in desk is 'give us the key to the third room first!' however this hotel practically went all the way to meeting our very exacting standards - unprecedented!\nI think the charming girl at the front desk got our measure straight away and when my wife requested a king room on a high floor (as opposed to a queen room on a low floor) she suggested that we have a look at 2 rooms that she had available - excellent!\nWhen we decided on our lovely king room my wife went through her 'is it worthy?' hotel room check; \nspacious room - check, luxury fittings - check, good quality bed linen-check, luxury marble bathroom with quality toiletries - check, fluffy bathrobe and slippers - check. It was all there and more e.g. flowers in the room and complimentary Evian water. \nIf I had to come up with any small niggles I would say that you better be packing light cos the wardrobe was v small and whats with the rock/up tempo music in the lobby? What did I tell you - high maintenance!\nOverall we absolutely loved this hotel and would definitely stay there again which is not something we say often!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "I surprised my wife with a trip to NYC so she could pick out her own bday gift on Fifth Avenue...okay...I forgot to pick one out myself so this was a quick \"save my tail\" manuever. If you are looking to be in the middle of shopping galore, Sofitel is is! Two blocks West is Fifth Avenue and two blocks East is Times Square Tourist Zone. Location is fabulous. You can get anywhere w/o a cab. The Hotel is beautifully decorated in modern furnishings, trimmings, and art. The room is the standard small Manhattan type, but the bathroom more than makes up for it. Huge! All marble, modern decor, stand alone shower , soaking tub...it is great. The lobby is impressive as is the exercise room for a quick pump. Go online and get their Loyalty card a few weeks before going. They will send you a temporary card in the mail. It gets you a 4pm checkout among other things.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I arrived in New York on a short business/pleasure trip and promptly checked in at The Plaza, which, had I have read the reviews on here, would have avoided in the first place.I checked out after 3 hours and was recommended the Sofitel by a colleague. So there I headed.For both business and pleasure side of things (i.e. need an early night/come back late at night!) the hotel is perfect. Superb location, very (*VERY*) friendly and accomodating staff across the board (concierge/front desk/bar) and a fantastic room (had a \"Superior Queen\" - looked round a suite for an extra $100 a night and, had I have planned to stay in the hotel longer, I would have upgraded to).As a previous reviewer wrote, you can hear activity in the corridor sometimes, but I didn't find it too obstructive.How a hole like The Plaza can be a 5* hotel, versus the 4* Sofitel, I will never know.Will definately be using this hotel as \"base\" in my future visits, and will be recommending my colleagues and friends alike to do the same.If after you've stayed here you feel differently, I'm sure the staff would only be too willing to right any wrongs.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "mi esposa y yo estuvimos 5 dias, vimos 2 obras de broadway, fuimos a ver jugar a los nicks, a los rangers,ambos al madison squard garden, al central park,a la quinta avenida, a la iglesia de san patricio y de san thomas, a la estacion central, a la biblioteca, muy recomendable, y a times square, y saben que? no tuvimos que usar ni taxi o subway para llegar a estos lugares desde el hotel. todo el personal muy amable y amigable, raro en la gente de new york, sobre todo raro para los latinos que estamos acostumbrados a la calidez de nuestra gente. los cuartos limpios, modernos,no grandes pero si comodos,algunos cuartos tienen vistas expectaculares. este fue mi segunda visita a new york, la primera me hospede en el waldorf, mas lujoso, mas caro, pero no por esto mejor que sofiel, no lo piensen 2 veces, hospedence ahi, no se van a arrepentir. varios comentarios me hicieron dudar en cuanto a comer en gaby, el restaurant del hotel, pero vale la pena, sobre todo los camarones flambed. algunos recomiendan comer en el red flame, a 4 puertas del hotel, a mi no me gusto, si, es barato, pero no sabroso, si te toca cerca de la puerta te congelas cada que alguien entra.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}]}, "217616": {"reviews": [{"text": "Just got back from a trip with friends to NYC . Since we were all celebrating birthdays, we wanted a place that made us feel special and settled on the Muse in Times Square (because of all the great reviews). We were not disappointed. The staff couldn't have been more accommodating, pleasant and attentive. Everything about The Muse was wonderful - The feather beds with down pillows, the sheets that felt like silk, and most importantly, the cleanliness. We weren't afraid to walk around our room in bare feet (unlike other hotels I've stayed in!). The carpets looked new and everything sparkled and smelled clean, not only in our room, but the lobby as well.\nThe Muse is within walking distance of everything. Many celebrities use this hotel we were told by the staff (Danny DeVito was there last week). I can see why. It's intimate and feels more personal. Our floor had only 4 rooms on it. No long, noisy corridors. Just quiet, comfort. The rooms on the floor below us had terraces with great views of the city. \nI've decided that when I return to the Big Apple, I will only stay at The Muse. I've been informed by the concierge that The Muse will be undergoing a renovation of the guest rooms this year. I can't imagine that they need to change anything, but look forward to seeing what they do to improve an already perfect, little European-style hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We just got back from a weekend stay at the Muse. I had been skeptical, mostly because of the mixed reviews the hotel received. The hotel exceeded my expectations. \nWe were there for my birthday and a theatre weekend, so the location of the hotel was ideal. \nThe staff was accommodating even prior to our arrival, helping me confirm dates and room selection (thanks, Lauren!) The bellhop was welcoming, as was the attendant at the front desk. During the stay, I would also have an encounter with housekeeping, and that, too, was both friendly and helpful. I felt everyone went out of their way to make us feel welcomed. \nThe room was a bit smaller than I had expected, but it was spotless. As others noted, the toiletries were wonderful, and the decor was very aesthetically pleasing, both in the room and in the bathroom. The bed was one of the most comfortable I've ever slept in. We were on the 12th floor, so there were basically no traffic sounds. \nWhen we got back to the room from dinner, housekeeping had been there. The bed was turned down, and the ice bucket was filled (nice touch). On Sunday morning, a complimentary copy of the Sunday NY Times was outside the room. Checkout isn't until Noon, so we lounged around until after 11 with no hassle from housekeeping. \nFor us, this was an indulgence, but we really felt the hotel had been a good choice.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed at The Muse because of its proximity to Broadway Plays and from the recommendations given through this site. It is one half block from Times Square. We read all reviews and chose to remain positive about the hotel until we had actually experienced staying there. Well, now that we have spent seven nights there...here goes. Yes, it is a very small boutique hotel. The guests are extremely polite and quiet (no hall noise). The staff is polite and accommodating...housekeeping was especially helpful. Our room was located on the fourth floor fronting the street. Previous reviews complaining of excessive street noise were right on target. Luckily for us, I had packed our nifty \"sound soother\" to block out the banging of the garbage and delivery trucks so we had no tossing or turning or sleepless nights. Our room size was adequate but quite dark and dreary. Two days out of seven we had to telephone housekeeping to replace a light bulb in the same bedside lamp. Believe me, when one light goes out in the room, it makes a noticeable difference. A big negative for me was the quality of the bath towels delivered to our room. They were clean but terribly worn. In fact, one bath towel was so worn it had holes in it big enough for my hand to go through (Really!). However, once I brought this to the attention of housekeeping, they replaced the damaged towels. There is nightly bed linen turn-down service with complimentary Biscotti treats. There were two of us in the room but most nights only one Biscotti was left for the two of us to share. (NO big deal, but for $300 bucks a night you'd think each guest would receive a tiny Biscotti biscuit).\nWill we stay here again? No. There is a well-known four-five star hotel located directly on the corner of Broadway and 46th facing Times Square. We decided to walk over there and see what we could get for the same price we were paying at The Muse. The difference was unbelievable. The room size is twice that of The Muse (no more bruises from bumping into furnishings). All rooms at the competitor are spotlessly clean, light and airy, with no street noise (Of course, the rooms are located on higher floors). The staff was more than willing to let us do our impromptu comparison. When we return in December, we will be staying at the competing hotel.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed at The Muse March 30 - April 2 2005. We had gone to NYC on a sightseeing/theatre trip. The place couldn't have been better. When we arrived (at noon), we were told that our room wasn't quite ready, but the GREAT bellstaff took our bags to storage. We arrived back at the hotel at 4pm, our bags were waiting for us in the room. We had a GREAT room on the 12th floor.....decent-sized per Manhattan standards. THe bed was excellent. The bathroom was awesome, as were the bath amenities. High windows afforded a small view over to Times Square (1/2 block away), and another view east on 46th St. But we didn't stay at The Muse for the view - the location was perfect for our needs. Across the street is a little deli (so you don't have to spend a fortune on the stuff in the mini-bar), and the nearest subway is about a block. After a full day in NYC, we had NO problems going to sleep. I heard no terrible noises. One MUST keep in mind that this hotel is in the center of the busiest city in the world, so SOME noise is expected. But quite frankly, I didn't hear a thing. If noise is an issue for you, I suggest asking for a room on an upper floor. But...we had NO issues with noise at all. The good-sized umbrellas in the room came in VERY handy, too!\nWe had a TERRIBLE experience with a car service we hired from JFK to the hotel(Carmel Car Service, the driver drove 35 MPH in the left lane on the Van Wyck, nearly had a half-dozen accidents, was on his cellphone swearing for half the trip, and got LOST in Manhattan...I had to tell him how to get the the hotel!)....so for our return trip to Newark, I asked the bellman about my options. He told me that he can get me a taxi (for about $65, including tolls & tip) or a hotel town car for a flat rate of $90. We chose the towncar. No pressure to take the hotel's car service. I don't remember our driver's name, he was a young guy....and he was excellent. We made it to Newark in about 50 minutes, in traffic.\nI cannot imagine anyone not loving The Muse. When we return to NYC later this year, we will definately stay there again.\nOur rate for 3 nights was around $900.00. Not bad for a beautiful hotel right in the middle of the theatre district.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Went for our honeymoon to Muse on Jan 22 for a week and were amazed by the way certain staff were so money motivated. Due to not having change on arrival, we gave the doorman an over generous tip, which led to us been hounded by him to help us in any possible way to gain another tip. Other doormen seemed very helpful and friendly, however that tailed off when they realised we weren't needing cabs or help from them on a regular basis, to result in extra tipping!\nThe icing on the cake was on our departure when we were badgered into using their private car service to the airport. When we rejected their first offer, they delayed returning our bags to us until we committed to their pricey service thus refusing to get us an ordinary cab, which still would have resulted in a tip for them.\nOn the plus side the hotel's location is great and bed was very comfy. On the cons side, the windows meant the room was pretty drafty and our room on the third floor smelled of garlic due to the vents from the restaurant. The cleaner service was also a bit over intrusive and the cleaner persisted in laying my brand new glasses face first on the table, to leave me with some lasting scratches to remember. \nOverall, great location, and a nice boutique hotel, if you ignore the doormen, have transport to the airport previously arranged and don't mind a room with a breeze.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "93589": {"reviews": [{"text": "Booked a Saturday night stay at Quickbook.com for my wife and I for her birthday after reading many rave reviews about the Michelangelo. We got a great rate for NYC. \nIf you've ever been to Europe and stayed in a hotel in a major city there, that's what you can expect here. The lobby reminded me of a hotel we stayed at last year in Madrid. Very cozy, like a big living room.\nWe arrived early on Saturday and hotel staff were happy to check us in and hold our bags until our room was ready and promised to deliver our bags to our room as soon as it was available.\nWe departed for lunch and returned around 3:30 PM; we picked up our room keys and were informed that we had been upgraded to a larger room. We went up to our room to find a huge-by-New-York-standards (and plenty adequate by anyone else's standards) corner room with 2 king sized beds and a large walk-in closet. Our bag wasn't there, and one phone call produced it in about 2 minutes, with a smile, a thank you and no obnoxious waiting around for a tip, the guy was gone before I even had a chance to offer one. Another phone call got 3 fiber pillows delivered to replace the feather pillows without aggrivation, and also in under 5 minutes. Finally, another phone call got us an iron and ironing board in under 5 minutes.\nWe returned after the theater to find our bed re-made, turned down and chocolates on the nightstand, along with a card with the next day's weather forecast. After a few drinks at the hotel bar, we found the Sunday Times waiting for us outside our door at around 1:30 AM.\nMost importantly, the room was spotless. No mold/mildew whatsoever. Water pressure was phenomenal, shower stayed hot - I didn't even want to get out. Staff was always courteous, friendly and every request we made was handled quickly, efficiently and with a smile. Location at 51st and 7th is right in the middle of the theater district, within 2 short blocks of the E and 1 Subway lines. I'd stay there again, it's my new first choice in NYC.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We just returned from our second stay at the Michelangelo, and I'm pleased to report that the property is still a real gem in the heart of NYC. The front desk staff are friendly and helpful and the houskeepers do an excellent job of cleaning and turning down the rooms. And the rooms! Our junior suite was pretty, absurdly spacious, quiet, impeccably clean and filled with light from two large courtyard-facing windows--all this in Manhattan for well under $400! I can't say enough about the condition of the room-- spotless and utterly free of dings, rips, stains, etc. The lobby, hallways and elevators were equally pristine. Nice touch: in-room electronic touchpad for heat/ air control. We always find the Michelangelo to be an oasis of calm after a day enjoying the bustle of the city.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 30}, {"text": "I booked this hotel online after reviewing many sites. I was looking for a great location at an affordable price for a mother/daughter weekend. We were not disappointed! Because we arrived a little early on Saturday, our room was not yet ready. When the staff learned I was meeting my daughter, they offered a upgraded room with 2 king beds that was availbable immediately. And although the bathroom did not have a tub, as it was handicap accessible, we jumped for it. The hotel is beautiful and the room was quite large. James, the concierge, was great and helped secure dinner reservations for the exact time we needed, speaking both Italian and Spanish. The theatre and restaurant were all within easy walking distance. The complimentary coffee and pastry bar the next morning was nice . My only slight complaint was that the fan in the room kept turning off and on and because we like white noise, we had to set the fan on a lower temp to keep it running, so it got a little cool. We were also on the 3rd level above the street, so a fan was also needed to drown out the noise. They do offer quieter rooms, however. I will definitely be returning the Michelango...a great find!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 31}, {"text": "My husband and I live in NJ but are in NYC often. We decided to spend Valentine's Day in the city and stay at the Michelangelo hotel for the night. In our search for the perfect hotel, we looked for a combination of a prime Times Square location, luxury, and affordability. The Michelangelo offered us exactly that! The hotel is on the smaller side with average size rooms for NYC. The bathroom was nice, was a combination of 2 small rooms, and one of them housed a nice deep tub. The hotel and the rooms are very clean! I must also compliment the extremely helpful concierge for doing a great job! We only wish the doorman was as helpful, as he was never there to open the door for us....\nOverall, a good experience at the Michelangelo hotel. This is not the Ritz-Carlton or the Four Seasons, but for 1/2 price of those hotels, this hotel is a great choice! I can imagine it is also a great choice for business travelers.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 33}, {"text": "Nicky & Robert England\nwe have just spent our first vacation to the states and had a fantastic time. The hotel Michealangelo was supreb from the minute we checked in,the staff were all very plesant and friendly and the standard of our delux room was 1st class. We will definatly be returning to the Michaelangelo.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 27}, {"text": "After hearing good things about the hotel, I was excited to stay. But my excitement soon turned to disappointment after I arrived for a recent Wednesday night stay. I was supposedly upgraded to a \"nice executive room\" that turned out to be on the third floor facing the street. This was an extremely poor location given the 90 minutes of garbage truck ballet that occurred from 11 pm to 1:30 as three dueling trucks honked, revved and compacted loads of neighborhood garbage. I might be willing to forgive the poor location, but the bathroom wasn't as clean it should be (unless the long hairs in the sink were intentionally left there). On top of this, my room service order of Tiramisu arrived so solidly frozen that it took an hour to thaw at room temperature. Finally, adding insult to injury, the staff failed to pick up and shine my shoes, which were left outside my door before 11 pm as directed for the provision of this \"complimentary\" service. Given the wide assortment of peer hotels with which I have had vastly superior experiences, I would not stay at the Michelangelo again under any circumstances.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "My family and I just got from NYC and had an absolutely great stay at this hotel. Service was excellent, the rooms were big and nicely furnished, and very clean. Last but not least, the location was perfect. I would definitely recommend this hotel in a heartbeat and stay there again and again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 24}, {"text": "I made my second visit to The Michelangelo for one night on September 13, 2006. I travel to NYC on business from time to time throghout the year and chose the Michelangelo for this short trip as the hotels I usually stay at for business (Intercontinental Barclay, Omni Berkshire, The Regency) were priced in the $600-$800 per night range. Obviously, demand for hotel rooms was high on that date but, honestly, I can't even bring myself to spend someone else's money at that rate for a hotel room. By comparison, the $395 rate I paid at The Michelangelo was within reason.\nAfter my second stay, I still came away from the experience with the same feeling as my first visit. It was just OK. Not that it was bad; it was just OK.\nCheck in was a breeze and I was in my corner executive room in mere minutes. Hallways and elevators were very clean. I saw no discarded room service trays or carts in the hallways. I like that. The room was very large, by any city's standards, and was very clean except for a muted stain on the floor between the two queen beds. Someone had tried their very best to clean it but a slight stain was still visible (probably red wine and I realize you can't do much about that). The room had three windows and was quite pleasant. The vaulted ceilings were a nice touch as well. I was on the fourth floor (Rm. 415) and noticed very little noise from 7th Avenue. Contrary to prior reviews, my air conditioning unit was noisy but not to the point where it impeded my sleep. The bed was very comfortable and I slept very well.\nI was amazed, however, at the size and quality of the television. I opened the doors of the very nice amoire and found a Wal-Mart quality television that was, at the very most, 20 inches. Picture and sound quality were, unfortunately, exactly what you would expect. Here's where the air conditioning comes into play. When the air conditioning would cycle on, I would have to turn the TV volume up and, consequently turn it back down when the air conditioning would shut off. A minor annoyance but still an annoyance. Prices of flat panel TV's are dropping like a rock. If The Michelangelo wants to compete in this space, they need to upgrade their televisions immediately. Again, not a huge deal but still an annoyance. I did not use the in-room internet connection and I don't know if Wi-Fi is available.\nThe bathroom was spotless and the closet was quite large. Good stuff.\n\"Breakfast\" was included in my room rate and consisted of tasty little pastries, a bowl of apples, tea and coffee. I don't drink coffee or tea so some juice or bottled water would have been nice. And, as I think of it, some cups of yogurt would have been a plus. Again, just OK. The only real downside to breakfast was that there was no tray for used dishes and napkins and no staff were present to keep the area clean so people were forced to leave their dishes to pile up on coffee tables and side tables in the sitting area of the lobby near the food. For the limited amount of time that the breakfast is available, having staff clean the area is really a must have. I did not use the hotel restaurant, bar or room service.\nCheck out went very smoothly, my bill was correct and I was on my way.\nWould I stay there again? Yes, but only if I am again faced with the huge price disparity between The Michelangelo and the other hotels I usually visit. Typically, the difference is rates is negligible. Not long after I made my reservation, the room rate at The Michelangelo increased to the going rate. I was considering staying an additional night, but was told the $395 rate was not available for the second night. The same room would have been an additional $300 for the second night. Just being OK, The Michelangelo isn't worth $695 in my opinion. Who knows, maybe somebody paid it. It just wasn't going to be me.\nI realize this is not the Ritz Carlton or Four Seasons but the little things really do add up. The Michelangelo has a good base from which to build, they just need to button a few things up.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "My husband and I along with another couple spent a wonderful weekend here at The Michaelangelo. This was our second visit here and everything was still wonderful. When we arrived early, our room was ready and we even received an upgrade to a junior suite. It was a very spacious living room/bedroom combination. One surprising observation upon unpacking was the lack of drawer space. There was also no safe in the room, no ironing board and iron, and no coffee pot. Continental breakfast is served in the lounge until 10:30 on weekends. The hotel is in a great location just minutes from the theatres. We come to Manhattan often and we would definitely stay here again!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I booked the Michaelangelo for a recent business trip and was not bowled over. The reviews here made it sound much better than it was. I stayed 5 nights in an \"Executive\" room. It was very large for a NY hotel room. The decor was fine - nice, but nothing notable. The television was very small - I'm guessing 20 inches. That just doesn't cut it in today's hotel market, in my mind. The bathroom was clean, shower head was adequate, and it was decorated nicely with lots of granite/stone. My room was very very noisy. I was on the 5th floor and faced onto 51st Street. I did not ask to move because I don't think the 7th Ave side would have been any better. And whoever wrote that the airconditioning units are noisy is right - I ended up turning the thermostat way down during the day so the room was freezing when I got in at night and just tried to stay comfortable under the covers. The bed was comfortable, but again - nothing notable. The bedspread was a little past its prime (and I thought about the reviewer who said it used to have buttons that have since all disappeared - mine was the same way!!!) I recently stayed at the Sofitel and would definitely recommend it over the MIchaelangelo if you want to stay on the West side. All in all - nothing is wrong with the Michaelangelo - it just doesn't deserve to be ranked where it is on Trip Advisor.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "After reading the reviews on the Michaelangelo on the Travel Advisor website, I contacted the hotel directly. We only spent one night there, but it was wonderful. The hotel is beautiful, the staff friendly and helpful - we were upgraded- and the rooms very large. Continental breakfast was included, though without juice. The location is perfect - close to everything. We parked in the lot next door for $28 - what a bargain. We will definitely stay at the Michaelangelo on our next, hopefully longer, visit to the Big Apple.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "Our stay at the Michelangelo Hotel was a wonderful experience.\nWhen we arrived at the hotel we were greeted with a warm smile by the Uniformed doorman. Again, the same warn greeting from the front desk. We arrive early and we were told that we could check in early.\nUpon entering our room, it was very big and decorated in a Neoclassic style. With a King size bed, waiting/seating area, large bath room w/color TV, Large bathtub,and was really clean.\nAt night when my husband and I return to our room, we would find the bed turn back and candy on the nite table. \nOur first night there, we received a box of candy and a personal note thanking us for choosing The Michelangelo Hotel.\nThe Maid service was twice a day, and each time clean towels were replaced with new one. \nThis hotel is located in walking distance of everything, Time Square, Theatre, Shopping, Rockefellow Center,Good Resturants. Each day the friendly Doorman was very helpful.\nWe really did enjoy our stay at this hotel. Everyone was just wonderful. We will stay there again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "Recent Stay: 8/1 -8/3/06 \nRequested Early check-in and was able to get it! ( a REAL plus since we arrived in NYC on a day when the temp was 107 degrees outside!)\nPros: Good location for several theaters, Radio City Music Hall as well as St. Patrick's Church and Rockefeller Center; comfortable beds; quiet; 1 p.m. checkout (in contrast to 10 - noon checkouts); reasonably priced food available nearby in 'City' cafeteria; clean overall--I really liked the turn down service because they replenish towels, sundries, etc. \nCons: Couldn't really enjoy the large tub since the drain plug did not/would not work--they tried to fix, but they were NOT successful. I decided at some point that calling again/waiting again for the maintenance people was taking up too much time, and it just wasn't worth the trouble. Breakfast really isn't that great--pastries were average at best. Bedspread worn/torn (patched in places); no ironing board or safe in room; no hotel restaurant available\nLastly, no one said anything to us the entire time (I guess this could be a pro? or a con?) but frankly, it just left me w/ the impression that they didn't care. Only minimal conversation at check-in and even less at check-out--you know, just sign the slip.\nBottom Line: I liked the Hilton Times Square (42nd St.) better.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My wife and I just returned from a one-night stay at the Michaelangelo Hotel off 7th Ave. in Manhattan. \nWe chose the hotel due to it's \"four star\" ratings at hotels[--], and the location close to the theater district. The reviews played up the European/Italian atmosphere and service.\nHere is what we received for our $350+...\nMy chief concern was the noise factor in Manhattan, but I was told that we would be given a 5th floor room upon our morning arrival to check our bags. We saw a show and did some shopping, came back to check-in, and were told that we now had a 4th floor room. Not a big deal, but not a good start, either.\nOur toilet was non-functional, the handle was dangling from the tank. \nThere was a bedspread that had previously had buttons on it, but they had all been torn off at some point.\nThere were burn marks in the carpet near the bedside.\nThe curtains did not fully extend across the windows, allowing a lot of light into the room at night and making it very difficult to sleep.\nWe were told there were irons in each room - we had to call for one.\nThe TV was a 13\" Philips with the color so badly skewed it was nearly unwatchable. Needless to say, the sound was also horrible. We have seen better TV's in Microtel's.\nThe free coffee and breakfast was only until 9am.\nNobody asked us how our stay was, nor did they seem to care.\nWe have traveled for together for over 30 years, and my wife agreed with me that the Michaelangelo Hotel is at the bottom of our list as far as value is concerned. \nWe have stayed in MUCH better places for a fraction of the cost - even in Manhattan!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We stayed at The Michelangelo for 4 nights in June 06. The place has quality written all over it. From the moment you enter the marble foyer, you know you are somewhere special. It is within 10 minutes walk of Times Square and Theatre District, which is fairly tacky but, if you are seeing a show, that's where you need to be. However, 10 minutes in the opposite direction takes you to beautiful Central Park. The Rockefeller Centre (you must visit Top Of The Rock for the best views of all of Manhattan) and Radio City Music Hall are just around the corner. There are 2 nearby subway stations that take you virtually anywhere in the city. The area itself felt very safe. The rooms are large and well equipped. The bathtub is an experience in itself. The lobby's continental breakfast is more than adequate but the Europa Cafe and Cafe Duke are just yards away if you want something more up to late in the evening. Also. don't miss Heartland Brewery across the street. They brew and serve a number of their own beers and they were excellent. You can get a tray with a small sample of 9 different beers for around 12 dollars. The hotel staff are extremely courteous and helpful. There was only one problem with our stay. On the first night we were in a room at the front of the hotel and we couldn't sleep because of the traffic noise. We asked if we could be moved and were given a room in the interior section of the hotel that was perfectly quiet. New York is a noisy city so, if you need your sleep, ask for an interior room. I would recommend this hotel to anyone.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We spent our 10th anniversary at the Michelangelo Jan 4-8 and could not be happier with our experience. The check-in was rapid, the service people impeccable, and the room was tremendous. The previous year, my wife stayed at the Waldorf and in her opinion, the Michelangelo was hands down the better of the 2.\nWe were in the smallest of the rooms offered and found it to be larger than the normal New York City accomodation. The bathroom was large and the oversized tub was tremendous. Another thing we noticed was how quiet the facility was. We were never disturbed by exterior noise. The heating system was perfect.\nThe morning offering was limited to coffee and Danish, though you could order espresso should you desire. The lobby and lounge were laid out very nicely. Evening cocktails were a delight as was Vittorio, our wonderful Italian bartender.\nThe elevators were being worked on while we were there, but we were never overly delayed by them. I hope they get that squared away.\nThe location was convenient to subways and Times Square with a host of nearby restaurants available.\nWe would highly recommend this hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I took my mother to NYC to see the Rockettes. The location of the hotel was great - a block away from Rock Center and close to most everything in mid-town. The lobby is beautiful, the staff friendly and the rooms clean. The huge soaking bathtub is wonderful after a long day in the city. However, for the price you pay for this location, I think the customer deserves a bit more. There are no coffee makers in the room. The hotel restaurant was still under renovations (kind of a peculiar time of year for this???) so \"breakfast\" was served in the bar - by a very rude waiter. The so-called breakfast was a few pastries, coffee and milk. My biggest gripe is that orange juice is not included in breakfast. You had to pay extra. I know it's a small thing, but again, for this kind of hotel and the price you pay... If the trucker motels out on the interstate and the Ritz can provide OJ, so can this place. The cable tv was out in the room and the towels were thin and crispy. We asked the front desk for a recommendation for an italian restaurant. Bad idea! The food was horrible - absolutely no flavor. The doorman - while extremely nice, was very difficult to understand.\nI would have to say that I would not stay here again. They need to take some of the money they spent on the lobby and put it into upgrading their ammenities. As has already been pointed out in a previous review, we were also not asked if our stay was satisfactory.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Here is what we got last week for a $650 junior suite: complimentary newspaper, continental breakfast, shoe shine and chocolates. Here is what we did not get: iron & ironing board, coffee machine, room safe, elevators that worked, access to stairs, expedited checkout or any shred of Italian ambiance. (To be fair, when we requested a coffee machine we were offered one, but were told we would have to go out and buy our own coffee.) The hotel also provided one of our most amusing NYC vignettes: elegantly dressed clients on Saturday night traipsing through the mezanine pantry to use the service elevator, the only one that worked. For the price there are many better choices convenient to Times Square. Not surprisingly, the desk did not ask us at checkout if we were satisfied.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We stayed for a week on our honeymoon. When I first started searching hotels on tripadvisor, I encountered the M. and thought it was terrific but pricey. But, the more I looked, I kept coming back to this hotel. I think you could pay the same elsewhere and get a lot less. The room is large and elegant (we had an executive king) with marble foyer, sitting area, a huge bath, and even a little library. Soaking in the large bath is a treat after walking all over NYC. And the bed was terrific, very firm. Each night, after getting exhausted going around NYC, the best part of the day was getting in the bed - like an extra treat after the delights of the city. Evenings, there was a piano/bass duo in the lobby which was nice. The location was terrific too, so many things nearby (Rock Center, Cadillac Winter Garden Theater, Carnegie Hall, Times Square). And, we got TWO chocolates each night altho frankly I thought we might rate an extra one or two since we left $$ morning and night for the maids...oh well. I think we paid 325/395 for the various nights which is definitely up there in my book (honeymoon=splurge) but again, considering the time of year, I think it was a relative value for that class of hotel. There is no coffeemaker in the room but they serve complimentary coffee & pastries in the lobby each morning (although they won't let you take them up to the room).", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I am a frequent visitor to NYC and had stayed at various hotels in this category. The Michelangelo is a great hotel indeed, has an unbeatable location, quiet, and well furnished. The rooms are large and the bathrooms as well. The only thing I cant stand here is the air conditioning system they have. Its sort of \"thermostat regulated\" and will keep turning on as temp lows and off as temp goes up. This seems silly but try to sleep while the AC comes on and off every 15 minutes and your night sleep will be brutally disturbed, and I am a good sleeper myself but this made the nights horrible and I ended up turning AC off completely so that I could catch a sleep! The sound of the motor on and off is an annoyance that will make think twice next time and book somewhere else. Apart from this i would had highly reccomended this hotel.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I booked the Michelangelo on the basis of previous reviews on this site (and others), and because of its location. We have stayed in a few Manhattan hotels over the years, and we're still looking for a \"regular\". Unfortunately, the Michelangelo will not receive a second visit from us.\nI booked an \"Executive King\" over the internet 4 months in advance. On arrival we were shown to a room with a double. Exhausted from the 24-hour journey to NY, we simply didn't have the energy to protest at that moment, and decided to put up with it for one night and raise the matter the next day. When I told the reception desk of our problem I received a brusque reply: \"You should have told us earlier - now we're sold out!\". I responded by asking if we should be paying a different tariff in that case. \"Wait a moment\", came the reply. A couple of minutes later we were told: \"We will move you now - go to your room to pack and call us when you are ready to move.\" No apology, no offer of compensation for the previous night in the wrong room - only an impression we had created a nuisance. To the management's credit, after we returned home I e-mailed the hotel, and received an apology from the manager, as well as a credit for the difference in the rate of the room we had occupied and the rate we had paid for that first night.\nApart from that incident, everything else mentioned in this hotel's reviews is true: great location, spacious rooms, nice furnishings, and so on. The only other sour note is the morning coffee, which is very weak. The cappuccino barely tasted of coffee at all: we were fairly sure they don't use fresh grounds nearly as often as they should. We were also perplexed as to why, each evening, only one chocolate was left for the two of us next to the bed! (What were they trying to tell us?!)\nIn the end, I'd have to agree with the September review which suggested that \"something is missing\". We won't be returning.\nIndeed, the following weekend we stayed at The Library Hotel which, although our room was far smaller, provided a significantly better experience for somewhat less money.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "On the basis of previous reviews I chose the Michelangelo for a friend and I to stay in on our first ever trip to NY. I was thrilled with our choice. The staff were all polite, chatty and very helpful, we had booked a studio room and each had our own king size bed. The room was huge comparative to what you would get for your money in the UK. the location is ideal central without being slap bang in the middle of times sqaure, close enough to walk to shops bars central park etc. my only critism is that they do not have tea/coffee making facilities in the rooms if like me you are one of those people who has to have coffee to get you going in the morning it does mean traipsing downstairs for the complimentary breakfast, the problem is that aswell as coffee there are very tempting pastries on offer.....oh well when on holiday...Would definately stay here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I recently visited New York for the first time in my life, and returned very proud of myself for choosing the right hotel.\nThe location is unbeatable, for those who want to see a little of everything.\nOne block from Radio City Music Hall, two blocks from Rockefeller Center, two blocks from Times Square, three blocks from Theartre District.... MOMA, shopping, etc...\nThe hotel is very nice, very clean, and the service was excellent.\nThe rooms were a good size as well.\nNext time I go, I'll book at The Michelangelo without even thinking about it.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "If you are visiting New York solely to go to shows/be near Times Square, you will honestly find more pleasant accommodations at some of the chain hotels in the area - such as the Marriott. Amenities at the Michelangelo were definitely disappointing for a boutique hotel - while the lobby was nicely decorated, the staff was indifferent, the room was musty and was located near a noisy service area, an iron was not available in the room, television reception poor and was limited, room service was also limited, and, due to remodeling, no dining room was available. However, the most disappointing was the condescending attitude of the front desk personnel. Upon turning down the bed early in order to take a nap, we unfortunately found mouse droppings in the sheets. When we reported this and asked to have the linens changed, the front desk clerk was at best disbelieving. And although the sheets were eventually changed, we were made to feel as if we had done something wrong. We received no apology (although we did later receive a voice message saying that the sheets had been changed). We visit NYC @3 times per year, as well as travel frequently. I can honestly say we have had few unpleasant experiences at any hotel - nontheless, no one needs this hassle, especially when they are paying premium price.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I recently stayed at hte Michelangelo and was very disappointed based upon the glowing reviews that I had read prior to my stay. The room had a bedspread and furniture that had a horrible odor to them, as well as the room temperature could not be changed in my room. I spoke to the front desk only to be told that there was nothing better or available at that time. As for the bedspread, there solution was to pile it up in the corner and give me another sheet. I have stayed at Holiday Inns that were nicer. Also the minibar refrigerator made a rattling noise all night and there was no view from my window except for a rundown alley wall. There are nicer and more courteous places to stay in NYC.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I stayed at the Michelangelo in May, 2005, for a mid-week theatre trip with a good friend. The room rate was a little higher than we had agreed on for our maximum ($325), but we were very happy to have paid the premium. First, the location is outstanding. The heart of the theatre district is just a few blocks away, and the new MOMA is three blocks north. There is excellent subway access within two blocks, and you are just a short walk away from Fifth or Madison Avenue shopping. For us, it could not have been a better choice. The rooms are spacious and well-appointed, and the lobby is lovely and welcoming. The room rate includes coffee and pastries in the lobby in the morning, which is a nice treat. There are plenty of elevators, and they come and go quickly. The only amenity which could use a little touching up is the carpet in the upstairs halls -- otherwise, everything is completely updated. But the thing that really made this hotel stand out in my mind was the excellent service. My friend and I arrived early -- around 11:00 a.m. -- and the front desk was gracious in accommodating our early arrival (and our late departure later in the week). The concierge, James, was particularly helpful suggesting restaurants, attractions, easiest methods of travel, etc. The lobby staff was friendly and accommodating as well -- happy to let us sit and chat in the morning with bagels we had brought in from across the street --no problem. I am not familiar enough with NYC hotels to know if one can do a lot better in the low $300 price range, but I would be surprised if there are many better options than the Michelangelo.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I know I stayed here in 2000, but this hotel has been bothering me for some time. I am only 15 so at the time I was 10. I book all of the vacations for my family and we usually stay at really nice places (such as the Four Seasons Hawaii, Kahala Mandarin Oriental, Westin Los Cabos, etc..). We booked a studio room with two kings. I thought the room would be great, since we are a family of four, the idea of two kings was great. Also, I did much research on this hotel and was very impressed by the excellent reviews. I was dissapointed once we walked in the door. We asked to upgrade to a suite and the staff looked at us like we were insane. Once we walked into the room, it looked great. However upon further inspection, the upholstery on some of the furniture was worn. The beds looked odd as well and then I discovered that the bed posts did not match up. One bed had bed posts at least 4 inches higher than the other. Automatically I felt we were put in the worst room they had. The bathroom had no bidet and a jacuzzi with chipping paint. I felt that I had let down my family and cried in the bathroom. The next morning was worse. My mother loves to have coffee in the morning, so I went down with my dad to the complimentary breakfast to get her some and bring it back up to the room. After getting some coffee, we started to head back to the room, only to get assaulted by one of the members of the staff saying that we would have to order coffee from room service if we wanted it. They did not say this in an appologetic manner but in a very rude tone. This idea of not being allowed to bring coffee upstairs was absolutely insane. Plus, the complimentary breakfast was rather disgusting so we went to a local bakery nearby (another guest advised us to go there). The W Times Square had just opened and my dad and I went over there for a look and loved it. The room was much nicer and cheaper. The staff was very nice as well, something which seemed to be foreign to us (since we stayed at the Michelangelo). This hotel is probably on the same level as a three star hotel. Nothing was special about this place and I WOULD NEVER ADVISE ANYONE TO STAY HERE!!!!!!", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "The hotel was beautiful and quaint--exactly what my boyfriend and I wanted for our romantic weekend. The room was the perfect size for two and the bed was comfortable. The hotel is in the best location you could ask for. Plus the ammenties, including a very roomy shower/bathtub, were great! However, a woman named Lindsay checked us both in and out of the hotel and she was one of the most unhappy, unwelcoming, uncaring hotel receptionists I have ever encountered. She couldn't even muster up a smile or even a fake nice welcome. Upon approaching the front desk our impression of the hotel took a dramatic fall. I don't even think the words \"welcome\" or \"hello\" were uttered before an emotionless \"can i have your credit card and photo id?\" She rushed us through both processes and was completely unfriendly. We also had an encounter with a very rude bartender. All in all, our stay was great because we spent most of our time in the city or in our room. I would consider returning because of its location, but this hotel is in MAJOR need of an attitude change.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed at the Michelangelo from November 20th until November 24th 2004. It is an excellent base to explore this amazing city. Just around the corner from Times Square and Radio City Music Hall. It is only a couple of blocks from the Rockefeller Center. The rooms are large with huge beds! The baths are enormous. They come to turn down your bed each night and leave lovely chocolates. The rooms are well equipped with everything you would need and even have 2 TVs. The staff are friendly and helpful and they will even provide a complimentary car + chauffeur to take you to the financial district in the morning if you want, great for visiting Ground Zero and Wall Street. They offer complimentary pastries and muffins for breakfast. We hope to return soon. What more can I say, EXCELLENT!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "The Michelangelo has a reserved stately appearance and an unfortunate egotistical streak. The rooms are appropriately cramped for Manhattan standards, the service is abysmal. The desk reception was surly at best and connecting with the upper management to reslove a hotel billing error was next to impossible. The manager confessed to a problem but was unaware of the details, only to delegate to another who merely kept saying \"mistakes happen\". Spare yourself the indignity of dealing with this staff. Stay elswhere.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 13}]}, "99352": {"reviews": [{"text": "I have just returned from a 4 night stay and it was great!! If you are looking for a mid-range hotel, in a great location for sight-seeing, you cannot go wrong with this hotel!\nIt is minutes from Times Square, and has a subway station about 30 yards from the hotel entrance. Central Park is about a 10 min walk away, and so is Fifth Avenue. All of the theatres are right on your doorstep here.\nThe room we had was huge, with the biggest bed I have ever seen!! We were on the 3rd floor facing away from the street, and had no noise issues at all.\nContrary to some other reviews, we found the staff to be very helpful and really friendly.\nThere are loads of great restaurants around the hotel, but our favourite was Aoki - a fab Japanese just around the corner from the hotel (30 secs walk). The food was amazing, and was really reasonable.\nOverall, we had a great stay and would definately stay here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "This was my first trip to NYC and I booked my hotel with recomendations on this website. We went March 11-15 which was during Spring Break. There is nothing bad that I could say about this hotel. The staff was so friendly especially Ken and Charles. They were so helpful with everything we needed. I went with 3 other ladies and we stayed all four to a room with two queen beds. The room was HUGE! We had 8 pieces of BIG luggage total that we kept on the floor and still had PLENTY of room. The bathroom was small but fine for one person at a time. We stayed on the 9th floor and our view was of 8th avenue which I suggested to have when I checked in. The noise level was not bad. The fire station is near but we never heard the sirens at night. Other viewers had mentioned that the rooms were either hot or cold...we did experience this but when it was hot we just opened our windows. We even slept with our windows open one night and the noise level was not bad...it did not keep any of us up. A friend of mine stayed at the Sherton Times Square and she told me that her room was very tiny and not a lot of room for 4 people. With no doubt, I will stay here again when I return to the city. Some suggestions on restaurants would be the Olympic dinner (breakfast only), Ellen's Stardust Dinner, TAO (need reservations but if you go to the bar upstairs you dont need them), Serendipity (the wait for us was an hour so we went shopping for 45 minutes land came back and waited inside for 15 minutes) and Thalia . We did NOT have any experiences with rude staff or people...everybody we came in contact with was so friendly. Hope this helps anybody that is looking to stay at HGITS.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "First of all, the location is very good on the 8th Street close to Times Square. The room had comfortable beds, a workdesk, free Internet Access and a flat TV. \nBut there is also some negative stuff. The staff at the service center and the small shop did seem to be rather tired and bored. There was also construction work nearby with loud sound between 9 AM and 6 PM. The bathroom was functional but really need some remodeling now.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "This was our second trip to NYC and our second stay in this hotel. We found this hotel to be clean, comfortable, and convenient. The rooms were a nice size, and we loved having the fridge/microwave. The bath was nice sized as well. Staff was very friendly and helpful. Restaurant was good. Very convenient to Times Sqare, Theatres, Subway, Rockafeller Center, and other attractions. We liked that it was just enough off the beaten path to be less crowded and hectic than places right in Times Square, but still very convenient. Great restaurants nearby. We especially liked Thalia - just up the street from the hotel. There is a great little grocery store - the \"Food Emporium\" practically right next door - great for snacks, water, etc. We love this hotel, and would definitely stay here on our next trip to the city.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Our room although small was clean & comfortable. For the price & location, it was great value indeed. A minor gripe - we had booked a King Evolution Room but after we got to the room & unpacked our stuff, realised it was a Queen room. After a very long 18 hour flight, we were way too tired to shift rooms & decided not to complain either as we just wanted to crash for the night.\nAs earlier reviewers have noted, it is a short 5-10 min walk to Times Square, Rockerfeller Centre & even shorter to the theatres. A supermarket is round the corner. There are many restaurants nearby & a great Chinese takeaway (Fung Hin?) with cheap & delicious food across the road. Also a pharmacy opposite. The hotel provides a shuttle service to & from Newark airport at $25 per person (I think) or $46 for two (small discount). Not sure abt the fare for other airports though.\nWe booked the New York City Party Shuttle tour & found it conveniently located about 2 blocks away. Highly recommended tour if you have a very short stay like we did. You cover the major sights in 5.5 hours in a warm, comfortable bus with big windows & a terrific native tour guide who knew all his stuff!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "I go to New York a lot and have stayed at several far more expensive hotels, so when my friends booked this as their \"wedding hotel\" I was a little dubious, but thrilled with the great rate and thought, what the heck, at least it's got a good location. \nWas very pleasantly surprised therefore to find such nice rooms (flat screen tv! microwave!), of decent size for NY and a very helpful staff. (Though if you know NYC at all well, you're probably better off skipping the \"concierge\" desk and booking stuff yourself.) Great subway access, with the 8thAve/Bway line right across the street and others just a block or two away. There's even a D'Agostinos right across the street, making it easy to stock up on yummy food for the fridge.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed in the HIlton Garden Inn Time Square for four nights in July. When we checked in the manager asked if we were staying for a special occasion to which we said it was for our anniversary. He then asked if we had any dinner plans and offered to pay for dinner. We were presented with a $70 gift certificate for the reasturant next door which was quite good. (esspecially since it was free) Needless to say, that was a great way to start off our stay with a suprise gift from the hotel.\nThe location is just one street from Time Square and in the heart of the Theaters. We easily walked to The Lion King and Wicked from our hotel (both of which were great). It is easy to get a cab or subway or walk just about anywhere from the hotel. \nThe room we had was clean and included free wireless internet. We were on the top floor with a nice view. The elevator was always fast and efficient to and from the top floor.\nThe hotel also offered a luggage storage for our last day. We checked out of the hotel that morning and out flight was not until the night. They stored our luggage in the meantime at no charge (except a tip to the bellman for the serivce.)\nWe booked the room on [-----------]for $169 a night.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My husband and I visited New York and stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn from June 30-July 5. The room was very clean, and we always felt safe. The location is excellent...within walking distance/subway to most anywhere you want to go. Upon arrival, we were greeted with congratulations (it was a wedding anniversary trip...and I just mentioned that when we booked online). The hotel gave us a free dinner in the ajoining restaurant. We requested to be facing the street and on the 11th floor----our request was fulfilled. The only small problems we had was that our room keys deactivated a couple of times and our tub drained slowly at first. We just took the keys back to the front desk...and they fixed us up with new ones. As for the tub, we told them at the front desk, and they sent someone right up to fix it. We highly recommend the Hilton Garden Inn.....such a deal for the price!! We also recommend checking out the TKTS booth for great Broadway tickets at a great price if you're looking to see a show. We also did the Top of the Rock instead of the Empire State building (as we read Trip Advisor reviews prior to the trip)---the view was great....and no wait. If you plan to see the Statue of Liberty, you'll want to go online and book your tickets prior to visiting. They only sell a certain number of timed passes into the Statue per day.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "My husband and I have just returned from our first trip to NYC and loved it! Anyway, to the hotel review: thought the hotel was great - expected hotel rooms for our price range to be very small but the room was spacious and clean (requested a move after our first night as we were near the elevators which were quite noisy and they moved us to a room a few floors up and away from the elevators - we had to wait a while for a room to become free as hotel very busy but that was fine). The location is excellent - right near Times Square which is obviously very noisy and busy but it didnt affect our sleep at all (well after walking nearly 8 hours a day i dont think anything could!). Also on that note, the bed is extremely comfortable - you could just sink into it which is just what you need after pounding the streets of Manhatten all day! They also have someone checking that you have a key before you can go to your room to stop people entering the hotel that are not staying which was re-assuring. Overall, I would definately stay in this hotel again!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My wife an I stayed here for a weekend getaway and could not have been more pleased. Felt like a small intimate hotel. Location was excellent, away from the crowds but only a block or so away from everything in Times Square. Parking garage is right next door and the subway is 1 block over. Elevators are fast and plentyful, never had to wait. Room was great, clean, comfy bed with memory foam top, 37 in flat screen TV,fridge,microwave, good amenities and windows that open!\nBusiness center with 2 pc's and printer, nice lounge area with couches and TV. Plenty of non chain eateries,\n I travel a lot in my work and can be overly picky but we were very satisfied with the Hilton Garden Inn and would return.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My wife and I stayed at this hotel Columbus Day weekend and it was great. The renovations were just in the process of finishing up and we were actually the first people to stay in the room. The beds at the Garden Inn are the most comfortable anywhere and the plasma TV was great over what you usually get at most chain hotels. The only problems we encountered during the weekend were the fact that the full length mirror was in cardboard leaning against the wall all weekend and the remote for the didn't show up until about an hour after we checked in (they were still distributing them to the rooms). The location can't be beat since it's only 1 block from times square.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "578305": {"reviews": [{"text": "Spent 7 nights in this hotel late sept. chose it for location, room amenities and views mentioned on here. room 2506 didnt disappoint!!\nIt was so great to have a lounge area in the room to rest the feet after a big day without having to lounge on the bed itself. the extra space made it feel like a small apartment. while I didnt cook it was really convenient to have the kitchen area and stock the fridge with cold drinks & snacks.\nThe jar of complimentary sweets on the coffee table was a nice touch.\nThe other travellers on here aren't lying when they say these beds are VERY comfortable - wow - amazing comfort and good quality sheets too.\nwell sized complimentary soaps and toiletries, spotlessly clean room, great staff, wonderful views, self adjusting AC in the rooms.\nThe only limitation I experienced was the complimentary internet access in the lobby. while i only needed to check emails the connection itself is very slow, making this a little laborious - but hey it was free and it did what it was meant to in the end.\nThe complimentary breakfast is convenient, standard hotel buffet fare, served fresh and a decent selection.\nI would stay here next trip to NYC for sure. \nI can recommend this hotel's location and security to other solo travellers. as a solo female travelller I felt safe walking back to hotel late at night etc.\nchoose this hotel & enjoy!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We booked this hotel after seeing the reviews on Trip Advisor and it definitely lived up to all expectations.\nCheck in (and check out) was very efficient and the staff were friendly. Our room was on floor 23 and was really quiet, day and night. The room was really big, with a lovely, comfortable double bed, double sofa bed and kitchette (we used this a few times for bringing buffet Chinese back from a deli on 5th Avenue, heating it up and serving but didn't actually cook anything), it was great having a fridge to keep drinks and snacks in. The bathroom was a good size with plenty of room to move around.\nWe found the internet connection fine, if a little slow, but certainly usable. \nThe breakfast was great with bagels, breads, muffins, pancakes, cereal etc and a few cooked items. We stuffed ourselves every morning!\nWe paid $209 a night, we had booked at a higher rate originally, but I just kept checking the website and updating the booking as the cheaper rates came in - they don't charge until check out, so you can do this as many times as you need, which is great.\nThe location is perfect, right in the middle of everything, but far enough from Times Square to be quiet.\nI will definitely use this hotel again on my return to New York", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We had perfect vaction in new york between 23 febuary to 3 of mars 2007 and the hotel was amazing, clean and new one, nice and helpful staff, tasty breakfast, well designed and spacious suite. The location is perfect, very close to time square but without the noise and crouding. We will come back !!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I travel to New York several times a year and this was my first stay at this property. While the rooms were fairly nice, there is NO, and I repeat, NO service at this hotel. Due to problems with my reservation initially, I had been promised by a Marriott customer service representative that I would get the corner suite I requested. Once we got to the property, I was told that everyone who had a corner suite had extended their stay, so no rooms of that type were available. (yeah, right- everyone in a corner suite had \"extended\" their stay) Before my arrival, I had received an email asking if there was anything extra I'd like to have in our room once we checked in. I replied requesting extra towels, and pillows. Of course, none of this was in our room when we checked in, so I called housekeeping at 4:30 p.m. and requested them again. By 10:30 that night, when we still didn't have them, I called down to the desk again. After an hour, my daughter went down to the front desk where she was told that they usually just ignore these requests since people don't realize that they already have a few extra towels and pillows in the room!! There is no concierge readily available here, and no doormen. Both times we had them hold our luggage, (at check-in and check-out), they either couldn't find our luggage or gave us the wrong ones! Finally my husband had to go into the storage area and find our bags. Stay at the Sofitel instead. For the same price you'll get a nicer property and people who will be there to provide service!", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "I cannot say enough positive things about this hotel. It's very new so you don't get the usual feeling that roaches might be sharing your accommodation like you do in other reasonably priced Midtown locations. The staff was friendly, the room was remarkably quiet, and you absolutely cannot beat its location. The incredibly large room for Manhattan includes a sofa and desk, and a kitchen complete with full-sized fridge, microwave, crockpot, dishes, etc. I can't disagree with other reviewers who said that the bathroom is small but I've had much worse and never felt like a contortionist when using it, nor did we find it particularly dark. We didn't go to the food buffets so I can't speak to them.\nOur only very minor quibble is that the Internet connection is somewhat flaky - we never were able to connect our wireless router properly (and my husband is an uber geek) and the connection was not totally reliable. But that is an extremely minor point in an otherwise fantastic stay. Highly recommended.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I visited Manhattan from January 19 - February 3rd. I was attending training at the Cornell ILR Management Center at 34th and 5th. I stayed at the Marriott Residence Inn Times Square (Ave. of Americas and 39th), Shelburne Murrary Hill (Lexington 38th) and Affinia Dumont (Lexington & 34th) during my stay. I'd rate the Marriott Residence Inn as the best place I've stayed at in Manhattan for the price and value. It is much newer than these other hotels. I'll write review of the Shelburne and I already stayed at the Affinia Dumont which is a Excellent place to stay too. The Affinia has more markets and restaurants to choose from. It is not busy or hectic as the Residence Inn. So if you want more quiet neighborhood then go to the Affinia Dumont. My taxi ride from La Guardia was about $26.00 and I checked into the hotel about 10:40 p.m. The Front Desk Staff at the Residence Inn were helpful and friendly. The room was small but new and clean. There is Fridge and Microwave Oven. Small Loveseat. The closet is small and so is the bathroom. But the water pressure was fine in the bathroom. The bed was very comfortable and one of the better bed's I've slept in on the road. The room was quiet (ask for a high floor). The morning buffet breakfast was the best Residence Inn buffet I've been to. While not great it was good and more than adequate. I do not mind that the room is small because you really do not spend much time in your room in Manhattan. But the Residence Inn room is new, clean, comfortable and quiet. The Residence Inn is close to Times Square, Empire State Building, Penn Station, Madison Square Garden. Close to Subway stations and train stations too. There is Duane Reade Pharmacy on Broadway where you can pick up drinks, snacks, and personal toiletries. During my stay at ate at the Carnegi Deli on Broadway near 55th and also ate at the Katz's Deli on Houston in the Lower East Side. I found better shopping selections at deals at Bloomingdales in SOHO than at their flagship store on Lexington and 59th. I also took the subway to the Museum of Natural History on the Upper West Side. The subway stops right below the museum. I also took the Soprano's location tour into New Jersey. If you're a Soprano's fan...it is interesting trip. You can catch the bus on 39th and 7th near the Button. I'd stay at the Residence Inn if I could get a good deal. I also walked by some budget hotels in the area that I might stay on future trips. I checked out Red Roof Inn on 32nd in the heart of Korea town. For a budget hotel it looks good and is convenient. I also checked out Hampton Inn between 6th and 7th on 31st. The neighborhood is not as nice as the Residence Inn, Shelburne Murrary Hill or Affinia Dumont.\nBut if your looking to save money. The Hampton Inn is not that tall so I do not know if street noise will impact your night's rest there. But I might give it a try on a future trip. I plan to be back in May 07' and am planning to try either the Red Roof Inn and/or Hampton Inn for part of my stay and then stay at the Marriott Residence Inn or Affinia Dumont or the remainder of my stay.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "The Residence Inn is not necessarily a cheap hotel ( we paid $220 for one night in a mini-suite) but in my opinion it is worth every penny. \nCheck-in was friendly, personal and efficient. The security guy lent a hand with all our luggage and actually got quite friendly with us asking us about our trip and showing us a picture of his kids in the ride up to the room. Really made us feel welcome, which is rather unusual for a hotel this size.\nFor our money we got an enormous, luxiourious room - complete with full kitchen and marble dining table - with an incredible view (see picture). Now we didn' t actually use the kitchen, but if you leave your list at the front desk, they will make sure your groceries are delivered to your room, free of charge. Good deal if you' re travelling with a baby or real young kids.\nAnd the bed was absolutely faboulous. I' ve stayed in rooms that were smaller than that bed. But our two kids (3 and 5) were very comfortable on the pull-out sofa bed. In other words: the room was perfect. Plus, it has that \" ritzy\" feel, that kinda makes you feel good in an elitist sort of way....\nThe \" ritzy\" feel is found throughout the hotel. Especially the third floor, where also breakfast is served, has a \" club\" feel about it. Stylishly decorated, it has scattering of low and high tables and seats where you can just lounge, read your complimentary newspapers, have a beer and/or enjoy the complimentary (!) and very tasty \" light\" dinner (weekdays only) during happy hour. I' m not sure what \" light\" was supposed to mean because the tasty pasta and Italian sausage with peppers was actually quite satisfying. And the breakfast in the morning was even better: a myriad of choices of bread, cereals, pastries, fruit, juices, eggs, bacon and even very acceptable coffee. And the place, though crowded, was kept immaculate. Nothing was left to lie and tables were cleared instantly.\nAfter a very comfortable night and some sound advice from the concierge, we stored our luggage at the hotel and returned in the afternoon to take a cab to JFK. When we got in, the security guy from the day before greeted us and suggested we let the kids use the bathroom on the second floor as the ride might take an hour or so. When we got back, he had hailed us a cab, loaded our luggage and instructed the cabbie; we only had to get in and go. As he sent us off, it was a bit like leaving Uncle Raul after a night's stay at his house. \nNow, the hotel of course, has brilliant location; Times Square, Bryant Park and The Empire State are just a few blocks away. So if this is your price range, Residence Inn Manhattan/Times Square is an excellent choice.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husband and I were redeeming Marriott Certificates, and we had confirmed 3 nights worth approximately $430 each, we were originally booked at the Courtyard, but even after confirming via e-mail and phone several times- upon getting there we were told they did not have a room for us, but we were \"upgraded\" to the Residence Inn around the corner. One of the desk clerks kindly walked us over to the hotel where we promptly checked in at midnight. It was fast and easy. While I was steaming about being bumped to a \"cheaper\" hotel, we were assured we were being upgraded. I couldn't help but feel cheated as we were shuffled off to another hotel, meanwhile our $430 per night certificates were being redeemed at a totally different hotel than what we had planned for months.\nAs soon as we walked in the door of our room all those worries vanished. Regradless of the original value of our certificates for the Courtyard, the Residence Inn blew it away. My husband warned me that NYC hotel rooms are extremely small. I was thrilled with the size of our room as well as everything the room had to offer. We were in #1001, and we had a lovely corner room with three, yes three sets of windows. The full kitchen was absolutely perfect, although I thought having a full size dishwasher there was overkill. There was a large crock pot sitting on the counter, plenty of other appliances, a full size fridge, a separate small dining area, a sofa (more like a loveseat), a coffee table and chairs, flat screen TV, and then my absolute favorite part........\nThe bed was simply amazing, the most comfortable I have ever slept on in my life and I am very picky. The pillows (there were at least 8 of then on our bed) varied in firmness, etc. My favorite were the latex foam pillows. I enjoyed them so much I hunted down the exact same brand when I returned home, (in case you're wondering, they are Talaylay Latex Foam Pillows, Simmons Beautyrest makes them and you can also find identical ones at Dillard's for about $40 each). The bed was so comfortable that we had trouble getting out of it each morning. We actually missed the free breakfast every single day, so we cannot report on that. \nThe bathroom was very small, but considering we were only in there for limited amounts of time, that was not really an issue. I especially liked the dual shower heads in the bathroom, the separate detachable head was perfect for rinsing hair, shaving legs, etc. I would have felt a little less cramped in the bathroom if there had been a pocket door versus a regular door that took up so mucy room and made it awkward to get in and out of the bathtub without having to climb over the commode. The towels were big, fluffy and soft. Although there was no exhaust fan in the bathroom, we never experienced any type of problem with the steam or otherwise.\nThe room was extremely quiet, we never heard any noise from the hallways, the streets, or any other guests. Upon check-out, they were happy to hold our bags for us in their secure area until we had to get to the airport. The doorman was always available to hail a cab for us. We never really encountered any other staff at the hotel, but those who we did come into contact with were very polite and friendly.\nAll in all, this room was completely perfect, especially for NYC. When we return, we will definitely use the Residence Inn as our #1 choice. And if we had to pay regular price for this hotel, I would still feel like we got a great deal, especially after seeing some of the other hotels and their rates that were available in this area.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I traveled to NYC on business and after reading many reviews decided to book at the Residence Inn Marriott. I was extremely pleased with everything about this little gem! The service was polite and helpful (front desk helped me order food at 2 AM when I arrived from the West Coast). My Studio Suite was very clean and spacious (sitting room and kitchen) as well as handsomely appointed. The hotel was so convenient to everything being around the corner from, with out being in the middle of, the madness that is Times Square. The room was unbelievably quiet and finally, there was a breakfast buffet included in the price of the room! I will indeed stay there again when I return to New York City.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "The hotel is subpar at best with the price you pay to stay there. One can easily find a better hotel with more space at the rates they charge. I was charged $399 for a King Size Bed, but all the room sizes are apparently the same. The mattress was not firm and the towels were the cheap kind that shed. The view from the hotel was pretty crappy too - a building wall stood outside my window. \nThey claim to be a smoke free hotel, but my room smelled like cigarettes when I got there, and to top it off, they charged me an additional $250 after I checked out claiming that I smoked in the room!! The manager there was very indifferent about the charge and refused to take it off. About the only thing I liked about my stay there was the location since it's right in the heart of midtown (near the theater district and Macys/shopping area), but again, not worth it. I usually stay in the hotels in Times Square (like Marquis, Millenium, W, etc), not near Times Square, and I will never stay at this hotel again. \nI'm quite surprised by some of the \"great\" reviews this hotel has gotten.\nFrequent traveler\nFirenze, Italy", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "Originally booked courtyard times sq, but they were full so transferred us here- 1 min walk. What a piece of good luck! Got an upgrade to a queen suit- which was excellent. Big bed, LCD tv, fridge/freezer/microwave/coffee maker. Just like a kitchen in your room (but no proper oven) ..but fine for the self catering tourist. Good location very close to Bryant park, acceptable for times sq, ESB and other mid-town stuff. Close to subway too. This is a new hotel so is clean and has a nice interior, including a waterfall in the foyer. Staff were very polite and helpful. Breakfast was free for me- if you can get this- take it..eat all you want, but may get busy (although it was labor weekend when i was there). There is a small bar overlooking 6th ave, they have a nice pool table. 4 nights cost 895usd, but this is cheaper than usual for the queen suit which is about 300usd per night. Expensive I know but shop around and see if you can get the same for less. Check out the official website- tells you all you need, and it's correct!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "This is a great hotel for families. We were there for seven days over July 4th and had a great time. The staff was helpful and very friendly to our three and four year olds. I would reccomend this hotel to everyone.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "Stayed here over the Labor Day weekend. The hotel is fantastic! I stayed on the 16th Floor in a Queen Studio. The room had everything! ! Great Queen Size bed with tons of pillows! A small sofa and cocktail table. A Kitchenette with fridge, dishwasher, microwave and toaster. And, included in your room rate is all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet. Not just a continental style, but scrambled eggs, sausage, fried potatoes, and one day, pancakes, the next, french toast. Also, cereals, bagels, yogurt, fruit, bread for toasting, hot coffee, juices, it was great. This hotel is 5 stars in my book. I will definitely book here again.\nP.S. The location was excellent. Walking distance to Macy's, Time Square, the subway lines, Penn Station.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "This hotel did not disappoint at all. The staff were very friendly, and the rooms as reviewed by others are very nice.\nMy queen studio was not large or terribly small but well laid out - very new and very clean. It was suitable for one or two people, but not more. The bed was exceptionally comfortable, and it was great having a full fridge (as well as dishwasher and microwave) and granite counters and eating bar (no separate eating area, though other suites have them). There is a sofa bed, but if opened it would make the room cramped, certainly for more than 2. I am not sure if they have any suites with 2 queen beds, (check out Doubletree in Times Square...there are two-room suites that are larger and you you will pay more, and not get a free breakfast). \nThe bed was exceptionally comfortable and even the clock radio included a CD player. \nLocation: corner of 39th Street and 6th Avenue (aka Avenue of the Americas)..you are 4 blocks from Macy's to the south (also very close to the Empire State Building) and 3 blocks to 42nd Street (the next Avenue over is Broadway and the heart of Times Square). The hotel is well situated for theatre goers and those who prefer being midway to the top attractions that you can reach by subway or by walking - the blocks in NYC are short. Technically this is the fashion district, and there are stores selling buttons, ribbons and garments around the hotel. Bryant Park is at 42nd Street and 6th and a nice respite from the city. They film Good Morning America concerts there and were also filming an Home and Garden television show for the last few days. \nThe hotel is about $50 to $100 per night cheaper than comparable rooms right in Times Square (though some are larger but none that I am aware of include a free breakfast).\nThe very large breakfast lounge on the 3rd floor is the nicest one I have ever seen (tables and chairs but also couches and lounge chairs that are modern and in a tasteful setting, not what you may be used to). The free breakfast is from 6:30 - 9:30 weekdays and 7:00-10:00 weekends. Food is the same every day...fresh and hot, great coffee and juice. The New York Times and U.S.A. Today are made available as well. There is also a large LCD TV in a certain area. As others have indicated there are free social hour meals from 5-7 on weekdays (not Thursdays)...taco night, soup and salad...etc. Was not at the hotel during those hours to take advantage. I heard people complain about elevator service, but I was up for breakfast quite early so this was never a problem. I have never stayed at a hotel in NYC where elevator service was not slow on occasion.\nThe lobby is long and narrow, and a bit congested when many are checking in and out. There is free internet access at a PC at the end of the front desk with a printer. It came in incredibly handy when I misplaced my e-ticket and needed to print a new one. Kudos to Marriott for thinking of everything. Again, the staff were helpful in allowing me to email them to print my e-ticket when the pdf file could not be opened on the PC.\nIt is definitely worth the reasonable price (by NYC standards) and the top 3 of the 7 or so different hotels I have stayed at in NYC. I will definitely be back. \nThere is nothing particularly special about the stores and things right beside the hotel...the good location refers to what is just three short blocks away to the South or North.\nTip: pack your own container to bring breakfast back to your room, if you prefer not to eat in the breakfast room. There are coffee cups to go and plastic plates, but they may not keep your food warm.\nA couple of suggestions to make it better: luggage rack, NYC tourist mags in room. Not crazy about the hallway decor...but no big deal.\nEnjoy this hotel, the staff and NYC.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 24}, {"text": "We booked our trip directly through Marriott and stayed for a great rate of $209.00. (Friday - Tuesday) Our room had a queen bed, sofa, dining table and two chairs and a full kitchen. The appliances were stainless steel and the kitchen was stocked with everything you need, including a toaster and crock pot. The bed with delcious sheets and duvet cover was one of the most comfortable I've ever slept in. It felt exactly like the wonderful bed I had at the Hilton Millenium earlier in my trip. The bathroom was spotless and modern, but very small. The location can't be beat. The concierge is extremely helpful. All staff members are totally courteous and competent.\nI will definitely check into this hotel again if the price is right.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "The Residence Inn/Time Square was one of the nicest places we've stayed!\nIf you arrive by car park in front or along side the hotel and go inside. They'll send a valet out to park your car. There isn't a lot of room and you need to be cautious of the traffic. Don't make the mistake of going into the parking garage around the corner. You'll pay $10.00 more per day if you do. It does take some time for the valet to retrieve the car, especially during check-out, so call ahead from your room.\nThe room is considered a studio suite but truthfully it's not much larger the a regular hotel room. It had a kitchen area with a full fridge, microwave and coffee maker. There was no cooktop but I think they offer them in some rooms. The room was beautifully decorated, even in the kitchen and dining area. The refrigerator was stainless steel and the counter top was shiny black. The curtains, rug and linens were gorgeous! I don't usually comment on the decor of rooms but this was so beautiful I had to mention it! There was a small sleeper sofa which was horribly uncomfortable! You could feel every spring in the matteress! For as much effort they put into the rest of the room, you'd think they could invest in a quality sleeper sofa mattress. Now for the best part...the bed! It was the most comfortable bed I've ever slept in. The pillows were great and the linens were so soft. The mattress had a thick pillow topper that just enveloped you. The shower was great and had a massaging shower head along with a \"rainshower\" head. The soap they provided reminded me a my favorite Crabtree and Evelyn soap. A regualr handheld hairdryer is provided and it's not one of those weak dryers that are attached to the wall.\nThe breakfast was very nice and was located on the third floor and had plenty of tables and chairs. The were also vending machines and a small bar area. Breakfast consisted of scrambled eggs, sausage patties, homefries, danishes, cinnamon rolls, bagels, english muffins, and bread. There was a conveyer type commercial toaster which was very quick. It would have been nice if the had a waffle maker or pancakes but even so, the selection was nice. The coffee was delicious! Instead of making it in your room go for the coffee the hotel provides. It was really that good and available 24 hours a day.\nThe concierge was extremely helpful as was the rest of the staff. The managers were always in the lobby ready to help and answer any questions and had headphones on to contact the bellhops and valet. \nThe hotel is animal friendly but we heard no barking, meowing etc. I asked if certain rooms are reserved for pets and I was told all rooms were available for them. Our room had no evidence of pets and was very clean. There's an additional fee but only after seven days.\nBryant Park is a block away and is next to the New York Public Libarary. The park has plenty of cafe tables and chairs. It was nice to just sit there with a cup of coffee and enjoy the view. Bryant Park also as free movies every Monday during the summber on a huge screen. Get there early because the lawn fills up fast. Across the street from the hotel is an ice cream shop which was yummy. We saw the off-Broadway show, Slava's Snow Show which was fun, especially if you have kids. It was about $7.00 by taxi to get to the theater.\nWe payed under $220.00 per night which is almost unheard of in Mid-town and even more unbelievable for the quality of this hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My wife and I just returned from the City, the Residence Inn Time Square was fabuolus right from the minute we arrived until we left, we even had to stay an extra night due to bad weather. The staff was very friendly and helpful, the rooms were very comfortable, great having a fridge and micrwave and sitting area. We had a great view of the Empire state building on the 8th floor. There is a great market 20 steps outside the front door, grab some beer and wine and snacks and you are good to go. Did I mention hot buffet breakfast every morning and from Monday to Thursday happy hour on the third floor lounge(the entire third floor) from 5-7pm we had Lasagna and Ceasar Salad one evening all included in the price. Did I mention that yes I was in New York City getting all these extras included in one price. Thank You Marriot, my wife and I have travelled everywhere who in the world rated this hotel only 3-stars this is the only Hotel in 20 years of marriage that my wife has taken her shoes off in a Hotel room. The front Lobby is small that must be the reason it is only a three star Hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "This hotel opened in January, and we were there mid-February for 4 nights.\nThings I liked about the hotel:\n- Location - on 6th Avenue, one block from Broadway. Close to areas of interest, but the location itself is fairly quiet (for New York!). Bryant Park is just 50 yards away. Times Square - < 5 mins. Empire State Building 5 mins. Manhattan Mall, Macy's 5mins. Rockefeller Centre 5 mins. Madison Square Gardens < 10 mins. 5th Avenue (Bloomingdales etc.) 10 mins. Central Park 15 mins.\n- Staff were friendly and helpful.\n- Complementary breakfast (inc. hot food). Complementary evening meal Mon-Thur (usually one type of dish - e.g. pasta dish day 1, chicken & rice dish day 2, pizza day 3) > take it or leave it - we took it and enjoyed it. You can eat in the library area as well as the dining room - very pleasant & comfortable.\n- Spacious rooms with sofa & kitchenette - fridge, slow cooker, coffee maker, dishwasher (which housekeeper will run for you), and hotplate on request. We planned to cook the odd meal until we found out about the complementary dinner.\n- No street noise.\n- Free wireless internet access in lobby & library/3rd floor.\nThings I didn't like:\n- I would have preferred wireless internet in the room (there is wired, but I did't have my dock with me). My wife is probably glad though!\n- We had a mouse in our room! Probably due to building work continuing on 2nd and 4th floors (we were on 5th). We were moved to 20th floor, and provided with some goodies - generally the situation was handled well by the supervisor. I would hope that this is not likely to be an issue when the work is complete.\nIt speaks volumes for the hotel that my wife (who is very pernikety[!]) was happy to stay on in the hotel despite the mouse!\nIf/when we go back, I would definitely stay there again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "If you're reading this, then like me you are choosing your Hotel very carefully. I spent AGES looking at reviews, checking availability / prices etc, because I am very particular about where I stay - and am almost phobic about cleanliness!\nAnd now, having just returned from a 5 day stay I am delighted to be able to report that this Hotel is truly fabulous. \nTop marks for cleanliness, comfort, location, value, service, breakfast...and I was so RELIEVED when I saw my squeky clean light and airy room!\nAll rooms are brand new mini suites with a well equipped kitchenette, includuing huge fridge freezer with ice maker, microwave, coffee maker etc and a black marble worktop / breakfast bar.\nPLUS a huge ultra thin plasma T.V., with tons of channels & movies to choose from if you're holed up due to over 2ft of snow as I was! It was very cosy too, with an excellent highly responsive heating / air conditioning system.\nBut above all else, the brand new HUGE BEDS ARE LIKE SLEEPING ON FLUFFY CLOUDS! Sumptuous luxury with ultra light quilts & 8 pillows, deep comforters on the matress - and fabulous, ultra white eqyptian cotton bedding. I was in heaven!! I have never slept on such a comfortable bed as this.\nI actually looked forward to getting back to my room every day to enjoy it all. I had beers & wine in the fridge, friends 'round to stay on the double sofa bed [spare linen already in room] and chose from a wide selection of take-out menus for the one or two nights in because it was such a pleasure. \nI also had an excellent view of the Empire State Building, all lit up Red, White & Blue - and every morning enjoyed a full cooked breakfast in the excellent buffet breakfast room, adjacent to the trendy library and lounging areas. I didn't use the smart gym, but it looked great.\nMy stay was faultless - even the staff were extremely friendly and helpful. I cannot recommend this Hotel highly enough.\nFinally to add credit to my review, I rarely gush, but I have stayed in many Hotels of all standards around the World over the years - and this one rates as one of the best value considering it's high standards. Trust me and book this place if it is available, you will not be disappointed.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "We chose the Residence Inn in Manhattan because as a family we wanted to be able to save money by eating some meals in during our 10 day stay. \nWith it's kitchen, including full sized refrigerator, microwave and dishwasher we were certainly able to do this. With a number of delis in the same block and a few trips to the Wholefoods Market in Union Square we were able to reheat and cook food easily, plus keep a steady supply of fruit and drinks available.\nThe daily breakfast was a real bonus as was the supply of coffee, hot chocolate, newspapers and books to read in the third floor lounge area. My husband and I really enjoyed having this area to escape to for a bit of peace of a night while the kids were watching television. \nRooms were a reasonable size for New York although when the sofa bed was folded out there is not a lot of room to move around. We requested a couple of extra chairs so that more than two people could sit comfortably at the table to eat, which was not a problem. \nAs many people have already mentioned the staff and service in this hotel was exceptional. Every person we met was cheerful and genuine in their desire to assist us. \nWe were also there when the fire alarm went off, but rather than seeing it as a problem we figured that it was just one of the teething problems of a new hotel. The benefits of a new hotel - crisp new bedding and towels, fresh smell, helpful staff, and plentiful food - far outweighed the one negative. \nWe would definitely stay there again. Location and facilities were brilliant particulary if you are staying for more than a couple of days.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed in the brand new Residence Inn Mariott in Times Square. The first thing that impressed me was how friendly and helpful all the staff were. We never encountered anyone unpleasant through the 3 days we were there.\nThe rooms were all different. We were a group of 12, 4 rooms, only 3 allowed in a room. There was a king size bed which was comfortable, and a pull-out couch which was a double. The comforter on the bed was down, and there was a choice of down or foam pillows.\nThe kitchenette was small but adequate. the closet was tiny, and the bathroom was also tiny with a shower and tub. There was no fan in the bathroom which we could not understand with it being such a small bathroom.\nThe bellman showed us where our soap for the dishwasher was, and also took note of what we might need, like extra blankets, pillows etc.\nBreakfast was included in the price of the room. The breakfast was a nice variety of breads, bagels, danishes, doughnuts, cereals, fruits, waffles of french toast, eggs etc.. The only difficulty was in finding a place to sit down.. Some people opted to take it to their room to avoid this problem. No other meals were available at the hotel, but you could order in, and even eat what your ordered at the bar if you wanted to.\nThe hotel was centrally located, but getting a cab was not a problem. \nNow some of the bugs they need to work out... The wait for the elevators can be very long. The last night we were there the fire alarm went off. All of a sudden a voice came out of the speaker in the wall. Once it was determined that everything was okay, and we didn't have to evacuate, they continued to make announcements to that effect. I think they should have said that the emergency vehicles were required to come anyway, because anyone looking out their window, which faced the front of the building saw the vehicles with sirens and lights going.\nI was also surpised that the announcements were not made in more than one language.\nI would highly recommend this hotel to anyone visiting NYC and I would stay there myself again, despite all the excitement.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "1646128": {"reviews": [{"text": "Overall the staff didn't seem to be very knowledgeble about what they were doing. My husband and I had a few mishaps where we had to wait far too long for the problem to be sorted. On one of the days we were there we asked the girl at reception to recommend for us a restaurant at a particular location that would be open for breakfast and could we make a reservation. She recommended one for us and told us we did not need to make a reservation. Once we arrived at the restaurant's address it was closed on this day. We forgave small mistakes like these as things can't always go to plan but what happened on our last day left us in disbelief .\nOn our last day at the Intercontinental, my husband and I left our bags with the concierge while we checked out and then looked about the city before our flight back to Moscow in the evening. On our return to the hotel to collect our bags my husband looked inside the bag that was carrying the new notebook computer we had bought whilst in New York only to find the box it came in was empty. We quickly returned to the hotel to complain about this absurdity and the hotel staff were extremely unhelpful, even rude given the circumstances. Clearly whoever had done this was well aware of the fact that not only were we leaving but also that we lived very far from New York. From reading one of the above reviews that also recieved 1 star we're not the first to experience this kind of theft at the hotel. In fact this lady's review is the mirror image of ours. Something very fishy is going on at this hotel and I wouldn't be at all surprised if there were a network of people within the hotel who plan and carry out these thefts who know full well that most people won't realise what has happened until they're home, at which point it is worth knowing that to make a complaint to the police department nearest to the hotel, you must be able to physically go to that department in person to make the complaint. To make a complaint by letter or email is simply not possible. I know this because I have just spoken to the relevent police department on skype. Extremely dissapointed. A real pity.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 26}, {"text": "We stayed here to attend a wedding. W e selected the hotel because it is new and reportedly did not have bed bugs. The rooms are very small, there is barely any space to walk between beds and desk. However the real negative is that we had items stolen. Upon checkout we left baggage with concierge while getting lunch. After returning home I realized that a brand new expensive evening clutch, bracelet and other items were stolen from my suitcase. We reported the theft but nothing was done. We received a letter stating the hotel was not responsible for items stolen. This is unacceptable. This is why we chose the Intercontinental, to avoid these types of incidents. We will not return nor will we recommend this hotel. We spent almost $800 for the room and another $300 for stolen items.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "This was our first visit to New York and we stayed here between the dates of 24th and 28th of December and we stayed in a King Sky Room. Upon our initial arrival we were struck by the design, cleanliness and plushness of the place. The view was also great. The location is very central if you like that sort of thing (within walking distance to the hustle and bustle of Times Square - two blocks away).\nAfter the first night my wife had came down with a number of rashes, I was strarting to feel a bit 'itchy' and noticed a few red marks on my body, night by night the itching was getting worse. It never occurred to us that this \u00a3350 a night would have bed bugs! It was only on the final night where the penny dropped and at 4.30am when we were rushing out to to go to the airport that we saw the bloated red bugs crawling around the covers (makes my skin crawl thinking about it again), in a rush I took a couple of photo's on my iphone (please see photos) and whilst rushing out for our taxi to the airport I mentioned to the person at the reception desk that there were bed bugs in our room I also showed him the photo's he assured me he'd investigate and call me back on the details I gave\u2026 no response..\nFast forwards 3 weeks and after a number of emails back and forth with the management (Drew Schlesinger - General Manager for the hotel - who to be fair to him has been very friendly and has apologised for the ordeal) the Hotel are refusing to offer a refund despite the photo's clearly showing them in their room and a doctors report for the bites and rashes (I just wish I'd not rushed out - we had a flight to catch and a car was waiting for us - and showed the onsite manager the bed bugs in the flesh). They are instead proposing that we deal with an external insurance company based in New Jersey on their behalf! Unbelievable service!! Not only was our holiday ruined but now we also need to deal with an external insurance company to have any chance of getting a reimbursement. :(\u00a0 \nAside from the bed bugs and resultant ruined holiday, on a daily basis apart from the bed the rest of the room was not really cleaned in any way apart from the bed and taking the towels away - perhaps this was due to the snow conditions and staff could not get in to work - regardless it was very poor. Add that to the fact that in such a high end hotel you still have to pay for jumping on the wifi and to the fact that you get charged extortionate amounts for eating (what we thought were complimentary) m&m's and nuts left out on the table each morning - \u00a392 for each day! \u00a3180 odd pounds for eating some m&m's and nuts that we thought were complimentary!!?? Crazy. If you do stay here make a mental note not to touch the nuts and chocolates that are left in that tray. Even though they look like they are complimentary they are soooooo not.\nAside from the shambolic experience we had in this hotel in future I think we will pursue a hotel not so squarely in the tourist trap area of Times Square. Areas like Greenwich and Tribeca appealed to us a lot more once we'd had a chance to explore a little bit around.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "I travel every week for work and this has been the worst experience ever. The staff is extremely unaccommodating, borderline rude! I have NEVER experienced anything like it. My husband and I went to New York for my birthday and they ruined it. I will never stay at an Intercontinental Hotel again.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We spent 1 night at this hotel prior to going on a Princess cruise. First impression was very good and we were happy with the hotel and the location. We were not planning to spend a lot of time in the hotel as we had a lot of sightseeing to do in 24 hours. When we checked in we were advised our luggage would get picked up to go on the cruise ship at 9 am the next morning. Anything to go on the ship was to be left in the bedroom and all other luggage we wanted to carry ourselves had to be left in the bathroom with the door closed. As we were checking out the lady in front of us was complaining that her jacket and a bottle of wine had been removed from her luggage in the bathroom. We spoke to her on the cruise ship and after she complained they were returned to her. Why would someone move them? As soon as we were in the taxi going to the cruise ship my daughter went into her bag to play her itouch which was left in her bag in the bathroom and it was missing. We got the reception desk on the cruise ship to contact the hotel but they said it could not be found. As soon as we arrived home we emailed the hotel and after 2 ignored emails we emailed the head office. They did acknowledge our email and asked the hotel to contact us but they just dismissed our complaint and said they could not be responsible. Some member of staff must be responsible and it is the hotels responsibility to know who has access to customers rooms. t I would have thought your valuables would be safer locked in your hotel room rather than carrying them about the streets of New York but obviously that is not the case.\nIF YOU ARE THINKING OF STAYING IN THIS HOTEL DO NOT LEAVE ANYTHING IN THE ROOM. \nI have asked the hotel the question", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 13}]}, "1878946": {"reviews": [{"text": "I returned to the property a year after my initial review to discover that little has changed. Service is still exceptional. As I wrote in 2011, \"The service is what sets it apart. And that's quite an achievement. Anyone we met - anyone - was friendly, thoughtful and accommodating.\" In this visit, the staff outdid itself by handling a most unusual situation smoothly and gracefully.\nOn a the dimmer side, the neighborhood has remained as seedy as it was. I felt uncomfortable walking the streets after dark. Although the subway station is a short distance from the property, I used taxis. This is something to factor into your decision.\nI still recommend this property at the same rate, around $189 per night (taxes excluded).", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Our experience at Aloft Harlem began unpleasantly: after finding a low rate on Expedia, we attempted to take advantage of the \"low price guarantee\" advertised by Starwood, the company behind the Aloft brand. Except that after filling forms and providing information, we received a dry email informing us that the request has been rejected. The reason: Starwood could not verify the lower price on Expedia. And why would they, considering that they waited 48 hours before checking, at which point the sale was over?\nSo we didn't receive the price guarantee, but that didn't dampen our pleasure at Aloft Harlem. A testament to the gentrification of the neighborhood, the hotel is as stylish as any other in the chain, but the service is what sets it apart. And that's quite an achievement. Anyone we met - anyone - was friendly, thoughtful and accommodating. From the receptionist who initiated changing our room to a quiet one, even before we had the wits to ask, to the chambermaid who suggested convenient time to come by.\nSo something in Starwood works right, if not in the reservation department than certainly in training and standards. If this property continue to shine on service, it'll be an exceptional one.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}]}, "1791248": {"reviews": []}, "93467": {"reviews": [{"text": "I stayed at the Affinia Gardens June 20-22 with my wife and son. We loved it. The room was huge and immaculate. We had the smallest room category in the hotel, and it was gigantic by New York standards. We had 2 queen beds and more closet space than we could possibly use. The bathroom was not huge, but there was a small alcove with a mirror and shelf which gave ample room to spread out. I stayed at the Affinia 50 just after its renovation. I disagree with the earlier reviewer: the renovation of the Affinia Gardens is every bit as nice as the Affinia 50. Housekeeping was excellent. The housekeeper found a spot on the carpet and called in to have it cleaned without our having to call it to her attention.\nThe hotel was also very quiet. It is across the street from the Manhattan Eye Hospital, but the hospital has no emergency room, so you did not have to worry about ambulance sirens. Our room was next to the elevator. However, we were not at all disturbed by it (the design is intelligent; the elevator is closest to the bathroom, not the beds).\nOur room was not ready until 2:00 p.m., so we had to check our bags. However, the bellman, Sal was extremely accommodating. He let us retrieve items from our bags and check extra items so we could sightsee comfortably. In response to another review, I am not sure why anyone would wait several hours to check in with Manhattan just outside the door.\nBecause we were there on a Tuesday night, we were invited to a wine and cheese reception. The wine was inexpensive, but quite good (you don't expect gran vins at these events). The cheese offered was above average for this kind of event. What stood out in my mind was that the manager made an effort to introduce himself. He also served the wine. He actually was interested in meeting us and seeing the guests mingle. I have never had such a warm reception at one of these receptions.\nWe liked the location at 64th St. and 3rd Avenue. There was a Food Emporium at the corner which was great for snacks and drinks to store in the full size refrigerator. It also had a deli; we got sandwiches one day when we needed something on the run. I liked being a little bit out of the bustle of midtown. Dylan's Candy Bar was a block away, a big hit with my son.\nThe downsides were minor. The exercise room is modest. I would avoid rooms on the first floor. Two rooms are directly across from the exercise room and 4 steps down from the lobby. The Lexington Avenue subway line is several blocks away, but the weather was nice so we walked or took a cab. I might have felt differently if it was February and I had to take the subway.\nI paid an average of $265 per night through Quikbook (before adding those outrageous NYC taxes), which I thought was a very good value. I think this place is far preferable to places like the Paramount which offer style, but shoebox sized rooms. We would definitely return.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We read the great reviews on Trip Advisor re: Lyden Gardens, so we had some expectations about what the suite would be like. However, we were disappointed to see that our room wasn't very clean at all. The kitchen counters were dirty (dried food), the floors in the bathroom and kitchen hadn't been cleaned, and the carpet throughout was dirty and smelly. We brought it to the attention of the front desk, and they cleaned the room while we were out, but we were pretty uncomfortable for the rest of the stay. All of that should have been taken care of before they gave us the keys to the room. We're not sure we'd stay there again.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "After reading the reviews for The Habitat Hotel I had originally booked with I had nightmares that I would be eaten alive by bedbugs! Luckily I saw the reviews two weeks before I left for New York and booked The Lyden instead. \nI was a bit wary before I arrived because there was only 4 reviews and they were all good ones! I thought there must be a catch!\nI was pleasantly surprised. The hotel was in an excellent location. A 15 minute walk 10 if you walk quickly to 5th Avenue and Central Park. There was a 5, 10 minute cab ride away to Times Square if you couldn't be bothered walking (25-30 mins) Only 12 dollars including tip!\nThe hotel itself was great. I shared a junior suite with my sister and it was big for us! Very clean. Two queen size beds, 3 wardrobes (closets) and a safe. There longing area with sofa and table, a television, a separate kitchen and bathroom and a shower! The hotel provided 24 hour room service from 4 of the local restaurants surrounding 64th street. We used them all! There were also grocery stores and pharmacy's near by for your convenience too. Yep we used those too.\nThe beds were made daily by the maid and clean towels were put out every day. She even washed our dishes one day. Gave her a big tip at the end!\nThe staff were always helpful and polite, and the bellboys were also full of information and willing to help. Big thanks to the polish guy Kris (bellboy) who sorted out our ride back to JFK. Lovely air conditioned car!\nI would definitely recommend this hotel to anyone and when I go back I will definitely be staying here.\nOnly thing is if you don't like noise early in the morning i.e. garbage trucks and delivery trucks to the local hotels and restaurants then bring your earplugs if you are a light sleeper! I didn't mind I was in New York after all!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "This wonderful east side suites hotel has relieved us of the pressure for our own pied-a-terre in NY. The staff is welcoming and helpful, the location phenomenal, and the price more than reasonable. As a result, we have come back often for more than a dozen years. Within minutes, if you wish, you can buy groceries only a half block away, and have a full breakfast from your well furnished kitchen, which alone saves much of what would be a formal hotel's cost. This is one of those names we love so much that we hate to share - though its broad international clientel from the UN, etc., keep the hotel full, friendly, and interesting. Were its suites ever to go condo, I certainly would want to buy one. You won't be disappointed, unless you are seeking artifice and obsequiousness. P.S. When you reserve, request a suite overlooking the gardens.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "The Lyden Gardens is no more. Since mid-September, it has changed its name to the Affinia Gardens Hotel, to reflect its ownership by the Affinia Hotels group and a substantial refurbishment from top to bottom. (Note to TripAdvisor editors: best start a new thread for the newly-renamed hotel, perhaps...)\nMy wife and I stayed there in the first week of the new image, and had a highly enjoyable four nights there. A regular guest my wife got talking to said that the new look has resulted in a significant ugrading for the hotel and its facilities, so maybe prices will rise to reflect this.\nThe hotel is situated in a good part of town, four blocks away from the subway, and you might be best advised to ask for a room in the back of the hotel, as this does not overlook a road. We were fortunate enough to have a first floor room at the back, which came with a good-sized patio with seating for four.\nOur room would have been big enough for four double beds, let alone the two we had. Other room facilities were a small but newly refurbished bathroom, and a kitchen with fridge/freezer, gas cooker, microwave and sink.\nThe Affinia Garden has been repositioned as a \"Tranquil Hotel\", with herbal teas available in the Serenity Bar at the front, opposite the highly organised, efficient and friendly reception.\nAll in all, a good place to stay - we'd definitely return - but expect the prices to rise.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I made a reservation about a month before our stay at The Lyden Gardens which I secured with our credit card. The morning we left California to fly to Manhattan, I called and confirmed our reservation using the confirmation number. When we arrived at The Lyden Gardens that night at about 9pm we were informed that the Hotel was oversold and that we were being sent to The Sheraton Meadowlands in New Jersey. Needless to say, I was not pleased. When we arrived at the Sheraton in Jersey it was 11pm. The restaurant and room service had just closed. No dinner! The next day we made our way back to Manhattan by about noon. The Lyden Gardens paid our cab fare each way. We waited in the lobby about one hour while they prepared our room. Essentially we lost one day of our vacation. They did send up a bottle of wine, pay for two nights (out of seven) of our lodging. One of the nights they paid for was our night in New Jersey. They also picked up the tab for one dinner we had at a restaurant on the corner. One of the things that galls me about our experience is that if we hadn\u2019t shown up the first night our credit card would have been charged for the full amount. They are protected. We (as the consumer) are not.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "The Lyden Gardens is not a fancy, overpriced hotel. But our family loved it and we will definitely stay there again. It is very convenient, near the Upper East, offices, short walk to Central Park. Being between 2nd and 3rd Ave means the neighborhood is not glamorous, but there are lots of restaurants, grocery stores, dry cleaners, etc. nearby. The Food Emporium nearby is a gourmet grocery, and China Fun restaurant was very good but crowded (popular). The Lyden Gardens lobby was curiously small, but clean and the desk staff was always friendly and helpful. The best thing was that the room was large, with a nice sized (for Manhattan), separate kitchen. Also, we really appreciated the broadband wireless Internet connection, which we subscribed for at a modest price. So the computer worked anywhere in the room. We had a room on the third floor facing the trees in back, which was a much nicer view than many hotels and apartments in Manhattan. Also, the exercise room was better than many hotels I've stayed in.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I stayed in lyden Gardens the weekend before Christmas 2004(shopping), Had a great time. The hotel had a very festive atmosphere, the staff were very helpful, you only had to ask for directions or info and they would go out of there way to help. The rooms were spacious and had everything we needed for meals, it was like a mini apartment, clean and tidy.\nIt also has an excellent location, only 5 minuets from Cental Park and the subway, that on the N and the R train will take you top to bottom in Manhattan within 20 minuets (2 for 45st or 5 for 34st), also being off a main avenue is quite quiet for a good nights sleep.\nI recommend Lyden Gardens to anyone on the lookout for great value that you dont have to sacrifice location or quality for.\nI will be returning next year.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We stood in the Lyden Gardens at the beggining of December 2004.\nThe hotel staff was friendly and very helpful. Rooms are big (We stood in a 1 Bedroom room with 2 queen beds and a sofa). Beds are not very comfortable, and the sofa is horrible for sleeping. Bathroom is small and a little bit \"old\", but is enough. \nThink about this hotel as an option if you are not looking for a luxury \"look & feel hotel\".\nWe recommend you the Italian Restaurant in the Room Service. Food is very good and price is OK. The only thing to take into account with the room service is that the hotel charges you a fee for the room service and also makes you call to order yourself the food (outside call). \nSmall hint: Try to get a room with garden views (not street views) to have a silent room.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "1456411": {"reviews": []}, "93335": {"reviews": [{"text": "Stayed at Kimberly for business earlier this week. It was my first time there and I was pleased in just about all aspects of the stay. Check-In was fast and efficient. The room was a good size and although you could tell the hotel is a bit on the older side of things, the room was very clean, and very large. Furnishings were of a good to very good quality, and room was quiet (15th floor). The king-sized bed was very comfortable and there were plenty of lights to complement the large windows in both the living room and bedroom areas. \nTrue, the rooms do not have flat-screen televisions, but both TVs worked just fine, and when I am in NYC, I am not there to watch TV if I can avoid it. Other reviewers may whine about this fact, but to me if the TV still works fine, why waste resources on a new one just to be trendy? (If you want trendy, stay somewhere else). \nBreakfast at the restaurant was ok, nothing special but not bad either...but a good value as it was included in the room rate for the stay. \nStaff was friendly and efficient. Location is just a half block away from the subway. \nFrom a value-for-money perspective, it was one of the best deals I have had in New York. You can spend twice as much for a room half the size in the same location, and it will probably be noiser. Because there only a handful of rooms on each floor, and the bedrooms are offset from the main hallway, you have next to no noise from the interior of the building at night to disturb your slumber. \nOverall, I would give this place a big endorsement and will stay there again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We chose to stay at the Kimberly because of its excellent reviews. Unfortunately, we were horribly disappointed. While the Hotel Manager was very nice, the Assistant Hotel Manager/Concierge was argumentative and rude. Additionally, the gentleman at the front desk technically did his work by checking us in, but he was not very helpful with our questions and acted like he'd rather be anywhere else than working at the front desk.\nThe linens and towels in the room were beautiful and top-class. Unfortunately, the room itself was quite shabby and run-down. It was very obvious that this property was a converted apartment building and that no one had bothered to renovate this room (on the 4th floor). It was quite nice having a suite, but, once again, the furniture was old and worn out, the tvs were definitely old (compared to state-of-the-art tvs we've experienced at other hotels), and the room just looked terribly old and run-down. It was a huge disappointment from what we had been anticipating from reading other readers' reviews.\nAt the front desk, there is a display of a letter from Jimmy Carter. I'm sure he had a much nicer room.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My wife and I stayed at the Kimberley Hotel for six days over this Christmas period.\nThe Hotel met all our expectations:\nAlthough the foyer is on the small side all of the staff are polite and very efficient.\nOur room was very large containing numerous storage cupbords, large wardrobes, two TV's, a bed wider than it was long (& very Comfortable), lounge area with a three peice suite and coffee table, Kitchen aea with all neccesary appliances, balcony.\nThe only minor disapointment was that the bath was small, more of a huge shower tray and the shower was really powerful.\nFinally our moring breakfast was something that we both looked forward to. Basically a buffet with every style of breakfast food available including a designated egg man. Fantastic it was a pleasure tipping such service.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "we stayed 3 nights form oct the 19th, we both found the hotel and the staff excellent, it was our wedding anniversary on the 20th and there was a bottle of wine in the room when we returned in the afternoon which was a lovely touch, we were on the 17th floor facing the street, but although it was noisey 24/7 it was not overly so and was after all what we were expecting from NYC, the location is great, we are walkers so we only used the subway once, and everything is within distance, we booked through the hotel website well in advance and were able to get a suite when all the other sites could only offer a room for the same price so it is worth checking that out before booking,all in all a great place to stay and will certainly stay again when in town.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "This hotel is Great! It is in a brilliant location very close to three subway lines which is helpful for when you want to visit the attractions. All of the staff were friendly and helpful especially Raulph the doorman who gave us lots of resteraunt recommendations. Thee rooms were clean and comfortable and the addedextras e.g. robes, free internet access etc were great.\nThe rooms were large by NYC standards and you have never felt beds like the ones at the Kimberley - Think goose/duck down and lots of it!! fabulous!\nIf you have the capacity to afford the Kimberley the location (10mins walk from Rockerfeller and central park) and the great hotel atmosphere especially at Christmas are well worth it. Pictures to follow!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We just returned from our holiday weekend in New York. Our stay at the Kimberly Hotel was fantastic. The location fit our needs well. It is located right around the corner from the Waldorf. We walked to Rockafeller Center, St. Patrick's, the American Girl Place (we have two young girls... it was a must), the famed store-front windows and Broadway/Times Square. It was under $10 for a cab ride to Macy's. \nOur one-bedroom suite on the 28th floor was perfect (ask for a high floor). The room was very clean and the linens were remarkable! The bed was extremely comfortable and was just perfect after long days walking around Manhattan. The view from our balcony was incredible. \nWe took in the Breakfast Buffet at the hotel restaurant on Sunday morning. The made-to-order omelets were great with several selections of fruit, meat and more.\nThe Bellman, Concierge, Valet, and Front Desk people were all polite and very helpful... without exception. They treated us very, very well.\nThe is the perfect place to stay when visiting Manhattan with the family!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Just back from a great ladies getaway for a long weekend of eating, shopping, theatre-going and laughing! The Kimberly was an important factor in our enjoyable escape. The doormen were all very helpful and charming. The room was very comfortable,quiet and spacious ( by N.Y. standards) and the bed very comfy. The A/C worked very well during our extremely hot weather. Having been many times to N.Y. this hotel ranks highly in my mind. Location is ideal......close to Bloomingdales- 5 min. walk...and not far from Rockefellar Center and Fifth Ave. Fine breakfast places nearby.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "I can't remember when I've stayed in a nicer hotel. The location was wonderful. The rooms are small but very comfortable. At night your bed is turned down and they put music on from the bose clock radio. There was a good size refrigerator and icrowave. The refrigerator even had an ice maker. There are plush terry cloth robes you can use. There's even a pillow menu. You can chose from 1 of 10 pillow types. The bathroom is very nice and clean. If you want a nice view you're going to have to sacrifice quiet. The inside suites are facing other apartment buildings but the upside is the room is quiet. There's a great lunchenette right down the street. We ate both dinner and lunch there once. All in all I think this was a great hotel. I would go back in a heartbeat.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed at the Kimberly from 6/11 to 6/15/06. Great hotel, location, service!! We were given hotel options by our travel agent and after checking the reviews of all on tripadvisor.com we selected The Kimberly (145 East 50th). The room size was perfect (small apartment size) and very clean. Was better than any other hotel we have stayed in....bed was so comfortable and the down pillows were an extra touch. The hotel staff were very friendly and professional....especially Edgar (night desk) and Ralph (doorman). You can't beat the location as it is close to restaurants, museums, United Nations, etc.. At night we felt it was very safe to walk to dinner or just walk, walk, walk. We ate almost every morning at the New York Luncheonette two doors away....good food at reasonable prices. A block over, AuBonPain is great for pastries, coffee, bagel. Subway entrance is really close to the Kimberly and we took advantage of that by riding to Union Square to Havana Central (delicious Cuban food!) for dinner. If you are looking for a quiet bar/lounge (with windows for people watching) then try Lily's which is just a block over from the hotel. Really can't say enough good things about this hotel. Would definitely stay there again!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Kimberly is a clean convenient hotel close to the Grayline Tour bus stop and number 6 (1 block) train. We requested a King bed and when we arrived we not only got a King but were upgraded to a suite with a balcany. Did not eat at the restaurant looked good and they do offer room service. Staff was very attentive and always had a smile. Location was good, far enough from Times Square but not to far that you couldn't walk.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I planned the trip to NY as a surprise to my husband for our 22nd Wedding Anniv. I got tickets to the Met for La Traviata and then searched for a hotel online. The Kimberly met and exceeded expectations...it was roomy (we had a suite), clean, comfortable and had great views. The location couldn't have been better, very close to shopping, Rockefeller Center, the subway...everything. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone...for the price it was GREAT! \nDo not expect the St. Regis or the Palace, but a European Boutique Hotel and you won't be dissapointed. Along the lines of a Hotel Monaco....\nRestaurants: DeGrezia just east on 50th from hotel is great for dinner...Deli's don't miss Maxie's or Roxy's at Times Square...also \"21\" Upstairs was very romantic before the Opera!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Three friends of mine and I stayed at The Kimberly from December 1 until December 4, 2005. We're in our thirties and have each traveled extensively. We stayed in a two-bedroom suite on the 27th floor. It was a corner room with a balcony. We had more space than we could have ever put to use. (It did come in handy for all the shopping bags.) The staff was fabulous and the location was ideal for our purposes. The decor in our suite could be updated but really, how much time do you spend in the room when in NYC. It was exceptionally clean and the beds were to die for. I would recommend this hotel to anyone except those looking for an extremely posh and romantic hotel for their stay. We\u2019ll definitely be back!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "We stayed at the Kimberly Hotel Dec. 11-14 in a 2br suite. It was very spacious for a family of four adults and one small child. I was quite impressed with the cleanliness of the suite. We arrived early and our room was already available. The staff is very considerate and helpful, most especially the doormen. We were always met with a smile whether we were coming or going. \nI found the location ideal as it was central to most of our activities and with very little street noise. The walk to Times Square is short as is the walk to major shopping.\nSome of the furniture did look a little worn but considering the the space you get get for such a reasonable price in NYC, it was perfectly fine. I was very pleased with our stay at the Kimberly and would highly recommend it, especially to those on a budget and with children.\nWe will definitely stay at the Kimberly Hotel again!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "I booked into The Kimberly the week after Thanksgiving for 5 nights after reading reviews here. Got a nice deal thru a web reservation service. The lobby was much smaller that I anticipated, but who spends time in the lobby? The room was VERY spacious by NYC standards. Had freinds staying around the corner, The W, and I visited their room.....TINY. They actually ended up staying an extra night in my room as I had the pull out sofa in the living room. I really like the balcony. It is nice to be able to walk outside and check the weather! The staff was very freindly, esp housekeeping! The receptionist tried to upgrade me to one of the premier suites but didn't have one for all 5 nights. The steak house adjacant served a good meal, but I would have appreciated better service at midnight with only 4 other tables in the place. They serve until 2am. I would stay here again at a discounted rate. Their published rates are much too high for the calibur of the property.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "Spent a long week there for business. The room was spacious with a full kitchen and sitting room It was clean and the bed was soft but comfortable. The work space provided was very small and the lighting was poor. I felt like I was checking my email in the dark most afternoons. It feels like an older apartment inside. The staff was nice and helpfull with several requests I made. One downside, one of the elevators broke and the on that was left was very slow. I walked down 12 floors to go out to dinner...happy that I wasn't on the 30th or having to walkup. It was fixed that night so it must have just been something small.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "We stayed at The Kimberly Hotel, 145 E 50th Street, New York for a total of 6 nights in November and would recommend it to anyone for it's location, friendly staff, size of suites and comfort value. Perhaps not the cheapest of hotels but we could not fault it in any way. Suite had everything - large bedrooms with oh so comfortable beds, great living area and kitchen, spacious bathrooms with every comfort, everything spotlessly clean and the added bonus of a balcony with the breathtaking view of the Chrysler Building.It doesn't get much better than this.\nWe wouldn't stay anywhere else now when we visit New York.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "I stayed at the Kimberly for the first time this week and at every turn, was suprised and delighted by the unparalleled service and amenities they provided during my stay -- from the complimentary upgrade to a suite, to the personalized note and free gift from the manager (completely unexpected), to the extremely attentive staff and the most comfortable bed I have ever slept in outside of my home! All this for less than $300/night? That's unheard of for Midtown. Plus, the location cannot be beat -- it's 1/2 block from the Waldorf-Astoria. I LOVED this hotel and will definitely be back!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "I have stayed at and complained about many touted 4.5 and 5 star resorts. It is rare, therefore, that I would fully endorse any accommodation. However, staying at the Kimberly made my family and my first trip to New York a truly wonderful experience. The room was spacious, clean and well decorated. The only drawback was the less than friendly employee on duty for customer service. On the other hand the rest of the staff were so great that her less than helpful disposition seem so contrasting.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "The Kimberly has an excellent location, terrific staff and extremely spacious suites in a city where visitors regularly pay over $300 for tiny box-sized rooms. But, unless you are staying in one of the top-priced suites, the Chrysler, Ambassador or Empire, don't expect to be utterly thrilled. Our 1-bedroom suite was roomy and well-appointed with large windows in both bedroom and living room (with balcony), but they hardly mattered, as they looked out onto a dingy blue building directly across and down to heating vents and compressors. This meant the room stayed dark even though we had sunny weather during our 3-night stay. The upside of being on this side, was that the drone of the equipment below was perhaps preferable to NYC street noise, even on the 15th floor. As mentioned in other reviews, furnishings are somewhat dated; my husband thought the lamps were particularly ugly, however everything was clean and in working order. Two terry robes were provided, one TV in each room, a CD player in the bedroom, full bath with Neutrogena toiletries, lots of closet space and drawers, extra towels and pillows, a well-equipped kitchen, comfortable bed with good linens and down duvet, big couch, soft chairs, dining table and chairs, desk with fax machine and in-room wireless or ethernet-cabled high-speed Internet, - on the whole better than many a working New Yorker's apartment. Like anywhere, your impression of The Kimberly will depend on your expectations. I had a good idea of what I was getting into from reading many of the other reviews, both favorable and not. We left feeling satisfied with The Kimberly, but somehow it did not earn our affection as a favorite hotel. As long as it remains competitive price-wise however, it will be a contender for future stays.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "We had an early flight from Greensboro, NC to La Guardia on May 12th and we arrived at the Kimberly at 10 am. We were met promptly by a doorman who loaded our bags on a cart and directed us to Kurt who checked us in. Altho our room wasn't ready at 10 am, it was ready at 12:30 when we returned after lunch. We booked a one-bedroom suite for which we paid an average of $270 per night for our 6-night stay.\nI think the pictures I've posted tell the story. The room was lovely . . . very traditional style furnishings . . . but very comfortable and tasteful. The small kitchen was well-equipped. We had no need for pots and pans, and dishes but they were there and everything was very clean and neat. The lighting throughout was excellent and there were lots of extra outlets (which I needed to charge my camera batteries, cell phones, and PDA.) I brought my laptop and paid extra ($7.95 a day) for high-speed internet access. It was simple to set up. There was a printer/fax machine on the desk in the living room (no charge for activation and private fax number). \nThe bedroom was a good size with a very large closet and a safe big enough to hold a laptop. (I left mine sitting on the desk during our entire stay; just used the safe for some cash.) There is a 4-drawer double dresser in the bedroom and two night stands each with 2 drawers. If additional drawer space is needed, the armoire in the living room has 3 large drawers and there's a small drawer in the desk. In addition to the closet in the bedroom, there is one just inside the entrance to the suite and a large closet with shelves just outside the bathroom.\nTwo very plush terry robes were provided and we loved lounging in them (I would have purchased one for my husband but he was worried that someone might think his name is \"Kimberly\".) TV sets are conveniently located in the living room and bedroom. They were a bit small but certainly adequate and in good working condition (19\" screens I think).\nThe bed itself was the most comfortable bed I've ever slept on. The bedding was immaculate and soft and plush. There were 7 large pillows on the bed (some down, some foam) and the comforter itself was down and very heavy.\nPrevious reviewers said that the bathrooms are small. Yes, they are a bit small but not lacking in amenities. A very large medicine cabinet (3 separate doors) contained shelf space for every toiletry we brought and then some. The doors to the cabinet were mirrored and opened to form a 3-way mirror. There were lots of towels and extras in the closet.\nThe service provided by the entire staff was outstanding. The New York Times was outside of our door every morning. Our room was made up each day between 9 am and 2 pm. Turndown service was provided each evening while we were out to dinner. This included remaking the bed with chocolates on our pillows as well as another bathroom cleaning and fresh towels. Everything was always clean and tidy. \nI must make one other comment about the staff. On our first night, we rushed out of the suite after putting $300 in cash in our safe. Not only did we forget to lock the safe, we forgot to close it as well, and also didn't close the door to the closet containing the safe. When we returned later that night, our room had been made up and the money was still there. I'm not advising anyone to leave their cash unsecured, but the incident convinced me that I could feel comfortable leaving my laptop on the desk throughout our stay.\nA couple of final comments about the Kimberly's location. Located on 50th street between Lexington and Third Avenue, everything you could want is nearby. Subways and bus lines are within 2 blocks as are small delis and breakfast spots. (Au Bonne Pain has the best cafe au lait and chocolate croissants!) If you stay at the Kimberly (or almost anywhere else in the city) remember you're not in Kansas anymore! You will have noise . . . fire engines, police vehicles . . . sirens galore, and horns blown by impatient taxi drivers. There is no escape from the sounds of the city. Our room was on the 20th floor. We heard noise all the time, but it didn't bother us; actually we love it! We could have closed our windows to block out some of it, but the weather was lovely and we wanted the fresh air.\nTo sum up, The Kimberly is a wonderful home base for a trip to New York City. The staff, without exception, were professional and very friendly. My husband and I were satisfied beyond all expectations and would certainly choose the Kimberly for our next visit to NYC.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 32}, {"text": "My family of four has just returned from New York and spent two nights at the Kimberly Hotel. Had we planned to stay longer or had it only been my husband I, we would have left and moved up the street to the Waldorf or the Palace; however we had two chldren with us and the Kimberly, formerly an apartment building, had two room \"suites\", an ideal set-up for families. The good news: the Kimberly's one bedroom suite was good sized; did have a balcony, a kitchen and is in a convenient mid-town location.\nThe negatives began at arrival. My children and arrived on an early flight knowing that our room would not be ready for several hours. We were prepared for this. I asked for a time to return and was told 1:00 P.M. Shortly before 2:00 P.M. we arrived back and when I inquired about the status of our room, was told it was not ready. Again, asking when we might return, I was told in a very terse voice to come back in a half hour. We did and this time without dierctly responding to my question, the clerk said \"give them room 21D.\" At no time during these exchanges did this man engage in more than the necessary words to convey the information regarding a room. \nArriving at our room, I thought I had thought I had walked into my great-aunt's apartment which had not seen an update in 20 or more years. The lighting was so bad (yellow tinge to everything) that even with all the lights on, it was difficult to read. The lamps, ceiling and wall lamps were either left over from the hotel conversion or were an attempt at \"vintage lighting.\" Whatever the case, the effect was drab and dreary. When I attempted to turn the lamp on next to the bed, I noticed the light socket was out of the lamp. Calling the front desk, I began to inquire about a replacement lamp and the phone clicked in my ear as I was speaking. Calling back again, a gentleman came up, put the socket back in the lamp and told me I could operate it from the wall and not to use the manual switch.\nThe wallpaper border was peeling off from the wall, the carpet was more than just a little old and dated but also stained. The furniture was a 1970s fake french provincial; the bathtub had part of the faucet hanging off and worst of all an alleged non-smoking room had a definite smell of smoke which apparently the management encourages as there were ashtrays in the drawers. All in all it was a drab and dreary place to spend a couple of nights not to mention the headache from the cigarette smell.\nWe are not high maintenance travelers; however, we do expect some basic level of service from a hotel. When my husband arrived in the afternoon and asked for a key to the room, he had to ask the woman at the desk if she wanted to see his I.D. And perhaps it was the treatment by the desk staff that seemed to leave such a poor impression of the hotel. At no time, at check in or check out, did anyone ask if there was anythng they could do for us or gave us the usual \"have a nice time in ..... and if there is anything we can do for you\" recitation. The two times I called the front desk regarding the lamp issue, I was not greeted by name (even the Holiday Inn Express answers \"Hello Ms......\" When I checked out, the woman at the front desk did not ask me if we enjoyed our stay, either at the Kimberly (no) or in New York (yes). The coincierge was so busy on the telephone talking to whomever that it took a half hour to arrange for a car to take us back to the airport. Thank goodness we didn't need help with tickets or information as to where to go or how to get around.\nMy last stay in New York was at the Plaza. Even as that grand hotel was closing (and was quite shabby itself in its last days) and the staff was aware of their imminent unemployment, they remained professional, courteous and very friendly. The Kimberly might want to pick up someone from the Plaza and find out how to make guests feel good about staying at a worn out hotel. \nThe next time we need two rooms in New York, we will head up the street to the Benjamin.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "The Kimberly is, truly, a gem!! Stayed for three wonderful nights in the \"two story\" and cannot say enough good things about the accomodations and the staff. From the moment we arrived, we were greeted with warmth and the utmost in hosptitality. The beds were glorious- down mattress pads and comforters!! Soft sheets!! Thick plush towels!! And the location cannot be beaten- perfect central location. I wouldn't even consider staying anywhere else in the future.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We spent a fantastic 3 nights , 4days , at the Kimberley this April. The staff from the moment we checked in to the moment we left were first rate.They were all polite , attentive and very friendly without being overbearing.\nOur room was the best we have spent in a Hotel anywhere.It was actually a suite including small kitchen area , Lounge , Bedroom and bathroom.It was spotlessly clean and the Kingsize bed was just fabulous.I snore a lot ( Allegedly ! ) but even my wife could'nt here me we were so far apart .She was also very impressed with the standard of the bed linen.\nWe will certainly book this hotel for our next Visit.\nAndrew and Julie Newsome UK", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I travel to NYC quite often and always was searching for 'the' hotel...now I've found it! \nThis is the best New York City hotel that I've ever stayed in, by far! Courteous staff, gorgeous accomodation - I've let colleagues and friends know and I wouldn't even bother trying any other hotel now. The location is great with a good deli close by and the proximity to all the stores - I could go on......", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I loved The Kimberly! It's small, as hotels go, but I never felt claustrophobic in it and especially not in my room. The parlor was comfortable, the kitchen surprisingly complete, and the bedroom was QUITE spacious with an awesome bed. \nThe staff was delightful, especially the doorman, an older African American man, who was quick with a smile and never, ever gave me the feeling he was looking for a tip (which made me tip him more!).\nIt's conveniently located to many midtown attractions and also the subway at 51st and Lexington.\nI would definitely stay here again, but word to the wise: make sure you get your car out of the garage within a 24 hour time period or they will charge you for an extra day, even if you're only a minute or two late!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "I travel to NYC with my Best Friend every year. It seems more of our friends join us each trip. This past year we had a party of 4 so we rented a 2 bedroom suite at the Kimberly. It was so perfect. The most spacious room we have ever had in NYC. We had a private balcony and the bedding was dreamy. We did not use the kitchen except to store cold drinks in the fridge. They even provided us with umbrellas when it rained. I would and have recommended this hotel to others and will be visiting again myself. This only downside was one of the girls slept on the pull out sofa bed. It was not at all comfortable while the rest of us has luxury bedding.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I stayed at the Kimberly Hotel with my two teenage children in March 2006. We were in a one bedroom suite which was very large in relation to other New York hotels I've stayed in. The two double beds were comfortable, but the pull out sofa was horrible. The staff was very friendly and helpful save for the cleaning staff. They were unfriendly and loud in the hallways. I cannot say enough positive things about the bell and door staff though. They were very attentive and never hesitated to help us find a cab and our luggage was tended to quickly. If you want a location that is within walking distance of Central Park South, Rockefeller Center and Times Square than it's perfect. Personally I prefer staying in a quieter neighborhood and taking the subway or a cab to midtown. Overall it's good value for the price.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I spent 5 days with my two teens at the Kimberly Hotel. We had a one bedroom suite which worked out quite well for us. We had a good rate with Expedia. I considered upgrading to the luxury collection which is the renovated upper floor area but it would have been an extra $ 200/night. Also, I had read that the sofa beds are not comfortable (this is an UNDERSTATEMENT) the springs dig into your back! The hotel has a $ 30/night charge for rollaway cots. The beds in the room were quite comfortable and also had a remote control to lift the head and foot rests for the mattress but only one worked...\nOn the positive side, the hotel is in a perfect location. We walked to the Rockafeller centre, Times Square, Fifth Avenue, etc. The Starbucks ( 1 block west) is a fast and easy spot to grab breakfast. This was better than the breakfast buffet in the hotel. \nI would most likely choose this hotel again as it is centrally located and in a safe area.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Stayed at the Kimberly Sept 11-15. Had stayed at the Waldorf previously but needed a two bedroom suite with kitchenette and this fit the bill. The location is superb; easily within walking distance of any midtown adventure you would want. \nStaff: Very accommodating, especially the doormen. Although on arrival, our check in person (the blonde) kept us waiting while she finished a personal call. On departure our doorman had a tough time getting a taxi and walked down the street to Lexington (in the rain) to flag one going south and get it down our way. Room service was generally good; however, we did have to call down twice on one request. \nFacility: Know in advance that this is a converted apartment house. Thus the lobby is small and congestion around the elevators (if they are running) is not unusual. The elevators are old and unreliable as has been posted before. One of the two was out of service for our entire stay. The one remaining elevator was over challenged to support both client and hotel staff needs. After the first day, every time we left our room we started making bets on: 1) how long it would take to get one to our floor (the 24th), and 2) how many times it would stop on the way down. The hotel management tried to make amends for the inconvenience and offered a free breakfast at their Ferro\u2019s restaurant for all clients. \nBedrooms are nicely sized and the linens are superior. The bathrooms are nicely appointed; however small. The blow-dryer must be used standing up\u2026.my wife did not appreciate this feature. Our two room suite was in need of a really good cleaning and paint job (the breakfast bar had been touched up with paint that didn\u2019t match). Screening of upholstery condition left something to be desired. We discovered one sofa pillow that had what appeared to be vomit on one corner as did part of one sofa cushion\u2026..and it wasn\u2019t fresh. We had a nice balcony with a great open view. It faced the Chrysler building and it was fun to watch the lights disappear in the lowering fog. \nThe kitchenette offers all necessary items (including corkscrew) and we made a quick trip to the Food Emporium on 52nd and 2nd and the Beekman Liquors store at 500 Lexington to stock up. Note that Beekman only carries high end wines and liquors at commensurate prices. There are no deals. Our doorman later suggested Diplomat Liquors on second, also about two blocks away. The refrigerator/freezer has two ice trays and you should take every opportunity to keep them filled (check whether the freezer setting is on full cold otherwise it\u2019ll take a while for the ice to form). There are no other ice machines available except the one in the basement which is accessible only through room service. \nWould we go back? Probably not as a couple. If we had another couple to travel with again and wanted the suite option we\u2019d consider it.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "I've stayed in New York many times and thought the Kimberly was the best deal for the money, particularly if you have a family. My sister, two nieces and I had a one bedroom suite with two beds, kitchenette, living room, and balcony (which the girls loved). The beds were very comfortable and the kitchen was well-equipped and convenient for breakfast, quick snacks and \"happy hour.\" I felt we had plenty of room to spread out, keeping in mind that hotel rooms in New York are usually small. A word of caution, however, this type of room is not guaranteed. Another friend and her two daughters were with us and they also had a one bedroom suite, but no balcony and a king bed (although I requested 2 doubles for both rooms when I made the reservation with Express, which is now Quikbook). The only negative is the pull out sofa - it's uncomfortable, but we just requested a bunch of pillows and it worked fine. It's very well located for shopping, sightseeing and the park, with the theatre district about a 10-15 minute walk. The subway is also convenient and taxis are plentiful. The staff couldn't have been nicer, especially the bellmen and doormen. Part of our group was taking the train to DC and they were able to get all of our luggage in the trunk (and young girls don't pack light!).", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "we stayed in a one bed suite with a king bed and seperate living room which had a pull out sofa bed-ideal if you have children as we have. The room was beautifully appointed with a kitchen full of the necessary cutlery etc, and we were most impressed at the standard of the towels and linens but best of all was the fabulous bed which is probably the best we have ever encountered in a hotel. The hotel is in a great location close to the subway on lexington and has a good irish pub just two streets away and numerous coffee shops in the area. The staff were great especially Harry the doorman who made our seven year olds day every time he greeted her with a high five and a hiya princess! We would definitely stay here again as the location, service and standard of the rooms are wonderful for the rate that this hotel charges. I would certainly recommend it to everyone.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "My family and I stayed at this hotel for two nights. The lobby is tiny, but very warm and welcoming. We stayed at a one bedroom suite. The rooms were at a very reasonable price: about #300 per night. They were quite small, like the lobby, but very comfortable. I liked that there was a fully-equipped kitchen, and a nice dining room. The beds were relaxing, but the queen sized sofa bed was too springy and when I woke up, my back was aching. There were great amenities, but the Internet access is a little pricey. (I mean, $7.95 for 24 hours!) There is a printer/fax/copier on the desk too. The service is extremely friendly; they are polite and very kind to children. The dining here is great too. I have tried their breakfast buffet, and it was very good. On weekdays, the breakfast buffet is free for people staying at the hotel, but for outsiders, it is not complimentary. Overall, it was a very nice stay at the Kimberly Hotel.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 26}]}, "99371": {"reviews": [{"text": "I have stayed in hundreds of hotels around the world and written several reviews on Tripadvisor. Writing a review on this property was the toughest nut to crack. As there are several positive features, there is equal or greater number of negatives as well. \nHowever one thing I am certain about: this hotel does not deserve the high rating it has on TripAdvisor (currently at number 10). And at 400 USD it certainly is not worth the money. \nIn fact else whre in the US this place would be called motel. And In Europe it would deserve only one or barely two stars\nLocation\nMarriott Midtown East is located in the corner of 3rd Avenue and 53rd Street. The surrounding area is mainly occupied by offices and during evenings and weekends streets may lack any human action. It\u2019s like staying in a ghost town (by NYC standard). There is a 24-hour \u201cpharmacy\u201d (Duane Reade) next door to the hotel - but other than that there are very few amenities around. It is a good 20-minute walk to Fifth Avenue and another 20 minutes to the Grand Central. Subway station next to the hotel was the best feature: easy access downtown and even to JFK (by conneting at Suthpin Boulevard to JFK AirTrain.)\nThinking back I should have chosen Times Square instead and possibly Marriott Marquis.\nRoom\nI stayed in Executive King Corner Room. The room was big but 50% of the space is useless corridor space. Decor is of motel style. Nothing wrong with the room but visually it\u2019s utterly boring and the same applies to the bath room: motel standard throughout. Free internet access was the only positive feature that came with the room. Only wired access worked.\nFacilities\nThe same motel standard applies to other hotel facilities as well. Small reception - > take the elevator up -> enter your room. That\u2019s it. Nothing more. There is however a small cafeteria on 11th floor: stay away. It\u2019s over priced and of poor quality. Oh nearly forgot the gym .. or rather one of the bed rooms with some odd equipment. \nSummary\nIf you have not seen any other hotels this may be a fairly safe bet. No surprises except that there\u2019s nothing beyond standard. At 400 USD it is however way overpriced for what you get.\nPlusses:\n+ Easy access by underground from and to JFK. \nSubway line E station is right next to Courtyard Midtown. From JFK take AirTrain to Suthpin Boulevard/ Jamaica Station. Cost is 5 USD. At Suthpin Boulevard change to subway E (cost 2 USD). It takes about 50 minutes to get from JFK to Courtyard Midtown and even with luggage the trip is doable. \n+ close to Subway Station \nSubway lines E (along 8th Avenue to World Trade Center, runs only on weekdays) , V (along 6th Avenue) and 6 (along Lexington Avenue to Brooklyn Bridge) guarantee easy access to downtown.\n+ good sized rooms\n+ next door to the hotel is a 24h shop (elsewhere it would be 7-Eleven , in New York it\u2019s Duane Reade. Practically a pharmacist but selling some other stuff as well.\nMinuses:\n- There are practically no services at this hotel.\n A small lobby with a couple of chairs, overpriced breakfast room and one room converted to a gym. And that\u2019s it. No bars, no restaurants. For some weird reason they do have some conference rooms. \n-Everything in this hotel is average or below average\nNo surprises, nothing to complain about (not including the price-quality ratio). Just plain and simple. Rundown in some places, is some other places newly refurbished (not renovated just some cosmetic work done).\n- Corner rooms which are advertised as Executive Corner King rooms are very unpractical and in reality the usable space of the room might even be smaller than in the standard room.\n- walking distance to places you as a tourist / traveller would like to go \u2013 and there is very little of interest in the area itself (just offices), about 1 km to Rockefeller Center, Grand Central Station and Central Park, about 2 km to Empire State Building and Times Square. If you are heading elsewhere it\u2019s worth taking the Subway.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "As a regular traveller I can assure you that this hotel is just fab! You will not be disappointed, my partner and I stayed here for 4 nights and we where extremely impressed by the professionalism and friendliness of the staff, the room was huge, very clean and was excellant value for money. Couldnt ask for a better location, subway station directly outside hotel, tube via jamaica Center and the Airtrain, very easy and most importantly stressfree only $7 complete bargain. lots of little breakfast diners around the hotel to choose from, try the oxford cafe or the coffee pot. 20 mins walk to Time sq, 3 blocks from 5th av, 10mins to central park, lets face it, when in New York be prepared to walk the feet of yourself, best way to see new york (weather premitting of course). If you want to to some sightseeing may I suggest purchasing in advance a NewYork pass and also the All loops greyline pass, you will see so much and save loads of money. Regards the hotel I just want to say it was a pleasure to stay in such a comfortable, clean and friendly hotel, I have nothing bad to say about it, free internet on the the 12th floor, ice machines on every floor, iron in room. Before we arrived we got an email asking us if we would like and benefit from addtional towels and a fridge which they would assure would be in our room on arrival and no extra charge!\nAlso checkin was after 3pm, but we arrived much earlier than expected and arrived at 12pm, asked if we could leave our bags in reception until the room was ready, only to be told we could have out room early as it was ready, also they gave us an extended checkout to 3pm - result. very accomodating and nothing was ever to much trouble. I have stayed in many of hotels with my job and can honestly say you feel a valued guest here, I have always thought highly of the Marriott chain and have never been dissapointed, the courtyard is of same standard of any 4 star hotel. I hope you have a super time here if you choose to stay here and much as we did. If you have ever stayed in new york before you will know lots of hotels in the city is of poor/average standard and are mini size bedrooms with no room to swing a cat.\nHave fun and enjoy your trip\nLeo Neill/Berkshire UK", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Stayed here over the weekend July 21-23. Very convenient location (a short walk to shopping on Madison or Fifth Avenues), the Duane Reade drugstore right next door is open 24 hours (great for snacks for the room). Clean room, nice size, good shower/water pressure, comfortable bed (we had a king), perfect for a weekend away. Reception desk was great, the bellman arranged a car to and from the airport (I called in advance to arrange airport pick-up), very courteous staff all around. They even offer free coffee/tea on the 12th floor. Don't hesitate to stay here.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We were redeeming some Marriott points and were supposed to originally stay at the new Courtyard Inn in the upper east side. The opening of the hotel was delayed so we were moved to the Midtown East property.\nThis turned out to be a blessing in disguise! We really liked the hotel and the location was excellent. \nWe took the Airtrain from JFK to the Jamaica Subway Terminal. From there we took the subway directly to the hotel. (The hotel is a few feet from the subway station) \nWe were on a high floor and we thought the rooms were very nice. We never heard our neighbors and no street noise. Included with our package was a made to order breakfast each morning. This was really nice because it started our day with a nice meal. \nWe walked to Central Park, 5th Avenue, Times Square, and most of the sites. We also purchased a 7 day subway pass for $24 which allowed us unlimited use of the subway for the week.\nWe stayed at the property for 7 days and would highly recommend it.\nYou can see our entire trip report on our [----------------]web site.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "You don't have to worry about this hotel, from the greeting at the door, to the checkout we had nothing but positive encounters with all the staff. The rooms are gorgeous, recently redecorated. The breakfast is wonderful. We had a limo back to LGA for $35 from the conciger (sp). We should have requested one for arrival. The four of us paid $68 for the airport Blue Shuttle. The Hotel is close enough(within 6-8 blocks) to most sites if you like to walk. The subway is on the corner. We used the taxi's mostly and never paid more than $6.00 for any ride for the 4 of us. The staff will let you know about how much for a taxi to where you are going. The most we paid was for a Limo to Central Park for $15. It was kind of fun. The Grayline tours are worth every cent , We took the classic tour. We also took the tour to Washington DC from Priceline It was $149 a piece but also was worth every penny Our guide was great. We can't wait to go back to NY and see what we missed in the 5 days we were there. We reserved our rooms on the Marriott site and got a better price than through Priceline or Orbitz or Cheaptickets.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Just returned from a 4 night stay in the Courtyard Marriott Midtown. I picked this hotel from this website because of positive reviews, price was not an issue, previous experiences are to me. \nI would recommend all to stop at Midtown Courtyard. I have uploaded some pics of my room which was on the 21st floor and had great views of 3rd Avenue. The room had Kingsize bed walk-in shower, free internet, large tv, was very clean and tidy. All the staff were very friendly and helpfull especially the concierge who could not help enough with excellent advice/directions on how to get to specific locations. It is really well situated and within walking distance of 5th Ave for shopping, Times Square, and many other tourist attractions. The Subway entrance is only 30 sec walk from the lobby and you can buy a metro 'fun' day pass for just $7 - \u00a34 and travel anywhere all day. \nAll hotels in NY are expensive, we got a great deal through Obitz who did a 'partner' discount with Marriot Courtyard and American Airlines. We paid $870 for 4 days including kingsize room, flights from our local airport (not Heathrow which is cheaper) to JFK. I hope this is of some use to fellow readers.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We arrived at the courtyard manhattan not sure what to expect. My room cost (queen, queen room) booked directly with the hotel via their website was 150dollars(approx).This included all taxes and charges, which was excellent for new york, although I did book last April to get this rate. Our room was on the 19th floor.\nWhen entering the room on one side is a large double mirror wardrobe, with an electronic safe{free) and the bathroon was on the other side. The bathroom was quite large withe all the usual things!! and a hairdryer, and very clean. There was a coffee maker in the bathroom.\nOur room was an excellent size, especially for New York. We had 2 queen beds, sofa and occasional table,television,fridge(also free) and a large work/office desk and chair.The housekeeping was also very good. Plenty of towels,coffee, and bedding was changed each day. We choose to leave a tip each day rather than at the end of our stay, as there seemed to be different girls working each day.\nBoth our check in and check out were very fast and efficient. \nI don't know what we had expected from a New York hotel, but all the staff were very friendly, and we would stay here again without a second thought.\nBeing on 52st east, and third ave, we were able to walk everywhere, and there is a store directly beside the hotel entrance for snacks etc. There are also lots of eating places near by.\nThere is also complimentary coffee on the 12th floor lobby available 24 hrs, and a guest laundry in the 21st floor(soap powder and fabric conditioner is available at the front dest..also for no charge.\nAll in all for the price we paid for this hotel we were more than happy with our stay.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "I was pleasantly surprised by the Marriott Courtyard Midtown East located on 3rd Avenue and between 50th and 51st Streets. The room was very large, clean, comfortable. Felt very safe. Staff was great. No frills, but plenty of service. The breakfast was outstanding. Full, cooked to order breakfast. Very impressive. Nice quiet location, but near lots of great little restaurants. Walking distance (about 4 blocks) to the United Nations. I would stay there again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I really don't have a bad thing to say about this hotel. It was very much like a standard Courtyard, except it's in a renovated midtown Manhattan office building. We had reserved two rooms and because of a reservation snafu that was remedied, were given a corner king room upgrade. The second room was a standard king with sofabed. Given the office building past, the windows were very large with nice views. One room had a view of the East River (just a slice of it) and the towers on the East Side, whereas the Corner King had sweeping views looking north on 3rd Avenue and of the landmark Citicorp Building across the street.\nBoth rooms were very clean and the bathrooms spotless. The sofabed room lacked sheets, so a call to the front desk was made and while we were out, the sheets were delivered, but we still had to make the sofabed ourselves. Requests for additional shampoo and even toothpaste were fulfilled promptly. Our rooms ranged from 330-420 sq. feet, with the corner king especially spacious. The pillows were down feather and the mattresses low, but comfortable. The bathrooms were basic and were outfitted with some sort of Corian material. It wasn't marble, just functional.\nHallways were very private and with only 18 rooms on our floor, very quiet. There was a little bit of city noise from 3rd Ave. below--horns, an ambulance--but nothing too disturbing. One should expect some of that in the city.\nThe breakfast room and lounge, located on the 12th floor, looked fine, but with a summer street fair on 3rd Ave. out front, we chose to sample the local vendors. Several restaurants, including a Smith and Wollensky's steakhouse, are within a block or two away, and across the street is the Citigroup Center with a Barnes & Noble and other restaurants, shops and pubs.\nTimes Square is a bit of a walk away, but still easily accessible. We walked all over from Grand Central Station to Times Square to Central Park and liked that the Courtyard was a little away from all of the push and shove of the Times Square area. A subway station was right across from the hotel, good for heading down to Lower Manhattan or Chinatown.\nWhile still big-city outrageous, the room rates were not bad for Manhattan standards. Parking is $45 and it took 30 minutes for the staff to retrieve our car.\nThe staff was helpful throughout and the rooms clean and in good repair. A good top to bottom renovation would really make this an upscale place. As it stands, if you want a good place to crash in the city, and you are not expecting a mint on your pillow or a lavish spa, I would recommend this Courtyard.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 16}]}, "601762": {"reviews": [{"text": "I stayed at this hotel in the spring. The hotel did not meet expectations, and when I tried to leave early, management was rude to my family. Hotel would not honor its cancellation policy. \nWorst hotel experience in 30 years of travel.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Our stay at the Blue Moon was a highlight of New York City! The small number of rooms and welcoming lobby allowed frequent interaction with the hotel staff who were the epitome of excellent service. The concierge took personal interest in us and our needs, answering a multitude of questions regarding directions, restaurants, and what to see during our short stay. Talking with her was like having an insider's view of the city and all her recommendations were used and thoroughly enjoyed. The historic aspects of the hotel itself were charming, and I was extremely appreciative of the impeccable cleanliness. I fully plan on staying again at the Blue Moon as soon as I get another chance! Thank you Antonella and the rest of your excellent staff!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Our stay was enjoyable and, subject to a few reservations, we would recommend it.\nFirst, the pluses. The hotel has been painstakingly and lovingly renovated and the experience of staying there is, from a historical point of view, at least as interesting as the visit to the tenement museum located directly across the street (which I would highly recommend). Staying at the hotel really feels like staying at a very pleasant museum, down to the period music which was being piped into the lobby.\nThe rooms are spacious. The quality of the bed, linens, bathroom fixtures, physical amenities, etc. are in line with New York hotels costing much more per night. Continental breakfast was rather pedestrian, and quantities were limited but, hey, this is New York City, and if you'd rather pay $35 for a bountiful breakfast in a mid-town hotel, be my guest. I'll take the complimentary breakfast any day. \nThe proprietor of the hotel is a courteous and accommodating host. When we had a small issue on check-in in arranging to have two rooms (our entire family of four visited the hotel) on the same floor, he managed to work it out for us and presented us with a complimentary bottle of wine (Kosher, I might add) for the very slight inconvenience. \nThe minuses: There is not much, really, to say, other than if you are looking for an urban experience, you'll find it here. If not, stay elsewhere. Yes, the ambient noise from the surrounding street is in line with what you would expect from a neighborhood which is still a very authentic one. Think of what you would experience if you visited a small hotel on a lively street in an old building in Paris, and you'll get the picture. If you're not up for that kind of experience, then stay away. If you're more interested in that kind of adventure, then this is more for you. \nLikewise, the area itself (hardly the hotel's fault) is quite a distance from any of the touristy parts of town. You will spend a fair amount of time in taxis or on the subway and, for that reason alone, our next visit to New York might be spent somewhere else but, all in all, it was well worth the price and made for a very worthwhile and interesting visit.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Wow, what great place the Blue Moon could be. Unbelievably, they seem like they\u2019re actually trying to keep guests away. There is no way a hotel would try to infuriate guests like the Blue Moon did to us. Or would they?\nI\u2019ll start by saying that I originally booked the Marx Brothers room (a \u201cluxury\u201d room) at $790 per night, for two weekend nights. A couple of weeks after I booked, I saw on their website that the price dropped to $740, but when I e-mailed and asked for the lower rate, Antonella (assistant mgr.) said \u201cYou booked at $790. Even though the rate dropped, you must keep that rate, as everyone who booked at the same time you did is paying the $790 rate.\u201d\nI didn\u2019t think too much of it, because it wasn\u2019t a lot of money, but a week later I checked their website yet again, and the rate for the same room class (\u201cluxury\u201d) dropped to $665. I called and asked them to honor the new $665 rate. Well, Antonella would not honor the $665. I asked her \u201cyou mean to tell me that you\u2019re going to make me cancel the reservation, then call back in five minutes and re-book for $665?\u201d Her response was \u201cI cannot change the rate. There is nothing I can do.\u201d\nWell alrighty then. I cancelled my reservation, and immediately called back and booked the same room at $665. That was a great use of my time (and Antonella\u2019s time as well).\nSo we arrive at the Blue Moon around 11:00 a.m. It\u2019s pouring rain, my husband drops me off to park the car, and I run into the lobby with 3 pieces of luggage, an umbrella, and I\u2019m dripping wet. The front desk clerk (whose name turns out to be Antonella), didn\u2019t say hello, but immediately said \u201cCheck-in isn\u2019t till 3:00, your room is not ready.\u201d I said \u201cyou don\u2019t even know my name, how do you know my room isn\u2019t ready yet?\u201d\nI gave her my name, and she checked her computer, and indeed my room was ready. Why is everything a battle at the Blue Moon? It\u2019s not only unpleasant, it is also more work for the guest AND the front desk.\nAs others have mentioned, the hotel requires guests to leave the room key when they go out. When you return, you say \u201cI\u2019m in the Marx Brothers Room\u201d, and they give you your key back. I asked Antonella if they have any procedure for matching the room with the guest who returns, and she barked back at me \u201cwhat kind of stupid question is that?\u201d\nUm, I\u2019m sorry.\nOur room, the Marx Brothers room (6th floor), was fantastic. Gorgeous drop-dead view of Delancey Street, the Williamsburg Bridge, the Empire State Building, and the tenements of the Lower East Side. It had an enormous terrace, a very large, sparkling-clean room, a refrigerator that didn\u2019t have \u201ceyes\u201d if you moved things around, and a decent shower. Worth $665? You bet\u2026\u2026except:\n(1)to flush the toilet, you had to hold the handle down until the flush was \u201ccomplete\u201d. I could have put up with that, but there\u2019s more\u2026..\n(2)A window lock was broken, and the adjacent apartment building had its rooftop right next to the window, with last night\u2019s party remnants visible (empty rum bottles, empty beer bottles, etc.) I wanted a lockable window, so my husband had to jerry-rig a lock from a couple of pieces of metal he had in his suitcase. I would not have been able to do this on my own, and frankly, I was afraid to bring this up with the charming Antonella.\n(3)No bathrobe. For $665, I\u2019d expect a bathrobe. In fact, I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve ever been to an NYC hotel at $300 or more that didn\u2019t have one.\n(4)They give you enough soap and shampoo for one person with a small body and a crew-cut. When I asked for more, Antonella said \u201cthat is the guest size we give. I have no more, the cabinet is locked.\u201d It was no problem for me to go out and buy more at the local drugstore, but again, at $665 per night, is this the kind of relationship you want to foster with your guests?\n(5)Ah, breakfast. We arrived at 7:20 a.m., twenty minutes after breakfast started. Antonella was not at the front desk, other person was much more polite, but there was no coffee, no juice, no sugar, no milk. I asked about breakfast, and he looked at me and said \u201cI was waiting for a guest to arrive.\u201d He didn\u2019t move, didn\u2019t do anything, just looked at me, and finally I said \u201cI\u2019ve arrived.\u201d He made coffee. I had to ask twice for sugar substitute. I had to ask three times for milk. He simply would not address the juice issue. Finally my husband said to me \u201cforget it. Let\u2019s go out.\u201d\nThese may seem like little things, but they are details that any other upscale hotel would have covered. And at the absolute worst, a warm smile and an \u201cI\u2019m so sorry\u201d goes a long way. Were it not for the front desk staff that I encountered, this would have been a 4-star or 5-star for sure, because the room, as I said, was outstanding.\nFor those of you requiring authenticity, keep in mind if you stay on floors 6 or 7, you lose the authenticity of the old tenement, as these floors were add-ons. This can be easily seen just by looking at the outside of the building. That was not a problem for us, as I didn\u2019t care about the authenticity.\nI would stay here again in a heartbeat if they paid more attention to these details. I would also stay here again if they got front desk people who cared about the guests. But the way it is now, it\u2019s just not worth the money.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 27}, {"text": "We normally would concur with the many reviews here and say that you wouldn't go wrong with the Blue Moon. Certainly the lobby is new, the rooms are new, beds firm with new showers. \nThen it is time to sleep and you wonder -- where is this noise coming from? First it is the garbage truck, then the Sysco restaurant food delivery, the oil delivery and by 6 a.m. you are wondering why you didn't get a wink of sleep! Then the doors start slamming -- the key system requires you to slam the door. The problem is the hotel is right on a street that has 4-6 restaurants and the deliveries come early -- I mean very early. It is just awful on a Monday a.m. We were on the 3rd floor in the Ella Fitzgerald room facing Orchard Street.\nWhen we approach the desk clerk in the a.m., he agreed to move us to a quieter room in the back. We got back to our room at night and nope, they decided not to move us! The owner came out and said it was our fault making the request of a night manager vs. a day manager. Huh? He then walked away with no response. \"Tough luck,\" he mumbled -- \"unless you want to upgrade, that is the only room we have.\" So here we are with another night ready for all the noise coming right through the uninsulated front windows and the slamming doors. I can't wait to check out!!!\nIf you don't mind sleeping a wink, this place is great. And bring your earplugs unless you are stone deaf!!!!\nAnd by the way, the pillows are cheap, the shower won't drain, the shower is set too high so you will bump your knees, and the flat screen tvs are no bigger than a picture on my wall -- a joke, really. The breakfast is stale bagels, day old pastries and Tang. The front door is locked after 9 p.m. and all the restaurants in the neighborhood have bars on the windows -- let's just say, this is not the safest neighborhood in NY City. I felt safe, but you won't.\nBottomline, you can do better.....much better.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 28}, {"text": "A truly unique experience. Beautifully refurbished, historical hotel.\nA great deal, considering it was only priced a few dollars more than the Howard Johnson down the road. A four-star hotel for just a few bucks more than a two star hotel? 300 thread count sheets, huge rooms, what a deal!\nBut it is also a historical experience, starting from entering the lobby.\nRight next to the Tenement Museum.\nThe owner gave us a tour and explained how the buiding was a time capsule, boarded up since the thirties. \nWhen they opened it up to refurbish they found many treasures which they kept and included in the decoration--fascinating.\nOn the walls were the doors to the coal ovens in each tenement apartment, the tiles above the hearth line the lobby. Old cards, invitations, and newspapers from when the building was a printing shop were framed in collages on the wall. Medicine bottles, pill boxes, and other found treasures are part of the interior decoration.\nThe owner is an artist, commited to the preservation of the past. How many people would take the time and effort to explore and preserve such a historic site?\nFinally, you can tell the attention given from guests just by looking at the reviews and seeing the manegment's response. Almost all have a response!\nSkip Times Square Hotels, and stay on the Lower East Side for a unique, historical, comfortable, experience.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "The Blue Moon may not have all the luxury extras, but the hotel is gorgeous, the rooms spacious and clean, and the location and charm can't be beat. Some friends stayed further uptown in a more \"posh\" establishment, and had nothing but complaints. I'd live in the Blue Moon if I could afford to!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We had a fantastic stay at the Blue Moon Hotel. This was our first visit to New York and we wanted to stay in a small boutique hotel. The Blue Moon was everything we hoped it would be, helpful friendly staff, spotlessly clean, wonderfully eccentric. The Lower East Side may be a little ordinary during the day but at night it comes alive, terrific restaurants and bars. We loved New York and staying at the Blue Moon enhanced our adventure.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "This is the place to go to if you want to stay away from the conventional huge/amenity packed hotels where the service may reach excellence but the atmosphere is something you can just dream of.\nThe room names ( mine was \" Tommy Dorsey \" ) gives already an idea about the age that inspired the renovation of this nice little building in 100 Orchard street, where original pieces found in the basement during the works have been reallocated all over the hotel. Courtesy at reception, basic but nicely arranged breakfast buffet in the little entrance hall and spacious rooms made my stay really enjoyable.\nOriginal room doors, restored to perfection, have original locks, that you need to get used to for leaving or getting back into your room, but that's part of the game....", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We very much enjoyed our stay at the Blue Moon Hotel. The proprietors were lovely, and very proud of their property, which is beautifully maintained and very clean. They were extremely helpful and pleasant, and full of recommendations for current attractions in the New York area. The rooms are comfortable, and quite large - such a pleasure in New York. The breakfast of fresh fruit, bagels, and lovely Jewish pastries was tasty and very filling. Our only critique was that we would have loved a couple of additional bathtowels but we will certainly stay again!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I decided to do some family genealogy and take a tour of the Tenement Museum on Orchard Street. When I heard about the Blue Moon Hotel and its historical interest, I thought it would be a wonderful experience to stay in the neighborhood where my greatgrandparents spent many years of their life. The Blue Moon Hotel was worth every penny. The service was excellent and my room was overly comfortable. It is quite obvious that the owners of this unique hotel spent countless hours and capital in differentiating the Blue Moon Hotel from its peers. It reminds me of the setting of a European hotel. For those who want to visit the Lower East Side, I would highly recommend staying here.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "The staff at this hotel all of the way up the manager are totally, totally incompetent, definitely stay away! My initial reservation was totally botched by someone who sounded like a teenager answering the phones. Then when I called to cancel my reservation I discovered that the mistake had never been fixed. Even worse yet, despite cancelling, my credit card was still billed and after 6 calls and several e-mails to the hotel, including Leah the manager I was never responded to!! I have never never had an experience like this at any hotel in my life!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "The Blue Moon Hotel in New York City, a renovated tenement building, was referred to us by friends as a must. It is on the lower east side of New York an old, old neighborhood known for its immigrant population at the turn of the 20th century. We had been to the \"east side\" quite a while back and were astonished at it's revival and vibrancy.\nThe Blue Moon lobby is entrancing. Not only is it welcoming it is tastefully furnished and contains items found during the renovation of this original tenement building.such as a coal oven and stove, a Coca-Cola ice box complete with bottle opener. Magnificent marble floors which inlcude some of the tiles found throughout the old\ntenement..\n. The room we were given was The Milton Berle room. All rooms are named after vaudeville stars including Fannie Bryce, Eddie Cantor, Sophie Tucker. \n We were amazed at the size of the room. Much larger than any\nroom we have ever stayed in in New York. It could easily sleep four and had a table and two armchairs. There was also a refrigerator stocked with dri nks next to a very convenient sink.\n. There were two dressers, one of which was tall and included a \ndesk that opened. The oldtime closet was roomy. It contained an ironing board and iron and a safe.\n The windows were huge. We were told they were the original windows with the original wooden frame.and could actually be\nopened!\n It was not noisy at all during the day, as it often is midtown and at night it was so quiet it was like being in the country.\n The shower/bathtub in the bathroom actually had a door, making it much more comfortable than a shower curtains. It was mticulously clean, as was the room and hallways. Having large soap bars, shower gel, toothbrushes and toothpaste was a nice touch.\nA more than continental breakfast is available to all guests which\nincludes bagels, bialys, cream cheeses, rugelach, pastries, freshly squeezed orange juice, freshly brewed coffee and tea. After such a breakfast, our next meal was around dinner time.\n Just being in this guest friendly historical building was a definite plus for our trip.\n We look forward to our next trip when they will have a kosher\nrestaurant that they are in the process of adding on the premises.\nRosita Fink\nShaulzon24@yahoo.com", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "The service that we recieved from the staff there was excellent. The beauty of the hotel and the rooms really made the stay wonderful. Being it my first time to NY the staff was very helpful in suggestions and directions around town. The all over experience of the stay at the Blue Moon was wonderful and I know we will be back in no time to visit.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Stay at the Blue Moon if you're interested in warmth, graciousness, and hospitality. We recently stayed one night at this charming 22 room hotel and can't wait to have an opportunity to return. The rooms were large and extremely clean and the ambience was delightful. We were looking for something out of the ordinary and the Blue Moon didn't disappoint. It's truly unique in a city full of the same old run of the mill hotel chains.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "I have stayed in my share of New York hotel rooms, and I can honestly say that the Blue Moon Hotel on the Lower East Side was the best one yet. It was amazing to find such a comfortable and homey ambiance in a \"city hotel\". The staff was exceptionally polite and friendly to a fault, and the Frank Sinatra room was not just comfortable; it was beautiful. A far cry from the cookie-cutter rooms you see at most of the hotels in the city. But don't let the quaint atmosphere fool you - this hotel had all 21st century amenities including wireless internet access and flat screen televisions. \nAs a traveling clergyman, I find location to be at least as important as quality, and the Blue Moon delivers. This hotel is perfectly suited to all the neighborhoods in the Lower East Side and downtown Manhattan and a short walk from New York's famous subway system. \nIn short, if you're just looking for a place to lay your head at nights while in NYC, the Blue Moon Hotel is more than adequate. But if you're looking for your hotel to be a part of your New York experience, a memorable hotel with character, beauty and charm (as well as exceptional comfort), the Blue Moon Hotel is the only place you need to go.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "A great little European style hotel in a big city. Have stayed in similarly priced hotels in NY before and none compare to the hospitality, the spacious, spotless room (I was in the one of the smallest too!) and the quiet (I was facing the street.) Would highly recommend for those seeking unique.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "The Blue Moon Hotel on New York's Lower East Side is truly charming. The Hotel is a meticulously renovated tenement building.The rooms are very large for New York-- nicely decorated and immaculately clean. The technology is up to date, with internet access and flat screen TV. \nI have stayed there twice, and both of my rooms (the lowest priced) overlooked Orchard Street. The neighborhood atmosphere is unlike any I have experienced in a New York hotel. It is an easy walk to the East Village, Chinatown, SoHo and Little Italy. Everything else is only a slightly longer walk or a short taxi or subway ride away. \nI stayed at the Blue Moon the first time because it was near the theaters and other activities I had planned. The second time, I returned because I liked the hotel so much. The old fashioned practice of leaving your key at the front desk when you step out (and the fact that the front desk is staffed 24 hours) made me feel very safe. \nThe Blue Moon is very unique-- like an old time inn, but with the modern conveniences. It would be a pleasure to stay at such a place in any city, but the fact that it is in an historic New York neighborhood makes it extra special.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "I stayed one night at the Blue Moon when I was in New York for a business trip. I absolutely loved it. I plan to stay there again whenever I'm back in the city, for work or pleasure.\nThe entire hotel is simply lovely and my room, the Ella Fitzgerald, was so much more satisfying than any other hotel I've stayed in in New York. It was clean, comfortable and tastefully decorated. I am used to shoebox-sized rooms in NYC and this was definitely bigger than most. I loved the free wireless Internet in the rooms as well.\nMy room had a fridge, coffeemaker and a flat-screen television. I loved the antique desk, wrought-iron bed, the warm coloring on the walls and the cool light fixtures. Bathroom was large and well-stocked with the essentials.\nThe staff were so friendly and colorful. I wished I'd have had more time to chat with everyone I encountered. I'm no country-bumpkin, but New Yorkers make me nervous - except for the folks at the Blue Moon. Perhaps I've stayed in too many of those painfully hip hotels and have been scarred by them? \nI highly recommend that folks take time to check out the antiques and the paintings in the lobby. Beautiful. I felt like I was walking back in time. There was a lot of love put into the hotel, and a lot of respect given to its history.\nI read some other reviews about noise and I will say that there was quite a bit of street noise that rose up in the early hours, but, um, it's New York. City. I remembered thinking of Frank Sinatra as I pulled the pillow over my head and appreciated the fact that it is, in fact, a city that never sleeps.\nI'll definitely be back and have already recommended it to others.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Thoughtfully, tastefully and authentically restored to its 19th-century ambience, The Blue Moon Hotel provides a wonderful oasis conveniently located in downtown Manhattan. All the woodwork, accessories, furniture and even the decorative tin ceilings in the elevator have been restored by hand, allowing even the casual visitor to \"step back in time\" and be an aristocrat for an evening. Within easy walking distance of several restaurants and the subway, the Blue Moon Hotel provides great accommodations at a great price--particularly for New York City!\nI was even pleasantly surprised by the continental breakfast items, available gratis round-the-clock, including fresh fruit; assorted muffins, bagels, rolls, croissants & bread. Even in New York, where almost everything is impressive, you're sure to be inspired by this urban gem.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Well what to say? On arrival we checked in with the very personable night porter. We were given keys to the Ella Fitzgerald room which we duly made our way to. On opening the door the initial reaction was wow! however this was shortly followed by the realisation that somebody else already occupied this room! On reporting this we were duly upgraded to the John Garfield room which was slightly larger, however the difference in room was a balcony. Not much use in New York in February!! The next morning we contacted check in to see if we would be moved to the original room or to stay were we were. The result of this was a 'Double Upgrade' to the Abbot & Costello room. This time there was no visible sign of an upgrade apart from the assumption that anybody in a 'Comfort' room only drinks decaf. This is the first time I have been 'Double Upgraded' and found the first room the most impressive! \nOther than the room issues the stay was very pleasant. the rooms (all three) were very pleasant. everything you would expect from a hotel; tea/coffee facilities, iron, safe cable, etc... \nThe hotel is perfectly presented, clean, comfortable and very picturesque with a very laid back attitude. \nThe staff although slightly cookie were very friendly. Wise lunch reccommendations (Bar 89, Lucky Strike) and stay away spots (Times Square) are worth heeding. Definitely a good place for tourists who want to taste a bit more of the authentic New York rather than TGI's and the Hard Rock.\nOverall well worth a visit and would definitely stay again", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "When I travel I usually like to find a hotel with character, not just a place to get a good night's sleep. I'm impressed with the Blue Moon because it wasn't just built from a business plan designed to maximize profits from \"X\" amount of square feet. \nThis is an impressive boutique hotel and a welcome addition to Manhattan. My room - and I got to see some of the other 22 rooms during my two-night stay - was really large. It had its own bedroom area, mahogany furniture, a bathroom with a great shower, and a view from the windows - huge windows! - that allowed me to look over the rooftops of the Lower East Side buildings and see New York, both during the daylight hours and at night. If I was making a movie, this would be on my list of locations.\nI spent time speaking with the owners. The story of how they restored an older NYC tenement building (the Tenement Museum, in fact, is right across the street) with authentic detail from the building and from the period, and then added original artistic treatments, is a tale of love and total commitment to a project. Sit in the cozy lobby and you'll see people on the street peek in through the windows and then walk in to ask about this special hotel on Orchard Street. There are travelers from abroad who have discovered the Blue Moon and I heard one almost promise he'd be back with his wife. \nGreat stay and I wish them lots of luck. When they open the restaurant I'll be one of the first customers.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "We just returned from a visit to the Lower East Side where we stayed at this charming hotel. It's a very warm, small, friendly, old-fashioned hotel located in an old tenement building next door to the Tenement Museum. I happen to love this area and am fascinated by the history of the neighborhood, so that helps. \n But notwithstanding my predisposition to love the Blue Moon for its history and quaintness, everything about the hotel was great. We had a very comfortable room, nicely decorated, and an attractive, bright, clean, new bathroom. \n The staff were so friendly! They always greeted us with smiles and remembered who we were in all our comings and goings; asked about where we were from, talked about the neighborhood, offered us coffee and tea and kosher baked goods from local bakeries.\n The hotel was very convenient for our needs over Fri. and Sat. \nYou might want to ask about their plans for Fri. night and Sat. meals, something coming up in the near future.\n I can't wait till our next visit!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "The Blue Moon Hotel is located in the now trendy Lower East Side right next door to the Tenement Museum and a step away from everything. I went shopping on Orchard Street, walked to Chinatown and Little Italy. This is a hotel with an incredible personality. The outside is stunning, and after walking into the hotel, I immediately felt calm and relaxed in the beautiful lobby. The owner is an artist who paid meticulous attention to the d\u00e9cor with some of his own paintings adorning the walls. I was thrilled with the accommodations; my room was exceptionally beautiful, comfy, clean and new. Did I mention NEW? Everything was brand new- bed, blanket, pillows, dressers, fixtures, coffee pot, fridge and flat screen TV (Monk would be proud)! The bathroom sparkled and came equipped with a deep tub which I soaked in after my day of shopping. This is one of the few hotels I felt confident enough to lay down on the carpeted floor sans towel to do my yoga poses. The temperature was easy to control and I kept it nice and toasty. I heard that a wedding party was coming in on my second night there and was bracing myself for the festive partying, but to my surprise, no noise\u2026 nada, not a sound, slept like a log and I am a very light sleeper. Great breakfast, free NY Times, what else can you ask for?", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "If you are looking for a charming hotel in the heart of the lower east side, you will truly appreciate The Blue Moon Hotel.\nThe owners lovingly restored the building and used original materials to create a wonderfully aesthetic little gem of a hotel. The display of craftsmanship used throughout the entire hotel will continually amaze and delight as you view the original tiles, woodwork, fixtures, etc. and feel the history of the building. You'll love it.\nThe original artwork by the owner displayed in the lobby is stunning as well, provides the \"hip\" element.\nThere is real warmth that comes from the family style atmosphere the onsite owners convey, and the staff is genuinely helpful and concerned that your stay is as pleasant as possible.\nThe rooms are large, the bed is comfortable and cozy, and there's a flat screen TV in each room (cool).\nI highly recommend this hotel.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "At the start of January I had to be in the Lower East Side for Business reasons, and I am highly content with choosing the Blue Moon Hotel. I found the property through Expedia, but I always book direct because it comes out to be cheaper. The rate for my room was great, and the room itself was just better than expected. At first i thought, because its a small hotel, I would surely get a small room, but I couldent have been more mistaken. Plenty of Restaurants were close by, so everything was convenient. I couldent have asked for more.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "we spent 5 nights over the new year at this hotel and we found it very comfortable and nicely decorated and very clean, All the staff were very helpful and really nice as were other guests staying there. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip and the owner was really good at pointing us in the right directions for places of interest and helped us with the new york subway system . Cant fault it-coffee pot on in the lobby at all times and a wonderful selection of Teas to quench your thirst on arriving back after a tiring day out sightseeing. would certainly recomend it. Bagels and coffee in the morning really set you up for the day and constant hot water in the rooms. Rita", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "The Blue Moon Hotel is absolutely wonderful, we especially enjoyed meeting the staff, they are fantastic, we loved them all. The hotel has beautiful decor, the rooms are comfortable, spacious and clean, though the best part were the owners and employees. \nWe will definitely come back often and soon.\nKim and Lisa", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "I suppose we were expecting just a clean pleasant hotel in an interesting area of New York. What we had was an EXPERIENCE. Of course the Lower East Side is just a great lively place to stay in but the hotel was way beyond normal. The decor was delightful and the interesting information from music to Jewish History made it more like staying in a museum. Yet the the hotel is a beautiful restoration using original materials but with all modern conveniences. Our large comfortable room had a balcony overlooking the river and fantastic views, especially at night when all the local color was on display. Although the service was limited, there was no restaurant yet in the hotel, there was so much choice in the area that it wasn't at all inconvenient. The staff were helpful and obliging and the rooms were beautifully maintained.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "I was thrilled the moment I walked into the hotel. There is a lot of effort in the details. I was lucky to get a tour through the hotel. Every room is distinct and has its own character. The furniture is beautiful and the rooms are spacious. The location is amazing. It is in the heart of the Lower East Side and you really feel like you are part of America's history. There is such style to the hotel which you cannot find in your typical commercial hotel. I recommend this hotel to everyone that wants to experience an authentic New York experience. It is something that you will never forget. The service is also wonderful. I was trying to find my way through Manhattan and the front stafff was very helfpful. They explained it various times to me and gave me a map and even walked me out so that I could find my way. Very thoughtful. Really a great experience.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "I stayed at the Blue Moon Hotel for a few nights in Late November, and i am definitely looking forward to staying there again. I loved the fact that it is just so unique. The lobby is simply exquisite. There are fresh flowers around the property, beautiful artwork, original memorabilia from the former tenement building, a sitting area with an amazing collection of art books as well as music playing from the 1930's. Once i got to my room, which was a Cozy room, it was very happy to see that it was extremely spacious. The room had a private luxury bathroom, alot of historic detail, very hight ceilings, so it was definitely not a regular hotel with generic shoebox rooms. My previous stay in NYC was with a room twice as small with an air conditioning system sticking in the window, So to be at the Blue Moon Hotel was a big diffrence, and for sure a wise choice considering the fact that i spent the same amount of money on the small rooms i stayed in previously. All in all a little gem of a hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 24}, {"text": "Being on the road every other week i have been to many hotels; none match the style, comfort level, hospitality, and atmosphere of the Blue Moon. Coming off of the busy streets of Manhatten one steps into the lobby to be greeted by a caring and attentive staff and is struck by the unique artistic decor. Amazing detail has been invested in the design and ergonomics of the hotel. The room that I stayed in was huge, much larger than any hotel that I have ever stayed in, and the balcony with the views of Manhatten was spectacular. The staff, from the manager to the maid sercive was attentive and extremly helpful, they always went the extra mile to help me. Wether it was looking for a retaurant, finding something to do around town, or even lending me an umbrella when I went out while it was raining. I would reccomend this hotel for anyone on a business trip or even staying in the city on vacation. My next trip to NY I will definitly be coming back.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 24}, {"text": "If you are expecting a typical American hotel, this is definitely not a good choice for you. We loved the European flair to the quaint hotel with a cozy atmosphere. Everyone from the owner/manager to the front desk was extremely kind and helpful. This hotel adds a touch of class to your stay in New York.The hotel and rooms were clean. A nice bathroom touch was being provided with toothbrushes and toothpaste. The continental breakfast was simple, well done and charming. The choices were unique and delicious.The subway is conveniently located a block away. We would highly recommend this hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 27}, {"text": "We just left the hotel today after a disappointing stay. Our toilet never worked the entire time we were there, although we told the desk clerks about the problem on 4 different occasions. After a while, every time it fell off, we just gave the handle to the toilet to the front desk, hoping that this would encourage a permanent repair. Even that made no difference. When we tried to discuss the problem with the manager upon check out, honestly expecting some kind of compensation for the lack of an obviously necessary facility, two people from the hotel started yelling at us. Finally, we just left. It felt like the concept of customer service just did not occur to anyone there. On top of that, the rooms at the back of the hotel are extremely noisy 24 hours a day because of a loud groaning generator at ground level that cannot be lessened. The staff acted like they have never heard of this major impediment to sleep.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "I spent four nights at this hotel. While I was hopeful given the 4 star review provided by Orbitz, I determined quickly I had made a huge mistake booking this hotel. I was staying alone, a single female, and wanted to be close to relatives in Little Italy. The first two problems I encountered were the lack of a privacy lock or a peephole in the door to my room. As a single female I felt the need to put a chair under the door each time I was in my room as anyone with a key could have entered at anytime. The next problem came within 15 minutes of entering the room. There are no irons in the rooms so I called down to the front desk to obtain one. They brought the iron and one of those tiny desktop ironing boards that don't work at all. For the price they charge for these rooms there should be an iron and full size ironing board in every room! Ten minutes after they dropped off the iron they called to say someone else needed it and they would be coming to retrieve it. I told them I was not finished with it and they called every five minutes until I was through with it.\nAs was mentioned before, but is worth mentioning again because it is such a total annoyance, there are no nightstands, no lamps by the bed and the alarm clock is on a table across the room from the bed. There also is no full length mirror in the room. The shutters, as also mentioned before, do not offer much in the way of privacy or room darkening.\nI think the most prevalent problem with this hotel is the noise. I stayed in the Tommy Dorsey room which faces the front of the hotel. Every morning between midnight and 4:00am the Chinatown Carting Corp truck would pull up across the street and sit there for at least an hour. It must be a sort of trash truck for that is the noise that emanated from the thing. Also, the conversations of the four to six men trying to be heard over the truck lasted for entire time the truck was parked. Whenever the trash truck was not parked out front, the people in the room next door to mine were trying to get in their room, which as mentioned before, sounds as if they are breaking down your door. And for some strange reason for as few rooms as there are there seemed to be doors slamming at all hours of the day and night. Perhaps there was a housekeeping closet on the 4th floor?\nThe bathroom was great for a New York hotel, nice tub/shower, bright and clean. The bed was adequate for a hotel bed.\nI must say the front desk staff were extremely courteous and helpful (with the exception of the iron incident mentioned above). They even went out of their way to give me an umbrella one day when it looked like it was going to rain.\nI paid an introductory rate of $288 per night for a pied-a-terre room which I feel was too high for this hotel. I could have stayed at the Waldorf for less and felt safer and had more amenities.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I had an incredibly frustrating experience at this hotel. First of all, be prepared for staff with both a hostile and disinterested attitude. It's a small hotel without a lot of activity so they are obviously bored out of their minds, so when you have the nerve to ask for something, it's almost as if you are disturbing them. That is, except when one tries to leave the hotel. Then they shout at you and DEMAND that you surrender the keys to your room. I have had this experience in Europe, where security measures are taken, but when one returns to their room at this hotel, all one has to do is say the name (there are no room numbers, just names) of the room and they hand you the keys WITHOUT CHECKING THE NAME OF THE REGISTERED GUEST OR ASKING FOR ANY ID! In this day and age, It's unimaginable and unsafe but this is their policy and if one challenges it, they get very defensive and very rude. The bathrooms were well done, the free wireless internet is nice but a very weak signal, the beds are very average as is the room in general. Orbitz calls this is a 4 star hotel but everywhere else online it is classified as a 3 star. I'd call it 2.5-3 on a good day -- if they change their room key policy for the sake of security and common sense.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "We spent 2 nights at the Blue Moon Hotel in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. The location and the sense of history were both draws for me. The building is an old tenement. It is a few doors from the Tenement Museum. The renovations were done with sensitivity to the building's history. The furninshings, while new, are of an appropriate style. An iron bed, a flowered carpet, these things gave us the feeling of being back in old New York.There may be an excessive use of paint techniques like sponging and combing but overall the effect is pleasing. The bathroom was small but very clean and nicely outfitted. The bathtub was very deep. There was an additional sink in the bedroom. I guess that might be considered convenient but it does take away from the look of the room.\nUnfortunately a few things were inconvenient. The only lighting was overhead and the switches are by the door so we were forced to use the TV as a night light otherwise the trip to bed was dangerous. Also, it is nearly impossible to read in bed with halogen lights beaming down on you from the ceiling. There are no lamps or even bedside tables. The alarm clock was on the dresser, way out of reach of anyone in bed. The window coverings consist of very lightweight shutters which were almost impossible to adjust for privacy as the slightest movement sent them swinging. The buildings across the street are very close so this is a privacy issue. The street is a back street but there is no soundproofing. On the 4th floor we could hear a loud conversation from the street and were aware of any vehicle coming down the street in the night. The room door is new but for some reason sticks so badly we almost had to seek help to open it. Apparently this was not unusual because when our neighbors came home they made an incredible noise opening their door. It sounded as if they were trying to break down our door.\nThe location is convenient for Little Italy and Chinatown. Taxis are fairly easy to get on Delancey but the subway is a bit of a walk. I also had taxi drivers refuse to take us to the area during rush hour as it would be difficult tfor them to get another fare.\nThe entry of the hotel is a little odd. The desk is hidden behind a railing that had both the clerk and me bending over to make eye contact. The clerk was rude when we arrived. When I saw the room had only one bed I mentioned I had asked for 2 beds as I was travelling with my adult daughter. She said \"No, you didn't\" Later, she relented and said she would check. We never did hear from her. When you leave the hotel you surrender your key. This is somehting I am used to from travelling in Eurpoe but when we returned and couldn't remember the name of the room (They are named rather than numbered) the night clerk struggled with the computer for a long time before he could find us by our surname.\nThis is supposed to be a 4 star hotel according to Orbitz but in February I stayed at the 3 star Hilton in midtown for less money and more amenities. You pay a lot for charm.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 25}]}, "93431": {"reviews": []}, "93445": {"reviews": [{"text": "I'm not an obsessive compulsive individual; however I do expect a few things to be done when I stay at a hotel. I had the gut feeling that the coffee cups weren't being washed, so I decided to put a dab of toothpaste on the bottom of the cup. They were also used. Needless to say, when we came back to the room after it was cleaned, I looked at the bottom of the cups, and the toothpaste was still there. My daughter and I were grossed out because all we could think of was how often do they do that? I called down to the manager and explained what I did. He was apologetic and offered to bring up clean cups. He also offered to clean the room more thoroughly the next day. I told him I just wanted to make sure the cups were put in the dishwasher or at least washed with soap and hot water. They didn't take the dirty cups when they dropped off the supposedly clean cups. We make coffee, and the next morning I expected to see just two clean cups left. The cleaning staff once again left the two cups with the dab of toothpaste in the room and placed them as if they had been cleaned along with the other two cups they had brought up. Again, I called the manager. He basically blew me off. I will not stay at this hotel again. What else are they pretending to clean?", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Such a shame.. we have stayed twice in this small hotel with its perfect midtown location and friendly and helpful concierge. The rooms are large and comfortable and this hotel includes breakfast which is rare for New York hotels... Here lies the problem, and the only reason I am giving this place a poor review: Every morning at breakfast a miserable woman walks round with a pot of coffee. She hands you a slip of paper with your room number on it and tells you that you should sign the slip when you have finished breakfast and leave it on the table. On this bit of paper is a box where you may fill in a gratuity.. I chose not to as I prefer to give cash rather than charge tips to my room. When we went to check out we realised that they had fraudulently added a tip to that slip of paper each morning. The front desk wouldnt do anything about it as they said that we had signed the slip of paper and couldnt prove that the gratuity had been added afterwards. We were disgusted and would not stay there any more. Sad as we had recommended this hotel to many friends... Now I would advise people to stay away based on the dishonesty we experienced.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Blakely Hotel\nNew York, New York\nWe stayed at the Blakely Hotel for 3 nights, and it was a roller coaster ride. We arrived after a red-eye and needed to sleep at 10:00 AM. We had told the hotel we would need a room early if at all possible. The night before, we called the hotel to verify our request, and the Concierge told us the hotel was not booked and it looked good for us when we arrived early.\nHowever, upon arrival, the first staffer who heard our plight told us no one could check in before noon. But then a second staff said to wait, and she found us a room. We felt lucky she was around to try to accommodate. \nThe rooms are beautiful with a small flat screen TV, refrigerator, microwave, tiny kitchenette with full table service for two. The pink marble tub was nice, with a freestanding sink (no room to lay out your bathroom stuff).\nHowever, I was immediately appalled that a $300 a night room did not have fitted sheets on the King Bed. I cannot see why hotels do not have fitted sheets. It is unbearably uncomfortable when you sleep and the flat sheets that are too short to be tucked in are wrapped around your body all night.\nWe asked Housekeeping to bring up a King fitted sheet and a young man brought us a tiny Twin bed fitted sheet and left us to put it on. In the first place it was not the correct size by a long shot, but did he really expect us to make up our bed? I guess so. We complained to the front desk but she did not seem to know what to do. We threw the twin sheet in the corner.\nThe rooms are quiet for the most part. The doors are cut a full inch from the flooring and you can hear anyone out in the hallways quite clearly. However, deep inside your room beyond the bathroom, it is quiet. The second day of our trip our toilet backed up. The maintenance man came to look at the problem before he told us he had to go back and get his plunger. Why hadn\u2019t he brought it in the first place? It\u2019s the only tool you really need for a backed up toilet. Ah well. After he fixed it, it was fine the rest of our stay.\nOur finest contacts with staff were always with the doormen. They were the best, especially Rueben. He really went the extra mile for us, even when it was raining (there are Blakely umbrella\u2019s for all guests) and when we were late to our dinner reservation, he practically knocked down a cab to get him to stop and pick us up. He was wonderful in so many ways. He suggested breakfast places, etc. Others who worked in front gave us great maps for the subway and were really helpful.\nUnfortunately for everyone staying this past week, both the elevators broke down. I am not sure what someone who had a disability had to do, but it was bad enough for all of us who could walk. My husband and I had to walk down all 10 flights of stairs and this is what made us late to our dinner one night. However, when we returned six hours later, the elevators were still broken. I was exhausted as you often are after a long day of sightseeing and shows, etc. I almost burst into tears, but there was no point to that. The Blakely had no way to get its customers to their rooms except to have them walk upstairs. We happened to be on the 10th floor. So, we trekked up, trying to laugh and say this would be a good memory. \nThroughout the elevator incident, the doormen were STILL the only staff eager to assist. They offered to carry us up (kiddingly), carry our food or packages for us, and kept smiling through it all. These guys are indispensable and should be given hefty raises. We tipped as much as possible. \nI would probably not stay at the Blakely again, despite it being a very pretty hotel in a great location. They really need to work on their housekeeping, front desk staff attitudes, the maintenance of the elevators and toilets, their linens, etc. Then, and only then, can this be the great hotel written up about in many magazines. (I wonder if those doing magazine reviews even stay at the hotels they write about?)", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "One of the best places to stay in midtown! Beautifully decorated room with high quality linens and toiletrees. Within walking distance to broadway theatres, Rockafeller Centre, Central Park and 5th Ave shopping.\nIf you like smaller hotels with outstanding service...than this is the place for you! \nThe double room was fine for a family of three (with a teenager daughter)..the free wireless in the room and lobby was a bonus. Although the bathroom was small, it was well designed (no wasted space).\nIt is my first choice for lodging in Manhattan for both business and leisure travel..", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed at the Blakely for 2 nights last month. The rooms were spacious, nicely decorated and very clean. We didn't find the rooms noisy but we can imagine if you were a light sleeper you might hear the traffic noise, although there was a very effective black-out blind. \nThe bed was the most comfortable hotel bed we have ever slept in, with lovely bed linen. \nBathroom was very small but well appointed with a fantastic shower. There were lots of mirrors which increased the feeling of space.\nThere is a nice lobby area with free internet access, and attached to the hotel there is a restaurant and bar which looked very nice and was very busy, but we didn't have a chance to eat there. \nWe would definitely stay at the Blakely again if we return to New York.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "This hotel was a great find. Small hotel with intimate lobby and large guest rooms. Staff was excellent, very welcoming and accommodating. The rooms are spacious and the beds are very comfortable. The baths are all marble. There is a wet bar in the room with mini frig, microwave and coffee maker with complimentary coffee and tea. The New York Times is delivered to each room every morning free of charge. The location is perfect. Centrally located and easy walking distance to most major museums, theaters and attractions. Great assortment of restaurants and dining options up and down 55th. We opted for a light breakbast each morning at an Au Bon Pan right accross the street. \nThe only negatives were windows that didn't seam to close tightly allowing some cold and street noise into the room and we could hear voices from an adjoining room occasionally but not terrible. Our room faced 55th. Perhaps rooms facing the rear should be quieter or ask for a high floor ( we were on the 7th floor).\nWe will definately stay here again on our next visit.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "this hotel gives 5 star service and very high\n quality rooms. The position is just about as perfect as you could want 1 block from the park and 5th avenue, 5 mins walk to times square and subway right outside. The staff are very professional and the large rooms are out of this world. We loved the stay and and all about this hotel. GO THERE.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "This was an absolutely lovely hotel with a terrific location. The staff was friendly, our suite well appointed with all of the amenities we required including 2 flat screen televisions, a mini fridge, great shower and soft beds. When we called down for extrea pillows, towels and blankets, they arrived within minutes. Based on other reviews, I did ask for a room at the front of the hotel which they accomodated. In the future, I would also request a room on a higher floor - we were on the third floor and the street noise was high but this is NY. We would definitely stay at this hotel on our next visit!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Stayed at the Blakely in June after reading the Tripadvisor reviews.\nThe trip was a 21st birthday present for my daughter and the hotel staff pulled out all the stops to make our stay really something to remember. We were upgraded free of charge to a suite and my daughter was presented with a bottle of wine & chocolates. Lovely touch.\nOur suite was lovely and the bathroom was superb. The shower was so large you could have put 4 people in it easily (if you were so inclined!).\nThe staff were welcoming and helpful and a special mention for the concierge guys who were always on hand to give useful advice on the subway, places to eat, plus places to avoid.\nWould be hard to find a better located hotel as Central Park was only a few blocks away and Times Square & most other attractions were easily within walking distance.\nAlready planning a return trip to NY & will definitely book the Blakely again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "For our first stay in New York my husband and I decided to book The Blakely for a 4 night break purely based on the reviews on Tripadvisor.\nWe stayed on the 7th floor overlooking 55th street after reading reviews but were woken up at 6:00am in the morning by noise from traffic and workmen not a good start. The Blakely really needs triple glazed windows for a peaceful nights sleep.\nThe lobby of the Blakely seems dark and in need of some light by changing the dark furniture and highly patterned carpets for bright clean colours. We were not helped by the bell staff with our luggage from our taxi. \nThe Blakely hotel rates averaged at $450.00 per night for 4 nights, felt a bit ripped off compared to other US cities, but everywhere in New York was equally excessively priced for what you received in return. The staff were friendly and helpful but our interaction with them was minimal. Francisco the Concierge was particularly helpful in arranging our tourist days out before our arrival by e-mail but unfortunately we never saw him during our stay. The lifts are small if you have a lot of luggage and take forever. The hallways are dark and narrow. The rooms themselves are smallish and bland and because of the dark furniture they looked dowdy - but it was clean. The bathroom is bright but small. \nThe Blakely does have a superb location for walking to Central Park and Times Square and Rockefeller centre. We didn\u2019t eat breakfast in the hotel but there are two restaurants that seemed to be open all the time on each corner of the street (turn left out of the hotel door) and a caf\u00e9 across the road selling coffee, pastries and fudge filled doughnuts from 7:00am. If you are heading back to the airport ask the hotel for a Lincoln car to take you rather than using a taxi it\u2019s only a few dollars more and makes all the difference.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Have stayed 5 times this year. Each time gets better and better,.\nWhen comparing prices you are not going to find a better deal that offers comfort, location and attention. Try a Litlle restaurant called LA VINOTERIA, a hblock away from the Hotel on 55th. Its great.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "I have stayed at the Blakely three times and recommended the hotel to my sister. She stayed at the property last March with her family and loved it. Many other people have written in the reviews about the great location and customer service of the Blakely. Here are some other small details that make this hotel a big plus.\n1) They only fill half of the mini fridge with hotel items. The bottom half is left free for your personal use. A generous gesture.\n2) The taxi fare from JFK into the city is a standard rate of about $49 (including tolls, excluding tips). HOWEVER, the rate from Manhatten back to JFK is not standard. The Blakely offers a town car service for the price of $59 back to the airport. This service was SO much easier to use then a shuttle and we felt so pampered!\n3) If you have the need for one, try out one of the suites. My sister's husband snores very loudly and the whole family was able to get some sleep with him in another room. I went to NYC with a female friend and she said she did not hear any noise at all in the suite area whereas I was woken up each day by the sound of jackhammers and other city noise. The door between the bedroom and suite is solid core. The suite area has closets, drawers, plasma TV, and a fold out sofa bed.\n4) Book through the hotel directly. On their Web site, they listed their suites as being $400, yet when I called the hotel on another matter, I discovered that they were $285! Don't know why they do that, but I would call the hotel to verify any prices that you see on the Web.\n I travel extensively for leisure and the Blakely is a true hidden treasure. Have a great time in NYC and stay at the Blakely!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 24}, {"text": "Our first stay in New York and we were not disappointed with our choice. We picked this hotel out of the brochure because it had a kitchenette, always useful when travelling as a family and checked it out on tripadvisor. The reviews were favourable and I agree with positive reviews here.\nThe room was spacious for four of us with two large double beds. The kitchenette had a microwave, fridge and coffee machine with complimentary tea and coffee. The bathroom was large with the best shower we have ever had in a hotel room, bath robes, and a large deep, bath.\nTV, CD and DVD player in the room and air conditioning which we needed as temperatures were up to 95F\nThe room was a non-smoking room, which we requested but as it was only on the second floor there was quite a bit of noise from the street outside which I suppose you do expect in a city.\nThe hotel is well located within walking distance of many tourist destinations and close to bus and subway stops. Easy walking to Central Park, Times square and Broadway and shops on Fifth avenue.\nWe would recommend this hotel to friends and family and would stay again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "My family and friends (in total 8 of us) stayed at The Blakely Hotel in New York for my 21st birthday celebrations between Dec 13 and Dec 19 2005. Lets just say we were not disappointed!\nWhen we arrived we were greeted by 2 bellboys with luggage trolleys who offloaded our luggage from our taxi without even being asked. Then we were shown to reception and given our room keys (we had 4 rooms) and escorted up the stairs. \nThe hotel is quite small, i think only about 9 storeys high (which in NYC is tiny!) and each floor only had about 5 rooms. The room we had was on the second floor and faced the road, which, although was busy, you couldn't hear a thing which was great. There was 2 huge double beds (one each for me and my sister!) and a desk, 2 comfortable chairs and huge plasma tv, mini bar, fridge, sink and in the closet there was an iron, hair-dryer and 2 courtesy bathrobes (but these were so small i think only a child could fit in them!)The room even had air con (not needed in -10 degree weather but still there if you go in the summer!)\nThe bathroom was lovely, mirrored all round and the bath was heavenly to sit in- it was curved to fit the shape of your back so you could easily stay in there for hours! Overall, it had everything we wanted and to be honest, even if it wasn't to the high standard we found, it wouldn't have mattered because who stays for long periods of time in their hotel room in New York- only very odd people who shouldn't go to NYC!!!\nDownstairs in reception there are plenty of seats and the concierge had an array of information on restaurants, the tourist attractions and could answer any question you threw at him. Though one word of warning, don't be advised on what resturants he suggests, because we tried a Chinese place he recommended and it was awful- we were well and truly ripped off!\nOverall The Blakely is in an ideal location- a few blocks from Times Square (close enough to walk to but far enough from all the noise) and had everything you needed for a short break in the city. There is also a subway entrance at the end of the street! Oh and the beds- are to die for! Like sleeping on a cloud I'm sure!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "While the location of the Blakely is wonderful (within walking distance to MOMA, great restaurants, shopping, Times Square, etc.), we unfortunately encountered some problems. We requested and confirmed by phone the day prior to arrival a non-smoking suite because of health issues. Upon arrival, we were assigned a smoking suite. One sniff of the room sent us running back to the front desk where we were told the only non-smoking room available was a regular room. We asked to have them switch us to a non-smoking suite as soon as one became available and were told that that wouldn't be possible. Kind of surprising considering we were there for an entire week. The front desk staff was very young and could use some coaching on being more friendly and accomodating to their guests. Since this is a small hotel, I expected more friendliness. I don't believe anyone at the front desk ever smiled. On a more positive note, our encounters with the housekeeping staff were very positive and the doormen were helpful and overall very friendly. The worst part of our stay was all of the nightime noise. Our room overlooked an alley where we witnessed a scary fight one night and were awakened each morning by garbage trucks picking up the trash from the huge hotel (can't remember the name!) behind the Blakely. The clanging and banging started at about 4:30 am and continued for over an hour and a half. It wasn't just kind of loud, it was incredibly loud and none of us were able to sleep through it. If you're a light sleeper, you should request a room at the front of the hotel. This is a nice hotel that needs a bit of tweeking to make it great.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Look,Tthe Blakely does have a great location and the rooms are spacious by New York standards but if you are expecting service here, you won't get it. I'm not talking forelock-tugging obsequiousness, just a smile and a willingness to accommodate. \nHaving stayed at the Shelborne Murray Hill and the Waldorf on previous visits to NYC we were looking for something in between and The Blakely fits the bill. However, our stay was marred by a lack of friendliness in the staff. Most of them seemed very young and I suppose this is their \"other\" job. There is definitely a difference in hospitality staff who make it their career. The guys on the door are fine. The desk staff are the problem. Gee smile now and again okay. \nOur main complaint, however, was that we requested a late checkout (ie, an hour later than their late checkout of 3pm) as we were flying back to Australia and would have liked to freshen up beforehand. Also, such long flights require you to be at the airport 3 hours before takeoff and we didn't want to be there any longer than necessary. The hotel manual in the room reads as if this is not a problem. We were informed by a man at the desk (wearing a beige uniform) that it would probably not be possible but that if we paid half the daily room rate ($200 plus for an hour extra) it would be possible. Mmmm Nice. \nI wasn't seeking any compensation for the fact that the construction work next door going on during all hours of the night kept me awake or that the light in the bathroom was inadequate, or that the hairdryer in our room needed replacing. How far do you think I would have gotten it I did. It wasn't the fact that they couldn't accommodate us for the extra hour that left me with a bad taste, it was the fact that they could for a fee. A large one.\n Oh and when our final bill (including $60 a day in taxes) was given to us we were charged for 1 beer and a Jack Daniels from the mini-bar at $25.00. We didn't use the mini-bar once and when we said it wasn't ours we were met with very unbelieving looks. \nHaving had almost universal praise on Tripadvisor (that's why I booked the Blakely) I feel like I am swimming against the tide here but if its room size and location you are after then the Blakely is still a great option. And maybe it is used mostly by business travellers who aren't interested in the hospitality end of the hotel stay but, if you are staying for pleasure then you might like a bit of friendliness too and and not a everything-for-a-price mentality.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "After checking on tripadvisor, we chose the Blakely. The staff accommodated our late arrival (airlines 24 hour delay) without any extra charge. The location was central to attractions, subways, theatres and Central Park. We obtained theatre tickets, attraction info, and great suggestions for dinning from Blakely's staff. \nThe deluxe room was much larger than we anticipated, knowing the space restrictions in New York's heart. The king size bed was changed each day, unlike many hotels. The kitchenette with microwave, fridge-freezer and coffee maker were perfect. The availablity of computer connection for my husband kept him in contact with the world, while I could steal away to the quiet of our large jacuzzi tub. \nI recommend this hotel to anyone visiting New York for the first time, as it's location is so central, the room so restful, and the staff willing to go out of their way to make your holiday/business trip \"one to remember\" as a True Treasure. Just think, the second trip will be a breeze, just book the Blakely.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 36}, {"text": "We stayed at the Blakely for a week in late June. We loved it! There were four of us in the room, but it was organized so well that it didn't feel crowded. We asked for extra hangers and were given 12! We asked for extra towels and got 8! We ate breakfast every day and most dinners in the room. The housekeeper gave us 4 fresh sets of dishes and cutlery every day when she made up the room. There is a Whole Foods in the Time-Warner Center and an up$cale grocery called Klein's around the corner. The bathroom was a good size, well lit, with a lighted makeup mirror. The tub was very deep for soaking those tired legs and feet. The lobby is tiny, and there is no gift shop, ice machine or pop machines. This hardly matters, as there are small takeouts and newstands right outside the door. The location could not be better - two blocks to the Park, a few more to the Time-Warner Center, and east side shops nearby. The subway is at the end of the block. There is a Hertz location right next door. The staff was very helpful and pleasant. The rooms were very well soundproofed. We had neighbors on both sides and never heard them. New York cannot be soundproofed, but we ran the fan setting on the a/c all night and that helped. This hotel is a wonderful New York secret!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We ended up at the Blakely by default, as we'd booked the Wellington Hotel (opposite) on Expedia to find on check-in that some clients had not checked out and our room was not available.\nThe Blakely though proved infinitely superior, in fact it was a shame to leave.\nThe rooms were 'sooo' comfortable and spacious (which is a novelty for NYC) with a marble bathroom. Tea and coffee provided along with a microwave.\nWould strongly recommend this hotel if not above your budget.\nThe hotel restaurant is a classy italian one, which offers a great theatre menu if you want something great to eat (and maybe a bit special)", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We spent the fourth week of April at The Blakely in a non-smoking studio suite with two queen beds, exactly what we requested when we booked four months in advance (directly with the hotel on its web site) at the rate of $275 per night plus taxes. For NYC we consider this an excellent value.\nThe room was large, the decor was lovely, the little kitchen area was a great convenience. We especially liked the arm chair with ottoman and the sofa from which to view the flat panel TV in comfort; the New York Times at the door on weekdays was a great touch. The room (#1008) was at the back of the hotel, with good natural light and very little street noise. There was also no noise from the hallway since, at The Blakely, there are just eight rooms per floor. Coming in through the small lovely lobby and going up in one of the two wood-paneled elevators made us feel like we were entering our own little NY apartment.\nThe cleanliness here is 5 star perfect and the maid service was faultless. Doormen were very pleasant and helpful, but not always right at the door (they also serve as bellmen). By email and phone Bridget was patient and very helpful in assisting us in choosing just the kind of room we required.\nThis hotel does not try to rip off its clients with little fees (here incoming faxes are free, use of the computer and printer at a desk in the lobby is free, etc.). In our entire week only the pretty marble bathroom was less than perfect: the lighting was not good for make-up or shaving and there was not enough room for personal items on the counter. We left a note for the manager suggesting they install a lighted shaving/make-up mirror and add a small chest or set of shelves. Given the high standard of this hotel, we would not be at all surprised to find these items in place on our next visit.\nThe location on west 55th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues was exactly right for us -- half a block to the 7th Avenue subway, a block and a half to the downtown buses on 5th, two and a half blocks to the uptown buses on Madison, easy walking to theatres and many shops, around the corner from the Museum of Modern Art. The choice of restaurants in the area is outstanding; within a block from the front door you'll find everything from the Carnegie Deli and Fluffy's Bakery (fantastic NY style cheese cake) on 7th to the superb Brasserie LCB and the sweet La Bonne Soupe on 55th.\nWhat we cannot understand is why the listing for The Blakely on Trip Advisor gives it just 2 stars. True, there's no swimming pool, no bar or lounge, no business services, no ballroom, but as a quiet, comfortable, convenient place to stay in New York, the Blakely deserves 5 stars.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We've been visiting Manhattan for the last 7 years and have stayed in lots of hotels including the Plaza, W, Salisbury and Wellington but in the Blakely we think we have found the best combination of services. We stayed March 5th - 9th. Why did we love it?\nThe location is fantastic, right between 6th and 7th Av's so Times Square, 5th Av and Central Park are all less than 10 mins walk. There are stations for 2 different subway lines a couple of minutes away so it's easy to get home when you are tired of walking.\nThere are lots of great places to eat nearby at any time of day, grand or more basic - diners on 7th Av or Broadway for breakfast are great (try corned beef hash at Applejacks 55th and Broadway). Round on 57th Street there is a Pizza take-away and Starbucks. The mini kitchenette with crockery, cutlery, microwave and fridge is useful if you do want to eat in.\nWhy you might want to eat in is that there are a good selection of in-room movies. Don't know how much they cost as actually we found some good films on the standard channels on offer. Flat screen TV is v nice.\nThe rooms are lovely - much cosier than the minimalist hotels that have been popping up in the last few years. Everything is smart and new, with matt silver light fittings and handles. The beds (we had 2 Queens in our Deluxe room) were the comfiest we've ever experienced in a hotel. Nice touches include dimmer switches in the main room and bathroom, granite surfaces and in-room safe.\nOur room was on 55th street which we'd requested as we like to see what's going on on the street, and it wasn't noisy.\nFitness room is now open for those who want it and we found the staff really friendly.\nAnything to complain about? The light bulb in the walk in closet had blown but we didn't bother to report it as it was light enough.\nSo, whilst you could easily walk past this hotel and not notice it, we'd recommend you try it (and we're quite picky!).", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "2148819": {"reviews": []}, "99281": {"reviews": [{"text": "Each year my family (myself, husband, two kids ages 7 and 4 and) stays at The Lucerne for one night for my birthday celebration. This year my mother joined us and we booked a deluxe queen suite.\nWe drove in from Connecticut and parked for free on Riverside Drive. There's always a space available and the neighborhood is safe. We dropped my mom and kids at the hotel with the luggage; we parked and walked several blocks to join them. The perks of street parking-- it's free!! and you can stay over 24 hours without having to move your car or be penalized by paying around $75 more when you use the parking garage recommended by The Lucerne. \nWe love this hotel. Everyone is very friendly and welcoming. The lobby is small, cozy, and inviting. You must walk up several steps to get into the lobby, and the elevators are very small. If you don't have a stroller that folds easily, good luck getting into the elevator. \nOur room was spotlessly clean and lovely. The deluxe queen suite is one regular room with a door to a smaller room that had a love-seat sized couch, a desk, a microwave, a small fridge, some serviceware, and a generously sized bathroom for the City. My mother originally wanted the love-seat pull-out bed room to herself, until we pulled out the bed. The mattress was very thin and not so comfortable for an adult. My seven-year-old slept on it and thought it was fine. \nIf you're traveling with small children, be aware that the windows open all the way. There is no security for them, and a child could easily fall out. \nThe climate system works well, so you'll never be too hot or too cold. If your room faces 79th street, you may want to use the air conditioner to block out street noise at night. \nOther than the fact that the t.v. remotes don't work so well, we had no complaints. We appreciated the free wi-fi throughout the hotel and the free New York Times newspaper.\nThis location can't be beat. Crumbs cupcake bakery is down the street. There are literally hundreds of shops, restaurants, and museums within walking distance. Central Park and Riverside Park are short walks. \nIf you require luxury and many amenities, don't book here; if you desire a super-clean, slightly upscale, lovely spot on the Upper West Side, The Lucerne cannot be beat.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I would up at The Lucerne at the last minute after a booking problem with another hotel. Therefore, I probably paid top dollar for my room, and that may have clouded the experience. The room was adequate, but I feel like I could have done better for $300 a night. Maybe I also couldn't help but think that when I used to live in this neighborhood The Lucerne was a women's residence for Barnard's College. In any event, it is certainly nicer than a dorm, and if the rooms are basic hotel-modern, the building itself has retained most of its early 20th century architectural character. (The deep red stone exterior is actually quite lovely.) Assessing the location would depend on your priorities. This slice of the Upper West Side is chock full of restaurants at all price levels, and many bars that attract a young and boisterous weekend drinking crowd. With that in mind, if you are sensitive to noise you might want to request a room that does not face either 79th Street or Amsterdam Avenue, particularly on the weekend and particularly in nice weather, when the drinkers can hang out on the street until 2 or 3 in the morning. The Lucerne does present a convenient location in terms of the subway (at the end of the street) and proximity to some great New York speciality shops (especially food). The Upper West Side is a vibrant and diverse neighborhood, and you also have the advantage, in warm weather, of proximity to both Riverside and Central Parks. \nIn sum, The Lucerne is a decent choice, but if I wanted to stay in this neighborhood I would first look at The Excelsior, which is closer to Central Park, facing The Museum of Natural History. My experience with The Excelsior is also that it's better bang for the buck. But as I said, in all fairness, I did not have the opportunity to \"shop rates\" at The Lucerne.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 31}, {"text": "My wife and I spent one evening at the Lucerne in mid-February while we were in town for her birthday. We got a room with one king bed on the tenth floor. The room was terrific, on the north side of the building in a kind of quasi-corner, giving windows to the north and west. It had been very recently renovated, in a tan and gold scheme with french-style furniture with marble tops. The room was quiet, very comfortable, and, while hardly huge, had plenty of space. The staff was courteous, warm and professional. The location is perfect for access to the upper west side and the park. I will definitely stay there the next time I need a place in the neighborhood. Our stay was beyond expectations.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 29}, {"text": "We arrived at the hotel at 11:45 PM just as we received a call from our son that our first grandson had been born. The people at the desk quickly signed us in, got our bags to the room, and hailed us a cab to the hospital. We stayed six nights in a queen suite and it was wonderful. The suite was spacious, attractive, and very clean. The staff were always helpful with any arrangements we needed to make. The doormen were fantastic. We will definitely make this hotel the place to stay when we make frequent visits.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 30}, {"text": "We stayed at the Lucerne Hotel in December 2006, just before Chrstmas, for a couple of days, and found this to be a very pleasant place, for my wife and myself and also our two children (12 and 15 years oldI).\nThe room was not very large, but the size was perfectly ok, since we went sightseeing throughout the days. Our children could stay with us, in the same room. \nPositive:\nThe two beds were very comfatable and absolutely clearn, the bathroom was also very clean and ok.\nThe location is absolutely perfect, if you want to discover New York.\nThe breakfast at the Nice Matin restaurant which is located in the ground floor (but I understand that this is a separate company) was truly excellent (not included in the hotel price) - there is a large choice. We also had dinner once at the Nice Matin - really very good (Mediterranen food), but rather a bit expensive (the price seemed nevertheless justified). The only drawback in the evening (not in the morning) at the Nice Matin was the high level of noise.....\nThe service of the hotel was efficient and friendly.\nNegative:\nIn our view there is not really any negative aspect, Just an issue of taste: the room we had was not very \"modern\" in layout and style.,...\nOverall: Definitely worth a recomendation, definitely a decent balace between quality and price.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "I would not hesitate to stay at this property again and as a travel agent will be recommending this property to all my clients. The staff were very good, friendly and efficient. The room was beautiful, I was fortunate to have one of the newly refurbished ones, if a little noisy - definitely request an inside room next time! There is a subway stop one block away which will take you straight to Times Square while Central Park and the Museum of Natural History are a short walk away. \nI would also thoroughly recommend the Shining Star restaurant which is a block away - delicious food with friendly but not overbearing service!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "My husband and I just returned from 3 nights at the Lucerne and overall it was comfortable, clean and sufficed perfectly for our needs. It's not a sleek hotel with uber-modern interior decor and design but it is classy and has character. I would describe our room/suite as having a sort of shabby elegance to it. Definitely had an old, somewhat worn feeling to it, but this translated into a sort of coziness and hominess that we found welcoming in the dead of winter in NY. The bathroom and bedroom were perfectly clean, the shower was plenty strong, and the bed was amazingly comfy, though the pillows were on the lumpy side. Service was stellar. I had emailed earlier to ask for a room with more space (as we had a lot of luggage with us) and we found ourselves upgraded to a suite which was a nice surprise. Noise was not really an issue for us though there were the typical NY \"night sounds\" at odd hours of the night that filtered through our 8th floor windows - sirens, etc. No biggie for us at all. \nOverall, NYC is just an amazing city and the Lucerne is a safe, decent, comfy and cozy place to stay, with excellent service to boot. Feels more like staying in a nice home (albeit slightly worn but in a comfy way) than a chic hotel.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I read the reviews of this hotel before I booked it. We are a family of four and booked a double room between Christmas and New Years. We found that the many positive reviews were accurate. Our room was pleasant and clean. All staff were very pleasant. The location was quiet for N.Y. and close to public transportation. There were lots of dining options close by. The Nice Matin restaurant in the hotel was great. We would surely stay here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We lived in this area for around 25 years, having left for California around 14 years ago, and still come back to visit regularly. My last remaining friend in the area, whose apartment we used to stay at, just sold his home to leave the city. So, we decided to stay at this hotel on our old home turf to do a business and pleasure tip to NYC.\nIt's a very nice place, reasonably well kept with a few touches of class in terms of cleanliness, style, lobby, staff, a very nice litte gym, excellent service, robes, umbrella in the room, good beds, good pillows, free New York Times (or USA Today) every morning (even Sunday Times!), and a good wireless internet service for a flat fee per stay. I would recommend the hotel to others and probably stay there again. \nI should explain that this building is on the northwest corner of 79th Street and Amsterdam Avenue and is in one of the best non-touristy residential areas of Manhattan -- referred to as the \"upper west side\". Two sides of the building face the street, and the other two sides abut adjacent buildings. We stayed in a suite on the ninth floor (there are twelve plus penthouse) with two queen beds that faced 79th Street. It was noiser than the inner sides of the building (north and west facing), but since it faced south, it got a good deal of sun. Since I'm from New York, the traffic noise -- cut down signifcantly by the good windows (which you can open, by the way) -- didn't bother us at all. Because they originally offered us a room on the fifth floor facing west, I can tell you that I noticed that if you are facing west, you must be on the 6th floor or above or you will be facing a dark light well. That side will, however be quieter.\nThe stay was not without minor problems. So, just to list them: 1) Drinking glasses were not always replaced with clean ones, 2) The suite had insufficient workspace so that even though it had a little kitchenette, there was really no good place for two people to sit and eat. There was only one desk chair in the sitting room (and also a loveseat and a TV), so we could not both sit at the little desk. We tried to bring a small easychair in from the bedroom, but it wouldn't fit through the doorway. I suppose we could have asked for anther desk chair, but we didn't. 3) Both TV remotes (there were two TVs in this suite) needed new batteries that could not be replaced by a guest (unless the guest happened to be packing a set of Alan wrenches). We called to have the batteries replaced ($5 tip) but thought it was a little suspicious in the first place, since both remotes were bad. We particularly thought it suspicious when the guy they sent with two new remotes received another call while he was servicing our room, about another room that need new remotes. The service was very fast, however. 4) There was a fridge in the room that wasn't working; but they quickly replaced it from their stash of (as I was told by one staff member) around 20 spare fridges. Another $5 tip to reward very fast service. But hmmm. 5) We took the flat rate option for wireless internet service ($11.95, I believe) that covered our whole stay, but it incorrectly expired twice. The hotel did make good on their promise to keep it a flat rate; but we had to go through the hassle of setting the account up again both times it expired. And of course, things like that always stop working when you can least afford the time!\nSo, despite our little list of problems (and we are nitpickers who can find problems in pretty much >any< hotel), we thought they were were all reasonably small and manageable. Thus the basic recommendation holds.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed in Lucerne for 10 nights Mid June and were really impressed. We had a decent sized room with two double beds, so four people could share. The beds were comfortable, the room was very clean and the bathroom was a generous size and included a full bath. Staff were attentive and friendly, and the hotel has a reasonably priced room service menu. There is also a 20% discount for breakfast at the Nice Matin restaurant next door. Although in the relatively quiet area on the Upper West side, the Hotel is close to the subway at 79th St. on the red 1 line, which connects directly to Time Square. only a couple of blocks walk to Central Park, the Natural History Museum and Museum mile on the other side of the Park. Many good reataurants in walking distance, from T & R's for a great Pizza slice or Haru for upmarket Sushi & Sashimi. Would recommend this Hotel and would go back if I have the chance.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Stayed at the Lucerne for three nights in April\n on our first visit to New York City\n Asked for a quiet room and got exactly that. \n A good sized double on 4th floor.\n View was non existant, but we didn't come \n to NYC for the view from Hotel window so no problem.\n Room was ready when we arrived early so got extra \n viewing and shopping time in the city.\n Hotel was very close to subway so got to city centre \n very quickly and easily.\n Restaurants all around on Amsterdam and Broadway.\n We will certainly go there next time we visit NYC.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "It is very easy to decide whether this is the right hotel for you, and for most travelers the answer will be no.\nThe first issue is the hotel's location, on 79th Street and Amsterdam Avenue. That is the Upper West Side, a nice neighborhood, a mixture of apartment buildings, restaurants, little shops, and so on, but it's probably not the most convenient base of operations for a tourist. If you have business or family in the area, then this location is ideal; otherwise, you're probably going to waste some valuable time getting back and forth if you stay here.\nThe second issue is the room: clean but small. There is not much room for luggage, and the bathroom is especially tight. (I think it would have helped if they had installed shelves or counters in the bathroom for people to set their toiletries on; I ended up having to balance some of my things on the towel rack.)\nThe staff is quite polite. There was a fellow vacuuming the halls at 11:30 P.M., but he stopped as soon as I asked him to. It turns out that they gummed up my account after check-out, but they eventually straightened everything out, and I don't think they did this on purpose.\nThere is a bustling restaurant downstairs (called Nice Matin), but I did not try it.\nIf you get a room here at a good price, or discover that someone is putting you up here, you're fine: it's clean and everything works. But this will probably not be most travelers' first choice in New York City.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Looked for a NYC Hotel and most better hotels I found were sold out or well over $400 due to NYC Marathon and Election Night Eve. Found rate online for $300 for queen. Good reviews online etc. Got to Hotel and they upgraded me to KING Exec! I did not even ask - Wow. The other party in our group was also upgraded without asking. Lobby was clean and decorated professionally for the fall season. Room was very clean, carpet seemed new. View from 301 was of another hotel/wall not good, but I was not there for the view. Room was very large for NYC and bathroom was very clean and had nice products. FLATSCREEN TV was an unexpected treat. Bellman, Doorman all uniformed and professional. I was there only 1 night, but as a picky customer I was very happy with our choice and would return under similar circumstances and recommend it.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We chose to stay here following the reviews posted on tripadvisor for our first ever stay in the US. The hotel and staff lived up to our expectations. The area is great for resturants and shopping. Central Park, the Natural History museum and the Hudson River are all close. 79th Street is well served by subway and buses. A bonus is getting a 20% discount for breakfast at Nice Matin.\nOne tip is to use the buses as well as the subway, you get to see the buildings and also people are very helpful with directions.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Thank you trip advisor!!! We were a little nervous about heading to New York for the first time, so we relied on Trip Advisor for lodging, and the Lucerne did not disappoint. We were in New York, October 2005, for 4 nights. The reviews were accurate. It is extremely nice, quiet and service was top notch. We even left some money out accidentally, only to find it still there when we returned at the end of the day. We felt our belongings were very safe there. Very impressed with room service, they even arranged my shoes in a perfect little row. The rooms were even bigger than I had imagined. The location is wonderful and the restaurant, Nice Matin, is great! We will definitely be staying there again on our trip back. Can't imagine anything nicer for the money. A lot of bang for the buck!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Just stayed at the Lucerne Hotel in the Upper West Side for 4 nights. Rooms (we stayed in the Supreme Double) were clean and comfortable, after reading all the reviews of NY hotels we expected postage stamp, and it was perhaps a touch smaller than a typical chain motel room, but certainly adequate for the needs of 2 adults. Ditto for the bathrooms. Pretty lobby with doorman, nice facade to the building. The staff were terrific, helpful and attentive, the room was very quiet, the location felt very safe and convenient, lots of restaurants and markets. Quite close to the Museum of Natural History and Central Park and subways, 1 mile walk to the Met. We walked all the way to Times Square but it was a pretty long 2 mile hike, wear good shoes if you do that! Not a luxury hotel but we thought very nice, comfortable and prices were very good comparatively. After seeing the madhouse of Times Sqare and midtown we were very happy to come back to the Upper West Side at night. Would definitely stay here again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "The 7th of September we arrived in this hotel which we booked via an online hotel reservation system. Check-in was quick and friendly. Tickets for the US Open which we bought via e-bay with delivery to the hotel, were given when we checked in.\nWe had a room on the second floor, which was very nice and large for NY. This was our second stay in NY, first time we stayed at the Roosevelt (also a nice hotel, but the rooms are much better at the Lucern).\nWe had breakfast in Nice Matin which is very \"nice\". Lunch and dinner is possible in the many restaurants very nearby: Bello Sguardo, Sarabeths, Rain, ... Two blocks away is central park, metro only one block away, Starbucks, GAP, Victoria Secret... also very nearby.\nNext time... we will definitely stay at the Lucern again. And we hope Kim Clijsters wins the US open again too.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We stayed at The Lucerne August 14-18, 2005. After deliberating about where to stay for our third trip to NYC, we decided on the UWS. We had previously stayed at The Muse in Times Square and at 60 Thompson in SOHO. This trip we were going to try to stretch our dollar as far as possible, so we opted for a more moderately priced place. Although The Lucerne doesn't have as \"posh\" of a reputation as the other two aforementioned hotels, it was every bit as nice. As a matter of fact, it beat the other two in spaciousness of the rooms, views, and friendliness of the staff. It was a tremendous find for us and we will return there for any future visits. \nWe requested a corner room on a high floor, which we received. We had a room with two nicely sized double beds. We could see the Hudson River from one of our two huge windows and the surrounding street areas from the other. The room was spotless and the beds were the most comfortable my family has ever encountered in a hotel. The marble bathroom had a frosted glass window in it as well, so we had superb lighting throughout the room. The hotel is steps from the 1 train subway station which will get you all over the city. \nThere are some wonderful restaurants suitable for families nearby: Sarabeth's. EJ's Luncheonette, Louie's, Zabars. You are within walking distance of Central Park and The Museum of Natural History. We loved being away from the hustle and bustle of midtown, and felt like we were \"coming home\" each night. I hope The Lucerne keeps up its standards because we will be returning as soon as we can!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "Our family of 4 enjoyed our stay 6 night stay recently at the Lucerne. At first I was a bit disappointed that the second room of our suite was so small, but the hotel soon grew on me and felt like home. This is definitely not a 5 star establishment but we weren't paying 5 star prices either! \nOur room was pleasant, comfortable, quiet and clean. The kitchenette included a small refrigerator, microwave, coffee maker, cupboards, and dishes and silverware for 4 people. The bathroom was small but well maintained. The lobby is lovely and the staff were friendly. We didn't use the services of the concierge.\nWe ate delicious breakfasts twice at the adjoining restaurant, Nice Matin, for which we received discount coupons from the hotel. Several other days we brought in bagels from H & H (yum!) We ate breakfast once at nearby Sarabeths which was also great.\nThe best thing about the hotel is its wonderful location. The UWS was so pleasant to stroll through with so many good restaurants and shops and lovely side streets. We were glad to get away from the crowds and noise of midtown and return to \"our\" neighborhood each night. The Duane Reade store right across the street was convenient as was the coin-operated laundromat half a block away. The subway was very convenient (one line is a block away and another two blocks away) and we never felt unsafe. \nWe hope to return to New York and the Lucerne someday!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "What a lovely surprise. We stayed at The Lucerne for three nights and it was a wonderful experience. The hotel is in a GREAT location, The Upper West Side. It is close to Central Park as well as a variety of restaurants and Zabar's...one of the best markets anywhere. The subway is only a block away on Broadway. If you are travelling with children (we were) the location is fantastic and very baby/kid friendly. \nWe arrived around twelve noon and did not expect to check into our room as check in is at 3pm. To our pleasant surprise we were given a room right away without any problems.\nWe were asked if we wanted a mini-fridge in our room and someone quickly brought us one. I was worried that the fridge would be dirty or smelly but it was clean. \nThe room was big, clean and the towels were soft. Our room had a small hallway, two full beds, a nightstand, armoire with television, a small desk with a chair and another comfy type chair. This should give you an idea on the size of the room...not your typical tiny NYC hotel room. Our corner room faced both Amsterdam and 79th Street (very busy)and I was worried about the noise. Amidst the chaos of NYC we never heard anything and our baby slept like, well, a baby. \nAttached to the hotel is a really great restaurant - Nice Matin. We loved it and although it does get crowded we sat outside and felt less crowded. They are not affiliated with the hotel so you cannot charge anything to your room but it is definitely worth a visit. \nFinally the service of the Lucerne was excellent. I found the staff to be available yet unobtrusive and very warm, kind and patient even if their guests included a crying baby. \nA Great Hotel - The Lucerne is at the top of my list.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed here for 5 nights in mid -July through New York heat wave and found the hotel cool and comfortable. We asked for a change of room because of noisy late night bar opposite and that was no problem - the staff were very professional and helpful. I have to agree with all the other favourable reviews - impressed with staff, room size and cleanliness - for the price, this hotel is great value.\nLocation is fantastic for walking around safely - neighbourhood so interesting and 3 restaurants in a row - Nice Matin, Bello Sguardo and Bettolla - super food, reasonably priced, within 30 seconds of hotel doors. A couple who live in Upper Westside agreed with us that they're never tempted to eat elsewhere - met this couple at Nice Matin bar - Bobby mixes wonderful drinks for that drink at the end of a day's sightseeing and we popped in each day before going upstairs to prepare for the evening - good for people watching. Sarabeth's is good for breakfast.\nWhether walking through to Central Park or to downtown, catching the subway, bus or taxi - the Lucerne was a good starting point and we would definitely recommend it - felt sorry for those tourists we passed going into standard NYC high rise hotels downtown!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed at The Lucerne for 6 nights in early July. We had picked this hotel above On The Avenue mainly based on the tripadvisor[-] reviews, and were not disappointed. We didn't get a chance to look at On The Ave but I don't feel any need to. \nWe wanted to stay on the Upper West Side and The Lucerne is in a great position for just hanging out in this area and being away from touristy mid-town. The room was bigger than I expected from the photos, and made up very well every day. It was very clean, and not brand spanking modern or cutting edge but very comfortable and not at all shabby.\nThe closet is big - we managed to get all our clothes plus our suitcases in there, and used all the drawers in the unit under the TV as well, so it was nice not to be falling over things. There is a desk with a chair plus two little arm chairs in the room, and room to walk round the bed comfortably so that should give an idea of the size of the room.\nThe bathroom was also fine - small, but totally clean, nice toiletries, good shower and a bath to soak in at the end of the day. The housekeeping staff were very nice and gave us loads more towels and left fresh toiletries every day.\nThe staff are really helpful and got on to things pretty much straight away - eg a bulb in the bathroom blew. The concierge is extremely helpful - we had questions every day and he was very on the ball, plus he made reservations for us and then called our cell phone to confirm he had done so, sorted out our saturday night entertainment at the nearby comedy club getting us free entry and a reservation. He's a valuable asset!\nThe neighbourhood itself is packed with places to eat at very reasonable prices - Nice Matin in the hotel itself is nice but slightly pricier than everywhere else. You HAVE to go to Zabar's at 79th and B/way when you're there and marvel at all the yummy things. We never made it to H&H Bagels but apparently they're very good. Shining Star diner had the largest menu in the world and does good breakfasts; Good Enough to Eat is not far, and a little different to your average diner. A walk up Amsterdam will provide so much choice it's unbelievable!\nLast thing, which may sound unimportant but gives you an idea of the place - the other guests were all very nice, and as we were checking in, there was a lady asking for certain rooms who had obviously stayed in the hotel before, so it seems that they get repeat business.\nSo, no complaints, we'd definitely go back and would recommend it!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I stayed at the Lucerne with my husband for one night in May 2005. We arrived in NYC via Amtrak from Boston and got to the hotel fairly quickly via cab from Penn Station in rush hour traffic.\nThe two good things about this hotel are the Upper West Side location, only a short walk to Central Park, the Museum of Natural History, Zabars, etc. and the reasonable price for a NYC hotel room. It's also in a fairly residential area and was quiet. There were no kids running the halls and I never heard sounds from guests in adjoining rooms.\nMy main complaint was our room, which was supposed to be non-smoking, but had definately housed smokers; in fact, the entire 5th floor smelled of cigarette smoke during our stay. The room itself had two double beds, a desk, a bath with tub, and armoire with a tv. It was clean and neat. The bed mattress was too hard; I like a firm mattress, but had trouble sleeping.\nIf you are a fanatic about water pressure in the shower, you'll love the showers here. The water pressure was excellent.\nWe ate both dinner and breakfast at the restaurant housed in the same building, the Nice Matin, a Mediterranean style restaurant, featuring French cuisine with an Italian flavor. The food and service was excellent.\nI would definately consider staying here again.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 28}, {"text": "I stayed at the Trump International during my previous two trips to Manhattan, which I visit primarily for events at Lincoln Center and for visits to the American Museum of Natural History. However, this time around, after reading reviews on Tripadvisor, I decided to try out this inexpensive three-star option to see how I would fare. Now, I stayed at the Trump because in the past I stayed at three-star establishments in the same zip code: the Empire and the Mayflower. Both have since closed down. I found them barely acceptable--stained carpets, uncomfortable beds, linens with cigarette burns and lipstick stains. But you'll find no such squalor at the Lucerne. It is a clean, decent place that gives you an excellent value. It is absolutely unpretentious (the Mayflower had airs about it even though it was a shabby hotel), and it's in the heart of a neighborhood that has a residential feel. The West 79th Street station of the 1-line is several blocks to the west, and Central Park is several blocks to the east. I stayed on the 5th floor, in a rather large Superior Queen room (the most basic room available). My dad stayed on the same floor but was in a much smaller room. This category was $195 a night (the lowest available). Both rooms faced inside. They were absolutely quiet. The bathrooms were spotless, with acceptable toiletries (I prefer bath gel to soap, which was all they had, but there's a Duane Reade right across the street where you can pick up any essentials). Best of all, splendid water pressure. The staff gave lots of privacy--No instrusions whatsoever. No high-speed access is legitimately available in non-suite rooms, but my Powerbook picked up a network and I surfed for free. When that didn't work (it was unreliable, of course), I logged on through dial-up and paid 75 cents plus 8 cents a minute (the hotel info book incorrectly lists the cost as .08 cents per minute). I really liked the food at Nice Matin--had some delicious fish and scallops. If you stay at this hotel, I highly recommend the nearby Starlight Diner, open 24 hours and run by a Nepalese gentleman. The gyro sandwich is superb. If you're looking for a clean, decent hotel that can get you to all the important Upper West Side and Midtown destinations in no time--two subway stops to Lincoln Center, three to Columbus Circle, four to 42nd Street--this is a great place. I didn't find the staff especially friendly or charming or helpful, so I can't speak too much to that. They were professional and did their job. There's an experienced concierge if you need such services (we only asked him one question, about the subway), but this is also a perfect place if you're highly independent and like to be left alone as you do your thing. One more thing: I should say, for security reasons they do not allow visitors between 12am and 7am, and between those times you need to give them your name and room number in order to enter the building. It's low-tech security but it works and they take safety very seriously. To conclude, I'll say this is an above-average-to-excellent hotel (4.5)--probably the best you can do for this price in this area.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "My family of three (teenage daughter, husband and myself) stayed at the Lucerne during Spring Break. I read through all the reviews here on the Trip Advisor and ended up choosing the Lucerne for the simple reason we needed 2 beds in the room. My sister-in-law who lives in New York, highly recommended staying on the Upper West side. She said staying in the tourist areas (like Times Square) would be too noisy. She was right, we really enjoyed the location! The Natural History Museum was a few blocks away, Cafe Lalo (as seen in \"You Got Mail\" starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan) is also just a few blocks away. Staying at the Lucerne is like experiencing New York as a resident. The staff at the Lucerne were highly professional and accomodating. We were very impressed with the size of the rooms (as New York size goes) and would definitely stay here again, family friendly! It pays to read through these reviews, I was able to find a great hotel for a decent price!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "We stayed in a junior queen suite for five nights and really loved everything about the hotel. It's located in a Upper West Side residential area which we found to be perfect--loved leaving the chaos of the city each night and enjoying a peaceful sleep. Never was any noise! The rooms were generously sized I thought, especially after reading so much about tiny NYC hotel rooms. You had lots of room to move about the bed etc. The bathroom was small but pretty-- marble. The rooms and the common areas were spotless. The staff was very helpful and not a bit pretentious. \nAs others have said, the subway is a minute away and so are H+H Bagels(heavenly!) and Zabar's Market which was great fun to wander through. Also right across the street is a local drugstore chain, Duane Reed,and we popped in there many times for things we'd forgotten or a soda, etc.\nWe had breakfast at a little cafe around the corner, Sarabeth's, and they had fantastic french toast, baked goods etc.\nWe will definitely stay here again when we are lucky enough to make it back to the city !", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Loved our stay at the Lucerne! Excellent location - a block from the subway, a block from Central Park, close to most of the major show theatres on Broadway, great restaurants and bars around. It is in a very safe and nice area - very residential. The on-site restaurant was very good - we received a coupon for 20% off b-fast and we ate there once and enjoyed it. We had three people in a room with two double beds. The rooms was a bit small, but this is what I expect in NYC. It was very clean. The service at the hotel was fantastic. All in all, a very nice stay!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Our family of 4 (two adults and kids ages 12 and 16) stayed in a suite that had 2 queen beds and a very small living area with a loveseat, desk, and refrigerator...although big enough even if you were there on business and wanted work space. (I could not figure out how to open the twin mattress contained in the loveseat, but it didn't matter.) The bedroom was generously sized for a NYC hotel. Bathroom was also small, but again, that's to be expected. The room was nicely appointed and very clean, as were the common areas. The overall look was upscale but not flashily so.\nWe found it to be a very convenient location, with the subway only a very short walk (a minute, maybe less) away. It's in a pleasant business district, with shops of all sorts nearby in case you forgot to pack anything. It was also quiet, which can be a rarity in NYC. The only possible downside I can see is that the beds are VERY firm, although for me that's a positive. If you like a soft mattress, though, this is probably not your place.\nPlus, the hotel restaurant, Nice Matin, is fabulous! We had a reservation, but were at least 15 minutes late because our plane was delayed. It wasn't a problem, though; the friend we were meeting there had already arrived and was enjoying a glass of wine at our table, which was held for us. The menu is interesting with many unusual choices, and the execution on everything was superb. Service was just what you want...understated but attentive. For those who are less adventurous (like our 12-year-old), the burger and fries were also out of this world.\nAll in all, a very pleasant experience, and I would gladly return.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "This was our third stay at the Lucerne in the last 9 months. As said before, location is amazing. Besides the major attractions nearby, there are also many very good small restaurants on Amsterdam within a few blocks of the hotel. We enjoy the hotel, but one word of advice...try to get a room on an upper floor. The last 2 times we stayed, we were on floor 6 or 7 and had a nice view. This last time, we had a \"Superior Queen Suite\" on the third floor, and there was absolutely no view. All windows looked directly into other buildings. Rooms and bathrooms at the hotel are pretty small. The suite was nice because it had a sitting room with sofa, fridge, microwave. It was small as well, but nice to have a separate sitting area. When we arrived, it was like our room cleaning/stocking was not completed. There was no soap, no glasses, and no robes. These were promptly brought up after a call to the front desk. Fitness room is nice (2 ellipticals, 2 bikes, 2 treadmills and a few weight machines). The equipment has the individual TVs, so either bring your own headsets, or ask at the desk when you check in for some. We'll definately continue to stay at the hotel, and would recommend to others.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husband, my toddler and I had our first ever trip to New York shortly before Christmas. At first blush, we thought the room was passable... certainly not luxurious, but we had a good rate and were satisfied. We put our toddler down for the evening at 8:30. The next thing we knew, the folks in the room beside us started making a lot of noise, screaming, slamming doors, etc. I could faintly hear a child in the background. We called the front desk but the noise continued. I thought I'd go the door and appeal to the people as parents to please hold the noise down. I rapped on the door and a male came to the door, shouting obscenities and threatening my life. I retreated to my room and called the front desk. They apologized. It seemed that they had put us beside one of the Lucerne's \"permanent residents\" - people that had lived in the building before it became a hotel. Those residents cannot be evicted so they make a habit out of driving the guests away who happen to be booked in adjoining rooms. We were upgraded to a larger room with a better view but it was a very negative experience and an awful introduction to NYC! We advise that potential Lucerne guests inquire as to whether their room is adjacent to the beligerent permanent residents.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 13}]}, "1371825": {"reviews": []}, "1186070": {"reviews": []}, "1785018": {"reviews": []}, "113311": {"reviews": [{"text": "We stayed at the Peninsula for 4 nights at the end of July, on the way back to the UK after two weeks on the west coast. Everyone has a different opinion about New York and its hotels. Advice from friends didn\u2019t help and even trip advisor is so contradictory, 1* to 5* in consecutive reviews! We decided that we wanted a hotel with a pool and near Central Park. LHW couldn\u2019t fit the spec so we decided on the Peninsula because we love their sister hotels in Manila and Hong Kong, which are seriously good!\nWe booked into a Grande Deluxe Room at $625 via the Hotel website; we asked for a high floor in the hope of escaping traffic noise and where delighted to get room 2015, on the top floor. We never heard a sound. It was located on a corner, looking west down 55th Street towards the Hudson River and north with views of 5th Avenue and \u201ca\u201d Trump Tower (there are so many!) Check in was easy, the only hotel in 5 on our holiday where we were escorted to our room by a delightful receptionist (called Wing) who explained how to work all the gadgets from their fancy centre console. The room was very nice, and demonstrated how older hotels can be fully modernised to 21st Century standard with climate controls, flat panel TVs and free Wifi access in all the rooms. It was a good size and we fitted an extra bed for our daughter in without compromising the space. The extra bed was a \u201cproper\u201d one and not a foldaway or camp style bed! The bathroom was nice with views toward the Hudson and had a large sink area with separate bath, shower (with seat) and loo. Apparently the hotel started life around the turn of the century as the Gotham and the lobby and bars keep the Edwardian look and feel.\nThe Spa and Pool are on floors 21 to 23 and have been added onto the top of the original hotel. The pool offered excellent views around New York and was very child friendly with lots of attentive staff and complimentary tea, coffee and water. The changing rooms offer every available toiletry and hair accessory in a well staffed spa area, even down to sliced cucumber for your eyes! The hotel has 3 bars and one restaurant. We found the roof top bar very busy with \u201cbusiness people\u201d on our only visit so we stayed downstairs for the rest of the time. We ate in \u201cFives\u201d, their restaurant, on our first night ~ it was OK but lacked atmosphere and was almost empty then and on every other occasion we ever saw it. The adjoining Fives Bar overlooks 5th Avenue (hence the name!) and is very modern in style. You can eat there but it wasn\u2019t overly comfortable. Our preference was for the Gotham Bar. It was more lounge style and you could get good snacks in it. It was never empty but equally never too crowded. \nAway from the hotel we found a really good Italian restaurant just opposite the hotel on 55th Street called Il Corso, which was recommended by the ever so helpful concierge. It is only small but has tremendous character, good food and feels very \u201cNew York\u201d. I was waiting for the Godfather to walk in at any moment (actually I\u2019m not sure he wasn\u2019t already sitting at the table next to us!) We also ate at Del Frisco\u2019s Steak House on 6th Avenue but were not very impressed. It was big, modern, noisy, expensive and the steaks lacked flavour. On advice we didn\u2019t go up the Empire State building but went to the Top of the Rock on the nearby Rockefeller Building. It was great, only 10 minutes walk from the Hotel, no queues and had a view of the Empire State Building (!) among others and you could stay as long as you like. We heard from others that the Empire State Building got very busy, and you were given a limited time. Another point is if you are up the Empire State Building, you can\u2019t see the Empire State Building!!! There is an excellent \"French style\" restaurant on the edge of the square at the bottom called Brasserie Ruhlmann. The special Lobster bisque and seared tuna were superb. The concierge was pushing \u201cCircle Line\u201d boat trips to visit the Statue of Liberty but we ended up getting a $20 cab the end of Manhattan Island where could walk past the Twin Towers site and then down to Battery Park. We took a Yellow Taxi boat that went around the end of Manhattan and the back up past Ellis Island, Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Bridge, stopping for photo opportunities! It cost around $15 each and you could get off at the Brooklyn bridge area, as we did, where there is a shopping area and some other sightseeing opportunities. We also took the horse and Buggy round Central Park which is both traditional and a good way to see it, especially if you are pushed for time.\nIf you are going to New York, particularly with children, then we would recommend the Peninsula. It is in a good location, a fine mix of traditional and modern and with nice, friendly and attentive staff.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "I found this hotel to be average in comparison to other hotels in NYC for the price. We paid 600+ per night and stayed in a premiere room that was really pretty average. The room overlooked 5th Ave., but you could see very little. The bathroom was spectacular as you can watch TV from the bathtub and control all of the features of the bathroom from controls adjacent to the tub.\nThe room itself was average and seemed a bit worn. The TV controls were ancient and I got up more than once to change channels. The hotel gym is on the 23rd floor with great views but the facility was not very nice. The cardio area is huge but the free weight area needs imrprovements. \nThe lobby is really a disaster as you need to go up 3 sets of steps to reach reception and the elevators. \nOverall, I will never stay at this property again, for the money your better off at the Palace or Four Seasons.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Just got back from a perfect birthday weekend! Me and my son went to the Peninsula for his birthday and we chose the right hotel.Right when we enetered we were welcomed back as returning guests by our last name which was a very nice feeling. When checking in they realized that the reason we were staying was for my son's birthday so they upgraded us for no extra charge to a bigger room.Boy was this a treat we had a corner suite with 2 flat screen TV's, one in the room and one in the bathroom. (so nice) The ceiling must of been 16 feet high and I felt like I was staying in a penthouse apartment! It is such a great hotel and about 8:30 at night they delievered a birthday cake for my son which was amazing and so generous of them. I can not picture staying at any other hotel. The small lobby is just perfect and quiet and you will never know you are in New York City. If you haven't seen this hotel I advise you to do so because you are missing out.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "As a native New Yorker returning now as a visitor, I am well-acquainted with the city's hotels. Apart from a traumatic arrival, when my room requests were not only ignored but rudely dismissed by the `Welcoming' receptionist (and this after a 10 1/2 hour air trip there), we found the hotel staff could not really do enough for us. Beware though that the difference between a Standard and Deluxe Room is unacceptable in a hotel of this supposed ranking. The `Standard Room' is of a far lower quality than the deluxe rooms...tiny bathrooms and dull, generic decor. It's better to opt for a higher class room here; or else stay at a cheaper hotel. No bargains here at all. The lobby is lovely, a far cry from the usual impersonal New York entrances. The restaurant is excellent, if expensive; and for reasons unknown for New York, is closed on Mondays...and this during Thanksgiving week, one of the city's busiest times. Beware however the outrageous room-service breakfast prices...$90.00 for a breakfast for two consisting of juice, cold cereal and coffee!!! Their pool and spa ranks among New York's best. The mid-town location is perfect; around the corner from many of the city's best restaurants and shopping. All in all, I'd return there again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We had a suite connected to a second room (two adults, a baby and a mother in law), costing $1,350 a night. While the room, location and room service staff were fabulous, everyone else was a snob. We stay at Four Seasons and Ritz -- and I've never seen such jerks. Even though we were paying over 1k per night, they acted as if we didn't belong. Weird... \nActually, to be honest, the room wasn't very clean upon check in. They also forgot turn down service twice. \nA slipping luxury brand....", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My Husband and I checked into this hotel for a 5 night stay in New York. Upon check-in we felt a thick fog of SNOB all around. There is NOT a single smiling face around. The conceirge was even rude and acted like making a dinner reservation was TOOOO much. There was no politeness or friendliness from a single employee. The worst part of the trip was having money stolen from my purse, exactly $80. I had accidently left a few hundred dollars in the zipper compartment of my purse. I had switched purses when leaving and fogot that I left some cash in my other purse. Upon arrival to my room I found exactly $80 missing. I am positive this money was not somehow misplaced beacuse I had not spent any cash yet and had counted exactly how much I had earlier the same day. When we filed a complaint with the hotel management they told us to go and file a report with NYPD about the missing cash! We were not going to waste our vacation time filing a report with NYPD when it is the responsibilty of the hotel to investigate and question its employees. We did not so much as even get an apology or a meeting with the hotel manager regarding this incident. To be honest, I felt more angry and violated that someone had went through my purse than I cared for the $80. I expected A LOT more from a supposed five star hotel that I was paying $660 a night for. We checked out after the second night and stayed at The Palace on 51st and Madison. What a world of a difference!!!! The Palace New York is a real luxury hotel and we will never stay anywhere else in New York.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 36}, {"text": "We went to The Penisula this August with children aged 5 and 8, the food was great for them (especially the cookies that arrived every evening), the pool was a fabulous place for them to escape the high temperatures and we as parents felt we were well provided for too. The bathroom was brilliant, a television in the bathroom was a great gimmick for the children and the cleanliness of the room was second to none. We also loved the fact that we were given complimentary mineral water which was needed in the 90+ heat. We did however have a couple of criticisms, one being that the restaurant closed for every evening in August and the other being that the concierge did not always have the correct times of ferries etc, other than these points we were thrilled and would definately go back again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "The Peninsula hotel is one of my favorite hotels...infact, it probably is my favorite! The Peninsula boasts gorgeous views. It has perfect location and all the major landmarks aren't far from it. This hotel is the perfect New York hotel! All the hotel employees are very polite and will always go the extra mile to make your stay more pleasant. Though it was a little expensive I definatly recommend the Peninsula to anyone who is looking for luxury.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "The perfect hotel in New York. Stayed from May 14 till May 19 and again from May 23 till May 25. What can i say, everything is done perfectly, from check-in until check out. We stayed in a number of 5 star New York hotels over the last years, and The Peninsula is the best !\nI see people complaining about the prices of room service. Well let me tell you, it may not be cheap but it's very good and fast. If you want cheap book an 2 star hotel next to a MacD. If you stay in 5 star you may expect the 5 star prices as well. But the hotel is so good ! I don't like staying in Hotels with a 1.000 + rooms. In the Pen they know your name, they gave me the exact room i requested. The bathrooms are to die for, very good showers and soaking tubs with TV, Beds are excelellent and general quality is outstanding. We had breakfast there every day and it was outstanding. Staff everywhere are very friendly and efficient. Very good gym, didnt use the spa. Pen Top bar is great, and for the rest.... Location, Location, Location...... You are on 5th Avenue, 2 blocks away from Central Park and shopping is at you doorstep !\nA good tip for people who go to NY and complain about the quality of the restaurants in hotels in general. Don't sleep in a restaurant and don't eat in a hotel. Hotels are best in providing rooms, restaurants are best in providing food. It\u00b4s NY, there are hundreds of good restaurants to go to !", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 24}, {"text": "The room was nice, the bathroom especially so. I found the service quite gracious. The free bottled water in the room was appreciated. Room service was high quality and unbelievably reasonably priced considering the class of hotel. The public spaces are a little weak, but the spa is outstanding. I'd stay again based on location, service, and spa.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "It's been 8 years since I've stayed at the Peninsula and it still looks fresh. They've done a nice job keeping the hotel looking updated. It is luxurious and contemporary, not grand old new york like the Pierre or Carlyle, but quite nice. The staff were polite and professional. The room (a superior) was small, but very nicely appointed and with a great bathroom. Best of all, it had a supremely comfortable bed and the room itself was very quiet. I didn't hear a whiff of noise from the street or any adjacent rooms. I highly recommend the Peninsula for adult business travelers or vacationers. I'm not sure I'd bring kids here, though.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I have stayed at the Peninsula in New York numerous times when I am in town on business. This is a great hotel, with great service. I have stayed at many of the other hotels in this class in New York (e.g. St. Regis, Mandarin Oriental, Ritz-Carlton, etc.) and by far this is my favorite. I have stayed at their other properties in Hong Kong and Chicago and they are execllent as well. It has a great location, very nice rooms, and two good bars where you can enjoy a drink in the afternoon and evening. The food is a bit expensive for what you typically are served, but there are many great restaurants in walking distance. Highly recommended.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Having once being a regular, I hadn't stayed at The Peninsula for the last four years. Before going there I - as usually - checked the Trip Advisor and got concerned with some criticism. Even though I decided to check my old time favourite.\nWith all due respect to the dissatisfied ones, I was very, very happy with my stay. The hotel is the best example I know for understated, low profile elegance.\nThe room furniture was excellent, the marble bathroom a must, and the desk superb, with accessible eletric outlets, wireless internet acces and lots of space to work.\nThe staff has always been courteous and efficient.\nSince nothing is this life is perfect, I wouldn't recomend the Fives Restaurant, overpriced and not worthwile. But I'll sure go back to this place, paying high, but getting the best.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My friends, excuse the ghastly pun; the Peninsula has submerged. What once was a grand and glorious example of five-star luxury has apparently deteriorated to a point which will require a major intervention. I deliberately avoided writing anything here (I stayed nearly a year ago) out of sheer apathy...which, I'm sorry to say, reflected the apathy of the Peninsula's hospitality staff. \nThis gleaming bastion of old-world elegance and grace on Fifth Avenue now contains an establishment trumped by dozens of three-star hotels at one fifth the cost. Between the condition of my bland room, which had a dingy, motelesque bathroom, tired, worn, perforated furnishings, and smelled faintly of mildew...and the apathetic staff...not to mention the horrible, overcooked, overpriced room service fare, this hotel made me glad to check out at the end of my two-night business stay. Out of courtesy and sheer exhaustion from travel, I did not ask to change my room as I did at the W hotel in July. \"But this is the Peninsula!\", I kept telling myself along the way...\"...it has to get better!\". However, optimism languished through the first night into the realm of \"coulda, shoulda, woulda.\". \nWhat left a particularly sour taste in my mouth is that when I repeatedly made an earnest attempt to comment to the staff of my observations, i was met with blank stares and inferences that the management didn't give two toenails who complained. I tried to keep an open mind after I returned home and wrote a letter to the manager, trying not to sound like an embittered young whippersnapper, but rather an experienced traveler offering constructive criticism. I received no response...in truth, I nearly forgot the whole thing happened until I stumbled upon a copy of my letter last night. Travelers, be forewarned. For this kind of money, you are entitled to a really special New York experience, not the most ordinary hotel that has rested on its laurels to the point where it seems to get by on its name alone. \nGo to the Essex House where the folks love their jobs and you'll get the best sleep ever. Go to the Trump, where you'll feel like a celebrity. Go online and get a great rate at the Four Seasons, where everything is designed to pamper. Get a suite at the W Court, which feels like your own exclusive apartment in the city...all for probably less than I paid for my Peninsula debacle.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "We really enjoyed this hotel. The location on Fifth Avenue is so convenient. Once you are in your room, it is a quiet, opulent respute. Our room had a great view and the marble bathroom was simply incredible. The tubs are deep; perfect for long soaks before you slide in between your soft sheets.The spa is also a real gem. The steam room, lap pool overlooking Fifth Avenue, and complimentary tea contributed to a totally relaxing trip to the city. Room service was among some of the best meals I have had in Manhattan. Complimentary water---nice touch. If you don't like the first room you are given, try again, it paid off for us. Try to upgrade past the rooms that face the inner courtyard, you will appreciate the better view and superior bathroom. Such a great hotel even the rainy,cold November weather didn't bother us! We felt totally pampered!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "281071": {"reviews": [{"text": "My boyfriend really wanted to stay at the Mandarin Oriental, so we decided to do it for our last night in NYC (we stayed with friends the other nights). He booked an upgraded room with a Central Park view--it was nearly $1000 for the night. We were prepared for the cost as we knew it would be that expensive.\nWe arrived at noon and loved the beautiful interior of the hotel. The staff was friendly and the concierge was very helpful. Our room was ready, but the key system wasn't working so they walked us to the room. It was nice--not very large and has a view of Central Park that is ok--unfortunately it is largely obstructed by the awful Trump building, but that can't be helped. The room and amenities were really just ok--I think that most Westins, Ws, and even up-scale Marriotts were almost as nice. and Ritz Carltons, Four Seasons, and others in that realm are easily comparable. \nThere are some really nice a/v features, and the bathroom is much larger, but I don't think that the marginal difference in quality is even close to the difference in cost. And there were weird things about the bathroom--like no separate light switch or a fan in the little room that has the toilet, terribly slow hot water, not very soft or plush robes, and even really low quality \"q-tips\" (to be petty). Also, there is not a coffee maker in the room, so you are forced to order room service every time you want hot water for tea or coffee. And the prices for room service are just completely over the top. I guess they just figure that once you are paying that much for a room, a $27/pp (plus service fees) continental breakfast is no big expense. (And it goes up from there.)\nThe worst part, however, is that we slept terribly! The pillows are so soft that you need at least two of them and there weren't extras in the room. The comforter is pretty and soft, but warmed up so much that we were roasting. And the air in the room was so incredibly dry that we really had trouble sleeping. We collectively got about 2 hours of sleep. We were pretty grumpy by morning.\nThe service was very good--all very nice staff people. But the room just didn't live up to the price in any way, shape, or form. We'd have been just as happy at the W or a boutique hotel and would have spent $700 less. Lesson learned: paying the highest cost does not always mean a better experience.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "If you need a view, get ready for \"partial\" with a building generally blocking most of it out. Having sampled the entire inventory, I think the best rooms are the doubles with suffix \"32\"m which face north, with a parkview comparable to the straight \"central park view\" category and also featuring the GW bridge at night. The \"32\" is also a bit bigger than the other parkview rooms. The best room in the house is next door, the suite with suffix \"33\" - here you get the full south-clockwise-to-park (or Statue of Liberty, Hudson River, GW Bridge, Manhattan and Central Park). Ignore the advice if you are a fan of midtown skyscrapers.\nThe pool and spa are well worth a visit.\nLunch at the hotel restaurant is very, very good; the bento box is excellent.\nIf you exit the elevators on the third floor mall entrance, you can step around the corner to the Bouchon Bakery for an excellent and quick breakfast/snack/sandwich.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Stayed at the MONY over 2.5 weeks end May. Having stayed at the Four Seasons, Ritz-Carlton Central Park, Essex House and St. Regis before, I can objectively say that the MO has the best overall package.\nIncentives to stay:\n1) Modern and new, it is not frayed like the Ritz-Carlton and 4 Seasons and occupies a modern building without the creaks and sounds like at the Ritz-Carlton just down the road.\n2) The rooms are very spacious for central park hotels. Stayed in a standard room.\n3) All rooms have a view. Either Central Park or the Hudson. While many of the park views are partially blocked by the Trump, for the same price at the others I've mentioned above, frankly you'd be looking at the air well or another room's window.\n4) The concierge is excellent. They were friendly, on the ball and went out of their way. Only the 4 Seasons and I hear, the Carlyle, can compare or exceed.\n5) The techno deck-out in the room is the best I've encountered in NY. TV in bathroom, fax machine and multi-line phone for conference calls and internet on the flat-screen TV are standard features.\n6) A lot of people write it's expensive. Frankly, I think it's more than reasonable compared to other similar 5 stars along Central Park ways. The Ritz-Carlton charges 10-15% more for far worse. The 4 seasons is also more expensive. You need to compare apples with apples. No point comparing it to say the Novotel or Radisson.\nDiscentives:\n1) Service is still spotchy. It is getting there but some kinks remain. The doormen do not open the doors or greet you with a smile. Bad first impression.\n2) Housekeeping can be a little wobbly with replacing things. However, this seems to be a NY/Western Hemisphere thing in general.\n3) The partially blocked views as mentioned. To be nitpicking, clear views would be great. However, if you are thinking about moving to the Trump for the view, think again. The same price will not get you a Central Park or even Hudson view. You get a view of a next door building and maybe the MO :-) I checked.\n4) Having travelled extensively in Asia as well, frankly most hotels in the Western Hemisphere need to catch up. Service, amenities, room space all pale next to the Asian hotels. I don't look at cost since cost of living is far higher in NY compared to say, Bangkok. Still, MONY is the closest I've come across in the U.S. to a class act nearly on par with it's Asian counterparts.\nIt is my pick for a NY hotel.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "We have just spent 5 nights at the Mandarin in New York. There to share a 60th birthday celebration with London friends and see my (American) husband's family for a visit. On arrival at 1pm we were told that our room was not yet ready (which we expected) but asked for the number in order to give it to our friends who had checked in the previous day at the hotel. The receptionist stumbled an answer 'oh we are not yet sure which one it is'. We are frequent travellers and whenver I hear this response I know that we are about to be told that we have been 'upgraded' and then shown to one of every 5 star hotels 'less than great' rooms. It has happened before. We already had a written confirmation of a deluxe Hudson River view room on a high floor which is what we wanted. Our friends had the same room type reserved so we went to see it. When 'our room' was ready - upgraded we were told, it was of course inferior on all counts, we asked to be changed to our confirmed room which was fine. Why do hotels do this. Theatres charge a lesser price for 'restricted view' seats. We all know that there will always be a few rooms in any fine hotel that are less good and the hotels would serve themselves well if they advertised these at lower prices. Instead what they try to do is hope that the client they put in these rooms will be too intimidated to ask for a change. I hate this especially as when we came into the downstairs lobby at the Mandarin via the lift to the 35th floor where the hotel starts, every employee greeted us en route 'welcoming' us to the Mandarin.\nApart from this start, the hotel was good, modern and had most things one would expect. Except no coffee making equipment in the rooms - I think they think us (their clients) too 'posh' to make their own coffee but I know we both hated having to get up to find a cup. Most guests seemed to feel the same and popped out to the Starbucks across the road to pick up their morning coffees, but in the room would have been great.\nWeather was freezing in New York (6-11 April) but the lobby of the hotel on the 35th floor was kept cold by air conditioning - perhaps someone might mention global warming to the Mandarin.\nThis is an expensive hotel which looks good and has all the trappings of a first class hotel but has no heart and not much of a genuine warmth to it. We have been to fine hotels where they manage to have boths looks and heart. \nWe would not stay there on our next visit. Our friends who had also stayed at the Mandarin in Singapore said it wasn't a patch on that.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Stayed at the Mandarin Oriental hotel with my daughter as a weekend getaway. We had reserved a corner Hudson view room and were upgraded at check-in to a Central Park view room on the 46th floor.\nThe view was fantastic! The window had a full view of Central Park. The Trump International hotel took up just one small corner of the view off to the side. The park really commanded the view. It was great!\nThe plasma tv with DVD player and laptop capability was very high tech. The tv was programmed with a special welcome message which went away after use. The plasma tv in the bathroom was a nice touch as well. \nThe all marble bathroom was nice with seperate shower and big walk in shower.\nThe service was awesome. From the room upgrade to the doormen. The doormen were at the car as soon as we pulled up, welcoming us. Upon departure, I forgot to call in advance to get my car so it took about 5 minutes (no big deal) for them to retreive it. The doorman offered us bottled water while we were waiting since it was a hot day. The front desk person showed us to the elevator and then handed off the key, offering to carry my shoulder bag up to the room. We ordered room service and it arrived in 30 minutes. The food was good. My daughter called the front desk for bubble bath and they went out and bought some, delivering it in a cute bag.\nThe lounge in the lobby was excellent. My teenage daughter was excited because we actually met a couple of celebrities who were staying at the hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We recently stayed at the MO in New York for 2 nights as part of our 25th Wedding Anniversary Celebrations last week - end September 06). On arrival at the Hotel there was Champagne & Chocolate awaiting us in our room! We had dinner there on the 2nd night and when we only asked for one dessert they insisted on two - we couldn't understand why - until they both arrived and had 'Happy Anniversary' piped in chocolate on each - such a lovely touch. We had booked the Hotel as part of our trip with Cunard - we travelled to NY on the QM2 - for some reason Cunard felt we had been delayed on disembarkation in Bayonne and there was a lovely card and chocolates apologising for delay - again a lovely touch. As 'piece de resistance' we had booked the Private Spa at MO for 3 hours and WOW! We were allowed 1/2 to ourselves before being giving the most wonderful foot massage whilst the Massuers explained everything that would happen and gained information from us, to enable them to maximise our time their with treatments suited to each of us. Then Lunch! Amazing!! All in all an absolutley 1st class hotel, 1st Service and no complaints whatsoever. I sincerely hope we can return there some day!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My husband and I returned to the Mandarin in New York recently for our anniversary. We first stayed there 2 years ago following our wedding. The first stay was amazing - the property was still \"new\" and everything about it seemed luxurious. \nThis time around we noticed a few things were lacking. The furniture is beginning to show wear, especially in the Lobby Lounge. We were given a handicapped room, of which the only problem I had was that the shower had a regular plastic curtain instead of glass. Diminished the luxe somewhat for me. The bathing amenities were very nice, as were the towels, robes and linens. The LCD TV was o.k - the HDTV channels went out several times which was quite annoying. We had to call IT to come reset it. The bed is extremely comfortable - definitely a highlight! The service is still pretty high-level, but nothing that I haven't experienced at other hotels.\nThe Lobby Lounge is great! The view is fantastic and unparalleled- I definitely recommend stopping there for a drink or dessert.\nThe location of the hotel is very convenient. Great shops in walking distance, and the subway is around the corner. \nOverall, our stay was pleasant and the accommodations were nice, but I do not think we will stay there again. It doesn't seem as luxurious as it once was.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Having read several rather negative reviews on TA, I was wondering what to expect for my $1,000 a night Park View Grand de Luxe Room. I have been here for 7 nights with another 5 or so to go, so have had plenty of opportunity to work out the pros and cons.\nI write this as a regular guest at 4 Seasons, Ritz Carlton and the like and a frequent visitor to Hong Kong which has some of the best hotels in the world.\nI am lost for words at the excellence of this hotel which surpasses not only my expectations, but pretty much all my previous hotel stay expreiences. This is a truly superb hotel. It is is beautifully fitted out, the service is excellent (possibly only 9 out of 10 owing to some glitches in the public lobby lounge which is not as well staffed as the guest areas) and the overall experience is one of pampered luxury. \nContrary to the experiences described in other reviews, the staff have been excpetionally friendly (the maitre'd knew at Asiate knew my name after one visit and made a point of greeting me by name thereafter).\nThere is a wonderful pool. small but uncrowded and wonderful for laps or just wallowing.\nThe views of Central Park (I am on the 52nd floor) are superb, even allowing for the fact that the Trump Hotel blocks part of the view.\nThe hotel exudes an air of oppulent luxury and well-being.\nThere is only one issue, which is the price. Everything is phenomenally expensive (continental breakfast in the room at around $45) and laundry that costs more than it would to replace the items that have been laundered.\nOn this occasion I am not picking up the tab and the prices do not, therefore, disturb me. I think it is the price that probably accounts for a great deal of the dissatisfaciton expresssed in other reviews, as it is hard to imagine how this hotel could ever really deliver what most people would expect for rooms costing upwards of $1,000 per night, when the price is coming out of their own pockets.\nIn summary this is a wonderful hotel, but I would advise against staying here if you are paying for it yourself and will be making a very detailed cost benefit analysis. This is a place for those on expenses, for celebs, for those who are truly hardened to paying for hotels of this class and for those who recognise that they are splashing out a very large amount of money for an unusually opulent treat.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "Here's the dirty little secret: the hotel doesn't face the Park.\nAny time you are facing the Park, you are really facing the back of Trump's hotel (at least 50% of your view is of the Trump hotel). The Park stretches north to south, from 59th Street to 110th Street. I doubt you can see further north than 65th Street from any point in the entire Mandarin hotel, except maybe the roof.\nOn the Hudson River side, the views actually are better, but the rooms are awful. The footprint of the hotel is such that all Hudson River rooms are across the hall from either the elevator, the service elevator, or the Housekeeping Closet. When I asked to change from the room opposite the elevator (literally, from my bed, I could hear people making small talk as they waited for the elevator), I was warned the other rooms were worse. This was true. I took the room opposite the Housekeeping Closet; I might as well have taken a shift, I was that close to the action. Really, is it too much to ask that for $750 a night they figure out a way to get you a room that is quiet?\nThe Mo Bar was fine: views were fair (again, the Trump Hotel), the food was poor, the drinks were ok, and the prices were absurd.\nThe Spa was qactually uite nice, but there are better in New York, and the prices were the most obscene I've ever encountered anywhere.\nOverall, I've stayed in better Mandarin hotels, and I've stayed in better hotels in New York. I was not impressed.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "As part of my honeymoon my new husband and I stopped at the Manderin Oriental in New York. We requested a Central Park view which if we tilted our heads and looked through the high rise buildings we could just about make out some trees. \nWe also booked the honeymoon package where we would have champagne and strawberries in our room on arrival (no champagne or strawberries to be found) and also exclusive use of the spa VIP room including treatments. When asked when we could use this facility we were given a look of \"haven't you already booked your date?\". It turns out the someone from the spa should have contacted us to make the booking but this hadn't happened. Luckily they were able to squeeze us in and it really was fantastic. The only bit of our stay that was. \nWe had arranged a airport transfer with the hotel for a rather costly sum and when speaking to the concierge to arrange our transport back were we told that the payment made only took us one way, we would have to pay another $151.12 to be taken back to the airport. A total of $302.24! To rub salt in the wounds the driver told us that if we had contacted Virgin Atlantic we would have had the transfers for free. \nOn the first night we arrived late and decided to eat in the hotel restaurant, the food was fine but very overpriced (and we left still feeling hungry). A further insult came while settling the bill. We decided to pay by cash and using the available funds on us settled the bill and left a rather moderate tip. (the service hadn't been that exciting to warrant a huge tip) The waiter took our money but then sent the restaurant manager back to ask why we had only left a 10% tip and not the usual 15-20%. To be honest I didn't think that we had been especially looked after and hadn't been swept off my feet with the service. \nThe rooms are very overpriced and nothing to write home about. In comparision with the Hilton where you pay $90approx per night to the Oriental of $2200 per night (not including tax) the rooms aren't that different. To rip you off even more you have to pay to access the internet in your room (I would think for $2200 a night I should be able to access my emails for free).\nThe hotel is a complete rip off, food is nothing special, the rooms are very standard, staff seem to have their minds on other things rather than looking after the guest and I would never stay there again. \nI contacted Manderin Oriental to explain all of the above, even filling out their post holiday questionnaire - I still haven't received a response. (perhaps the people who deal with customer complaints are busy eating my strawberries and drinking my champagne)", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "My wife and I live in Brooklyn and for our 2nd anniversary we decided to spend a night in the city at a top hotel. We decided on the Mandarin because we have never even been to the Time Warner center and knew the Mandarin was the newest luxury hotel in the city. While the prices were way high we decided if we are going to do this lets go all out. When we booked the room there was a glitch in the pricing system and all rooms were going for $166. We decided to book right away and see if they would honor it. They did not but did offer up upgrades in class of room if we bought a standard rate. We did this and got a premiere Central Park view room for standard room price - still thats $750 for one night. We also got 20% discount on all spa activities although we had no plans on doing that.\nWe checked in Friday at 3pm - took the elevator to the 35th floor to the elegant lobby. Our room was ready and check in was very fast. We then took the guest-only elevators (key cards required to operate) to our room on the 52 floor. The floor hallways are very tastefully done, best I have ever seen, and we proceeded to our room.\nThe room was also very elegantly designed and felt very new. While the room was not large the bed was quite comfortable as was the large ottoman by the window. The view was great although obstructed by the Trump Hotel across the street. Still we could see most of the park and up Central Park South - quite attractive. The bathroom was big. We loved the soaking tub and the shower which has a rainshower feature where the water comes pouring out of a large multi-hole showerhead fixed in the ceiling.\nWhen I booked I informed the reservations agent it was our anniversary and the hotel delivered complimentary champagne, cake and chocolates that evening - a very thoughtful gesture that made us feel special.\nIn the afternoon we used the pool which is nice but more for doing laps than relaxing but still there was only one person in it besides us so we enjoyed the 30 minutes we stayed.\nAs an extra treat we saw Lance Armstrong in the elevator on our way to dinner\nThe bed was very comfortable for sleeping that night.\nThe next morning we had room service deliver breakfast. This was the only major disappointment of the stay. The eggs were watery and a glass of apple juice was $8 EACH!. We should have bought apple juice at the Duane Reade across the street and kept it for the morning. The $70 breakfast was not worth it.\nAll in all while this was a very expensive 24 hours but as a one-time-only treat we had a great time and felt adequately pampered. Im sure there are better hotels values in NYC but I'm not sure they can all provide the same level of luxury.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed at the Mandarin Orient in Columbus Circle in December. The hotel is lovely. However, a few glitches decreased our satisfaction. The hotel lost our reservation but was able to accomodate us. The bath tub didn't work! A serviceman spent an hour in our room trying to fix it and never could. The hotel didn't even offer to reduce the rate or send an apologetic fruit basket. If you are a shopper, the adjacent mall is nice. I would probably not stay here again, there are too many nice hotels in NY with working tubs.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed at the hotel for 7 nights for the special of $500 a night in a room on the 49th floor, we were there for the record breaking snow fall of 26.9 inches of snow and it was fantastic!! Central Park was right across the street and everyone was in a fun loving,snow ball fight kind of mood. \nWe asked if there were any upgrades avaliable however the hotel was booked solid, please take advantage of the one time free \"Welcome coffee service\" in your room as you arrive. Everymorning you can walk to Starbucks right across the street for your java OR enter the Time warner building which is connected to the Mandarin and stop in at the Borders books/Dean and Deluca for coffee and great big doughnuts from the Doughnut plant or Choc and almond Croissants from Balthazar's bakery.\nThe fitness room is great and there is no extra fee attached to use the room.\nThe restaurant and bar area have amazing views!! In the bar area they serve light lunches, brk and afternoon tea. Drinks will run you at least $17 each, bar menu looked great as well with mini burgers and a bento box.\nWe did eat dinner once at the restaurant, food was very good, not exceptional but the view was outstanding!\nThe staff and service was great, never snobby or pretencious. There is a house car avaliable on a first come basis that will take you up to a mile from the hotel.\nWe did see 2 celebrities, couldn't miss one of them she was wearing a bright red coat on Valentines day.\nEach night you recieve 2 bottles of Fuji water ,chocolates, and two small fruits like plums or dates with turn down service.\nDO check your hotel bill when checking out there were 2 overbills of dinner bills charged to our room which were not ours adding up to $300.00.\nGreat memories indeed!!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "This hotel does not belong in the Mandarin Oriental Group.\nThe rooms may be beautiful but one needs more from a hotel.\nThe service is a disgrace. \nThe management are totallly disinterested and disingenuous. Letters are simply ignored.\nBeware on prices this hotel has so many different rates for the same category accommodation even the staff do not know what to charge!\nIt would be a disaster to stay here. In a city filled with top class hotels you do not need to go here.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Stay away from this Hotel.\nVERY BAD service - Don't mind paying $1200 for a room but expect a level of service for that rate.\nWaiting 15 min outside the airport for the car from the hotel to arrive.\nBreakfast from room service arriving without cutlery - food cold when it did arrive.\nNext morning - room service over one hour tweenty minutes to arrive.\nNot what I would expect from Mandarin Oriental.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "I booked two rooms for myself and three of my girlfriends over a weekend. I asked for early check-ins but received one regular check-in and one very late check-in (4:30 pm). The rooms were fine but had obstructed views (Hudson River) even though I booked higher elevation rooms for a better view. The room was quite small as was the bathroom in comparison to the Four Seasons New York. We all had massages in their spa which was a very disappointing experience. The masseuse was late, there was no tour, overhead music problems, and no bed available for the rest area following the massage (and I spent over $1300 for the massages). The massage which lasted two hours was alright but not great. I would save my money and stay somewhere else or opt for the Four Seasons New York.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Stayed for the second time within a 2 months time frame. This time, I booked a standard room. Upon arriving, was welcomed very heartly and got a better room, at the 54th level. The view of the Hudson River out of my bath tub was amazing.\nBreakfast was fresh and tasty, the pool is a must see/must do. The bed is heavenly, the entertainment system in the room is unique. Turn down service is great with little attentions like cards with wise words on them. But also cookies and a big bottle of Fiji water. The concierge services are top.\nLast time I was in the elevator with William Shatner, this time in front was P. Daddy. \nOnce again, a 9.5/10 and if you can book a promotional rate or package, go for it.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I see myself as a high end guest, having stayed in Four Seasons, Ritz-Carltons, and other top properties worldwide. Some (but obviously not all) hotels will charge $400 - $500 and up because they offer an exceptional setting, environment, service level, or something else that makes them a cut above the rest. If you see yourself ready to spend $500+ a night for a transcendental experience at the the Mandarin Oriental New York, I have one word for you: \"PASS!\" My Central Park \"view\" room, including the ludicrous local taxes that added $100+ a night, was $800! For this I got a spectactular view of.... the Trump monstrosity across the street. This hotel stay was easily the worst - and OK, the stupidest - hotel decision I ever made. The rooms are expensively furnished, but not enough so to justify the price. The windows don't open. A chicken sandwich from room service with a soda will cost you $39. Sure, you have convenient access to the mall and the Whole Foods downstairs, but why not stay a half a block away on Central Park South for HALF the money? We moved out early, and went to the \"W\" on Park Avenue near Union Square, and had a lovely and HUGE room in a wonderul area (near the Village, SoHo, TriBeCa) for about half what we paid at the Mandarin. The Mandarin in my view is strictly for business people on an expense account, which, come to think about it, appears to be the demographic of the guests anyway. This was a \"once n a lifetime\" splurge to be sure, because I guarantee I am never coming back unless someone pays me to stay.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "We recently travelled to New York for the third time and stayed at the Mandarin Oriental. As this was our honeymoon we wanted something really special and the hotel did not dissapoint us.\nWe ordered a car to take us to and from the airport - both drivers were extremely courteous and helpful. However we were quite surprpised that not only had we been overcharged on the price we had been quoted from the Mandarin Orientals website but we had also been charged an extra fee for 'waiting time' after we had gotten of the plane. \nAs the car was $300 already, to be charged an extra $50 was quite a shock. We admit that it took an hour and a half to clear immigration (not our fault) and were willing to pay some extra charge however it appeared that we were expected to be at the car the second our flight had landed as thats when the over charging began! They did not even give us any time at all to clear immigration. \nAfter some complaining, the hotel did stick to the original quote but were not willing to budge on the waiting time and we ended up paying waiting time from the moment our flight landed! This was the only thing with potential to spoil the holiday.\nWe had booked a premier corner hudson river view room as we had been told that some park views were obscured. The room was lovely, bright and clean, the view excellent - on the 52nd floor. The bed was the most comfortable we had ever slept in!\nThe staff were friendly and courteous at all times and made our stay a very pleasant one. The turn down service was good and the flowers and proverbs left on our pillow were a nice touch - as were the biscuits and water!\nThe views from the Lobby Lounge were excellent and we spent many an hour relaxing with great views. Service here was great. We did not eat in Asiete despite being charged three times for someone else's meal - however this was easily resolved with a telephone call.\nThe pool was also lovely however with only four loungers a little on the small side. The TVs in all the machines in the gym make exercising a lot easier!\nThe hotel is very expensive - drinks in particular as well as some of the food for what it was but we had a brilliant time - and as it was our honeymoon we were willing to pay these kinds of prices.\nAll in all we felt pampered, happy and not at all patronised. We were very sad to leave the luxury and stunning views.\nWe loved the Mandarin Oriental so much that we are now looking to try the one in Bermuda next year!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "The hotel occupies the upper floors at the Time Warner center and has stunning views of the city and New Jersey. The location is a short walk from Lincoln Center, boutique shopping on Madison Avenue, and Broadway theater. We booked a corner suite with living room views of Central Park and bedroom views of both the park and hudson river. The room was absolutely perfect. Mandarin has installed flat screen, HD TV's with HD programing in each room and they are a treat. Floor to ceiling glass walls in both rooms make for incredible views. The restaurant is wonderful and has stunning central park views that soak in the morning sun. I can't think of a better place to have a leisurely breakfast. The lobby lounge can become crowded and is a bit too small to handle the demand so patrons overflow into a cramped, uncomfortable bar area during peak pre-theater hours. The bar is one of the few missteps and drinks are outrageously expensive, even by Manhattan hotel standards. On crowded evenings, the staff limits seating in the lounge to registered guests only, but there is still an occasional waiting list. The spa may be Manhattan's best (but book ahead) and the large lap pool is not to be missed. It's as if you are swiming along the Hudson. I've stayed at top hotels around the globe, many in New York, and this property is among the best.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Unfortunately, as it develops its brand, Mandarin Oriental doesn't seem able to produce hotels that come anywhere near the charm of the original Oriental in Bangkok. Their New York hotel is a case in point. Arriving, no one bothered to accompany us to the lifts that go to reception on the 35th floor and we weren't escorted to our room either. Worst of all, this place is very, very noisy, with awful vibrating sounds coming from the lifts and party noise from other rooms and reception areas. Staff have a nose-in-the-air attitude and prices for all services are too high even by New York standards. With hotels like the Caryle and the Four Seasons to chose from, this place had better pull up its socks.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "My sister and I stayed here for one night and a half day of spa services. We were looking forward to our stay at MO, since we have heard so many great things about the spa and hotel. We went with the AMEX platinum card and breakfast and lunch were included in our stay. We were also told that we would have an upgrade if one was available, but it wasn't.\nChecking in was swift and we were asked if we wanted tea to our room, which we obliged (However, tea never arrived, and we had to call to remind them hours later about it).\nUpon entering our room we had two single beds and a corner room away from elevators, exactly what we asked for (we told them that we were noise sensitive). The view was breathless. Nice view of river and NYC. \nHowever, we quickly noticed that the hotel room across the hall from us was under construction and they were using a table saw which was deafening. We quickly called the front desk to try to rectify the situation, and unfortunately received unprofessional responses. Basically the woman at the front desk said according to her computer there is no construction across the hall from us, so I held up the phone and asked if she could hear the saw that was blaring and she said \"no\". I felt as if she were calling me a liar. In any event, she said there were \"no rooms to move us to\" and we needed to \"wait 20 minutes, if it doesn't stop, then call us back\". I thought this was awful customer service for a hotel that is charging me $549 a night. We waited over 40 minutes, the saw did not stop, so we called again, this time we were a bit more aggressive, and a manager came up and \"investigated\" and made them stop. We then went to lunch at the lounge before the spa, it was pleasant. Service prompt and professional. Food was good. The highlight of our trip was the spa. It was an event that I will remember for a long time. The steam and whirlpool they offer before and after your treatments were divine. Towels, water, lavender infused cold towels and fresh flowers were everywhere. Meticulously clean. We had a general Swedish Massage and Shirodhara (oil and scalp massage). It was very nice. Relaxation room with private beds after treatments, with tea were heavenly. We went back into the steam before we left just because it was that amazing (generally I am not one for a steam room, but this was over the top!).\nAfter treatments, we decided to grab food at the Whole Foods market and call it an early night in the room with a movie. Great selection of foods there and a LOT less expensive! They came for turn down service after 10pm which I thought was too late for that service, but hey, its NY, and who is in bed at 10pm on a Friday night except us?\nBreakfast the next morning was good. Service again, very professional. However, upon returning to the room after breakfast, the infamous \"table saw\" was in full gear across the hall. Oh well.\nOverall, the Mandarin Oriental in MY opinion is a place to see and be seen. We had several celebrity sightings while there, and although our bill for one night with spa services came to over $1800, we couldn't help but to feel like staff and management viewed us as \" the common folk\".\n Even though the hotel and spa were wonderful, we were never made feel truly \"welcomed and pampered\". It always felt just a tad too stuffy for us. I think from now on we will stay with our usual addresses like Four Seasons and Ritz-Carlton.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "I was very excited to stay at the Mandarin Oriental. I was looking forward to staying somewhere (anywhere!!) besides the Four Seasons on 57th which is our usual home in NYC, and I was hoping that we'd spend more time in the park given the location. We requested a one bedroom suite with a view of Central Park. There are probably some great things about the MO but the negatives led us to check out after our first evening.\nThe good:\nLocation! Across the street from the park, and above a shopping complex. I was very excited that the Whole Foods market was underneath us...just in case we needed something. Unfortunately, since we left the hotel early, I didn't get to check out the shopping.\nI also liked the Chihuly glass sculpture and paintings in the hotel lobby.\nStaff was great. And, I loved that they brought hot tea to our room after our arrival and had a beautiful assortment of cookies, fruit, and chocolate welcoming us to our room.\nGift books, reading glasses, lap blankets, chaise lounge in the bedroom...there were many wonderful and thoughtful touches in the suite.\nThe bad:\nThe room. It was small and cold. Yes, it was a one bedroom suite, but it was not at all spacious. It felt like a long rectangular space with partitian walls dividing the bath from the bedroom and the bedroom from the living room. The \"look\" of the room and the furniture was fantastic. Straight out of Metropolitan Home. But, on closer inspection everything was very cheaply made, and the furniture was insubstantial and uncomfortable. The club chairs were so light that I (120 lbs) could slide one back simply by sitting down. The bathroom cabinetry was also poorly made, and the interiors of the cabinets were unfinished (exposed unpainted drywall). It was worse than a cheap track home. I don't make a habit of acting like a building inspector, but I was in the cabinets looking for a place to store my things. Did I mention there was little closet space? My clothes took most of the closet space....my husband never did get unpacked.\nThe overall feeling in the room was cold, in part because of the wood floors with area rugs. Since there was little area, the rugs were under the furniture, so we were always walking on a cold floor.\nGreat plasma TV, but the movie channel or the TV was not operating properly. The picture repeatedly disappeared for 5-10 minutes at a time leaving only the sound. Not good for \"watching\" a movie about dancing! No one could help, although someone tried to....right away. They didn't charge for the movie.\nThe food. We ended up eating dinner at the lounge that evening after getting settled in the room. It was a little too dark for dinner, and the service was weak. Some of the menu items were great, others poor. I realized that I was trying too hard to enjoy the meal as my husband was obviously having trouble warming to this hotel.\nThe next morning we packed up and went back to the Four Seasons. For the same price we returned to our one bedroom suite there, that in comparison to the suite at the Mandarin Oriental, is more like a house. Hallways leading to the various rooms, \"real\" furniture, wall to wall carpet, a phenomenal master bath (nothing unfinished about these rooms!) At the Four Seasons suite, everything feels as good as it looks.\nI would never even try to stay at the MO again. I have no idea how the other rooms compare, but the deluxe, one bedroom suite was not worth the money, nor did it compare to the luxury of the Four Seasons.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 33}, {"text": "We just recently stayed at the Mandarin Oriental for three nights. My best advice is to book as far in advance as possible to secure a decent rate. I got a Hudson View Room on the 38th floor for 429.00 per night and it was a great value. The room was small but the amenities and ambiance made up for it. The bathroom was fantastic with the rainshower shower a real treat. The shower was one of the largest I have ever seen. Above all the hotel was very quiet and spotlessly clean. I will only stay at this hotel in New York in the future. The lobby is very nice with the wonderful views of Central Park. Staff were very professional and unobtrusive.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "While on business in New York, I had the distinct pleasure of staying at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel New York. After one of my greatest hotel experiences, I only hope that in the near future I will be able to grace the hotel once again. \nI arrived at 10PM, very tired after a long flight, and the entire hotel staff was gracious and helpful, getting me up to my room, with a quick tour of the room and a reassurance that if I needed anything, the front desk was only a call away, I gladly went to sleep. I didn\u2019t get much of a chance to explore the city itself, but the view from my room gave me a glimpse of what the city has to offer.\nI even got a chance to try out the spa. Situated on the 35th floor of the hotel, the views were simply breathtaking. The treatments were both relaxing and rejuvenating.\nI definitely recommend the Mandarin Oriental! Although I only stayed for 3 days, the experience was certainly worth it.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "The street level entrance does not prepare you for the sight you experience when you reach the small but spectacular lobby with views over Central Park.\nChoose a room on the highest floor you can get; you will be rewarded with breathtaking views over the Park, City or Hudson. We stayed in a Hudson Deluxe River View Room; the room is beautifully appointed but at 450 square feet is small in comparison with rooms at a similar price ($800) in , say, the Ritz Carlton or the Four Seasons.The bathroom, overlooking the River , is rather lovely.\nBreakfast in Asiate was a treat. \nChoose the Mandarin for the charm of the staff and the bedroom decor but above all for the magical views in every direction.\nThe trilogy of the Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons and Mandarin Oriental ; who needs a better excuse to visit NYC?", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "Absolutly fantastic hotel in perfect location,we stayed in a Deluxe Hudson River view on the 47 floor with view overlooking the west of Manhattan and Hudson River.We stayed for 4 nights and enjoyed every minute of our stay.The rooms are huge and the bathrooms amazing,huge marble shower with rainforest shower head certainly wakes you up in the morning.We used the gym and pool which were great and The Lobby Lounge is a great place for drinks and food with the most amazing view of Central Park.All the staff were very friendly and we can't wait to stay there again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "We just returned, and I loved this hotel. We had a room on the 50th floor, excellent view. They brought us complimentary tea. We loved the gym and lap pool. The food and service were great. Since the hotel is next door to the Time Warner shops, we went to Whole Foods for more great food. The hotel supplies you with Fiji water everywhere. Nice because those annoying mini bars are so expensive for water. This was the first time I ever stayed in NYC and could not hear the traffic below..Would return again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "What a fantastic hotel. We had a Central Park View Suite and a connecting Double Room to accommodate our family. We were afforded rooms on the 54th floor with spectacular views over Central Park and Broadway looking to towards Times Square.\nFrom the moment we arrived all staff went out of their way to accommodate our needs, the hotel worked well with our two children. Upon entering our room gifts were waiting on the children\u2019s beds. Along with child friendly toiletries, child bath robes and slippers \nWe used the hotel restaurant for breakfast each day during our stay and the service was exceptional along with the quality of the food. We also had a complementary lunch as part of our package which was as equally as good.\nThe concierge team are fantastic; they were able to accommodate every request we had.\nIn summary the hotel offers discreet, attentive service whilst anticipating your needs.\nMandarin Oriental is now one of New York\u2019s finest and most expensive hotels after a shaky bedding in period.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "All the previous comments are fairly acurate. I believe the reason for the flux in reviews is that the hotel is new, still getting adjusted, although it\u2019s been operational almost a year. I stayed twice, once in the opening, and my stay this time has improved slightly. \nThere is no one way to go about having a perfect stay at this hotel, because the staff's attitude varies with great degree. Melissa at the concierge desk is an exception, her service is what it should be, warm and efficient. Lobby service is so-so, if you compare it to the breakfast service in Asiate, which is a bomb. Their is a simple lack of communication between managers that I witnessed in both these areas. The bar has a desirable vibe, overpriced drinks as one would expect. Spa is awesome, although overpriced. I know this is NY, but please, $240 for a massage, contribute to inflation a little more please... \nMy next comment would be about the rooms themselves. I received a significant discount on my room, over $1,000-because I pointed out a list on departure-of things that were not meeting my price point. The windows in the rooms do not substitute for the lack of sq. ft. in the room. I ordered room service one night, and the server couldn't even fit the cart of food into the room (the corner of the bed prevented it). Who designed this room I wondered? The bathrooms are among the best I've seen, Mercer being the best in my opinion. \nFinal thought: No need to pay the outrageous published rates, I called this hotel a dozen times, spoke with 5 different people, including Lara who is a manager, and found them guilty in not offering the lowest available rate, when I asked them. This is not a good practice, and Mandarin needs to understand their clients, like me, who don't have time to spend arguing about little negative incidental happenings that come up as a result of under-educating staff, and lack of a clear vision about what a 5-star, 6-star hotel should be in NYC...keep wishing Mandarin, you don't deserve it, at least not yet.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "Although a beautiful hotel, I can not give the Mandarin Oriental Hotel a favorable review. After watching the fireworks show, and walking around the city, my sister and I accompanied, a few friends back to the hotel. We were staying at the Swissotel and after hearing them boast about how beautiful their hotel was, we decided to go see it for ourselves. \n When we arrived there was no doorman to greet us at the door, he was actually at the front desk chatting with the front desk clerk. When we passed them they stared at us blankly, and then asked us if they could help us. The whole exchange was quite cold, not at all what I expected from a 5-star hotel. \n The tip of the iceberg was when we were on our way out. We left through the mall exit, after searching for an ATM machine, and returned to the front desk so that my sister and I could get a cab to return home. It was 4:30 in the morning and pouring rain outside, yet once again we had to open the doors ourselves. Now I\u2019m not sure if it was the fact that we were young or Black, or a combination of the two but the same doorman and front desk clerk we had not passed but a half hour before, asked us if we were guests at the hotel. My friend replied that yes we were indeed guests. Incredulous, I asked the front guest clerk why the doorman asked this question when then they both saw us come in. To this she replied, \u201cWell, we saw you go in, but did not see you go out.\u201d \n Stunned we went outside to wait for the doorman to hail us a taxi. While waiting, we observed the doorman who had previously neglected to open the front door for us, open it for a different group of guests at the hotel. The final insult came when after trying to hail a taxi for my sister and I for about 5 minutes, the doorman pointed us towards the umbrellas and told us we were better off standing on the corner and hailing the taxi from there. My brief visit to the hotel was terrible, and I would not under any circumstances visit there again.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "I had high hopes for our visit to Mandarin Oriental New York and had emailed the Manager in advance to way lay any concern I had from reading messages on here. As this was my partners first time in New York I wanted to make sure we had no unnecessary issues or problems. We had several communications between staff and were assured that we would have a memorable stay. I had booked the stay through Centurion Travel Services for 2 nights for 1 in a Premiere Hudson View room with Lunch for 2. In my mail I requested a quiet room on a high floor away from elevators and service entrances, basically a room that would be quiet.\nWe were collected from JFK by a stretch limousine (surprise for my partner) from our long haul flight and arrived at the hotel around 6pm on Friday. Our arrival rather worryingly there was no doorman or bell boy. My partner and myself were left to drag our bags in to the unmanned reception area, we then made our way to the lift which turned our to be the entrance for the residential apartments!\nWe eventually made it to the reception and were checked in by a very warm and courteous staff member who proceeded to take us to our Premiere Hudson View room on the 51st floor. The hotel was jam packed so they had been unable to upgrade us as had been mentioned in our previous correspondence, but this was not really a big deal.\nThe room was delightful, small, but very well furnished with a wonderful bathroom and views of NY/Hudson River. As we settled in we were surprised to hear a lot of banging, on investigation it appeared that our room was located directly opposite a service entrance. \nUnfortunately the doors had little if any sound proofing making the noise rather unbearable. As we had previous correspondence with the manager and staff I had assumed there was some mistake and returned to the check in desk. On return it appeared that they had no other rooms available, and I asked to talk with the Duty Manager. After a short while I was then shown a room next door, but as you can expect this still had issues with noise. I returned to the reservation desk to be met by a rather abrupt and cold duty manager, I referred to my correspondence previously with the General Manger, but his had little if any impact. The Duty Manager then went on to inform me that due to the configuration of the hotel a large number of the rooms suffer from noise.\nNearly an hour later, frustrated, tired and late for a meeting, the Duty Manager informed us they found a room but that we had to wait for housekeeping to freshen it up. As we were already late we told reception that as long as the room was quiet to go ahead and move our bags. On our return we found that our hotel had become he number one spot in New York and that we had to queue to gain entry I explained our situation but was told to wait in line!\nEventually when we regained entry we found ourselves moved down to a room on the 43rd floor with a wonderful view of the Trump Hotel (Supposedly Park View)! The room was again comfortable and nicely decorated although not as pleasant as the original and with a smaller bathroom even though the room was classified an upgrade. There was no note in the room or message from the manager which would have helped in a small way to placate the situation. Instead every detail about this hotel that now went wrong had became a very big nagging one.\nUnable to sleep partly due to jet lag and also the annoyance of the situation I went down to the lobby to write an email to the manager conveying my concerns. I arrived in the lobby at 6am and found that there was no one around, and I mean no one, so I went behind the reception desk and called the operator to order some tea. Eventually staff arrived 20 minutes later as did my tea. In the meantime I put together an email for the manager and logged on to the hotels WIFI network to send it. Yet again I was faced by another problem the hotels WIFI setup was not functioning so I asked to speak to the next Duty Manager and presented the email on my laptop. He was exceptionally courteous and understanding of the issues and assured me that he will do all that he can to put us into a nice room. I reasserted that we did not want an upgrade just a room as originally agreed \"on a high floor away from elevators and service entrances\".\nWe were out for the rest of the day and returned to the hotel at around 6pm on Saturday. At reception we picked up our keys for our new room located on the 42nd floor 9 floors down from the original, although I believe we were meant to be impressed by the fact we had been awarded a suite. The suite was cold and unwelcoming with no carpets just black floor and occasional rugs, compared to the other rooms this one felt inferior in finish infact as though it had not been finished. Again no note or message from the manager. It also appeared to be located right on Columbus Circle meaning that the noise levels were higher than any of the previous rooms! Understandably we were at the end of our tethers and realised that this hotel was never going to be able to deliver on service or promise, something we found very disappointing for a member of the Mandarin group. As previously arranged I spoke to the Front Of House Manager informing him of my dismay at the hotel and its handling of our situation. What is the point of extensive communication with the hotel's General Manager when the requests are ignored. In all fairness he did wish to resolve the problems, but as we were departing the next day we felt there was really nothing they could do to restore our faith in this hotel.\nOn Sunday we were joined by a friend for lunch in the hotels restaurant which was very enjoyable, infact the breakfast and Lunch were about the only 2 times this hotel really lived up to the Mandarin vision. As it was late and the restaurant was due to close we decided to take our tea and coffee in the lobby, but on transfer were told by another member of staff we would have to wait an hour for a table as the hotel lobby is very popular!\nThen came check out with the Duty Manager from our first night, the bill came out and contained a few errors. Firstly it contained charges for lunch which was complimentary and secondly it contained a charge for 2 nights when we were on the Centurion offer, 1 night free. \nStarting to feel like a pariah I noted these mistakes to the rather disgruntled Manager who went onto inform me that as my reservation had been made by Platinum Travel the offer of the free night was not valid. \nThankfully I had a confirmation from Centurion Travel in my suitcase and found this rather needless situation a prime example of the hotels negative attitude. To placket the manager I travelled down 35 floors to our stored baggage and collected my paper work, queued up for the lift and returned to the reception. After some more discussion she begrudgingly removed the 2nd nights charge, however had she referred to my correspondence with the manager this embarrassing situation would have been avoidable.\nMy partner and myself had a wonderful weekend in New York and a memorable stay at the Mandarin Oriental, but for all the wrong reasons. \nThis hotel fails to live up to the values of this superb group and failed to tackle problems when it had the opportunity. Indeed the hotel has many wonderful aspects and is a visual delight, but I'm sorry to say that it is a victim of its own success. Queuing up to get into you hotel, queuing up to sit in your on lobby and being given assurances that are not met does not a 5 star hotel make , far less a Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Sadly this was one place I was more than happy to check out off and will not be returning to soon.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 26}]}, "222959": {"reviews": [{"text": "Nothing is ever the same. \nNothing is what it once was and nothing is ever what it is supposed to be....especially hotels. I have found this to be true, especially about the Ritz Carlton chain around the world and New York is probably not the place to test the theory. \nWhen the price of a room is often triple one's monthly mortgage payment, what you get for that kind of extortion is usually not what you would expect. \nWhat few hotels seem to have learned in this time of great demand and limited supply is that when you charge three or four times what the room is really worth, some guests are going to expect a whole lot more than a rack and a few towels. I think that most Ritz customers expect quite a bit. I do, but I am often disappointed because the chain isn't what it was originally established to be and each time another property opens, it seems like the standard has been dropped a bit lower.\nBy every standard, this should be a great hotel, but it's not. \nIt is in a fabulous location, with classic views of the New York Harbor. It is next to historic Battery Park and near the financial district and downtown Manhattan. It is a relatively new building built for this purpose, (not renovated from something else), and it has the Ritz brand to attract the high rollers. \nSo, what's lacking here? \nPart of my disenchantment came from the feeling that when you pay these prices, everything must be perfect. My baseline for comparison was the ancient Ritz in Boston where staff had a pocket guide card for dealing with guest and guest issues and nearly every response included the words, \"It is my pleasure to serve you.\" Okay, so that's a bit out for today's grossly overpaid business execs, especially in New York, but a lot more is missing here. \nFrom my arrival in a cab during a cab driver \"job action,\" (meaning slowdown/strike), to the room service response to a request for a coffee machine, the hotel staff responded very well. A bit slowly, but well. \nCheck-in was breezy and very quick. I was a guest of a guest, so they had my name at the top of their \"arrivals expected\" list and whisked me to the elevator with nothing but courtesy and good wishes. \nThe corner suite on floor three has great views of Ellis Island and Statute of Liberty\u2026.like no other in the city, and reminded me of the wonderful views from much higher up at the Windows on the World Restaurant in the now lost World Trade Center. \nHotel staff was visible, courteous and responsive.\nBut......the carpet in the suite was beaten up, stained and had several poorly done patches in it. \nThe furniture was contemporary Rooms to Go and certainly not the classic modern or well simulated antique one finds in other top properties. \nThere was a kitchen alcove with separate entrance, but no coffee maker or coffee, but lots of snacks to buy, which seemed a bit off center when one is paying over a thousand dollars a night.\nBath rooms (2) were adequate and well appointed, but the doors squeaked and the toilet wheezed and whined and the shower door leaked all over the floor, requiring use of some of the great fluffy towels to keep the floor safe. \nIs this nit-picking? Maybe, but other top hotels would have addressed these maintenance and quality issues at once. \nNo doubt the corner suite on this lower floor was always in demand and well used, but that does not mitigate the poor maintenance, even in New York, where a maintenance person gets paid more than a physician in Middle America.\nThe \"kicker\" came when we went to open the sofa bed and found out, despite hotel assurances for a made up sofa bed, made during booking, long before arrival, and at the check in, that this was not a sofa bed at all, but just a well-used conventional couch. \nWhen we made the discovery, it was very late and we were tired, so I ended up sleeping on the floor on couch and chair cushions, using the spare blanket and pillow in the Thousand Dollar Suite at the Ritz!!!!! Just what I needed to prepare for my flight to Frankfurt the next day,\nThis is one of those things that hotel management always responds to by saying something like: \"you should have called and we would have taken care of it.\" At two AM, when one has traveled all day, attended a tiresome business function and is ready for bed and worn out, the prospect of having hotel personnel scurrying around bringing in a new bed or some squeaky roll-away, was more trouble than just crashing on the floor.\nWould I go back? No. \nWould I recommend it? Not at those prices and not unless hotel management is able to show clearly that they know what the Ritz is supposed to be and begin to deliver it. \nNext time, even if I'm paying the bill, I'll go back up town to the Four Seasons and pay even more!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "First things first: nobody actually chooses to stay here if they know NYC. We stayed because everywhere else was full. The location is ghastly, surrounded by building sites (noisy and dirty) and at least a 15 minute cab ride from anything interesting (apart from Ground Zero, I suppose). Also, most taxis will not take you from the rank as they want airport fares only.\nRooms are very ordinary (definitely NOT 5*) and small-ish whilst breakfast is very expensive. Certainly I would never have dinner here.\nThe staff all seem to resent they are not working at the midtown brother, and it shows. Very unfriendly, even by NYC standards.\nFor desperados only.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We , flew in for Memorial Day weeeknd for a friends wedding .. and then realized it was also Fleet week .. but there was no lack of service at the Ritz .. From check in to check out it was a great experience . There were no problems getting cabs when we wanted to head into Mid- town .. and the Rise bar was a great way to relax before heading out for an evening on the town .. I feel that the Ritz Carlton out weights the Waldorf Astoria by a landslide .. I will be staying here again... Thanks for a great trip !!! Oh and Carmel car service was a great way to get around the city .. A + in service for them to ..", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed at the Ritz Carlton Battery Park over Memorial Day weekend (arrived Friday, departed Sunday). Although the hotel was very busy, we never felt neglected. It was our anniversary; we let the concierge know this and we were sent chocolate covered strawberries with a personalized card. Very nice touch...and the strawberries were to die for!\nThe view from our room (Room 1027) was wonderful (see attached photos). We decided to order room service on Friday and had them set up the table in front of the window so we could look out while we dined. The food arrived right on time and was very good. \nWe ate at Rise bar on Saturday night. The view is amazing. It was a bit chilly and raining so we stayed inside, but you can go outside and sit. Very lovely balcony area to sit and have a few drinks and take in the view of the bay and the Statue of Liberty.\nThe beds were very comfortable. The bathrooms are a very nice size. Large soaking tub, separate shower stall, and a separate water closet. The rooms as well all common areas were very clean. \nRoad construction was going on outside of the hotel, but we never heard it while we were in the hotel. \nTaxis were always available and lined up right outside the hotel for your convenience. We never had to wait to grab one. \nWe loved the fact that this hotel was a little out of the way but we never felt like we were apart from any action or places to see. \nA taxi ride to SoHo was around 5 minutes and approximately $7.00. It's a very short walk to the World Trade Center site. It's also a very short walk to the area where you can take a ride on the ferry.\nWe will definitely be returning to this hotel. It's a lovely property.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "This is a good hotel. I disagree with a previous review that ripped the hotel. For someone who claims to know NYC, the review didn't show it. The rooms are average NYC size which are generally small. But the appointments are very nice, the staff knowledgeable and helpful and the location tolerable unless you are spending your entire time in midtown. Contrary to what was earlier written, cabs do line up. I had no problem getting a taxi. There is construction going on next door. And the road around Battery Park is a mess. You will experience noise during the weekdays and on Saturday from about 9-5 in the city view rooms. I am very sensitive to hotel noise. But considering the construction ends before evening, it isn't too bad. However, to balance out the location and the construction you need to get a room for under $350. Over that, I would look somewhere else. Especially if you are going to midtown most days. I have found Ritz Carltons and Four Seasons somewhat stiff in terms of decor etc. And you can expect the services and restaurants to be pricey, but the overall experience is fine. One recommendation to management, designate one or two floors as quiet areas. Prohibit people who insist on bringing offspring from staying on or visiting those floors. I have the feeling that most peole who bring children to this category hotel are just looking to tell anyone who will listen that they stayed at the RizCarlton with their legitimate or otherwise kids. Keep them away from me.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We arrived on May 28th and checked into our standard room, booked though expedia with of their \"special\" rates. \nWe *didn't* get the FAO Schwarz bear as part of the Ritz-Kids club, as our booking didn't qualify for this. No-one told us this when we booked. No big deal really, but it's something you may wish to bear in mind (no pun intended) when opting for a cheap rate, especially if you've already told the kids they're getting one!\nAfter opening the curtains in our 4th floor room we were greeted by some very nice road maintenance works. Noisy during the day, but no complaints in the evening. My advice would be to ask for a room as high up as possible, but that's good advice for anywhere in Manhattan, but just here :-)\nSeeing all the reviews posted about this hotel regarding upgraded rooms, I thought I'd give it a try. No joy. I phoned reception to ask about a room upgrade. I was on hold for 10 minutes before giving up. Not very professional. \nThe 2nd time I called, the girl on reception told me that they didn't have any available at the time, but not to worry, she would get back to me and let me know. Needless to say, she never did. Not that I expected her to.\nI'm not sure why everyone is raving so wildly about this hotel. I've stayed in a few 5 star hotels over the years, and this one isn't anything spectacular. Personally, I'd give it 4 stars, not 5. This isn't really for any negative issues or problems with the hotel, because there really isn't anything wrong with it. It's just that it really isn't that special...", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "113298": {"reviews": [{"text": "The Four Seasons New York is one of those iconic hotels that people will visit regardless of the fluctuations in service and the day to day ups and downs of the travel business and global economic climate. Its public spaces are some of the most timeless and beautiful in the world. I have been staying at this hotel for 15 years and it has much nostalgia for me. This is why I am so disappointed with the current state of the hotel. Pretty much my one and only barometer that I use to judge hotels around the world is value for money. Am I getting what I paid for? I am entirely happy to stay in a $2000 a night room if I feel it is worth it. By the same token I am happy to say in a $100 a night room as I know what to expect. This brings me to my most recent stay at the Four Seasons in New York. I booked a Park View suite for around $2300 a night. Again, New York is expensive and I am happy to pay it if there is value, thats just the reality of the hotel business at the ultra luxe end of the market. Sadly, the FSNY has deeply disappointed me. When you are paying this amount of money per night one would expect the TV's in the room to be replaced more than once every 10 years. One would expect a bottle of water at turn down by the bed -- as is the case in nearly every other 5 star hotel on earth. One would expect to not have to pay an extra $20 per day on internet. One would expect not to have a TV remote control that has the back battery case taped on, and one would expect not to be in a hotel suite that clearly had its heydey in the mid 1990's. Unfortunately all of the above and much more was lacking from my suite at the Four Seasons. It is quite sad for me as this hotel could be among the best in the world and does not need to go down the road of relying on its location and fame to draw customers. At the very top end of the hotel market it is the little things that matter as there is so much fierce competition -- so, yes, hotels are made or broken by things like paying 2300 per night and not having water by your bed. It is a very unfortunate turn of events for this iconic property and I hope they are able to reverse this trend rather quickly before people start to realize how much better the value is elsewhere in New York.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "It is our second time to the Four Seasons hotel New York, last year we stayed there for 4 nights, we choose to stay there for this time also but unfortunately it was a wrong choice, the hotel staff wasn't nice, we were so angry and stressed during our stay because of the noise coming from the lifts so we asked to change room so they change our room to another bad room where we couldn't sleep because of the construction across the road 57th plus the ac in the room makes an annoying sound all night even if it's off!!!!..... We called the room service for some cleaning issue in the room but no one came....... The service is soooo bad. When leaving the hotel we told the girl in the front desk about the room an d the noises she wasn't cooperative she told us I ll tell my manager and no one talk to us or apologized. I don't recommend that hotel it is very shame to the Four seasons......", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "Hotel is over priced and the staff was rude and unprofessional. Service is virtually non existant. Beware.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "1600 dollars a night for a shoebox just because its the weekend before christmas.Terrible linen.An uncovered duvet between 2 sheets presumably to save on time and laundry.Unhygienic and lazy.Not what you expect for the price.250 dollars for pick up from the airport for a 40 minute journey but 100 on the way back if u organise yourself.But by far the biggest insult was \"freshly squeezed juice\" for breakfast.It was the urine coloured pure apple juice which u buy for 40p warm off the shelf but they charge u 10 dollars for a glass poured at will by the waiter from a caraffe.60 dollars in rubbish apple juice when that probably wasnt even a carton and id be surprised if the carton cost 1 dollar.Everywhere u look in the hotel u are being ripped off and it takes the edge off the wonderful city.The only great thing is the location.Be careful of the concierge they are all on the take.The give away being all 4 of them were wearing rolex watches.Go figure.One of them tried to sell us 2 flights for 13,000 dollars one way when we were stranded due to the snow presumably from one of his mates at a travel agents.when we got to the airport we were told by BA this was ilegal as the flights had been cancelled.wont be going back", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I had high expectations for this hotel given its reputation, and was really wowed by the architecture upon entering. Things went mostly downhill from there. The staff lacked the warmth and willingness to assist I would expect from a Four Seasons. This was obvious from the moment we checked in, but got worse when we notified the front desk that we had no hot water. They said they would flip a switch and get the hot water running, but that did not happen. When we called again, they finally sent a repairman (rather than simply send us to a room that had hot water). He still did not get it fixed. After calling one more time and getting blown off, we just shivered for the rest of our visit (it was snowing outside). Smaller issues, but ones that I would not expect at this hotel: dirty dishes stacked up and abandoned on a tray next to us at the restaurant; a 45-minute wait for room service to bring granola and coffee, with no explanation offered. The room is big by NY standards and of course the location is great, but St. Regis and Ritz-Carlton are far superior in terms of the appointment of the rooms and service in this area.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We have been all over the world and have stayed at many Four Seasons. The New York Four Seasons is just not even in the same league as its fellow FS hotels. \nYou expect absolute cleanliness, at a minimum, at a FS property. Not the case in NY. The carpet in the hallways is dated, stained, sewn in places on the 15th floor where we stayed. The air was stale, and filled with that old smoke filled hotel room smell. Our room needed a thorough dusting. \nLet's be frank, if you've got the money to stay at a FS, your home probably has flat screens, big bathrooms, and nice furniture and lighting. Why leave home for leisure time if you don't get a more superlative experience with personal attention, perfect cleanliness, and a bit of pampering? \nIf you're looking for that kind of experience at a Four Season property, go to their Jackson Hole or Vancouver spots. \nWe'll stay at the Peninsula or the Ritz Carlton the next time.....Probably the Peninsula as they have pool and new spa opening in a couple of weeks. How sad........", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I stayed at the Four Seasons in New York for 2 nights, and all I can say is....Don't ever stay here. I thought it was the worst Four Seasons and Worst hotel I had ever stayed in. My room was spacious, but dirty, the wood lamp in the room was peeling and cracked, there was a paste substance that I did not know where it came from were in the cracks of the sofa. The management was not any help. They offered a small discount, but for the price I paid, which was $900 a night, was not at the least worth it. The staff were not helpful. All they did was merely apologize and that was it. The lobby was nice and clean and the food was decent, but don't judge a book by it's cover on this hotel.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "We just returned from a two day stay at the Four Seasons in Manhatton. It was the worst 5 star hotel experience I have ever had. I would not stay there again if the room was free.\nUpon arriving to our room, we discovered we did not have the room we reserved. We called the manager, and he said it was a nice room. I told him it was not a nice room and it was certainly not the room we had requested or had been promised. It was a small room (called a suite). The living room, dining room and bedroom were all in one common space. And, that common space was not very big. This room cost $2995 a night.\nWhen we asked for the room we had specifically reserved, we were told the room was not available---it had been given to someone else. However, like a used car salesman, the manager said that we could have a room sort of like we had reserved for an additional $1200 per night. I have never felt so violated in my life. Shame on the Four Seasons.\nThat was a bad start, but it got much worse. It was about 95 degrees outside. We noticed it was very hot in our room and reported it to the front desk. They said, not problem we will fix it. By bedtime on our first night, it was 88 degress in our room and we did not sleep much at all. The next morning we reported the problem three times before we left for the day, just so there was no confusion about the problem. We returned to our room at 11:30 PM that evening only to find the room was 88 degress again. We called the manager, who said \"that was corrected earlier\". At that time I asked that he please come to our room to see this for himself. He did, and was appalled about the A/C not working. Somewhere around 1:00 PM, our air conditioner was working. We had a 9 AM filght the next day, so this was not much fun. Aslo, by this time, we also discovered that housekeeping had not cleaned our coffee pot (day old filter and coffee were still in the coffee maker). And, housekeeping had neglected to leave a single wastecan. Our simple requests for plenty of extra water was ignored each day.\nThere were several other things wrong, but it would take me a hour to explain the experiece.\nI think that since there is new ownership, they are trying to cut corners at the expense of their customers. They also seem to be falling all over themselves to accomodate foreign customers which is fine. I am an American, and will not stay at a hotel that doesn't appreciate domestic travelers.\nI will never stay at a Four Seasons again (certainly not in NY). They are very overpriced and don't deliver the service that justifys their price tag.\nGary W.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 32}, {"text": "I booked on the 4S website. My room on the 14th floor had an apartment building 10 feet outside the main window. When I worked at the desk I was looking directly into the apartment and vice versa. It was similar to being in an old time NY hotel in an airshaft. For $800 the 4S should do better. When I checked in to the hotel, if I had been told about the room I would have gone elsewhere.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 27}, {"text": "After staying at a few FS hotels throughout the world, I decided to spend the week-end with my wife there.\nThe FSNY is a very nice hotel but it lacks life! It felt very sterile and too corporate to us. \nOn the plus: \n-staff is very friendly\n-location is good\n-their signature massage is top\n-rooms are clean and spacious\nOn the min:\n-rooms lack inspiration\n-turn down service is just that (not like in the Mandarin with water, chocolates, info paper and an Asian inspired saying)\n-amenities though by Bulgari are very basic\n-high premium to be paid for a good view (always inclusive at the Mandarin)\nSo if you want to stay in a top chain hotel in NYC, the Mandarin Oriental beats the FSNY easily: lively, nicer and bigger rooms, more amenities and even cheaper....", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I cannot express my disappointment with my stay at this hotel. There was still feces flecking the toilet when we checked in and a hair on the nice, white sheets. It took two hours for them to decide if they were going to change our room or clean it--they ultimately cleaned it with no apologies. The front desk staff were gruff and unhelpful--failing to even answer basic questions about museums and theatre tickets. The elevators were broken or under repair for our first night. At the restaurant, the first two items we ordered were unavailable. I expected much, much more from the Four Seasons flagship in NYC. No apologies were ever made.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 38}, {"text": "I begin by saying there is no doubt this is a wonderful Four Seasons and my stay there in no way diminished our vacation experience. \nHowever, in that we like to stay at different places in the city from time to time we chose this over either of the Ritz properties in NYCity so as to try something different. \nWe booked a two bedroom suite and much attention was given to our arrival before the trip by a member of the staff. However, litte of what we discussed with her regarding requests was prepared upon check in. I requested a rollaway in the LR for my 20 year old daughter be made up and in place upon our arrival. It was not. I had asked that it be made up just like the beds in the rooms....it never was. SHE asked the ages of our children so she could have age appropriate welcome gifts. We told her they were \"children\" in their 20's but Beanie Babies were still given. In more than one email correspondence my husband told her we were travelling with our son and dauhghter in law but we were given one BR with a king and one BR with two twins. They claimed they were under the impression that we had three small children in tow. And of course they were fully booked and this was all they had available. \nEach morning our room service order was just a little bit off. One pot of coffee instead of the two that were ordered, missing orders of eggs, just little things but still irritating considering what we were spending. \nAs to the quality and appearance of the room....nothing to shout about. Mini Butler in the LR had a broken door. Decor was as it was advertised and presented but nothing to jump and down about...bland, boring. Master BR was very roomy. Attached double was quite small. LR was just average. Furniture not very comfy. \nConcierge was very attentive when we did use him. Door staff was excellent. Location was the best of any of the properties i've stayed at in NY. \nBut all in all, it was just an above average visit. I am happy that we tried it. But I still prefer the Ritz Cartlton", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I had high expectations for my stay at the Four Seasons Hotel in New York and the one word I am using to describe my two night stay is 'disappointing'. \nMy partner and I arrived at 6 pm after a delayed flight from the UK and were suppose to be meeting colleagues at a cocktail party which finished at 7 pm. We were in two minds whether to rush to try and make it, or just phone and say we were unable to attend - luckily (!) the hotel made the decision for us by taking a considerable time to check us in - having to check whether the room was ready (it was 6 pm and the room was suppose to be ready by 3 pm!) and the porters who had taken our bags from the taxi then took 20 minutes to deliver them..... To add insult, we discovered when we checked out, that we had been charged for that 'service'.\nWe were offered a complimentary newspaper - didn't get one on either morning. The turndown service was a constant ringing of the room bell at 6.30 pm when I would have thought the majority of people were either relaxing after a busy day or in the bath getting ready to go out. We politely asked the maid to return in about half an hour - and in fact saw her while we were waiting for the lift and told her our room was now available - to return later on that night to discover no-one had bothered to return.\nThe room was very nice - clean and a decent size - and the bathroom lovely. Although I would expect nothing less for the amount charged. \nWe left our baggage with them on the day we checked out and specifically asked for the suit bag to be hung up. They said 'certainly' but when we went to collect it was folded up actually underneath our other bag! \nSome people may find my comments 'picky' but at the prices charged by this hotel, I really feel that I am entitled to be.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 31}, {"text": "We checked into the FSNY on a Monday following a weekend at the Library Hotel as part of a surprise trip for my partner\u2019s 40th. \nI had booked a deluxe king (floors 5-29, street view) direct with the hotel for their online rate inc. breakfast exc. tax of $975. We had been in NY over the weekend with great weather so decided to check whether there was maybe a terrace room still available we could upgrade to - on the lower floors, but it would be nice to have some outside space. I mentioned this to the wonderful receptionist who checked us in, who had very subtlety noted in the booking my partners birthday, and said he would have a look and see what he could do. All the terraces were booked but with some checking he said he had managed to locate a suite on their 50th floor which had two terraces! He wrote down how much the room normally went for and then how much extra we would need to pay on top of our current rate and we instantly wrote off our holidays for the next couple of years and jumped at the chance. Because they weren\u2019t expecting any guests in the room that day it would take an hour or so to send in their crack team of housekeepers and the room would be available for us no later than 3pm. In the meantime the check-in person escorted us to the restaurant where we were seated straight away and enjoyed a marvellous lunch (the steak was the best my partner has ever tasted).\nAfter lunch we explored our new location, just round the corner from Central Park and the amazing shops on 5th Ave and returned at 3pm to pick up the keys (bags efficiently already taken up to the closet in the room). We\u2019d done a brief tour of the hotel ourselves out of curiosity when we first arrived so just collected the keys from reception and let our ears pop as we shot up to the 50th floor and headed to our room. Oh my, oh my, oh my\u2026.\nJust as we first opened the door we saw the \u2018office area\u2019 which had its own desk with TV, fax/printer and sliding doors onto the \u2018East Terrace\u2019. I was still wondering at these marvels when I heard \u2018your not going to believe this\u2019 gasps from the other half when he walked further into our main bedroom/living area. I nearly fell over the couch looking at the views straight ahead of the Chrysler building and the Empire State Building - we had queued and paid good money to go see these sights up at Top of the Rock the night before and now there they were, on tap! Once we had got over that shock we moved across to the west side of the suite and down the corridor to the very grand marble bathroom with TV, closets, and the West terrace, with views to far right of central park. I may be paying it off until my 40th birthday, but those first impressions and the whole experience at staying at the FS were priceless\u2026 In fact we wrote off the rest of Monday and didn\u2019t leave the suite at all \u2013 we had THE most memorable meal via room service (this time steak for me), nice \u00bd bottle of wine (Pinot Noir from Oregon) and to top it all, a surprise birthday cake was sent up by \u2018special services\u2019 with a lovely welcome card, all laid out by the room service waiter on the terrace table. Absolutely stunning evening. \nBathroom is huge, marble and luxurious, with Bvlgari toiletries, and a small LCD screen next to the sinks. Also nice inlays aside the deep bath, great for candles and a relaxing soak. We did however get brown bathwater which put us off. Shower was fabulous. There is also a bedside Bose clock radio pre-set to some great stations that has marvellous sound. \nWe had breakfast in the restaurant area for 2 mornings, which I must admit was a bit confusing - we had booked \u2018breakfast inclusive\u2019 so wasn\u2019t sure which option we were supposed to choose from (found out with a call it was the \u2018American\u2019). When presented with the bill each time we had to inform the service staff it was inclusive. On our last morning we had breakfast in our room and kicked ourselves for not having done that sooner - so much more comfortable, with all the choices there and you can take your time. Would recommend having breakfast in your room, or you may end up sitting next to a couple of high-brow business men, one who was sacking the other, as we found one morning! Lovely selection of fresh fruit, two eggs how you like, pastries & juice, smoked or Canadian bacon etc. Over our 3 night stay we had wonderful cocktails and nibbles \u2013would recommend the back bar close to the restaurant, it\u2019s busier than the one to the front but has a more extensive bar menu, better complimentary snacks, and for us anyway, friendlier staff. \nWe put the poor concierge staff through their paces by requesting a table at one of the most popular restaurants in NY at 7.30 pm that night, but they were able to oblige even then. The doorman on the 58th exit recommended two fabulous Italian restaurants nearby for lunch. We booked a car via concierge for our transfer hotel to airport which was seamless. \nThe whole experience was momentous. If you can, do.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Having previously stayed at the Trump on Central Park (getting a bit worn), and the Ritz Central Park, I have to say that my last stay at the Four Seasons is making me lean towards them. First of all the hotel itself is immaculate - everything looks like it is brand, brand new and there is not a feature out of place. Secondly the service is exactly how is should be (but is not always the case) at a four seasons hotel. Sebastian at the front desk was great and assigned me a corner room overlooking central park and 58th st. on a high floor....ask for the '11 series of room on a high floor - lovely configuration for a king bedded room - about 500 sq. feet with small dressing area - perfect for 1 person. \nDoor and bell staff were great, always welcoming me back after I returned each day and running up and down the street to get me a cab during rush hour. When no cabs were available they put me in a complimentary Rolls Royce Phantom, one of their two complimentary house cars (the other one is a Maybach!). On another occassion I left the hotel with an almost empty bottle of water in my hand. Randi the doorman on the 58th st. entrance whipped out a new bottle of water to take with me on my way out. \nConcierge were fabulous, very witty and charasmatic with some superb recommendations - listen to everything they say to you about the city, transportation and dining - they really do know what they are talking about - Helen and Reynold are great. \nThe service in the hotel's restaurants is both proffessional and personable - our waiter (ultra camp) had us in stitches with his opinions on everything from the world cup to his newly designed uniform. He comped us all desserts if we \"promised not to tell his manager!\". Food however is just good hotel food, nothing spectacular and very, very expensive (think $35 for a burger or a caesar salad). Much better places to go in New York, although their new restaurant Atelier de Joel Robuchon should help them compete with some of the better restaurants in the city when it opens next month. \nHousekeeping service is unbelievable. I bought a six pack of diet coke from a store which I left in my room - the maid filled a large ice bucket and placed the drinks in the bucket so they would be chilled on my return to the room. All my clothes were refolded to perfection and a cigar ashtray was left for the cigars I bought (they were actually a gift for someone else, but nice touch anyway). Tipped the turn down lady $10. \nSpa service is fabulous, I was \"welcomed back\" by the spa attendand who remembered me from my first stay 3 months ago! There is no pool though but there is a jacuzzi/steam room. The spa itself is not as impressive as other areas of the hotel...a little small and in the basement....it's all service based with this facility.\nYou have to pay for the business centre ($1 a minute for internet access) and it's only open during certain hours....not impressed with this. At other four seasons (e.g. Boston) it is complimentary and open 24 hours.\nOverall the hotel is the best in new york. Every staff member is genuinly hospitable and helpful, and basically thinks for you so you can spend your time enjoying yourself or maximising productivity (if you're a business traveller). \nHowever be prepared to pay for it....by far the most expensive hotel in New York in every way. Expect to pay $850++ per night for a standard/deluxe king room. If you can find a room for under $700 a night, e-mail me.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "The Four Seasons, New York is an all-around excellent hotel. As would befit a Mobil Five Star and AAA Five Diamond property, you are put in the heart of the shopping district (5th Avenue) and are a close cab ride to most of the popular tourist attractions. You are in a posh location and you certainly pay for it. \nI booked a Superior Room and was generously upgraded to a Deluxe Room with Terrace and it would have been nice to utlize the furnished terrace for an in-room dining experience, but it was freezing outside (I went the week after the snowstorm in NYC in February). The prevailing rate for this room is $895/night. I paid roughly $600ish a night for two nights and my third night was free. At that rate, I don't have much to complain about. \nFrom what I gather, this hotel caters mostly to business people on an expense account and is usually fully committed (sold out); accordingly, for those guests concerned about the carpet on the guest floors being a bit soiled, or worned out...this place may not be for you. If you are pretty mellow when you stay at hotels, this hotel won't disappoint. Keep in mind while this hotel does its best to keep everything looking clean, this is first a SERVICE-ORIENTED hotel. Otherwise, the rooms themselves and public areas of the hotel are immaculately maintained and furnished. The elevator banks are divded into two sections (one for Lobby Floor to 21?) and the other (21? - whatever the highest floor the hotel occupies). There were very quick. Each side has three elevators. The gym is stocked with chilled towels, juices, and fruits for your enjoyment. \nThe room was very modern (style wise) and that is the theme I guess at this hotel--which is good. I am not into the traditional look (think Ritz Carlton, etc.). There were electronic controls to control to window curtains from your bed. There was sufficient lighting and unlike the bathroom, you can moderate how much light you want. The A/C Unit is not powerful as it should be or I just don't know how to use it. The wall-mounted plasma TV swivles so anyone in the room can watch. There is a DVD player and a fax/copy machine inside the room. Room was isolated just fine. You have an abudant amount of closet space. We stayed for three nights and there was enough space and then some for both of us.\nThe bathroom is done in marble and is simply spectacular. I loved it. Separate bathtub and shower. Amenities (soaps) were nice. Bathtub filled up quick (60 seconds as advertised, I am not so sure, but fast enough). The small LCD TV in the bathroom is a nice plus. There was an excessive amount of lighting in the bathroom however--if you like light, then that is good for you then. \nI only had breakfast at the \"Lobby Lounge\" during my stay as it was included with my rate and the food was just average. American Breakfast during my stay was $35-$38 per person. Room-Service was prompt and expensive (but that is expected-- expect to add to your order: service charge, taxes, gratiuty, and delivery charge). I didn't order anything spectacular from both dining outlets in the hotel, just french toast and eggs and breakfast meats. If you want to eat in your room and want to bypass the service charges that accompany ordering room-service, go downstairs and order at the restaurant \"to-go.\" The breakfast credit was around or close to $100USD with a breakfast package. 57/57 Bar was very energetic when I went around 10 o'clock on a Saturday night. Even as hotel guests, we had to wait 10-15 minutes to be seated. I just went to the bar and ordered a drink and took it back to my room. A Long Island Iced Tea sets you back $17.\nHousekeeping did an amazing job cleaning the room during the day. I declined turn-down service but I imagine it is up to par. When I did request some items (tolietries) from housekeeping it sometimes took in excess of two or three calls to have my request fulfilled.\nMy biggest qualm with this hotel is their Concierge. Before my stay, I like to make contact with the Concierge to see what they recommend and most of the times I reach them, I am put on extended hold times (probably due to being inundated with guests at the hotel). There are usually four or five Concierges working at a given time during the day. Everytime I called during the day (New York time), I was asked to hold. This happened on several occasions when I called from my hotel room (holding). In some cases I would just call the Front Desk and have them relay a message for me (which worked quite well). Your best bet to reach a Concierge and have their undivded attention is probably later at night (9 o'clock PM EST). They work late I remember being up around midnight and the Concierge was still answering phone calls-- a plus. When you talk to them, they are generally helpful and very nice. All of my requests were meet and processed efficiently. \nP.S. A bag of M&Ms that you can get for $.65-.85 costs $5.00 at this hotel in the mini-bar. I purposely ate one bag and replaced it with a store bought one just for fun. The hotel has a $400,000+ Maybach that it uses to transport guests around town (limited radius) that you should check out, or better yet, use.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 35}, {"text": "Our family of four stayed at the Four Seasons in New York this past March, and it completely lived up to our super-high expectations. \nDeluxe rooms: We had booked two deluxe adjoining rooms for a family rate (2nd room at half-price). Each room consisted of a large bedroom with a sitting area, and a gorgeous, huge bathroom. Our two rooms were parallel to each other, so if we were in one room, our kids would not be able to see or hear us in the other room even with the doors open - while that might sound great to the parents out there, we knew our little boy would be really scared. However, I would definitely recommend the deluxe rooms for any couples or solo travellers.\nFront desk: The front desk was absolutely wonderful about showing us a suite immediately, and that was what we upgraded to. Yes, it was twice the cost, but our son was a lot more comfortable because it was pretty much an enormous apartment.\nThe suite: It was probably about 1800 square feet, with two bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms, a living room and dining area, a large walk-in closet and views in three directions. The decor was clean and modern, without being intimidating or stuffy. \nThe views: I knew I was a little afraid of heights, but I was seriously dizzy for the first 24 hours in the suite. And, I was freaking out because we were paying a lot of money and all I could think of was the possibility of the building falling over. But, just as one of the employees assured me, I got used to it and actually could enjoy the view by the end of our stay. We could easily see the Hudson River, the East River, the Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building. We had a small glimpse of Central Park. Our views really looked like something from a postcard of NYC.\nThe beds: Perfect. Sheets, blankets, comfort - perfect.\nService: Perfect. I swear that each employee we encountered went out of their way to say hello and make us feel extremely welcome. The doormen were especially wonderful and helpful.\nThe lobby: Breathtaking. \nRoom service: OK, this is really the only complaint I have. We ordered dinner one night, and several of the food items were incomplete or wrong. Several of the dishes were lukewarm. The overall quality of the food was really just average - almost like average diner food. \nConcierge: Thoroughly professional, friendly and helpful. Within about a minute of asking for a local restaurant recommendation, we had printed directions in our hands as well as the suggestion, \"And may we call them to let them know you will be arriving soon?\"\nLocation: I felt completely comfortable walking around this area with our children. \nOverall: I would bring our family back in a heartbeat, even with the shock-inducing rates - as soon as we can afford another visit!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "Once again Four Season triumphs. We had an executive room, plenty big enough, with a fabulous bathroom and walk in shower. Beds great cleanliness superb. Service however is always a trade mark of the Four Seasons. Let me give you an example. My thirteen year old son collects old car number plates from most countries we visit. He was having trouble finding one in New York despite Stephen, one of the concierges, trying to find one for him.The day before we left Stephen had still not located one, but had gone to the trouble of bringing in one of his old number plates from home as a gift, refusing any payment! Other hotels read and weep!! We were also chauffered around in a brand new Rolls Royce Phantom(and a Maybach) as their courtesy car for short trips. Great rooms (the hotel has undegone a major refurbisment in the last two years)great location, great staff, and service out of this world, what more could you want!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Stayed at this property with my two dogs using a free night certificate I had received from Four Seasons. I live in NY, but needed to stay at a hotel one night after a terrible wind storm knocked out power to my home for four days. I had stayed at the hotel four months after it opened back in the late 90's and was truly impressed. However, this stay was a disapointment. The room decor is stark and cold. The carpeting both inside the room and in the hallways was stained. The bed felt a bit worn and not as comfy as I remembered it. The food at the hotel, particularly breakfast, is outrageously priced (about $80 to $100 for two, with tip and taxes). Worst of all, the service at the hotel is inconsistent. Reception staff were welcoming, but other staff were not as obliging. When I called housekeeping to inquire about why I had still not received the dog bowls I requested 20 minutes prior, there was no effort made to apologize or expedite the delivery even after I explained that I needed to leave the room for a restaurant reservation. There was only one doorman stationed at 57th Street to handle guest needs and I had to wait 45 minutes for my car! When I came across a maid who was doing turn-down service on our floor, I asked her to do our room while we were inside because once we left, we did not want staff to enter our room alone with the dogs present. She refused to do our turn down at that time, saying someone else was assigned to our room and would come later. I am an avid fan of Four Seasons hotels, but management does not seem to be on top of things here. Maybe I was spoiled, having just returned from the Four Seasons-George V in Paris five days before this.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husband and I have stayed here twice and I can't say enough about how fabulous this hotel is. The first time was pre-baby, and we loved it then for the terrific service, the large, immaculate rooms, and terrific food. This time around, we brought our 16 month old daughter. She got the full Four Seasons royal treatment, with a special stuffed animal, washcloth and terry bath toy to keep, diapers, wipes, her own baby toiletries, a diaper champ, full sized crib with sheets, blanket and bumper, etc. (This was all in the room when we walked in.) \nI am sure that these reviews have already gone on and on about how gorgeous the hotel is, how attentive, courteous and helpful the staff is, and how they have thought of every detail in both the rooms (gotta love those marble bathrooms!) and the service, so I want to focus on how kid-friendly they are.\nWe have been to a number of Four Seasons, and though they are among the nicest hotels in the world, I have never felt that my daughter was unwelcome. Still, I was a little nervous about New York, as it is a little less casual than some of the other locations.\nWe ate in the 5757 Restaurant (which by the way has excellent food) twice - once for breakfast and once for dinner. At breakfast, my daughter was given crayons and a coloring book (not just a placemat), and her food came in Barbie dishes with toddler-sized silverware. The hostess brought her a small stuffed animal during our meal, and the server as well as the other staff in the restaurant all waved to her and generally were very attentive and kind.\nAt dinner, two separate staff members brought her stuffed animals to keep (she really made out with the toys during our stay!). She threw a pacifier on the floor at one point, and a staff member ran over before we knew it, picked it up, sanitized it and returned it on a plate right away. The staff was willing to (and did) bring pretty much any dish we requested, both for our daughter and for us. At one point, my daughter saw a waiter walking by, and held out a piece of pasta toward him. He whipped out a silver tray and held it at her level and she put her pasta on it, and he disappeared to clean it off! That's how over the top they go to back up their claim that they are kid friendly! (Each time we called to get restaurant recommendations, they reminded us that their restuarants were kid friendly.) \nEven housekeeping paid attention to every detail - down to laying my daughter's stuffed animals in her crib with their heads on her pillow.\nBottom line is, this hotel is great for anyone. Yes, it is expensive, but you get what you pay for. If you want amazing service, beautiful, large rooms, and terrific twice-daily housekeeping, stay here. And don't feel that you need to leave the kids at home!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "The most striking thing about the Four Seasons is the beauty of its design. It's just incredibly classy for an American hotel: tasteful, elegant, stylish and imposing yet relaxing. The reception area is glorious and all the public areas feel a world away from the bustle of the New York streets. \nThe rooms are huge, too. Light wood makes them feel spacious, but the sitting areas and classy bathrooms are achieved by devoting real space to them. Too many places in New York can feel like a rabbit-hutch, but there's no danger of that at the Four Seasons.\nSo why one star short of perfection? Well, it's not quite stress-free as a place to stay. One day my room wasn't made up until almost 4pm; requests for things missing from the room (a corkscrew, a battery for the wireless keyboard) took a fair while to process; and the check-out procedure was complicated by the wrong charges being assigned to my account. They're comparatively minor things, but given the prices it's not too much to ask for them to be sorted out. Worth noting the maid said the delay in cleaning the room was caused by too much work for individual staff members.\nAnd beware some of the extra charges. The limo service from the airport is efficient, but it should be at $175. On planning the return trip to the airport, the concierge kind-of declined to come up with an alternative to the limo - even though a cab outside the hotel would have been a third of the price.\nIt's still one of the very nicest places to stay in the city, and you'd have to be Mr Hyper-Pernickety not to enjoy it to a very signficant degree. But it could do just a little bit better if it wants to be one of the world's greatest hotels.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "stayed on the 48th floor with a spectacular room, with some issues. the room is extremely average for a fourseasons. the decor was like a dorm room with very few amenities. the location is good, the lobby is beautiful. I would choose the ritz or st regis next time.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Waitress from the bar were really bad.\nPlus the hotel is really average. In our room, it smells as if something die !!!!\nNot acceptable when you pay such an high price !!!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "You will love the Four Seasons!!!!!!\nWe just returned from our stay at the Four Seasons and we loved every minute of our stay. We stayed in a Deluxe Room and the room was very spacious and comfortable - everything you could want in your home away from home!!! King sized bed, separate changing area, seating area w/ desk and couch, marble bath w/ stall shower and separate bath. Flat screen TV (w/ swivel) in bed area, as well as a small flat screen in the bath. \nAside from the wonderful accomodations, the staff was friendly and attentive to any requests. Room service was a treat, especially loved the breakfast - food was always delivered by the time stated and served at perfect serving temperature.\nWe absolutely loved every minute of our stay and can't wait to go back!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Many people point to the Four Seasons, NY as the best hotel in the country and I can't really argue with them. I've stayed there a countless number of times and I have never found another hotel half as good as this. They do everything better than everyone. \nThe rooms are magnificent, but fairly simple. Very luxorious, but not like the Ritz-Carleton where every room looks like the living room of a Bel-Air mansion. \nThe bathrooms in every single room are to-die-for. I never want to leave the showers and the bathtubs are full in like 60 seconds.\nThe beds are amazing and I even ordered their pillows for my bed at home.\nThe staff is so unbelievably courteous and can help you with anything. \nI don't know what else to say. I've never once met anyone who does not like this hotel. It's as close to perfect as can be.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We really enjoyed our stay after having spent a previous night at a nearby, so called, trendy hotel. The beautiful lobby of the Four Seasons and the huge flower arrangements makes you want to sit down and take it all in.\nLuxurious room on the 27th floor with a view of Central Park. Loved the bathroom and dressing area but could have used a second sink. The bedroom is nice but a little austere. Wonderfully comfortable king bed. Our weekend rate was around $575 which was better than the weekday $700 something. Don't think I'd bother to stay a week at those rates. Breakfast was excellent in the main dinning room but our lunch in the lobby lounge was way below average. Ask the Concierge about the Executive pass for the Empire State Building. (you get to skip all the lines)", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Honestly, I dont even know where to begin when talking about the Four Seasons in New York. It is the finest, most luxurious, beautiful hotel I have ever stayed in. From the moment you walk into the towering hotel, the lobby almost takes your breath away. As we all know, Four Seasons Hotels pride themselves on pampering their clients. This hotel brings that to a whole new level. There wasnt a single person who didn't address me by my name including the chamber maids. Due to the hotel being less busy on the weekend we were given a luxurious upgrade to a suite on a high floor. The room was amazing, plasma screen tv's, DVD players, electronic switches to control the window shades. I really cannot say enough great things about this hotel, I have traveled all over the world and stayed at many fine hotels, but nothing comes close to the Four Seasons in New York.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "What a fantastic hotel. Great location for Central Park and Fifth Avenue. Service standards excellent and room wonderful. We had a large double room overlooking the front of the hotel. Beautifully clean and great attention to detail. Bathroom wonderful. The claim the the baths fill in 60 seconds is true and the Bulgari products are a favourite. The gym and spa are on the lower ground floor are good. The bar on the main ground floor is a great experience, although the cost of gin and tonic is expensive. Great three day stay and will definitely be back.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "I just returned from having lunch at the Lobby Bar at the Four Seasons. I was very disappointed in the very stark decor and small size of the public rooms. The service was very poor considering this is supposed to be a five star hotel. Lunch for three people, without alcohol, was $200. For this princely sum we received average service. I was with my 10 year old son and they didn't provide him with a place setting until I asked. They forget my husband's beverage and my dessert was so small it was annoying. There was also almost a 10 minute difference between when I got my dessert and when my son and husband were served their's . At the table next to us there was a full figured woman. I heard her order a club sandwich and the same lousy waitress we had told her it could be made in a low calorie version. The woman had not asked for that. I felt embarrassed for her. I have lived off and on in New York all my life and have eaten in almost every 5 star restaurant in town. This Four Seasons Hotel was substandard.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 35}, {"text": "We stayed over the New Year period at this hotel, our first room over looked two huge air conditiong shaft from the next building (so close we could touch them if the windows opened!!!) we where moved to a great room with views of Central Park and beyond. The rooms are a great size and bathrooms have a great soaking tub. The best service here is the maids they are invisible but your room get made over and all done expertly (unlike the Mandarin Oriental - bad service). The room service is good but very expensive over $100 for breakfast. We will come again but be sure to get the roomwe want.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "As a connoisseur of 5 star hotels worldwide, and a marketing specialist, I know quality. In my opinion, attention to detail is what makes a hotel memorable or forgettable.. There were several disappointments at this hotel, the least of which was the feeling that I was just a number, just another guest.\nI stayed here for 2 weeks over Xmas & New Year's Eve Dec 2004 - Jan 3, 2005. The staff who greeted me were lovely, but after that everything was very mediocre. I appreciate they have a lot of things to deal with, but if that is your job you need to be an exceptional person.. \nFirstly, the rooms (apparently recently renovated) were clean and tidy but too 'modern', there was no warmth, (although the bathroom was spacious and lovely) and very bland coloring; now I like neutral tones, but combined with the minimalist design, it was just not that comfortable. The movies were blocked regularly, I had to call down 3 times to have them switched on so I could watch a movie. I asked for the dvd player to be attended to, as it wasn't working. Turns out it wasn't a multi-zone dvd player, and they didn't have one for my use. (do they expect all their guests to be Americans?...)\nI sent a bunch of flowers and some doughnuts to the front desk & concierge to thank them for their assistance, and as a gesture to gain some respect; when you give, you get - not here. I had to call down the next day to see if they were even received (no 'thank you'), and was told \"oh yes, they did arrive. OK?\" Lovely...\nI ordered room service many times, and there was one dish that arrived as I'd ordered it. Every other dish had some mistake, even though I specifically asked for certain things (eg skim milk, vinegar instead of oil etc) When I asked for a pasta bosciaola, the \"chef\" had no idea what it was! I explained it was a common Italian dish, like Cabonara only with mushroom instead of egg, and I was sent a bowl of plain pasta and a jug of cream mushroom soup... 5 star? I think not.\nTwice when I attepted to order room service, they put my call on hold to answer another call, and left me on hold till I hung up! No call back, of course. As far as I know, professional reception involves placing the second caller on hold & coming back to the first.. Concierge is also constantly putting calls on hold for extended amounts of time, obviously very under-staffed.\nThe concierge is nice but rather powerless; several times I requested assistance and they were unable to help. I also needed a car to be sent after being stuck in the city with no cabs for 2 hours at night. They said I would have to wait an hour in the cold for a car, and it would be a 2 hour minimum. $170 for a $8 cab ride! I called 24-hour limos (212-712-9000), they are a great company with the best rates in town, they got me a car in 10 minutes. Similarly, on NYE when I needed transport to and from the Rainbow Room, the concierge told me it would be a 6 hour minimum @ $190 an hour! Please!! I ordered a car with 24 hr limos, and it was arranged, $77 each way... Avoid asking concierge here for assistance. Very mediocre, and taking full advantage.\nThe 'do not disturb' sign is continually ignored, I was buzzed about 3-4 times a day, never mind that I was jet-lagged and sleeping... If I was awake and did not have the privacy sign on, I was bothered about 14 times a day, for cleaning, mini-bar checks, and a simple 'do you have any trays or tables to collect?' - if I'd had one, I'd have called to have it collected! Over-done service in all the wrong ways. The chamber maids were very friendly and polite, though.\nThere were no comments/ gifts/ mention of Xmas on the day, I was expecting at least a note under the door wishing merry Xmas, perhaps with a chocolate or something! These special little touches make all the difference. In fact not once during the entire stay did anyone contact me to ask how my stay was, whether I was happy/ needed anything etc. I expect a little more from my 5 star hotels :-)\nThe location of the hotel is ok, however it is set back a bit in midtown, great for Barney's & Bloomingdales etc, but I find the Plaza a nicer location for the park and open space, only a few blocks up. Personal preference.\nThe four seasons NY lobby is small but tasteful, and the restaurant and bar are the same, small but nice. However I will never stay at this hotel again, it is just not good enough for me to consider a second home when I travel. I have stayed in other Four Seasons hotels, my favourite being the George V in Paris, which is superb and totally unrivalled, but the New York branch is sorely disappointing - I will try the Four Seasons Pierre next time, see if they are any better :-)", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 85}, {"text": "Spent 3 nights at the Four Seasons New York in Jan 05 and it was an amazing experience. From the moment we stepped into the lobby, we knew it was going to be a great stay. We booked the Bed and Breakfast package. Upon arrival, we were upgraded from a Moderate to a Superior room. You can either enjoy the breakfast in your room or in the restaurant. The room is very big for NY. The bathroom was beautiful and the tub does fill in 60 seconds. Loved the Bulgari bath products. We have stayed in other FS properties such as Hualalai and Santa Barbara and have never been disappointed. If you are looking for a luxurious hotel, this is the place for you. A great location if you like shopping on Madison and 5th Ave. The museums are also very close.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed at this hotel the first week in December 2004 we reserved a suite. We arrived and the room seemed to be mostly hallway (1500 dollars a night for hallway). We got in to our room in the evening and the lights were not on for us and it was a chore to try to find all the lights in the room to turn on. We seemed to be searching for about 10 minutes in the dark trying to get us to where we could see the rooms we were in. The rooms were a neutral tone and not very exciting. There was the bedroom, bathroom, front room (very small) and lots of hallway. We were not impressed with the lobby either, very small and not very exciting. We ordered room service one night, got a bowl of soup, a small individual pizza some tea and a coke and it was over a hundred dollars. I can appreciate that this hotel is pricey and we new this before going but that is ridiculous. If you are going to get a massage be sure to ask the prices a normal regular 1 hour massage was over $200, and it wasnt even that great! I did love the conciere at this hotel they were the nicest most helpful gentleman and hooked us up with show tickets and a great sushi restaraunt in noho. The restaraunt 5757 was wonderful although when I checked in at the front desk I told her we had a reservation there in the next hour and needed to get our bags upstairs asap, she told me not to wear what I was wearing (how rude) I was wearing a pair of nice jeans, boots and a long nice black coat. I called the restaraunt to cancel (because I needed my suit pressed, and didnt have time) and he asked why and I told him and he was upset and said we would be his guest and treated us wonderfully (That was nice). To some this hotel may be perfect to us it was only a hotel, nothing special, not worth the money.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "This is a 1st class hotel which is hard to fault in any shape or form. We stayed for a weekend for a special birthday, and chose the Four Seasons based parly on reviews from previous guests. We had a superior room (same as a standard I believe but just on higher floors), we paid $515 per night, (standard is $475). The room was huge (500 sq ft - and it felt like it, compared with Standard at Plaza etc of 300 sq ft), the bathroom was one of the best I have ever experienced. The decor is tastefully contemporary with marble in abundance, without being too ultra modern. This would appeal to tradionalists and those looking for modern hip luxury. Not sure when the hotel was last refurbished but everything feels as though it is either brand new, or has been maintained superbly well. As for the service, this was unbeatable. The staff are of the friendliest in NY and yes they do remember your names, (unheard of in most big city hotels). \nSampled the afternoon tea which was good, heard the breakfast is supposed to be renowned. \nWe took a look at Plaza and St Regis, the latter being very glitzy and grand, and we were so glad with our choice of Four Seasons. The Standard/Superior Rooms at Four Seasons are pricier, but in fairness are probably the equivalent in size of the larger rooms and suites at places like the Plaza/St Regis, and you will pay a lot more than $515 per night for a room 500 sq ft at those hotels.\nTerrific value for money, and faultless.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "After staying in New York in the very disapointing The Plaza hotel, we stayed in a complete heaven! We've stayed in a gorgious and very spacious suite with private balcony and lovely city views. The bath in the bathroom filled within a wink of an eye:mavelous! The hotels' roomservice is ultra fast, we ordered lunch in our suite, and after 15 minutes it had been served... The Four Season is one the best hotels in New York: polite and friendly staff, spacious and luxurious accommodations, nice restaurant etc... very worth its (slightly) high price.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "Wir waren f\u00fcr eine Woche im Four Seasons Hotel New York im im August 2007. Die Abholung vom Flughafen und der Check in liefen einwandfrei - eigentlich ein guter Start. Aber dann ging es los. Niemand begleitete uns auf Zimmer (sehr ungew\u00f6hnlich f\u00fcr ein 5 Sterne Haus) und schon gab es das erste Problem. Der Schl\u00fcssel funktionierte nicht. Ich fuhr wieder runter und reklamierte dies, man codierte den Schl\u00fcssel neu, entschuldigte sich und ich fuhr wieder alleine hoch. Doch auch dieser Schl\u00fcssel wollte unser Zimmer nicht \u00f6ffnen, also nochmal runter, der dritte funktionierte dann endlich. Das Deluxe Zimmer im 18. Stock war gro\u00df und das Bad super. \nWir verliesen am n\u00e4chsten Morgen das Hotel sehr fr\u00fch, nahmen noch das Fr\u00fchst\u00fcck (f\u00fcr knapp 200 Dollar!! f\u00fcr 2 Personen) ein und kamen erst abends wieder. Doch das Zimmer war noch nicht gemacht. Auf meine Beschwerde hin, kam nur die plumpe Antwort \"Is this all?\". Dies wiederholte sich noch 2 mal in dieser Woche. Der Zimmerservice ist langsam und der rausgestellte Tisch vom Mittagessen, stand am n\u00e4chsten (!!!) Morgen immer noch im Flur. Es gab die ganze Zeit Probleme mit der Klimaanlage, die einfach nicht behoben worden. Auch mu\u00dfte ich noch mehrere Male den Schl\u00fcssel neu codieren lassen.\nDie Handt\u00fccher wurden nicht immer gewechselt, das Duschgel nicht mal, als ich das leere weggeworfen hatte (Bulgari ist wohl zu teuer), die Spiegelbeleuchtung funktionierte trotz Reklamation die ganze Woche nicht, genauso wie die Duschbrause an der Badewanne. Gehen Sie auf gar keinen Fall im Business Center ins Internet. F\u00fcr ein paar Minuten war ich 45 Dollar los.\nF\u00fcr ein 5 Sterne Hotel mit dem guten Ruf und einem \u00dcbernachtungspreis von 1200 Dollar, war alles mehr als entt\u00e4uschend. Meine Empfehlung - das neue Mandarin Oriental in New York.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 32}]}, "208452": {"reviews": [{"text": "As I am very upset, this is the first time I wrote a review in english in order to be sure that everyone will understand (usually I wrote in french). To be fast I would say that the only positive point is the fact that the hotel is pretty new so the rooms are not used.\nFirst of all, be aware that this hotel is clearly NOT a five-star hotel ; I am very used to 5* hotels, everywhere in the world, this is definitely not one of these. Why ? Very easy to explain : both service AND facilities are more like a good 3* or a standard 4*... And don't forget that the beginning nightly rate is 450 USD while some basic Hilton hotels with far better location in Midtown are just 300 USD !! And please please please read my final review about the breakfast !!\nSHAMEFUL SERVICE\nIndeed, whatever you book a basic suite or a very expensive one, you are never considered or accompanied in your room neither even with a HHonor Diamond member card like me... Nobody help you at the entrance to open the door even when you are with luggages (it was everyday like this)... The cleaning service never come before 4pm... Late check-out impossible after 2pm... In the middle of the stay I asked at the front desk to know if it was possible to cancel the rest of the stay (I made a very upset face) and nobody ask me why, nobody ask me if the stay was good, I was just told that I need to pay 150 USD extra if I wanted to cancel...\nSHAMEFUL FACILITIES \nThere is no bathtube in the suites (don't forget the rate 450USD/night...) ; if you want one you need to take a Premier Suite at 850 USD and it will be only a half-bathtube !!!! Now this is why I put CROOKS in the title : whatever they call \"World Trade Center view\" or \"Hudson Rive view\", this is completely false !! When you book a room with one of these supposed views, they are very very partial and DON'T justify at all the extra money ! I know it because we were 2 couples and one in a Hudson view and the other in a WTC view...\nULTRA SHAMEFUL BREAKFAST\nMy God... Probably the worst breakfast ever in all my life of luxury travelling, even far worst than small hotels in small cities in Europe... Are you ready ? Ok : there is no buffet, you have to order everything (when I say everything, it is true : I paid 4,29 USD to have 4 pieces of toasted bread - and really 4 pieces, not 5 !!!) and the continental breakfast is at 28 USD. For 28 USD, you get (once again, it is true) : either 4 pieces of bread OR a homemade yogurt OR a plate of fruit + a glass of orange juice + a coffee OR tea. One day I took a tea AND a coffee, so someone gave me a bill for 5 USD. IT IS SHAME AMONG SHAME !! Especially in a supposed 5* hotel...\nIf a Manager from this hotel want to talk with me, I am the french Diamond member who booked 6 nights from 02 to 08 october for 4 persons (2 couples).", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 13}]}, "1845644": {"reviews": [{"text": "This is not the New Yawk I grew up with, that's for sure. A native of Brooklyn 24 years removed, my wife and I decided it was finally time to make the pilgrimage back to visit the family as a real tourist instead of staying with the distant relatives in Queens. With over 300 choices, choosing a hotel in NYC can be intimidating, daunting and outright frustrating, even for a native. Having never really explored anything south of 14th Street, we decided to give SoHo a shot as a home base. Summarized briefly, if you're looking for a reasonably priced lodging (as NYC goes) and you don't need to be in the heart of the hubbub, the Courtyard Marriott Soho is an excellent choice.\nSince 9/11, virtually everything south of 14th Street has undergone total gentrification, turning previously disheveled areas like the East Village into a yuppie enclave of trendy boutiques, expensive eateries and interesting galleries for every taste. Although you can easily access all the more popular areas of Manhattan like Times Square and midtown via a 10 minute subway ride, it is easily possible to spend an entire week exploring SoHo, Chelsea, Chinatown, NoLita, Greenwich Village, the East Village, TriBeca and Little Italy without running out of sights to see, places to eat or points of interest. The streets are much shorter and smaller so all the aforementioned areas are within walking distance of the hotel. You can also reach the Financial District, Statue of Liberty, and 9/11 Memorial by travelling 3 quick stops on the subway. Best deal: Buy a 7 day Metrocard; unlimited subway rides for $29; travel more than 10 times and it pays for itself (and you will unless you walk 10 miles every day)\nTo be honest, it's foolish to do much more than sleep at any New York hotel since there is so much to do. However, in the interest of the review, here are the basics. The hotel is conveniently located on Varick and King Streets, one block south of Housten Street. The best option to get here from JFK is to simply stand on the NYC Taxi line. The fare is a $45.00 flat rate to anywhere in Manhattan (plus tolls) so don't pay anything more. There are also a few minor extra fees for late nights and rush hour pickups but they are minimal. Expect it to take 45 minutes to an hour in average traffic. The number 7 subway line stops right outside the hotel and can be used to access virtually all other areas you'd want to visit. The area is now home to three moderately priced chains, The Courtyard, Four Points by Sheraton and Hampton Inn. If you're part of the 1%, the new Trump SoHo is two blocks away. We chose Courtyard due to a discount available from my wife's employer that dropped the $319 rate to $269, almost unheard of for NYC. \nThe hotel itself is a skinny new building sandwiched in between several older style warehouse-looking structures. The hotel is boutique style but cramped so if you prefer large lobbies, floors and rooms, do not stay in SoHo. If, however, comfort, convenience and price take priority over grandeur, the Courtyard is perfect. The lobby consists of contemporary furnishings with a small sitting area, some interesting books about New York, 4 computers with printers and a small bar with one flat screen TV and a few chairs. The staff is the one of the best parts of the hotel. Prior to our arrival, we received an email from the general manager asking if we had any needs. The hotel has 20 floors with 6 rooms of equal size on each floor. Even higher floors will not drown out the never-ending horns and sirens but it's still much less than in Midtown. (We had room 1703). The front desk is staffed by 2 or 3 staff members who will graciously assist you with anything you need. Check in is a breeze. The 2 elevators are small and can only fit about 6 people. There is a fitness room but I had no strength to partake in exercise so I can't comment. There is also a small restaurant but this is New York - never ever eat in a hotel restaurant. Starbucks is 2 blocks south. Don't pay 5 bucks for bottled water or snacks from the hotel; simply go to one of the nearby bodegas.\nThe rooms are exactly what you'd expect from a Courtyard by Marriott. Small and not much room to sit, contemporary wood paneled furniture, small desk, nice 36 inch LG flat screen TV, nicely decorated with New York themed pictures, clock radio with Ipod plug, small closet with safe, small but ample drawers. Not much of a view but who cares? The bed is extremely comfortable as are the pillows. The negatives are minor as follows: the toiletries are very basic and should be better (plain soap, very thin toilet paper, no designer conditioners or shampoos). Also, the air conditioning thermostat seems to need an adjustment; if you leave all the air off, the room is too hot; if you turn on the A/C to 68, it won't shut until it hits 65 and then won't come on again until it's 74. One side of the bed is freezing and the other is too hot. The shower is not bad but not luxurious. Water pressure and temperature are fine. Checkout is seamless, bill slipped under the door. Advice for return to the airport: The flat rate applies ONLY FROM THE AIRPORT. For a $65 flat rate, (including tolls) you can ask the front desk to reserve a spacious car service ahead of time. If a taxi sits in rush hour traffic with the meter running, it will be more than that anyway. It's possible to take the subway but dragging luggage and 3 transfers make it too much hassle for me.\nSince it's impossible to discuss all there is to do in NYC, I'll keep it to some of the things to do that are easily accessible from the hotel. However, if you've never been to NYC, a few must-do things are 1) see a Broadway show 2) visit one of the big museums 3) do the NBC Studio Tour and explore Rockefeller Center while you're there and 4) take a Circle Line Cruise if it's not winter. After using the subway to get there, here's some of what you can do in the immediate area of the hotel:\nKatz's Deli. It's the world's best pastrami and the chopped liver, Kosher salami and tongue are to die for. Eat dinner there; it's a 15 minute walk on East Housten Street. From there, visit the Tenement Museum by walking 4 blocks south on Orchard Street. Stroll all the streets around SoHo; there are dozens of funky art galleries, designer shopping and fabulous retro art and record stores. If footwear is your thing, look no further than SoHo. On Bleeker Street, we went to The Bitter End, one of the most famous small clubs where almost everyone in history has played at one time or another. Bands play every night. For an example of real NYC pizza, visit Joe's pizza at Carmine Street and Bleeker. \nOther cool museums that nobody knows and that we had no time for are: The Fireman's Museum, (2 blocks away), the NYPD Museum (15 minute walk) and the MOCA (Museum of Chinese Americans) on Worth Street in Chinatown. Speaking of which, eat dim-sum. Make sure you go OFF Mott Street and go one block east to the Bowery at about 10AM on a weekday. Pick any Chinese restaurant that serves dim sum and look for the ones with all Chinese patrons that have carts coming around. For expensive but awesome chocolate, visit Jacques Torres, right around the corner from the hotel. And for a nightcap, the world's best chocolate martins are at Anzo's wine and chocolate bar on the corner of 7th Ave and Carmine, also 2 blocks away. For a quick breakfast, go to Russ and Daughters, 1 block west of Katz's and order a bagel with one of 6 different kinds of lox or smoked salmon. Eat it on a park bench nearby. Sadly, a real New York bagel (giant size) seems to be available in Bay Ridge, my hometown Brooklyn neighborhood, but I can't find them in Manhattan. But have one anyway.\nMake sure you spend a full day exploring the Financial District; hop on the 7 train south to the last stop. go on a weekday. One of the least known and best free attractions is the National park Service Museum located in Federal Hall across from the NYSE. We went to the Jewish Holocaust Museum (a tad depressing). Make sure to visit Ellis Island- Buy tickets for an early boat ahead of time and allow a few hours. For lunch, eat a \"dirty water dog\" with mustard and Sabrett Red Onions, available only from NYC street vendors. Or a gyro, pronounced \"Jy-Row\", only in NYC. Stroll Wall Street and if you reserve months ahead, take a tour of The Fed (I was too slow). For dinner, hop back on the subway and hit one of the Italian joints on Mulberry Street, the only thing left in Little Italy (but don't eat the pizza - it's brick oven and that is NOT New York style). Have cheesecake anywhere. Nothing else anywhere is even worthy of your calorie consumption.\nOn your Sunday, ensure you visit Washington Square Park and take in the vibe of NYU students, freaks, hippies, Occupiers and artisans. Everyone in The Village will be there on a warm day. If gay culture is your thing, go to Christopher Street (I see enough in San Francisco). Essential when you stay in the area is a walk over the Brooklyn Bridge, easily accessible by subway. It takes about 30 minutes and if you have time, check out the Brooklyn Promenade. If not, The Prada store on Broadway and Prince Street is a real trip; don't try to take a picture but pretend you can afford a $1200 dress and waste the salespeople's time. They don't really care. BTW, New Yorkers have become 100 times friendlier than San Francisco people and virtually everyone of every race and ethnicity now says \"thank you\" and \"excuse me\". Too bad you need a household income of over $200K or be willing to live in debt to enjoy the county's best city. Fear not. Bank of America has plenty ATM's nearby and you will need them. Enjoy !!!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 18}]}, "126260": {"reviews": [{"text": "Bear with me - complaints are usually long winded and this is long... :)\nI've stayed at the New York Palace on two occasions. Both times have been arranged by American Express who ensured the type of room and location in the reservation and offered certain amenities including breakfast and a lunch for two. \nMy first stay with my sister was in April 2008. We requested a double bed in the Tower which was confirmed with a phone call the morning we were to arrive. Check in was no issue and an absolutely wonderful bellman accompanied us to our room to get us settled. That's where the problems started. Incredible room - beautiful room with a single large, king sized bed. I've spent enough days of my youth stuck in the same bed with a sister who kicks that I wasn't about to spend three nights in the same bed with her as an adult (who I'm sure still kicks). \nWhen I told the bellmen that we had confirmed double beds, he immediately called down to the desk and started working to get us in another room. From the one sided conversation, I could tell that he had to explain three times that we weren't a couple when asked why the single bed was an issue. After he got that point across, the desk clerk had him ask us if a roll-away bed would be ok. A roll-away bed is cool at the Motel 6, but the Motel 6 doesn't cost over $600 a night. I could tell by his \"you've got to be kidding me\" comment to the clerk that he didn't think it was a grand idea, either.\nFinally, after about 20 minutes of the clerk telling him there were no other rooms available, I made the comment that we'd just check out and find some place else to stay. When the clerk heard that, miraculously, a glorious room with double beds, on the next floor, became available. \nThe rest of the stay was fantastic. Had the most incredible hamburger ever, nothing but rave reviews about the lounge GILT and just had an all around great time.\nI figured that this first time was a fluke, so I decided to try it again in October with my son.\nWent through American Express and reconfirmed the room (double, in the tower), the day before we arrived. This time check in wasn't as nice as the first. The clerk seemed pre-occupied - rushed and unfriendly, and the hotel was extremely crowded. I noticed that she didn't go over the amenities for the room and while I was tempted to ask her, I figured I'd come back down later when I could speak with someone else who was a bit more agreeable.\nSo we get to the room and yep, we got a double which was great, but it was a tiny double with a small window, a view of nothing on what the bellman called \"the Executive Floor\". This definitely wasn't a Tower room. Compared to the previous room in April, it was about $100 more and about 1/2 the size. I figured the price increase was the time of year but then it donned on me that the room must have been booked wrong. I called the front desk and was put on line with the assistant manager who I later found out was the clerk that checked us in. As part of our original reservation, we were supposed to have a continental breakfast in the morning and lunch at the restaurant covered in the room charge. When I asked her about these, I was told we could have breakfast at the \"executive lounge\" and there was no lunch credit. When I asked about the room in the Tower I had confirmed, I was told that room was not available and if it was, it would have been far more expensive. When I let her know that I had guaranteed, documented reservations confirmed by American Express and that there were amenities attached at a set price, she said I was wrong and we had reservations for exactly the room and package we were in regardless of what I said. When I asked to speak with the manager, she told me she was the acting manager and hung up the phone.\nSince I couldn't get anywhere with her, I called American Express and let them deal with it. This time it turned into a 30 minute phone call involving her boss, the sales staff, and two American Express representatives to finally get us in to a glorious double bed room in the Tower as originally booked. The funny thing? The room ended up to be cheaper even though it was larger and much nicer and once again, though being told this mythical Tower room wasn't available, enough complaining made it appear out of thin air. I guess it was that \"executive lounge\" privilege that I didn't want, that raised the rate of the smaller, dingier room.\nThe rest of the stay? Perfect.\nWhen I returned home, I wrote a letter to the manager letting him know about the problems on both stays. I received a prompt reply which offered a short apology for the issues with check in (\"we're very sorry\"), no additional explanation for my troubles, an admonishment for not going to the Tower check-in area (um, ok, I'll concede that I didn't know that but then no one told me) and said \"please ask to speak with me next time you have issues with the check in process\". \nI guess I expected more.\nWould I stay there again? No and that's upsetting because aside from the awful room games and lack of assistance from the front desk staff, the hotel is delightful. The food is glorious, the wait staff is great and it's just a fantastic location. But both times I felt like the front desk staff went out of their way to cast me as the culprit over resolving problems they caused. Did I ever get angry, rude or fussy? No and I had someone tell me that had I been, it most likely would have been resolved quicker. What a shame. It is truly a gem in the city but I've had better check in experiences at motels that are a fraction of the cost.\nMy only advice is to guarantee everything, in writing, before you arrive and if it's not up to your standards, fight like the dickens to make it right.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "The staff at this hotel are usually helpful and nice but I had the most horrible experience with a lady who called herself the front office manager of the Towers, which is supposed to be the more exclusive part of this 5* deluxe luxury hotel.\nI arrived at 11:30 am and was told that my room was still unavailable. After a very long flight, fatigued & jetlagged, I coordinated with the reception staff (who are all very nice and helpful) to get the smaller of my two-room suite arranged first so that I could get a much-needed rest first -- and then housekeeping could take their time with the main suite.\nUnfortunately, housekeeping did not take care of this in spite of the many staff assurances that they were doing this, and in spite of the fact that I was waiting there in the lobby for hours.\nInstead of apologizing for this housekeeping oversight, this so-called front office manager refused to acknowledge that housekeeping had made a mistake in not cleaning my rooms first as requested. This is a 5* deluxe hotel and I was staying 7 nights in a two-bedroom suite; all I wanted to do was to try and check in an hour or two earlier (it was already 2:20 pm) as I was exhausted. I did not think this was so unreasonable.\nInstead, this lady manager kept repeating hotel policy about check-in times (in spite of the fact that about 15 people all checked in for the night within the 90 minutes or so that I was sitting in the lobby, and aparently their rooms were ready!) and even had the gall to say to me that if I wanted to check in earlier than 4 pm next time, I should think about paying for the night before as well. She said this with a straight face to someone who had already booked a two-bedroom suite for herself for a week.\nThis woman was completely devoid of customer skills, especially for a front office manager of a luxury hotel. All it could have taken was an apology, a promise to find out what happened, and an offer of a drink or a cup of tea compliments of the house (which the concierge kindly did) to make things better. Instead, she had to make me feel that it was my fault for wanting to check in early and that she did not have to do anything about this.\nNeedless to say, they have lost a customer for life and gained a lifetime of bad PR. I have stayed in luxury hotels all my life and have never been treated this way before. This hotel manager is a disgrace and this check-in experience (which should have been good, as the actual reception staff are wonderful) on my last visit completely ruined my stay.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Imagine an elegant mansion just in the center of the universe, just a minute walk from the Rockfeller Center and at a stone throw from Central Park and Fifth Avenue most elegant boutiques. Walk in the Palace from the Madison Avenue entrance passing the wonderful yard, and just as you'll open the door (probably you wont have to cause you'll find someone who will do that for you) you will understand why this is a Grand Hotel.\nThe wonderful lobby (too much rich to my taste) will welcome you. \nAsk to Concierge for your needs they are absolutely great!! This Brunei's Sultan owned hotel has spacious room with full turndown service and marble bathrooms. Don't miss the gym (complimentary shorts, t-shirt and sneakers if you forget yours!) which has a wonderful view over St Patrick Cathedral and ALL THE AMENITIES YOU CAN IMAGINE IN THE LOCKERROOM!!(bathrobes, shaving cream and razors, after shaving balm, etc, etc).\nTry to get a deal on the internet! I payed less than 400 $ a night for a room for 4 people!!\nGreat things of the hotel are the LOCATION, BIG ROOMS and the CHARME of the ancient building..\nBeware of eating in the hotel!! Prices for in room service are ridicolously high and GILT restaurant hasn't a big value for the food but you should definitely go and drink something to admire the magnificent decorations!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed at the New York Palace for 5 nights. THis was an anniversary trip to New York and we decided to splurge -- we booked a jr. suite in the Tower through AMEX Platnum and were upgraded to a 1 bedroom suite on the 48th floor. Through AMEX Platnum, we also got a complementary breakfast each day at the coffee shop/restaurant as well as a complementary lunch for 2 at the same restaurant. \nThe hotel lobby is beautiful --gorgeous staircase leading to large glass entry doors on Madison which look out to St. Patricks Cathedral. Upstairs is the breathtakingly beautiful bar and 3 star restaurant, Gilt -- architecturally stunning -- part of the old mansion --we didn't have time to eat there, but the ambience was very inviting and we would look forward to trying it the next time we are in town. \nLocation is sensational -- 50th and Madison -- walking distance to all the great shopping, museums, and short taxi ride to everything else.\nOur corner suite was large -- easily 1000 sq. feet or more, and included a powder room and full kitchen (neither of which we used--though the kitchen had not a fork or spoon or a napkin in it, let alone a dish --we couldn't have used it if we had wanted to). While the furnishings were a bit dated--(70's-80's sytlistically--see photos) , the fabrics were seemed fresh and new rather than worn and tired --and the suite itself was spotless and more than comfortable. The view to the east river was breathtaking. The king bed was was wonderful -- made up with very expensive (Anichini) linens and provided a heavenly sleep -- just like home. The master bath was huge for a hotel - and very comfortable for two. Huge closet space -- an enormous entry closet included a safe for valuables and an additional closet in the bedroom.\nNo complaints either about the staff and service. Everyone was extremely courteous, friendly and helpful. Concierges were not able to provide extraordinary services, however --could only get \"sold out\" theater tickets at scalpers prices - $350/each --we passed on that..also, couldn't get tables at \"booked\" restaurants, but gave me the same information I was able to get on OpenTable.com. This seemed odd for a 5 star.\nDid not care for the hotel restaurant - the Istania --the location, just off the street and the ambience made it feel more like a coffee shop and it was quite expensive for a coffee shop -- I was glad that our meals there were complementary -- . Example: our complementary breakfast had a limit of $22 -- and for that, we were served a basket of small muffins, a glass of OJ and coffee --and the food was quite average. \nWe would definitely stay at this hotel again. When I did my due diligence before the trip, I found the prices for this hotel were better than at other 5 star hotels in the midtown/upper eastside area -- others I checked were the Lowell, the Carlyle, the Plaza Athenee, the Four Seasons and the Peninsula --at the end of the day, the New York Palace gave us the most for our money. We had a great stay- would rate this a 4-5.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed at The New York Place 4 nights over Easter 2006! for my 18th Birthday\nbeing from the UK and never been to New York we did not know what to\nexpect! as soon as we set foot in the door of the Palace we were amazed!!!\nit was very elegant and grand! and located a stone throw away from 5th Avenue and Rockefeller centre, 10 minutes from Timesquare and about 15 from the Empire State & Macys.\nWe asked if we could have a room with a view overlooking St Patricks as we\nhad seen pictures on the internet! the Lady at the desk was more than happy to\ngrant our request!\nThe room was a delux room on the 32nd Floor with a fabulous view of St Patricks, RockafellerCentre and you could even see water from the other side of Manhatten!\nOur room was clean and spacious! the maids cleaned the rooms once a day without\nfail and put out slippers and mints, and a bucket of ice every night! \nThe Hotel Staff were the most friendly service we have ever seen so do not\nbelieve other reviews you read! my mum and i are just two ordinary British Ladies\nand the staff treated us like Royalty! nothing is too much trouble!\nThe doorman were the best of the bunch posed for photos with us and made us laugh\nout loud they are wonderful people!\nWe did not eat in the Hotel as it is too expensive\nThe only trouble that we did have was we booked a helicopter tour with the concierge desk, who made it easy! but when we got to the Heliport we were informed we had to bring some other information with us not just a ticket! the man at the Concierge Desk had not informed us of this! and he should have!!!!! meaning we had to take a cab back to the hotel get the information we needed and get back to the heliport! wasting 2 hours of our day! \nWe confronted the man at the Concierge the next day who denied that he did not tell us what we needed to take! making us look silly when it was not our fault!\nIf you weighed up the pros and cons of the hotel one little slip did not spoil it for us! everything was perfect.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "WE stayed at The Palace because of the good reviews here, and it was in the American Express Platinum Program. If you like a VERY stuffy, Snobby staff this is the place for you! If You like a room service menu where a bagle w/creme cheese is $25, a glass og OJ $10 this is the hotel for you! The first day were were awakened to drilling and our entire room vibrating. When we called to complain we were greeted with a basic who cares attitude. We were not told upon reserving or upon check in we would encounter any construction noise. We were told The manager was out of the country, we later found this to be a a lie. The bad thing is that this is an independantly owned hotel so there is no where to complain with a problem. WE have stayed at the finest hotels in NYC and never encountered attitude like this. We came back from a day of shopping to find our lock completely hanging out of or door. We were left with a screaming baby in the hallway for almost 1/2 hour before help arrives. They never even said sorry. When you stay at a Ritz or St. Regis here you are treated much differently, with respect. If there is a problem they fix it, not here. They treated us like second class citizens. THink twice before wasting your money.\nThe Rits or St. Regis is the way to go.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed at the Palace for 8 nights during April. We had requested early check because flight from Australia was arriving early and also requested a high floor room. We were able to access our high floor room upon arrival.\nRoom was good (as it should be). Room service was also good.\nLike the previous reviewer, concierge desk was always busy and they were generally always on the phone. Unlike the previous review, I found the male concergie staff to be rude and unhelpful and the female helpful. Front desk staff also rude and unhelpful. I noticed one front desk lady (with hair done like she had put her fingers in an electric socket) being so rude to a guest it was embarrassing to be standing within hearing range.\nI thought the food was average and disappointing particularly given the price.\nBut the hotel probably gets away with these shortcomings because of the location. It is very central and within easy walking distance of a lot of major areas. We would easily walk to the Broadway restaurants and theaters, major shopping areas and Central Park.\nOverall, OK but expected more.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I just spent two fantastic weeks at the palace hotel in a beautiful towers junior suite. I nearly stayed at the waldorf and I am so glad I didn't. Everything was perfect- the bed was so comfortable, the staff were polite and friendly, the food was high quality and very fresh, the location was safe and perfect for an after dinner stroll. My only hesistation was the concierge desk was always to busy to approach and when you did finally get through I found the women concierge unpleasant and snappy to talk to. Apart from this,I will definitely return.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I researched many hotels in new york before choosing the palace! I took my girlfriend here for her 21st so i wanted it to be special and it was! The hotel is perfectly located to get to most places by foot. Make sure you ask for a view of the cathedral and get as high up as you can. You will have a view of 5th avenue and radio city as well as the beautiful St Patricks cathedral. All the staff are friendly and efficient. Dont be tempted to have room service unless your lucky enough to be able to afford the hefty bill! If you choose the palace you wont go far wrong!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I was there for St Patricks Day 2006, so the location couldn't have been better, right next to 5th Avenue and St Patricks Cathedral. The hotel is a grand master, with a beautiful lobby and staff that couldn't do enough for you. They never hold out their hands expecting tips, but work hard, remember your name etc. The rooms are lovely, I was on the 35th floor with a view to die for, over the cathedral, WOW!! The hotel location is very good, 15 mins walk to Times Square, 10 mins to Grand Central Station, 5 mins to Rockafella. Room service is more expensive than I've ever seen but you dont have to pay these prices if you dont want to! The turn down service and maids were especially good, what a feeling ona cold night to return to the room to find the bed turned down, robes and slippers out for you, tv remote on the bed side table. Loved the hotel, will be back again and again!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "My husband and I have been lucky to stay at the Palace on several occasions.Its such a gorgeous old world hotel and makes you feel so special as soon as you walk in.We always have room 2915 its incredible...such a big deluxe space,stunning bathroom with incredible views of St. Patrick Cathedral.Its incredibly clean and the staff do a fantastic job in keeping it that way.All the staff where fantastic from the men out the front to the front desk,and the staff that service the rooms.\nIts located in a fantastic part of town, right in the heart of midtown...close to all the sights.Great shopping and wonderful restaurants.\nBe warned as magnificent as this hotel is its not called the Palace for no reason.From in room dinning to breakfast down stairs the prices are fit for a king.After a night on the town we got back and requested some room service,2 serves of French fries and sparkling mineral water we were amazed by the $50 bill that came with it.\nAll in all the hotel is incredible and worth every dime.Perfect for special occasions.\nVicki New York", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "My family & I stayed here February 15th-19th 2006, We chose this hotel from the recommendations of other trip advisor reviews and we were not disappointed. We had a deluxe room over looking St. Patricks cathedral on the 26th floor, if you can, make sure you have a west facing room which will overlook the cathedral so then you will have no tall buildings infront of you and a lovely night time view of Manhattan and the lights. We dined out of the hotel as the food inhouse was on the expensive side $37 breakfast per head, and the Gilt Restaurant $142 per head.\nThe Doorman sugested the Broadway Diner for breakfast and it was fine, 2 blocks away.\nThe staff were all very efficient and courteous, and the conceige very knowlegeable of everything.\nOur Room was large, good size bathroom and very clean.\nIt is a beautiful hotel and I would highly recommend it without a doubt.\nGood central location we walked the whole time, just off 5th avenue and not far to Broadway, plenty of restaurants surrounding the hotel too.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I chose the New York Palace from the reviews on Tripadvisor, for a special visit to the city to celebrate my partner's birthday. It was magnificent and she was thrilled!\n We stayed in a deluxe room on the 21st floor overlooking St Patrick's Cathedral. The room was bigger than expected and although the bathroom was on the small side it was immaculate. We dined out - food is expensive in-house - but the location is so central that there are limitless options available within a mile of the hotel.\nThe staff were very efficient and courteous. When my attempt at accessing my email account froze, the engineer arrived immediately and refunded the fee. \nFor a special occasion, or just a comfortable stay in the City, the New York Palace will be difficult to beat!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "This is the first of my reviews, but my time here has been unusual to say the least. I must preface this by saying that I usually book my travel on my platinum card which gives extra benefits such as: 4:00 PM check outs, continental breakfast, room upgrades, etc. I did the same for this trip but there was a slight mix up with the reservations, however,during the morning of my first night AMEX did what they could to deal with the situation promptly, when the management showed how little they had trained the staff. \nIn order to get my regular rate instituted the assistant manager indicated that they had to move me, and refused to work with AMEX. I went down to see if they were really serious about this, and in-deed they were. They felt that for a $20.00 dollar breakfast that it was worth it to move me. I explained that it was going to cost the hotel more to move me then to keep me where I was as well as it being an inconvienence. The Assistant-Manager insisted that there was nothing she could do for several minutes, and as I turned to leave, she offered my breakfast. I couldn't believe my ears. Could this be the same person, who said she had no options? I indicated that at this point, she had crossed my personal line of good taste by wasting my time, and indicated for her not to bother. After packing my bags for the move and handing the key into the front desk and asking when my room would be ready, the chap who had been standing beside the Assistant Manager during our discussion, indicated that the room wouldn't be ready until 3:00 PM. I couldn't believe that they would leave a guest without a room for several hours, and he indicated he would get back to me if something was available sooner. He promptly called back after determining that a room was available immediately, another definite error, that no 5 star rated hotel should make.\nI then called American Express and asked to move to the St. Regis or The Ritz. Once the hotel got wind of this, all of a sudden my room was not changed, and everything was left as it should have been. What is particularly distressing is this hotel is rated on par with the Bel-Air Hotel, the Ritz, and a few others, and I'm wondering who rated the hotel. The rooms are large, but definitively worn around the edges. The only good experience was with a Concierge named Mark, who was excellent. There are so many excellent hotels in this city that are worthy of an excellent rating, this unfortunately is not one of them. I enjoy staying in great hotels and don't mind paying for the experience. This was a waste of hard earned money.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "All I can say is...WOW!!! This hotel is the very best in terms of location and service!!! My hubby surprised me with a trip to NYC for my 50th birthday. He booked a weekend package in the Towers that included breakfast. When we got there to check in I just happened to mention it was my birthday and we were upgraded to a corner suite in the Towers that normally goes for $2500 a night!!!! Yipee!!! It was an amazing suite with incredible views of the city. (We saw Mariah Carey as we were waiting to check-in...she was staying there while her apartment was having some work done on it). AND everyone at the hotel was so very, very nice and accomodating....not stuffy at all. Everytime we got off the elevator and passed by the Tower desk they would call us by name and ask if there was anything they could help us with that day. One evening in particular when we thought we were never going to get a cab because the number of people waiting for one was so immense, the Tower concierge went out of his way to find us other transportation!! If he hadn't done that we would have missed our play for sure! When I go back to NYC I will definitely stay at the Palace again!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We stayed here for three nights over new year 2005/2006.\nWe stayed in a tower room with an East view.\nThe service from absolutely every member of staff we were in contact with (and there were many) was absolutely first class.\nThe lobby was beautifully decorated for the holiday season and looked really lovely, especially the main entrance.\nService for those staying in the Towers is very personal, with staff always referring to you by name.\nThe room itself was superb, with a breathtaking view from the 53rd floor. The storage was vast and the bathroom excellent with a very good range of toiletries.\nThe hotel provided us with a magnificent place to stay and made for a wonderful trip.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I booked a 1 bedroom suite (deluxe, not tower room) with a view of St. Patrick's - for my husband, teenaged son and myself for 2 nights (Dec. 25 & 26). Upon arrival we were upgraded to a corner suite (9th floor) which I believe is larger than the regular 1-bedroom suite. It also had 2 full baths as opposed to 1 1/2 which the regular suite has... a very nice thing indeed!!\nWhat can I say about this hotel... EVERYTHING was absolutely magical - from the breathtaking lobby and courtyard to the room with a view - to the fitness center - to the friendly, professional service!\nI can not comment on the hotel's restaurants (Istana & Gilt), as we did not dine at either (I don't mind spending the money to stay in a great hotel, but I don't get spending a small fortune on food). We ate dinner at other lovely more reasonably-priced restaurants while we were out on our daily adventures. It is worth noting that a 30-SECOND walk from the hotel will bring you to a wonderful cafe/grocery market called Delmonico's where we had breakfast both mornings in addition to picking up coffee, water, soda and some delights for noshing.\nIf you want to stay in a very special, magical place while in New York City, I don't think you can go wrong with the NY Palace!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "WOW!!! This vacation at the New York Palace was amazing! But before I get into detail, let me tell you about the service. The service was amazing!!! They were there, right be your side if you needed help with anything. The maids were nicer that nice, the front desk gave you ratings that were reasonable, and the all around service was superb! \nNow, let me tell you about our room. We stayed on the 36 floor and overlooked the Cathedral of Saint Patrick! It was to die for! Our room was always neat from the cleaners, and the beds were confortable, unlike some other beds that we have slept one before. Room service was at your door giving what you asked for in minutes, maybe even seconds. Beyound our spectacular room, you have to have the permission to rest and eat breakfast, lunch, dinner, appetizers, and desert on the exectutive lounge. It was worth it to be able to eat and lounge up there overlooking the cathedral once again. \nBeyound the luxury in our room and executive lounge, the spa and excersice rooms were amazing. I took a nice refreshing sauna with showering and robes and slippers. Though, you must be 18 and older to use them both. Now, to the excercise room. While working out, TV's were hooked up to the tredmeels and other equipment so that you could enjoy a nice movie moment. Or if you would rather not watch a movie or TV you are able to overlook the cathedral once again with an even better view of when in your room and executive lounge.\nWell thats all I've got to say for this hotel, but it was so worth it!!! We went to New York City 2 times before our third trip and we stayed at the Trump Tower and Plaza, but they could not top this \"5 star service and hotel!!!\"", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I booked two rooms for Thanksgiving week - one for my immediate family and one for my parents. Check in went smooth. The staff smiled, made great eye contact, and before the week was over - some were even greeting us by name. \nOur rooms were on the 49th floor, over looking St. Patrick's Cathederal. Clean, quiet and comfortable. The bed linens and towels were the best. \nWe requested a refigerator and a crib, both were brought promptly. \nThe location of the Palace was wonderful, we could see ice skating at Rockefeller Center from our room. We had easy access to Central Park, the trains, gorgeous 5th Avenue, and Radio City Music Hall. A 24 hour deli was on the same block. A Zagat rated Steakhouse, Italian, Japanese, and Chinese restaurants were all just a few steps away from the hotel. \nThis is a top notch hotel. However, it is not perfect. On Friday after Thanksgiving, the water main burst. The water was totally shut off, meaning no use of the restrooms / bathrooms for a few hours. During this time, the exclusive Towers section had only one elevator operating instead of two. \nAs for our personal experience, if you want to get picky - (and I will since this is supposed to be a 5 star hotel) the hotel house keeping staff failed to leave washclothes two days in a row, our room lacked a hair dryer and even though we called requesting a dryer, none was ever delivered. The bathroom was too dark - even with all the lights on, it was dimly lit.\nFinally, we returned to our room on Saturday night, exhausted, after having been out all day - only to find that our room had not been cleaned. I made 4 phone calls and a visit to the Towers' front desk - over an hour later - before anyone came to clean. The lady who came to clean our room that night was pleasant. She said that she had only just been summoned to clean (though I had made the initial request over an hour earlier). By this time, it was 10 p.m. \nOverall, the staff was exceptional, knowledgeable and friendly. The service was not obtrusive, but welcome. For example, when we were about to go outside during a rain, the doorman anticipated our need and handed us umbrellas. \nEveryone on staff was not quite up to 5 star par - as there was a Towers desk clerk who seemed out of place. Two times during the week, my questions to her seemed to me to be an interruption of her personal talkings (once to co-workers and another time, she was on the phone, whispering / laughing). Even during our conversation, she seemed a bit indifferent, curt.\nAs for hotel dining, I have no comments. We did not order the $19.00 eggs (two eggs, no sides) or the $37.00 breakfast from the room service menu. The prices might be right for New York, but seemed too high for my tastes - particularly, given the multitude of restaurants nearby.\nI don't know that I am qualified to say what is or what is not a 5 star, but I was disappointed with the Palace's fumbling of some of the fundamentals, i.e., cleaning a room and not bringing a hair dryer upon request.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Thoroughly disagree with previous poster. I have stayed at many hotels over the last 25 years, for business and for pleasure, the Ritz Carlton, Park Lane, Omni Berkshire, St. Regis, W at Time Square, Hyatt at Grand Central, the Kitano, to name a few, and for a few reasons, the Palace was the best.\nStayed at the Palace the weekend of November 5th. It was a family trip, the first time for our 13 year old daughter. We stayed in the executive section. Very nice room and perhaps only a little bit better than the hotels I just mentioned. What we really enjoyed was the included breakfast buffet. (Free if you are staying in the executive section.) There were eggs, many pastries, sausages, bacon, fresh fruit with huge blackberries and raspberries and three kinds of juices. It was tough to cram that all down! We also enjoyed the health club which far surpassed the best health club in Chicago. Each machine had its own TV. Very impressive. Perhaps, if I had stayed in the Palace on business, I wouldn't have had a chnce to appreciate the breakfast or the health club. But for those reasons, I'm sure we will return. (I never found any reason to stay at any of the above mentioned hotels more than once.)\nA couple of things. As alluded to by one of the previous reviews, the breakfast room can be a bit of a free for all. The attendance far exceeds the number of tables. Also, the breakfast is free for two people. If you are a couple with a child, the charge for the third breakfast is $35! When in New York, you've just got to go with the flow!\nWe sampled a couple of restaurants very close to the hotel. Cinquante which is right across the street was very good. Also, we really enjoyed Il Menstrello, a block away. There is a 24 hour deli next door for when you just need a soda or a snack.\nThe staff could not have been more welcoming or polite. We will go back.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Dont get me wrong by the title of my review, I thought the hotel was very nice.....but it wasnt anything 'amazing' like some of the other reviewers have suggested.\nRooms: Were very spacious for NY standards and I admit the views were stunning, our room overlooked the cathedral and we were on the 20th floor so could see straight down all the way to the river. One of my main ailments was the decor of the room; it was OK, it wasnt tired or dated just not very modern. Dark wooded furniture and Green pastel walls. The bed and linen were clean and very comfortable. The bathroom was VERY small, which perhaps explains the larger room area, plus only had one sink...I havent stayed in a 5 star hotel before that doesnt have his/her sinks. The shower was very good although the bathroom decor was generally a little tired.\nRoom service: We had room service once and it was prompt and the food was delicious. They couldnt do enough to ensure that everything was set up nicely etc.\nExecutive Floor: We paid to upgrade to the executive level. I would think about doing this very carefully. Although it was very convenient to have breakfast included, we found every day when we went to breakfast within the last half an hour before closing that we couldnt find a table and often had to stand eating our breakfast or reluctantly share a table with other families...(not the best way to start the morning!!). In addition, by the 3rd morning (and we stayed 5 nights) I was bored with the selection. There was cereal, toast, a few bagel selections, preserves and some scrambled egg/sausage. There was no variety on this on a day-to day basis. Its a great incentive to have the canapes/drinks thrown in mid-day/evening also - IF you are there to take advantage of it. As you would expect from any tourist staying in NY....we were out for mostly the whole day which meant by the time we got back it was all over.\nWe didnt use the hotels restaurant - there is no need with many other amazing bars/restaurants on the doorstep.\nThe gym/spa area was very good. We didnt get to use the facilities, but the gym was exceptionally well equipped and the changing rooms had every thing you could possible need.\nOverall: I would recommend the hotel if you arent looking for any 'wow' factor. It is a very acceptable hotel. It wasnt cheap for us to stay there but having done my research with other hotels of similar standard it seemed to fare well. I probably wont return again - next time I'll be staying at the Mandarin Oriental.....much more modern and a real 5star hotel!", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We booked the Towers one bedroom suite and asked for an upgrade if available at the time of our arrival~ Which it was!!!! A corner two bedroom Suite~ It was enormous! Upon our arrival into the room they had made stationary and cards with my name on it~ Cute. The room was ready for us even though we got there an hour earlier then expected. It was sparkling clean when we got there and every night when we came back~ Turndown service nightly. I felt like I was staying in an apartment of the rich and famous in NY City. Private elevator when you stay in the towers, private staff and very personalized service. The kitchen was empty of glasses and utensils when we arrived. I called for some glasses and utensils. They asked for how many people and were there in 5 mins flat~ Wearing white gloves and filling the kitchen with every imaginable item we might need, bottle opener, glasses, dishes, cups, utensils etc. The kids were in heaven! They couldn't believe the size of the room. Huge living room and dining room. Three bathrooms, two bedrooms one king size bed in one bedroom and the other with two full size beds. There were 5 adults and three children ages, 9, 12 and 13. We had plenty of room and could have had hosted a party with 200 guests~ no joke!!\nThe room was so comfortable that ummmmmmm it was hard to get the children out again at night to do some sightseeing because they were so comfortable on the sofa with the big screen TV and the options to watch movies that were still in the theater~ Not to mention the junk food they had stashed in the fridge!!\nPerfect location right across from Saks and ST. Patricks Catherdral and lots of great shopping. You could walk to the theater and Rockefeller Center Christmas tree spectacular. Right downstairs from the hotel and down the corner is a great little grocery store with everything you need to stock up the fridge in the room.\nThe staff is extremely attentive and very friendly~ The doorman even held Flat Stanley so I could take a picture with him for a school project.\nWe paid less than $500 a night split between 4 people which came to less than $125 each!!~ Oh and we got free parking and free breakfast in the morning~ Free room service breakfast every morning and the kids ordered from the breakfast menu everything they wanted! \n It worked out really nice for all of us. We will go back there in a heart beat! It is a beautiful hotel. We already booked a room for my sister in laws Birthday in October~ She lives in Miami and wants to celebrate her birthday at the New York Palace~ Her wish is our command! Hehehe\nPLEASE DO NOT hesitate to contact me for further info. I have room pictures but can't figure out where there are stored in my computer~ When I find them I will add them on!\nSue", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 30}, {"text": "I am surprised when I read other reviews for this hotel.\nI stayed at The Palace with my family members during the January 2005 blizzard in two adjoining rooms. The staff was wonderful- we had two young children in tow- assisting us with anything we requested of them. The rooms were SPACIOUS, very comfortable and tastefully decorated. The bathroom was gorgeous- All of us fit comfortably as we watched our young six month old nephew play in the bathtub.\nRoom service arrived promptly with added items-the kitchen gave us the surplus cookies and such. The items that arrived were excellent. There was enough room for the large service table AND five people in the double double room! We never called for pickup of the table and yet we walked around it to pack the next morning with no difficulty. Which means the room was LARGE by any standard... and this is NYC.\nWe did not dine in the hotel restaurant so I am unable to respond to other comments.\nThe location of the hotel is excellent. It is across the street from St. Pat's, one block from greatest shopping in NYC, short stroll to Times Square and yet far enough away from it to avoid the noise and congestion. The hotel is beautiful with a dramatic courtyard entrance on the Madison Avenue side.\nIt is true that there is no VHS or DVD player in the room but my objective is to get out in the greatest city in the world that does not sleep! There is pay per view as an offering for the business traveller.\nI wish to say that some reviewers find fault with hotels for reservation mistakes which may occur because of the booking agent. For instance, when you book this hotel online, it is done through Leading Hotels and they do not know particulars to the individual location. I always call the hotel directly and speak with Reservations Dept.\nAlthough this hotel does not advertise as Child Friendly, the staff was attentive and very pleasant to my 5 year old niece and 6 month old nephew. The hotel offers an American Girl package which is sweet.\nI would return to this hotel without hesitation.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}]}, "2079052": {"reviews": [{"text": "As soon as you arrive at the Yotel, it's clear that you're in for something slightly different. At night, the neon purple frontage of the hotel casts a glow over the entire street and as you enter the revolving doors, you are struck by the lack of any reception area. The reason for that is very simple - the reception is on the fourth floor. Check-in is done on the ground floor by touchscreen computer and there are always plenty of staff around if you need help. As you enter the Yotel, you can't help but notice the Yobot (a fully automated luggage robot), but more of this later.\nTake the lift to the fourth floor and you start to get a feel for the hotel. Reception is in front of the lifts (sorry, 'elevators') and it's on this floor that you'll also find the bar, dining area (where breakfast is served) and nightclub. The first lift only runs between floors one and four, so you now catch a second lift to your floor. In our case, this was the 25th. You use the swipe card you were issued with at reception to select the floor you want in the lift - just hold the card in front of the reader and it will automatically select your floor. The lifts are great - very quick and very quiet (and this comes from someone with a real dislike for lifts). On entering the room, the first impression is maybe that it's a little small. Everything's certainly very compact - the bed, for example, is on a remote control, so that during the day it's raised with the back up (great for watching the flat screen TV in front of you) and at night you simply press the button to lower it so that it becomes flat. The toilet and shower are not behind a closed door - there is simply a clear glass 'wall' that slides across, so probably not the hotel for any couples with major inhibitions, or perhaps for those in the early stages of a relationship. The shower is great - very large (large enough for two people, in fact!) with a good thermostatic control. The window to the room can be partially opened, but to be honest, you're in the heart of New York and even on the 25th floor, it's noisy - 24 hours a day. With the window closed, you really don't get any outside noise and if temperatures are high, all rooms have air conditioning which you can set to the desired temperature. The views from the 25th floor were great - particularly at night, and our room looked over towards the Hudson River.\nMy wife's main concern when we arrived was the lack of wardrobe/drawer space. There is no wardrobe as such, but two areas for hanging shirts/trousers/skirts, with hangers supplied. There are also a limited number of small drawers, but in truth, we ended up living out of our suitcases for the five days we were there. I was slightly worried at my wife's initial comment regarding the lack of storage space, but I have noted her comment on leaving the Yotel at the very end of this review, which may tell you a lot. There is also a safe in every room, which is free, so keeping money/credit cards/phones etc. in the room is no problem. You simply choose a four digit PIN and enter this into the safe. Just don't forget your PIN!\nWe were not expecting breakfast, so were surprised to find that there was a free breakfast everyday, between 7.30 and 10.00am. There is tea and coffee, as well as herbal teas and water. The only food on offer is muffins, but there are a variety to choose from - cranberry, blueberry, banana, nut etc. You can upgrade to a more substantial breakfast if you wish, but I've no idea how much this costs. To be honest, if you want a big breakfast, there are any number of diners around that offer good food at reasonable cost. I would recommend the Tick Tock Diner over on 8th Avenue (near the New Yorker Hotel). As you sit and eat your muffins (which are good), you'll notice the birdsong that permeates the air. This is piped 'music' and I thought it all just added to the 'quirkiness' of the place. There is proper music in all other areas of the hotel, including the lifts.\nThe location of the Yotel is excellent. Walk up 42nd Street and you are in Times Square in around 15 minutes. Walk down 42nd Street and you can be at the Hudson River in the same time. This is where the Circle Line boat cruises go from, so it's an easy walk to go and book your tickets for a trip that I'd highly recommend. If you turn right out of the Yotel and cross over 42nd Street, continuing along 10th Avenue, there are a few restaurants, but 9 times out of 10, you will probably gravitate towards Times Square, where as you would expect, there are restaurants and bars everywhere.\nOn every floor in the Yotel, there is a galley kitchen. You are free to access this 24 hours a day (using your swipe card) and there you have free iced water, tea and coffee (the machine will do hot water, Americano, Latte, Mocha, Hot chocolate, Chi etc. etc.), a fridge which you are free to use and even a microwave. There is also a drinks machine, with bottles of Coke and Sprite etc., for $2 each. This was something else we weren't expecting and it was really nice to be able to make tea or coffee anytime we wanted it. You can spend a small fortune on these things when you're away for a few days, so to have it included in the cost of the hotel is a real bonus.\nThe staff at the Yotel were always polite and helpful. The only issue I had was with the concierge who I spoke to about the Circle Line boat cruises. I knew there were 1, 2 and 3 hour options, yet he was telling a different story. When he eventually decided there was a 3 hour trip, he said this only ran once a day at 7.00pm. I knew this wasn't true as I'd spoken to other people who had taken the cruise during the day, so left it there, walked down to the Hudson River and booked it myself. On reflection, I guess he wasn't selling Circle Line cruises but those of a rival company, though I don't know why he couldn't tell me that. As the Circle Line dock is only a 15 minute walk from the hotel anyway, I would make your own arrangements.\nWe flew into Newark Airport. Before we left the UK, I booked a bus from Newark to NYC online (USA Coaches). For the two of us, this was only $54 return and if you do the same, you need to get off at the Port Authority Bus Terminal on 42nd Street (the buses also stop at two other places). From there, it's a very short walk down 42nd Street (i.e. away from Times Square), to the Yotel. Easily manageable, even with a couple of suitcases.\nI must also mention the food seller just outside the Yotel (at the corner of 10th Avenue and 42nd Street). You will find these all over NYC and I'm sure they are all much the same, but if you want a quick snack, I would highly recommend the chicken or lamb gyros. Really tasty and only $4! The Yotel do not mind you taking food into the hotel, either.\nNow for the Yobot! If, like us, you are checking out of the hotel in the morning, but not flying until later that day, then the Yotel will store your luggage for you. Or rather, the Yobot will, Just use the touchscreen to request a large or small bin, enter your name and a pin no., and the Yobot will pick up your cases and store them in the wall of boxes in front of you. You'll get a printed receipt with a bar code, Just scan this on your return and the Yobot will retrieve your luggage for you. At all no charge. In truth it would be much easier to give your bags to someone to store in a room somewhere, but where's the fun in that? It can only handle one person at a time, so try and avoid queues, but it's great fun and I guarantee that you'll leave with at least one photograph of it!\nWe loved the Yotel. It's fresh, it's funky and it really grows on you. It has a large gay following, so if this bothers you, then you'd best go elsewhere, but I would highly recommend it. The atmosphere is very friendly and the beds extremely comfortable and clean.\nI mentioned earlier that my wife had a initial concern on seeing the room that there was not enough storage for clothing. She was a bit fraught about this as she likes to unpack and put everything in place before relaxing. It's true that there wasn't a lot of storage space, but then how much time do you intend spending in the room? We were out all day, every day, and shattered when we returned. Anyway, her departing comment was not something I'll forget and was very telling (especially if you know my wife). ''If we come back to New York, I wouldn't want to stay anywhere else but the Yotel.'' My sentiments exactly.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Imagine the latest Japanese University Dormitory where the students sleep in tiny cabins and the entire place is run by problematic computers and the staff is counting the minutes till they're off. Now imagine a tiny white room where the width of the room is so narrow that a futon-like bed must be electronically extended for sleeping, blocking access around the tiny room. Now imagine a mattress so thin you can feel the very fibers that pathetically make up its filling. Welcome to Yotel... motel. \nThis new New York entry is a painful attempt at cool, cheap and chic. I would only recommend this hotel to those wanting to experience college dorm life one more time. It all begins at check in where a bank of touch screen computers are supposed to check you in and give you a key card. Unfortunately nearly all the stations were out of commission and check in was moved to an annoyed young woman in a dark corner of the ground lobby space. Nearby there is a nifty robotic arm that stores luggage in a wall of drawer-like compartments that I believe are a nod to the rooms.\nUpstairs on level 4, Mission Control (they unsuccessfully flirt with a Space-theme) you are welcomed with painful modern art, a lovely outdoor deck and a restaurant that has the charm of the Tokyo Medical Center. \nCan I say anything nice about this sub-compact? Yes! It's clean... for a while. I can only imagine how the stark white rooms will look after a year of scratches and scrapes from the guests trying to maneuver in the tiny cabin. \nWith so many options in NY, there are many more options that deliver much more for the money in a much better location. And, they sell rooms, not cabins.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Our room was a Premium Queen Cabin (that's what they call the rooms) and even though it was a small space the design made it feel spacious. The hotel it too cool to have little wrapped up soaps, kleenex (the upper class must just use toilet paper to blow their noses) lotin or shampoo. The room was supplied with a tall bottle of body wash that had a very interesting scent--sandal wood? The walls to the shower and toilet area are glass and there is a light white curtain you can pull across the bathroom area, but you may want your roommate to step outside if you need privacy. We used booking.com to get the room and paid 199 for the room. I see on the website that the price is much higher now. Over all, this hotel is fun, different and I would stay there again if we could afford it.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "We were one of the first to stay here and were extre3mely pleased with the service and amenities.The rooftop lounge and other public areas are cutting-edge with a clean, European feel. The rooms have \"moving\" beds which makes the room feel more spacious. We will definitely stay here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "I had already booked a stay at Yotel for the upcoming Aug, NYIGF, since the hotel is within spitting distance of the Javits Center and I'm always looking for new and clean places to stay while working the trade shows. This short stay opening weekend was a great opportunity to see if Yotel would suit for business travel. \nThis is what I would think hotels would be like in 2020. LOL If you're a sci-fi fan you'll think you landed in Mos Eisley, The Enterprise or even an Apple iHotel. There's a nice entrance, and I have to say the staff on duty this weekend couldn't not have been more helpful, friendly, and accomodating. You check yourself in (or someone can help) on these kiosks to the left of the giant revolving automated door. This kiosk issues your keys as well. Yobot is on the right for storing your luggage, should you need it. Unfortunately, Yobot was a bit under the weather for the opening and didn't work. But the humans who work there filled in quite nicely. :) You take the elevator up to 4 where you will find Mission Control. On that floor you're greeted by several other employees who can assist you with basically everything else. To the left of the elevators you'll find the 24 hr gym (it's a small single door) that houses about a dozen machines. Past that you'll find the lounge area where the complimentary continental breakfast (muffins, mini croissants, brioches, fruit, coffee & tea) will be served daily. To the right of the elevators you'll find the Mission Control desk (concierge, \"front desk\" etc.) There's also the restaurant (we did not partake so I can't review), and the fantastic terrace with great views. You have to exit on 4 in order to head to the second bank of elevators (to the right and around the corner from the first one) that take you to your floor. We were in room 2030. \nThe hotel still smells new - freshly painted - clean. That was evident when we entered our cabin (this hotel features small rooms - think cruise ship cabin decorated in stark white as if Steve Jobs had given his blessing and Apple-ized it). There was still blue tape on the ceiling (I think to alert the painter to a small speck missed) and on the drapes. The bed was interesting - it's almost a Craftmatic. When you arrive it's in the up position with the back at a slant for reading or watching TV. There's a control on the \"desk\" part of the bed/headboard that raises or lowers this back. It's great for TV viewing... but one of my disappointments was it's not very soft. Understandable. It's function over comfort. Fully extended the bed only leaves about 1' to walk around it. Just don't go jumping on the thing, there's not a lot of spring to it. The small desk on the side of the bed functions just fine. They leave you a welcome letter, a pen, and a foldout map of NYC with more Yotel info on the back. Everything is white or wood color (with purple acents). \nThe bathroom - very interesting. There's a sheer-ish drape that separates bedroom and bath. The sink is right as you enter, the shower is enclosed in glass (if you don't shut the drape you can put on a free show for your roommate). The toilet is next to the shower, and since there shower only has 3 1/2 walls, the floor by the loo gets a bit of a dousing if you're not careful. You can slide another clear glass door to close off the toilet area from the sink area. There's great light coming through a large window (that you can open a slice on the bottom for fresh air), the window has double shades, one blackout, one mesh-like. \nThere's not a lot of room to store things. The \"closet\" is out in the open. Hangers on a stem with a storage for your suitcase below. 2 small drawers are under that (at the door). The A/C comes on when the motion sensor gets activated as you enter the room. It's set to 75 and you can raise or lower as you please. It does tend to bounce off the glass shower wall and go directly on the person on the side of the bed nearest the bath. There's also a \"closet\" area in the bathroom with some more hangars and a safe. They provided a rosemary/sage scented hand and body wash that I was not fond of. I also had some sort of allergic reaction to it, but that's not their fault. The woman at Mission Control was very helpful with finding out what was in that. There was no shampoo (but they said there would be in the future). Bath also did not have any tissues, not sure if that will be remedied or not. A nice hair dryer was provided though. No Iron or board in the room. Our room (2030) had a tiny hole in the caulking for the shower that caused water to pool behind the toilet, we informed the staff as we checked out. Minor problem for a brand new hotel. \nThere was free WiFi throughout the hotel. It was a little weak on the 20th floor but still totally acceptable. Back on the 4th floor they were also giving out complimentary cookies, brownies, and even gave us lunch - baguette artisenal sandwiches. (not sure this will happen all the time or just for this weekend) Everyone was so nice. \nSo, thumbs up from me but no it's not for everyone. I like the automation. I got a kick out of the Yobot even though he didn't work. \"Number 5 is not alive!\" I even like the color scheme and cruise ship feel. Great job with some minor glitches (leak, blue tape, no shampoo, dead yobot) on the launch weekend. I'm sure when things get up and running full time it will be a welcome addition to the NYC hotel scene. Looking forward to staying again in August for work. Staff were all very helpful. Thank you! Best of luck on the new location.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 22}]}, "292142": {"reviews": [{"text": "Four of us stayed at this hotel for a girly week away 5-12 Jan. The hotel itself is great. It is in a quieter part of town so it is possible to get a good night's sleep after a day of shopping and sightseeing and all the major attractions are within easy walking distance. Having seen Times Square at night, we were very glad that we hadn't booked a hotel in that area given the level of noise (New Yorkers like to use their car horns all day and all night!!).\nI booked the room directly through the hotel website and requested a quiet room on a high floor with a view and that is exactly what we got. We were in room 3206 with a view of the East River and downtown Manhattan. It was lovely to watch the sun rise over the East River in a morning. The room itself is very spacious and the kitchen is very handy as we sorted our own breakfast out every day. Other reviewers have remarked that the bathrooms are small but we didn't think so and there was four women to accomodate!\nMy only issue with the hotel was the level of service which was quite poor when compared to other 4 star hotels I have stayed in. All of the staff are very pleasant and have plenty of advice. However, prior to arrival, I had requested hypo-allergenic pillows as one of the travellers had a feather allergy. However, once in our room, we discovered that both the pillows and duvets were duck down. This was just plain annoying and took about 3 phone calls to reception to sort out, We also only had 3 towels when their were four of us - again only a little thing but something which a four star hotel should pick up on. However, I have to say that the housekeeping staff did ensure for the rest of our stay that this was corrected and our room was always spotless.\nWe found that we were having to contact reception a number of times about the same issue when the problem should have been sorted out after the first call. Quite often, I got the impression that the reception was too busy.\nThere are plenty of places to eat near the hotel. If you go out of the hotel and turn right, we ate at Blokheads (mexican), Cinema cafe and Penelope's (Italian). The food was very good and cheap. Our favourite was Penelope's which does fantastic pizzas. Duane Read's which is opposite the hotel is great for provisions. Its a pharmacy but basically sells everything. We got cereal and milk etc from here and its much cheaper than the deli on the corner.\nWe also went to a steak restaurant which had been recommended to me by a friend - Smith and Wollensky - near Grand Central Station which was fantastic. If you are a fan of steak, then don't go anywhere else. The portions are huge and the steaks cooked to perfection. However, we went early on a Monday night and by the time we were leaving, the place was full. There is also a steak place on Park Ave nearer the hotel (called Wolfgang's Steakhouse i think) which we were going to try but this was too busy on the night we went.\nWe did all of the touristy things and shopping and found that this was a perfect time of year to visit. A tip if you want to see a show - there is a discount ticket booth in the Marriott Hotel on Times Square - don't go there as its packed. There is another ticket office in downtown Manhattan and we walked straight in and got our tickets for half price.\nOne final tip - DONT book your taxi to the airport through the hotel. Our taxi from Ne warkairport to the hotel was $71 plus tolls and tip. I asked the hotel to book a return journey and was astounded that the Company they recommend was charging $120 for an SUV (we had a lot of luggage!!!). I then called a number which I found in my guidebook and they charged $69 - bit of a difference. Needless to say that I cancelled the taxi through the hotel. However, when we came to leave, the hotel hadn't actually cancelled the taxi and our bags were loaded into the wrong taxi. It was a good job that we checked before setting off and got our luggage put in the correct taxi, otherwise we would have been paying an extra $50.\nOverall, I would recommend this hotel to others and would stay there again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "As first time visitors to New York we wanted a decent hotel, close to the main attractions that we could base ourselves in for the week we were visiting New York City. We have used Trip Advisor on several occasions for recommendations and again we were not disappointed!\nOur hotel room was a junior suite on the 27th floor with great views of the Manhattan skyline, especially looking out at the Chrysler building lit up at night. The room itself was great with more than enough space for the two of us. The king side bed was extremely comfortable, by the end of the week it was pretty hard to get out of!! While the kitchen was on the small side there was more than enough room to prepare breakfast in the morning, make a cuppa upon returning in the evening and having a fridge to store some beers in meant you weren't dipping into the mini-bar!\nThe staff were extremely helpful and friendly. We messed up our booking dates (totally our faults) and the front desk staff sorted it out within minutes. The cleaning staff also deserve a mention as the room was spotless on our arrival and throughout the stay.\nManhattan is easy to get around once you get your bearings. The Empire State building and Macys are a 10min walk down the street, with Penn Station just a little further down. We tended to walk a lot but there is a subway station (Line 6) one block away on 33rd street (one going uptown and one downtown on opposite sides of the road) and a good bus service around the corner that goes cross-town the length of 34th street. A $10 metro card will get you 6 trips on either the bus or subway. Failing that the doormen are always on call to hail you a cab (expensive during peak time, but not so much at night). Like other reviewers we hired a limo to get us back to the airport in Newark \u2013 a bit overpriced at $80 but it included a tip and tolls.\nWe ate in both the Barking Dog (the special pork chops were really good) and Thai restaurant (recommend the green curry) either side and both meals were good. We also got some food from the Murray Hill store/deli to take back with us to the apartment which was also quite reasonable. On one of our lazier nights we rounded the corner onto 3rd avenue to a number of pubs/clubs with some good nightlife. \nWe thoroughly enjoyed our stay in New York and I have no doubt that the comfort, cleanliness and location of the hotel contributed to this. We would definetly recommend it!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Having stayed at The Willard Intercontinental, one of the best hotels in Washington DC, we were not expecting much from the the Affinia Dumont.\nBut boy were we wrong!! And in some respects it was better. We arrived in New York early and weren't due to check-in for another 5 hours. However the hotel staff were only to happy help, and they had a room ready for us on our arrival. As in other reviews, we asked for a room on a higher floor and were given a junior suite on the 37th floor.\nThe room was spacious and well appointed. The kitchenette was a real bonus and came in handy. The bed was massive and incredibly comfortable. But by far and away the best bit was the view. The famous New York skyline was awesome. At night the Chrysler Building would be illuminated and we would sit and gaze at the views. It truly was spectacular!!!\nThe staff were very helpful and always willing to assist with restaurant recommendations or traveller tips.\nOverall i would rate this as one of the best hotels I've stayed in and would recommend it to anyone.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "I have been meaning to do this review for a while so it's a little late......We loved the Affinia, we were on a budget but wanted to push it a little bit to enjoy our stay and not have to worry about the air conditioning breaking down or hearing the neighbour going to the toilet, we were not disappointed, not only could we not hear the neighbours toiletry habits we couldn't even hear the street below, no sirens, nothing!\nWe stayed for 6 days and the main thing about this hotel was the space and comfort. It was the largest room I have stayed in in all my mid budget travels. It had a kitchen which came in handy with our budget, the bathroom was modern with great complementaries (even mouth wash). It was the best night sleep I have had in a hotel ever, it was hard to drag myself out of it some mornings. We had a large desk that doubled as a dining table with internet connections and all the mod cons. The location was perfect (5 mins max to the empire state, great restaurants and bars in any direction and metro/trains)\nThe staff were very friendly and helpful and were prompt and efficient, it was the world cup and the cleaning lady has loads of insight into the world cup teams, my boyfriend would get updates from her on the games he missed due to too much sight seeing.\nWe did the typical sightseeing things, we got on the double decker buses that toured around Manhattan, the tickets lasted for two days and doubled as a taxi ride to our favourite places as we could jump on and off as we pleased. There was a torrential rain while we were there in the middle off summer and it was great fun sitting on the top deck in our rain coats and under our brollies while water rushed beneath our feet flooding the below decks, everyone was laughing or crying, it was great fun. We just jumped off when we saw something that looked interesting and jumped back on when we were ready.\nWe didn't use the hotels restaurant or room service as every morning we would get up go to 'our favourite' cafe, pick up coffee, warm croissants and freshly cut fruit only 1min walk away, grab a paper and go back to the room for a relaxing breakfast. Our kitchen came in handy to store leftovers for later, make that extra cup of coffee or cook up a quick snack if needed. Usually we wouldn't be back to the room till late afternoon / early evening and once there we'd freshen up and go our for dinner at one of the many local restaurants of our choice, we would just walk along until one took our fancy, one night we found and great tapas bar which amazing cocktails and spent the night listening to live music and drinking huge pina colads. The hotel staff were always ready to recommend a bar or restaurant to try, they would grab a cab for us and tell the driver were to go if it was too far to walk.\nIt was such an amazing trip and made even better by the hotel. I've been to New York before and the hotel I had stayed at was clean and tidy but tiny, cramped and rushed. The Affina made New York living fantastic and I cannot recommend it enough!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "As we stayed here just recently while in town for a long weekend. The management team is supurb here and the accomodations are some of the biggest - space-wise - that you will find in NYC. As usual we booked our stay on Expedia.com, and upon checking on their website for our confirmation # less than 24 hours before check-in, we realized that the rate for our Junior Suite room had dropped. The Expedia agent called the hotel and spoke with the front desk manager and the manager waived the cancellation fee and we rebooked at the lower rate. This was a positive and exceeded my expectations on what the hotel may do as a result of our inquiry. Checking in was a breeze. We encountered a couple of problems with the room service and also the smoking (the hotel is all non-smoking) - and a barking dog (the hotel is very pet friendly so you may hear this during your stay) in the room directly across the hall from us - but all was taken care of upon my bringing it to the manager's attention. We were promptly re-located to another room (Junior Suite) on a higher floor (29 vs. 18). The view from 29 is amazing - if you can imagine - as you can see the Chrysler Tower to the North and the East River to the East.....it's breathtaking both during the day and even more so at night. The hotel room itself is huge - as stated before - bigger than most even beyond the Big Apple. Most / or all Junior Suites I was told are in the corners...giving you ample room and the view I spoke of. The amenities are first rate in the room, an umbrella stand with an umbrella, and Aveda toiletries. I was impressed. The decor could use a minimal update as the kitchen - albeit bigger than most studios in NYC could use a minor facelift and the couch is older. The TV is what I was most expecting to be a plasma/lcd given the rank and file of this type of hotel - as it caters to business and pleasure travel. Overall, the management did everything to accomodate us and even after our stay sent us a follow-up survey and responded to our comments within hours. This is the biggest city in the US with a hotel on every corner - literally - what differentiates this hotel from the others is it's service and management team. Thank you Trang for your help during our stay!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed for six nights in September while attending the US Open tennis championships. I booked the hotel through its website after reading all the good reviews and we were very satisfied. We got a great special promotion rate!!Great location near our subway transportation out to Flushing Meadows. We asked each morning at the front desk for a list of the days tennis matches and after a few days they had them ready for us in the morning!! Our room was very comfy and quiet and clean. The new grocery store right next door was very handy for late night sandwiches and great salads. And Guy and Gallard just a few steps across Lexington had good coffee and bagels. When it poured with rain the Drugstore across the street provided us with ponchos.The area around the hotel felt very much like a comfortable neighbourhood and the hotel felt like home! I would not hesitate to recommend this hotel to other visitors to NYC.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "We stayed here over July 4 and couldn't have picked a more perfect location. It was just up the street from where the fireworks were being launched. The hotel was very clean and the king-sized bed was increditbly comfortable. Every day after an exhausting day of sightseeing we were greeted with smiles and some absolutely wonderful iced tea and fruit. This hotel is located a few minutes walk from the Empire State Building, a block from the subway, around the corner from an incredible deli called the Murray Hill Diner and by several great Italian pastry shops and Patsy's Pizza. We were on the top floor and had a corner room with a wonderful view of the river and the Chrysler Building. We took a lot of pictures of the city nightlights from our windows. Aveda products are used in the bathrooms and our room had a full kitchen with a refrigerator to store leftovers and sodas bought down the street. A lot of hotels in NY have small rooms, this was large and the sofa bed was perfect for our children, it seems to be queen-sized. I would HIGHLY recommend this hotel for either a couple or a family.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "Our family (two teenaged sons) stayed in this quiet neighborhood (Murray Hill) near Times Square over Labor Day week-end. The hotel has a tiny lobby and a restaurant nest door. Also on the other side there is a small corner grocery (with gourmet deli) soon to be getting a liquor license. This is a very user-friendly and QUIET neighborhood. The windows open (!) and there are kitchens complete with dishes and full stoves. We got a 2bedroom suite ( one bedroom with king bed, living room with sofa bed and 2nd bedroom with fdouble bed) for $1200 for two nights. The value and amount of space was phenomenal for New York city. Everything was very clean, staff atentive, and nice duvets on the beds, too. We considered this a major find!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "We have just returned from a holiday in the states and we enjoyed a 6 night stay at Affinia Dumont, New York. We searched trip advisor to see which would be the best for us and after weeks of reading reviews decided on Affinia, as it was 2nd best. We needed a 2 bedroom suite and the room size was great, nice and roomy. The bed was comfortable, which I'm fussy with as we have such a comfy one at home, and there's a pillow menu as well if you need it. It was very clean as well, especially the bathroom which I'm extremely fussy about! However being a hotel where pets are allowed to stay the carpet was a bit smelly, especially when you first entered the room but after a while it wasn't to bad. The staff were friendly and helpful, I was expecting rudeness after reading reviews on other places and staff, but they were great. Overall it was a fabulous place to stay for our first time in NewYork and the location also was excellent. Close to Empire State and restaurants and so on......Keep up the good work Affinia See you again soon Cheers From Red Hill Victoria Australia", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "I stay at the Dumont whenever I'm in New York and since I've been there regularly since 1999 I've seen the hotel emerge from a rather shabby _ but well located and friendly _ place to a comfortable, chic property.\nI always go for the junior suite, which feels like a little flat. Since I'm usually in New York on business and work in my room, the big desk and Aeron chairs are greatly appreciated. The bed is huge and comfy and the bathroom spotless, with a deep tub for soaking.\nThe kitchenette is tucked away and you don't have to look at it while in bed, which is nice. I appreciate the fridge, too, for storing a bottle of wine and some water and snacks.\nThe neighbourhood is good, too. There's a great gourmet cafe-sandwich bar at the corner of 34th and Lex, as well as a decent nail salon and drycleaner (can you tell I was practically living at the Dumont for a while?) The one really dreadful thing is that a great bar, Brew's, used to be next to the hotel, but it was torn down a few years ago for the new development. Still, there are good neighbourhood watering holes a quick walk away.\nThe location is good. Murray Hill isn't as cool as some other neighbourhoods, but it's located kind of in the middle of everything and that makes it a pretty quick cab ride to anything. All in all, it's a great place.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "I stayed at Affinia for one week in August. I had booked the hotel based on the good reviews in Tripadvisor, and I was not disappointed.\nArea:\nMurray Hill area was very nice and quiet but still you see lots of people walking around, also late in the evening, so it feels very safe all the time. There are lots of coffeeshops, delis, grocery shops and restaurants nearby. There is a new deli / grocery store opened just next to the hotel. Bus lines M34 and M16 go along 34th street crosstown to Macy's and Penn Station, and M1 bus from Park Avenue goes to eg. Upper West Side's shops and Metropolitan Museum of Art. Subway station (line 6) on 33rd street is only one block away, so it was easy get everywhere in Manhattan.\nService:\nStaff members were always polite and helpful, and greeted me with a smile. When I checked in, I was told about the services at the hotel and given tips about the surrounding restaurants etc. The housekeeping service was excellent and kept the room very tidy.\nRoom:\nI had a large corner room on the 28th floor, and the view to both downtown and East River. The elevators were fast and usually I was the only person in one. The room was very spacious and clean. The bed was very comfortable and the pillow menu was already given to me (I had two beds so they had given four different pillows to try - well, they all were good). The small kitchenette was handy for preparing late-night snacks and breakfast. There are some pans and kettles, as well as cups, glasses, plates and silver ware etc... provided. There was also a toaster and a coffeemaker. Bathroom was nice, very clean - and the big tub was spotless. The room was very quiet and I did not hear any sounds from neighboring rooms or hallway during my stay. Neither could I hear any traffic noise in the room, except for an occasional ambulance sounds.\nSpa:\nI used the spa one time. They seem to be very busy, especially on Friday and Saturday, so if you wish to use it, book it well in advance. I went there on a Saturday afternoon, and I saw only a couple of other people there - no line for the steam showers or anything, I was mostly there by myself. In the waiting area of the spa there are some snacks and refreshments - water and tea, dried fruits etc. The massage - and the whole spa experience - was very relaxing and I wish I had had time to try also other treatments.\nAll in all, I found Affinia Dumont a great value for money (I got a nice -20% off when booking online), and I will be back on my next trip to N.Y.C.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "Stayed here for three nights in July. Loved this place. The room was massive, bed was so comfortable & the kitchen was an added bonus. We had an amazing view of the Chrysler buidling as were on the 34th floor. Will definately stay here when we come back to New York.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Just got back from New York - stayed at the Affinia Dumont in a king suite. There were three of us - my sister, myself and my adult son. We arrived for check-in early, around 1:00 p.m. and our room was ready. The guy checking us in told us \"You are going to love your room.\" He was right! We were in room 3305, a corner unit. We had views of the Chrysler Building and the East River, it was totally awesome. We were treated like royalty the entire time. The staff is so nice and helpful. We booked through Expedia, and never requested anything special - I was hoping for a room on a high floor - but never asked for it - Normally when I book through a discount booking service, the rooms are not always the best - but you compromise because you get a good price. We were really surprised that we got such a great room at a discounted price. The bed was great, we took advantage of the \"pillow\" menu and ordered some down feather pillows, which were delivered immediately. My son used the sofa bed and he slept really good on it. The kitchen was great, the bathroom was big too - the bathtub was enormous, great for soaking in the tub. I cannot think of one negative - it was all positive. We loved the Murray Hill section, used the subways and buses mostly to get around - sometimes got a cab - but tried to rely on public transportation. The doorman was great, always helped us and always welcomed us back after a long day of sightseeing. If you go to New York - treat yourself to the Affinia Dumont, it really is a great place.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "My party of 6 stayed at the Affinia Dumont on June 6-11 2006. We originally had reservations at another hotel but read mutliple bad reviews for it so we started looking again with only 2 weeks before our trip. After reading wonderful reviews about the Dumont on this site and others we decided to try and book. When we actually got reservations we were a bit skeptical of any place that had openings 2 weeks in advance (most don't have openings 4 months in advance). But all of our doubts vanished the second we arrived. There's so much to say about this hotel I'm not sure where to start. But we'll start with the first thing you notice..\nLocation\nThe Dumont is located at 150 E 34th St. It's 3 quick blocks to the Empire State Building and 2 blocks from the Line 6 subway stop. You can get basically anywhere by subway. The hotel is in a great neighborhood. 1/2 block east is 3rd Avenue which is lined with groceries and restaurants, as well as little shops. It's far enough out of Times Square to be peaceful, but close enough to be considered \"centrally located\".\nStaff\nOne of the second things we noticed about the Dumont was its excellent staff. The doorman was very friendly and so were the desk workers. They also spoke to us as we went in and out, and almost seemed like our friends by the end of our stay. They were extremely helpful and courteous at all times. The way it should be!\nThe Room\nOur room was a quick elevator ride to the 36th floor. (We never had to wait for an elevator, and it was only about a 15 second ride. When we opend the door to our 1 bedroom/2 queen bed suite we were greeted with spectacular views of the city, especially of the Crysler Building. I bet we stood at the window for 10 min. in awe before we even set our bags down. The view was only the beginning. Our room was HUGE. The living room had a foyer type area with a big mirror, coat rack, and arm chair. To the immediate right was a average NYC kitchen. It had a very large refrigerator, as well as all the other amenities you'd expect in any regular kitchen. It was also stocked with dishes and utensils. The living area had a sofa that made out into a bed, an end table, a coffee table, a big desk with a VERY comfortable chair, and an entertainment center with a TV. I know that sounds like a lot of furniture, and it is! But the room still feels very large. There was plently of room for 6 people to move about, even when the sofa was made into a bed and a twin bed air mattress was being used. The bedroom had two of the best beds I have ever slept on in my life. There's a pillow menu and down comforters. The beds were so nice, we're currently looking into where the hotel got them so we can get some for our home! The bedroom also had an arm chair and an entertainment center, as well as a night stand and end table. Right off ot the bedroom is a dressing area with wooden hangers on clothing rods, a safe, and a dresser. Right next to that is a beautiful bathroom. It was bigger than most bathrooms I ever seen in any hotel anywhere. Excluding the tub, toilet, sink, and other vanity area, there was still 25 square feet of walking space! Amazing for a NYC hotel. Both the living area and bedroom had HUGE windows that spanned the entire width of the walls. Not only was the room very comfortable and functional, it was also very fashionable. There were 2 contemporary art pieces framed in each room, and the lightening was spotlights that were adjusted to shine on the pictures, beds, sofa, etc. Each of the lights could be adjusted to be as bright or dim as you liked. The room was just full of fashionable and great touches that I could never tell it all. While I don't know if all rooms are like this, I CAN testify to ours. Our room was 3603 by the way. You could ask for it when you reserve, we just asked for a room with a view, and that's what we got! I'll try to post some pictures of our room when I get them developed. \nThe Second Floor\nThe second floor of the Dumont is set aside for fitness and comfort. There is a 24 hour fitness room that's free. There is a lot of equipment, each with it's own personal tv that you can watch (change the channel to yours if you like!) and there is even a dvd player under each tv. The 2nd floor also hosts the Oasis Day Spa. Although we didn't use it, it looked VERY nice. Here's a testimate to how kind our staff was: When we arrived at 1:30 our room wasn't ready.. They were cleaning it. But the staff told us that if we wanted we could just go up and use the spa's showers.. even before we checked in! How nice! Anyway, although the hotel is made for fit business travelers (you can also check out yoga, etc fitness tapes and stuff), it is not overpowering. It is a great hotel for anyone. The desk in the room (if not used for business) is great for laying those NYC maps out and reading those brochures!\nThe Price\nFor 6 people to stay in a one bedroom/ 2 queen bed - 1 pull out sofa bed it costed 600 dollars. That would even out to about 300 a night per room anywhere else (we would have had to get two rooms at other places because most hotel rooms can't hold more than 4 people) 300 a night is by no means insane for NYC prices, especially for a htoel like this!! It was WELL worth the price! We looked forward to going back to the room everynight!\nI hope this review, although lengthy, will help you. And I really hope you consider the Affinia Dumont, you won't be dissapointed!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "I stayed at the Affinia for a week - and loved it. I had used Trip Advisor to help find a good hotel in New York and was not disappointed. I styed in a huge room with the biggest bed I have ever seen. My parents (in 60s) had another room with two huge Queen beds. Both rooms had great views of Manhattan (26th and 28th floors). We used the kitchens in the rooms for breakfasts. It was great having a huge fridge to keep drinks cold. \nThe rooms were spotless - best maid service ever. There are three lifts which you never wait more than a minute for (a bonus in such a big hotel). The staff were incredibly friendly and helpful. There is an added bonus of an air-conditioned gym which residents can use 24 hours a day for free. It is quite big - with great views. You can also hire CD players, weights and yoga mats for free.\nThe location of this hotel could not be bettered. The subway is a block away. Times Sq is just 20 minutes away, the Empire State less than five. There are dozens of bars and restaurants nearby (try Sarges for a real US dining treat) and Kimi for fab Japanese food. The Barking Dog (next to hotel) does great buttermilk pancakes, but beware service is slow and it can lack atmosphere.\nI plan to stay at this hotel again when I am next in the city. It really is good value for New York with rooms much bigger than many more expensive hotels in Manhattan.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Stayed here with my partner for 3 days to celebrate our 5 yr anniversary and had a fantastic modern room on the 35th floor. Room was really big and had spectacular views over the financial district and Hudson river. Empire state building and Macys's was just a couple of blocks west. The underground was less then 5 mins walk away. Booked through expedia for about \u00a3165 a night. Staff were really friendly and happily made dinner reseravtions:) Would def recommend but try and get a room with a view!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Have just come back from New York City, Stayed at the Hotel Affinia Dumont on East 35th street. We stayed on the 35th floor of the hotel in a one bedroom suite. THe room contained a well equiped and large bathroom and Kitchen. The room and living area was spaceous with two double beds. The views from the two windows were overlooking the river East and buildings like cathedrals and skyscrapers, the views were amazing. The rooms were evidentally cleaned everyday which was very welcome as this has not always been the case for us in the past. The staff in the lobby were very help and informative helping us plan our visit. The hotel is in a good location close to buildings like the Empire State building, departement store Macy's and the Metro. There are good good restaurants around the hotel, and a five minute walk to the cinema and local supermarkets.(These supermarkets are much cheaper than the shops over the road from the hotel, worth checking this out). \nThe traffic noise was still a problem from the 35th floor, no fault of hotel but would recommend ear plugs to block out the noise (the city that never sleeps).", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "After reading all the positive reviews on TripAdvisor we decided to stay at this hotel at the end of March for a week - we were not disappointed. Dana Hawkes welcomed us to the hotel and gave us a corner suite on the 37th floor so the views were spectacular and the room itself was perfect and extremely clean. The kitchen was ideal for making breakfast in the mornings as there is a supermarket around the corner that sells everything so this was perfect. The bathroom was a fair size, extremely clean with fresh towels and toiletries and was cleaned everyday along with the rest of the suite. The maid even washed up for us! \nWith regards to the area, it was perfect with a villagey feel - we stayed at Time Square last time which was dreadful so this certainly suited us this time. Although a residential area, we were surrounded by boutique shops, classy bistros, sports bars, etc yet only 5-10min walk to Macy's, so the area is perfect for sight seeing.\nWhen we go back next year we will definitely stay here again as Dana Hawkes and Glenroy Brown really looked after us. \nIf you want the tackiness and vulgar side of NYC, maybe stay near Time Square and the Novotel because you certainly would not find that in the area of Murray Hill......take my word for it!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We are a couple in our 30's visiting New York for the first time for a week, so we were looking for a good location, good value, comfort and quiet to recover from long days sightseeing. The Affinia Dumont was all of the above and more.\nThe Affinia is centrally located in the Murray Hill/midtown area, 3 blocks away from the empire State and a block away from the 6 train which will take you to the all important SOHO and West Village area in less than 10 minutes. We had a 1 bed king room (actually 2 double beds), and we asked for a high floor on arrival which gave us great uniterrupted views over the financial district and hudson river. The room were spacious, spotless, with tastefull comfortable furniture and decor. The desk and workspace area was really helpfull when planning our days. Lots of nice touches like aveda toiletries and fit kits in your room. The beds are super comfy and our high room meant zero traffic noise. There is a gym and spa, which we didn't use but the spa looked great. All the staff were really friendly, got to know you and very helpful in giving city advice, and booking tickets. We ate in the Barking dog once, and ordered room service from there, food was fine. The only thing that this hotel was missing is perhaps a lounge / bar area to relax outside your room, but we didn't really find this an issue. Absolutely recommended, and would stay there again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "We are a young couple who stayed at the Affinia Dumont for five nights during February 2006. This hotel is presented as a fitness hotel. This means they offer a gym (No pool) for you to exercise in during your stay. They will also provide, free of charge, an exercise pack for your room or suite. These packs centre on a particular theme such as Yoga or Weight Training. The rooms appear brand new and are obviously well kept. \nThey offer a large room in which to sleep (A major plus against other NYC hotels) with two queen size beds in a studio suite. The bathroom is again large with a bath and shower and a large wall mirror. All the rooms come with a small kitchen with appliances such as: cooker, fridge freezer, microwave and coffee maker. This kitchen is ideal if you have small children and you need to provide food as and when. The view from the windows can be great so ask for a high floor. The television is large and offers several high end channels such as HBO and childrens entertainment, so there is plenty to watch if you decide to stay in. The room also has a small electronic safe for any valuables which is free of charge. They also offer a pillow menu where you can you choose pillows such as Swedish Memory.\nThe location of the hotel is ideal being 4 blocks away from the Empire State Building and one block from 33rd Street subway. If you fly in from JFK the hotel is not far away from the tunnel which leads to the highway towards the airport. Around the hotel there are several bars and restaurants and various grocery shops which are ideal for getting supplies for the room. \nThe staff at the hotel are great and if you need anything such as a restaurant recommendation of how to get to somewhere just ask and they will help. Once a week the hotel has a meet the staff session with free wine, cheese and a massage!\nTo conclude this is an excellent hotel with an excellent location and staff whom bend over backwards to ensure your have a great stay.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "My wife and I stayed at the Affinia Dumont back in September for 7 nights for our honeymoon and was booked through AirMiles on the strength of its TripAdvisor rating. We were not disappointed.\nAfter finding the hotel by accident no thanks to a useless taxi driver who had no idea where he was going, we were greeted by very friendly staff. We were given the choice of a room on a higher or lower floor which we chose the higher for the view and away from traffic noise.\nThe room itself (up on the 31st floor) was enormous. The lounge area was very comfortable, the bed huge and kitchen area really did help out storing light snacks and drinks from the nearby convenience stores.\nThe location was fantastic, only 5 or so minutes from the Empire State Building and 10 from Macy's. Even Times Square was easily within walking distance and only trips to Brooklyn Bridge and the Guggenheim Museum required the subway which was only a block away on 33rd street and no need to change lines.\nWe ate at the Barking Dog twice, once for the breakfast and our first evening there and had no complaints although stopped short of ordering room service as the price was a little on the high side for what it was.\nThe staff were more than helpful booking a taxi to take us back to the airport, looking after our bags once we checked out and finding out information from our CityPasses (which are also recommended).\nThe room rate we paid was about \u00a3175 per night which I thought was reasonable. If I were staying in New York again, I would certainly consider staying here a second time and in fact our friends have stayed here too on the strength of our recommendation.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We stayed at the Affinia Dumont on January 12 - 15, 2006. We stayed there because of all the wonderful reviews we read on tripadvisor. We were so impressed with our stay, especially since we paid only $220 for the first night and $169 for the following two nights. \nWe were greeted the first and every time we arrived by very personable doormen. The front desk personnel were polite and we were given a room that we had requested (low floor, corner, non-smoking, away from elevator). There were only six rooms on our floor, so we didn't have to worry about noise from many doors slamming and people talking as we all know we have unfortunately experienced at other hotels. The elevator was very fast and we had to wait no more than one minute for one to arrive (they have four total). The lobby was small, but there was a computer that you could use (you need to pre-pay for internet use), and smelled like eucolyptus (probably from the day spa on the second floor).\nOur room was fantastic. We had no fantastic view, but that didn't matter to us. As you can see from our photos, the room was large compared to the average New York hotel. There was a very comfortable chair and ottoman to sit in, an efficient desk to work at, and plenty of closet and dresser space. There was a place to hang your coats and even a complimentary umbrella to use for your stay. There was a great stocked fridge and mini bar (though we didn't take anything because there are two great markets around the corner), and the bathroom was filled and refilled daily with Aveda products. The shower had great pressure and there were always plenty of towels. The beds were unbelievably comfortable and the room was extremely quiet (we heard no street or hallway noise). Our heater rattled a little bit, but in no way enough for us to call maintenance. \nThere is a Duane Reade across the street from the hotel on the corner, a great gourmet market and deli down the block, a supermarket a little farther down, and a nice liquor store next to the market. There is a great cafe, Cinema Cafe, on the next block that had great food. We ate at restaurants not in the immediate area, so I can't recommend any more. \nAll in all, I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND staying at this hotel. We were 100% satisfied and can't wait to return there again soon!!!!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Stayed three nights first week in January. Good rate of $249/night through Affinia website. Arrived around 1:30 pm, luggage promtly taken by porter curbside. Check in prompt and friendly. Request for upper floor room w/ a view granted. One bedroom suite 22nd floor with a great view of Chrylser bldg and city. \nRoom was very good size for NYC and spotlessly clean. Aveda toiletries, great beds, small kitchen (which came in handy for snacks/drinks). Noticed heater was making loud rattling noise. Called front desk - maintenance had it fixed in 20 minutes. Suite had a good sized work desk for biz travelers. Showers steaming hot with great pressure. Turn down service was perfect. \nSome street noise even 22 floors up but hey, this is New York! Decor is contemporary but not over the top so.\nLocation is excellent. Several great restaurants one block away on 3rd. Greek restaurant, Ethos, had the best baby lamb chops I have ever had. Murray Hill Diner, also one block away,awesome for breakfast. Duane Read Drug Store directly across the street very convenient. \nThis hotel is in a renovated former apartment bldg. The lobby is small but fine. There seemed to be not more than 4-5 rooms on each floor. The \"theme\" of the hotel is fitness but we did not really use those facilities. \nThere were only two SMALL negatives. First the elevators were a little scary. We actually got stuck between floors once for a minute and they were a little bouncy. Affinia had elevator repair people there during our stay. This was nothing major and shoud not deter anyone from staying there. Second, the doormen were a bit spotty. What I mean by that is that sometimes they were there and sometimes they were not. When we did see them they were courteous and friendly.\nOverall this is a very nice hotel in a great part of town and is part of a chain that seems to be making quite a name for itself with its various properties throughout NYC. You should not expect over-the-top white glove service as you might at the Four Seasons, Trump, The Pierre, etc., etc., Just a very nice, very clean no hassle stay. Definetly above average, perhaps just shy of excellent. If you can book a room under $200 or a suite under $300, grab it! Would I try one of Affinia's other NYC properties? Absolutely! \nHope this helps.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "Stayed on the basis of TripAdvisor reviews in early December. As others have said, the hotel is very well positioned, the staff are friendly and helpful and the main bedroom large and clean. The bathroom was rather small; the kitchen was fairly useful but could be better employed. The bed was very comfortable and the furniture and carpet OK, but showed wear and tear. The view was unexciting. There is a very small public area.\nThe hotel was perfectly adequate for our needs but it is not first class. In my view, it should only enjoy its premier position in TripAdvisor\u2019s hall of fame by charging relatively low rates. We however paid \u00a3322 (about $550) on average per night via expedia - which is about twice the rate that I think the hotel is worth. It was of course Christmas but I believe the room was still significantly overpriced. At half this price, the Affinia Dumont would warrant an \u201caverage\u201d to \"above average\" rating.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We've just got back from spending new year in NY and stayed here for the 3 nights 30th Dec to 1st Jan. I picked the Affinia Dumont based on recommendations from this site and wasn't disappointed. In fact, it exceeded my expectations even though it had such a good write up! The staff there were so friendly and helpful, and the door man even went off out in the pouring rain for 10 mins to get me a fixed fee cab to JFK when I left! \nWe had a room on the 30th floor overlooking E 34th and the view was stunning, both at night and during the day (see photos). Having stayed in NY before I know how small the rooms can be, but this wasn't just big compared to them, it was big compared to most places I've stayed in! We were in a King Studio and the bed was enormous. OK neither of us are that big, but even so it was huge..\nOne of the great things about NY is walking around and exploring the city. This place is close enough to walk most of the usual stuff and along the way to get to see a part of NY you'd normally miss. We walked back from the fireworks in Central Park on New Year's Eve (72nd)and it only took 40mins or so. It's also surrounded by good places to eat and drink (we didn't try the Barking Dog, so can't comment) and some useful takeaway places like Go Sushi and local deli's very close.\nI really do recommend Affinia Dumont if you're going to New York", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I just came back from a 2 night stay at the Affinia Dumont (11/18-11/20). The room was booked online on the Affinia website for $299/night for a studio suite for 2 people. My reason for choosing to stay there was based largely on the #3 popularity index ranking on tripadvisor (it's now #2 as of 11/21), as well as the many positive reviews from previous guests; however, the most compelling part of the Affinia Dumont was the price. It was the cheapest well-reviewed hotel I could find online. The other hotels I seriously considered prior to choosing the Affinia Dumont included: Millenium Hilton, Hilton Times Square, and the Westin. All of these were much more expensive, being in the $450+ range.\nLOBBY:\nThe lobby, as mentioned in some of the other reviews, was small. However, being that we spent a total of about 15 minutes in the lobby, that did not matter much. There was a pleasant fragance all throughout the lobby. A free fruit basket was located on one side of the front desk counter; free \"exilir\" juice was located on the other.\nSTAFF:\nThe staff was very friendly and courteous. The gentleman who checked us in was very helpful and suggested that rather than checking in immediately (we were early), we wait for a better room that was being cleaned. We left our bags at the front and when we came back a couple hours later to check-in, he stated that the room reserved for us was no longer available (which, I guess could be considered a negative point). However, he proceeded to upgrade us to a one-bedroom suite.\nROOM:\nWe were upgraded from a studio suite to a one-bedroom suite which was very nice and very large. We were in room 3501, which had a great view of the East River. The living room area had a large desk, TV, stereo, couch and 2 chairs, and plenty of extra room. The kitchen was small, but sufficient and surprisingly contained everything a full-sized kitchen would have. It had a fridge, sink, microwave, dish washer, stove, plenty of shelf space, and utensils/dishes/etc. The bedroom was large with a TV, plenty of closet space, a comfortable bed, an older-looking (i.e., dirty-looking, but not dirty) comforter, nice clean sheets, and plenty of pillows. The bathroom was of average size and was stocked with Aveda products, which I understand is a good brand. The furniture and decor throughout was nice, clean, and looked fairly new. The walls did seem a little thin, as we did hear noise from above and through the door periodicaly, but not at all to the point of being a nuisance.\nLIGHTING:\nI usually could care less about the lighting in a hotel room, but in this case it is interesting to note that the lighting actually enhanced our room experience. Most of the lights were on dimmers, and while the majority of them served as functional lighting, there were several that provided some very nice ambiance lighting.\nLOCATION: \nWe walked and took the subway everywhere; we did not take any cab rides. With this being said, it was nice that the Affinia Dumont was located 1.5 blocks away from the subway station (Lexington 4/5/6 green line, 33rd st. exit). Since the subway was so close, all of the New York sights and attractions were easily accessible; we took the subway to see everything from Ground Zero to Central Park and were always able to return to the hotel with ease. There is a good selection of bars/restaurants and a grocery store nearby.\nOVERALL EXPERIENCE:\nOverall, the Affinia Dumont was very impressive and we were extremely happy with our stay. The value of this hotel was incredible (for Manhattan, that is), being that I can't imagine how much better an experience we would have had in a hotel that cost a lot more per night. Please note that a lot of this was due to the fact that we were upgraded to a one-bedroom suite, which was a great room. I don't know how our experience would have been if we had not been upgraded and instead stayed in the smaller studio suite, so please take that into account. For this reason, I rated the hotel a 4 instead of a 5, since not everyone would be so lucky to get an upgrade without asking. With that being said, I *highly* recommend you consider this hotel the next time you travel to New York City.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "I'm not sure that everybody is revewing the same hotel here. The Affinia Dumont is certainly not opposite Penn Station!\nI was extremely disappointed with the hotel, aside from the large rooms it didn't really do much for me. Despite a request when the booking was made (several months ago) for a high room with views we were on the 10th floor, they only had high floors available with single beds. No major problem but a little customer care goes a long way. The Concierge was actually whoever was on reception and in this instance was very poor, a request to confirm some restaurant reservations that we had made was noted but not acted upon, we discovered this when the restaurants in question rang to confirm our reservations themselves several hours later. When we requested information on getting to the airport we were pointed to the station and told that they couldn't call us a shuttle bus, we would have to do it ourselves!\nThe rooms were large but old fashioned, the air conditioning units were very loud and I dread to think what it must be like during the summer. Noise from adjoining rooms and across the hallway was especially prevalent, lots of hotels have locked adjoining doors to rooms but the gaps between them left a lot to be desired and televisions and telephone conversations were clearly audible despite not being particularly loud and so much light came through from the neighbouring room that we had to block the doorway with towels.\nOverall I was disappointed and would have preferred a smaller room with better services. I struggle to understand why this is even in the top ten hotels in New York, let alone ranked number 3!", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My girlfriend and I just spent Columbus Day weekend at the Affinia Dumont, and we have nothing but great things to say about the room size, amenities, location, and staff.\nI had stayed there in 1998 in a two-bedroom suite, I was impressed and the place has gotten even nicer since. I'm glad I chose A-F again this visit.\nIt is located on East 34th Street, which is about 4 blocks from The Empire State Building, 7 blocks from Madison Square Garden / Penn Station, and about a 10-minute walk to Times Square and 5th Avenue shopping. Prime location in a nice neighborhood, plenty of deli shops and restaurants in the area, and even a Duane Reade (pharmacy/drug store) at the corner. I'm sure the subways are nearby, but we opted against riding them with the threat rumors circling that weekend, so we decided to use the cabs and walking instead. I think on Sundays there's a street fare about 4 blocks long along one of the adjacent streets, with vendors selling hand bags and food. We walked along that and before we knew it, we had reached Grand Central Station Terminal.\nOur room (\"studio\" or \"junior\"?) was L-shaped and located on the 28th floor, luckily got a corner room which offered views of both the skyscrapers uptown as well as of the river and Long Island across the way. We had a great view of the Chrysler Building, which appeared to be about 8-10 blocks to the north.\nSince the building itself does not take up that much space square-footage wise, there are only about 6 rooms on each floor, which means less fellow patrons around you and offers a much quieter feel. It's almost like you're living in a luxury apartment setting!\nThe kitchen offers a stocked refrigerator (sodas, beer, even ice cube trays) but save money and go to the corner deli's and buy your drinks there to store in the fridge. There's also a stove, cabinets with pots and pans and plates/bowls/utencils, a sink, microwave, and bread toaster! If you really want to save money, bring some eggs and a loaf of bread, and you could make a nice breakfast each morning! And don't worry about not finishing that meal if you grab dinner in Little Italy (only a $10 cab ride away), you can bring it back to your room, store it in the fridge, and cook it up the next day.\nBusiness desk is nice and large, comfy chair, had internet connection but we didn't bring our laptop so we couldn't test out the speed. We were there for play, not work!\nLiving room area was spacious, with a couch and matching seat. Great for lounging around or even an afternoon nap without having to mess up the bed.\nThe bed is very comfortable, we didn't feel like we were at a hotel, it felt like home.\nIt was a cool and rainy weekend, so we had to turn on the heat in the room, and while the system was noisy at times the room was nice and warm. Just remember to turn it off at night so the noise doesn't wake you!\nThe bathroom is clean, updated tiling and nice Kohler brass sink. There are two sets of lights (one over the sink, and one in the tub area), along with a movable magnifier mirror, nice touch if you're like my girlfriend who spends a good amount of time picking and poking at face things! The shower was wonderful, despite being on the 28th floor the water pressure was better than the 2nd floor one at home. The shower head provided a nice massage flow. And no worries about lack of hot water, position the knob to the middle and that should be plenty warm. Only problem was the sliding door, it didn't lock and there was maybe a 1/8\" gap opening when \"fully closed.\" Didn't matter much to us, it was probably just in our room that this door didn't shut all the way, but it could present a problem if you have a bunch of friends who seek extreme privacy!\nProfessional front desk service, and friendly bellhops. There are four elevators so there's little wait time - the longest we waited was maybe 5 seconds.\nValet parking is available, but it's $35/night for regular sized cars, and $45/night for SUVs and small trucks. There's a garage across the street, but since it's not affiliated with the hotel we decided against that one, even though the rates may have seemed less expensive. Just remember to call the front desk to get your car about 20 minutes ahead. There's a restaurant (\"Barking Dog\") located in the lobby level, but we dined elsewhere.\nAll in all, it is a highly recommended hotel, well-reviewed and deservedly so, I would definitely stay there again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Where can I begin. We arrived fairly early and being on our honeymoon we had requested a room on a high level. The room was not quite ready for us, so the porter took our cases and we went and eat next door at the Barking Dog. Just to add, food is superb from here highly recommend it. Getting back to the hotel, our room was the biggest I had ever been in, it was a studio apartment, but the bed could have slept four adults. Reading other reviews saying that new york hotels have the smallest rooms. If you want space come to this Hotel. We also had a kitchen with everything you could need. The views were amazing and the location was five minutes walk from empire state building. We loved New York and would definately go back to this Hotel. The staff were very helpful and would do anything for you ( and I dont believe this was just to recieved a tip either )Its a three star hotel, but I would give it five stars.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I could recommend this hotel to everyone, but I want a room here again the next time I visit, so let's keep it a secret. Clean, upscale, modern and with all the accessories/amenities you could want, including free use of a pedometer and CD player while you are there! We arrived late (at 1:00am) and they didn't have the exact room we requested (we wanted a high floor, king bed, non-smoking), but they upgraded us to a Jr. Executive Suite for our whole stay complimentary! Great views, excellent location and comfy beds, Aveda products, a kitchen that you can actually cook in, and never once did anyone \"bother\" us, including any noise from any other room! Can't say enough about our stay! Wonderful! Some say that the price can be a bit hig, but we got our room for $250/night including taxes & everything from Northwest Airlines website under their hotel section.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "my husband and i stayed at this hotel on the basis of the reviews on here.\nWe werent disappointed! it was an excellent hotel. Great location. within easy walking distance of the Empire State Building and surrounding parks/shops. \nWe must have had the best view in the hotel! although i'm sure most views (except maybe the rooms on lower floors) in this hotel are wonderful. Our junior suite had picture windows down two sides of the room and the view of the Chrysler Building was just fabulous.\nStaff were friendly and the room and hotel were spotless.\nA friend of ours who stays in New York on a regular basis, usually at one of the more 'upmarket' hotels, came to see our hotel and said he would be staying there from now on.\nCant recommend highly enough!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Too many New York hotels are legendary for having (a) rooms the size of postage stamps, (b) a surround-sound of constant noise, (c) web sites that bear no resemblance to their reality, and (d) prices far higher than the actual level of your experience. Blessedly, none of these things is true of the Affinia Dumont.\nThis hotel is defined by two physical facts: its location in Manhattan, and its height. The block of East 34th Street on which it's located will never be the culminating scene of a romantic Hollywood movie full of visual cliches about New York. But it's fabulously convenient for anyone driving into or out of Manhattan, since it's a couple of blocks from either the exit of the Queens-Midtown Tunnel or the 34th Street exit from the FDR Drive, and offers a straight shot west to the Lincoln Tunnel entrance on the other island of the island. The location also leaves the hotel out of the traffic crunch and noise carnival nearer the heart of midtown. And it has great access on foot to the Empire State and Grand Central. Walk a little east and south, and you're in the heart of Murray Hill. \nThe hotel's height -- 37 stories -- is also crucial, since that means that its rooms above 30 stories are remarkably quiet for Manhattan. And rooms on those floors also have commanding, handsome views of the Chrysler Building and other skyscrapers to the north, and the East River to the east.\nRoom decor in the Affinia Dumont is comfortable and rather corporate, without being fussy or ornate. We had a junior suite for two nights and found it spacious for two people. Beds are very comfortable, mirrors abound, and high-speed Internet connections are in every room. The staff is faultlessly polite and cheerful, and the in-house spa and work-out room are welcoming and well-equipped.\nIf there's a drawback, it's the absence of any public spaces, shop or restaurant in the hotel proper. The lobby is small and sleek in a nondescript kind of way -- no place where you'd want to linger. The adjoining restaurant, the Barking Dog, is cute as a cafe, but its role in providing room service leaves a lot to be desired, for a hotel that aims to offer luxury/boutique service. For example, breakfast orders are brought to the room in take-out fashion (in paper bags and foam cups), and the food quality is ordinary.\nBut if you'd like a base of operations in New York that can give you the sensation of having your own quiet, attractive, roomy apartment, with classic Manhattan views and a location from which the whole island can readily be reached, this is it...", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I recently stayed at the Affinia Dumont with my family for five nights while we were on vacation in New York. The hotel was excellent in all respects. It is located only a couple of blocks from the Empire State Building in New York City near the intersection of Lexington and 34th in the Murray Hill area. The subway was only a block and a half away and, while it was a healthy walk, we were able to walk to Times Square from the hotel.\nThe room was much larger than I expected. It had a large living room with very attractive and comfortable furnishings, including a couch with a pull out bed, a comfortable easy chair and a very effecient office area. There was a large TV in the living room, a stereo and video game capability but we had little time to use any of those things while we were there. \nOur room also had a nice kitchenette with a refrigerator, stove, microwave and dishwasher. The bedroom was great as well. We had two queen size beds (real queen size beds not full size). The beds were VERY comfortable and they give you an option of several different pillows to choose from. The bedroom was also much larger than I expected. By comparsion, the rooms were much larger than what you normally get at an Embassy Suites and much larger than I ever expected in New York City.\nWe were on the 32nd floor and looked right out on the Chrysler Building. We couldn't have asked for a better view. Also, there were only five rooms on our floor and everything was very quiet.\nThe staff was very friendly and accomodating. One of the ladies at the front desk helped us arrange tour tickets and the valet helped us with directions on several occasions and travel arrangements to the airport. On our first night there, the air conditioner in the bed room was making a slight gurgling noise that wasn't bothersome but just didn't sound right. I reported it the next morning, and that day they sent someone up to look at it and that night the front desk called to see if the problem had been solved. \nThe hotel has a \"fitness theme\" and has a full service spa on the second floor, which I never got to use. But I did use the fitness room, which was great. Each of the stairmasters, etc have a flat screen tv on it so you can watch whatever you want to. Also, in the lobby, they usually have a complimentary herbal tea, which was nice when we got back to the hotel after walking in the city- it was in the mid 90s when we were there.\nAll in all this was one of the nicest hotels I've stayed in with very friendly people working there. I highly recommend it, whether it be for a business trip or a vacation.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 24}, {"text": "This was our first experience staying overnight in NYC and, it was a pleasant experience. The staff was VERY helpful and friendly. The rooms are clean and comfortable. I had heard that rooms in NYC are extremely small but did not find this to be true in the one bedroom suite. The only complaint was the pull out sofa was not too comfortable. The location of the hotel is great if you are looking to be away from all of the activity. The hotel was a little pricey ($500) but that may have been because we booked two days before.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 24}, {"text": "We stayed at this hotel at the beginning of July for four nights and were very pleased with our choice. We had requested a room on a high floor with a view by email direct to the hotel and were pleased to discover that we had both! Our room was on the top floor and had a fantastic view of the chrysler building.\nThe room was large and light and the bed was very comfortable, exactly what we needed after a tiring day in New York. The bathroom was small but had every thing that we needed and the shower worked very well.\nWe also had a small kitchen and a fridge to keep water in and we were able to make coffee in the morning.\nWe ate at the barking dog one morning, i enjoyed the pancakes and fresh fruit and struggled to finish them!\nThe location of the hotel is excellant, many attractions are within walking distance, and there are plenty of restaurants nearby.\nWe would certainly reccommend this hotel and will return if we find ourselves in New York again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I decided to stay in this hotel based on the superb reviews it received on Tripadvisor.com, my favourite travel website. This is one of the few times I can say that Tripadvisor steered me wrong. Very wrong.\nIt's almost as though all the reviewers who have written glowing reports were staying at a different hotel than I. The problems were non-stop from my arrival 'til my departure. Just one example... my room was very warm even when I put the air conditioning to its coolest setting. Called downstairs to see if this could be remedied. Waited close to an hour in the room for a gentleman to come upstairs and try to fix it (and yes, I had plenty of other things I'd have preferred to do on a Manhattan afternoon). The maintenance person arrived, glanced at the air conditioning unit, then Opened the Windows! That was his solution. I was on the 5th floor. The sound of traffic was loud even with the windows shut! Of course it was too noisy to sleep with the window open, so I had to close it and sweltered through the night.\nOverall, this hotel gave me the amenities, service and quality I would have expected from a $130/night in total. Instead, I paid well more than double and feel really \"ripped off.\" I will never, ever stay here again.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Just returned from a great stay at the A.D. We arrived very early in the day and were able to check in. We also checked out late. In both these instances the staff could not have been more accomadating. Our room was large, comfortable and nicely decorated. My only criticism relates to the fitness center which is adequate at best. This hotel is a good value in a good location with a GREAT staff. Thanks- we'll be back.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 28}, {"text": "Recently stayed at the Affinia Dumont and the staff was very friendly and attentive. Good midtown location.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "People who do not like the Dumont must have had a singularly bad experience. I was booked to stay 3 nights following July 4th. As many have said, the room size was larger than most other hotels I've stayed in\nthrought the country. The location was convenient to many subway stations, and Times Square was easily walkable. The staff were all super nice and helpful (I was given very specific subway direction more than once). To top it all off, I cut my stay short by one night (due to heavy rain moving in), and after letting the front desk know at 9:00 am the day I was checking out, they not only didn't charge me for the extra night, I also checked out at 1:30 with no problems. The staff never gave me an ounce of grief or ran me an attitude. Even though I'm sure there are many other nice hotels in NYC, I'll be staying at the Dumont in the future.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "NY hotel rooms are known for being small and nasty until you hit some very premium pricing. This place was a very welcome exception. Great room with amenities, good location, nice and helpful staff. Would highly recommend.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "On our return from Aruba, we decided to stop off and visit my sister in law who lives in Manhatten. She is around the corner from this hotel and reccomended it highly. We got a great internet rate and were only there for two nights. Upon our arrival we were greeted very proffesionally by the desk staff. The lobby if very small but comfortable. Our room was more than we had anticipated, the bed was very comfortable. There was an Ironing board, hair dryer, a full kitchen. There was fruit waiting for us and it was a treat. The view was spetacular and we really relaxed here. The doormen and porters were very helpful. I would like to add that these folks went above and beyond anything I could have asked for. On our last night, we needed a 3:45 am wake up call. I called down to the front desk and asked for a wake up call. Just to make sure the desk person called me back immediatly to make sure it was for 3:45 AM not PM. I really appreciated this person's attention. As we were sitting in JFK getting ready to depart, I realized I had left my camera charger pluged into the wall at the hotel. I called the hotel and the person at the desk stated that Chris the porter that had helped us with our bags would be getting it for us. He verified my mailing address and told me not to worry it would be mailed out to me. That put my mind to rest! I will be going back in October and will be staying here again!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I would agree that this is a great value hotel in a good location. Seeing so many positive reviews I expected better service from the staff.\nA friend and I spent a week at a Priceline hotel in a very small room. I booked one night at the Dumont after we had to extend our trip by a day and couldn't get a room at the Priceline hotel (Morgans). \nWalking into the room at the Dumont was like being in heaven compared to the small room we had been in for a week. We were in a corner room on the top floor with a beautiful view of Manhattan. \nIt was nice to have a kitchen. There was plenty of ice in the freezer. Our stove had one burner that wouldn't light. When turning on the others you kept hearing a clicking sound as it tried to turn on the one bad burner (?). I couldn't stand the noise so I ended up using the microwave to heat one serving of water instead of trying to use the stove to heat up more.\nThe bathroom was alright. It was nice to have a place to soak my feet after walking in Manhattan for a week. I got a surprise when I sat on the toilet seat and it bent underneath me while soaking my feet in the tub. I'm only 185 pounds. The only place to sit in the bathroom while doing your nails or grooming would be on that toilet seat, so they really should have harder toilet seats that can support the weight of an average person without surprising them.\nI did not find the staff to be particularly helpful. They were average, some staff members were good, some were mediocre. There was no consistency to the service. I found one staff member very helpful, but some others made me wait to get change for a $20 even when no other guests were standing at the front desk. I looked at my $20 bill sitting on their side of the counter while they ran back and forth doing something. It took about 5 minutes just to get change. I'm patient but I thought it odd they would make a guest wait like that for something relatively simple. They seemed disorganized most of the time I interacted with them.\nI tried ordering some pillows from their pillow menu. It seemed like a nice idea, but even after calling twice over about 3 hours, we never received any pillows. We came back late that night and didn't bother calling a third time. When I mentioned it at checkout the next day, I thought they might offer a small discount on the room. All they said was that I'd be receiving a feedback form by email and that I could fill that out. \nThe hotel is very close to a Starbucks, many restaurants and small groceries. A subway station is a few blocks away. Don't let them send you to Da Ciro, the Italian restaurant around the corner. The food and drinks are over priced, and service is not good. Instead go to Pasticcio on Third Avenue. \nI would definitely stay here next time because of the size of the rooms. It's a good value if you pay a discounted rate. I wouldn't expect good service from the staff though.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My wife and I stayed at this hotel from 27 - 30 April 2005. I have to say that the previous review sums the place up particularly well. It is an average 3 star hotel for which you have to pay steep prices. The room was clean and spacious but we never used the desk or lounge area. The TV does actually swivel so you can watch it in bed! The bathroom is small and quite dated - no wow factor! The kitchen area likewise - we only used the fridge. The gym was a bonus but was once again average.\nThe reception staff were pleasant and efficient.\nMy major gripe was the over attentive door staff who epitomised the tips culture! By the end of our stay we were sick of being told to \"be well\"! The lack of sincerity from these tip hungry vultures was apparent for all to see. When leaving our bags on check out for collection later we were told \"I won't be here later\" by the swarthy suited doorman. His palm was greased. I have a suggestion for the US government and that is to put in place legislation which ensures that those in the service industry are paid an amount on which they can live and that would go some way to ensuring that tips are provided only where merited - i.e. for genuinenly good service and not as a matter of course where weary service industry workers half heartedly put on the insincere smarm! What in effect the US has is a tourist stealth tax.\nTo finish on a positive note I would state that the location of the hotel is superb and the local amanities in third avenue excellent. The neighbourhood does not have a toristy feel which was great and there were some good bars and restaurants.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I hope to see Affinia Dumont reach #1. Best kept New York secret! My partner and I spent one night at Dumont for her birthday. We arrived for an early check-in to friendly, accommodating, and professional personnel at the front deak--after I mentioned my partner's birthday the woman who checked us in sent a complimentary bottle of wine to our room. When does THAT ever happen?\nOur room was spacious and clean -- the views were spectacular. I read another posting from someone in a room on the 36th floor who recommended requesting a room higher up. Thanks for the tip -- we ended up on the 36th floor as well in a corner room -- incredible skyline!\nWe loved the fitness center, Aveda products in the rooms, and the \"healthy\" feel of the place. We'll stay no where else in the future.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Did not think the hotel lived up to the reviews.\nSlightly shabby entrance and not very welcoming on arrival.\nThe suite while large was dark and the large desk area, while no doubt useful to business travellers, made the sitting area feel like a corporate area and was not inviting.\nHaving paid about $380 dollars per night via expedia, it seemed very expensive for what it was.\nThere had obviously been some effort to smarten the place up but the bathroom needed attention with flaking paint at the foot of the door.\nAttempts to book restaurants through reception were probably the worst feature. Restaurants being full is fine but twice returning to find no information about bookings was poor. On the first occasion reception did not even call back when advice was sought as to the status of the booking.\nAn extra remote found under the bed made me question the thoroughness of the cleaning regime but the bedroom was clean and by far the best feature.\nOn the final day the sight of someone eating fast food from polystyrene containers in an otherwise pleasant seating area just about summed up the experience. Acceptable if overpriced and would not rush back.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We have just come back from a week at the Affinia Dumont. Prior to going I had trawled the internet etc to choose the best hotel for our stay. I was impressed by all the reviews here and thought I had chosen well. What a disappointment. On arrival the lobby is really small and dark. Our room was a studio suite which was also quite small. I asked for a view of the East River if possible and got a view of the rooftop car park!. On our first evening there someone came banging into the room and only I had the latch on it would have simply burst into the room. The bathroom was small and the handle on the toilet was broken. The TV remote broke the first day. The walls looked like they were in need of a coat of paint. There was a huge bubble in the carpet as though someone had wet the floor and thus stretched the carpet. On our last morning they sent us up our bill, as well as the bill for a suite several doors down. There is no bar in the hotel so if you want a drink you have to go elsewhere. I know they are pretty small things but overall we were very disappointed. The location is good however for the money I think you can do so much better.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Having trawled the internet for accomodation for a 3 night stay with 2 girlfriends, i decided to book the Affinia Dumont hotel. Out of all the reviews on trip advisor, theirs seemed the most consistent. \nWhen we arrived we were not dissapointed. The staff are really friendly and helped us out with maps and trains. Room service for extra towels was very prompt. The room was spacious and very comfortable - especially the bed which was bliss. It was important to me to have somewhere to sit other than a bed after a hard day out shopping and the Affinia fitted the bill. We were able to relax in our lounge and use the kitchenette facilities which was great. The whole place was spotless. The bathroom was everything a girl could have wanted - a tub big enough to soak in with lovely Aveda products.\nThe area around the Affinia is great, not too hustle and bustle but relaxed with some good restaurants. We ate at the Barking Dog a couple of times and the food and the service was very good. Also try Blockheads around the corner - great fun.\nAll in all the Affinia was excellent and we have all decided that this is the place that we will return to.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My wife, baby, dog, and I spent three nights at the Affinia Dumont (March 7 to 9, 2005) and found the hotel above average and a great place for our dog. First the dog, our American Eskie was well received by the hotel's excellent doormen and front desk staff. A bit annoying was that we were among 3 guests who had to wait until 4pm for our rooms (check-in at 3pm). Our baby had just gotten sick crossing through the Lincoln Tunnel, and it was not pleasant waiting with a sick baby in the hotel's nice, but not extraordinary lobby. Nonetheless, doggie had a nice room on the 27th floor with us, overlooking the Chrysler Building; another faux pas was that the promised dog dish and maps to local doggie friendly restaurants was no where to be found--eventually the helpful staff found a dish but no maps. In short, there is a nice dog run on 26th and Madison in the park near 5th Avenue (we just asked dog owners on the street to find out dog walks). During our stay we met so many New Yorkers with dogs, and had a great time talking about dogs and the city. Kudos to Affinia Dumont, regardless of the oversights for accepting dogs in the property. \nThe dust bunnies, if you have a kid, you know the drill of moving the hotel bed over to the wall to prevent the baby from falling out of the bed. After traveling in Africa, Europe and the US with our baby (toddler), we are always surprised to find what treasures are under hotel beds. Well at the Affinia Dumont, we found a dollar coin, many dust bunnies and tissues of unknown origin. Some other complaints were that the dishwasher was not working well, several light fixtures were missing, and I suspect that a deep cleaning was not done on my room in weeks. But after working in Africa, most places I stayed at there, had not been cleaned in decades. So Affinia Dumont is a great choice for doggie, with a great staff, fastest elevators at any NYC hotel I ever stayed at. The location is great, restaurants everywhere, subway 2 blocks away, the 34 bus within steps, supermarket two blocks down; all in all, you cannot go wrong. My dog thanks you Affinia. But Affinia management, just pay attention to the small stuff; I hate dirty rooms and waiting in lobbies well past check-in time, and at over $200 a night, provide the stuff you promise (doggie bowl and maps) or just don't promise them, I also don't expect to be picking up dust bunnies and tissues upon arrival and looking for dog bowls and maps.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My wife and 21 year old daughter just finished a three day stay at the Affinia Dumont. It was a wonderful experience. \nWe arrived early on Sunday, checked our bags and set off to see the sights. We covered a lot of ground by foot, starting at the Empire State Building (go early and get your tickets online, it saved a lot of time). The hotel is within easy walking distance of many things and the subway connections were pretty good (once you find the entrances which are not well mark compared to Paris and London). Going uptown or downtown was easy.\nThe suite was roomy, clean and comfortable. We had a spectacular view from the north east corner of the 35th floor (the only problem we encountered in our stay was the wait for this room to be ready- it was worth it just to see the Chrysler Building at night).\nThere are markets and restaurant aplenty on Third Avenue just a half a block away and The Barking Dog (the restaurant attached to the hotel) offers pretty good fare too. The staff was very helpful and polite. We highly recommend it and we would definitely stay here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "December 27th - 3rd January 2005\nMy partner and I were moved to this hotel as we had been double-booked by our agent in the UK 5 days before departure date! What can I say we were the lucky ones!!! Our suite was on the 35th Floor overlooking downtown Manhattan, bed was huge and so comfy, room was spotless and to have the use of a fridge to put your personal goodies in fantastic. The staff were superb so helpful and polite. Location of the hotel brilliant, Empire and Macey's on your doorstop, close to the subways. We love walking and so we did!!! Rockerfeller Centre, Central Park and all the way to China Town, Battery Park (you name it we we did it) all on foot and a what a joy. This was my partner's first trip to NY and my 5th. I fall in love with it more everytime I visit. Highlight this trip was walking across Brooklyn Bridge on a wonderful, unseasonally warm sunny day for January and just staring back at the skyline. lunch Alfresco at the Pier afterwards, who could ask for more.\nLocal Info\nIf you love a hearty breakfast in the morning try the Diner in the next street 3 min walk, Joanne the Waitress simply a delight and the food, well we didn't eat again until late afternoon. The Italian also round the corner wonderful, full of noisy Italians, made you feel like you were on the set of the Sopranos and the house red gorgeous!!! Also try the Raw Bar (Shelburne hotel) 37st & Lexington, food wonderful, staff & atmosphere wonderful (great value for money too). Try the sweet potato fries with dip, great stuff.\nIn a nutshell, WONDERFUL.\nJeanette & John Romford Essex", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Spent the last 4 days of January at the Dumont with my lady. It is an outstanding well run hotel. The Affinia group runs a small group of hotels throughout the city. The rooms, as many have attested to, are of outstanding size by NYC standards. The beds & linens are of great quality. Bathrooms are spacious. Great water pressure. Oustanding views. The staff (thank you Christopher) is outstanding. Didn't use the kitchen (it's NYC!!!) but the fridge kept the beer cold. The immediate neighborhood is very safe. It has everything you need - great breakfast/coffee places, great places to get a drink, get your laundry/dry cleaning done in a couple of hours, lots & lots of cabs, all right there. My lady loved the spa. The green subway line at 34th street took us uptown to the Park and downtown to dinner off of Spring Street - don't understand those who have a problem with this line, for $2 it'll take you as far as you want to go North/South from 34th. This is the move. Book the room. Thanks Affinia, see you soon...", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I'm writing this from my desk in 1 bedroom suite on my laptop in the Affinia Dumont, I'm so very impressed with this hotel - not just me, but the family I bought with me are so hard to please!\n When the sunset came yesterday I just had to share with you the amazing view from our window, it's great isn't it? This is an uptown view, but if you ask on check in maybe you can get one of the other fantastic views....\n The staff are fantastic, extremely polite and aware of your needs, we actually checked in at 10:30am. \n I believed the internet access with STSN was reasonable at $9.95 a day, I've paid much more in Europe for such a facility.\n There is a full kitchen in the suite with a full size fridge freezer, microwave and cooker - even a dishwasher! Do not worry about getting supplies there are numerous markets/grocerey stores in the immediate vicinity.\n The beds are very comfortable, some of the best I've slept in, and the pillow menu is a nice touch.\n As you can see from the photo the hotel is in a great location, feels safe at any time of night and walking distance to many sights.\n The room is tastefully decorated in subtle earth colours, and while not state of the art, the in room amenities (2 TV's, 2x 2 Line phones, STSN) are very acceptable for a tourist such as myself.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "I put lots of research in to the perfect place for my girlfriend and I to stay for our 4day stay in NY. \nTHe reviews on the site were spot on. We had a fantastic experience. I totally recommend the hotel. The next time I go to New York, whilst its nice to 'try somewhere new' I shall be do my best to stay in the Dumont.\nWe asked for a view of the Chrysler building, Id recommend this. What a site! \nThe only other point Id make apart from all the other ones on the site are that the Kingsize bed was the most comfortable bed I have ever slept in. Having a bad back and being 6ft 4 in height, I can be quite particular about the bed. I could have slept for years. Infact it was so comfortable that at times its hard to get up at all! \nAlso I used the gym. Its the first Hotel Gym I have been in that actually provides enough good equipment to work out with!\nIf youre like me and you spends ages researching a hotel online before you book it, stop researching, the reviews ring true. This is a fantastic place to stay.\nWe stayed over the third weekend in January having travelled over from Ireland.\nFinally theres a great Italian restaurnat on 3rd avenue. Take a right as you go out the door and its just across the street.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We stayed at Affinia Dumont in Dec '04, and was quite happy until we checked out. The room is spacious as a New York standard, and people were very friendly. But, we were surprised to find a mini-bar charge on our bill when we were going to check out. In general, my husband and I would never touch on anything from a mini-bar because we always get drinks and snakes from outside before we head back to the hotel. And that was the case for this stay as well. We told them we did not consume anything, and they checked with housekeeping and took out the charge from our bill. Well, a months later when we got our credit card bill, we found another attempted charge!! Of course, we insisted that it has to be mistake, but the person we spoke to said that she had to get back to us, so they have not yet cleared this charge. Be sure you check your hotel bill and the credit card! I would hope that this hotel is not trying to trick their customers, but it is wired that it happened twice for our one stay. Its a nice hotel, but only pay cash so they can't sneak charges to your credit card after you've left!.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I give the Affinia Dumont an \"excellent\" rating for its value though I will try not to overstate it as a \"luxury\" hotel which to some it would be categorized while others might find it a bit disappointing. Overall, it's a great value.\nMy wife and I stayed at the Affinia Dumont Jan. 19-23 (Wed-Sun) in a Jr. Suite. (we were originally booked for a studio suite but we upgraded because of unavailability). We paid $219 per night for the Junior suite. I'd recommend to check out the (---) website to look at pictures and read about what they offer. This would be better rated a 3 - 3 1/2 star hotel if you are one accustomed to the Ritz, Hiltons and other high end hotels. Overall we were very happy with our stay though my interior design wife picked up on small things the hotel does to keep prices low (veneers on the furniture instead of solid woods, old kitchen, etc.). My wife and I would stay again though I'd recommend a higher floor than our 7th floor suite so you could have a better view and less street noise.\nMy wife and I were impressed with:\n1. Closeness to the subway: 33rd and Park Ave is just a block west and south of the hotel which makes for a short 2-5 minute walk. The 6 line runs north/south out of this station and it's easy to get just about anywhere in Manhattan and the greater New York area. Penn Station is only 1 mile east of the Affinia Dumont which made it convenient for us to take the AirTrain from JFK into Manhattan (we took a cab ride from the hotel to JFK on our outbound and it only took us 30 minutes on a low traffic day).\n2. Pleasantness of the staff: everyone from the doorman, bellhop, front desk and maid service were kind and helpful. They tried to meet our every request and did so with a smile. We had a small problem with our heater the first night that was quickly fixed after a couple phone calls. They even gave us an extra space heater for my wife who gets really cold. \n3. Quality of the rooms: We had a Jr. Suite that looked just like the pictures online. It was clean, spacious and seemed in good shape. There is a full but small kitchen that is nothing to write home about but we were able to get great use out of it by buying groceries and reheating leftovers, etc. The bathroom is nicely done with hot water and good water pressure. The soaps and lotions are from Aveda.\n4. Extras: hi-speed internet is offered though we did not use for $10/day. It is known as a health/fitness hotel though we didn't take advantage of that either. A nice touch was their choice of pillows: down, synthetic, buckwheat or memory foam. Nice touch. \nNo real downsides if you are looking for a spacious midtown Manhattan hotel with good service and nice rooms for a fair price. This is not the Ritz but then again, you're not paying Ritz prices either! I would highly recommend it for a weekend getaway, corporate event or any visit where you want to be in midtown Manhattan for a reasonable price.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "I stayed in this hotel for 3 nights based on the reviews, and I would like to say this is one of the over rated hotels out there, for my 190 bucks/night, I don't think this hotel is that great, here is why:\n* the location is not very convinient: the closest subway station is green line on 33rd st, which was not too far, but you will then almost always need to transfer to other routes to get to major attractions/shopping districts. As for walking, it's a bit ou of walking distance from anywhere\n*hotel is not as clean as it should be: I found left over peanuts(from the last guest) in my kitchen.\n*my kitchen creaks, this was particularly annoying at night, I guess this is due to the fact that this is an old building, and renovation was done on the old building\non the plus side: the service was good\nI would probably give it a 3 or 4 stars on usual bases, but just to alert some of you out there who is looking for a great hotel at reasonable price in NYC, this one may well be under your expectation, for me, if I would make the choice again, I would rather stay in a budget hotel and save the money for some other things.\nI hope this review(based on my experience) helps.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 13}]}, "93614": {"reviews": [{"text": "We have stayed here 5-6 times, typically during the Christmas holidays. This time we came over the summer for a quick weekend trip. I'm a Starwood guest, so my preferences are high floor, outside room, not right off the elevator...if possible. We're accomodating, and I don't expect all or even any of these to necessarily happen, just requests. Problem was: our first room had a flickering light in the closet, very annoying and no way we'd be able to sleep in there. It was like a strobe light. We left for an hour, it couldn't be fixed. Second room (after an hour), was.... right off the elevator, thermostat didn't get cool, a room we had before and didn't like (and requested not to be in). Then we waited in the lobby for an hour, 10pm, with our bags packed, sitting there. The front desk people have no autonomy to give out rooms, we had to wait for a \"manager\" who I guess was busy for an hour. When she showed (11pm), we got the lowest floor, inside room, no apology, etc. We didn't complain. Not a huge deal. Just for $800 a night we'd have liked better... maybe an apology, an upgrade (which I offered to pay for, didn't get it either free or paid for), anything. By the way, third straight time we had add-on minibar expenses we didn't use. To be honest I've paid it in the past because I didn't want to complain. This time I made them take it off since I got over-charged basically for my stay. On the plus side: our inside 5th floor room was comfortable, they gave us a car service to the airport unexpectedly which was a pleasant surprise, (PATRICK, THE GUY WHO STANDS OUTSIDE-- IS AWESOME), nice concierge. Overall, Mandarin is pretty nice at the same price. Can't really let guests move rooms 3 times then sit in the lobby for an hour, and not offer them something, even when they'll pay for it.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "This is fourth stay at St Regis and my last. I was there for work for four days and whilst I thought as a return guest, Starwood decent card holder and booked through Centurion I would be looked after, I was instead given a low floor, with a smell of cigarettes and with no view. It had one small window that looked out to a cement void that featured a regular rat looking for food. He became a daily friend. Getting a bad cold during the stay didn't help (when I wanted for some natural light as I slept it off). They did get me a housecall doctor which was great - but at $180. I guess that's fair. It is lovely hotel and the right room can make it a great hotel but they seem to play favourites and I wasn't one... I had a problem with my bill and this along with some other problems forced me to write my first ever complaint letter in a hotel. I never got a reply from the Manager I wrote too. What a disappointment.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Truth be told we sometimes balk at paying over $1000 for a few hours kip, but we were escaping distraught from the hideous Hudson hotel and thought we would treat ourselves, and see if the St. Regis lived up to it's price tag (and reputation.)\nOur stay didn't start off very well. No one met us with our bags at the door. We had to queue at check-in (this should have been a far slicker affair). A lady who had pushed in front of us gestured for us to go ahead . The rather surly girl at reception asked us whether it was actually our turn, which I thought was extremely rude, (us being British and never queue jumping). She didn't seem capable of smiling, so check in got a thumbs down. \nIt was an early morning escape from the Hudson and our room wasn't ready. We went to have tea in the breakfast room. The service was extremely slow. I had to go and ask the maitre d if anyone would serve us, and she didn't seem bothered that i felt the need to ask. 10 minutes later, and no waiter in sight. Add to this plentiful decibels of drilling and construction noise (for the new Alain Ducasse Restaurant opening there) and we again decided to flee into the much quieter new york streets.\nThe communal areas are OK, a little bit small, but you become accustomed to them.\nBUT that was the bad. The good was that once we were finally ensconsed in our bedroom we were delighted. As soon as you leave the ground floor and enter the upper corridors, serenity, taste and an immaculate cleanliness abound. Our room must have been newly furnished, as I had never seen such a pristine hotel room. The bedlinen couldn't have been softer, and in the bathroom, everything was perfect. It was even possible to have a shower with out the rest of the bathroom steaming up an iota. Our personal butler George was super efficient and eager to please, and made us feel very at home. Even our maid was beautifully turned out and went about our turn-down service with an unhurried grace that was quite beguiling.\nA few details in the room weren't quite right (the chandelier didn't work, there was no room service menu) but these were trifles compared to the quality of everything else.\nThe concierge had a few gems...he directed us to a gallery which is selling a picture from \"that crazy guy, you know the one that paints the sun\" (Van Gogh), and recommended a restaurant on the basis that it was \"not one where people go to compare their clothes\" - a profound man, and indeed his recommendation for us was spot on.\nOK long review but the short of it is...service mixed, you've seen a better lobby and dining areas, but the rest is perfection and worth ever penny.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "In a super quiet oasis of Beaux Arts luxury in midtown Manhattan we experienced an error prone stay. After gratefully receiving an early check in and a spacious room we received a telephone call not to use the bathroom because there was a sewer problem which would be fixed \"in a little while\". Meanwhile we could go across the street to the Sony Center to use the bathroom. However, I was not feeling all that well and had to stay in our room waiting to be told the problem was over. After four hours we telephoned and were told it was all right now. I do not know if we would ever have been notified.\nIn the evening, still not feeling well, I ordered room service and was told the \"24 hour room service\" would open at 7 pm. When I finally was able to order most of the items on the menu were not available due to \" a problem in the kitchen\". \n Meanwhile we attempted to find the Silver Sea cruise representative desk and were sent from one floor to the next looking for him. No one seemed to know where he was or when his desk was open.\nAt breakfast the service in the dining room was forgetfull: toast but no bread plates or butter, an unasked for glass of truly awful carrot-ginger juice, a long wait for everything. Then when we checked out we were charged again for the breakfast, although at check-in we had verified that our rate included breakfast. After all these inconveniences we were not offered any complimentary items or compensation, which would have, perhaps, overcome the need to write this negative review of a truly beautiful old-world hotel.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We truly enjoyed the St. Regis New York especially for the ultra-luxurious rooms with very comfortable dream beds fit for a king! Although we would categorize just a notch below some of the 5-star grand hotels of Europe, e.g. The Ritz London, Le Meurice Paris, etc. it is nevertheless a delightful retreat does not fail to pamper. The deluxe rooms and the marble bathroom were exceptionally large and beautiful, featuring all the expected amenities While we enjoyed the rooms a great deal, we felt that the lobby and other public areas of the hotel, while retaining the grandeur of the hotel's reputation, were not all that impressive. Service was superb, as would be expected in a hotel of this category. Location is excellent -- if looking for a convenient place to stay in New York, the St. Regis is centrally situated. We would certainly recommend this hotel to anyone wishing to spend upwards of $600 per night for accomodations in Manahattan. Well worth the price.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 30}, {"text": "Overpriced room rates do not grant great service \u2013 that is for sure. I don\u2019t know what they got their awards for - service it is not. Besides, the former gem of a hotel has lost its charm. What did they do to the rooms? Breakfast was mediocre at best \u2013 not what we were used to. Staff is plain snobby. Isn\u2019t the company publicly traded or so? That would explains how they keep busy. Looking at trip-advisor stories of other visitors, I must say that they read like a hotel brochure.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "First of all, unless you're willing to spend an outrageous sum of money simply to have a once-in-a-lifetime type of experience, don't even think of staying here. Like the decor and service, the prices are over the top. I paid $600 per night, and that was with a AAA discount on a summer weekend. Cocktails in the King Cole Bar run $15-$20. Room service breakfast is $30, before the service charges and taxes. \n--BUT--\nit's completely worth it. This is not simply about a luxurious place to leave your bags, lay your head, and have an evening cocktail. The St. Regis is a representation of a lifestyle that most of us can only afford on an infrequent splurge, if at all. These are guest rooms straight out of Versailles and staff for whom service is a career, not a stopover job. \nThe location, at 5th Avenue and 55th St., is right in the middle of prime shopping and close to Central Park and Rockefeller Center. The Theatre District is a short cab ride or moderate stroll away. \nThe rooms are something special, with ornate [but not overly so] decor including half-canopies on the beds, plush carpeting, huge bathrooms [by New York standards], good-sized closets, and padded silk wall coverings. My room was done in soothing and highly attractive muted tones of steel blue and mint green. I understand there are a couple of color schemes. There's also a \"command center\" at the bed, which will allow you to control all the lights in the room, adjust the air/heat, play different types of music, look up hotel/tourist information, and page your butler. [Each floor has a personal butler assigned who will take care of your every wish. You'll be taken up to your floor by the front desk staffer, where you'll be greeted by your butler at the elevator.] I would definitely recommend spending the extra $50 or so per night and getting the deluxe room, which includes a sitting area. The sitting area turned out to be a comfortable silk sofa, nice armchair and a coffee table with a large live orchid. There's also an end table with a selection of treats such as fresh fruit, nuts, mineral water and chocolates [complimentary]. \nThe service can't be faulted--two items are allowed for complimentary pressing and they will be returned by the butler with a hand-written note. Luggage is handled extremely efficiently and every request is seen to promptly. They didn't drop the ball on anything during my entire stay. There's also an e-butler who can handle pre-arrival requests by e-mail--a nice, convenient touch.\nThe King Cole Bar is legendary as the birthplace of the Bloody Mary [originally the Red Snapper] and the famous mural. Service here is also top-notch; easy-going but professional. The room is smallish, but in a cozy way with comfortable seating and expertly-made cocktails. The restaurant is open for all meals--didn't eat there, but it's a nice room with large windows. \nThere are also a couple of lounges in small rooms off the lobby with intimate seating groupings, high ceilings and beautiful antique furniture. \nIf you require a sweeping view, this may not be the place for you. The park-view rooms at the Ritz-Carlton may be better. But everything else about the St. Regis is absolutely superb.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "CURIOUS?? Why would you spend thousands of Australian Dollars to stay in an Astor Suite at the St Regis? I was!! -along with 2 female Aussie friends I saved my money so that we could book an Astor Suite for 3 nights furing a New York Visit that formed part of a 5 week Europe and America Dream Vacation.\nSo.... Is it worth the expense?? EVERYONE Should Live the High Life and Experience the St. Regis! This venue didn't disappoint - but lived up to its reputation of Luxury with Refined Understated Elegance. Like me, if never having stayed in a venue in this price range you may be very curious what it is that a venue like this could possibly offer that would make it worth the high price? Well, let me try to explain our experience....\n On arrival we were warmly greeted by reception and escorted to our suite -(A lovely personal touch!) where we were introduced to our butler who returned within 10 minutes of our arrival with complimentary cheese and fruit platter and a steaming pot of coffee! As I relaxed on the gorgeous french antique style lounge, absorbed the luxurious but elegant decor and surfed the 100+ tv channels on the large flat screen tv - all thoughts of lost airport luggage, shopping and tourist attractions were put aside - One of our party opted for a soak in the deep marble tub (filled with Italian Aqua Di Parma luxury Bath Salts) - relaxing under the light of the bathroom chandelier while watching the large flat screen tv mounted above the bath! My other friend curled up on luxurious crisp egyptian cotton sheets with a feather pillow and a complimentary fashion magazine as our butler arranged for our luggage to be unpacked, our clothing pressed and our shoes shined. Within the hour we had settled and found our new home for the next 3 days... \n Despite the obvious attractions of 5th Avenue and New York City being right on your doorstep the St. Regis old world elegant charm very quickly took hold and we were reluctant to spend much of our 3 day visit away from the venue! The St. Regis is an experience that everyone should STOP to enjoy! By all means, on a tourist visit to New York - perhaps stay in another cheaper standard 5 star Hotel as a base for day trips (eg. Waldorf Astoria, & Times Square Marriot was also nice and great locations) - but factor into your visit a couple of nights at this more exclusive venue to allow the opportunity to stop and relax in New York City away from the crowds and the traffic and the hustle and bustle of life.\nDo as we did and save the extra funds required -and splurge on the experience. Sip Champange for Breakfast, visit the day spa, enjoy the room service, appreciate the twice daily servicing of your room by house-keeping, the turndown service, the daily complimentary delivery of fresh roses and fruit & pastry platters, and enjoy the friendly but non obtrusive pampering from the hotel service staff, \nAt the end of our booked stay we reluctantly checked out to transfer over to the Waldorf Astoria. During dinner that evening we reviewed our St.Regis Experience and realized we now had answered the question commonly asked by family members and friends who had learnt of the cost of our booking - , \" Why would you spend so many thousands of dollars on 3 nights of accomodation at a Hotel? (Aus $2800 per night) How can it possibly be worth it?? \" As we sadly farewelled the St. Regis - the answer was a clear and unaminous YES it was worth it! Every Aussie Dollar was well spent! It wasn't really any longer so much a question of whether this famous Hotel was worth it but rather - more the statement that WE are worth it!\nEVERYONE deserves and should take the opportunity to experience such a luxurious escape from the reality of daily living.\nSo Save up for an experience that will give you a taste of life at a higher level... As one of my friends commented - \" I felt really uncomfortable when I arrived....not being used to such luxury and over the top 'Tiffany silver service!' - On departure her comment was - \"I now feel so different - very comfortable with Chandeliers in the bathroom! This experience has made me feel like a Princess, stretched my comfort Zone, my expectations and desire to achieve-I now feel like I could own the place!\" \nThat made it Worth it! - Having had but a small taste of lifestyles of the 'Rich and Famous\" - might just help propel these 3 young single Aussie girls on to greater levels of personal & career success- Because we have now developed the taste for the finer things in life ! Not sure you can justify the price tag??? Take it from us - You ARE worth it!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "My family was very excited about celebrating two birthdays by spending President's weekend in NY.\nAfter spoending all day at the airport with a cancelled flight, we checked into the St Regis and ran to our Broadway Show.\nUpon returning to the room, we found a closet with 18 inches of hanging space. Being exhausted, we went to sleep without unpacking.\nWe were greeted in the morning with a view of heating pipes and pidgeons doing their \"thing.\"\nWe had asked when making the reservation for a room with a view.\nWe were so disappointed that we immediately checked out and went to the Palace. While the Palace does not have the charm, the professional and accomodating staff helped make a wonderful vacation.\nThe St Regis is not the \"only game in town.\"\nI really do not understand why they would treat first time guests this way. We will never return to the St Regis, and will not recommend this place to anyone.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I have been a regular guest at the St. Regis Hotel, New York. Over the years, I have stayed at the hotel many times and I have grown to love the place. I was even married at the hotel a couple of years ago (Pre-renovation). \nMy wife and I decided to celebrate our anniversary by staying at the hotel last week (Post Renovation). We reserved a Grand Luxe Room. Having heard that the hotel was undergoing a major renovation, my wife an I were eager to see what had been done. \nUpon entering our \"newly renovated\" room, we were shocked. Don't let the lobby fool you folks. In the guest rooms, all of the ambiance of the guilded age has been stripped away and replaced by modern furniture, a television that pops out of a gray fabric box and wall coverings and curtains that reminded my wife and I of a guest room at a typical Sheraton. What happenned to the beautiful furniture, the elaborate curtains and the tapestries???? As our mouths dropped to the floor, all we could say was \"WHAT WERE THEY THINKING???!!!\" \nWe soon learned that, with the exception of certain suites (which apparently remain unrenovated and decorated as before - thank God), the entire hotel (Superior Deluxe and Grande Luxe) has been renovated in a new and modern style. HOW SAD. This is clearly not the St. Regis we had grown to love. \nAs for the new and improved Spa, don't expect any surprises. As a matter of fact, a new coat of paint and newly installed handicap access in the locker room is all that has been changed. On a positive note, Juan Manuel, the best waiter in New York, still works in the hotel's restuarant, the Astor Court. If you eat there, be sure to ask for him. \nSadly, after many years of great experiences and wonderful memories, last week marked the last time my wife and I will stay at teh St. Regis, New York. Fortunately, the Ritz Carlton is just down the street.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My husband and I spent our 15th wedding anniversary at the St. Regis and will not return. We chose the St. Regis for this special anniversary and expected that as Starwood Platinum members we would be treated well. Instead, we were ignored, forgotten and lied to.\nAt check-in, it was clear that our room was not ready. When I pointed out that we were Platinum members celebrating our 15th anniversary, the clerk nervously searched her computer. When I asked her if we had been upgraded as Platinum members, she replied that we had. In fact, we were not upgraded at all and were placed on the lowest floor with no view and lots of street noise.\nThe newly renovated room was pleasant, but it was not what we expected as Platinum guests. We were not given our amenity points because, according to the front desk personnel, \"we treat all guests specially.\" She assured my husband that flowers and fruit would be delivered. We did receive some fruit but no flowers.\nThe \"personal butler\" is clearly a misnomer. We met our butler and asked for a luggage rack. When it was not delivered after an hour, we contacted the front desk and were told that our new butler would be arriving soon. She delivered the luggage rack, but by this time I had unpacked my bag on the floor. The next day we called our butler and got no response. She called me an hour later saying she had missed our call. These were our only two experiences with our \u201cpersonal butler.\u201d\nSupposedly breakfast was included with our room, but I had to call the front desk repeatedly to learn the particulars and was told several different stories. In the end, we were charged an extra fee for our breakfast even though my husband was assured by the room service person that we would not be. At check-out the clerk was unable to print out an itemized receipt but she said, \"Your breakfast was over $100.00, ma'am.\" I had pancakes, orange juice and tea!\"\nI've been a loyal Starwood Platinum member for years, and generally, I am very impressed. But, the St. Regis was certainly not up to par. In fact, my most recent experience at the Sheraton at the Portland, Oregon Airport far exceeded my stay at the so called world famous St. Regis. My advice would be to save your money and stay elsewhere.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "I stayed at St.Regis Hotel from 25 -30th Janaury, got the taste of Luxury package which allowed me in January to stay 4 nights but had only to pay three. On top of that I had breakfast included and all room taxes which was a pretty good deal, but still I had to pay US$ 670 a night for a deluxe room. The fifth night was a starwood award night.\nIf you pay US$ 670 a night you expect nothing less than the best. Unfortunately if I take the price there were some inconveniences which make us believe that the hotel isn't on par with e.g. Ritz Carlton or Four Seasons or the smaller more intimate luxury hotels in the upper East Side:\nFirst the good\nThe Deluxe on the 15th floor was nicely appointed and freshly renovated. The bed was the best I ever have slept in a hotel, very comfortable, warm with duvet etc....\nHousekeeping was very good and they performed a very nice turndown service.\nBathroom was of adequate size with a separate showerstall with a rainforest shower which you didn't want to exit after you have entered.\nButler service a nice touch, but not really needed.\nThe less good\nNot enough drawer space for your luggage and clothes. Breakfast quality was lousy for a hotel of such a quality.\nSome other minor glitches in the room and service make us overall believe that the hotel is not totally on par for the price they are charging.\nAs I said overall a very good hotel with some glitches, would I stay again at this hotel, considering the price probably not, I would try something else.\nI was expected to be blown away - and I wasn't", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Just returned from a weekend trip to New York and stayed at the St Regis. This is our 8th stay at the hotel. We used to love this hotel, but after this last stay, we will not be going back. The butler did not come to introduce him/herself like usual. We had breakfast at the hotel's lobby restaurant and got very mediocre service (this has been a problem in the past which I wrote the hotel about. Apparently, they are not interested in doing anything about it). On our last night, the sink backed up and dirty water started filling the sink and bathtub. We called the front desk who sent the butler to our room. His first question was \"What did you do ? This never happened before\". I gave him a dirty look and just said I didn't do anything and I never took a bath in the tub, which is where some really disgusting stuff was coming up from the drain. After checking out, we were waiting outside for the cab and the porter went to get our bags (we brought them down from the room ourselves but left them with the porter as we walked across the street for about half hour before coming back for our bags). We stood waiting for over 20 minutes with no explanations of why it was taking so long. The service we got just did not live up to a hotel of this calibre. We had dinner at the Four Seasons Lobby restaurant and the service there put the St Regis to shame. I will avoid going back to this hotel in the future.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "For Valentine's Day last year, my boyfriend treated us to a night at the St. Regis, such a decadent thing for 2 New York locals! Maybe it was the amazing foie gras we had at dinner at the hotel restaurant, or maybe it was the fact that we were eating chocolates and sipping champagne in our giant comfy bed, but we had such a nice time. The rooms are super quiet, the hotel is convenient to all the shopping on 5th Ave, and the service is impeccable. We also enjoyed the gorgeous marble bathroom and sitting area in our room.\nI also stayed here with my family when they came to visit me for Thanksgiving 2004. Again, the hotel staff was attentive w/o being obtrusive, and the environment was cheery and festive at this time of the year. \nThe only problem is that the views, if you are on the rear side of the building, aren't exactly appealing. Many of the rooms look at a back courtyard, so all you see is brick building.\nOverall, I highly recommend this place; it's really a treat!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Wow where to start?!!? I initially booked a Grand Deluxe room through the SPG Gold prefered guest line and recieved a very good rate at only $620 a night. After this I called the hotel to make arrangements for limo transfers. The concierge was extremely helpful and knowledgable and they provided competitive rates. \n So after much anticipation I arrived at the St regis after a 12 hour flight\nfrom Hawaii. As you can imagine jet lag was in tow. Anyway as soon as we entered the lobby we were greated by the lobby manager and escorted to the marble everywhere lobby where check in lasted not even 3 mins. We were then escorted to the 11th floor and to our surprise found out that because it was my sons birthday they had complimentarily upgraded us to a Madison Suite. ABSOLUTELY MAGNIFICENT!!! it was huge about 1000 sq ft, large for manhattan standards. The foyer was tiled in italian marble and all of the walls were covered in sumptuous silk. the living room overlooked madison avenue and had a 50 inch plasms tv, as well as a very charming and luxurious seating area. The beds in the bedroom were to die for. see for yourselves at my pictures.\n But the best part was the service. Our butler, Barbara, always greated us promptly when we called and with a pleasent smile. She gave us anything we wanted even help using our digital camera. the doormen were efficient with taxis and excorting us to the lobby. The maids, Sadika in particular, made us feel like this was our home. I left the St regis feeling like i was leaving some of my family behind. I still miss the staff and cant wait untill my next visit. I can hands down say that this is the best hotel i have ever stayed at. And believe me i have been to numerous 5 star hotels and this one beats them by far. Perfect stay!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "My husband and I just spent 3 days at the St. Regis for our 5 year Anniversary and we were beyond impressed. From the moment we stepped in the door we were treated with the utmost respect and kindness. We were escorted to our room and introduced to our butler. The 24-hour butler service is extraordinary. They think of things you would never imagine. He brought us a dozen exquisite yellow roses with orange outer petals and a bottle of champagne, all complimentary. About 10 minutes later he then brought another dozen roses, this time longstem red roses, that my husband had ordered. The hotel has it's own florist and the roses were just beautiful. They were all perfectly open and looked like velvet. I even took them home with me so I can continue to enjoy them. The room was elegant but cozy and very well appointed. The location was a perfect home-base for all the sight-seeing we did and the concierge desk was most helpful for anything we needed.\nThe turndown service can't be beat. Slippers on either side of the bed (his and hers), bottles of mineral water, and fresh ice in the bucket. We came back to the hotel from seeing Spamalot (don't miss it if you get the chance!) and the butler brought us not only the ice we requested, but a huge tray of complimentary delicious pastries and desserts. Fresh fruit and chocolates in the room and a well-stocked bar were another plus. We had breakfast in the room one morning and the food was excellent, especially the pancakes. The staff was extremely pleasant and catered to our every whim as well as those things we would never think of but amazed us nonetheless. We even checked out and had them hold our luggage so we could continue sight-seeing on the last day. I can't say enough wonderful things about our experience there and will recommend the St. Regis to everyone I know. It is definitely a one-of-a-kind hotel and the staff will ensure you have an amazing experience. I can't wait to go back!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "I have never been more compelled to write a hotel review in my life! I am going to keep it short and simple. This was one of the best hotel stays of my life, and you can bet I have had a few and at some very special hotels. I recently stayed at the St Regis for 9 nights on business, each day got better and better and I was actually sad to leave. It felt like home to me. The staff was unbelievable and the service second to none. The gym was small but great. My room was simply excellent. Very high ceilings, gorgeous furnishings, a fabulous chandelier,walk-in closet, shower was amazing, towels soft and inviting and it had a very nice bed. The concierge went above and beyond and was very knowledgable. Yes, the food was expensive as one might expect, but it always is at a hotel like this, besides it was delicious.\nStay here with my highest recommendation. I will make it my new home on all subsequent trips to NY.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "We have just spent the most amazing 3 days at the St Regis for my wife\u2019s 40th Birthday. I think it would be far to say that we are reasonably seasoned travelers and have stayed at some of the best hotels in the world, but none of them come to close to the level of service we experienced at the St Regis. \nI think every hotel you stay in there is always something you could say wasn\u2019t up to scratch, but it won\u2019t be worth complaining about because it is so insignificant. If you go to the St Regis you will have a funning feeling that you can\u2019t put your finger on because it takes a while to work out that everything in the hotel is done to perfection. \nEvery member of staff is one step ahead of your every move without been intrusive and you are always greeted with a smile. Breakfast was wonderful, room service was divine and the spa was out of this world. The butler was excellent, even with making tea at 5.30am (jet lag) and chambermaids made sure everything was spotless in the most amazing bedroom. Finally, afternoon tea to die for. \nIf you want the best and to experience something no other hotel has very achieved, for us anyway, then splash out and go to the St Regis.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I go to New York 4 or 5 times a year- and I always stay at the St. Regis on 5th and 55th. I've stayed at the Mark, the Regency, the Plaza, and the four seasons. The St. Regis is by far the most luxurious and wonderful out of all of them. The service is outstanding- they get to know you on a personal level, they anticipate your needs, and cater to your every demand. Every room has a butler on call 24 hours a day. The rooms are amazing... even the standard rooms. They have high ceilings, large closets and bathrooms. The suites are huge- they have a foyer... two full bathrooms... large living rooms... dressing rooms... its just amazing. The beds are heavenly... they are hard to get out of! They will do anything to make you happy- I was once coming back from a club and called from a cab and asked them to have a bottle of grey goose and cranberry... and a pack of cigarettes waiting. Everything was already in my room- all set up. It is a fabulous hotel... and I would recommend staying there- of course it is more expensive than most hotels- but its worth it. I just stayed in a W hotel the other weekend because everything was all booked- and compared to the st. regis it was a dump...", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Great hotel, great location and a great big bill. Accoms were fantastic, beautiful rooms and all that you would expect for the price.\nConcierge is definitely used to the high rollers as they quoted us $1,000 per ticket to see the Stones and MSG - needless to say we were able to get better deals without much headaches. Other small concierge issues but if you are a usual visitor to NY it shouldn't be a problem to find what you need in the city.\nGreat bar.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "First for the Positives:\n-Very nice and descriptive web page.\n-Adequate selection of accomodations and competitve and corressponding prices.\n-Courteous front desk and lobby personnel.\n-Beautiful and awe inspiring room furnishings.\n-Superb location\n Negatives:\nWell, I can't really put the negatives in bullet form but I can state them properly in a paragraph. Everything seemed to me going very nicely until they confused my reservation. I initially booked a Deluxe King room in the Taste of Luxury package for around $650 a night, and the fourth night I was told would be free. But when I called to re-confirm they rudely stated that I was mistaken and that the fourth night was not free. This really ticked me off, so I faxed a copy of the rate details of the room over to the Executive Offices of the hotel, in this fax it showed them that the fourth night was in fact free. So then within 20 hours the Executive assistant Ms. Kim, called me to tell me that they will gladly honor my rate. Then the next day I called to re-confirm my reservation and was told very rudely again that my reservation had been canceled and that I had to wait until the morning to call back and re book. Then I called the Preffered guest reservation line and confromted them with my problem and was told that my reservation was NOT cancelled. So from there I told her that I needed proper compensation and was again instructed to contact Customer service in the morning.\nAfter this fiasco I must say that I enjoyed the trip except for the parts before my checking in to the hotel. The rates are reasonably priced for what you get except make sure you check on you reservation every so often and print out the rate details of your reservation. Overall pretty good!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "My wife and I have stayed at the St. Regis about a dozen times over the last five years. As the years go by the scenery changes but the hotel remains the same; great service, great rooms, great hotel! Unlike other reviews we have found that the hotel staff and patrons are anything but stuffy. The drinks at the King Cole Bar are always perfectly mixed and the rooms are spacious and well appointed. Never had a bad stay. My wife and I are mid-30's and never feel \"too young\".", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "The St. Regis is stuffy, unpleasant and full of brusque, unhappy-seeming staff. It was once a lovely place, but has been reduced to a tourist trap.\nWe stayed for a week and tried all the restaurants. There was wild screaming heard from the kitchen in Lespinasse, and drinks that were mixed incorrectly in the bar. But nothing was worse than the Astor Court tea, complete with stale scones and harried-looking waitstaff. \nNever again!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "My girlfriend and I stayed here for New Years Eve and we were not impressed. We tend to stay at 5 star hotels and have tended to stay in NYC at the Four Seasons or the Waldorf, but we thought we'd try the St. Regis. We were disappointed. First, the service was decent, but nothing spectacular. Second, what disappointed us about the place were the rooms. They were small - even with a room upgrade - so I can't imagine what a standard room is like. Third, everyone we saw in the place was old. We're both under 30 and we felt like 10 year olds. I highly recommend if you have the money to stay at the Four Seasons or in the Waldorf Towers, both of which typically give comp. upgrades and you can get a huge room (600 - 1200 sq. feet) for the price of a standard room (300 sq. feet) at the St. Regis.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 18}]}, "93534": {"reviews": [{"text": "Tried to stay at this hotel. Had a valid booking but when we got there they refused to honor the valid booking and kicked us out. Took ages to speak to the manager to resolve that the hotel had made an error but they refused to do anything about it. We were left in the middle of New York with no hotel accomodation and this hotel, whilst admitting their error several days later refused to rectify the situation. They did not try to put us in another hotel and I would never stay at the Renaissance again. I would advise everybody to avoid this hotel like the plague.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My Mum, sister and I stayed here at the beginning of March. I'm very fussy about were I stay and we weren't disappointed by the Renaissance. It's right in the middle of Times Square (just behind the big Coca-Cola sign) but don't let that put you off because it's so quiet.\nThe concierge staff were extremely helpful and all of the staff courteous and friendly. The rooms were really clean and the bathrooms were big and airy. \nThe only thing I would say is that the hotel is going to be refurbished starting March and ending sometime in August. The plans were on show in the foyer of the hotel and it's going to be quite modern - quite a difference from what it's like now. All the rooms will have flat screen tv's, new beds etc so I'm sure it's going to be nice.\nIf you want to stay in a hotel that's right in the middle of things then this is it. The breakfast is great and the location is excellent. We will definitely be back.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "This hotel was in a great location for all of the activities we had planned. The subway stop is close and we were within walking distance of our Broadway play and the Rockefeller Center. The concierge was great. Omar was there through the week and he gave us wonderful suggestions. The weekend staff was also great and gave us good information about weekend construction on the subway and which cars to get on to get to the south ferry exit. Checkin was fun with Eric waiting on us, he had a wonderful attitude and sense of humor. The room was bigger than we expected for New York and quieter than we expected. The beds were very comfortable and the hotel was very clean. All in all it was a great experience and we can't wait to go back.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Plus\n- Location is the best. Hotel is close to everything.\n- Room is surprisingly quiet given how busy the location is.\n- Complimentary buffet per my Marriott Platinum status was excellent with unbelievable view!\nMinus\n- Our room is very dated. Wear and tear are everywhere.\n- Bellboys and all guys downstair were helpless. I had about 5 bags checked in before my ride came and picked me up. No one downstair offered me any help (not even catching the door) and I had to make multiple trips coming in and out the door with all guys just looking at me. It was horrible.\n- We had to ride two elevators to get to our room. Just found that inconvenient.\n- Front desk promised to bring us a fridge... it never came.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "The room was not a big as I would have expected but was fine. The bed was the star attraction, one of the most comfortable I have ever slept in. We had requested a high floor and therefore had no noise distractions for an excellent nights sleep.\nAs the hotel has an ecellent location we were able to walk everywhere around mid-town manhattan. A good nights sleep was much appreciated.\nI was disapointed with the quality of the towels in the restroom. They were old and shabby and I expected better for this quality of hotel. Perhaps I was misled by a website review that stated the restrooms had \"Body Shop\" bath products. They were NOT body shop and not high quality by any means. \nThe bar maid in the hotel bar was not very friendly. The concierge were excellent. Omar's recommendations made my holiday special. \nCheck-in and check-out was fast and without any hassle.\nOverall I felt the hotel was quite nice with a good location but for the price paid, the little extras can make the difference and these were lacking. I will try some other hotel next time in New York.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We stayed at the Renaissance Times Square for 1 night in Feb.'07. Everything at the hotel is great from front desk to wait staff at their restaurant Foley's. \nLocation--absolutely the best ! The hotel is right at Times Square. Tons of restaurants are within walking distance, as well as the theatres for shows. We took a taxi to get to Little Italy/Chinatown in downtown, total taxi fare is $12 incl. tips. Also we walked 10 blocks up to FAO Swartz toy store and got some really good toys there that weren't found in other places. On the way back to the Renaissance from FAO Swartz, we stopped at the huge Catholic church (sorry forgot the name already). The hotel is only 2 blocks to the Rock. center and NBC studios. We walked there a couple times and had a good time there.\nFood--we went to Foley's for breakfast. The whole restaurant has got a full view of the Times Square so it doesn't matter where your table is. Breakfast is buffet style, our server Samuel is great. Coffee is delicious there as well as the fresh orange juice. Food is good in quality, we loved the smoked salmon, hash brown with sun-dried tomatoes, lean bacon, sausage, as well as plenty of fresh fruits such as strawberries, watermelon......very yummy and healthy start of a day. Price is around $23/pp, half price for kids.\nThe hotel itself is great in general. Small lobby but who wants to sit in the lobby when you're at Times Square?! Our room is very clean, quiet, with marble bathroom. We got a nice sized room with 2 double beds, a sofa chair, an executive desk, tv.....very nice size based on our previous stays at other hotels in NYC. I would definitely stay here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "My girlfriend and I stayed in this hotel for four nights 18-22 January 2007. We spent hours choosing the hotel, and as usual read the reviews here on TripAdvisor before we decided. I sent an email in advance and asked for a nice room since it was my girlfriend's birthday, but thought no more of it. When we arrived (six hours delayed because of UK bad weather), Greg checked us in, wished my girlfriend happy birthday, and upgraded us to a 23rd floor Superior Room (2308). Good start!\nThe room itself was fantastic. Hotel rooms in New York are usually pretty small, but this room was big (this might be because it was a superior room, of course). It had a very comfortable king-size bed with six pillows, writing desk and chair, glass table and another chair, cable TV, mini-safe and fridge with minibar. The room also had a hair drier, iron and ironing board, which all came in handy. The bathroom was big as well with a bath-and-shower combo. After visiting some friends in the Quality Inn 100 meters away, we realised how lucky we were with our room.\nWe were worried about street noise, but it was not a problem this high up in the building. There are no windows in the hotel facing Times Square itself (except from the restaurant), they are either facing 7th Avenue or Broadway. The view is nice, and you can still see Times Square from the window. The windows can be opened for ventilation, but cannot be open fully. Unlike some other reviews, our room was spotless and clean at all times.\nNote that the fridge in the room automatically charges you if you remove any items, or so it said. We accidentally removed the Voss water bottle, then read the instructions. Whoops. We put the bottle back, and wasn't actually charged for it in the end.\nThere is room service, but it was pretty expensive (for us) so we actually never ate in the hotel. There are loads of delis and restaurants nearby, so there is plenty of choice when it comes to food.\nWe only really dealt with Greg at the front desk, and he was always smiling and really helpful. Really nice guy! After midnight you have to show your room key to gain access to the building, and this policy made us feel safe when entering the hotel late at night.\nThe location at 7 Avenue @ 47th street is amazing - actually ON Times Square. It is very near all the theatres, and you can easily walk down to Macy's, Madison Square Garden and Empire State Building (around 34st street); and up to Rockefeller Centre (50th) and onwards to Bloomindale's, Tiffany's etc (around 58th). If you have lots of your girlfriend's shopping to carry, yellow taxis are cheap and reliable :-).\nAll in all a very nice stay in New York, in a very pleasant hotel in a great location.\nOne small tip: If you have been to Empire State Building before, consider going to the top of Rockefeller Centre. The observation decks at around the 70th floor give you a great view of Downtown and Empire State Building, but also of Central Park and Upper East/West Side. If you do go, don't forget to find and play around in the sound-and-light room :-).", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Well, all i can say is unreal! This little beaut is all you could wish for in a hotel. Bang in the centre of everything. The most comfortable beds on earth, deepest bath tubs,apples and news papers on front desk,what more can one ask for? Not really much more i can say as its just spot on, but i would like to make a special comment on the Concierge desk.... WOW! Omah and the girls helped me no-end! Everything i wanted/needed it was done there and then! they dont come better than Omah and his team! HIGHLY RECOMEND this hotel. A++++++", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We have recently returned form a 5 night stay in NYC.\nAs we were bringing our 7 year old daughter we wanted a hotel with a central location. The Renaissance New York Hotel Times Square was perfect.\nThe staff were fantastic especially Omar!!!!\nOur room was on the 19th floor and was a good size as was the bathroom. The safe was also big enough to fit my laptop in which was added security.\nWith the subway 30 seconds from the door it was again perfectly located.\nWe particularly enjoyed Foleys Restaurant with the best view of Times Square.\nOverall if you are travelling with children of any age this hotel would be a great choice. And even if you are not with kids in tow it is still a wonderful hotel.\nAlthough, as is mentioned in other review there was a strange smell in the lobby, however it's not a horrible smell just a smell of something cooking..................just don\u2019t know what!!!!! Lol", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We stayed at this property for one night in October and had a great time. The hotel could not be located more centrally to the action and was perfect for either the tourist or business traveler. The rooms are nice -- slightly larger than other rooms we have stayed in in NYC -- and are very well appointed. The guest rooms are on higher floors and are very well insulated -- we hardly heard any noise from the street. Staff was also very friendly, something that you don't always find in NYC.\nWe stayed at the Marriott East Side before and would definitely choose this property over that one -- quality and location are much better. The Residence Inn Times Square is comparable to this property (except that the rooms are much larger at the Residence Inn). The rates are also generally much higher at the Residence Inn, though. \nWe would definitely stay at this property again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "It was my first trip to NY and I wanted to stay somewhere in the middle of the action. This hotel is perfect for that. Everything is just a short jaunt away. The room was very clean and the hotel staff made above-average effort to accomodate a rollaway cot and gave about 15 towels (3 women the room), which were very very appreciated. The hotel was very secure. The little drawbacks were that the internet is available only Monday-Friday during business hours (if you needed to do business which I did but didn't want to drag my laptop)...and the hotel restuaurant for breakfast was less than fabulous. However Foley's (the major restaurant) was very very nice for supper and excellent seafood.\nI would definitely stay again for sure.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Having stayed at the Doubletree Guest Suites during my past three visits to New York, I was ready for a new hotel for my most recent vacation. The Renaissance, which is only a couple buildings away from the Doubletree, had caught my eye during my last visit, and so I decided to give it a shot. To put it briefly, it was a very smart choice. Although it has a couple problems, they were not enough to sour my experience. The Renaissance is my favorite hotel I've stayed at in NY so far.\nThe service and the people working at the hotel are always the first thing any guest notices. In this department, the hotel excels, with some very friendly and competent staff that not only know how to smile and say hello to you (unlike some other hotels I've stayed at), but they are willing to help any way they can, and do so very quickly. They were willing to supply just about anything you needed, and when one of the sink faucet handles in my bathroom felt like it was coming loose as if it would fall off, they immediately sent someone up to fix it, and the problem was solved by the time I came back to my room early in the afternoon. The concierge was also a highlight. Extremely friendly, always willing to help, and he genuinely seemed interested in what you wanted to know, and gave you a very informed opinion and answer. The staff is great all around, and a great start to the hotel's many plusses. The free apples they offer at the front desk everyday are also great for a snack to hold you over until dinner, or if you just want a quick breakfast.\nThe staff had pretty much already made a great impression, but the room really won me over. You enter the room, and there's a small marble hallway with a beautiful and large marble bathroom off to one side, and an equally large double closet on the other that's so large I was able to hold all of my luggage as well as my clothes, and still have tons of room left over. The room itself is very spacious for NY standards, and comes with a lovely bed that caused me to sleep a little later than I planned to on more than one occasion. (And I'm notorious for being an early riser!) The marble bathroom was also a winner with a deep tub perfect for soaking, and a shower head that had great water pressure. The only downside I can think of with the room was that the TV could have been better, and the reception on the channels was sometimes a bit iffy, as the picture would jump up and down for a couple seconds from time to time. But, it didn't happen very often, and when you're in New York, you're not going to spend a lot of time sitting in your room and watching TV.\nThe Renaissance really pleases in just about every way. The dark wood and marble tone of the entire building is warm and inviting, as well as giving it a special feel and tone that you can't find at the numerous cookie cutter hotels in the Time Square area that are large and have gorgeous lobbies, but feature nothing you can't get in a local hotel in terms of rooms. You get all this, plus the great centralized location. I saw 7 shows while I was in NY (The Drowsy Chaperone, Forbidden Broadway, Jersey Boys, The Wedding Singer, Tarzan, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me), and all of them were a 5-10 minute walk away from the hotel. I guess the only negative I can think of, besides the previous minor problem with the TV, is that you definitely pay ofr the quality. It's a bit overpriced, especially the in-house restaurant which offers a great view, but the food isn't quite great enough to charge the rates that they're asking. But, at least you feel like you're getting your money's worth for the most part.\nAs if this review hasn't made the point clear already, the Renaissance is well worth a visit. I'm actually surprised it's not higher in the ranking. Hopefully this review will convince more people to give it a try. I may be staying at a different hotel during my next visit, but if that idea falls through, the Renaissance will definitely be my first choice. All I know is I'll definitely be coming back.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "Stayed at the Renaissance in Jan 2006 and had a wonderful time so it was our 1st choice of hotel when we decided to revisit NYC in Sept 2006. Rooms are well appointed with a huge deep bath for a long soak after a hard days walking around the City. The beds are so comfortable it is hard to get up in the mornings. (Thick DURHAM mattresses). The pillows are soft and fluffy. The rooms are cleaned every day with fresh towels left. Rooms have direct dial telephone, internet connections, mini bar, television and a safe for your valuables. Hotel lobby has bell boys who open doors for you and greet you with a smile on entering the hotel. Guests take a lift up one floor from the lobby to the reception area on the 1st floor. This adds to the feeling of security for guests. The hotel itself is in a fantastic spot - right in the heart of Times Square. ( 7th avenue and 47th street). Handy position for visiting all major tourist sites and very handy for the TKTS kiosk for your theatre tickets. Hotel concierge OMAR deserves a special mention, nothing is too much trouble for him. Recommended places to eat - Try SPARKS restaurant for a fantastic fillet mignon. For breakfast - you must go to ELLENS STARDUST DINER on 51st street. Wannabee Broadway stars singing to you while you tuck in. Fantastic experience. Kids may enjoy the MARS 2112 experience - opposite the Winter Gardens theatre - dinner served by aliens. For a real treat, take a river cruise on the WORLD YACHT. $90 dollars each but worth every cent. Great food, music and dancing. The music and view at the Statue of Liberty will bring tears to your eyes.\nPlaces to visit - Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, Bronx Zoo, Central Park, FAO Schwartz toy shop, Trump Tower, Grand Central station, Ground Zero, Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, NYPD museum and 5th Avenue shops.\nI will definitely be staying at this wonderful hotel again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "I booked this hotel when my first choice the Marriott Marquis was \nunavailabe. Hotel is centrally located and nice and quiet. \nRooms are a good size, bathroom has a nice deep tub for\nlong soaks after a day in NYC. I had a room with a king size bed and it was lovely. \n I didn't like having to take 2 elevators to get to my room, but, \n I will say I never had to wait more than 2 minutes for an elevator. \nWarning: unlike every other Marriott property I have stayed in, \n(at least a dozen) that puts a $50.00 per day hold for \"incidentals\" this one puts $100.00 and doesn't bother to \ninform you. I noticed it and went to speak to the front desk and got nothing but attitude from the woman there. Not a very pleasant way to start a stay. \nAll in all, though the hotel is nice and except for the rude woman at the desk everyone else I came in to contact with was great. \nI might stay again, but, it will not be my first choice.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "We stayed at this hotel from 1st-4th August. The location is very central with easy access to the subway and tour buses. The Rockerfeller Centre is a very short work and it's well worth the trip up 'Top of the Rock'. We found the hotel to be clean and comfortable, although my two teenage sons weren't too impressed at having to share a king bad when I had specifically request two beds upon booking. I'm sure if we'd made a fuss they might have changed the rooms but we were tired after the flight etc. so didn't bother. This was our first visit to New York so had taken pot luck with the hotel and all in all we were very satisfied with the accomodation. The rooms were a decent size and we enjoyed watching the world go by from the 7th floor.\nMy only criticisms really are that the staff, whilst efficient, were not in the least bit friendly and on reception couldn't manage a single smile. Breakfast was expensive but very good and the restaurant (although we didn't have an evening meal there) has an amazing view over Times Square.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "The location is great as long as you want to be in the hustle and bustle of Times Square. The hotel has an unusual entrance in that you have to take an elevator from the street level to the lobby and then another elevator to your floor. The lobby is not at all glamorous and had a strange odor during our entire stay. Although we thought we had a reservation for two rooms, each with double beds, we were informed when we arrived that the fine print had indicated that this was not guaranteed. I had actually called the week before and was told that double beds would not be a problem. They wound up coming up with one smoking room with double beds and another non-smoking room with a king and a rollaway. The rooms themself are nothing special but do have unique views of the Times Square area. We have stayed at other hotels in NYC and found them to be more user friendly and enjoyable.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 30}, {"text": "A word of warning about this hotel. Although this hotel is located in a very centric location the hotel does misrepresent itself. The problem started when I booked a room with 2 queen size beds. Upon my arrival the reservations clerk informed me that I would only be receiving a room with one king size bed and a rollaway. This was not the room I booked. Then when we went up to see the room, it was the size of my closet for 3 people. The rollaway was supposed to go in front of the door. When I informed the hotel staff that this was a fire hazard that is when they proceed to give me a slightly larger room and of course I had to argue with them to get it. On top of all this the first room had a large insect flying around in it, the chair in the room was stained and the room had been double booked. Before I was able to move our things out there was already someone else trying to occupy the room. With all the other hotels in New York City I was not impressed. Stay at your risk.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 27}, {"text": "I have stayed in several hotels throughout the U. S. and in NYC and this one is one of the best. For a tourist like me, its location can't be beat: right at Times Square, three subway lines directly next to the hotel's entrance, several others only a few blocks away, saving you a lot of time. All major broadway theaters in the proximity meaning you must not leave your room earlier than 20 minutes before the curtian goes up. Rooms are very well appointed, OK in size, spacious marble bathroom, perfect bed with pillow top mattress, down comforter and plenty of pillows. Housekeeping did a great job, turn down service is available on request. Rooms are a bit dark due to the tinted double glazed windows, but that is just fine, because they keep a lot of noise, heat and looks from the opposite bulidings out. Breakfast at \"Foley's Fishhouse\" ranks among the best I had in the U. S. and features a new special every day (e. g. different quiches, burritos, cheese blintzes, french toast). As the hotel has only about 300 rooms, restaurant staff treats you very nice and personally. Front desk staff didn't bend over backwards but had at least no attitude, a thing you won't find that easy in NYC. Minor complaint: I faxed my Marriott Rewards number and some room requests (e. g. no connecting door) well in advance to the hotel, none of which was added to my reservation when I got to the Front Desk. I therefore asked for a non-connceting room again and was given - a connecting room! They were apologetic and changed that instantly after my return to the Front Desk, but that could have been avioded. Nevertheless, the Renaissance will be my top choice when returning to NYC.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 32}, {"text": "We stayed at the Renaissance for nine days at a rate of $315 per night. We had a room on the 16th floor with two double beds for two adults and two teenage children. The room was very spacious for a New York City hotel and the beds were super comfortable. The bathroom and shower were very adequate but nothing special. Even though we were not on the best side to view Times Square, we still had a great view. This was a very typical Marriott hotel--above average and clean, but not excellent or luxurious. The Renaissance is probably the best located hotel in Times Square, and thus, a great central location for getting around New York City. You are in easy walking distance of the Broadway shows, Central Park, Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, and 5th avenue shopping. \nWe had great service from the hotel staff, especially Omar, the consierge. Foley's is a nice seafood restaurant with a breath taking view of Times Square and worthy of a try. The lobby bar has expensive drinks and mediocre service, but also a breath taking view of Times Square. The Renaissance is a very practical hotel option with a superb location and we are VERY GLAD we choose the hotel. When I return to New York City without the kids, I will likley opt for something a little more \"special\" and away from the hustle and bustle of Times Square.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "The hotel was in a great location and the amenties were nice..... but the only complaint was the crazy smell in the lobby area. I couldn't figure out want it was. Was it some fish dish from Foleys Fish-- or some kind of bizarre curry blend room deoderizer? I almost gagged everything I had to walk thru the lobby. Other than the smell it was nice. The linens were fantastic. The decor was very warm and masculine. Had a boutique feel compared to the Marriott Marquis. Recommend it.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I stayed at the Rennaissance for a week in March. I had never visited NYC before and was more than a little over whelmed when I first arrived. You cannot check into rooms until 4 o'clock which is a bt of a pain when you arrived at 10 in the morning but hey, there is lots to see while you wait for your room! \nWhat struck me when I arrived was the location, you could not get a more central hotel than the Rennaissance, it was right on Times Square and within walking distance of the Empire State, Rockefellor Centre, Fifth Avenue and plenty of good restaurants. The rooms are a really good size (I understand hotel rooms in NYC are often small), huge bed and plenty of room for all of your shopping!\nThe concierge is very helpful - they know some great restaurants and check with them before booking any shows or hitting the shops as they have vouchers which give you discounts. If you are going to a show, do not be put off by the queue at the ticket booth in Times Square, it moves really fast and if you queue on the day you want to see the show the tickets are 50% of the regular box office prices!!\nIf you are a shopper then I would definately recommend the bus trip out to Woodbury shopping outlet, it is about $35 each and about 1 hour out of the city but the shops are fantastic. 200 desgner shops at amazing prices. People who have obviously been before take wheelie suitcases with them for their purchases!!\nOn our return trip to the airport one of the guys in reception mentioned that they had a car that did airport runs (we had a taxi when we arrived), there was not a lot difference in price once you added taxes and bagage charges to the taxi fare and you get to travel to the hotel in a Lincoln with a chauffeur!!!!\nI would recommend the Rennaissance for a fantastic location, excellent rooms and fanastic service.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Just returned from our 4 night stay at the Renaissance Hotel in Times Sqaure and can only give good comments.\nWe arrived abt 2pm on the Thursday afternoon and at check in, our request for a King Sized Bed on the Times Swaure side of the hotel had been noted and we got a fabulous room on the 16th floor with great views and the hugest bed we had ever seen. The room was clean, spacious and had a great shower, and was spotless everyday on our return again.\nOne of the best features of the hotel was its location - with all the main sites in the Midtown/Theatre district within 10mins walk and a subway station right outside the hotel door. Noise was not an issue at all - and after such hectic days sightseeing the big comfy beds are just what is needed.\nThe best thing though about the hotel has to be the concierges, Christine, Erik, Davina are all so helpful and knowledgable but Omar is just fantastic - he has to be the nicest/friendliest man I have ever met, he spent so much time talking to us, sharing his knowledge of New York it really helped us get the most of our days - whatever you do, if you stay here go talk to Omar, about anything just to talk to him.\nThe hotel was also very accomodating with regards to check out - we had a late night flight and the hotel allowed us to keep our room until 2pm free of charge which was a good bonus.\nAll in all, this hotel ticks every box - we would recommend it to everyone and will most certainly stay here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Stayed here last week, its a lovely hotel, the room was gorgeous, huge bed. Bit dusty around the furniture but on the whole excellent. \nBang in the middle of times square which is really handy.\nProblem though , I called home from the room phone, big mistake, HUGE mistake, got a bill for 78 dollars(46 pounds) for 13 mins on a saturday morning to the Uk. I was astounded and it really put a dampner on my day, I complained only to be told \" Yes its very expensive.\" I just wanted to check my kids were ok , subsquently we didn't use the phone again or the bar or the mini bar or any other serices in this hotel for fear of being charged. \nDon't let this put you off, its still a great hotel, just trying to save you all the upset that I felt.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed at the Renaissance for 3 nights as the first part of our honeymoon! It couldnt have been better!\nThe location is No1. right on times sq!\nWhen we arrived bel hop took our bags away, and at check in they saw it was our honeymoon and congratulated us and gave us a free breakfast any day we chose!\nThe rooms were beautiful, marble bathroom, the beds are HUGE! could fit 6 people in them! the view is spectacluar!\nWe ate in FOleys restaurant which was lovely, the food is top notch and so is the view onto times sq.\nEveryone was v helpful, i wanted to call home and asked to use the phone, lady on the desk told me to go across the street to Smileys Shop and get a phone card for $10 which would go along way - which was nice of them!\nI cant praise this hotel enough, it made the start of our honeymoon v special (shame about the Florida Hotel - see Doubletree universal review!)\nreccomend to anyone after a special place to stay!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Can't find a better location if you want to be in the middle of all the action. Despite that, heard no noise from the street (14th floor room facing 7th Ave.). Did hear noise from room next door along with some plumbing noise. Room is spacious by NYC standards and relatively attractive. Bathroom had lots of countertop space for your stuff, a deep tub, and Bath & Body Works toiletries. Mattress was more comfortable than most hotel beds.\nNow for the minuses: No NYC guide books or mags in room to help you plan your days. Despite being a non-smoking room, it smelled of old cigarette smoke. AC never got cool enough for us and maintenance unable to do anything about it. $13/day for Internet access! Towels worn out, and sheets getting real thin. Blankets were shabby and old. And my pet peeve -- non-fitted bottom sheet and non-fitted mattress pad. Will not stay tucked in and together they create a VERY lumpy sleeping surface within the first 5 minutes. I HATE that! If not for this, I'd probably stay there again despite the worn-out linens because the location is so great. If you don't mind the lumps, go for it if you can get a decent rate.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed at the Renaissance New York Hotel in Times Square from June 11th -13th. We are from New York City, but we still did a lot of research before picking our hotel. We were not disappointed with our choice. This hotel is located right in the heart of Times Square. Tourists and locals alike will be impressed with the views from the rooms-- especially at night when everything is lit up. The rooms were immaculate and the hotel provided plenty of towels and bathroom amenities. The beds were real comfortable and there were extra pillows in the armoire. \nThe only thing that you should be aware of is that the mini-bar has sensors in it-- everytime you touch something, it is automatically billed to your room. We found this out as I was moving things around to put some of our own stuff in the fridge, and I noticed the small sign that tells you about the automatic billing. We called the front desk to ask about this, and they confirmed that we had been billed for three items. After speaking to a Manager and explaining what had happened, the charges were removed, and they supplied us with a mini fridge free of charge.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "WOW! Had an incredible time at the Renaissance Times Square! Stayed for 7 nights for business trip. The service was stupendous! Had many boxes shipped to hotel, needed Broadway show tickets, wanted tons more hangers, since long stay asked for and got (for free) a room refrigerator (they had one with drinks/alcohol for cost but wanted empty one for sodas) and more. They were wonderful! No problems with late check out - everything done smoothly and effortlessly. Last day had luggage put in storage for a few hours - when I got back ran upstairs to use bathroom and by time I got downstairs - they had luggage ready and had summoned taxi (station wagon type for the many pounds of luggage) and the air conditioning cranked on high. Room service was great, too! Had breakfast in every morning and tried everything on menu. All hot and served right on time with the newspaper. Helpful and friendly staff. Room extremely clean and spacious for its price. Had plenty of workroom for visiting colleague and me. Free in-room safe. Great closet space! And I can't say enough about the bed. I am a fussy sleeper with princess/pea complex. The bed was incredible -not too soft and not too hard and down pillows. It was hard to check out. Amazingly, the room was very quiet. Only once did I notice during sleep a siren. (Stayed on 21st floor). Also, never heard water running from other rooms (drives me crazy). Bathtub deep and lots of hot water! View from room was great looking down on Broadway. The hotel is between 7th and Broadway. The pics you always see at New Years with that triple billboard is on backside of hotel. Can't get any closer to Times Square unless blinded by the flashing billboards. The cheap tix booth is right around back. Close and safe ATM right around corner. For those who like food like home - McDonalds, Olive Garden, Sbarro, Red Lobster, etc. - they're all within spittin distance. A really good Bubba Gumps is hop-skip. For those who like something more local there are many deli (one just like the soup nazis from Seinfeld) and restaurants around the corner. Terrific sushi everywhere you turn. Hersey's and Popcorn Factory on corners. Broadway shows right there within easy walking blocks. Concierge got me great seats for soldout Wicked. He spent a number of days on telephone with me sorting out seats before my stay to get them. Only wrinkle in stay - not hotel's fault - was first night the fire alarm went off - it seems some idiot on fifth floor decided to ignore sign and hang clothes on sprinkler - broadcasts over speaker system helpful - although my throwing things around room and not being able to find shoes was not. As you can see, I am very happy and will definitely stay there next time I am in town.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We have just returned from staying at the renaissance for a four day break. Arrived 10pm & tired. As soon as we walked in, our luggage was taken & sent straight to our room, check in took couple of minutes, very smooth & efficient. Wonderful staff, friendly and helpful. Room great, size was fine and so quiet after the noise and bustle of Times Square. Beds were absolute heaven and so comfortable. Breakfast buffet a little expensive but a good start to the day. Excellent location - subway 5 mins walk, catch line 1 to south ferry for Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island. Recommend very early start, big queues for security checks etc. Same with Empire State Building. Can order tickets on line for both, very easy & does save time. Recommend tour bus to downtown loop, hop on, hop off. You can catch this just behind hotel. Managed to get late check out at no extra charge, again very smooth, no problems at all. We will definately be returning to the Renaissance. Highly recommended!!! Americans very welcoming, so smile, be friendly and you will have a fantastic time!!!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "First trip to NYC and alot of careful thought into chosing the \"right\" hotel, with the great help from tripavidsor reviews.\nLocation - absolutely fantastic!! - slap bang in the middle of Times Square - you weren't joking were you? \nCheck in smooth and courteous, asked for a high level front facing room and got it no problem. View on to Times Square area first class! All the action day or night, but surpisingly very little noise!\nRoom, if I am honest was a little disappointing: \"tired\" looking, bathroom and general lighting very poor. Beds very comfortable!! - Linen a little worn - holes in sheets some days\nMaid service very shoddy: family of 3 staying in 1 room and consistantly only enough towels / coffee / cups etc for 2 despite daily reminders - not a big deal, but it does take the edge off, having to keep asking for basics that should be there!\nHeard about Conceiage \"OMAH\" and he really did live up to his name: he was great, giving us sound advice from someone who really did know what he was talking about - and a great guy too! Excellent.\nDid not eat at the Hotel - too many places to try out - the deli's were fantastic - especially Maxi's deli / bar / restaurant just over the road - went there every other day - too full to eat there every day!!! New York food portions are s000 big!!!\nHighly recommend the water taxi service - what a great way to see Manhattan and so inexpensive too!\nWould I come back to New York - YES - have already planned our next trip, and are seriously thinking about staying at the Doubletree Suites opposite the Rennaisance - checked it out while we were there - new re-modelled suites very good (although agree with other reviews \"bland\") but certainly fit the bill for space, cleanliness, comfort, securtiy and location.\nStayed at the Renassaince for a week - loved the location, disappointed with the standard of cleanliness, attention to detail regarding maid service and the \"tired\" look of the rooms - Can't quite put my finger on why the Renassaince did not do it for us - I just think my expectations were too high!", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "First of all, there are so many great hotels in NYC to stay at. They are all very modern, upscale and hopping, especially if you are not used to NY. 3 and 4 star hotels here are better than most elsewhere (I travel a ton). I've stayed at the Hilton New York, Westin Times Square, Sheraton New York & Towers, Marriott Marquis, Westin Essex House, and Crowne Plaza Times Square. They are all nice places you can't go wrong with. If you want more luxury and wish to go above the 400-500 price point ... I've heard the Ritz, Trump etc. are unreal.\nStayed here for a few days for work. I loved it. Very clean, modern and comfortable. Very reasonable compared to other properties. Nice rooms, new beds. It is also very quiet which is nice in NYC because you can find all the action you want outside.\nThis is not a big hotel with many restaurant choices, bars huge lobby etc. Nor is it a top of the line $500-1000 a night \"5 star\" hotel where the service is \"impeccable\". But if you are looking for a friendly, clean, quiet, reasonable stay in a good location ... you won't be disappointed.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "We decided to stay at this hotel after our first choice started renovating. I'm so glad we changed to this hotel, the staff were great and the bed was the best I have ever slept in. We requested a high floor room and got one on the 21st floor with a great view of Times Square.\nIf you come to New York make this hotel your first choice its worth every penny.\nWe booked hotel only through Virgin Holidays as were far cheaper than any net rate.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "I have just spent 5 nights with 3 friends at the Renaissance Hotel in Times Square, New York. The location is fantastic, right in the middle of all the action. We had a room on the 19th floor (requested this through our Virgin holiday) and had two large double beds which were so comfy it was difficult to get out of them. Found all the staff very obliging especially in the resturant where we had breakfast each day. There is a great view from here. \nIf you are travelling to New York and intend to go up the Empire State I would advise you to prepurchase your tickets as we had to queue for two hours. Would recommend seeing Mamma Mia, it is brilliant, also the open top bus ride round the city. Macys is the best for shopping, Bloomingdales is classier but sells the same things at a higher price.\nHave a great time folks.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "been to NYC over 10 times, 1st time at rennaissance.\nJust came back from staying here last week. clean room, large comfy bed, clean spacious bathroom, room service efficient. concierge service was amazing. late check out ... no problem, holding bags safely once checked out...no problem.\nlocation busy, but great if you're there for a short break, no wasted commuting time.\ntaxi to there from JFK was 30-45 min and $50 all in.\nwould definetely go back.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Having had a glorious stay here in December 2004, I returned to this hotel without hesitation. \nCheck-in is only at 3pm, but I had an early arrival (9am) at the hotel, as my international flight landed at 07h25. Needless to say, after 22 hours on planes and in airports, one usually just likes to have a shower or bath and put on some clean clothes.\nI enquired at reception whether it would be possible to check-in earlier. The gentleman very politely explained to me that they had a \"full-house\" the previous night and that I could enquire again at about 12h00 for a possible cleaned room. At 12h30 I made enquiries at reception again, this time encoutering the \"Cruella de Ville\" of the reception domain. In a condescending manner, she told me that check-in was at 3pm, no exceptions. Well thank you so much anyway for all your efforts mam, but that's exactly the reason I will seek out alternative accommodation in the future.\nAt rates of $459.00 per night I truly expect just that little extra for heavens sake! Even back in South Africa I get better treatment at Intercontinental hotels for a room rate, far less than $459.\nEventually I got a room at 4pm just to realise, when I opened the roomdoor, that I got the \"Royal Suite of broom closets\", with the added luxury of an adjoining roomdoor propped in the one corner of the room. For the rest of my Easter weekend I could clearly hear every word that was spoken in the adjoining room - from girlfriend talk to dirty talk......\nClearly being a Marriott Rewards \"Elite\" member is not working out for me and I will keep an eye out for alternative accommodation in NYC.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed at the Renaissance Hotel from March 26-March 30, 2005. At ckin we ran into a problem with there not being any connecting rooms. I had called that morning to double ck and was told everything was all set. Well, at ck in we couldn't get the connecting rooms and the two rooms we were going to be put in were floors apart. Not a good way to start our NYC trip. We cancelled the 2nd room and all 4 of us stayed in one room. Not a very comfortable solution. 2 people in the bed, one on a rollaway and one in the chair!!! Got worked out on Sunday afternoon and we got our 2 connecting rooms.\nThe location of this hotel is ideal. We loved being in Times Sq. We were on the 18th floor. Beds were comfy and I loved the pillows. Kids were bothered somewhat by the traffic noise, lots of honking horns, which would wake them up sometimes. So easy to walk to most all attractions. We only took a taxi once and that was due to the all day rain.\nRoom service was always prompt and the food good. My daughter and I always enjoyed our nightly slice of cheesecake. Did not eat dinner at Foleys, but did do the breakfast buffet one morning. The eggs were horrible!!! It was extremely overpriced for extremely mediocre food.\nOverall, I would recommend this hotel to anyone wanting a Times Sq location. Service was acceptable. I would probably stay here at some future visit to NYC.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed at the Renaissance for 4 nights beginning March 23rd (Easter weekend). There were four of us - my husband and I and our two daughters - 16 and 12. The trip was a birthday trip for our 16 year old. As had been said - the location is great. We had breakfast the first morning at Foleys which was very good - the staff was very friendly and helpful. We also had dinner on Saturday night before going to the theatre - again the food was very good and the view cannot be beat. The room was a nice size, the beds were great and given the location it was very quite. We found all of the staff very helpful and friendly. The day we were leaving my youngest daughter discovered that she did not have her cell phone - we were collecting our luggage from the bell station, getting a cab to the airport. The bell staff called housekeeping but they did not have it - he suggested we run up to the floor and double check as they were still cleaining rooms. Sure enough they had just finished our room and were planning to send it to us. The only negative is that Times Square in general is just packed with people so every time you leave the hotel it is crazy. However that is part of the adventure and it is nice to be so close to all the shows - I never felt any concern walking around after a show back to the hotel. We also ate at the Blue Fin in the W just across the street. This is a very hip & trendy place but the food was excellent - we just had oysters and sushi.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We stayed at the Renaissance in Feb 2005. The hotel was lovely. The room was superb with fantastic views from the window and the most comfortable, hugh bed I have ever slept in.\nThe location is the best in New York, with Central Park and the shops a stones throw away. A short walk to Central Station. Empire State building etc and near the subway for Statue Liberty and Ground Zero.\nYou must eat at Bubba Gumps restaurant, based on the film 'Forest Gump'\nThe staff at the Renaissance were friendly and polite. All in all our visit was a trip never to forget. We plan to go back one day and will definately return to this hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Just returned from a 4 night stay in the Rennaisance with 4 of my girl friends. What can I say, the hotel was fantastic. It's fabulously located and the services from all the staff, particularly Erick, the Concierge, was second to none. We were extremely pleased with our rooms on the 16th floor, the beds are so comfy, it's hard to get out of them in the morning. The rooms were serviced daily with loads of fresh towels. We had major problems with our luggage, or lack of it!!! but the hotel supplied us with bathrobes and toiletries to ensure we didn't suffer too much, they also sent champagne and strawberries to our room to cheer us up and to ensure we had a fantastic time in New York!!......I've never received that level of service from any other hotel and I've stayed in many. Unfortunately, we didn't eat in Foleys but we heard that the food was fantastic, we did sneak in there early one morning after returning from a night out just to see the view....well worth it! My friends and cannot recommend the Rennaisance highly enough, we've told everybody about it since our return and are already planning our next trip. if you're looking for a high quality, traditional and friendly place to stay in the middle of new york, you can't do better then this hotel, when you go, tell Erick that we said Hi!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed at the Renaissance from Feb 16 to 21 and can't fault it. We got a great deal from hotelpronto for all 4 of us (my husband & I, and two sons 15 and 12) in one room. We stayed in Milford Plaza on our last visit, and although it was in the right positon (and who goes to New York to spend much time in their room?) we were not impressed and I read lots of reviews to find a better place to stay for our second visit. Thanks to all your helpful members and their reviews, we were certainly not disappointed this time. The room was large for NYC and very welcoming. Two large double beds which were soooo comfortable with lots of pillows and quilts, great TV, armchair with reading lamp, a huge closet to tuck away the suitcases (and the carrier bags!) and a great marble bathroom with endless hot water. There was even a coffee/tea maker and a fridge(tho we didn't dare use the fridge for our own drinks as we were afraid we'd be charged for minibar items we hadn't used!) The staff at the hotel was fantastic - all really friendly and helpful. We checked in early (1pm) with no problem at all, and although checkout was 12 and we didn't leave NYC til 4pm, we were welcome in the lobby and our bags were looked after. Nothing was too much trouble. There are fabulous flowers everywhere, it all smells great, and was slap bang in the middle of everything we wanted to see and do. We ate breakfasts at Europan (near Port Authority bus terminal) - fantastic and so cheap; very friendly and helpful and great banana pancakes! We had dinner in Foley's on the Saturday and had a table overlooking Times Square - it was fabulous and the fish was delicious. My younger son wasn't hungry but no problem - Marlene the waitress made him a Roy Rogers cocktail (!!) and made a great fuss of him. The cocktails in the bar were large and hit the spot! Also ate at Angus Mcindoe's on 44th(?) - lovely food and huge cosmopolitans, and I'm sure there were some of the cast from The Producers on the next table... we had a brilliant time and we will certainly be going back to the Renaissance, hopefully in November (just the two of us) (if the boys let us - they loved every minute).", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Stayed at the Renaissance 13th-17th February and had an unbelievable time. I'll file my trip report on the forum, but here's my view on the hotel. My only real disappointment was that I had specifically requested a high floor (it was my honeymoon after all). We were allocated a room on the 7th floor (out of about 28). I decided not to complain without looking at the room and in fact, my wife and I loved it! Great view of Times Square and very little noise.\nWe had breakfast in Foleys on the first morning and it was terrific (although very expensive). Sausage, Maple-cured bacon, home fries and eggs, with terrific coffee, loads of fresh fruit and a huge range of muffins and pastries. The other three days we ate out at the FANTASTIC Europan (no spelling error) Cafe. Fluffy Blueberry pancakes with fruit and maple syrup... Mmmmm!!! Also try the Majestic Deli for awesome cheesecake.\nOther things to let you know. The bed at the hotel was huge and very comfortable (perfect for dealing with jet-lag) Housekeeping was immaculate ($3 a day on the desk ensured this) and the bath was Olympic sized. The best thing? It's been said before. The location. It could not be better for everything. We walked virtually everywhere we went and were so glad we chose Times Square as a base.\nIn conclusion, I have no hesitation in recommending the Renaissance.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I stayed in the Renaissance in January 2005. The location is good, right in the Times Square area. I had a king size bed which was extremely comfortable, and everything was very nice and clean, and well presented, in both the bedroom and bathroom. There were coffee-making facilities in the room. They even offer to shine a pair of shoes for you each day, although I didn't have the opportunity to take up the offer. I had stayed at another hotel in the area earlier in my trip, but I wish I had been at the Renaissance the whole time, it was not much more expensive, but of a far higher quality.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "My partner and I decided to go to New York to celebrate my Birthday and booked this hotel solely on the great reviews we'd seen on this website, we were not disappointed! \nAs it was our first trip to America and we were quite overwhelmed but the staff were very friendly, especially Omar, the concierge. He helped us plan out our day and recommended some wonderful restaurants and Broadway shows to visit. I don't know what we would have done without him! \nAfter moving on the second night from a small bedroom on the 5th floor, to a big room on the 20th floor overlooking Broadway and 7th avenue with great sights of Times Square, we were very happy. The windows were soundproofed with black out curtains so the busy traffic and lights of Broadway were not a problem. \nThe only problem was on the last night the room next door was very loud, but a quick call to the front desk and security came up straight away to ask them to keep it down. \nOverall the hotel was lovely, the staff were very accommodating and the location was ideal.\nBest Birthday ever!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My husband and I went to NYC over Easter break last year. I realize I forgot to post a review and wanted to fix that. Our stay at the Renaissance Hotel could not have been better. We had bid through Priceline at $140.00 per night for 7 nights back in February. The rates posted online at the Renaissance were never less than 259-279 for the nights that we were staying there. I think we got a great bargain. As soon as we knew we won our priceline bid I had called the hotel direct to verify our reservations and also had requested a non smoking room with a queen size bed or better. They reserved a King size deluxe room, non smoking. On arriving, I asked for a room on a higher floor hoping for a good view. At check in, the clerk mentioned our rooms were prepaid via priceline. We left a credit card for incidentals, whick amounted to 14.33 for the 7 days and included a local tax of 2.00 per day. Our room was on the 14th floor which appears was the 10th floor, since the numbers jumped from lobby to the 4th floor, and the room had a view over Broadway. We overlooked the Hershey's store, the double decker bus departure site and the never far away Starbucks. \nWe didn't feel like inferior customers because we used Priceline. EVERYONE was helpful, pleasant, efficient. The Concierge was always ready with subway suggestions or walking directions. \nThe hotel is really really nice. Mahogany and marble everywhere. The real plus was the help staff. \nThe room itself was classic, clean. The TV included an interface to the internet, which we didn't use. It was a flat rate of 11.95 per day if you used it. Also had movies. We enjoyed watching the news on New York One, TV station. There were two upholstered chairs next to the window with a small table. The room was of a nice size, moderately sized bathroom, coffee maker. The mini bar! Don't touch it if you don't mean it. Just opening it generated a bill of $20.00. Apparently it's on a REAL sensitive sensor. Twice we had to have our bill adjusted. We didn't want $4.00 cokes or 3.50 candy bars. We had no problem getting our bill credited. \nAnother feature we liked about the hotel was it's size. Our room wasn't down long corridors. Easy access to the street. And EASY access to all the theatres. We went to 5 plays while we were there and all were an easy walk even in chilly weather.\nWe didn't eat at Foley's. We couldn't imagine wanting to overlook Times Square. By the time we left, I was quite tired of the Times Square scene. We ate the fixed price menu's in an Italian restaurant on Restaurant Row. There was a wonderful little deli, The Stage Door deli where we went for breakfast almost daily. By the second time there, the deli waiter remembered had remembered our order, right down to the pulp free Tropicana OJ. Very impressive. Breakfast was 10.31 cents including coffee, juice, eggs, toast, home made potatoes for both of us. SERVED. Beat that, Denny's! (you can order downstairs and carry it upstairs to eat or go upstairs and be waited on. Either way, it's plastic forks and paper plates.)\nOh, and for a finale, we were leaving the hotel at 2:30. We requested a courtesy late check out time which they accomodated with grace. On a Saturday. We left with a very good feeling about the Renaissance Hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "This was our first trip to NYC, and after researching accommodations and reading reviews, we were really anxious about what our hotel would actually be like. Our travel agent found a super deal which was $360 for two nights, two double beds and two breakfasts each day, including all taxes. Valet parking was $38 per day. The hotel,located on the 7th Avenue side of Times Square, meet and exceeded our expectations. The rooms were clean, spacious, soundproof and well-appointed. The deep soaking tub in the marble washroom was heavenly, with lots of hot water and good pressure. The staff, from the valets to the concierge, were polite, helpful and accommodating. The breakfast buffet was fantastic, a bit pricey, but everything costs a little more in NYC. There was a subway station just outside the hotel. On our last day, we were 10 minutes late getting back from the museum (we took the wrong train and ended up in Queens), and we were worried we would be charged for an extra day of parking, but they said no problem. We couldn't have had a better experience, and would definitely stay here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}]}, "1158753": {"reviews": []}, "113329": {"reviews": []}, "1218792": {"reviews": []}, "634696": {"reviews": [{"text": "My husband and I had the most amazing wedding day on March 28, 2008 only to have it end in a nightmare because of the night manager at the Bowery Hotel. Our friends were thoughtful enough to get us a room as a wedding gift - they had even had flowers sent there for us. The room was booked under one of their credit cards with my husband's name on the reservation. They had spoken to the front desk more than once that day to confirm it was all set up and to let the hotel know we would be checking in late since our reception would end late that evening.\nWe finally arrived at the hotel some time around 1am...and they refused to give us the room unless we gave them our credit card TO BE CHARGED. Not for incidentals (which is what I initially assumed they wanted it for) - they said they were only holding the room under our friend's c/c - but we had to pay for it ourselves. For our wedding gift! On our wedding night! We were obviously not going to pay for a hotel room that was a gift - so after much back and forth with the night manager we told him that it was fine - to just cancel the room and we would just go to our apt. We live in Manhattan and this was not worth the trouble!\nWe thought that would settle it and we could put our exhausted selves in a cab and go home, but the night manager's response was since we were within the 24 hour cancellation period, we couldn't cancel - so if we left he would charge our friend's card for the room! He said he couldn't charge her for the room if we stayed, but he could charge her for the room if we left. What a nightmare!!!!\nWe continued to go back and forth with the manager for far too long. At one point he had the nerve to say we could leave and he would try to resell the room - if he could, our friend wouldn't get charged. Resell a $500 room at 2am?!?!!! He must have thought we were idiots.\nI had been up getting dressed for my wedding day at 5:30 that morning. I was exhausted, unhappy and just wanted to go home. I said to my husband - I can't believe this is happening right now - I'm going to have to write a bad review of this hotel. At that very moment the manager jumped in and said - You know what, I know it's your wedding night - I can go ahead and cancel the reservation - sorry for the miscommunication. Just like that. Like he could've done 30 mins earlier.\nAt that point we were just relieved to be able to go home. Our friend called the hotel the next morning and let them know what an important night they ruined. The day manager looked up the reservation and what had the night manager written?? Cancellation due to weather.\nOn top of that, although apologizing profusely for all the trouble, the only solution the hotel could come up with at that point was to offer us a bigger room AT THE SAME RATE. Not even a discounted rate, the same rate. We let them know none of us would be spending our money there. \nWe will never stay at the Bowery Hotel because of this experience with their night manager. And none of our friends will stay or recommend it to anyone either. We are not saying the quality of the hotel is bad - we will just never know.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 26}, {"text": "Currently in it's \"soft opening\" stage, the bowery is brand new but feels classic and familiar the moment you walk though the door.\nwhat i loved\n- rain shower w/ c.o. bigelow products\n- free wifi\n- check ing in early @ 10 am after a red eye\n- beautiful gothic feeling lobby with marble tile mosiacs on the floor (very similar to the floors in the new greek and roman sculpture galleries at the met)\n- comfy bed w/ view of the chrystler bulding \n- tasseled key that you leave at the front desk and never have to worry about losing.\n- little green stool so you can sit in front of the desk/mirror\n- attentive but not invasive service\n- catalan restaurant down the street called 'mercat'\n- old time new york ambiance - brick, dim lights, wood panels\n-$375 a nite. cheap for new york!\n- you can open the windows\n- same feel as the maritime hotel (same owners) but much more posh and luxurious.\nwhat could use a little work\n- front desk/ reservations dept. very slow to pick up the phone.\nwhen you finally did get ahold of them though they are very helpful and pleasant.\n- one day out of three my room was not made up until after 6pm.\ni really can't wait to go back here. it felt like home.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "93624": {"reviews": [{"text": "I travel every week for business and decided to stay at the Waldorf one weekend while in NYC. This was by far the worst hotel experience of my life! Beginning with the callous way I was treated by the front desk staff to the tiny room I was given with cracked walls and an unclean bathroom. I am an HHonors Diamond VIP member and was denied access to the lounge until I spoke with a supervisor and was then given access. I booked a Deluxe King room but ended up with a standard Queen bed. I was stopped and asked for my ID and room number on several occasions and was even followed as I walked throughout the hotel lobby! If you are an ethnic minority I would suggest you save yourself the heartache and stay at a different hotel-there are much nicer options and I have never had anything but the best service there. I don't want you won't feel like you've stepped back into segregation like I did.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Let me begin by saying this trip began by us carrying our luggage into the hotel and inevitably doing the same on the way out. I booked this trip through AMEX platinum fine hotels and resorts and regret staying at the hotel. The Bellman was no where to be found when I arrived with my family on Friday, December 21, 2007 at around 3 PM. None of our three rooms were ready. Finally, when the first room was ready it was nice and spacious. When the second room was ready it was the size of a hall closet, had paint peeling from the walls, and smelled of mold. I informed them of this problem and they brought us to the next option of a room, which was small and had an overpowering smell of cigarette smoke. The Bellman told me it was a non-smoking room and that he would call for the Manager. When she arrived, she told me the hotel was completely booked and that they could put a machine inside the room to get rid of the smell of smoke. I explained to her that I was asthmatic and that this was beyond unacceptable. So, since it was paid in full, I had no choice but to keep the hall closet. Our third room was small, had an enormous amount of paint peeling from the walls, the lamps did not work, the carpets were pretty gross and desperately needed to be renovated, and the woman whom I was dealing with did not see a problem with this. She was unhelpful, rude, and promised to contact me to switch rooms when one became available, which she never did. The private elevators did not work about half of the time we were there, so in order to get to our room or the lobby, we had to take one elevator to a certain floor, switch and take another. There were huge water leaks throughout the hotel, one of which my brother reported because the hotel was not doing anything about it and that was the entrance to the Waldorf Towers. The following day there was a waterfall in the middle of the famed Peacock Alley restaurant. Below you will find a list of some of our other issues:\n- Friday night we asked our private concierge to make us reservations at Nobu and they told us it was almost impossible. Same with Tao. They did not call but I did and got a reservation.\n- We asked the concierge on Friday to make us reservations for brunch on Sunday at Tavern on the Green. On Sunday, we find out we do not have a reservation and because they lost my father's cell phone number and our rooms voice mail was not working, they did not leave us a message. However, I was able to call on Sunday and they gave us one.\n-The heater in our room would not shut off and it was an inferno. I called the front desk, they left me on hold for literally 15 minutes and then it hung up. When I was finally able to get through, they told me maintenance would come up and never did. \n-My brother went down to the Waldorf lounge or club level whatever they call it and was pouring himself a cup of coffee and one of the employees who work there came up to him, took his cup of coffee and told him they are closed and he needs to leave NOW. -We never received the welcome amenity that you get from AMEX\n-All 3 room keys stopped working, Sunday morning even though we had late check out. They told us someone would be up to bring us new room keys, since the line downstairs to get new keys was very long. Security let us into our room but failed to bring us new keys\n- We put several calls into the Manager, all of which were unreturned\n-The hold time to place an order with room service was seriously like 20 minutes and then they delivered and incomplete order. When we called room service back, to inform them of this, they put us on hold for another 10 minutes, and the missing food did not arrive for another 45. Among that was milk for the baby.\n-On Saturday night at around 10:15 we asked the front desk for recommendations as to where we could get appetizers and drinks, and after speaking to 4 people from the hotel staff, we took a cab to a closed restaurant as per their sole recommendation.\n-Also, apparently fire alarms were going off on Friday and my parents went down like 30 flights of stairs but it did not go off in the wing I was in.\n- Complimentary breakfast in the Waldorf Lounge was full, so they gave us buffet vouchers to go down to a specific restaurant in the hotel, which would normally be fine, except that there was a 30 minute wait. So we left.\n- My last point I will make was when we were checking out, we had all of the bags in the dressing area, and the bellhop accidentally left one. We only found out because someone used the restroom right before we were leaving and noticed, after the bellhop had left. When our driver called, the bellhop then moved our bags 10 feet to the front of the Waldorf Towers entrance. Our driver was in front of the Waldorf and I needed someone to explain to him how to get to the side street, and no one would help us. I asked the bellhop to help me and said he would and then a suburban pulled up and he began unloading those bags. This went on for about 15 minutes. The weather was getting bad outside and we were afraid we were going to miss our flight, so I kept asking the bellhop who used to be helping us to please speak to my driver or if he could find me someone who could. He told me he would when he was done taking all of the bags upstairs! I informed him again that we were there first, had a flight to catch, and that my driver was lost in front of the hotel and he simply said no matter what he does someone will be upset. Meanwhile, my brother went to try to get one of the managers but she told him, she was busy and he needed to wait. In the end, forty-five minutes after our scheduled pick-up time we took a bellhop cart half way down the block, to where my driver was and my brothers unloaded our luggage into the car, in the rain with the driver and we almost missed our flight. This is clearly not a 5 or 4 star hotel. This would never happen at the Ritz, St. Regis, and the Four Seasons all of which we've stayed at in NYC. I am still trying to fathom how we experienced all of this and more. If you are considering staying here, I highly recommend you seek other accommodations because I have to say this was easily one of worst hotels I have ever stayed at and we are all well traveled.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We have travelled extensively and are HHonors Gold members so we have a good feel for hotels but found the Wardorf Towers to be very disappointing.\nFirstly on arrival, we found out room not to be ready (it was 9pm and we have just come off a transatlantic flight - so it wasn't great news), after a bit of standing our ground at check-in (main Waldorf reception) we were ushered to the private Towers reception where we found our room to be fairly small and strong smell of paint.\nWhile the room was nicely decorated, it wasn't particularly clean and felt a little worn (not to be confused with classic period decor).\nMid way through our trip I received a call from my bank back home who had spotted 3 x $3000 charges on my Visa card.....this was of course the Waldorf charging me for the entire stay not twice but three times. Absolutely fuming I went down to front desk and explained, they were apologetic but not overly helpful and having no faith they would refund correctly I asked my bank to reject payment.\nThroughout the stay we called repeatedly to get mprning newspaper changes and extra pillows - none were actioned until at least my third call.\nOverall, NYC didn't disappoint - it never does and this was our 4th trip there! But the Towers was far from the \"small hotel\" with big facilities feel that was promised. Location was fine - metro and taxis close or you can walk to mid-town (34th St / Times Sq) in 10 mins. We won't be going back (despite being given a complimentary night stay for our troubles), its back to the Millenium Hilton (at Ground Zero site) / Plaza / W Hotel next year......", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "Perhaps my husband-to-be was not literally a prince by birth or title, but during my stay at the Waldorf Towers for the weekend of my wedding, I was pampered and treated like a princess. My fairy tale began with the doorman assisting me out of my carriage (okay, okay, it was a yellow cab and not a pumpkin). We entered into the elegantly appointed small private lobby, and within a few moments, we were on our way to our suite. Later during our stay we explored the awesome main lobby and entrance. The incredible Art Deco details just took our breath away!\nWe had booked an Ambassador Suite on the basis of the hotel brochure which promised regal surroundings for the intimate wedding ceremony and in-suite luncheon for ten that we had in mind. I was a little nervous about everything being just right for such a special occasion. As we reached our floor, announced by the white-gloved elevator attendant, and followed the bell captain down the lovely hallway, resplendent with chandeliers, my heart began beating in anticipation. \nMy hopeful expectations were surpassed when the bell captain opened the door of our suite and we entered a grand marble foyer. As he led us into the living room, I was thrilled by the opulence of the high ceilings, rich carpets, molded alcoves, graceful furniture, and most of all, a magnificent marble fireplace with a beautiful gilded mirror. It was almost as though it were all designed with our purpose in mind. The dining room adjoining the living room was already set-up with the round table and chairs for ten as we requested. A bijoux wet-bar off the dining room contained a small refrigerator, sink, ice maker, and coffee maker. The only drawback was with respect to the refrigerator. An installed case of beverages took more than half of the small space which we would have preferred to use for our own purpose. \nWe then crossed back through the foyer to the other half of the suite. We walked down a short hallway and entered a bedroom that was as beautifully appointed and almost as spacious as the living room. The bedroom was well-furnished with a mahogany bed outfitted with luxurious linen sheets, two night tables, a writing desk and chair, a grand dresser and mirror and a sitting area with two wing chairs and table. Adjacent to the bedroom was a lovely boudoir, complete with an exquisite vanity table and chair, ornate mirrors, and three full closets. A programmable safe was also provided, to which we entrusted our wedding rings for safekeeping. A palatial marble bath, stocked with luxurious Egyptian cotton towels and refined bath and hair products, completed our suite. \nThe next morning, our guests arrived and were awed by the sumptuous setting in which our marriage was to take place. The marble fireplace with candles on the mantle and in wall sconces, reflected in the mirror, and provided the perfect backdrop for our wedding ceremony. Shortly after the ceremony concluded, the waiter arrived promptly at the pre-arranged time to begin serving the luncheon. I was very impressed by the fact that the Catering Manager himself had come earlier to personally oversee and ensure that everything was properly set-up. The luncheon itself was superb, and the efficient, attentive service of the waiter only added to my pleasure in how well this important function was handled by the staff. \nThis high level of service and care was evident in every aspect of our stay, from the housekeeper who was very pleasant and cheerful, to room service which was prompt and courteous. We decided to be totally spoiled the next day and ordered breakfast from room service so we could stay in the plush robes provided by the hotel (I did do the honest thing and bought one to remind me of the \"Tower\" experience at home). Breakfast arrived on a rolling table set with linen tablecloth and napkins, china, silver, crystal glasses, and a fragrant, fresh pink rose as a final touch. Of course, the only drawback to all this is that it comes at a pretty price, but that is typical of all luxury hotels. Our breakfast, which included steak and eggs and pancakes and sausage (yes, we were hungry), came to almost ninety-nine dollars, not including tip. However, sated as we were with freshly squeezed orange juice and the sweetest raspberries I have ever tasted, we thoroughly enjoyed our delicious splurge. \nWe also tried some of the Waldorf's restaurants during our three-day stay. We enjoyed an excellent dinner of succulent prime rib at the Bull and Bear steakhouse, and appreciated the very attentive, yet unobtrusive service provided. Oscar's, the \"casual\" restaurant, offered many of the same tasty choices included on the room service menu, but at far more reasonable prices. \nAlas, my fairy tale stay at the Waldorf Towers came to an end, but the wonderful memories will last me a lifetime.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "We recently spent (3) nights at the once stunning Waldorf Towers and it saddens me to report what a disappointment it was. A landmark in the heart of mid-town Manhattan, the Waldorf is perfectly situated for a stay in the city. The main hotel is enormous but the towers have a private entrance and elevators, making it feel more like a small luxury hotel. Our deluxe suite was extremely spacious, with very high ceilings and a living room that reminded me of a grand ballroom. The architecture is beautiful, and it's decoration had an old world european feeling, but I couldn't help noticing how poorly maintained it was. The paint was chipping, wallpaper peeling, and it wasn\u2019t clean. Upon arrival, I had to call housekeeping to wash the visible dirt from the marble floors, and fingerprints that covered the bathroom mirrors. I would highly recommend that room service be avoided at the hotel. The quality of the food and poor service doesn\u2019t come close to the exorbitant price you will be charged for it. After 4 calls and a 3 hour wait, our dinner table was removed after midnight by a very unpleasant staff member...and I was finally able to go to bed. I can only say that this lovely old hotel is overdue for a facelift, and a management that will pay closer attention to the quality of service and maintenance that it deserves.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Stayed in a 1 bedroom 'luxury' suite at the Towers for 6 nights. While the suite was huge, the furnishings were shoddy and shabby, and seemed straight out of a thrift store; a flimsy brass and glass TV stand, cheap 1\" metal blinds, threadbare sofas, a shower curtain barely thicker than saran-wrap, stained tub, etc. Service was atrocious; the concierge was only occasionally on duty, and usually surrounded by a large crowd when he/she made their infrequent appearances. The desk staff were useless wrt restaurant recommendations, etc., when the concierge wasn't there; they just pulled out a 3 year old Zagats guide and handed it over... The lounge was also horrendous; standing-room only crowds at breakfast and cocktail hour, and the staff was only concerned with being sure people signed in; no interest in clearing tables or assisting guests in any way. The food in the lounge was mediocre at best (laughable compared to the club floor at the Ritz Carlton), and no complimentary drinks. No wonder the price the price was so much less than other 'luxury' hotels; it simply isn't a luxury hotel anymore! If you go in expecting a 3 star experience, hopefully they will live up to your expectations!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 24}, {"text": "Our suite in the lower towers, was elegant. The front desk representative, Ivalua, could not have\nmet the needs of our party and of our handicapped guest more perfectly. The upper floors 35-42 have the most spectacular views. The four private elevators, for Towers' guests only, no longer have the white gloved attendents, but you will still enjoy the other special luxuries of The Towers. When you want privacy, use the the private 50th Street entrance. It is private and secure enough for the President of The United States and other dignitaries! Want to stroll to your suite through New York's grandest art deco lobby, just use the grand Park Avenue Entrance. Don't try to return to your suite on the Park Avenue Elevators or Starlight elevators though; they just service the lower floors of the Waldorf=Astoria, not the Waldorf Towers. As a frequent traveler to New York, we've tried the rest, but keep returning to Waldorf Towers because there realy is no better in our opinion.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "2253206": {"reviews": [{"text": "I booked this hotel for a 2 day business trip to NYC from LA. The good reviews on TripAdvisor prompted me to book it, as my favorite hotel near my office (Distrikt) was booked.\nReservation process--I'm used to filling out Credit Card authorization forms, etc but was unaware that they needed these documents PRIOR to my check-in. I only knew this because I took the liberty to ASK prior to my flight to avoid any headaches with this new hotel. Most hotels are fine with receiving the information when you check-in!\nThe hotel is situated off 8th Ave on 35th right next to a police station. There isn't much around it and felt a little desolate. The lobby decor bordering cheesy contemporary furnishings. I got in at 11:20pm on a Tuesday, and noticed the bar was closing. I wanted to get a glass of wine before they closed but was denied! I was highly upset because Yelp or something stated they were open until 12am. \nTheir restaurant wasn't open because of renovations, therefore they did not offer room service. Another fail!!! I was hungry when I checked-in at 11:30pm. They offered to give me menus of 24/7 delivery restaurants but I declined. One of the managers escorted me to my room, and thankfully he did so because my key didn't work!!!! How many road-bumps can one hit in a 15 min period upon arrival?! Within 5 min, he brought me a new key and I called my friend to complain--of which I think he heard me because 5 min later the bartender called and offerd to bring me up a glass of red wine free of charge.\nRoom--cozy and quaint with questionable decor (QR code graphic on a mirror + contemporary furnishings + laminate floor?! HAHAHA). The bed was extremely hard. The bathroom was very nice but was ruined by having dispensers for soap/shampoo/conditioner (is this a locker room or a hotel?!). They didn't have any q-tips or cotton balls which was also strange to me!! It just seemed cheap to me all together. The next morning, I wanted to utilize the coffee maker, only to find out they did not have any regular coffee pods available! LOL WTF. Also, another cheap-out by having no-name sugars and powder creamers. Also--no fridge or anything in a Queen-size room fyi.\nThe last strange occurance was when I checked-out. They would not give me a copy of my receipt because the credit card used was my companies, not mine (remember, traveling for WORK so of course my own personal CC isn't being used)!!! Totally absurd and I do not understand when I have documentation stating that this is MY ROOM being paid by someone else authorized why they couldn't give me the paperwork. It makes me feel that they may charge me for something else, etc! SHADY!!!!\nALl in all, this hotel is trying to be something it's obviously NOT. I would have rather stayed at a Holiday Inn which is expected mediocre, generic accommodations. I'd never recommend this hotel to anyone--there are plenty of other options in NYC.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I recently stayed at this hotel, the first installment of the TRYP brand of hotels. I have stayed in other tryp hotels in Europe, but this one blows my mind! It is unique, beautiful and the guest rooms are clean, fresh and refreshing in how they look! Great design without costing an arm and a leg! And the staff....wow, they couldn't have been nicer!\nMy husband and I ate at the Lobby's Gastro Bar. I don't get the name, but the food is divine and the presentation is better than what we saw in Europe! I can't stop raving about this place! I have already booked my return stay this Spring!\nPump up to excellent every category!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "This hotel says it is part of the Wyndham/Tryp hoteles family but other than the signs, I must say it is more beautiful and better appointed than any of the tryp hotels I stayed at in Spain. The Lobby is the prettyest lobby I have ever seen. Wow...the attention to detail and the staff couldnt have been nicer! We had a couple of drinks at the bar in the lobby....the drinks were tasty and the staff had big smiles as if they were happy to be there serving us!\nThe rooms are bigger than my husband's first apartment! There is nothing fancy about the rooms other than they are beautiful, thoughtful and clean. Someone really figured out how to keep the noise out of the rooms...even with wood floors!\nI am coming back here....but the next time, I am bringing my whole family...they have rooms with bunk beds!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}]}, "208453": {"reviews": [{"text": "Our room was on the 28th floor overlooking the Hudson and the very ugly Westin Hotel. As others have mentioned the rooms are a good size, in fact they are normal functional Hilton rooms just as you might find near a Hilton in a suburban business park. The staff was helpful and checking in and out was quick. As I recall guest rooms started on the 23rd floor and topped out on floor 44. Our room on the 28th floor was quite when the window was shut and the curtains kept things dark a good thing given late nights on the town. My only reservations about this hotel are its location - 41st street - and the price of the rooms. When the 42nd street entrance is opened it will do a lot to get past a bad first impression. I should also say that I don't really care for being near Times Square with the crowds, bad restaurants and traffic but recognize that others love this part of New York. Finally we have the price which when we visited the city approached $500 a night with taxes. At $300 or even 350 I might be inclined to think more highly of this quite, safe and functional Hilton near the heart of Times Square.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Yes, I've seen many of the good reviews and know some will disagree, but I am writing this directly from my room AT the Hilton Times Square, and am merely reporting what I've seen.\nAlso, sorry if my reviews are a tad long, but I get so much good advice here that I feel obligated to paint a decent picture for all of you when I review something.\n***\nLOBBY: Nice, but smallish and on the darker side. Cozy, but it can full up fast.\nPRE-ARRIVAL: Pretty good about phones. They pick up 70% of the time. I know cause from Vegas airport it took 5 tries to get someone. \nThey booked me a car from Newark airport to the Hilton Times Square (HTQ) and upon arrival, we had to look long and hard for the driver who somehow appeared and smelled of fresh cigarettes. (In fairness, I booked this at the last minute and they may have picked their last resort vendor. I suggest NOT using \"Spectaclular\" for transportation.)\n**************\nARRIVAL: 11pm arrival, only one bell guy on staff but he was visible and helpful. Bell staff overall is fine. \n*************\nCheck-In: I had confirmations for 2 \"Corner Rooms\" which I paid extra for, as usually corner means corner and there's less neighbor noise. I re-specified this at check in and the MANAGER (Mr S) said no problem. More later.\n*************\nRoom: Good size and recently renovated IMO. While Hilton's bed is NOT as good as Westin, Hyatt, and Marriott, it was still ok. Bring your own pillow I suggest. Lighting is fair, TV worked fine. Air Conditioning is almost adequate for sleeping with blanket. Like many hotels, it's positioned stupidly where the thermostat thinks it's cool, but by the bed it's not. (In fairness, I get hot fast so perhaps you won't feel this way here)\n************\nSmallish bathroom but bright and well stocked with toiletries, towels and robes. Water pressure is slightly below avg, but gets hot quickly.\n************\nCleanliness is fine, although there's a stain or two on shower curtains do a good job of keeping it dark.\n************\nDINING: One basic restaurant and room service till 11pm. I didn't try it.\n************\nINTERNET ACCESS: I'm paying $10 dailoy which is fine, but service is erratic. Had to try logging on 3 times to write this review. When calling front desk they explain that there's a 1-800 number for tech assistance. How nice.\n*************\nSERVICE: Despite a few impersonal staff members, there ARE some good staff here. \"Melissa\" at front desk, \"Megan\" at Concierge, or \"Cara\" at front desk is who I suggest to work with. \n*************\nOk, so far so good so why can't I suggest it?\nNOISY. Not city noise. But you can hear the room next to me as I write this, and hear when ANY room door down the hall closes. \nAlso, you can hear toilet flushes like clockwork and it's from more than one room. Last night I couldn 't figure out how many toilets I was listening to, but frankly I'd prefer Mozart at 3am.\nCORNER ROOM? NO. I'm almost at the corner and next to me is a room used by HOUSEKEEPING. Yep, so from the 'corner room' I paid more for, I can hear the housekeepers next door at 9am.\n*****\nSo despite the tgood stuff, I can't recommend it due to NOISE and improper room assignments. $329 per night in NYC does NOT buy marble baths and staff waiting over you hand over foot and I get that. But it SHOULD mean accurate room assigments and especially, a somewhat QUIET room.\n*****\nOther than that, NYC is fun as always. This weekend Times Square seems to be mobbed by the hip-pop crowd for some reason, so one has to navigate past the loud profanity, budding fights, etc. But usually it's really nice. \nSafe travels to everyone!\nJedi", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "This hotel was everything we hoped it would be. Perfect location for sightseeing with nearby subways. Friendly, efficient check-in and check out took less than 5 minutes. Room on the 42nd floor with great views of Manhattan and the Hudson. Large, spotlessly clean room with contemporary decor and very comfortable king size bed, plush towels and robes and tea/coffee making facility, albeit in the bathroom! Hardly heard a noise even though we faced 42nd street!\nWe are quite self-sufficient travellers and so didn't require any of the hotel services, neither did we use the bar or restaurant which looked OK but a little staid for us.\nOverall I would say the hotel is above average, although not luxurious or grand. We had a fabulous stay and would definitely consider this hotel if we return to NY. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a great location, large modern rooms and great views from the higher floors.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Stayed at the Hilton Times Square for 3 nights. This was my 4th trip to NY but my 1st stay in Times Square. I was concerned about the noise level given the location, however that was never a problem at this hotel. Our room was on the 36th floor with excellent views of the city and never even heard a drop of a pin! Rooms were spotless and above average size by New York standards. Turndown service was a nice touch. Beds were very comfortable. Bathrooms were nicely equipped but quite cramped, even for one person. We never ate in the hotel. For breakfast we found that Applebee's next door was convenient and inexpensive.\nMy only complaint was that I booked the room via the Hilton website and within 24 hours found the identical accomodations for $30 less per night via NYC.com. I filed a claim via Hilton's best rate guarantee -- big mistake!! The claim was denied, despite having screen captures showing all the identical dates and terms. When I asked for the claim to be re-evaluated, the staff (in Memphis) never had the authority to match the rate. My claim continued to be escalated to the manager, who never returned calls, e-mail or fax inquiries. However upon check-in, I expressed my disattisfaction and gave them copies of the items I had previously submitted. The manager on duty was apologetic and quickly matched the rate.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Stayed at the Hilton during fashion week and the per room rate was over $500 for a larger than average (by NYC standards) room but not much else.\nThe staff were friendly enough but nothing stood out as being exceptional for the money.\nLocation is good if you are going to the shows but has few good restaurants in the area and all are very expensive. Moreover, Times Square is constantly filled with tourists from Nebraska or Iowa who think it's Las Vegas with style!\nStay in Soho or uptown and at least see NYC as it really is.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "stayed at the Hilton on Times Square Sep 05 for 1 night. Though staff was somehow friendly by NY standards I cannot agree in what other travellers commented. Due to a cruise we started from NY we had some suitcases to be carried and helped with. There are two different bellman depts in charge of your luggage. 1st from street level to 21st floor,2 nd. from reception up to your room which means tipping twice for one service and, yes, the bellmen of each division fight with each other regarding the tipps. Very unpleasant situation fot the guest!! rooms are average, bathrooms small and not very welcoming equipped. beds far to soft to be comfortable. Due to late arrival we did not leave the hotel for any food or drinks but decided to take a glass in the bar. bar/restaurant/reception all located in kind of a station hall without any optical or accustical dividing. Sound level just to high to have a conversation. but price level even higher.... Decided to go up to the room and order something to eat from 24 hr. roomservice. Were informed that roomservice ends by 10.30 pm due to new procedures. Well, what makes a hotel worth the money, how defines a hotel its nightly price? With lacking services???? We do not agree and will definitly avoid this hotel in future. A management dividing the hotel into cost structures and canceling services the moment they are not profitable is not what we expect from a hospitality place", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "My girlfriend and I stayed at the Hilton Times Square in mid-August.vvOur room was on a high floor overlooking the Empire State Building at a reasonable place. The hotel is a 15 minute walk from Grand Central Station and about a 20-25 minute walk to Central Park. Room service was pricey but cheaper then most of the restaurants in Manhattan. Overall we enjoyed our stay and we would definitely stay again here.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "At $500/night you expect something better than a painfully average room with an uncomfortable bed. Yes, the location is good, but there are so many other hotels in New York and in Times Square for that matter. Seriously, for that price you could stay at the Ritz.\nMy husband and I stayed here on business and they added a $50 charge from the lobby bar that we never made. It took 30 minutes for them to agree to remove it and they were somewhat rude about it. Our colleague had secured a special corporate rate and when he checked out they told him it was an error and tried to make him pay another $200 even though he had a confirmation with his rate on it. Again, it took 30 minutes and much arguing for this to be resolved.\nIs it dirty or run down? No. Is it the worst hotel in NYC? Not by a long shot, but if you are going to dig deep into your pockets, do yourself a favor and stay somewhere worth it.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "Stayed here during the worst snow storm to hit New York in recent history, therefore were somewhat limited in movement.\nFound the hotel to have a great location, and the facilities to be quite good. room was sizeable and views are excellent.\nThe restaurant is quite good and the staff very helpful", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "I recently stayed at this Hotel with my niece. A trip to NY was her 18th Birthday present from me and her first visit to NYC. \n I have stayed in NY several times usually around the Times Square area but this was my first stay at the Hilton. \n All of the previous reviews I had read proved to be very accurate and I was certaily not disappointed with the Hotel. \nHaving read previous reviews I had asked to be in a room as high as possible to ensure we had the good view that people had mentioned. When we checked in we were allocated a room onteh 23rd floor which is the first floor for rooms and the view was of buildings opposite. The room was lovely but I was disappointed witht he view so I went back to reception and without hesitation they moved us to the 39th floor which had a stunning view of the Statue of Liberty and was much lighter. Will, the receptionist, was wonderful and always said hello to us as we passed reception from then on. \nThe location is perfect, the staff are very friendly and the rooms are very clean. This is much better value overall than the Hotels I have stayed in which are far more expensive with less room and often no view.\nI would have no hesitation recommending this Hotel and would certainly stay there again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "Our family of four stayed here for 6 nights in August. Booked this hotel mainly due to the good reviews on Trip Advisor but on the whole felt disappointed. The rooms were a fair size for New York, although the bathrooms were on the small size, and they were clean and well serviced by the housekeeping staff, but there was nothing of particular note about them, they were just average. We had problems with noisy neighbours on two nights and although Hilton did recompense us for this it was disturbing.\nThe lobby/bar/restaurant were all together and I think that this is what was most annoying. It was not possible to just sit and have a relaxing drink as hoards of people kept passing through on their way in or out of their rooms or to visit reception.\nThe staff were all very polite and helpful though and you cannot fault the location. \nIn summary it is an average hotel, in a great location, but definitely not on the cheap side, especially in the bar and the restaurant.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Travelled to NYC for my daughter's 16th birthday gift in March '06. We spent 2 nights--a Friday and a Saturday night.\nPros: Great staff--we all felt very attended to from the moment we arrived until our departure. Doormen, concierge, hotel check-in, housekeeping, restaurant staff--everyone was great. Frankly, that is why I really like this place. The staff is the hotel's greatest asset in my opinion. They sent my daughter a nice birthday gift--a card and wonderful fruit platter-for us all to enjoy upon our arrival.\nLocation is in the heart of 42nd street--noisy outside as one might expect... but inside the hotel, it's calm, quiet and peaceful. Easy walking distance for my family to lots of theaters, shopping, Rockefeller Center, Penn Station, etc.\nClean rooms; comfortable beds; ironing board and safe in room; TV worked well; great PAX market across the street w/ reasonably priced items (muffins, sandwiches, pizza, etc.)\nCons: Rooms are average size; the hotel restaurant is pricey so don't be surprised, BUT the food is good. We had breakfast and dinner 2x each. \nBottom line: It's a 3 star hotel which does an EXCELLENT job w/ the basics. In NYC, you can spend $$$ and still not get the basics covered. YES!! I will stay here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "This was my first trip to New York City as a tourist so Times Sqare location is good for one who wants to do the touristy things. My five night stay was free because I cashed in my Hilton Honors points and I conclude these points were well invested. I liked the location of the hotel since most sites I wanted to tour were within walking distance, keep in mind that I like to walk. Subway stops are nearby as well as many night clubs, shops, restaurants, drug store, post office, etc.\nMy room was on the 40th floor and was quiet, no street noise at all. Room was very spacious with two double beds, desk, reading chair with floor lamp, cable TV, mini bar, bath with shower. Air conditioning worked fine and there was lots of hot water. Carpet and paint were not exactly new but otherwise everything about the room was fine. View to the south was good however the new Times building, under construction, will prove to be a future obstruction. Breakfast was included which was a small but delicious buffet. Service in the coffee shop was very good. Lobby with bar are Art Deco style and a popular meeting place after business hours. Hotel desk staff were friendly, professional, and helpful. Business center is lacking, internet access is much cheaper next door to the hotel on 42nd Street. \nEntrance to the hotel off 42nd street can be hard to find, just look for the door under the clock. Bellmen at the ground floor entrance will help if asked, otherwise you are on your own. 41st street entrance (back of the hotel) is more convenient, again look for the clock. No problem getting a taxi from the 41st Street entrance.\nI recommend this hotel to anyone desiring this location - just a half a block from Times Square. Regarding price justification - one has to compare.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We had stayed the first three nights of our trip at the Sheraton Manhattan and were so excited when we walked into our room at the Hilton. The room was so pretty! It had lots of light, was very clean and inviting. I found the bellboys all a little too eager to help us with our bags though. :) The staff was friendly, the hotel was quiet and we loved it. The bed was so comfortable and we slept great! We had a corner room with a great view. They also allowed us to check in three hours early! The location was great but not quite as good as the Sheraton. We got a great deal on our room ( 279 a night for a king bed witha city view) from the Hilton website. From start to finish our experience at this hotel was wonderful! We highly recommend the Hilton Times Square.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed at the Hilton for 7 nights at the beginning of May. We did ask for a room on a high floor room if possible, and we were given a huge corner room on the 27th floor overlooking 42nd Street which was lovely (would have liked it a little higher though). We could not fault the cleanliness of the room or bathroom. The views were beautifiul particularly at night. The actual entrance to the hotel is not the best we have seen, and if you arrive by taxi make sure the taxi driver goes to the 41st street entrance (not the 42nd street), or you have to carry your luggage across the road like we did ! Reception staff were very nice - we actually managed to check in at 1pm. The little dealings we had with the concierge was very good. The security was good at the hotel, we had to show our keycard most times to begin with until they got to recognize you. We did not eat or drink in the hotel. Applebees next door is great for breakfast and Paxs foods across the road is brilliant for lunch. There are loads of great irish Bars just off Broadway - particularly the Pig n Whistle on 47th or 48th Street. The location of the hotel was very convenient. It is so close to most things - Bryant Park is only yards away and is beautiful in the sun. The entrance out onto 42nd Street did get a little crazy and busy through at times which is not what you always wanted. We have been to NY several times now, and if you want to stay around Times Square we would certainly recommend this hotel. (Waldorf is great as well if you want to stay somewhere different).", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed here for 5 days this week. For the price I paid (about $360 a night including taxes) I was underwhelmed, so to speak. Our first impression was not good. As our taxi arrived at the door, the doorman immediately began to give the driver a hard time simply because he gently \"beeped\" the horn to announce he/we were there. They started arguing and only stopped when I stepped in to ask how much I owed the driver. Yikes. Welcome to NewYork. \nWe were allowed to check in an hour early. I had requested a high floor, as I was aware that a low floor would put us right over the drone of the airconditioners. So where did we get put? The 25th floor, over the airconditioners. I intended to ask to be moved on day 2 but we were just so tired and the thought of packing up all our stuff to move wasn't inviting. My advice: don't stay here unless you can get a room up around 30 floors or above due to street noise and airconditioning units.\nThe conceriege (both of them) were not much help to us. One guy could have cared less to help us. I didn't have complicated questions, just a few things I would think someone in that position should know (if we walk to circleline tours at the end of 42nd street, can we cross the highway on foot? or do we really need to take a bus down 42nd street just so that we can get across the highway? He had no idea even though we are talking about a distance of about a mile or less. Answer: you can walk and cross the highway on foot. We found that out after taking the bus.) But it was the attitude this guy had about not helping us, which was offputting. The other guy did find a phone number for me, which was good. But when I was asking a question about where to buy a 7 day subway pass because we were setting off for one of the art museums, he tried to convince us to take a taxi instead and not ride the subways. What? Not ride the subway in NY to get around? How helpful would this be? He said a taxi to the museum would only cost us about $12 so do that instead. Well, we headed straight for the subway instead because the TOTAL trip to the museum would have been $24 ($12 EACH way) and we could by a 7 day subway pass for $24 each allowing us unlimited travel. Glad we did this. The subway was safe and relatively fast and not too hard to figure out once you get going.\nMore about the hotel: the room was clean and the beds were fine. But on one day we returned to our room in the afternoon and the room had not been cleaned. Several managers had different reasons for why it had not been serviced. I'm not sure really what the reason was. But even after I was told it would be serviced, it took 2 1/2 hours to get it done and so we lost that time because we were not totally aware it would take so long ( the maid did not begin as soon as our request was made).\nOne more thing: do not eat breakfast at the hotel dining room. We tried that one morning and it cost the three of us $49 for very little. A glass of orange juice was $4 for goodness sake. My husband and daughter opted for the buffet for $18 each only to find out that they were out of eggs. Okay, so my daughter had three strips of bacon and a sausage link and a hashbrown for $18. (we had to pay $4 for the orange juice). My husband had some type of quiche and some bacon, again for $18, plus $4 for the juice. I don't eat at buffets, so I ordered a blueberry muffin (made right there, the menu is happy to point out). The muffin (again $4) was not one of these fluffy overflowing the top of the muffin cup kind of muffin, it was a flat cupcake muffin, like if a batch was supposed to make 12 muffins the chef had stretched the muffin mixture to make 18 muffins instead. And it was cold, like right out of a refrigerator. To top that off, our waiter could only mumble vague words to us, which were no answers at all, really. Anyway, a lot of money for very little.\nI know this review focuses on the negative. Yes, the hotel was clean and safe, those were the positives. But if I return to New York, I will try another hotel for the same price. This one, for us, was just not that special. Maybe there are helpful concierges there that just were not there during our stay. By the way, there was no concierge available all day on Friday while we were there (sign said they were sorry for the inconvience, see the check in clerk for help...which we did once, but was no help), and later in the late afternoon a concierge showed up. Maybe others who request a high floor get one (we didn't), and maybe others are happy to pay $18 for a breakfast buffet that has run out of eggs and doesn't replace them, but we just were disappointed. It didn't ruin our vacation because we didn't dwell on it. But I didn't have the same great experience other posters on this board had and i felt like I had to say so.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "We stayed at the Hilton Times Square for a four day vacation weekend. We had a great time. Upon check in our front desk personnel was extremely friendly. She offered to upgrade us to a suite on our second day if we were interested. We asked for a corner room, which I recommend b/c they are large. The room was so large we didn't even want to upgrade on our second day. The bellman who took our luggage up was familiar with the city and answered our questions with great recommendations. The room was very clean and well dusted. The beds have the upgraded linen similiar to the W's \"Heavenly Bed\" and was very comfortable. The concierge was quick to respond. The hotel was very well located to everything we wanted to do on our trip. It is a 1/2 block from the bus station if you fly in and take the bus into the city from the airport. The breakfast buffet was reasonably priced and offered great selections. We didn't experience anything negative during our stay and we are very particular about staying in great hotels. A true recommendation to those who love five star hotels. The customer service was above average, which was amazing b/c all of the staff were very friendly.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Our first trip to NYC and we wanted to fit as much in our 3 days as we could, this meant staying among the sites. We chose the Hilton for it's location to the theatre (went to see Phantom - amazing!!) and it's proximity to all that Times Square is about. We were not disappointed!!! From the perfect assistance with our luggage (there were 4 adults) to the speedy early check-in, the assistance from the concierge and doormen, everything was fantastic! The room was spacious enough for 4 adults, even with 2 beds, we still had a chair & ottoman, desk & chair...the only suggestions would be a dresser so we didn't have to live out of our suitcases, and an extra mirror with an outlet nearby to help the morning primping go more quickly. A small fridge and microwave would've been nice too but we managed just fine without them. Oh, and the beds!!! Sooooo comfortable!!! It's a good thing there is so much to see during the day because we may have been tempted to stay in!! We would definitely stay here again!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Knowing that NYC hotel rooms come in two sizes-- shoebox and matchbox-- I was pleasantly surprised to find myself the occupant of a fairly large-sized room. The decor was modern and stylish (arty prints on the walls) with new blonde wood furnishings (entertainment center, wardrobe, desk, lamp, armchair, two bedside tables) and a king-sized bed with soft white linen and a tube-shaped Asian-style extra pillow. It was even, heck-- luxurious. The clock radio/alarm clock had a jack that I could have plugged my iPod into. Wish I had known about that in advance. When I pressed the pre-set \"classical music\" button at 6:30 a.m. I got Iggy and the Stooges bashing out \"raw power\". (Actually, not a bad wake-up song for NYC!) The coffee maker on the desk came with coffee (but, sadly, no tea). The bathroom was spotless and huge, with lots of spiffy toiletry items (would have traded the mini sewing kit for a toothbrush, though). I liked the white cotton robe. The view from my room overlooked the theaters and bustle of 42nd street, and Times Square (or the lights, mainly) could be seen between some office buildings. All this for a $120 Priceline bid ($150 with taxes). My only complaint was a broken shower pipe, which sent a jet of water onto the bathroom floor. I settled for a bath-- a better idea I decided anyway-- and notified the front desk. When I returned later that night the shower was fixed. The Times Sqaure subway hub is just down the street-- which will connect you to just about anywhere in the area. This location couldn't be more convenient to a day of NYC sightseeing. The bottom line-- this was a great stay, especially for the rate I got. I recommend this swell joint to all without any hesitation.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "This was our first visit to New York City and what a marvelous hotel from which to experience the delights of such a cosmopolitan city. The Hilton Times Sq.is welcoming,sophisticated and highly professional. The rooms are spacious,clean and well serviced. The views from our 42nd floor window surpassed expectation even after reading the reviews.So close to the hustle and bustle and life in Times Square yet an oasis of calm sophistication.We will most certainly return to this hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 27}, {"text": "This was my second visit to new york. this hotel was in a superb location and we were on the 39th floor with fantastic view of empire state building from our window. we asked for a smoking room, and unlike some hotels, the room was fresh with no lingering tobacco smell. the staff were very freindly and any requests were dealt with immediately. unlike the last hotel i stayed at in the city (Milford Plaza), there was no noise what so ever - fantastic!!!! highly recommended", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "For the past several years I've been staying at Hilton Times Square during NY City visits. My most recent stay was in August 2005. I generally visit Manhattan about twice a year and see 3 to 4 shows during one weekend. I've been returning to this hotel because I can usually count on a decent room in a convenient location at a good price (at least by NY standards). A few weeks ago I purchased Broadway tickets for a weekend in March 2006. I intended to book a room at Hilton as usual, but found that the standard room I last paid about $187.00 for was up to $329. I've paid just over $200 there before, but never over $300. My chosen weekend is not on or near a holiday. I've been watching prices for several hotels and see that Hilton's fluctuate quite a bit. Over the past few weeks their standard room price rose to $329 and dropped to $246. I saw it go back up a few dollars to $249, but a nonrefundable price of $212 was then offered (not available before). I later did back-to-back searches and saw that the $212 offer did not come up every time. Now it doesn't come up at all. This leaves me wondering how many times I've overpaid in the past. I also think of the people who have booked at $329 without following up and seeing the price drop. My concerns have been brought to the attention of Hilton Times Square and Hilton Corporate. I've made a reservation elsewhere for March. I will also take some time from that trip to research other hotels for future visits. I have nothing bad to say about the accommodations at Hilton Times Square. I may even return someday, but not before I can be sure that I am not a victim of price gouging.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 57}, {"text": "I arrived at the Hilton Times Square at 8 AM expecting to check my backs with the concierge. I was pleasantly surprised when I was allowed to check-in! My room was very comfortable and exceptionally clean. The hotel's location is very convenient to the Olympia Trails bus from Newark Airport (1 block away from stop). Inexpensive restaurants surround this hotel, and I felt comfortable walking back alone from nearby theatres late at night. Great location to access two subway stations and the 42nd street bus.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "We booked this hotel for a Sat. night in January through PriceLine for a bid of $110. Some hotels relegate Priceline bookings to the least desirable rooms, but this hotel did not. We were in a great room on the 34th floor (above and to the right of the Mme Toussaud golden hand) with King bed (as requested). We had a delightful stay. The location is very good. Keep an eye out for the clock marking the entrance, as it is easy to miss. In the evening, a room key must be shown to the guard to gain access to the lobby elevator. We visit NYC frequently; this was the biggest standard room we've ever booked. There was an easy chair w/ottoman and side table, a large work desk with two chairs and a big closet. There wasn't much drawer space. Pillows and linens were of high quality. The bathroom was small with a shower/tub combo. and the coffee machine on the sink. We would have liked brighter lighting over the sink. Towels were fluffy, Crabtree and Evelyn personal care products. Of note, there is some sort of huge air handling unit below our room location, but we were high enough for it not to intrude. I would imagine that a few floors lower it could be a problem.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 30}, {"text": "I've stayed a few times at the Hilton Times Square and each time had a very nice room and experience. The location is great and very convenient. Most of the staff is very helpful.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Our family of 4 (children 9 and 6)stayed from 30 Dec until 4 Jan. Check in was excellent and Elizabeth was extremely helpful. Although a room was available on a lower floor, we opted to come back around 5pm and received a room on 40th floor overlooking Empire State, just as requested. The rooms are extremely comfortable and with 4 large suitcases still had plenty of room to move. It is very clean and tidy as you would expect for the price. New York was very busy with New Years but when we left the hotel, never (as other reviews have said) found the footpath traffic hard to handle. This is New York. The restaurant food was excellent although a little pricey. The Concierge put us onto the Westway Diner (cnr 9th and 43rd W). Excellent open 24 hours with large selection and great price, 5-10min walk. All staff were excellent and any problems resolved quickly. We saw the ball drop from the iceroom on our floor without having to join the 1 million people in Times Square. Times Square is 1/2 a block away from hotel and only a few minutes walk. This hotel is well placed for all site seeing. We would definately spend the extra money and stay here again. Honestly, you cannot fault the place. This was a treat for our family (as it was expensive New Years) but we did not care it is worth spending the money and we would definately stay again. Thanks Hilton and New York City for a great stay and the day of light snow. By the way, we overnighted to Niagara Falls and returned to Hilton the next day. There was no charge to store our bags with Concierge(some reviews noted a fee). The hotel was happy to do this for us everytime we asked. Email us if you would like to know more. The Graham Family.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Stayed here with my girfriend (now fiancee) for three nights at the end of November, paid just over \u00a31,000 for the privilege.\nWe requsted a high-floor room and were given a room on the 32nd floor (rooms are on floors 26 thru 42) so wasn't the highest but the view wasn't bad at all.\nThe room wasn't far from the elevators and out of the window, towards the bottom of the building, several floors down, were two large aircon units. As a result, there was some noise, especially when the second AC unit was switched on for one night of our stay. That said, the noise from the AC and the elevators was a constant, low pitch dull rumble that couldn't really be heard during the day with the TV on and whilst it was very noticible at night we were suprised that it did not keep us awake at all.\nThe room was very clean and well maintained, the large bed was very comfortable. Nice large robes, lots of towels. Desk with two chairs and a very comfy armchair to relax in.\nOn the whole, the staff were very pleasant and helpful. On the day we got engaged, the concierge who arranged to send up champagne to our room added a large plate of complimentary chcolates. We were able to check in early (11am) and check out late (2pm) and left our luggage until 5pm in their storage.\nOnly missives - the bar staff are discourteous, slow and incompetent. Not *great* value IMO although seemed on a par with other hotels we looked at and the porters seemed to have a 'tip' conspiracy going on (when we left, one porter retrieved our luggage from storage, pushed it to the door and then passed it on to another porter who put the bags in the car!).\nOnly other issue, wasn't really the hotel's fault: the location, whilst very convenient in how central it was, it was a much busier location than we imagined - almost too busy when returning from a tiring day sight-seeing.\nBut, these minuses far outweigh the plusses and I would highly recommend this hotel if you don't mind the bustling crowds immediately outside.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We stayed at the Hilton Times Square in October, which is apparantly one of the most expensive times to stay in New York, so the hotel was pricy (about $325/night), but so was every other comparable hotel in NY at this time. We picked this one because it was the least expensive of highly rated hotels in this area. We were not dissapointed. The hotel was beautifuly decorated and clean. All employees were friendly, polite, and helpful. After reading reviews of what seemed like millions of hotels, I figured any room would be tiny in NY. But not at the Hilton! Our standard king room was huge! Probably the biggest standard hotel room I've ever stayed in. However, the bathroom was very small. (You had to close the door to get into the bath/shower because the door touched the toilet when it was open.) I didn't have a big problem with that since everything was plush and clean in the room. The view was spectacular! We asked for a high, quiet room away from the construction and got it on the 38th floor facing 42nd street. (Construction is on 41st strret - I knew this thanks to other Trip Advisor reviews!) There was very little traffic noise. The only bad thing was that one night there was a loud noise that happened over and over. It sounded like pipes, but it was very loud. You might want to bring a pair of earplugs, just in case - but I would think that could happen at any hotel. We had no problems with slow elevators and the hotel itself was quiet. There is no extra charge for storing your baggage between checkout and leaving. The location was perfect! You could walk to Times Square, your Broadway show, tons of restaurants, and the Subway in very little time! This Subway station has tons of lines available and a shuttle to Grand Central if yours isn't there. This is important! Most Subway stations only offer a few lines and you'll have to transfer all over the place to get somewhere. There is also a bus that runs down 42nd street. I would definately return to the Hilton Times Square!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "My husband and I have just returned from a 5 night stay at the Hilton Times Square. We really had a great stay there.\nWe had a south facing room on the 42nd floor with great views of the city and the Hudson. The room was big and the bed was enormous and very very comfortable. As a Hilton gold card holder we had breakfast for free - I don't think we would have eaten there otherwise as it was expensive (approx $23 per person)! but fresh and tasty if you like bagels, Danish pastries and crispy crispy Canadian bacon. Despite it being free we still ate out for 2 of the mornings just to experience the New York Deli breakfast (chose any Deli in the City and enjoy your food on plastic plates with plastic cutlery - it doesn't spoil the taste at all)! \nWe didn't drink or eat at any other time in the hotel but the bar and restaurant did seem popular with other guests.\nThe staff were very helpful and courteous - we really don't have a bad word to say about any of them. \nSecurity at the hotel is pretty good and they do ask to see your hotel key before letting you in the lift to the lobby.\nWe used the gym most mornings - its small but has enough of a selection for both cardio and weights workouts.\nThe location of the hotel is very good - we walked everywhere from there, but if you prefer not to walk, the subway is right on 42nd and you can always flag down a mad taxi driver (they drive like maniacs there)!!\nAll in all a good dependable hotel - look out for cheap deals for it!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We stayed at the Hilton Times Square for our honeymoon - and what a great hotel and location. It is right in the centre of Times Square and the views from the hotel rooms are amazing. We were upgraded to an executive room and received complementary champagne, wine, and truffles because we were on our honeymoon.\nThe staff within the hotel are friendly and helpful. Rooms were a good size and were cleaned and laundered every day. This hotel provides the perfect location for exploring New York city and i would definately stay here again the next time we are in New York.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "The hotel is superbly located within the heart of Times Square. Given that the rooms area all above the 25th floor noise is kept to a minimum. \nWe had a room facing uptown on the 38th floor and the view was amazing. The rooms themselves are a good size and are comfortable and clean. We found the buffet breakfast limited in its range and unless you have pre paid for breakfast (approx $18) I think that you can do better out of the hotel.\nThe selling point for us was the location of the hotel. The hotel was within walking distance of all the main attrractions and if you needed to go further a field the Port Authority, Grand Central and subway were all close at hand. Even the boat trip around New York was only a 15 minute walk away.\nThe concierge and reception staff were helpful and can give you a free map of the city. As expected the mini bar was expensive and I was aware of a few people that had been charged with items that they had not taken so it is worth checking your bill on check out. The hotel also provides a free luggage storage facility which proved useful on the last day.\nI found the issue of expected tipping somewhat strange. With the odd exception the service was no better and at times worse than I would expect in the UK. Certainly within the hotel the staff at breakfast were very quick to give you the bill for breakfast, which had already been pre-paid, just so that I could add the tip for pouring me a glass of orange juice. In the restaurants your bill was accompanied by a leaflet explaining the 15-20% rule, although one restaurant just added the service charge. \nWith it being our first time to New York the one thing that did catch us out were the taxes. For our 3 nights the tax added to the bill came to $162 (approx 14%), although our booking mentioned taxes no mention was given as to how much it would be.\nIn short the hotel suited our needs i.e. clean, comfortable and ideally located and I would certainly recommend it.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I spent a week in the Hilton Times Square with my wife and two daughters using a combination of Hilton Points and a direct Hilton Booking. \nI booked a standard room but asked for a high floor with a view on my booking request and at check-in was given a Deluxe room on the 42nd floor with a view of 42nd street.\nRoom size was good with two double beds writing table etc standard was what you would expect for a 4* city Hotel.\nReception and Concierge very helpful and efficient no view on the food as we did not eat there taking breakfast most days at a dinner on the corner of 42nd and 8th where it cost $20 for four rather than $20+ for one.\nLocation excellent as there is good underground access from Times Square station for many lines and the line to JFK runs from the port authority both being within 100m of hotel in opposite directions. Walking out of the hotel particularly at night you find yourself in the heart of the action with Broadway shows and the general energy of Times Square.\nThe hotel has high speed internet access but there is also an EasyInternet web cafe next door which is very large.\nIn summary efficient service, good size rooms and you pay for the location but I would go back there.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We stayed in this hotel from July 2nd thru the 5th. It was incredible. Stayed on the 40th floor thanks to everyone's advice. We overlooked Times Square. The views from the room were incredible. The bed, WOW. I wanted to take that bed home with me. The room was HUGE. The service was great. Room was clean and very spacious. Would stay here again and recommend it as well.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My wife is originally from Long Island and wasn't sure what to expect. When we arrived at the hotel around 12:30PM on July 3rd we were greeted by a smiling faces that were more than willing to help us. She was pleasant and immediately noticed that I was a Hilton Honors Gold Card holder and asked if there was anything additional the she could do for us, including free breakfast during our stay, which we gladly accepted.\nWhen we went to our room and wasn't happy with the view due to construction below, we went back to the reception desk and asked to be moved to a different location and it was done immediately and without question....THANK YOU HILTON!!! We were placed on the 42nd floor from the 29th floor and ended with a spectacular view of the surrounding bldgs and the Hudson River, especially at night.\nWe immediately went to the TCKTS booth and got ticket for \"All Shook Up\" and it was fantastic...I strongly suggest it for anyone that likes elvis music but doesn't want to see Elvis impersonators. The music was great and the comedy during the show was excellent....5 STARS!!!!\nWe had friends coming in from LI to visit us in the city and had to find a place to eat for the night. Several places were suggested by the staff (concierce had left for the night) and the operator even went out of her way to call several restaurants for us to see if they had a spot open for us. We ended up going to the Jeckyl & Hyde Clud near Central Park and had a great time!!!!\nThe breakfast buffet in the morning was more than sufficient for the two of us and we were always greeted with smiles and graciousness by the host. The food was delicious with no complaints, we did not eat there any other meals.\nThe hotel was right on next door to \"The Lion King\" and 1/2 block from 42nd & Broadway...right next to everything. There's even a McDonalds right next door for those with cheaper tastes and kids that want that \"Happy Meal\". It's also only a 5 or 10 min walk to watch \"Good Morning America\" from the front door of the hotel.\nI would definetely stay here again and again!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We stayed at the Hilton in July. We first had a room on 42nd floor just beside the elevators, which was extremely noisy so we had to change rooms. First the reception staff said that there are only rooms available on lower floors. After telling them that I am a Hilton Gold Member they had one room left on the 40th floor so we changed rooms at 11 p.m. This room was also facing a construction site which was again very noisy beginning with work at about 7 a.m., but view was great with Empire State Building and Hudson River. First we were told that we can keep the room with no charge until 2 p.m., then we could keep the room even until 3 p.m, which was very good! The Times Square area is very crowded so if you are looking for a more quiet place you better look after any other hotel.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My husband and I just returned from NYC. We stayed at the Hilton Times Square from June 17-20. Great location is all I can say. Rooms on the pricey side but that's to be expected due to the location. We live near San Francisco so we are used to paying $$. Coffee maker and robes are nice touches and the bed was extremely comfortable. Walking distance to everything, subway station is only a few steps. We arrived on a Friday and were able to enjoy a happy hour at the Times Square Brewery - only steps from this hotel. Pints were 1/2 off so two beers were less than 10 bucks. Yes, there is construction but request a room (in advance) facing the 42nd street side. The cabs drop you off on the construction side and then there's the doorman, security guard and the luggage guys. Super nice! They were helpful in explaining where everything was located. It's weird but from there you have to take the elevator to the 22nd Floor - that's where the lobby and front desk is located. Not crowded at all. There is also a nice bar but from what I've read - very expensive. We didn't eat or drink at the hotel - only because there are sooo many nice eating places and bars around the city. We were really here for location, bed, hot shower (plus my hilton points). At night after seeing a show, or going to a bar - you will see a few riff raff hanging around on the streets but that's too be expected once again because this is a tourist area and like any other big city - watch your purse and wallet. We felt very safe and realize why they have the lobby on another floor - it's because everyone is screened by the security guard and doormen, then HE presses your \"up\" button to go to the lobby. There you'll find really only hotel guests - not just people milling around like other hotels. Plus, there's another security guard by the elevators. All in all, a nice conmfortable hotel close to many attractions. Oh, ask about the TKTS place (walking distance from Hilton Times Square) for discount tickets to same day broadway shows. We saw a show for 50% off the rake rate. We stood in line on that Friday we arrived (the window opened at 3 p.m.) and there was a line starting at 1 p.m.!! My husband didn't want to wait in that long line but was glad we did because we got 2 tickets for 100 bucks versus over a hundred - each. They only take CASH so hit the ATM before you go.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Just returned from the Hilton and a Broadway weekend..(4 musicals in 3 days!) This was our first time staying at Hilton Times Square. To those of you who are going within the next few months be warned of the construction on 41st street. The noise is deafening and it starts early. We were put in a room right above it all. When we called to change rooms we were told that there was nothing available except a handicapped room. This really surprised us as we were there at 2:30 in the afternoon on a Thursday but we grabbed the room and the difference was like night and day. Even though the room faced 42nd street, you would be hard pressed to hear anything and the view was great. From then on it was peace and quiet.\nThe room was clean and a good size, the bed was ok. Because it was a handicapped room there was no large closet and only a small sink in the bathroom but we were only there for the weekend so it was no big deal.\nThe elevators were great, very fast in and out and yes everyone is right, this hotel is in the middle of everything. We had vouchers for breakfast but their so called restaurant is just a continuation of the bar area and was very noisy. The food (we had the breakfast buffet) was just ok. There are much better little cafes (more reasonable too) within a 2 block area of the hotel. We also had room service one night...2 bad hamburgers and fries 1 coke\u2026. $60.00. If you are big into room service stick with the Marriott Marquis. \nThe staff was very friendly....Franklin, the concierge is wonderful and will help you with anything you need. There seemed to be quite a few business people staying there and we saw no children during our stay. Oh yes, they also have a small workout room that seems sufficient. We love Broadway and we love New York and we go often. All in all the Hilton did not disappoint us.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "The Times Square Hilton is an excellent base to explore and shop in New York City. \nIt's location realistically could not be better, not only are you right in the heart of the Times Square district but at each end of the block there are subway stations to take you just about anywhere in Manhattan.\nThe staff in the hotel (particularly the security staff) are possibly the friendliest hotel staff I have ever encountered and special praise should be given to Umar (security), Raymond (security), Henri (doorman) and Ernest (reception) as these in particular really helped make us feel welcome and valued, which is nice.\nAround the hotel there is a plethora of chain and tourist trap restaurants (selling decent enough food but at a price), but if you venture west towards eight and ninth avenues you will find some excellent, great value restaurants and diners.\nIf you plan to go to New York City you must consider this hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed at the Hilton Times Square from March 25-29th 2005. Location wise, it cannot be beaten. Right on 42nd street, 100 metres from Times Square. Port Authority Bus Terminal at the rear, is where the Buses leave for the Outlets - Jersey Gardens and Woodbury Common. Subway stops within 50 metres of the door. Staff were very helpful and courteous. King size room was a great size, well kept and well equipped. Stayed on the 42nd Floor with fantastic views of the Empire State Building and the Hudson River. My girlfriend has already booked next years shopping trip and is saying there! Would not stay anywhere else in NYC.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Just returned from fab trip to N.Y. on the 6/4/05. Stayed with my teenage son at this great hotel.\nAfter a tiring journey found that tour operator had messed up booking and not booked upgraded room. Receptionist at Hilton went out of her way to find available upgraded room we had requested. \nRoom was on 39th floor with great view of Empire State Building. Very comfortable beds and good sized room, and hard to get out of in the morning\nStaff very welcoming and friendly especially Raymond from security. \nEntrance from 42nd Street easy to see, lobby larger than we expected, and many members of staff around especially in the evening. Next to hotel there are cinemas, restaurants and Madame Tussauds. Hotel located near Broadway and only seconds away from Times Square.\nAt end of trip found it difficult to leave!! Would certainly recommend hotel to anyone thinking of staying in NY.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We stayed for six nights and were impressed. Good view from the room with Empire State to the left and river to the right. Large, clean rooms with big twin beds. Everything you require in a room for a short break: Neutrogena products, decent hair dryer, iron and ironing board, cd player etc. Breakfast was too pricey for us but who cares when there are so many places to eat outside the hotel. Best thing was location though.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "This hotel was a great find last minute. With a trip to NYC booked less than 3 weeks out in the fall, there weren't many recommendable options for less than $250-300 @ night. If you've been to NYC before and are interested in more than just the Square, I'd recommend staying somewhere else, but if this is your first time, you can't go wrong with this place! \nThe only negatives I have are not real negatives, rather nit-picky annoyances. First, have to take an elevator up 20 floors from the entrance, to reach the lobby, then you take another set of elevators to your room. (the elevators are fast and there's not much of a wait, but if you get out to the street and realize you forgot something, you gotta go back up an elevator, through the lobby, up another elevator, then vice versa.\nNext, anytime you come into the hotel there's a guard asking to see your room key. I'm sure this is to make sure only guests use the hotel facilities, though it didn't appear there were many non-guests attempting to get on the elevator.\nI used the iron and ironing board the first night and housekeeping never put it away, which I thought was kinda strange. Also, housekeeping comes a bit early... 9-ish or so. It's fine if you're up and at 'em, but if you're out till 4 or 5 each night like we were, it's kinda early, so remember to put out the DND sign. \nLike I said, these aren't really negatives, but may be helpful to know for some folks. \nThe other reviews have all hit on the positives, so I'll just echo those. The hotel is immaculately clean. The staff is knowledgable, friendly and helpful. Especially the guard Sarito. There are umpteen places to eat, drink, shop, gawk, etc within steps of the hotel. There are subway stations on either corner - ACE to the west, BDNQ to the east. \nIf possible, ask for an even numbered room. There are no poor views - the odd rooms have views of the Hudson, New Jersey, Reuters Building and Theatre District. The even rooms have a view of the Hudson as well, but also the Empire State Building and South Manhattan.\nThe only other thing I can think of is the price of the hot buffet breakfast - $18. If you don't have a voucher for it, there's no reason to pay for it, unless you just love buffets. There are too many other places to eat in the City.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Look closely, or you might miss the tiny entranceway on 42nd. Situated right next to the Wax Museum, AMC Theatres and McDonalds, you'll still feel safe staying here even if the surrounding streets at night seem a little hostile. There are two security checkpoints, and the rooms don't even begin until the 23rd floor on up, so you'll be far from the noise below. Front desk staff, bell staff, and housekeeping were all efficient and courteous. Rooms are exceptionally clean and well stocked, and the turn-down service includes bottles of water, TV guide, and chocolates. Loved the pre-ordered breakfast option as well, the free USA Today and Sunday NY Times, the bounty of good cable channels, and the usage of a robe. While the furniture was a little scuffed in spots (emphasize little), the decor is very bright and pleasant, the beds and pillows unbelievably comfortable, and the blast of cool air conditioning awaiting you a welcome reprieve from the sticky, stinky city air. Rooms were completely soundproof, something that was a little worrisome upon finding an adjoining door in the room. The 41st floor facing south had a wonderful view of the lower city and Empire State Building to the left. There are multiple entrances to the Times Square subway stop both at east and west sides of the block, and there are oodles of restaurants in close proximity (if you're the chain restaurant type, Applebee's is right outside the front door and there's a Red Lobster at the end of the block). The Hilton hotels are just the best and know what they're doing. I highly recommend this establishment.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}]}, "93352": {"reviews": [{"text": "My Mama went back to our room before we went on the Hop On Hop Off. She heard the door open and thought it was one of us. She called out and heard a shuffling noise and the door close. It wasn't housekeeping and she's positive because they were still across the room when she went out. When we came back that night, I noticed my Ipod Touch was GONE. I thought my Mama got it to keep but when I asked her, she said she didn't touch it. My Papa reported it to Security. Up to now, my Mama has been complaining and they keep insisting that no one entered after her. We were having a great time since I was with my parents and best friend on vacation until this happened. The General Managers never e-mailed my Mama back. I thought hotels were safe and responsible. They just kept passing my Mama to different people. New York must be so magical that my Ipod Touch decided to go out of or room and never came back while Mama was there. Take responsibility!!!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "I arranged our 'dream' vacation out to the 'Big Apple' based on reviews, and lots of them. Our 7 y.o. daughter and I had a 'Mom and Daughter' lifetime trip and the Doubletree Suites at Times Square was the ultimate hotel to stay at. We booked the American Girl pkg. and the AG crib was a hit and so were the $15.00 complimentary hair and bracelet sets for my daughter and the AG doll. From the moment at 9:15am on July 14th when our friends and I were greeted by the doorman and assisted up to the 3rd floor, and we were able to check in at that time, I knew we had made the right choice for the first 4 nites. The two girls(one who was only there for the nite) received this cool backpak filled with all kind of summer toys, colors, frisbee, etc. and the choc. chip cookies were scrumptous! The hotel was SAFE, exceptionally CLEAN(and I am the worst critic about hotel cleanliness) and having a suite was the perfect thing for us(we had 4 of us the first nite and just my daughter and I after).The sofa bed is cool too as the cushions don't come out and is more comfortable than the norm. The bedding was heavenly-you couldn't wait to get in bed and you didn't want to get out. All the extras were nice to have-safe, fridge, and microwave. We were also in the BEST room-you could see the flashing signs right there! The hotel is close to everything, though my daughter felt like she was walking 20 miles every day, it truly is within blocks of everything. We were 2 blocks from the Lion King play, a block to the subway(yes we used it many times), great diners, shops, museums, all the tourist spots, you name it. The doormen are fabulous, the clerks, housekeeping, everyone-you were outstanding! The only thing was the parking lot for our friends' car was across another sidestreet-that was the only downside but they were only there overnite and we took subway or footed it . \nMy daighter and i loved our 10 day trip out east and we would have stayed the entire time at the Doubletree but planning it,my daughter wanted a swimming pool for part of the trip so we used the Reward Points for 3 nights at the Holiday Inn -Midtown at 57th St. -what a disappointment after the Doubletree, and never again. The HI rooftop pool was fabulous and refreshing during the 90-100 degrees and after the museums and Central Park, but wasn't worth using the reward points.for it. It needs a complete overall and quickly or torn down. Don't let the outside fool you.And noone was too willing to do any of their jobs there.\nWe will definitely be back to the Doubletree on our next trip to NYC. A suggestion is don't forget the New York Hall of Science in Queens, and allow a good 6 hours for the museum. My daughter and I just loved it-it is a 30 minute subway ride from Times Square and some people couldn't believe we went there but it is well worth it. It is a 4 block walk from the subway station. American Museum of Natural History is another one, and it is a 2 day deal if you want to see everything. \nI also highly recommend the New York Pass-it paid for itself the very first day we used it and was so nice to have., on admissions, food, and souvenirs. I wouldn't make a special trip to the Trusseau Wax Museum however, and thank goodness we didn't fork over extra money for that. We only had one rude server and that was at ColdStone Creamery-maybe the heat got to her but she sure was rude. Everyone ielse n NYC and the surrounding areas were very friendly and helpful. THANK-YOU!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "HI\nI just finished my 5 night stay at the Doubletree Times Square. They were definitely some good things about this hotel but also some issues that brought the hotel down. \nLocation:\nThe location is just perfect, right in the heart of Times Square\nCost: We had 4 people staying in one room for $349 per night which is a great deal for such a location\nCookies: They are good, reallly really good. You can buy then for a $1 at the front desk, although i wouldn't have known that if I didn't ask to buy more\nStaff: A majority of my encounters with the staff were very average. They are just doing the absolute minimum and you don't feel that they really geninuely want to help you. I felt that this let the hotel down.\nBusiness Centre: They have a business centre located on the 4th Floor. The interenet is very expensive but convienent and secure.\nMeals: We only had breakfast because I am a Hilton Gold member and it is included in the price (more on that later). I would definitely not pay for it. It was $39.90 for 2 people. Normally hot breakfast, pancakes, muffins, pastries is heaven for me. But what was on offer really didn't appeal to me. For $20 each person I would expect a much better selection. Of course it was free for me, so I am not complaining!\nHilton Membership: I am a Hilton Gold member which entitles me to breakfast, and a room upgrade if available or 1,000 hilton points. It annoyed me that the staff at check in didn't mention this at all. I had to return to the desk later and enquire about my membership inclusions. It was only then that they said that breakfast was included and no mention of a room upgrade. If I didn't ask about the breakfast, I wouldn't have got it! I would have appreciated if they had at least mentioned if the hotel was full (I am not sure) and that the couldn't accommodate an upgrade rather than not mentioning it at all.\nExtras: The one major thing that was a really bonus was that it was my parents anniversary/remarriage and the hotel sent up a bottle of lovely champagne and the largest strawberries dipped in chocolate I have ever seen. It was a special touch.\nConcierge: Probably the weakest part of the hotel. Most answers were one or two words only. When I mentioned that I needed a cab to the airport and how to go about booking it (I had an early flight) the concierge said that they can't book them and that it would costs $145 for her to book a private car for me. No other options. To the credit of the bellman, I asked him and he said hailing a cab at 5:30am was no problems and to leave it to him. (We got a cab in 1 second, which was great. Unfortunately we had the cab from hell, but what can you do?)\nRooms:\nWe had a Deluxe 2 bedroom suite which was probably too small for 4 people, but we compromised this for the price. We are a family so this close environment was managable. But if you need your privacy, this might just be too small and too intimate for you. The maid service was fantastic, with the room always being in order. The hotel provides a fridge and a mini bar for convienence. As well as a sink, microwave and safe. I really can't complain too much about the room for the price we paid. Both the bedroom and bathroom were roomy and well decorated. The lounge & kitchen area were also great. With a TV in both rooms. In regards to the TV, I was a little dissapointed with the lack of channels provided. Don't get me wrong, there was lots, but I usually like to have all the stations not just some of them. We had a limited view of Times Square but could open the windows and get the wonderful sounds of the area. We were happy with this view. \nHotel interiors: The hotel is a little dated and the corridors are look tired. It has a very family feel and is clean.\nOverall, we were happy with this choice and felt that we had our moneys worth. Would I return? If I returned with 4 people and didn't want to pay for 2 rooms, then yes. However if you are travelling by yourself or as a couple then I would definitely not recommend this hotel. I usually stay at the Hilton Times Square and find the location to be even better, with more more modern hotel interior & more deluxe rooms. The service is much more personal and little extras such as water every night, the TV Guide and NYC books in your hotel rooms make all the difference. There is also a much better selection of TV channels.\nI hope that this helps!\nAnn", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "This was my third visit to the Doubletree, though not by choice. I had a rather uninspired visit to this hotel, which I wrote about in a review titled \"Look behind the facade - a second stay\" that was posted on this site back in July. Recently, a chance opened up to take a short trip to NY February 7th to the 10th of this year. I lept at the chance, but became kind of nervous when I heard that the person arranging the trip had booked me at the Doubletree. I really had no desire to stay there again, as not only did I stay there two times in a row previously, but I found the hotel to be rather cold and impersonal in style and tone with no real character, the larger than normal rooms and location being its only advantages. And anyone who read my earlier review knows that I was more than a little disappointed with the overall service I received. Nonetheless, I could not turn the opportunity down, and prepared myself for another visit to this hotel that I seemingly can't get away from.\nThe hotel itself was pretty much the same as last time. No real style or character that sets itself apart from the hundreds of other hotels in the city, a somewhat impersonal front desk staff that couldn't seem to care less and don't even say \"hello\" to you when you walk up to check in, and a somewhat bland, yet large and comfortable room waiting for me. I was lucky enough to get a corner room on the 36th floor this time, which was far enough away from street level, so the room was completely quiet. Last time, I was only on the 16th, and could sometimes here muffled street sounds, or people stomping about in the halls outside my room. Maybe the walls were thicker this time around or something, because I heard not a sound from outside my suite. The room seemed to be kept up better as well. There was no mirror smudged with dust and hand prints like the ones on my last visit. Best of all, the housekeeping staff seemed to be more on the ball this time around. Maybe it was the little extra tip I left for them. Whatever the reason, this short visit seemed to go a lot more smoothly than when I visited them just last summer.\nThat's not to say there were no problems. As mentioned earlier, the front desk and even the concierge need to figure out how to smile, or at least make you feel like you're not wasting their time by talking to them. Also, the elevators were perhaps a bit too quick for their own good. While I appreciate the fact that I never had to wait more than 20 seconds for one to come, once I got on, it was another story. The elevator would zoom up and down at speeds so quickly that my ears would often pop. It got quite annoying having to deal with the pain in my ears everytime I got on board. I know I'm not the only one who experienced this, as one or two other people also complained about their ears popping whenever the elevator was in motion. I think they need to somehow adjust the speed a little.\nI'm still not thoroughly impressed with the Doubletree, but aside from the elevators, there was nothing really to sour the experience. The rooms are still a good size and a good value, the beds are still comfortable, and the location still can't be beat for theatre going as the four shows I saw during my stay (Woman in White, Sweeney Todd, The Color Purple, The Odd Couple) were all in very short walking distance. The big problem this hotel has is that it just has no real distinction of style. The rooms, except for the size, look like something out of my local Holiday Inn, and everything just looks so bland and ordinary. If comfort and size are the only things you're looking for, you'll probably get your money's worth. But, if you're looking for a real New York hotel experience that sets itself above the norm, you won't find it here. I know I won't stay here again, as I've already made reservations at a different hotel for my next visit in October. The Doubletree rates as being strictly average in my book.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "As a manager at a top U.S. hotel, I tend to be very picky when it comes to staying at other properties. However, I would not hesitate to recommend this location to fellow travelers. The location is central to everything and yet we never heard a word from the busy streets once inside. Spacious and clean rooms made for a wonderful respite from the busy days. Concierge service could use a little more enthusiasm, but all other staff were pleasant and helpful.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Just got back from NYC. Four Nights at Double Tree Suites. It is perfect for a family of four. Rooms were great. Perfectly clean. Great staff. Great, great location. Was on the 40th floor. It was very, very quite. I couldn't not have asked for a better stay at any location. I highly recommend this property. If you are staying at or near Times Square this is a must. You will not be disappointed.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "I brought my 7 year old son to see the city, and my sister met us there. We had a double suite on the 30th floor. This allowed us to read/watch TV when he went to bed. The room is generous for Manhattan and clean, clean, clean. The whole floor was non-smoking, and truly nothing had a smoky smell. \nA problem of many NYC hotels (based on reviews on this site) seems to be really lengthy waits for elevators, and I have experienced this on earlier trips. Not at all a problem here. Can't recall ever waiting long. I was so confident that elevators are available that I didn't even protest when my son felt the need to push the buttons for every floor. For a kid from a small town, I figured that is part of the attraction of the big city.\nThe location is fabulous-it's not the Times Square area-it's IN Times Square. We walked back from the Empire State Building at 11 PM and still felt safe. The concierge was helpful, altho they were so busy Friday morning, we just left and figured things out ourselves.\nWe didn't eat in the hotel (except the cookies we got on checkin). We grabbed bagels from the deli around the corner on 47th and used our room fridge for drinks and snacks. There is a microwave also.\nAll around great hotel for a home base for NYC sightseeing!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 27}, {"text": "My husband, two children (11 & 13), and I were guests at the Doubletree Times Square for four nights (Feb 18 - 21). After a packed day of sight-seeing and all the excitement that NYC has to offer, it was a pleasure to return to our surprisingly quiet and restful hotel so we could \"recharge\" for the next day. Rooms are spacious and quite clean. There was no disturbing noise at night despite the fact that this hotel is smack dab in the heart of Times Square. Housekeeping is thorough, accommodating, and wonderfully respectful of the \"do not disturb\" sign. Beds are pillow top and comfortable. Complimentary Neutregena toiletries are a nice touch. Hot water is readily available in the bath area (believe me...this isn't always the case at hotels!) The hotel staff is helpful but not overbearing. They are able to offer assistance but don't hover. We felt safe, welcome, and very much at home here. We'll definitely be back.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Location-excellent!\nRooms-better than excellent! Great to have a suite at an affordable proce when 2 people traveling together. Seperate rooms, 2 TV's, bathroom access from bed or living room. Pull out sofa quite comfortable. Staff friendly and helpful.\nAdvice- Stay away from the Roxy--it's way overpriced. McDonald's is next door! Take an extra alarm clock if one of you is staying in the living room.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Our family of four (two teenage sons) stayed here for three nights and had a great time. We were able to get a king suite for 200.00- (gov't rate),a real deal in NYC. It was not fancy but clean and comfortable, having 2 rooms a real plus.There is a small fridge and microwave which we used for breakfast items and leftovers! The location is great. We worried about having too much noise- we asked for a higher floor and were givin a room at the end of the hall on the 23rd floor. We could not hear a thing from outside at night. Also, the heating/coolong system has a three speed fan which you can adjust to the \"white noise\" level you want. It is a few blocks from Rockfeller Plaza and most everything we wanted to see we walked to. Enjoyed the NBC tour more than we expected to, fun to see the set of SNL. Do get on line for the TKTS booth right across the street- we saw \"Dirty Rotten Scoundrels\" for 50.00pp and had great seats. Do NOT grab a sandwich at the ROXIE deli across the street unless you want to pay 13.00- 22.00 for a so-so sandwich!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "Traveling to New York on Business January 29th for a 2-night stay at the Doubletree Suites was a great comfort. The hotel was very secure you could not get to the lobby with out your room key. The staff was accommodating. Concierge found us great restaurants for dinner. Excellent service. Suites were completely refurnished. The bed was firm but so comfortable I slept soundly the whole night. . Bathroom was large with 2 sinks very convenient for sharing the room. Overall the price for this hotel was an excellent value for NYC. Rate was $200. Per night .I have already booked for a return visit.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I returned last week from a \"girls trip\" to NYC. Really we could have not asked for more from the Doubletree. We were able to check in at 10:00am the day of our arrival. The rooms were actually plenty big for 3 women and all of our luggage. The bathroom was large, and there were two nice vanity areas so we could all get ready at the same time. The beds were very comfortable and even the pull out couch was not too bad, considering. We had views of Times Square and windows that opened. Being newely renovated the rooms were very clean, modern and just overall a nice retreat to come back to after treking around NY. It was nice having the suite set-up because we were able to store beer/wine in the fridge and have a few drinks in the living area before going to dinner. You really couldn't beat the location if you want to stay in Times Square. The subway stations were all just steps away. \nThe lobby is a little \"plain\" but nice. If you are looking for a swanky lobby atmosphere you will not find it here. I personally could care less what the lobby looks nice just so I have a newer clean room! My only real complaint would be that the walls aren't super soundproof, but we were beside some loud kids, it wouldn't stop me from visiting the Doubletree again!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Having read the reviews on this site I was very much looking forward to my time at the Doubletree. I was not dissapointed.\nWe had booked 7 months in advance, and received a fantastic rate on a conference suite, which was a corner suite overlooking Times Square. The views were out of this world. The room looked \"new\", good decor, & clean. Bed VERY comfortable.\nI had been corresponding with the hotel about putting together a \"christmas dinner menu\" for us. It arrived and was a banquet! we didn't know what to eat first. It was delicious. Whilst we don't usually eat in a hotel, the 3 course meal for $35 was unbelievable value.\nOther people have commented on the lack of customer service in this hotel. EVERYBODY went out of their way to say hello and make us feel welcome, so we did not experience this at all.\nHaving security check your room key at the entrance, before boarding the lift to go up to reception on the 3rd floor was very reassuring.\nAll in all, a fantastic stay at a fantastic hotel!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Great location in Times Square, and an attractive, new hotel with nice suite rooms; but the walls are so thin that we could hear conversations in adjoining rooms. An unfortunate flaw in an otherwise very nice suite hotel.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Stayed here in Dec 05 - our second visit. A fantastic hotel right in the heart of Times Square - but not noisy. We had a one bedroom suite facing north and imagined what it would be like to live in a NYC apartment! The staff are very helpful, the rooms are a good size and well equipped, and the location is perfect. I expect to make my third visit next year.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Just returned from a 3 night stay here and overall I would recommend this hotel.\nThe stay didn't start so good at check-in. We went to the hotel at 9.30am to drop our luggage off and was told that if we returned at 12noon we would be able to check-in. We returned at 1pm and was told to return at 3pm. At 3pm we returned and was told to return at 4pm - of course we were not happy about this, so the Manager was able to find a room for us. The safe in this room seemed to have gone for a walk so we had to change rooms. After this shaky start the rest of the stay was fine.\nWe paid for a Times Sq view room, these rooms are numbered 01 on each floor and are next to the elevators but it is quiet. We were on the 33rd floor and the views are spectacular (a corner room and so has a view of Times Sq from 42nd St and beyond up to 50th St) - highly recommend these rooms for 2 people but as they are the smallest on each floor they would not be suitable for more than 2 people. The room has all the facilities you would expect and are very clean.\nThe location of the hotel cannot be beat and the security is a comfort not a hinderance. There are so many other places to eat in NY we did not eat at the hotel at all.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "I typically prefer the Doubletree Suite Hotels to other accomodations when traveling because of the superior hospitality and friendliness of the staff. The Doubletree Guest Suites Time Square is an exception!\nOur room was not ready upon arrival. When we returned from a bit of sight-seeing, we checked in to a nice room, although located right next to the elevators we did have a nice view. However, the components of the special package we had ordered when booking where not present in our suite. After 3 phone calls and a visit to the front desk manager, we discovered that this hotel did not carry those items and so they offered a bottle of water! Telling us they were sorry, but had no control over food service. Guess the General Manager is lacking oversight of their own hotel, and to make matters worse they false advertise on their website that these packages are offered! We should have immediately checked out, but decided to see if they could get their act together.\nThe next morning, breakfast at the Center Stage was...well, tragic. The chef had a line through the dining room, the kitchen was out of most items, the servers were scarce and probably hiding in the back, after inquiring 4 times and a trip to the host stand I did manage to finally get a drink. It took over 20 minutes to get any syrup for the french toast, and then it was only one small container. I was told that was all they had left in the building!\nLocal telephone calls are not free, and they even still charge for high speed internet access! Staying at the Doubletree Suites Times Square has given me one valuable lesson: Rethink my travel accomodations for future trips before considering another Doubletree.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "This hotel was a breath of fresh air after having many poor stays at the Waldorf Astoria/Waldorf Towers. The hotel was truly outstanding in every respect. The bellman were extremely helpful and willing to go out of their way. The concierge staff was just as friendly as could be and very knowledgeable about the city. The rooms were huge, nicely decorated, and extremely clean. I even liked and felt very comfortable with the security procedure you have to go through to enter the hotel. In today's situation where you have to worry about crime, terrorists, etc. its nice to have a hotel that truly cares about guest safety. I have a few choice words for the people that complain about the security procedure, but unfortunately cant share those words on here. But I would say the best thing aside from the staff at this hotel is its location. You cannot beat it. Just make sure when you stay here that you pay extra for one of the premium rooms. Those are the rooms on the highest floors with the Times Square views. Its definitely worth the extra money. The Doubletree Guest Suites is now my hotel of choice when visiting New York City.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "No doubt about it, the location of this hotel is awesome! Security was wonderful, hotel is very clean, the beds are soooo comfortable, the staff was very pleasant and the cookies upon check-in is a great touch.\nWhat struck me very odd was when I checked-in I was asked \"do I want a small room with a good view or a big room with an aweful view?\" For $500/night, which included a bunch of assorted taxes - I don't think that ever should have been a question. I chose the smaller room with a great view because this was my 10 yr old daughters first time in NYC. This room was VERY small, so much so that we barely could pull out the couch without hitting the cabinet the tv was placed on. \nI would stay there again but not for the last minute price that I had to pay.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "We went to New York for three days of theater-going. The Doubletree was the ideal location...smack, dab in the middle of Times Square. We easily walked to every performance, always within just a few minutes of our theater.\nCheck in was friendly and fast, and you get a warm chocolate chip cookie to take up to your room! (I'm a huge chocolate chip fan, so this was a hotel after my heart.)\nThe suite was very nice. Clean, well furnished and comfortable bedding. Nutrigena bath products were a plus for my wife. The rooms all around us were occupied, but we never heard a thing from our neighbors.\nWe were on the 36th floor and slept with the windows open each night. Sure, there was noise outside--the usual ambient city sounds. But being up so high the noise didn't bother us. \nThe exercise facility was a let-down...a small room with a couple of treamills, two eliptical trainers and some miscellaneous free weights. But hey...can't have everything.\nAll in all, this was a great place to stay if you want to be in the middle of the action on Times Square.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I admit that I was not looking forward to staying in this hotel in the heart of Times Square. I thought it would be noisy and tacky and too busy. Having stayed at the Doubletree in the Financial District (where little happens after 8 at night) in 2002, I wanted to stay somewhere closer to the action, but not right in it. However, my husband booked it using points from the Hilton awards program so we were locked in.\nI'm happy to report that I was totally wrong. Sure the sign out front was tacky, but in an area overloaded with huge, tacky signs I could find it easily. (Someone asked me on the street where the Marriott was and even though I had walked passed it several times, I didn't know there was one there.) It is on an extremely busy corner, but once you walk in the front door you leave it all behind. A security guard who asked to see the key of everyone who walked in put my mind at ease about security (the guard called us every time my brother, a New Yorker, came to visit before he let him in the elevator). The lobby is a couple stories up (I think on the 5th floor) and once you enter that, you forget you are in the heart of Times Square.\nOur suite was very comfortable with room enough for two teenagers and their parents to be separated when necessary. The bed was extremely comfortable. It was nice to have both an empty refrigerator and a stocked one, even though we chose not to partake from the stocked one because of the cost. The microwave also came in handy.\nOne of the best parts of our stay was the breakfast. The short order cook amazed me every morning, keeping 4-5 orders going at one time. The selections on the buffet ranged from fruit and yogurt to pastries and some hot cooked items. This was included with our room, which was a wonderful deal. We were even able to include my brother on a couple of mornings at no charge (we asked the waiter). I am not sure whether all rooms come with the breakfast, but I would check on it when booking. They serve until late morning for those who want to sleep in, which we did some mornings.\nThe only negative is that there is no pool. This was disappointing to one of our teens, but the rest of us did not care. There is so much to do in NYC, who needs one? They did have a great exercise room equipped with lots of equipment and weights.\nAfter all my concerns, I loved staying in the heart of the action, but never realized it until I walked out the front door of the hotel. It was very quiet in our room. \nI can hardly wait to go back and stay at this hotel!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "Based on the reviews here on Tripadvisor, I booked a room for four nights arriving on the Saturday before July 4th. We were greeted by a very nice doorman (Eddie), and were quickly checked in by the nice staff at the front desk. Our suite was wonderful, and the four of us had plenty of space to relax and \"recover\" from shopping and seeing the sights. We had a great view of Time's Square, and the soundproofing was excellent! Apart from a bit of jet-lag, we all slept very well in the comfortable beds. The breakfast they serve at Doubletree was wonderful, if not reasonable, and the service from our waiters and short order cook was immaculate!\nAt 279 USD it's not the cheapest room you'll get in the Time's Square area, but I'm certain it's one of the best. Don't expect personal service like you get in smaller hotels, but I must say everything ran smoothly from the time we checked in until we checked out. The only slightly negative matter I'd like to mention was that one of the concierges could have been a bit more friendly and helpful when I approached her for some advice on the best way to get to La Guardia during rush hour. \nWe'll definately be back next time we're in NYC!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We just spent 4 nights at the Doubletree and could not have been happier. The staff was warm, courteous and extremely helpful. Upon check in they gave each of our kids great backpacks w/ crayons and stuff, the kids were thrilled. A few years ago we had a Terrible experience at a Doubletree in Florida and vowed never to atay there again, we have now changed our minds. The room was large, spacious, clean and newly renovated. The bedding was comfortable and of above average quality. One night we asked the concierge for a reasonably priced dinner delivery recommendation and it was great. We had breakfast included as part of our room but if not it is quite expensive. It is a full buffet with alot to offer but still pricey. I highly recommend it for travel with kids b/c of the proximity to all the kid's attractions.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "This was our second stay at the Doubletree Suites in Times Square and it is one of my favorite hotels in NYC. The main reason is the size of the rooms! Most rooms in NYC are only queen or double in a cramped space. The Doubletree breaks the rules by being a suite hotel with a king or 2 doubles in the bedroom, plus every suite has a living room with a pull out sofa plus a mini-refrigerator and a microwave. A family of 4 can easily stay in a room here with comfort. (And keep breakfast/lunch items at much lower prices than a restaurant). \nI have stayed here now twice with our two children and having a separate family room has been well worth it. There is a TV both in the bedroom and in the family room so the kids can watch something different (or play the hotel Nintendo). After a long day of shopping or sightseeing a room & TV for the kids is very welcome! \nThe rooms are well furnished, modern and very clean. The bathrooms are a very nice size have marble coutertops (as well as the wetbar area). The hotel is located in the middle of the action in Times Square- but you can not hear any of it in your room.\nThe hotel sets in an ideal situation - at the north end of Times Square - next door to a McDonalds and the Times Square Info Center and the TKTS booth - and a couple of blocks from Toys R Us, ESPN Zone, MTV Studios, ABC Studios, and Virgin Megastore. \nFor those visitors that ride the subway (our favorite way around town) - the hotel is on the corner of the N, R, W uptown line and across the street from the downtown line. I love the fact that Bloomingdales is 3 stops uptown (literally - as the station comes up in the basement of Bloomingdales!) and Macy's is 2 stops downtown (on the 34th/Herald Square stop). \nIf you want to be in the heart of the action and also have a comfortable size room, the Doubletree Times Square is a great choice!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "We really enjoyed staying at the Doubletree Guest Suites in Times Square. It was our first visit to New York City. We chose the hotel because of the great reviews we read on tripadvisor.com and because of it's central location. We also wanted a suite hotel with two rooms, a refrigerator, a microwave, and an in room safe. We were not disappointed. All the staff were very friendly and helpful. The rooms were very clean. The beds were comfortable (even the pull out sofa.) We requested a newly re-modeled corner room at check in (advice from others on this web site) and the desk clerk was very accommodating. Our room was twenty stories up facing Times Square. The corner room gave us an incredible view. At night the neon lights from outside lit up our room as if it were daylight. I was a little worried I would have trouble falling asleep, however, the thick curtains blocked out the light. We could hear some traffic noice, but not loud enough to keep us awake. We had a lot of fun looking down at the street watching the traffic and the people, especially the before and after theater crowds. The security guards were excellent. They check everyone when you enter the hotel. After you clear security, you take an elevator to the lobby on the third floor, then another elevator to your room. We ordered out Ray\u2019s Pizza one night (excellent pizza \u2013 recommended by the hotel staff) and security escorted our pizza delivery guy right to our room. We enjoyed relaxing to the in-room movies after a long day of sight seeing. The Grayline Tour bus station is only two blocks away. (Make sure you get a seat on the top level if you take the tour, it is an awesome way to see New York.) Most Broadway theaters are within walking distance from this hotel. There are many restaurants and deli's near by to choose from. An excellent hotel for a first time visitor. My family and I highly recommend it to others.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "What a fantastic hotel, in the heart of busy Times Square. We had a two-room suite, newly and stylishly remodeled. King-size bed, luxurious linens in the bedroom; cozy sofa, chairs and sleek, modern desk with executive chair in the adjoining room. TVs in both rooms and a full bar with refrigerator, sink and microwave to boot. We were way up on the 33rd floor with windows that looked down on the amazing lights of Broadway/Times Square! And being so high up, noise was not a problem at all.\nThe staff is as polite as could be; we were greeted with piping hot chocolate chip cookies upon arrival. The main lobby is on the third floor, removed from the busy, noisy street traffic of Times Square; it's so huge you never feel like you're overwhelmed with crowds checking in, checking out like at some of the smaller hotels. There are two restaurants, I think, plus a great fitness room. As New York hotel prices go, I felt this was an extremely reasonable rate -- $250, plus tax.\nAdjacent to the hotel is a terrific deli with self-serve buffet with at least 100 freshly prepared, tasty items -- great for take-out to the room, which helps with the NY budget. I can't wait to go back.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We stayed here for six nights in late Feb and early March and were very pleased with our accommodations. The location is excellent, and the security means the hotel is used only by guests. I requested a high, quiet room and was given one on the 30th floor, which met those criteria well. We were told the 30th floor had recently been renovated, and the furniture, etc. appeared to be new. The bed was comfortable, the towels thick and fluffy, and everything was clean. The staff were friendly and helpful and, if we missed the regular room cleaning time, we called housekeeping and someone arrived within minutes.\nI would also recommend a restaurant nearby---Pierre Au Tunnel (250 W. 47th) . The food and ambience are French, and both food and service are excellent. The owner/manager came to our table to talk to us, and remembered us when we returned the second time. It is less than a block from the Doubletree.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My family just returned from a five night stay at the DBTree Suites in Times Square. I booked the hotel largely based on TripAdvisor reviews. It was wonderful! We had a corner suite overlooking the Coca-Cola neon sign, which my children (2 and 3) absolutely loved. Having the extra room was great with the kids, as was the fridge and microwave. The bed was really comfortable, and we easily fit our mass of luggage plus a crib in the bedroom and still had room to move around. The location was perfect, well within walking (and stroller) distance of great restaurants, stores, and Rockefeller Center. There's a subway stop (open only sometimes) right outside the door, and two others within two blocks in either direction. The staff was extremely nice and helpful and very quick to respond to any requests. The extra security--you need to show your room key to the front doorman--was an added plus. One note, the rooms are stylish but are getting a bit scuffed up and worn. So, if you're looking for absolute perfection, this isn't the place--but if you've got kids, you've given up on that already :) Also, just an FYI, the hotel recommended the NY Babysitters Guild, and we couldn't have been happier with this recommendation. The sitter was wonderful; the kids took to her right away; and we had a welcome night out alone. My one gripe: no wireless internet access.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "We stayed at the Doubletree over Xmas 2004 and New year 2005. For a first time visit it was rather useful place to stay as you can jump on the subway to get around or walk everywhere. The hotel was not as plush as we expected considering the prices, all in all it was a reasonable hotel, don't bother eating breakfast in the restaurant as it is over priced. We would not stay there again as it was pretty average. The general reviews are slightly over-rated. I can't say it was awful but I also can't see why it is worth 4 or 5 ratings on this site.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "ARE YOU GOING TO NYC AND STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A PLACE TO STAY? Well look NO FURTHER! Stay here--it's right in the heart of Times Square, right where all the heart of the action is. We stayed here for 4 days, over New Year's Eve 2005. This hotel AND it's location are to say the least, EXCELLENT. We took just one footstep out the hotels doors, and could watch the New Year's Eve ball drop in Times Square, all right from there. Welcome to Times Square, baby!\nThis hotel is an AWESOME location in NYC. It's walking distance to many sights, restaurants, Broadway plays, Shops (high-end shops: 5th Avenue/Madison area shops--for you Louis Vuitton/Gucci types), and many other regular shops, as well. Not far from many of the major attractions, either. And, if you want to be in the Times Square area particulary, this hotel is prime! I cannot stress enough--there are SO MANY cool shops & restaurants and things to do, all just footsteps from this hotel--it's a flippin' crazy but fun city, soooooo ultra COOL. Bright lights, Big city.. And I'll AGREE with all of the many other positive reviews here about this hotel, because they are right!\nOkay, now you are wondering on the room rates of this hotel? This hotel is not cheap, in terms of price/room rates. (Remember, DoubleTree is a Hilton hotel, owned by the Hilton hotel chain). The caliber of this hotel and the rooms are great, FAR BEYOND a typical Best Western or Days Inn. No Motel 6 here! If you want to stay here, check online at Hilton to get a list of room rates. It varies. This hotel has above average security; once you enter the hotel's main doors from outside, there is a hotel employee who checks for your room keycard, making sure you are a guest of the hotel, before you can even enter up to the lobby area and hotel rooms, that are located a few elevator floors up. They don't just let any shmuck off of the street, in. Anyhow, we arrived about 12:30pm for check-in, front desk staff, and bellguys, were nice. Received their warm chocolate chip cookie at check-in. Upon entering our room, everything meeted my expectations and was very good in terms of size, and it was up-to-date. I looked at the sheets on my bed in the bedrrom and it passed my \"little inspection\"--no one else's yucky body hairs, and the pillows didn't reak of anyone else's funky head. Bedding was very clean. The bath product amenities were good, Neutrogena Bath Products. Not some cheap looking stuff like you'd see at a Motel 6. The bedroom, (which is seperate from the living room--has closing doors), was very good-sized. And the bed was VERY COMFORTABLE and had lots of pillows on it, along with an up-to-date bedding/comforter on it. We had a good-sized living room area. In it was a big TV with cable and free HBO, a couch (pull-out sofa), coffee table, a sitting chair, and also a full-size eating table, with chairs. There was also a sink area w/large mirror overlooking it, also located in the living room area (for making cocktails, if you like), and fridge. Also had a very good-sized bathroom (very large, larger than what you typically get in a hotel room). One thing you must know if you are a newcomer to NYC and have never stayed in any hotels, most of the hotel rooms in NYC are VERY small. This is not the case at this particular hotel, all of the rooms at this hotel are Suites--all rooms at the Doubletree Guest Suites are bigger than average for a NYC hotel! (NYC hotel rooms are notorious for being very small). One of the perks that you get staying in these rooms, is that you don't feel like a sardine in the room, trying to get around. Plenty of room for everyone. If you are traveling with a family, I would HIGHLY reccomend this hotel. Parents get their own bedroom with TV, and privacy. The kids get their own TV too, in the living room w/pull-out sofabed. Everyone is happy! No fighting over the remote, between the kids and dad. The hotels concierge service in the lobby area is great, they can give you info on NYC and sightseeing, and they also offer discount passes to the Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum. We booked a helicopter ride tour of NYC (very fun!), all through the hotels concierge. \nRoom service food: We ordered it one of the nights. It was prompt, and the food was very good. Note: The hotel's room service prices are a bit on the spendy side; cheapest thing on the menu was a burger for $12.50! (But, it was a flippin' very good burger, I tell you. (Flippin'--no pun intended haha). Also--with our particular room package rate--we got free hot buffet breakfast each morning, in the hotels restaurant that's located on the fifth floor. The atmosphere to that restaraunt was, great. (And, it's also good for families--too). One of the things we also especially enjoyed about the hot buffet breakfast is that they serve it all the way up until 11:30am EVERY day. (It was nice not having to get up TOO EARLY each morning just to eat breakfast--especially after sleeping in on New Year's Day!) Anyway, the hot buffet breakfast food was far above good, the chef makes cooked-to-order Omelettes, French Toast/Pancakes, Scrambled Eggs etc, all prepared right in front of you. If the hot buffet breakfast does not come with your particular room package it's still worth it to pay for it, it's quite tasty--that Chef can cook a mean Omelette...\nNEGATIVES: There is only one negative thing we encountered during our stay. They forgot to send us our complimentary bottle of Champagne and forgot to do the nightly turn down service during our particular room package. So when we checked out, I spoke with the hotels manager about this. He was deeply apolojetic, and was very sorry that this had happened. He asked me very sincerely, \"What can we do, to make it up to you?\" They were more than generous in accomodating our problem with this, and took a very large discount off of my total bill, upon checkout. Because of the excellent customer service during that matter (and my overall stay experience at this hotel), we are definately going to stay there again. This place is definately no dump. I reccomend this place to you all. It beats out all of the other hotels that I have stayed at in NYC, anyday.\nFeel free to Email me if you have any other questions, I'd be happy to help answer. ~Ciao! (o:", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Our first vistit to NYC, was great. Saw \"The Lion King\". It was a really great show. This hotel is spacious. Very clean and friendly staff. Elevators were quick. Security is good on the first floor. You must show your key even to enter the building. Concierge was a little stuck-up. Breakfast buffet is over-priced@17.50. Order a-la-carte. Got a rate of 249 a night, but cost 299 after taxes and fees. Beware of taxi drivers in unmarked Lincoln town cars. Got ripped off one time. Paid $40 for a fare from Penn staion that should have only cost $7. Doubletree is in a great location. Nearby restaurants include, McDonalds, Bubba Gump Shirmp, TGI Fridays, Appleby's. I'm already making plans to stay here again next year. All in all, it was a great trip. Street vendors are willing to bargin. Got a yankees baseball cap for $5. McDonalds value meals are $5. Planet Hollywood was a little pricey. Toys are us is a must see if you have children. Took the Grayline tour. It was well worth the money. Get there early to see Empire state building or statue of Liberty. Experienced very little wait time for Empire, but the wait for Statue of liberty was almost an hour. Watch your back. There are a lot of people in NYC. But it was well worth it. LOVED the Doubletree!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "This is a great location and all rooms above floor 15 have been renovated. They are working down to the bottm so it will all be renovated soon..Just ask to make sure you get one of those. Beds are heavenly with down comforters and 5 pillows/bed(2 are down 2 are reg and 1 extra) Spacious bedroom area as well as sitting area. 2 Large TVS microwave, coffe maker, fridge. Large well lit bathroom. Very quiet altho heart of Times Square. Staff very helpful. You receive warm chocolate chip cookies upon arrival. We had to store our bags and laptop for a few hours til we could check in around 1(which is still early) Security excellent. Storage room where luggage is very secure. Must show room key or ID for access above Lobby. This eliminates gawkers who come in and tie up the elevators like they do at the Marriot Marquee across the street. Longest wait for an elevator was 30 sec and the hotel was sold out. Went to have cocktails at the Marriott and waited 10 minutes. Concierge very helpful as well. We did not dine there so can't comment. There is a 3 story McDonald's restaurant right next door(if you have picky kids) Prices are same as everywhere else there. Many dining choices nearby. Subway right out the front door too. We would definitely stay here again. We paid $349/nt(with tax it was really around $400/nt) The convenience and comfort was well worth it!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husband and I with our teenage son just returned from spending 5 nights at the Doubletree Guest Suites on Times Square. It had to be one of the most wonderful experiences ever. There\u2019s a subway diagonally across the street, plenty of taxis, TKS for discount theatre tickets across the street and fast food to lovely sit-down restaurants on the block. \nWhen we arrived we were greeted at the front desk by a gentleman named Michael. I asked if we could get a corner room on a high floor with a view of Times Square. He explained that the standard corner rooms were a bit smaller, but he said he was going to put in that it was our anniversary to get us a Conference Suite on a high floor with a corner view, which would be larger. We couldn\u2019t believe his generosity and laughed asking if it also included free breakfast for three, which he said he was also going to add for free at no extra charge. Our room was unbelievable! You entered in a hallway with an entrance to the large marble bath w/phone off the hallway, king bedroom w/phone and TV with entrance to bath, dining room with large wet bar with sink, coffee maker, microwave, refrigerator and safe. From there the dining room flowed into the living area with a queen size pullout sofa bed, TV, end table, mini bar and server. The suite had four huge windows overlooking Times Square. The buffet breakfast was great with an omelette bar, Belgian waffles, buttermilk pancakes, bacon, sausage, potatoes, fresh fruit, assorted cereals, muffins, toast, juice, coffee, where only hotel guests or friends of could eat. No view, but still very nice. \nOur room was on the 39th floor by the elevators, but very quite, had great heating/cooling, and great blackout drapery. Our teenager stayed up late talking on the phone and watching TV and we couldn\u2019t hear him at all in our room. The d\u00e9cor in our room was lovely and very upscale (on the contemporary style). I don\u2019t think you can find anything better for the money and location. You feel 100% safe at this hotel due to its tight security at the front door. Only guests can come in, so hang on to your keycard. This hotel gets an A+++!\nSUGGESTIONS -\nRestaurants: \n\u2022Ellen\u2019s Stardust Diner \u2013 51st St. & Broadway (Go after 5:00pm \u2013 Cute 50\u2019s diner where the off Broadway waiters/waitresses sing while you eat. Very reasonably priced.)\n\u2022Brooklyn Diner \u2013 57th St. between 7th & 8th (Be sure and order the Noodle Kugel!)\n\u2022Bubba Gumps @ Times Square \u2013 Broadway between 43rd & 44th St. (Get a window seat!)\nEmpire State Building (Go later in the day during the week so it\u2019s not so busy and skip the Skyride. It wasn\u2019t very good.) \nTKS \u2013 Broadway between 46th & 47th St. (Broadway Theatre tickets for 25% to 50% off) Suggestion: Try and get tickets for Wednesday shows, things get busier as the week progresses; NOTE: Ask for the cheapest tickets even if they\u2019re on the last row of the balcony, because there are always plenty of seats and everyone moves up to the more expensive vacant seats. The two girls next to us switched to box seats at intermission.\nDouble-decker buses are great to get yourself oriented. Sit on the upper deck near the back for best photo shots and views. Take a blanket from the hotel if it\u2019s cold. Also, they'll drop you off at any stop and you can be picked back up by another tour bus, which really saves on taxis, but start early because they stop around 8:00pm and hold on to your ticket to get back on.\nCentral Park has $10/hour row boats for rent on pretty days. Carriage ride was ok, but they\u2019ll tell you up front what they expect for a tip. ($34 for 15 \u2013 20 minutes + $6 tip = about $2.60/minute ride. Ouch!)\nRegis & Kelly Show (M \u2013 F) Get tickets off the Internet and arrive by 6:00AM otherwise you\u2019ll be on the last few rows in the nose bleed section. There will be at least 30 people already seated when you go in that knew someone. Sometimes you can be the last few to enter and they\u2019ll seat you on the front row, which is left for overflow, but worth a try. Just get your number and step aside for others to go up to their seats before you if you don\u2019t see something good when you enter.\nFOX - Day Side Show (M \u2013 F) We were given tickets by a guy on the corner by the hotel. We were the last to go in and were seated on the front row, center. The camera was on us about 80% of the time. If you\u2019re a conservative you\u2019ll love this show if not you might not enjoy it. They encourage audience participation, so you\u2019ll get to talk on camera if you like.\nHope & Faith Show (most Friday nights) This was all of our favorite! Get tickets on the Internet and arrive 3 \u00bd hrs. prior to filming and go directly to the Silvercup Studios East (not the main, but the East studio). Time goes quickly so it\u2019s not too bad. When you go in to where the audience sits, make sure you get a seat in the area where the special taped off seats are preferably on the front row (but all seats are good, because there\u2019s only 5 rows). Those are seats near the sets where the stars will be taping. Eat something prior, but they do feed you a slice of pizza, a cookie and a bottle of water. The night we were there they had Robert Wagner (w/ wife, Jill St John), Charlie\u2019s Angel, Cheryl Ladd, along with the regular cast. Some of the cast members came and sat up in the audience and talked between shots. All of them came up to the railing and were so nice to give autographs and just visit. Kelly Ripa even offered to share some of her own food off her plate with my husband and I just because I mentioned it looked good. The taping runs late, so sleep in that morning if you can. BTW, the warm-up guy, Phil, is outstanding. He kept everyone in stitches the whole time.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "This is my favorite New York hotel. The only drawback is if you drive in there isn't parking at the hotel it's about a half-block away. But that's a five minute mini-problem.\nThe first thing I love is the security area on the ground floor. You tell the security guard your name and he checks to see if you have a reservation. If you do (or already have a key) you go up to the lobby on the third floor. The view from the lobby through the ceiling is cool. You can look up at the large televsion while you check in. And those Doubletree cookies alone are enough for me to look for Doubletree hotels while travelling.\nAlthough, I stayed alone, I could see where families would like this hotel, as the rooms are more spacious than anywhere else I've ever stayed in Manhattan. I had a living room with a comfortable couch. In the bedroom a comfortable bed that I didn't want to get out of.The view I get may disappoint others, but I had a Peeping Tom's delight I was could look in at the office building across the way.\nAlso you can't hear a peep from the street and you're at the busiest intersection in the world. I was on the 20th floor and couldn't hear anything. Try that at some other Manhattan hotels.\nThe area is very hectic and there is something for everyone nearby. Two doors down is the Times Square McDonald's. Every tourist to New York should go there once for the people watching alone. And the prices have come down in the last couple of years. A few years back an extra value meal cost around $7 now it was just over $5.\nIf you are coming with small kids, I'd make sure to lock up the honor bar because a can of Coke at 3.50 may be out of some families' budgets.\nThe breakfast buffet, while it may appear expensive to an out-of-towner, is a bargain for New York. It has a great variety of meats, pancakes, fruits, and cereals.\nI am actually impressed with the size of the fitness room. Most hotels that have complimentary fitness rooms only have maybe 2 or 3 pieces of cardio equipment. There must have been at least a dozen cardio machines and even some free weights. And it's in a great location to overlook the lounge.\nIf this is your first time to New York, you're coming with a family, and want to be in the center of midtown, this is the place that I would recommend.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "Stayed at this hotel with some friends. I had booked through the internet but they managed to give us the wrong type of room. After explaining to the staff at the desk that I needed 2 beds and a double, he could supply us with an extra camp bed for the night and then we got upgraded the next day. The upgrade was fanastic. The room was huge and on the same floor as the Presidential Suite. \nThe location is fantastic, just of to the right of the Coca-Cola sign on Times Square.\nIf I was travelling with a large group or a family, I would stay at this hotel.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Stayed at this hotel for 5 nights. The location cannot be beat for a first time trip to NYC. Its right there in times square, across the street from the TKTS booth, close to the 49th street subway station, and on the northeast side of times square just a tad closer to Rockefeller and the 5th ave shopping area.\nWhen we arrived, there is no real drop off area for the hotel, so the cab just drops you off on the curb in front of the entryway. We were greated by a bellman who helped us with our bags. Once inside the door, the security guard checks your name against a reservation list. Once cleared, you enter the elevator to the 3rd floor lobby.\nWe got there around 11PM, so the lobby was very quiet. Checked in and got the famous warm cookies. They were excellent. Got to our room on the 13th floor and found that we got one of the corner rooms. Great view, but we soon found out it was a smoking room. We were just too tired and didn't bother trying to change it. We were hardly in the room anyway, but we did get some second hand smoke from our neighbor through the crack under the ajoining door.\nThe room on the 13th floor was yet to be remodelled, so the furniture and bathroom looked aged. Bathroom was clean, but could tell everything was old. Wish we got one of the remodelled rooms, but oh well. We did see new furniture being delivered in their receiving area on the side of the building one day. The only complaint I had about the room was that the shower curtain was cut too short. There was only a half inch that hit the tub. If not carefull, water would leak out onto the floor. Liked the fact that there was a fridge in the room for water and sodas. Make sure to lock the minibar if you are not going to use it.\nAs for the hotel itself. Security is good. You must show a room key to enter. Made me feel safer. Asked the concierge one question and she was very helpful. Most of the mornings, we got a quick bite at the cafe on the 3rd floor. It was pricey, but convenient. Ate breakfast once at the restaurant, pricey and nothing special. Also, never had to wait long for an elevator either. Only drawback was that there was no convenient store in the hotel, at least i didn't see one.\nAll in all, it was a good stay. It was a good hotel for my first visit to NYC. Next time, i'll probably stay in a quieter area. Wish we got one of the remodelled rooms, but guess that's just the luck of the draw. The employees were all helpful and answered all questions, just wish they would smile more. Just made the atmosphere in the lobby kinda depressing. When leaving, we wanted help with our bags and in hailing a cab, the man at the bell desk was falling asleep doing the head bob. Anyway, all in all, none of my requests were ever denied.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "My 9 year-old son and I stayed two nights at The Doubletree last weekend.\nWe had been scheduled to fly in on Thursday evening, but our flight was cancelled and we had to take an early morning Friday flight. I called the front desk and was able to get my reservations changed around. I was staying on Hilton Honors points and had to make a few extra calls, but everyone was helpful and things worked out.\nI had asked for a room on a high floor, away from the elevators. Our request was granted as we were given a room on the 33rd floor of the 43 story hotel and we were as far from the elevator as possible. The only downside of our room location was that we were as far from Times Square as we could be. Our room looked out over 49th Street.\nThe rooms that face out over Times Square would appear to be rooms 01, 02 and 03 on each floor. Room 01 is right next to the elevators (all 7 of them) and 02 and 03 also each appear to face Seventh Avenue. I don't know how quiet they are, but if you want a great view, you will likely be near the elevator.\nAs others have noted you need to show your room key or have your name checked against the reservations list to gain admission into the small ground floor lobby and to take one of the three elevators to the third floor registration area. These elevators were always quick to arrive. I do not think we ever waited longer than 15 seconds for an elevator, coming or going. The main entrance is at the corner of 49th and 7th, right in Times Square, so the security is nice.\nI had asked for a room away from the elevator to ensure it was quiet, and we did have a quiet room. \nTo be honest, we were not in the room that much. I did not come to New York to sit around my hotel. I was looking for a room with a comfortable sleeping quarters, clean, safe, convenient to the subway and close to the New Amsterdam Theater where we had tickets to see Lion King. The Doubletree met those requirements. Other than late night and early morning, we did not spend more than 30 minutes at a time in the room.\nThe king size bed was very comfortable. 7 pillows on the bed, great mattress. Had probably my best nights sleep in a hotel in a long time. I usually don't sleep well in strange beds, but had no troubles here.\nThe bathroom had entrances into both the bedroom and \"living room.\" There was only one sink in the bathroom. The shower had good water pressure and decent heighth. I did not have to worry about the shower head being below my head (I am 6-2).\nThe living room area had a sleeper sofa, chair, desk in front of the window (with extra power outlets and phone jacks) and a dresser with the TV on it. It also had a small sink (wet bar type) and a refrigerator. There was an honor bar in the dresser area that we did not even look at.\nOur room had a king size bed. There really was not much extra room in the bedroom. The bed, two night stands and Armoire (with TV) pretty much took up all of the room.\nWhile the rooms are of ample size, the overall size of the suite I found comparable to a typical room in the Hamptons, Courtyards, etc that you find along the Interstate highways. Maybe a touch bigger, with the bathroom definitely bigger. But I don't know that I would want to try more than 4 people in one of these suites.\nWe did not eat at the hotel. The Kids area was closed when we left.\nThe conceirges were helpful. Gave us subway directions that we needed and other advice. \nI would stay again at The Doubletree, but I don't know what I would pay for a room (as noted above, I stayed for free using Hilton points). Given how little time I spent in the room, I might be tempted to try somewhere else if the price were right. But if the Doubletree price was competitive, I would stay here and take the known quantity.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "The location is good and bad. Good because it is centrally located. There are shows, good restaurants and shopping withing walking distance. Bad because you have to fight your way through crowds, especially after dark. Crowds don't usually bother me, but the sense of relief each time I entered the lobby was extremely strong. Once inside the hotel, you would never know what is just outside the door. Our suite was recently updated. There was plenty of room. The beds were comfortable and even the sleep sofa wasn't too bad. We got cookies and the kids got backpacks with playing cards, a ball, a coloring book and crayons when we checked in. Each morning we got a USA Today outside our door. Don't use the internet machine in the lobby. You pay by the minute and it took 4 minutes just to access one web page. The concierge admitted it was slow and suggested the Kinko's around the corner. Also, don't go to the TKTS booth across the street. The lines are terrible. There is another boot at South Street Seaport which has very short lines and sells the same tickets. The concierge also gave us some dining suggestions, of which one is worth passing on. Ollie's is an inexpensive Chinese restaurant 2 blocks away. We also liked Virgil's for barbeque and Ellen's Stardust Diner for the great entertainment.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed at the property for one night after a week in Canada.\nCheck-in: Very efficient and welcoming which was nice after a long drive from Ontario. We received backpacks and warm cookies for the children upon check-in. Very nice touch! \nRoom: We were given room 1911 which was a city view. The room was clean and nicely appointed for a hotel of this calibar. I belive it is a AAA three diamond property. The two room suite had a very comfortable bed with a lot pillows, the other room had a pull out sofa bed. Each room had a TV which is always nice especially if you have children. The room has a microwave and a fridge. We realized the fridge was not working the next morning when we went to heat up our dinner from the night before. I called the customer care line and told them that the fridge was not working. We had meals which contained meat that we could not eat since it was not kept cold. The man I spoke with was VERY courteous and offered us breakfast on the house at the hotel. It was 11:15 when I called and their breakfast ends at 11:30. I explained that I couldn't get there in time with three small children and pack up our luggage too. He understood and told me to have lunch at the restaurant instead. What great service! \nRestaurant: The service was good as was the food. Nice setting, quiet location. \nChildrens Center: This was closed due to renovations so we did not see it. \nBathroom: Clean bathrooms, shower/tub area okay (could use a little cosmetic work), Neutrogena amenities. \nSecurity: Very good security. The hotel is right in Times Square so the xtra security is a plus. You must show your room key to enter the lobby area. \nCheck-out: I used the express check-out since everything was accurate on the paper bill I received the morning we were scheduled to check out. We checked our luggage with the bellman since we were planning to stay in the city for several hours. When we returned to pick up our luggage our a backpack was missing. After looking in the luggage room for some time, it could not be found. The staff person was very apologetic and considerate. He took our information and told us he would call the following day to let us know if it was found. It was found just as we were exiting the parking lot across the street. He called us on our cell phone and ran across the sreet to deliver the backpack with everything in tact (gameboy, gameboy games etc). \nOverall, I would definitely stay here again. I don't have a single complaint. Well done to the staff at the Doubletree. We will be back.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Booked on the strength of guests comments and the overall Trip Advisor rating (4th best at the time of booking). The suite was large, which I gather is unusual for New York, and comfortable, and whilst I accept it lacks character and the entrance procedure is somewhat bizarre I enjoyed the stay. The location is excellent. \nI booked on the Romance package which included breakfast, however nobody appears to have informed the restaurant staff which caused confusion every morning. The only sour note was that my wife left her mobile phone in the room and when I rang to report it, whilst still in New York, they said it wasn't in the room. They later found it but could not tell me how much it would cost to send it to the UK. \nOn checking out they had only charged me for 2 days instead of 5. \nI did the honest thing and pointed out the error and paid a further $1,500. This left me a bit disappointed that they could not return the phone free of charge.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "My mate from London and I stayed here for 3 nights. As noted in other reviews, you must pass though security on the gound floor. Never seemed to be a problem for us, just flashed the room key and kept walking. We stayed in a corner suite which was large and had a great view on the 40th floor. I admit this was an upgrade (Hilton Honors Gold) from what we booked. There is a subway station next door, but don't get me started on NYC's subway system. The downfall is that you have to take the elevator from the ground floor to the lobby on the 3rd floor and then switch elevators to get to the rooms. Other than the bellmen, the staff are pretty instituional and lacking personality. Forget about late checkout even if you are a Hilton Honors member, they will only extend checkout by 1 hour and are not overly pleasant about it. They do however have a baggage hold which we used upon checkout. Overall a nice place, minus the bland staff. By the way the rooms are much nicer than the pictures on the hotel's website.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Stayed three nights at the Doubletree Times Square in early September 2005. I will save the long review by summing it up: It would be difficult to find a better Times Square 'base' for an out of town Biz exec. The rooms are spacious by New York standards, the staff is very friendly/helpful/professional, the hotel is clean and well-kept, low noise in the rooms. \nMaybe this hotel isn't the Ritz or the Waldorf with thier over-the-top, gold bathroom fixtures and butler turndown service, but the hotel is MODERN, CLEAN, NEW, very nice all around, at a very reasonable price. Perhaps there isn't such a thing as perfect, but if you're looking for what is a very very solid hotel for your business travels with the best location you could possibly hope for in Times Square, you'll find this and more at the Doubletree Times Square.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "The suites allow for great seperation as I am a single dad who was traveling with two teenage girls. Our room was good, though we were on the eighth floor, and were probably too close to the street. The best thing about the hotel was the location as kids of all ages love the proximity to Times Square. Subways are close and cheap breakfeasts are available close by. Look hard at the New York Pass, it is a great deal. We did CNN, Radio City, NBC Studios, The Wax Musuem, and The Empire State Building in one day for under $50 a person. The Empire State Building included the headphone tour, and the skyride. On busy days doing the skyride shortens the wait by about 20 minutes. Wouldn't pay extra for skyride, but for free it was ok.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "Can't wait to go back! We stayed at the Doubletree Suites Times Square August 19-22, 2005. Outstanding service in every way. Room was brand new and the beds were super comfortable. Very nicely furnished and super convenient to all of the Times Square activities. The subway is just downstairs and taxis abound. We walked all over the area to St. Patrick's Cathedral, Fox News, Rockefeller Center. Breakfast buffet was great and complimentary for Gold/Diamond Hilton Honors Members. Overall, the best stay we have ever had in New York.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We just got back from a two night stay at the Doubletree Guest Suites in Times Square! We loved it! If you want to be in the middle of Times Square this is a great hotel! From the moment we pulled up in front of the hotel (they valet park) to the moment we left we had an awesome time. \nIt was our first time as a family going to NYC! My husband and I took our two teenages 16 and 14. It was their first time staying overnight! We had a corner suite on the 17th floor, beautifully decorated and absolutely clean. The hotel is very secure (you have to show ID before entering). The hotel staff was very accommodating and were very efficient in our requests (extra linens, conditioner, safe in room), etc. Great view on the 17th floor and absolutely no noise at all! We got our room for $299 per night with AAA discount. Total bill for two nights was around $700 bucks! This included taxes, etc.\nThe concierge suggested Tony's (an Italian restaurant) for dinner and it was great. Family style meals in an italian atmosphere just a few blocks from the hotel. We also ate at MARS 2012. This is a great restaurant for the kids (older teens might think its too kiddish), but atmosphere was good and entertaining. You take a spaceship to Mars and aliens are walking around while you are eating, etc. Fun, but wouldn't go there twice. Food was good, but not Great!\nWe bought tickets at TKTS right accross the street for two shows. We saw Rent and All Shook Up. The theater for All Shook Up is right next door to the hotel (how convenient is that?). We walked to the theater for Rent and afterwards the actors came out on the street (it was a side street) and talked with us and gave us autographs and we took pics. How cool is that?\nWe also took the double decker bus tour of the city. We did the uptown tour which included, Little Italy, Chinatown, Empire State Building, SoHo, etc. It was great!\nTRL studio, Madame Tusand's wax museum, Toys R US, Late Show with David Lettermen, all within walking distance.\nTo sum it up, we did a lot in two days and loved every minute of it! I don't know how soon we will be going back because we spent a fortune, but I'm sure we will never forget this trip.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "My party of 4 arrived in Manhattan on February 4th at 6:30am from our red eye flight. As tired as we were, the hotel graciously allowed us to check in at that early morning hour, and still pay for only 2 nights, which was great since we left Monday afternoon. Last time I was in NYC, I stayed at the Grand Central Hyatt, and let me say that this room was worth the price. With a bathroom, bedroom, and a living room, all spacious, it was great for the 4 of us. There was a refrigerator and a microwave below the living sink (there's 2 sinks, 1 in the bathroom, 1 in the living room), and an ethernet port RJ45 jack for your internet connection. \nNow with all that in mind, let me write about why this place is good for your money. \nFirst of all, it's on the corner of 7th Ave and 47th Street, on the North End of Time Square. If you are looking to go on the subway or bus, 42nd and Broadway is a major hub of transportation around Manhattan. Just a short walk away from us, we had all of manhattan easily accessable via bus or subway, and we had purchased a metro pass for $24 per person, which gave us unlimited ride over them for a whole week.\nSecondly, if you're looking to purchase discount on Musical tickets, TKTS booth is right across the street. The lines to start early, but well worth the discount if you're looking for a good show to watch.\nLastly, you are in the middle of it all. There is no place like Time Square at midnight, when everyone is out and just enjoying the bright lights. I got the opportunity to watch the superbowl in front of the ABC studio in Time Square on their big screen, and it was memorable.\nYou do pay a premium for staying here, no question about that. But for the location and the benefits that this place brings, it was worth the money to us.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I stayed at The Doubletree Times Square in June 04\u2019 with three friends of mine after our high school graduation and thoroughly enjoyed our stay at this hotel. We got an amazing deal at $220 a night just for calling the hotel directly. We came from JFK and took a limo to the hotel. I am not one of those fancy types though found it was almost the same price to take a limo as a taxi. We checked in late at night and can not say we had the most friendly front desk employee. Even though we had four people registered to the room we noticed later that we only got three cookies. However all of the other employees we encountered later in our stay were more than helpful.\nThe room was very comfortable for the four of us. The fact that there was a door separating the two rooms was very nice considering two of my friends are insomniacs. I also liked how there were two TV\u2019s (one in each room). The bathroom did not have a fan and this literally stuck considering four college guys were using it. We were also upset that the high speed internet cost $10 a day and the rollaway would cost an additional $15 a night, though when we got our bill none of these items were on the invoice. Of course we didn\u2019t say anything. \nThe hotel itself is located superbly in the middle of EVERYTHING. You can walk out at anytime and there is action going on all around you. At one time we came down at 3AM and got a famous New York hot dog from a street vendor (best hot dog I ever had). There is also an Olive Garden across the street that we never ate at because it always had a more than two hour wait time. Next door there was a Sbaro Pizza and close by was a Plant Hollywood and a Mc Donald\u2019s. Avoid the hotel restaurants. They are grossly over priced. \nI definitely recommend visiting the concierge desk at the hotel. They gave us the best recommendations for everything we needed. They also provided us with money saving coupons for several local attractions. We were able to book the open top bus tour of Manhattan from the desk and best of all it picked up directly in front of the hotel (I highly recommend this tour on the first day of your visit). The hotel gym was worth a visit. It had both machines and weights. Best of all it was free.\nIf this is your first trip to New York, stay at the Double Tree Times Square. You will not regret it.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I stayed here 1/18/06-1/22/06 with my 2 daughters and mother for 4 nights following a business trip. After previous visits, including the week in discussion (1/14-1/18/06) to the Marriott Marquis across the street from the Doubletree, I have to say that I was equally as impressed with the Doubletree. \nTwo rooms/beds/televisions(important with teens) plus the minibar, microwave and fridge made the stay so much more pleasant for all of us. The Marriott had removed their minibar/fridge two years ago, much to my dismay. Too much upkeep I was informed when I asked why. ???\nThe staff was so courteous, allowing me to check in early the day of arrival and get some much needed work done. And warm chocolate chip cookies upon arrival! YUUMM! \nI liked the security at the ground level...if you had no room card with you - they would simply check the guest list for your name. I felt very safe here. And, the elevators NEVER had a wait! (I don't know who sold the Marquis their NEW elevator system, but the Marquis got \"shafted\" if you ask me!)\nThe only issues I ever had, was maid service at 6am is a no-no when on vacation; Vacuuming could have been a little better - I'm not certain it was even done; And the \"Sweet Dreams\" throw pillow on the bed didn't look very clean - I put it on the top shelf in the closet until we left. \nOther than that - everything was perfect! Bellhop suggested a fabulous little diner around the corner (to the right as you exit the hotel) call Evergreen. Fabulous food...for next to nothing! Hard to find in NYC! I highly reccommend the Doubletree Guest Suites on Times Square, and will be a repeat customer!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We stayed 4 nights in NYC during a trip from NYC to Key West... 6 adults. Making my reservation I was afraid to make a mistake knowing how T S is busy about noise etc...\nBut once inside the hotel I was suprised to see how quiet are the rooms even looking on TS. One of us didn't receice his luggage back at JFK airport. It had been takan by someone else. We reported to British Airways at the airport desk but was not happy about the enthusiasm showed by the girl there. I reported at the hotel desk about the problem. They acted very kindly and helped us immediatly to try to find out by contacting the BA web site. The same night the luggage was delivered. The rooms are big sized for NYC and everything was clean. The maintenance was perfect. We even ate once at the hotel for breakfast. It was OK and not as expensive as in other places I stayed in NYC before...but there is a great breakfast place just at the corner street of the hotel \"the evergreen\" on 145W 47th ST 10036 (very good, clean and not expensive). There are guards checking people at the entance: perfect.\nYou will be there in the action, near metro station and in the middle of eveything: \"a good taste of New York\"", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I wanted to take my wife to NYC to celebrate our 15th anniversary. I booked a broadway show and began looking for a hotel. I decided on the Doubletree Times Square and was not disappointed. There is security in the building, however, if you have advance reservations and show your room key on the way in, it's not a problem. I booked a premium room so we were on the 42nd floor looking at Times Square. We will never forget the view. We didn't eat at the hotel because you can walk to oodles of places for food. We walked to Central Park, Rockefeller Plaza, the UN, and the Empire State Building over the two days we were in NYC. We also took the subway with no problem down to Battery Park for the WTC site and the Statue of Liberty.\nThe bed was very comfortable and the concierge even arranged to have flowers in the suit when we arrived. If I come back to NYC I'll be staying here.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We just stayed at the Doubletree this weekend. I thought the hotel was fine. The location is very central, convenient to the subway, 5th Ave, Central Park and of course Times Sq. Work out facilities were average. Given it's a suite, the rooms are huge by Manhattan standards.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I was there from 4/19-23 with a theatre group. The front entrance (below the lobby), although difficult to get into because ANY NY city corner is extremely crowded, is flanked by 2 security guards which require any person entering to show their room \"key\" to prevent any non-guest (or undesirables) from getting up into the hotel. The lobby was scarce of furniture and the little they had was old and outdated for a supposedly comtemporary look. The suites, although bigger than most NYC hotel rooms, was a bit cramped for 4 people and did not seem \"clean.\" My niece's allergies were really bothering her whenever she was in the room and both my cousin and I got sick w/bronchitis. The living area furniture was old and neither of the phones worked properly. Several times, we had to remind housekeeping there were 4 people, because they kept leaving only 2-3 of each towel each day, in spite of the $5 tip we were leaving per day. (We stopped that by the 3rd day.) I understand the beds were extremely comfortable, however, the pullout bed that I was sleeping on was just adequate. We were on the 14th floor, so our view was of the brick walls of other buildings. The hotel bar was non-existent....a few tables crammed in a small area and I paid $10 for a cheap-tasting glass of wine. The buffet breakfast was good and plentiful....one could order almost anything custom, but the room was like a cafeteria and with no windows. I was paying $4 dollars for my flavored cup of coffee in the lobby each morning. Staff and concierge were friendly and helpful. Location is great for theatre-goers. I know there's better for the money in NY!", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I would have given it a 5 instead of the 4 but my first night was a little rough. I had reserved a Premium King Suite but for some unexplained reason they put me in a handicap room with one double bed (I had to sleep diaginally just to fit in the bed). Unfortunately my schedule didn't allow me to fuss over it on my first night so when I returned to the room at 1am I phoned the front desk, explained the problem, and was told they would have a new room for me in the morning. Sure enough I was moved to the room-type I had paid for and was estatic. Good sized and clean room (with a comfortable kind bed), spacious living area, and bathroom. I paid $400/night and if you price other NYC hotels you'll see this is quite a bargain. The Doubletree is right in the heart of Times Square which puts you within a mile or so of most everything in Manhattan. Friendly and knowledgable staff (except to the guy who put me in the wrong room). I would definitely stay here again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I didn't expect to like the Doubletree. I had to beat my way through a throng of tourists to get the front door. The area is so chaotic and the street is so noisy that I was certain I wouldn't sleep a wink. I arrived before check-in time and my room wasn't ready so I was downgraded for the same rate but with free internet access. I didn't mind because I really wanted to get into my room. The suite seemed to be recently reburbished. The decor was very nice and everything was new (except for a grungy looking old phone in the bathroom. ) To my surprise, I had a great sleep in a very comfy bed. I didn't hear a sound from the street. The lobby is very modern but cool and the staff was professional and accommodating. The location is perfect -- and apparently it's the ideal place to stay for American Girl fans -- the place was crawling with six-year-old girls and their moms. Unfortunately, I was there on business but I will return with my little girl when she's old enough to appreciate it. All in all, it was a great experience and I'm picky. Oh, I almost forgot to mention the divine, warm cookie they gave me at check-in. Wow, it was good!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "We just returned from New York City where we spent 5 nights at the Doubltree Guest Suites. We loved our corner suite with fridge, microwave and 2 TV's. I was concerned initially; check-in was a bit slow. Our suite's fridge wasn't working, but maintenance arrived within 5 minutes of our call and the fridge was fixed immediately. The housekeeping staff did a great job cleaning the room daily. I would not hesitate to stay at the Doubletree Guest Suites again.\nYou can't beat the price, location and size of the suites.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Entering the Doubletree is like entering a small, private boutique hotel. With the secure entry lobby and the 3rd floor check in lobby, the crowds, noise and congestion of Times sq are quickly forgotton.\nFor those who want the ULTIMATE Times Square view, book the southwest corner suite number 01 - on any of the highest floors (flrs 20-45). These are classified as the \"King Premium View 01 Suite\" or one of the \"01 Conference Suites\".\nWe stayed in Conference Suite 3801 with an incredible 180 degree view overlooking Times Sq - from one end to the other including a direct view of the New Year's Eve ball drop. \nNote that the majority of suites at the DoubleTree are along the 47th street (longer) side of the hotel and do not directly overlook Times Sq.\nThe spacious corner living room and the adjacent dining/conf room have a continuous wall of windows overlooking Broadway & 7th Aves (all of Times Sq), the W and Marriott Marquis Hotels and the Hudson river (with great sunsets). The King bedroom also has a wall of windows with the same great view.\nWe've stayed at the Marriott Marquis, the W and other Times Sq hotels and none can compare. Our suite was 2-3 times the size of other's rooms, was well furnished and was remarkably quiet. \nWould not hesitate to stay here again.\nHope this helps.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "After a lot of research and using reviews I read at this site, we chose the Doubletree for our first trip to New York. Everything was perfect! We stayed for over a week and would definitely choose this hotel again. The location is great. Subway right outside the door...walking distance to shows, shopping, restaurants. Everyone at the hotel was so helpful and nice.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "If you want to stay at the doorstep of Times Square, this is it! I was a first time visitor, and the people, lights, excitement, and activity of Times Square was right out the door of the Doubletree. We were a group of 5 women in one suite, enjoying NY for the first time over a long weekend. Everyone loved the hotel location. With the 2 double bed room you get two sinks in the bathroom, plus the sink and large mirror in the kitchenette area (microwave, regrigerator, coffee area). The hotel doesn't overwhelm you like some fancy hotels, but there is nothing to complain about either. The room was quiet, clean, and enough room for 5 of us. A great location.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 26}, {"text": "Got tickets for a Broadway show for Christmas, along with an overnight. I chose the Doubletree after reading reviews of different Times Square hotels here. Price was decent (booked a king suite with Times Square View). Had a corner suite on the 23rd floor that looked up and down Broadway/7th Avenue. (Make sure you are at least above the 20th floor, or you will have a roof for a view south!) Absolutely fabulous views! Suite had separate bedroom with tv and probably the most comfortable bed and pillows ever! The living room has a tv, sofabed (which was tired and should be replaced) & chair, desk, refrigerator, microwave, in-room safe, coffee maker and supplies and cold water sink. There is a separate stocked fridge with beer/wine/soda etc. but why pay exorbitant mini-bar prices when you can get anything you want right outside and use the regular fridge! Nice large bathroom which was very clean. There is a restaurant/lounge on the 5th floor, has an ok menu, but with all the choices you have in mid-town Manhattan...take a pass. We did have a late night drink in the lounge...bartender was a nice guy...it was quiet and laid back.\n Very little street noise (ok....heard a fire engine go by, maybe you wouldn't if you were on the 45th floor?) Some noise from hallway/other rooms but nothing to complain about! The lobby--which is kind of spare-- is on the 3rd floor. I liked that you had to show your key card to security on the ground floor to get into the elevator. There are separate elevators from the lobby up to the rooms. \nLocation, location,location! You are on the corner of 47th Street, right in the middle of Times Square. Basically every theatre is within 4 short blocks up or down Broadway. You will also find theme restaurants such as Hard Rock, Planet Hollywood and Mars 2112 right there, as well as favorites such as TGI Fridays, Applebees and Olive Garden. Ruth's Chris Steak House and Ruby Foos also. Try Maxie's for breakfast or lunch. We had awsome steaks at Rosie O'Grady's just up the street, close to the Wintergarden Theatre, white tablecloths-excellent service-and decent prices for the location! Plenty of coffee shops, cafes, delis and everything in between! The Virgin Megastore is a block away (not sure if it really ever closes at night)! Carolines Comedy Club is just down the street, too. Every kind of shop is in the area, especially if you are looking for t-shirts, souvenirs and NYC tschotchkes!\nIf you are driving in...just pull up to the front door, they will valet park your car ($45/night)...you won't need your car because you literally can walk everywhere---even Radio City/Rockefeller Center, or Central Park are an easy walk! Taxi's are plentiful, and there is a subway station 1/2 block away. When we were checking out, they called for our car and it arrived in less than 5 minutes!\nAll in all, we enjoyed our \"getaway\" at the Doubletree and would highly recommend it.\nBy the way, we only live a short drive from Manhattan so we go there often, but don't usually stay over. For those of you who haven't been there before, you should know that when it is cold out....is is REALLY REALLY cold in NYC. The streets are like wind tunnels because of the tall buildings! Forget trying to look chic or \"cool\" if you are going to be walking around, especially at night. Wear the hats, scarves, gloves and warm boots if you want to enjoy all the city sights! You'll be very thankful you did!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We had a lovely stay at the Doubletree Guest Suites located in Times Square. The hotel seems to be very well located and we were in walking distance to the Broadway shows we attended; close to the subway; many restaurants; tons of stores; just everything! I couldn't imagine a better location. \nEven though the hotel is located in the heart of Times Square (loud, noisy & busy); inside is just the opposite. We always needed to show our room card to get into the hotels first elevator, so that made us all feel safe. Once inside, we were greeted by a calming lobby and professional staff. \nOn our first night stay we had a problem with our couch bed not working and the night manager graciously accommodated us with an extra room for the night at no charge to us. \nThe suite itself was very nice. We stayed in a suite with two full-size beds and a pull-out couch bed in the living room. The beds were very comfortable with tons of comfy pillows. There was adequate room to store clothes and personal belongings. The couch bed itself wasn't that bad to sleep on either.\nThe bathroom was great since it had two sinks plus the usual blow dryer, soaps, etc. There was also an additional sink in the living room/kitchen area. It was great to have three sinks when four women were trying to get ready in the morning! \nThe small kitchen area had the aforementioned sink, coffeemaker (tea and coffee provided), small refrigerator, microwave and a room safe. There was also a fully stocked fridge with the usual sodas, beer, candy, etc. that we never touch because the prices were very high.\nI must make mention of the Doubletree cookie--very delicious! All of us got one for free when we first checked in.\nOur room was located up pretty high (high 20's?) and we found it to be very quiet. I purposely asked for a higher floor just for that reason. The view from the windows were unbelievable! I also asked for a room with a view when I made the reservations. I read other current reviews and they noted that they were told that 2 double bed suites didn't have a view. That is not true information they were told. The only thing I do know is that we had to pay extra to have a higher floor, so I'm not sure if that has something to do with it. \nI would most certainly stay again at the Doubletree and it seems the perfect place to stay if you want to be close to everything. I went with three women, but I think it would perfect for a small family with young ones or teens. A+", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}]}, "1913413": {"reviews": [{"text": "My wife and I went to NYC for our honeymoon and stayed here. It would have been decent had it not been for the rude staff and manager. We had to pay for a night we couldn't be there because New York completely shut down all incoming flights. We told them we would stay an extra night to make up for not being there, but we did not want to pay for a night we weren't there. This was especially the case, since we had to pay for a night in Chicago, and their concierge informed us that they were not booked the night we missed. After talking with the manager, the concierge then told me that they were booked and denied ever telling me different. She also yelled at me and refused to let me speak with the manager. Once I made contact with the manager, he was equally useless, and basically told me to screw off. Glad I spent 7 nights worth of money there...for my honeymoon. Also the rooms were rather small, a/c didn't work, and there are zero ammenities. Don't go to NYC, people are rude.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Ap\u00f3s realizar minha reserva no booking .com, com uma anteced\u00eancia de quase 40 dias , no dia de minha reserva 05/06 nos encaminhamos at\u00e9 o hotel the jewel , onde a recepcionista ap\u00f3s um r\u00e1pido boa tarde solicitou-me o cart\u00e3o de credito e imediatamente fez um bloqueio de $1780,00 ou seja 20% acima do valor das diarias reservadas , quando eu perguntei o por que, ela respondeu que era para eventuais dispesas .Logo na sequ\u00eancia , providenciou as chaves cartoes ,e solicitou que eu saisse pela porta da frente do hotel arrastando minhas 5 malas por uns 50 mts na cal\u00e7ada e me diregisse ate uma outra entrada ( que na verdade era outro hotel ) , a pricipio sem saber conduzi minhas malas , subi o elevador ate o andar indicado e verifiquei que o hotel que ela me mandou era mais velho , com um corredor extremamente mal cheiroso e um quarto horroroso . apos acomodar minhas malas retornei ate a recep\u00e7ao do the jewel e questionei a respeito da atitude da recepcionista que sem me avisar colocou-me em outro hotel , ela pediu desculpas e disse que o hotel the jewel estava lotado ,e se nao fosse minha persistencia , provavelmente deixariam-me ali todos os 5 dias , por\u00e9m ela me assegurou que aasim que poss\u00edvel transfeririam-me para o hotel da reserva,o que aconteceu no dia seguinte . No chekout cobraram -me as diarias integrais o que eu achei um absurdo pois o primeiro hotel era de categoria inferior ao que escolhi , por\u00e9m o gerente falou que as diarias eram equivalentes .UM GRANDE ABSURDO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "93457": {"reviews": [{"text": "Credit where credit's due. My girlfriend and I have just spent 5 nights at the Hampton Inn on our first visit to New York so can speak from experience. Like all of you who read this, I trust TripAdvisor reviews quite a bit and wasn't disappointed here. I'll give you some useful travel advice too.\nFrom JFK take the free AirTrain from your terminal to Jamaica station which provides the connection to New York's Subway system. Depending on what you plan to do, either buy a one-way ticket into the city or buy a $7 Metrocard which allows you unlimited travel on the subway and buses all day. (Subway's easier and doesn't suffer from traffic jams). Take an 'E' train and get off at 50th Street (this takes about 25 minutes), surface onto 8th Avenue, get your bearings and you'll see the awning of the hotel about a minute's walk away at 51st. What could be easier? \nCheck-in was a breeze and we paid the bellman $1 per bag (50p in the UK) to escort us to our room on the 7th floor. I'd asked for a quiet room at the time of booking (on Expedia) and we were given a room at the rear of the building away from the yellow taxi horns and firetruck claxons. If you want that noise, ask for a room at the front! The room had two queen size beds, was clean, air-conditioned and spacious. TV and coffee percolator were present, and the bathroom was fine. Candid pictures elsewhere in these reviews show the rooms well. Complimentary toiletries and towels were provided and replaced every day so you can leave those bits at home. A free safe is also provided in the room. \nThe lobby does indeed have complimentary coffee/tea/hot chocolate available and was very welcome coming in from the cold. The complimentary breakfast with our booking (search around until you get this in the deal) was excellent and set us up for the first part of the day. There's also a small fitness room for those of you who have any energy left in NY. Staff were polite and very helpful. \nThe Hampton Inn is situated about 10 minutes' walk from Times Square and very close to all the theatres. Don't prebook your tickets for Broadway musicals on the internet, but go to the ticket booth on 46th Street at 3pm to buy unsold tickets for that evening's performances. Be prepared to queue a bit, but we got 2 tickets fot Mamma Mia for $121 (about \u00a330 each - a steal). \nI hope this review helps. If you want a clean, reasonably priced and well-located place to lay your head at night, I recommend the Hampton Inn. You could pay more (and less) to stay in NY, but this hotel 'does what it says on the tin'.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "We arrived at the hotel around 8:30am (after a wild taxi ride!) and walked up to the desk to check-in with no wait. We were told check-in was at 3pm and we could give our luggage to the bellman to store and about the amenities of the hotel. (complimenary cookies/applies/coffee/teas in lobby, breakfast, etc). So off we went to the breakfast area to grab something to eat before sightseeing. I was really surprised at the amount and selection of food! Wow! I got a hot breakfast pizza, a jelly roll, a piece of pound cake and a cup of milk while my husband went right for the coffee machine. There were a lot of people in there, but we had no problem finding a table. I gobbled up the tasty breakfast and we took off walking our way through Midtown Manhattan. \nWhen we got back to the hotel a little after 4pm, they said there was a red flag on the room they intended for us. I had requested a high floor when I reserved the room, plus I have a Hilton Hhonor card. So I said the floor didn't really matter because we weren't going to be in the room that much (in NYC to sightsee after all), plus the fact I just wanted to take a shower, change and head out to dinner asap. They gave us a King-bed room on the 5th floor. \nI gave our ticket to the bellman who brought up our luggage and explained the amenities of the room. It's a typical Hampton Hotel room but it has huge, stunning black and white pictures of NYC on the walls. There are smaller ones above the room numbers in the hallways. The first thing I did was to pull back the bedclothes and check for bedbugs. (There's been reports of bedbugs in the rooms at Disney World and I'm heading there next week and am really creeped out about them). It looked like a new mattress and all the bedding was pure white. No problems there. Also, the bedframe (i.e. box mattress frame?) was solid, so if you dropped something on the floor you wouldn't lose it under the bed. \nThe bathroom has a high, long countertop which looked like granite with a large, deep sink... lots of space. There were the usual trial-size shampoos, etc and a card that said if you forgot your toothbrush/paste to let them know and they would bring you a complimentary one. Nice to know just in case.\nThe tub/shower area had what appeared to be the beginnings of black mold in the corners and some of the grout was missing from the floor tile. Aside from that, we saw no dirt or dust or bugs of any kind, even the windows and sills were clean and smudge-free... which is great for taking pics from your room. \nI don't know if security is always tight or it was just because we were there right before and the day of 9/11, but they wouldn't let just anybody in. We had to show our room keycard to get on the elevator and the bellman and concierge kept a close eye on the people in the lobby area. Needless to say, we felt extremely safe.\nAlso, the rooms have free internet service, however we don't have a laptop. But there is a Hilton Garden two blocks away on 8th Avenue with a business room that has computers, internet, fax machine, printer, etc and you can go there and show them your room keycard for access (since Hilton owns Hampton). We did this for our airline check-in and to print our boarding passes.\nOT: On our last day, we got up early and walked in the rain to the Times Square Alliance (visitor center) to send our last photo emails, then to 42nd Street/8th Avenue to sit at the window seat at StarBucks (I think there is one on every street in NYC!) and watch people head to work while we waited for the Yankee store to open so we could get my sister the souvenirs that she had requested. Then we went back down 8th to a neat looking cafe/bakery called EuroPan to get breads and black & white cookies for souvenirs. What was neat about them is they wrapped everything indivually in a white cardboard box tied with a red fabric ribbon. \n(Note: if you plan on buying souvenirs, I recommend taking an extra empty suitcase. Those pretty white boxes were kind of smushed by the time we got home because we didn't have an extra suitcase.) \nEven in the rain it's so easy just walking so you can see the shops and people. The streets aren't very long and my husband has a bad knee and yet we still walked everywhere (except for really loooong distances when we took the subway.) He was even able to walk from Times Square to the Metropolitan Museum of Art via Central Park the first day in NYC!\nAnyway, back to the review: Checkout time is Noon, so we headed downstairs 10 minutes early... again no line (because they slide the hotel receipt under your door early in the morning) to turn in our room keycards and ask for our taxi to the airport and say our goodbyes. The bellman had the taxi right outside waiting for us. \nIn wrapping up I would say that if you read all the other reviews of The Hampton, it is what they say. The only reason we stayed there is because of the 4 and 5 star reviews this supposed 2 star hotel was given. If you want to stay in a Boutique Hotel, do not stay at the Hampton. It is just like the Hampton in any city or state. If you are looking for a centralized location for touring, a great complimentary hot/cold breakfast with a lot of different food and beverage options, staff that is extremely helpful and friendly, a secure hotel, and rooms that I hear are large for NYC this is the place you'll want to stay. We weren't disappointed.\n(I had written a previous review and included a bunch of pics but when I finished it and hit \"Preview Your Review\" it disappeared. So this is the second review and I probably left stuff out, but I think all the important stuff is still in here)", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Won't repeat what everyone else has said (great location, surprisingly comfortable, roomy, personable staff) but want to point out a couple of things. Just stayed 3 nights.\n1) Even though people are raving about this property, remember, it isn't a luxury hotel... but having said that, I've stayed in dozens of high end hotels and had bad experiences. This Hampton is exceptional for Manhattan. You feel like you got your money's worth plus some. Too often in NYC, it's the other way.\n2) While rooms are spacious by NYC terms, bathroom is tiny so just be ready. But then, I'd rather have more living space than bathroom.\n3) I have never seen as many people at a Hampton or any chain for breakfast. They even put up a sign suggesting that if you want a quiet breakfast, come early but if you want \"tumultuous\", come late. There was not a single table (and there were at least 50 or 60 tables in there) available. But as others have said, while it's a free buffet, you can spend just a little bit of $$ and get a hot spread in several nearby coffeeshops.\n4) Quiet! I used to live in this neighborhood. NYC is noisy and 8th Avenue and its cross streets in particular. I couldn't believe how little street noise came through (I was in the back with a view of the East River but in this neighborhood, there is noise coming from all over.) And, in a hotel crawling with families, I heard absolutely NO corridor noise. IThat's amazing. I think this older building is really well built -- trying to remember what is was before it was a Hampton -- maybe Howard Johnsons? Anyway, again this was a really quiet building in such a noisy location.\nIt may have just been because it was late August and rainy.. .hate to guarantee you will not hear noise. But I know visitors who aren't used to city sounds all night long can suffer. \n5) Tip -- for less than $10 you can get to the hotel from JFK by taking the Air Train to Sutphin Blvd stop and then catching the E train. It's faster than being stuck in a taxi on the surface altho you need to have a little subway savvy. Get off the E train at 50th St/8 Ave stop 1 block from the hotel. The challenge -- there's only one escalator at 50th St. Station and it may go the wrong direction so don't try it if you aren't able to haul luggage up/down stairs.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "Four of us stayed at this hotel for six nights, checking in July 10 and checking out July 16. Upon arrival we were swiftly given two room key cards to a double queen room on the sixth floor facing the busy 8th Avenue (noise was not an issue), even though we arrived a good three to four hours before the designated 3PM check-in time. The room was of good size, and the bathroom included a marble sink with a large countertop, and the beds were arguably the most comfortable we've ever experienced in a hotel setting. There were windows that opened, a safe to keep any valuables, plenty of drawer and closet space, a desk and chair, and ice and pop machines were a mere 10 steps from our door. Elevators were efficient, as were all of the kind employees. The bellman, Wilbur, who brought our luggage to our room, got us acclimated with the hotel and the surrounding area, offering suggestions as to where to go as far as good restaurants and attractions were concerned.\nThe hotel could not be situated in a better area. It's about a 10 minute walk to Times Square and Central Park, and is located close to subway stations and bus stops. Rite Aid and Starbucks are on either side of the hotel, a Ray's Pizza is directly across the street, which is perfect for a late-night meal (open as late as 5AM!), and a 24-hour Cosmic Diner is also across the street, as many others have alluded to.\nI recommend that travelers take advantage of the NY Pass and City Sights Hop-On/Hop-Off Bus Tour (3 days of each for $139/person, which we found to be more that worth it), and the 2-hour Circle Line Harbor Cruise (included with the NY Pass). We saw nearly all of Manhattan, and also ventured out to Coney Island, and to Queens for a Mets game. This hotel provided a great place to unwind after a long day in the Big Apple, and it also offers free Internet access if you have a laptop that you wish to use. The free breakfast served from 6 to 10AM daily offers a changing menu (eggs, sausage, French toast, ham, etc., in addition to a variety of \u201ccold\u201d foods and drinks). Complimentary breakfast to-go bags are offered (include an apple, bottle of water, cereal bar, and mints), as are cookies, a bowl of apples, tea, hot chocolate, coffee, and USA Today papers.\nThe Hampton Inn Manhattan Times Square North hotel made our week-long stay in New York City extremely enjoyable, and when we return, will be our first choice to stay. It's clean and comfortable, and provides a haven from the often hectic streets of New York City.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed in a King suite, for one week from 5th December 2006. \nThis was our first time in NYC and we were unsure of the best location to stay. The hotel is on 8th Ave and 51st Street which is about a 5 min walk from Time Square, Central Park and even less to Broadway. There is a tube stop less than a minutes walk from the hotel. So, the location for us could not have been better (although the tubes were a little confusing compared to London).\nFrom previous reviews, we requested a room overlooking 8th Ave on a high floor - we were not disappointed. The room itself was quiet, very clean, large, with a sofa (bed) and the biggest, most comfortable super king size bed we have ever slept in! The room also had a coffee machine, safe, telephone, tv, drinking glasses, ice bucket, ironing board. The bathroom was also very clean with lots of fresh towels. \nBreakfast - we were a little concerned by previous reports that breakfast was a mass grab for food, it wasn't. During the week stay only the saturday was a mad frenzy. There are plenty of tables for everyone and 2 large TVs to watch the news and weather on. The food was of very good quality and comprised of:\n2 hot items per day e.g sausage, egg, waffles, french toast etc. Then there was porridge, 4 cereals, fruit, yogurts, muffins, danish's, the nicest ever cinnamon scones. Drinks included fruit juices, milk. There were also breakfast grab bags at reception consisting of a muffin, cereal bar, bottle of water, box of mints and some fruit.\nThere was also complimentary tea, coffee and hot chocolate available 24 hours in the reception area. Furthermore, after 2pm during the week there were free scrummy cookies on reception (and also apples if you wanted to be healthy).\nReception were extremely friendly and the concierge was very knowledgable and helpful, you could also buy theatre tickets here.\nWe plan to return to NYC and will be staying at the Hampton Inn again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I was extremely pleased with my stay at the Hampton Inn Times Square North. The decor is very nice, the rooms quite large (for New York) and bathrooms clean and attractive. Beautiful big-screen TV with lots of channels. I stayed in a \"King Study\", which had a seating area (sofa and coffee table--very convenient) and a desk and chair. The pillow-top bed was very comfortable.\nService is excellent. There was a problem with the toilet, and literally within minutes someone was sent up to fix it. Any questions or concerns were answered in a friendly, cheerful manner. \nI did not take advantage of the breakfast buffet most days, only stopping in for some fruit or juice (not a big breakfast eater) but the room is pleasant and other people seemed to be enjoying all the hot and cold offerings. Free coffee and tea are offered all day, and free newspapers in the morning. Ice and soda machines are available on every floor. Elevators are modern and fairly fast. Only times you may have to wait are when everybody is leaving to see the shows or near check-out time.\nThe location is stellar, particularly if you are planning to see a lot of shows. You can walk to all the theaters. Very convenient to the many interesting and non-touristy restaurants along 9th Avenue. There are two subway lines close by - one is a short block south, the other a bit longer cross-town block east, and it's an easy walk to Rockefeller Center and several other subway lines.\nI thought it was a good value, better than the Belvedere, the rates for which have really shot up over the past year. The only thing I missed that I had at the Belvedere was a kitchenette (they do have a coffee machine in the room, though). But that's a very minor quibble.\nI would definitely stay at the Hampton Inn again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Positives: The Hampton is in a great location. At 8th and 51st it is within walking distance of all Broadway shows, great if you love the theatre. Wicked, Putnam County Spelling Bee, Odd Couple, jersey Boys, and Hairspray, just to name a few, are less than a block away. Also, it's a few feet form two major subway stations that take you anywhere else you need to go in Manhattan. The rooms are large for NYC, and nicely furnished. The staff was friendly and accomodatiing. Breakfast is included, which helps the budget when you're traveling with a family. For Manhattan it's not expensive...for anywhere else it is (almost $250 a night by the time you add in taxes).\nNegatives: There was construction on their parking garage the 5 days we were there. Non-stop hammering noise started at 8 am and went to 6 pm. We were not warned about this in advance. One of our daughters was sick with the flu while there, and trying to rest with the nosie is impossible. The breakfast buffet is mediocre, and as it gets close to closing time they don't refill it. Also, the lines of people waiting to get into the breakfast area get longer in the 30 minutes before close.\nWould we stay there again? Yes, but I'd first make sure that no further renovations or construction is occurring.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I had read many reviews on this hotel on line but was still skeptical of a Hampton Inn. The five star reviews were right on. The hotel is very clean and newly renovated. There is more than enough guest staff to assist you and they are all very accomodating and friendly. Rooms are good size. Not huge, but not small. Bathroom is very small but adequate and very clean. The hot breakfast was included and had many items. The breakfast room is spacious with a large flat screen tv and lots of staff ready to assist. I found a great orbitz rate ($242. for four including tax, breakfast, etc.). Location is safe and very convenient. Parking gargage is adjacent to the hotel and there is a daily (24 hour period )special rate of $26 when you stay at the hotel. Would definately recommend this hotel (especially for the theater district) or anything else for that matter..", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed here from March 23 thru the 28th. The location was ideal..close to all the theatres, Times Square, great restaurants, shopping...the room was quite large, clean and comfortable, the staff always friendly, and the buffet breakfast was very good with lots of variety. I loved the fact there was 24hr coffee,tea or hot chocolate in the lobby, as well as the large bowl of apples at reception. The homemade cookies every afternoon were also a wonderful touch. This hotel exceeded my expectations, and I would definitely stay here again. I have already recommended it to my friends back home.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Loved it! We were just looking for a reasonable price (hard to find in Manhattan) and rooms bigger than a closet. Our room had two queen beds with plenty of room to move around. The hotel is newly remodeled, very nice and clean. The staff was friendly and helpful. Complimentary breakfast (not just coffee, juice and sweet rolls) and freshly baked, home made cookies every afternoon at the front desk. Nice touch! We visit NY once a year and this has now become our favorite place to stay. So many of the rooms in the NY hotels are tiny and we are never comfortable with them so this was a real treat. If they can keep their prices as reasonable as they are now, we will never stay anywhere else when visiting New York City. Can't think of one thing to complain about. It was a great find.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We were actually sent to the Hampton at the last minute because of a double booking by our agents.\nAs it turned out this was probably a blessing. We were really pleased overall with the location; really handy to all things midtown. We were able to walk to most locations and public transport, buses, subway and taxis were all close by for trips downtown.\nThe rooms and public areas were clean and in very good condition. We had two rooms which were spacious and well appointed. \nBreakfast was a real boon, not haute cuisine, but more than adequate.\nYes, the lifts were a bit slow, but we were on the third floor (Fourth floor American) and so quite often just used the stairs.\nAbove all, the staff were really helpful and really made you feel that they did appreciate your business.\nI would definitely use the Hampton again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "when we booked this trip, trip advisor didn't have any ratings for this hotel yet. i used my AAA discount and we stayed for 4 nights for a little less than $800 which is a steal for the area and quality of the hotel. it was great. beyond central location. we had tickets that we purchased ahead of time to ride the double decker buses and what a pleasant surprise to find out the hotel was all of two blocks from the tour office. subway was one block over. Ray's pizza directly across the street. it made my trip beyond enjoyable. we were excited everytime it was time to go back to the hotel room! it wasn't super tight and tiny like i had read about most NYC hotel rooms. the bathroom was small but it wasn't cramped by any means. water pressure was great. the breakfast in the morning was more than filling with a wide selection. we we talk about our trip to people...we always brag on the hotel first cuz it really made the trip. feel free to ask me any questions cuz i will sing praises for this place for a while.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "The hotel was outstanding. It is in a GREAT location and the free breakfast each morning is the best spread of food I have ever seen at a hotel. This is the only place I will stay at in New York City.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Stayed here five nights last week with the family. If you are looking for comfortable large beds (queen size), free hot breakfast, fairly new decor and surroundings, and convenience of location to Broadway and midtown attractions, look no further. The Hampton Inn North Times Square is wonderful, economical (for NYC), and quiet. (we stayed on the 8th floor). I researched numerous hotels for my vacation in NYC. I tried to find one that was convenient to the tourists attractions, not outrageously expensive, and was fairly new and spacious. I read previous comments from people who had stayed here and I felt that this location would fit my requirements. It didn't dissappoint! I will stay here again on my next trip!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Myself and my boyfriend spent 3 nights in The Hampton Inn last week, and we must say we thought it was perfect. \nThe location was great, close to Central Park, Broadway,Port Authority etc. We walked almost everywhere (only got the subway twice I think). The breakfast was good in the mornings and set us up for the day.\nThe high speed internet access in the rooms was great as my boyfriend has his laptop.\nI had asked for a room at a high level, away from the street, and my requests were granted, so we slept soundly.\nOverall, we spent little time in the hotel, which is to be expected for NY, so for people looking for reasonably priced accomodation, which is clean and in a good location, we would definately recommend the Hampton Inn.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My wife and I stayed here from 2/16-2/21 over the Presidents' Day holiday weekend and we could not have been more pleased! The location puts you at only a short walk from Times Square, the Theatre District, Central Park, Rockefeller Center, etc. We had a king-study (#901) and could not get over the spaciousness and overall comfort of the room. The free high-speed internet was a major plus, as was the complimentary breakfast. (The food, served from 6-10AM is only OK, but plentiful - more than enough to get you started on your day. Watch out for the lines in the last 30-45 minutes, though!) Even more important, each and every member of the staff was smiling, courteous and polite - going out of their way to be helpful and accomodating. (We really appreciated the personal attention!) The only (small) drawback is that the hotel has only two elevators serving all 11 floors; so one needs to be patient at check-in/check-out times when waiting for the elevators to arrive. We will stay here again!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I stayed at this hotel for two nights in January for a theater weekend. The location is excellent with all of the theaters in close proximity. The front desk staff was friendly and efficient upon check-in. I stayed in a room on the 10th floor in the back of the hotel. The room was very large per NYC standards with a king bed and a sitting area with a sofa (King study room category). The room was nicely appointed with a desk with complementary Internet access, coffee/tea service, closet with ironing board, and television with a wide selection of channels. The bathroom was small, but well-stocked with plenty of towels. I did not have a problem with water pressure or hot water availability as other posts have indicated. Both the bedroom and bath were clean and organized. The bed was very comfortable with a pillow topped mattress and soft bedding. I did notice some hallway noise if fellow guests slammed their room doors, but not after they entered their rooms. I did not notice noise from the construction of the building behind the hotel (perhaps because it was the weekend). The complementary breakfast was appealing as there were many options: hot foods(eggs, waffles, breakfast meats, instant oatmeal); cold foods (fruit, cereal, bagels, pastries); and beverages (coffee, tea, juices, milk). The breakfast area can be very crowded with fellow guests so be prepared for a short wait at times.\nFor the price point (the rate was $170/nt), this hotel is a bargain in NYC considering the location, the size of the room, the \"free\" breakfast, and complementary Internet access. Many of the other NYC hotels provide the \"room only\" (and usually a small one at that!) so one must take into consideration the value of the complementary services the Hampton Inn provides. I would recommend this hotel for a convenient, cost-effective stay in the theater district. After all, what's to lose? Hampton Inn has a 100% satisfaction guarantee: if the staff fail to rectify any problem in a reasonable manner, the stay is free.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Went to NYC during transit strike with trepidations about driving there. Parking next door, however, was a breeze: easy in and, upon leaving, easy out. Painless. No lugging bags down crowded sidewalks. \nThe rooms were comparable to Hampton Inn's elsewhere in country. Modern, fairly spacious, and attractive. In room coffee maker, blow dryer, and complimentary toiletries are standard. Couldn't hear any hallway noises, but that may be partly because we travel with a white noise maker and earplugs.\nFree breakfast includes eggs, meats (vegetarian, so not sure about what kinds), fruit salad and fresh whole fruit, oatmeal, muffins, danishes, bread, juice and more. The woman who works the breakfast bar is a gem! So friendly and helpful, as were nearly all the staff. She's special though. There's also a free coffee, tea, hot chocolate during day in lobby.\nLots of families, like ours, makes it feel less hectic and more casual. My parents (in their 60s) raved about it and will return here without shopping around. I would too and recommend it to others. We had $179/night (AAA discount) rate with just a month's notice. Unbelievable deal for its location on such short notice at Christmas time.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "630409": {"reviews": [{"text": "This hotel is an impersonal, soulless midtown monster with high room rates and tepid service. \nI go to NY frequently (once a month or so), and I think I know what can be had and for what price. This hotel did not deliver. This is my first TripAdvisor review ever; I was so disappointed with the London NYC I was moved to sign up and post this review. \nRoom service was slow; they ALWAYS made sure they took up to the maximum time to deliver the food (30 minutes), even coffee. Once, they left something off of our dinner order and had to go fetch it. While that is rather common, it really shouldn't be for a hotel in this price range, and with all of the hotel's other shortcomings (below), it simply added to a growing list of disappointments. We learned that this room service mistake was par for the course here. \nWhen we decided to request a newspaper, we had to ask twice. Also, when we called the concierge and said we'd like to order two newspapers (meaning the NY Times AND the Financial Times) he misunderstood us and said that we could only have one paper, that the hotel had to make sure there were enough papers to go around! (Hello, we said. We're looking for one copy each of two different papers.) How miserly. The papers showed up about 20 minutes later. \nWhen we asked for a refill of room service coffee, and begged for it to be delivered more quickly than the standard 30 minutes, we got this reply: \"I'll ask, but I can't guarantee they'll be able to do it.\" As if we were asking for the moon. \nWe also tried to have brunch in the lobby restaurant. That was a waste of time. When we walked in, we could see the restaurant was overrun with crowds who looked like they were being ignored; there were at least a half-dozen unbussed tables in clear view, and no one was on the way to clear them. It was almost squalid. The hostess begrudgingly offered to clear a table for us. After a very long pause, she wandered over to a table and lazily picked up a few items; but she seemed to have lost interest halfway through the task and began a conversation with a co-worker. We stood around awkwardly for a few moments and then wandered off, which is probably what she'd hoped we'd do. A truck-stop coffee shop would have better service, and only slightly less ambience. We ended up at the Carnegie Deli, a block away, and were so glad we did. \nAnd now the hotel's decor: cold and sterile. Relying heavily on a color I would describe as \"sage\" it seems they really broke their necks to stay squarely within the bounds of the current notion of \"tasteful,\" whatever that is. They took no risks. The result is stultifyingly bland. Any white-shoe law firm would be very happy with this look. In a few years' time it will look tired and institutional - just let the veneer wear off. It has no warmth and zero personality; a sort of metaphor for their service ethos. \nThis hotel is a 54-story building just south of Central Park and probably has some stunning views. We wouldn't know...sadly, we were consigned to the 9th floor, looking into the back of someone's apartment and fire escape. Aside from the usual traffic noises one gets in NY (we're used to that) we heard a dog barking all night. Our room was outfitted as though it was Leona Helmsley's penthouse, with overstuffed circular sofa and marble top table, but with a dreary back-alley view (see picture). They could have been more creative with the lower floor rooms, warming them up a bit and skipping the Louis XIV-meets-South Beach look, but why bother. They undoubtedly got a volume discount on furniture, carpet and draperies. \nWhen we checked out, the front desk clerk dutifully asked us how our stay was. We said we weren't so impressed. I forget exactly what she said, but it didn't matter. To be honest, she really couldn't have cared less.\nThe friendliest people there were the bell staff, and that's because they're tipped.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "By all means, stay here at the London NYC if you always wanted to see what it was like to live in \"Ice Queen Barbie's Dream House\" circa 1962. A ghastly light blue striped settee dominated my room's \"seating\" area (and proved even less comfortable than you might expect life-size dollhouse furniture to be). At least it was an eye-opener after the depressing gloom of the hallway. The annoyingly inadequate lighting level continued in the sleeping area. I guess Barbie never did much reading in bed.\nOn the other hand, don't stay here at the London NYC if you think that hotel bathrooms should have doors and be a bit luxurious. (To be fair, there is a sliding modesty panel that can almost cover the whole doorway.) The bathroom decor is spartan ice white and gray tile and glass. Little thought was given to guest convenience. The bizarre shower stall (6 feet long and 2 feet wide with individual shower heads at each end -- no you can't use both at once) evokes institutional locker room more than it does romantic rendezvous. The lack of towel bars means you have to put your bath towel on the floor outside the stall to be able to reach it when you need it . \nI won't be returning.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I was really excited about staying in this hotel but was disappointed by the experience. I called them to book a room and it appears that their reservations are contracted out. The person I spoke to barely knew anything about the hotel. Not a good start. \nThen the room itself was lovely but a little disappointing -- the design is very cool, austere, and to my taste, a little dull. The room did feel warmer and more inviting in the evening, though, and we enjoyed that part of our stay. You can see the design is intended to be contemporary and sophisticated ... it just didn't wow us, nor was it terribly comfortable. It could work if you're into a minimal, cool aesthetic. The bathroom is very nice and ours had a double shower, which was great. \nThe lobby is impressive but also cold, design-wise, with nowhere to sit down. It's like they really don't want you spending time there, which is impractical given that you might need to wait for friends or for a taxi. \nAll in all, I left feeling like I paid more for the experience than it was worth. (They should at least consider offering free internet.) I don't think I will choose to stay there again.\nOn the plus side, the people who worked there were very nice: Lovely greeting by the front desk, helpful bellmen, housekeeping etc.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "93623": {"reviews": [{"text": "Staying in New York can always be a toss up, but one thing is for sure, whether the hotel lives up to the 4 plus star rating or not, the prices are sky high. Trump is worth the money and was suprisingly a bit lower in price than the other high end hotels (Mandarin, Ritz, Four Seasons). We stayed at the Ritz Central Park last year and were VERY dissappointed. We were just paying for the name because the hotel was less than par. Trump is luxurious without being over the top. Very neutral decor, midly scented bathroom products, located across from Central Park. Trump pays attention to EVERY detail. We were very comfortable in our room and were able to get a great nights rest on the bed. Wonderful spa with 80 degree swimming pool (2 lane pool) and right next door to Whole Foods! While the food from room service was delicious, it was nice to be able to save a bit of money by running over to Whole Foods for snacks, drinks, etc. Well worth the money if you are in the market for spending the 4-5 star prices for hotels in Manhattan.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Checked in for a two night stay over the first weekend of June. When we arrived, they could not find our reservation in the system. Needed another 10 minutes to pull it up. Then we were told that the we have to move after the first night since we booked through Expedia and each room is owned by a different owner. We had to move because the rates (at $800/night, mind you) were already separately paid to the two owners. \nFolks, this is not your standard luxury hotel. It's more a hotel-condo where owners can put their units up for rent outside of the Trump reservation system. \nThe check-in fiasco aside, while clean, the rooms were mediocre. Blond wood furniture with mirrored walls and white kitchen appliances - reminded me of a fancy dorm room. Bland and in need of a stronger design vision found in many luxury hotels such as The Mandarin Oriental and Four Seasons.\nThe health club was complimentary and staff friendly. Jean-Georges, the in-house restaurant, also looked rather dated. Choices were solid but service lacked professionalism. So many other better restaurants in the city.\nCome on, Donald, time to invest some money to make this property better!", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Spent a weekend at Trump Hotel & Tower in NYC in June. All told, I enjoyed the hotel very much. I must preface remarks with the fact that I'm a male, solo leisure traveler who's taken 60-75 trips by himself in close to 20 years. My tastes, habits, wants and needs probably aren't the same as couples, families, etc...So, keep that in mind. These reviews are supposed to be about the hotels, not the reviewer, so I'll get on with it!\nAll staff at this hotel are very friendly, professional and courteous. They genuinely seem to enjoy their jobs. I'm the type who carries his own bag(s) but tips porters anyway, while telling them I prefer to do things for myself . During check-in, clerk says to me, \"I see where you requested some of our complimentary business cards and letterhead.\" I'm positive I hadn't, but I took them anyway. Was going to take them home to show family and friends (yes, I do have lots of both), who'd get a good laugh out of it. Joke was on me; my first name was wrong, not even close, like having \"Bill\" for a guy whose name is \"Steve.\" So the joke was on me. But I can shrug off something like that, even if steep rate probably includes printing cost for such needless items. Then, clerk asks if I'd like a complimentary drink, help with luggage, etc...Again, a polite \"no\" suffices. I would have appreciated it, however, if clerk, or security man who stands at attention by elevators would have informed me that to get to rooms above 12th floor, one must insert room key into slot on elevator floor button panel. As a result, I got stuck on the 12th floor. Quick call on intercom produced explanation of how to get to 15th floor. Two days later, though, after using outstanding fitness room (all types of equipment for all parts of body, plus treadmills, Staairmasters, two-lane lap pool, towels, ice water) my key \"expired\" when I tried to return to room, so I had to go down to lobby and have it reformatted.\nI reserved a one-bedroom executive suite. Very nice, about 700 square feet, with lots of closet space and drawers. 42-inch plasma TV in living room with DVD player, nice floor to cieling windows with city view. Room had a very comfortable sofa bed, and solid, roomy work desk, plus another comfortable chair. Coffee table with complimentary Trump Magazine, New York Magazine, Bergdorf Goodman, along with complimentary Bergdorf Goodman $50 gift card (I gave mine back to front desk, advised them to use it themselves or give it to a friend or family member) and $50 credit toward spa (as if I need a spa treatment!). When I pay a high rate to stay at a nice hotel, I do it for the larger-than-normal room and access to fine facilities (fitness room) and security advantages. Some will say, \"Well, you're paying for all that other stuff, why not take advantage of it?\"\nOn to the little kitchen area, complete with stove, microwave oven and full-sized refrigerator with its own freezer section with ice maker and trays. What's nice about this fridge is that guests can actually put their own items inside (there's plenty of extra space) without having to rearrange all the mini-bar items that already are inside. It's probably a misnomer to call this fridge a mini bar, but, in effect, it is -- part of the three-part mini bar. There's also a \"Pantry\" which needs a key to be opened. That's the other key that comes with your room key in the little packet when you check in. Even more mini bar things (snack foods + disposable camera, guide to New York book/marketplace, intimacy kit) are across from fridge on counter next to sink.\nBedroom is small but includes a comfortable bed, radio/CD player, and easy chair. I'd say 27 inches for the TV inside the armoire in bedroom, again with DVD player, plus VHS capability.\nBathroom smaller than those at other snazzy hotels of this name and reputation. One-basin sink, commode and deep tub with whirlpool jets). Water pressure good and hot at all times of day. A bit cramped in bathroom. Not much room for bathroom kit on counter. There is, however, a spacious cupboard directly beneath the sink, good for storage. Nice bath products (shampoo, salts, body lotion -- no mouthwash, FYI).\nThere also is an in-room safe (key in four-digit code to use) which is large enough to store a laptop or small briefcase.\nHousekeeping/turndown service excellent and inconspicuous.\nDuring check-in, overheard a (female) guest complaining to front desk about $10 per minute charge for long-distance call from room phone, so you might want to keep that in mind. I understand local calls are free. I just used my cell phone for all calls I had to make.\nAll in all, this is an outstanding hotel. It has a very calm, peaceful, serene atmosphere about it. It felt very good going back to the room at night after moving around the heat, humidity and madness that can be NYC. I will definitely go back.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 26}, {"text": "As a frequent traveler to NYC luxury hotels, I have one word of advice for anyone thinking of staying here: DON'T. Despite having a confirmed reservation made through Expedia (with both an Expedia and hotel confirmation #), the front desk had no record of my reservation when I arrived. So I spent my first 1/2 hour in the hotel standing around the lobby waiting for answers. When answers finally arrived, they were completely unsatisfactory. The hotel staff decided that I did not have a reservation with the hotel, but rather with the owner of one of the rooms in this so-called \"hotel\". The upshot was that they assigned me the worst room in my category (lowest floor, closest to elevator, no view, noisy, dingy interior) based on the misguided notion that I rented a specific room from a specific individual, rather than from the Trump hotel generally. The front desk person told me point blank that they would have gladly moved me to a better room in my category if I hadn't booked my trip on Expedia. (Something the hotel manager later confirmed). Absolutely ridiculous. Things didn't get much better from there. Cold coffee from room service, no am delivery of NY Post (after the front desk specifically asked me what newspaper I'd like), tepid hot water for the shower/bath, dated furnishings and a small bathroom. No hotel is perfect, and I could look past some of these glitches, but a hotel that chooses to treat certain guests like second-class citizens based on where they made their reservation (and presumably how much they paid) doesn't deserve your business. Stay elsewhere.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 30}, {"text": "We stayed here for 4 nights over the New Year period. \nThe pros:\nWe liked this hotel because it was well located at Columbis Circle, our suite on the 17th floor was good with a separate living room with sofa bed for our son. The turndown service was the best we have ever experienced (but.... see below) with water, ice, clean robes etc. It had a geat kitchen with cooker, microwave and fridge. \nWe had a really good, but expensive, New Year's Eve celebration in their Cafe with good music and food. \nFront desk were helpful and doormen great - friendly.\nThe cons:\nWe had no turn down service on New Year's Eve - which normally would not be a problem - but our son had nowhere to sleep as the sofa bed was not made up!! The staff were quite indifferent about this so it took quite a lot of persuasion to get them to sort it out. At 1.30am in the morning this was not funny!\nHeating in the room didn't work - it was noisy and cold and after several calls to front desk it made no difference!\nWould we return - probably not. We like somewhere to chill out after a meal. This hotel only has a small reception area. The bar/restaurant is a franchise of the hotel and therefore not always open.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Just got back from the Trump Intl. for my son\u2019s 5th birthday celebration from Dec 17-21. Our party consisted of me, my wife, our 5 year old, and infant son. We booked a park view king suite with a sitting room w/ sofa bed. We stayed in room 1108. There was a main bedroom, a separate room with dining table and pull out couch/bed, a full kitchen, 1 and \u00bd baths, and a walk in closet.\nI\u2019ll go through the bad/annoying first, and then the good stuff\u2026\n1.Check in was miserable. Check in was supposed to be at 3:30, but we couldn\u2019t get into our room until 4:30. This is a big problem with two tired kids and a miniscule lobby area.\n2.They won\u2019t admit it, but I\u2019m convinced we weren\u2019t put into the right room category. There\u2019s no way what we were in could count as a king bed. (the room is needed when 2 kids are in the bed to start off the morning!). The room had a very tiny bathroom. The tub was small, and there was only room for one person in the bathroom at a time. I could not stand at the sink with the door open because it was so small. Also, most high-end places have glass shower doors, not curtains! \n3.Service at first was lacking. First, our room was supposed to be outfitted with all the children\u2019s amenities.(Robes, slippers, soaps, cookies and milk, etc.) Nothing there. We had to complain to get it. The biggest problem was the turndown service. Normally, this isn\u2019t critical, but with a pull out couch, we couldn\u2019t put sheets on it ourselves. The first night, after checking in 1 hour late, we asked for turndown service at 5:30. We went for a walk and dinner, and returned only to find that the pull out couch wasn\u2019t made up, and still no cookies and milk! (It was his birthday, you know). The next night, we asked for the same 5:30 service, and again no turndown. It\u2019s really tough when you come back to put your kids to bed, only to find out that you can\u2019t!\n4.I think the hotel should spend the extra money to have more window treatments put in on the extra rooms. The main bedroom was plenty dark enough, but there was only a light sheet covering the extra room. Since the room has floor to ceiling windows on 2 sides, the light coming in from Columbus circle was incredible! I only hope my 5 year old doesn\u2019t grow up with subliminal messages from CNN as he slept under the blinding glow of their 24/7 non stop advertising electronic board\u2026\nThe good\n1.The rooms were very spacious. The views were simply spectacular. Our bedroom was a great park view, while the extra room had one wall of park view, and the other on Columbus circle. These aren\u2019t little windows, either. They are floor to ceiling windows. \n2.After the initial problems, the service picked up. Very timely room service, the staff at the restaurant knew our kids names, everyone treated us like we were royalty. On our son\u2019s birthday, they put balloons and a full chocolate cake in the room for him.\n3.The toiletries are full size, and they aren\u2019t afraid to keep giving them to you..(My wife loves the \u201cfree\u201d toiletries..)\n4.The food, both at the restaurants and for room service, was excellent. Orders were always correct, food hot, you name it, they nailed it.\n5.Good location, particularly at the Christmas time of year. The park is across the street, there\u2019s a Christmas fair next door, and the shopping is only a 5 minute walk away. It\u2019s also nowhere near as crowded as the times square area.\n6.The building is immaculate. (Some might say too cold, lacking warmth, but I was fine with it)\nNow, would we stay here again? Trump was running a great deal on these rooms. They were about $400 a night cheaper then usual. We hadn\u2019t thought much of Trump in the past, not thinking it was a \u201cfamily\u201d hotel \u2013 one that will pamper your kids. We were wrong in that regards. Our favorite hotel in NYC is the Four Seasons, with St. Regis a close second. Trump has a great hotel here, but I\u2019m not sure it\u2019s worth the \u201clist\u201d price. If we got a good special again, we might stay again. If not, we\u2019ll probably opt for one of the other two\u2026", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Before our trip to NYC, I used Trip Advisor to read reviews about the hotels in Manhattan. The only hotel that had nothing but perfect reviews was the Trump Intl...with good reason.\nThe reviews we read about the hotel were exactly right. The staff at the hotel did anticipate our every need. There was not one thing we wanted for during our stay. (Usually, I have to ask for an extra blanket or extra coffee - not here.)\nComing from a small town in Texas & staying at such a high profile hotel in such a huge city, we did not expect the truly personal attention we received from every hotel employee. Each of them went out of their way to be more than friendly & could not have been more helpful with directing us around the city.\nNot only will we visit NYC again & often but we positively will stay only at the Trump. It may be more expensive than the other hotels in the area but it is truly worth it!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Our suite had a view of Columbus Circle and Central Park, and was simply magnificent. Staff was impeccable -- helpful in every respect without being pretentious. We paid $1395 for 2 nights and the 3rd night was free, bringing the rate to $1100 per night. It was worth every penny -- a surprising alternative for 3 women who were sharing the 1,000 sq. ft. room (only $350 each) with 1.5 bathrooms, a livingroom, a large bedroom and kitchenette. We were very comfortable and well taken care of. All of us are experienced business travellers with high standards.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Ok, so its a five star hotel, costs a bomb, but you expect the best. It certainly lived up to our expectations. When we were checking in, we mentioned to the receptionist that we were getting married in the city a few days later. She came up trumps (excuse the pun), and promply gave us one of the best suites in the hotel. Top floor, Central Park, and Columbus Circle view. We had already paid for the view, but we had not paid for a suite, but got one anyway due to our special occasion. It was HUGE! Much bigger than our house at home! Which is a nice surprise as hotel rooms in New York are notoriously small. It had a seperate guest toilet, kitchen, two walk in wardrobes, big bedroom with central park view, main bathroom with seperate vanity area, and big living room with floor to ceiling views of both Central Park, and Columbus Circle. Nothing was too much trouble for the staff, and they were all polite and friendly without being intrusve.\n Overall, very impressed!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "We had a lovely 2 room suite with a view of Central Park. The suite comes with a small but complete kitchen. Maid service was excellent and unobtrusive.\nThe staff were not discourteous but they were not friendly either. Room service arrived cold. Lighting in bedrooms and bathrooms is very dim. Our suite had a peculiar odor which didn't go away during our 3 day stay. \nI probably wouldn't stay here again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 24}, {"text": "The Trump Hotel definitely exceeded my expectations. What really impressed me were the level of service by the front desk, housekeeping, and all of the attendants and doormen as well as the range of hotel services. The room was impeccable and very comfortable, although a bit on the small side in comparison to other one bedroom suites I've stayed in. Large flatscreen and huge windows and a very comfortable bed. The bathroom was a bit small, but very nice. Overall just enough for a very comfortable stay whether long or short.\nThe room service was speedy, delicious and well worth the money.\nThey had a complimentary laptop and printer brought up to my room at request.\nI can't say enough great things about the staff... they were extremely friendly and courteous. A very comfortable atmosphere. The location was great as well.\nThe Jean Georges restaurant's formal dining room is also nice for a romantic evening and the food isn't bad either, although the attitude of the restaurant staff wasn't nearly as warm as the hotel staff. I would suggest looking elsewhere, unless you're really lazy (in which case it would be more worthwhile to just take advantage of the great room service).\nMy biggest gripe was with one of the concierge. I had called down to ask about the availability of the hotel car. I was advised it would be available in about 5-10 min and that I should come down to wait for it. When I went down and asked the concierge about it, he was SO EXTREMELY RUDE! and antagonistic about it... as if I was out of line to even ASK about the hotel car. I was really shocked with his coarse attitude and it was just uncalled for. I've never encountered such a rude concierge in my entire life... but the rest of the staff made up for it.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 26}, {"text": "Last leg of our Honeymoon - previously stayed at the Regent Beverly Willshire (LA) and Bellagio (Vegas). \nArrived into the small and personal (less imposing than I'd thought) lobby, and greeted warmly and offered an upgrade to a park view suite - excellent!! The suite was very nice - quite small by LA standards, but had a large plasma TV and the most comfortable bed of the whole stay (sorry FS). The bathroom was a little small and surprised we had a shower over the bath rather than a separate. Views to die for, apart from if they have a fun run at 8am on a Saturday morning!! Food was very nice, although the breakfast was not as good as other hotels, so we ended up using diners for $20 instead of $80 room service. Conceierge (Carlos) was brilliant and everybody was very friendly - although not FS friendly - can anybody be as friendly as the FS staff???\nI would recommend this for the service, location and the accomodation - although not sure the reaction if we hadn't had been upgraded - I suspect the standard room would be very small. \nPerhaps we'll try the FS or Ritz next time.....\np.s. See Dirty Rotten Scoundrels - absolutely brilliant!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "This was our second stay at the Trump. We were in NYC for 8 nights, so I split the trip between the Trump and the Ritz in Battery Park. I should have stayed at the Trump the entire time. Why?\n1. Fabulous location, Subway station 30 seconds from front door, easy access for taxis and Whole Foods Grocery and great jazz club across the street in the Time Warner Building. Central Park Views...I could go on.....\n2. There is no better housekeeping staff that I have encountered in any hotel I have stayed at in NYC, ( St. Regis, Plaza, Meridian, Ritz).\n3. The bathroom has two sinks, a Jacuzzi Tub and the best linens.\n4. They clean and refresh the bathroom twice a day.\n5. Lot's of closet space\n6. The Lobby is small, but so what. I think that is probably safer so they can monitor walk-ins more closely. The security seems very good.\nI did check out the Mandarin, but I think the taxi access is not as good, especiialy if you are in a hurry to get to a show.\nThe Ritz has some nice features, but the items above were the differences that were important to me. The taxi rides (dangerous drivers) from Broadway to the Ritz were a nightmare and the subway station is several blocks away and I didn't feel safe walking in the area.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Stayed 5 nights in one of the larger 1 bedroom suites. Upon arrival we were greeted by name and whisked up to our suite immediately. The suite was truly gorgeous; large (about 1100 sq feet), with 2 bathrooms and a huge walk-in closet as well a very functional kitchenette, and fabulous views of central park, columbus circle, and down broadway. Furnishings were modern and high-end. Wine for us and treats for the kids were waiting for us, as was a gift of a beautiful leather travel wallet. Luggage was delivered promptly, along with an offer to unpack for us. The technology butler arrived within minutes to set up a complementary laptop with broadband access, and the bellman brought up four six-packs of Fiji water on the house. Service was truly top-notch throughout our stay. We had guests visit several evenings, and decided to order in rather than leave our beautiful suite; the concierge staff provided a thick packet of take-out menus ranging from Pizza to Chinese to Italian to Thai, etc., then delivered our order to the suite, along with more complimentary Fiji water and fresh truffles. I must admit that I had expected Trump to be more about flash and glitz than service, but this hotel was understated elegance with impeccible service; the opposite of what I expected! No question of where we will stay next time we are in NYC!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We had the opportunity to stay at the Trump Hotel in late April for a 4-day anniversary celebration. I spoke directly with the hotel when making reservations in January, and booked a 3-night-stay (for the price of 2 nights), which was an AmEx deal. Even though we do not have an AmEx card, this was not a problem, and the reservations office worked with me for almost an hour to determine the best package/price available. (No deal on other booking sites priced out lower than the one we chose.)\nWe arrived in NYC around lunchtime, and hoped to stow the luggage before going on walkabout since we were quite early for check-in. We were pleasantly surprised to find that our room was ready, and we had been upgraded from a deluxe room to a city suite (an extra 300 sq. ft.) overlooking Broadway on the 16th floor. I had requested a higher floor (to avoid traffic noise) when booking, and they were more than accommodating. While we did not have a view of CP, the lights at night were lovely, and watching the traffic in the morning was fun.\nUpon settling into our suite we found a bottle of champagne in honor of our special occasion, along with notes from the staff. (In fact we received quite a bit of mail from the staff!) As we do not drink, I called the attach\u00e9 the next morning to ask if perhaps they could find a new home for the lovely gift; they responded by offering some sparkling grape juice, if available, which would have been fine. Instead, they provided cheese and fruit trays in the late afternoon on our second day\u2014quite a welcome snack and a great addition to the breakfasts we picked up at Europa Caf\u00e9 or Starbucks each morning. (Godiva coffee is also provided for free in the suite\u2019s kitchen.)\nThe room was cleaned to the most discriminating white-glove standards, and tended to be a bit more modern (Scandanavian) in design rather than old world luxurious; but the furnishings were in excellent condition, and, along with the lovely bedding, quite comfortable. The marble bath had ample counter space for 2 and we made use of the kitchen facilities throughout our stay. (I especially loved the dish fairy who whisked away any dirty dishes/linens in the kitchen twice a day!) The towels and robes were luxuriously heavy; the amenities provided left us lacking nothing; and the Belgian chocolates and chilled Fiji water each evening were the perfect finishing touch. I have never stayed in a cleaner, better-appointed room in any of my travels worldwide (though hubby still favors a suite he once had at The Plaza overlooking CP\u2014not really a fair comparison since The Plaza is no longer a hotel). The daily maid service, door men, concierge, and spa personnel were consistently helpful and polite; in short, the service was flawless! Having worried about whether to book at Trump or The Palace, I was not disappointed.\nThe spa/exercise area is well-equipped and scrupulously kept, and the changing rooms provide everything you could need. Even swimming is easy with all of their amenities\u2014just bring a suit! I wish there had been more time to enjoy this area, and the staff was quite helpful.\nWe chose not to eat at Nougatine for breakfast or lunch, picking up less expensive alternatives and bringing them back to the suite. But we did enjoy a dinner at Jean-Georges on our last evening. (This had been booked over a month earlier with the concierge, who took care of reserving on the proper day; much easier as you don\u2019t have to worry about which day to call or difficulty in getting through on the phone lines.) The dinner itself was delightful, the food having wonderful flavors, esp. on the tasting samples and first two courses. The main course and dessert were quite nice, but not as exciting in comparison to the first two courses. The service was seamless and the presentation of each dish like admiring a work of art. We even caught sight of the master himself overseeing details in the busy dining room. It was a memorable evening and the perfect way to end our stay at the Trump, but we would probably consider trying Daniel on the UES next time as an alternative.\nThe lobby area is intimate, as some previous reviewers have noted; I enjoyed the coziness as the feel is more like returning to a home than a hotel. Hubby would have preferred larger seating areas, esp. on our last day, when we checked out and stowed luggage for most of the day. We returned to freshen up in the spa area, but still had about an hour before leaving for Penn Sta.; we waited down in a seating area of the spa, but probably would have preferred the lobby, had it been larger.\nLocation at Columbus Circle is quite convenient for enjoying CP, walking to Lincoln Center, or shopping on 5th Ave; we even walked through CP several times when going to the Met. Museum of Art, and subway access is just down the street from the front door. We hated to leave and return to common life, but as the housekeeping personnel assured me on our final morning\u2014the only way to come back is to leave! \nHope your stay is as perfect as our experience was.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed for 1 night this weekend as last minute getaway. What makes Trump special: intimate feel to hotel;prompt response to requests;fab restaurant ;rooms are well stocked with quality amenities ie: full sized bath products, large braun coffee maker,Godiva coffee, robes and slippers, umbrellas; health club is great and included in room rate. What I didn't find special: We had the lowest room category. Next up category was unavail when I booked and I didn't want to spring for a suite on this trip. At check-in I asked to upgrade to Dlx king and desk immediately said it wasn't available--but when I later checked web-site from my room, they were showing EVERY room category open? Point is, hotel was not sold out but we must have been given worst room in hotel---probably due to paying the weekend special rate of $475++---an admitted bargain for Central Park. Extremely small, even by nyc standards as square footage was taken up by a foyer and bathroom. Two pple couldn't walk around the bed or get to closet. View was straight on of construction. I also felt that staff was pleasant but on auto pilot. I stood at concierge desk but needed to address them first as no one asked to help me. Upon return to hotel, no greeting by name and concierge didn't ask if we liked his recommendation. This is a small reception area where more personal guest interaction would seem appropriate. We paid a low rate and I believe the attitude here subtly reflected that.I really did not get the feeling of being an important guest at this hotel and THAT is what usually sets exceptional hotels apart. Maybe I had a chip on my shoulder or maybe I'm unfairly interpereting lowkey as disinterested. I would be curious to try this hotel when paying their usual 850+ room rate. We have stayed in many of the city's 4or5 * hotels and depending on the time of year/week, pay either fairly or exhorbitantly so I'm trying to make a fair comparison. In all, I would recommend this hotel if you are in a suite or room w/ view. Just not special enough to me otherwise. I just got the feeling that at this hotel you definitely are what you pay.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "I have stayed at several NYC hotels and Trump is my new favorite. Fabulous location by the park and Cols. Circle, very nice rooms and the best service I have experienced in NY. You can often get suites at good rates from the hotel booking services and the rooms are very nice. Perfect for families with 2 kids without having to get a 2nd room and they include a kitchenette that they will pre-fill with snacks etc. The concierge staff, lead by Carlos, is top notch in personal service. I tested them well and they came through several times. The fitness center and spa is not huge but more than adequate and the pool, which is often hard to find, is a nice extra, especially if you are with children. Food in the restaurant is also excellent, be sure to try the breakfasts.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We arrived on 31 December early afternoon, and were informed that check-in was at 4pm but they would call me on my mobile phone when the room was ready. Being cynical I didn't believe they would call, especially since my number is a UK mobile. However they did call a couple of hours later to say the we could check-in at our convenience.\nWhen we checked in we were upgraded to a suite with a view of Central Park and Columbus Circle. We were really delighted about this, especially since this was New Year's Eve and we'd paid a really good (low) rate for our original room-type (an executive city view suite).\nThe reception staff, doormen, security people and porters couldn't have been more pleasant - very professional yet down to earth. I can honestly say they made us both feel really welcome - unlike many, many other hotels we've visited.\nWhen we got to the room there was a welcome letter, 'thank you' gift (a leather wallet), red rose(!) and personalised stationery set with our names on it. Small touches like that made a really good impression.\nThe suite itself was amazing, but I have to say that we were probably impressed by the views more than anything else. If we'd had a similar suite with a view of the surrounding streets, we'd not have been so impressed.\nHaving said that, the bedroom and living room were both a very good size, immaculately clean and very comfortable. The kitchen was useful. The only criticism would be that the bathroom and the WC were both really small.\nCheck out was the most slick and professional we've had. The porter came up to our room to collect the bags almost immediately I called - this is unheard of, and typified the superior service we got from the Trump.\nThe doorman hailed us a cab and we were on our way back home, sorry to leave the Trump International, but delighted with our experience there and promising to go back as soon as we can.\nFinal note: if you want a hotel with a lobby the size of a football pitch, go to the New York Hilton, but it seems to me that the size of the lobby is inversely proportionate to every other aspect of staying here.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "The lobby was small. I've seen better at a motel. The concergie dropped one of my bags which resulted in damage to a few of my items. The rooms were average and not worth the price.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "We traveled to NYC for Thanksgiving with our two teenagers. We'd been to NYC before, and stayed at the Plaza (which we were not impressed with). I usually go for traditional type hotels. The Trump International is not traditional and is very modern. But we liked the location. \nThe service couldn't have been better! We called for an extra set of towels, they arrived within 10 mins and for the remainder of our 5 day stay, an extra set of towels was placed on the bed. There was no detail left out to make your stay as enjoyable and as comfortable as it could be. The drain in our tub was a little slow, so I called down, on Thanksgiving morning, as the parade was strolling outside the hotel. Someone was up within 5 mins and it was fixed. \nThe concierge staff was delightful, helpful and very courteous. As was everyone we encountered at the Trump International. The housekeeping staff was the best we've ever seen. We usually stay at places like the Four Seasons, Ritz, etc. So we have many great places to compare the Trump with.\nThe restaurant, Jean-Georges, was excellent. We went there for Thanksgiving dinner. Although it wasn't the traditional meal the teenagers were looking for, the food was fabulous! Again, the service in the restaurant was top notch. No one was stiff. They were all friendly and not \"fake\" friendly. We ate other meals in Jean-Georges and found them equally as wonderful.\nThe location of the hotel is perfect. It was easy to get in and out of. Easy to return to. Centrally located. And we could take taxi's or walk just about everywhere.\nOh and the creme-de-la-creme - the bed, pillows and sheets. Out of this world! I have NEVER slept so well away from home, ever! \nThe room was nothing fancy in terms of decoration, but it helped for us to have the full kitchen there for late night snacks, drinks and entertaining. Everything was spotless too.\nWe stayed on the 7th floor overlooking Columbus Circle. The sunrises and sunsets were magnificent over the park.\nWhen we go back to NYC, I'll always want to stay at the Trump International.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 26}, {"text": "We just returned from our visit to NY city and the highlight of our trip was our stay at Trump International. After having to wait until 4pm to check-in we were delighted when we saw our \"room\", as we were upgraded to a one-bedroom suite. We booked a Deluxe Room. It was the nicest room we have ever stayed in, mainly because of the size of the suite and the view...WOW! We were on the 10th floor overlooking Columbus Circle.\nThe location was perfect. The Time Warner Center is right across the street with access to good shopping, fine dining and entertainment. A major subway station is less than a block away at Columbus Circle, making it very easy to traverse town......as soon as you figure it out, which took us a couple of days. (Get a good subway map from the concierge). \nSince I am a jazz fan it was very convenient being right across the street from Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, a wonderful intimate jazz \"supper club\". Go if you get a chance. The food and jazz are fantastic. Check it out on the internet. There is also a \"bigger stage\" within the complex where Wynton Marsalis is usually performing.\nThe service was impeccable and you will not be disappointed with Trump International. The little details were a treat. We used to faithfully stay at Le Parker Meridien on 56th Street but there is NO comparison. We are now loyal fans of Trump International and we are looking forward to our next trip to NYCity!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "The Trump is more hype than luxury. We booked a specific room type through Amex Platinum for 5 nights and were given something totally different that smelled awful. When we complained, after 1 hour, they moved us to a smaller room over the front door. This room had street noise and a tiny bathroom. The Plasma TV had poor reception and the room really needed touch up repairs.\nI found a typically New York \"whatever\" attitude at this hotel and impersonal service. The lack of any public spaces was also very annoying and the bar in the Jean-Georges restaurant has few seats. For $500/night you have many other choices, I suggest you use them.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 24}, {"text": "We just got back from our trip on the Remembrance/Veteran's Day long weekend. The hotel was one of the great highlights of New York. It was very close to all amenities. Across from Central Park and a 10 minute walk to times square. The room was very spacious and we had a great view of the city. The lobby was small but the people were very generous and helpful. The concierge would find out any information we needed about restaurants, tickets and attractions and even made reservations for us. The staff pretty much knew who you were after the first day! There were many celebrities that were staying at this hotel as well! That was a nice surprise. I would come back here again!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed at the Trump International Hotel and Towers for 3 nights Sept. 28- Oct.1. What an incredible place. I have stayed in larger rooms, but have never stayed in a hotel any better. The location is the best across the street from Central Park you can walk almost anywhere. One day we walked 64 blocks and saw everthing from Grand Central Station, The Empire State Building, Time Square and over half of Central Park. They think of everything. An umbrella in the room for when it rains; a small filled kitchen with stove microwave, fridge with free water, silverware, coffee pot and even a toaster; 2 walk in closets with robes very soft and a dresser; the bathroom is a little small has a jacuzzi tub/ shower. The bed was extremely comfortable and the pillows outstanding[ great after a 5+ hour flight.] Now the service. They make you feel like you are the only guest in this 173 room hotel. Ask and they will do everything they can to fill all your requests. This hotel isn't inexpensive, but neither is any other hotel in New York. I know that if I return to New York I won't stay anywhere but Trump.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "My Fianc\u00e9 and I stayed at Trump International for 3 nights and I cannot recommend this Hotel highly enough. Our room on the 16th floor had an amazing view across Central Park. The kingsize bed was soooo comfortable. We had Dinner at the restaurant in the hotel \u201cJean George\u201d. This meal was probably one of the best I have ever had. Expensive ($500 for both of us) but worth every penny. Breakfast was also of the highest order. I wanted to eat at a Downtown Restaurant called Nobu but couldn\u2019t get a table. I asked a Concierge called Carlos and withing minutes he had arranged a table for us that night @ 9.30pm. He was so helpful with every aspect of my stay. All the staff were so helpful and polite. I can\u2019t wait to visit again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "While visiting family in NJ from Colorado, my husband and I took our two sons (10 and 7) to New York City for an \"Apprentice Weekend\" during the first season of the show during April, 04. Our plan was to show them all the \"sights\" shown in the TV show that they loved. So naturally we had to stay at the Trump Tower Hotel. We booked a single room for three weekday nights, which I was told had a Queen bed and a pullout sofa bed large enough for 2 kids. The weekday price was around $480 per night.\nUpon arrival we were initially disappointed at the understated and very small lobby -- we expected a grander one given \"the Donald's\" famous \"over the top\" personality. However, we grew to like its intimacy during our stay and loved the staff -- who kept good-naturedly \"teasing\" the boys if they had seen Britney Spears (who was also there during our stay). The lobby feels very safe and homey and a bit of a throw-back to a \"50s-style\" NYC hotel, so I can see why it attracts some celebs to stay there.\nThe bellman and front desk staff were very friendly and professional. We were shown our room which was pretty small, but beautifully decorated. Unfortunately, the pullout sofa was a single bed and there was no floor room for a rollaway or cot for the second child. The view of the park was exceptional. But we didn't feel this room was worth the price or met our high expectations of staying at \"Trump Tower.\"\nSo with prompting from our great bellman, we nicely explained to the front desk that we needed a larger room. Our wonderful bellman waited with us in the room and \"coached\" me on how to get the upgrade for no additional cost, which we successfully did in only 20 minutes. We were then shown to a one bedroom suite which was FABULOUS!! It did not overlook Central Park -- so we lost our view, but we absolutely loved our new suite! It had a large bedroom -- almost twice the size of the first room with the most comfortable bed I've ever slept in -- and I've slept in some nice ones! That room had a large TV and plenty of dresser space and a stuffed chair and ottoman to sit by the window. We also had a huge closet. \nThe boys were in a separate room -- the living room -- which had a very nice comfy pullout sofa (double) and a flat screen TV (complete with video games to rent) and a telescope!! The room also had a large desk, two stuffed chairs and a round dining room table for five/six people. The suite was extremely homey, perfectly decorated in a sage green color-hued contemporary style, and had just the right space for a family. \nThe white and black kitchen had pots, pans, dishes, a mini bar, etc and was as large as most NYC kitchens -- 8x7 or so. It was stocked with Donald waters and every night we found \"Cookies and fresh milk\" waiting for us. The room had great plush bathrobes and slippers and the bathroom was large and luxurious. \nWe even entertained friends from NYC one night in the suite. The locatation was also fantastic. It is right on Central Park and there is a great place for kids to climb and play -- a huge \"rock\" and cement structure- kindof thing that they loved right by the hotel in the Park. There is a subway stop at the corner near the hotel that we used to go everywhere. (We didn't know about the \"hotel car.\") You really don't need a car if staying here since it is really pricey to park it. \nWe shopped every morning for bagels and coffee next door in the Whole Foods. There was also a cute deli and a Star Bucks nearby. Never ate at Jean Georges as it wasn't a kid-type place (why pay $50 for chicken fingers right?), but it did look nice for adults.\nAll in all we loved this hotel, but really loved it because of the upgraded suite that we got for the same price as a small room. I would not have liked it if we keep the first small room.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We stayed at the Trump Hotel in May, and overall, it was probably not worth the money, especially if you are paying full price. We booked a one-room suite for two nights, with one night for free ($1200/night was standard rate). The suite we were brought to was NOT what was described to me by the Trump Hotel employee on the phone when I booked this trip - there was no kitchen, there was only one bathroom and it was actually pretty small. And, it reeked of old smoke. We had our two young children with us, and we were all pretty tired by this point, and they had no idea how long we would have to wait. It's not much fun to sit in limbo with two little kids. \nAfter waiting for two hours and hearing nothing, we had to call the front desk to find out what was going on. We were eventually brought to the correct suite, but NO ONE apologized or seemed to care. We called a manager the next day, assuming that perhaps they were not aware of the mistakes - he pretty much didn't care beyond offering a half-hearted apology. Please understand that we were polite and probably a little too nice during all of this.\nAt checkout, there were $60 of charges on our final bill that we never made. And, there was a big grease mark on our glove compartment that wasn't there when we dropped off our car at valet parking. \nOn the plus side: The corner suite that we ended up staying in had absolutely incredible views of Columbus Circle and Central Park. Every employee that we encountered, with the exception of that one manager, was very professional and pleasant. Room service was prompt and the food was delicious (insanely expensive, but delicious). It was great to use the hotel's car instead of a taxi. And yes, after a second phone call to a different manager the following week, we did receive a small refund.\nWe had very high expectations for this hotel, mostly due to all of the hotel's hype on its website (I'll admit that I do fall for that kind of thing). We wonder if it was a little bit of \"bait and switch\" due to the fact we were only paying half-price (still $600/night). If you can get a great deal, maybe it's worth a try - but DEFINITELY make sure you get what you are promised.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 46}, {"text": "My husband & I stayed in a deluxe room at the Trump for 3 nights, 4 days. The service was absolutely outstanding. From the friendliness of the doormen to the attentiveness of the elevator operator, not one detail was overlooked. We had booked an early flight and arrived at the hotel shortly after 930 on the morning of check-in. We quite expected to leave our luggage and come back after lunch to see whether our room was ready, however the staff at the desk informed us that our room was available and that we could check in immediately. The room itself was spacious and modern, with 2 large closets and a mini kitchen. The decor was restful, the lines and colors clean and not overly fussy as we have seen in other 5 star hotels. We were on the 15th floor with wonderful views of the city. We didn't have any trouble sleeping, nor did we ever hear noise from any other part of the hotel. We did take advantage of room service from Jean Georges and it was prompt and courteous. The food was exquisite. The concierge was wonderfully helpful and honest with his recommendations. All in all, while the hotel as a whole is what you would expect from a 5 star property, what really made the Trump stand out for us was the hospitality of every member of the staff. We would definitely stay there again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 26}, {"text": "After trying unsuccessfully to find a room on short notice by internet to take my 12 year old daughter to Midsummer's Night Dream at Lincoln center, I began desperately calling to check cancellations. Trump has a 48 hour cancellation policy so I was able to call on Monday before I needed the Wed room. The reservationist was not only sympathetic but thought he had just heard a cancellation called in. After a couple of minutes on hold, he told me he had a 1 BR suite available and even though it normally goes for over $800 a night, he could let me have it for $695. Yes, it is a lot of money for a room but it was entirely worth it-especially for ultra luxury in New York City. Check in is at 4PM. We found ourselves at Columbus Circle for lunch and went on over to check in. We knew the room would not be ready but we dropped off our bags, checked in and came back at 4:30PM. The room was ready but I had noticed construction going on next door and I asked if the room overlooked the construction. The lovely lady at check in said yes and I explained that we really wanted to sleep late. She said she would check to see what she could do. She really worked at it and put us in a wonderful corner room on the highest floor of the hotel overlooking the Time-Warner building. I felt that we had been treated like Donald Trump would have been. The staff was all interested in my daughter's happiness. They even printed her own Trump business cards. When we returned from the ballet, they were interested in her review of the ballet. She is an aspiring Prima Ballerina. \nThe bed was soooo comfortable, the bath amenities were wonderful and generous sized. There was complimentary bottled water in the frig(Donald's face on the label.) The chocolates left at turn down were wonderful. Even the sofa bed was comfortable; usually my daughter hates them but she slept very comfortably.\nI had planned a pre-theater dinner at a charming French bistro but my daughter was having so much fun with the remote control curtains, the bubbly jacuzzi bath and the exquisite view, that I cancelled the reservations and ordered room service. Wonderful food, wonderful service!\nInstead of finding our usual deli-style breakfast, we really splurged and had breakfast in our jammies! I thought the better value was dinner. Breakfast was really overpriced although very good...and as the commercial says...the experience was priceless. We will always remember breakfast in our jammies at the Trump International.\nThank you, to the staff of the Trump International for helping to build memories!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 32}, {"text": "We spent two nights (Friday and Saturday) in a 1-bedroom suite overlooking Central Park and Broadway. The room was impeccable, tasteful, extremely clean and very comfortable. We arrived to a bottle of champage, a dozen roses, chocolate covered strawberries in the refrigerator and a fantastic breakfast the first morning. When we left the hotel to shop on Saturday around 11 we came back at dinner time and found our room clean and fresh as if we hadn't been there at all. I really enjoyed our stay and would recommend it to anyone. The location is also such a benefit!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "We stayed in a two-bedroom park view suite for $1895 per night. Loved every minute. Room service was exceptional; the staff was more the helpful; and the added bonus of a full kitchen with china was most appreciated. This is BY FAR the best hotel in New York City. We will return again and again -- because it is such a bargain.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 29}, {"text": "We arrived at noon on Saturday the 14th. We didn't expect our room to be ready because we were quite early. Hotel stored our bags and told us to check back at 4pm. Came back at 5pm and our 2 bedroom suite still wasn't available. They gave us another room to stay in until our suite was ready.\nWent to dinner and came back at 9:30pm. Bellman was just moving our bags into our suite. Yes the suite was awesome. 2 1/2 baths, beautiful view of Central Park on one side and Columbus Circle from the front. All the amenities including a plasma screen tv, robes and slippers in each room. Was a bit noisy as we were only on the 5th floor. \nWe had ordered a cake to be waiting in our suite as it was our daughter's 17th birthday. Had to call about the cake and it finally arrived at 10:15pm.\nHowever it was the most awful cake. Couldn't eat it. Told the front desk and they told us to order whatever we wanted from the dessert menu and have it sent to our suite. They also agreed that we should be able to order anything for breakfast and have it sent to our room since our suite was so delayed in being available.\nFortunately the weather in NYC was beautiful on Saturday and we were able to spend the entire day enjoying the sights and shopping. \nHowever at over $1200 a night there should have been NO PROBLEMS!\nWould we go back? Hmmm, not so sure. This trip was a very special occassion for our daughter and that it is why we decided to really splurge.\nWe have stayed in many other beautiful hotels in NYC and not had such a delay. I will say that the staff was very friendly and did try to accomodate us as best as possible. But they need to come up with a better plan for getting guests into the type of accomodation they reserved.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "Stayed here for separate stays of 2 and 3 days in April-May 05 on vacation with my wife. Hotel offered us room upgrades both times. The rooms were nice- modern and cleam. We didn't eat at the restaurant. Staff were very helpful. Location is great.\nOne point to consider if you are going in the near future (ie early summer 05). Generally the rooms are quiet. However, there are building works at an adjacent plot and these start at 0700 on weekdays. They could certainly be heard from our city-view room on the 6th floor and might wake a light sleeper.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I stayed at the hotel in the middle of February. I must say, this is by far one of the best hotels that I have visited. 5-Star service does not even begin to describe the services. My stay was short, only 3 days, but it felt like home. Upon arrival I was able to check-in early and received an upgrade to a park-view suite. Since I was a returning guest I received a hand-written note from the manager welcoming me back to the property. I also received compimentary juice and other beverages after check-in that were delivered to my room. The staff were always polite, curteous, and professional. Room service was on the expensive side, but isn't that excpected in a hotel/location like this? The views were spectacular (of central park).... The manger also granted me a late checkout on my depature day. Overall, this hotel is worth the money. The hotel even assigns you a personal assistant to do errands or accomodate any requests during your stay. Truly, a fine and exceptional hotel. (I wish there were more of this chain around...if there were I would only stay with Trump...)", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "This is not the luxurious hotel with superb service as it claims to be, and as people have reviewed it to be. It is mediocre at best. It was like staying at a Sheraton. The check in was a nightmare. I booked with Am Ex Platinum, and was told I was getting as an early check in. We live in NYC, so I went to the hotel to check in, to find our room wasn't ready. The attendant checking me in promised a 3pm check in. It not only wasn't ready, but I had to check 5 times w/ the front desk for the status, as they didn't bother to come to me to give me an update, as I sat awaiting the status. They didn't even offer me a complimentary soda for waiting. Meanwhile plenty of other people were getting their rooms. I had gotten an upgrade due to AM EX, so maybe this is why I was low on the totem pole. The room was still $440. Any other 4-5 star hotel would have busted their butt to get a room available immediately. The staff was confused, borderline incompetent.\nI get to the room, which is furnished like a midwest Marriott, to find a horrendous view of Starbucks from the fourth floor. No curtains either, only light scrims. Next I ordered an ice bucket, ( and the phone was borken), which took 1 hour to receive.\nI then went to the gym, which the attendant there proceeded to return to me the wrong room key, so I couldn't even get to my floor, and had to go back to front desk to gst a new key.\nOn top of this we got a voucher for a free lunch (thru Am Ex) except there was only brunch available. Nobody explained that the voucher was only good for $40.\nIf you want a 4-5star hotel, stay at The Ritz Carlton, The Four Seasons, or the The Gansvoort.This Trump hotel is for amateur travelers!\nIt should be removed from AM EX Fine Hotels List!", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "It used to be you would spend $120 on a hotel room in any town and get treated like you were the only guest in the place. Unfortunately you now have to spend $1200 (or exactly $1225 before taxes) to get treated like royalty. By far the most expensive night we have spent in a hotel, but by far the best spent $1225 ever...we got a huge executive suite, bedroom, bath, lounge, kitchen, 2 baths, huge corridor...corner suite so a view of the park AND Broadway on the top floor. Superb attention to detail...handwritten notes to us from the management welcoming us, with chocolates and fruit. Unbelievable staff...not once did they hover for tips...I had to chase them down and press the money into their hands and they were all absolutely gracious...just how it used to be in the $120 rooms in chain hotels. I'm very glad we handed over our cash to Mr. Trump.\nWe only stayed Friday night, yet they allowed us to leave our luggage at the hotel until Saturday night AND use the spa to freshen up before our trip home later on saturday.\nOnly one small thing I forgot to tell them about...the water temp in our shower varied pretty wildly...so if you stay in 1710, you might mention it to them if it hasn't already been fixed. For the price I would also have liked to have seen digital/HDTV on the plasma TV...but these are minor quibbles. \nLastly, the guy who wrote the review about getting hasssled by security, I was actually surpised at how low key the majority of the guests coming and going looked like...they all looked like us...pretty normal folks, so I'm not sure what the problem was there.\nThe next time we are in NY we will be staying here. I admit initially i was concerned because of all the Trump hype lately, plus the Mandarin and Ritz were already full...but Trump delivered.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed for one January mid week night for $440. Well...from arrival the service was excellent. The valet/doorman greeted us upon arrivaling and helped with the luggage. Walking in the lobby, it was small and ended up to be in my opinion well designed as I will later explain. We checked in, they handed us our custom business cards and paper and had a bell person bring us up to the room they upgraded for us (hotel room to a one bedroom suite). I have to say the room was excellent and one of the best I have seen. The kitchen with everything you may need (from what we saw, we didn\u2019t use any of it), bar that had everything you may desire, as well as one in the main refrigerator free trump water). Their was a 42\" plasma TV, great Sony sound system, free internet, curtains that close and open by remote, chocolates (which were very yummy... from Belgium), nice furniture (except for a stain). Now for the bathroom, make up of half marble (tub area all marble), towels (made special for trump...? with trump label), unbelievable soup, shampoo, and salt crystals in the bathroom. Gold everything and on things such as the toilet paper they had a trump gold sticker. Nice small 5x mirror, candles, etc.\nNow for the bed... Once you saw it make would make you one to jump right on it (which we did). Lots of pillows. Nice (not the best) bathrobes, slippers, and a bag to get your shoes shined for free. While exploring the room a door bell sounded (yeah a door bell). It was room service with a free bottle of wine (since it was my girl friends birthday)... The bottle didn\u2019t have a name that i recognized but was a good gesture along with happy birthday cards, etc. Oh i forgot to mention on the desk in the living room they had a small fresh cut flower. I have to say we ended up with a room with the view of star bucks (like mentioned on other review) on main street (and we were even on the 12th floor.) In the morning when we went down to the restaurant to have breakfast we were greeted immediately. This is where the small lobby was great. Everyone... and I mean everyone greeted you \u201cgood morning\u201d as we walked through the lobby to have breakfast at their restaurant. Excellent food... pricey but fair (6 orange juice and 17 waffle) plus an automatic gratuity. Service I am sure was not at its best because of this). Although when I dropped my knife on the floor it was quickly replaced. On the table they had miniature version of jelly and ketchup... sooo small \u2026I have never seen one before (so we kept it.) Lunch in the restaurant was booked til 230pm. We had a free voucher that AMEX provided but could not make it because we did not make a reservation weeks in advance is what we were told. So, no lunch there. After we had lunch we went up to the room to get ready to explore the town (before lunch I advised the front desk that we were checking out late) to find out that when we entered the room, it was already being cleaned. The safe box which I had thousands of dollars was open (wide open). I was very upset but did not pass that on to the housekeeper or management. When we checked out the service was again great. As soon as the elevator door opened they helped us out with our luggage. My girl friend wanted business cards and they made it on the spot for her. I will surely return as this was one of the best hotels I have stayed at.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "This was an extremely nice hotel. Wonderful view of Columbus Circle/Central Park, great access to the trains. However, I guess I just didn't look like a Trump guest because I was harassed in the lobby every time I tried to return to my room. Basically the staff asked \"what is your name\" with a \"you don't belong here, and I know it\" kind of look. Then once surprised to find my name was registered, the general response was a sort of \"very safe building, very safe building\" apology - you would think after going through this a few times, someone might write down, hey there some young people staying here, so expect the unexpected. Or something! Anyway, the doorman also accosted me when I grabbed an umbrella during a rainy day. Gee thanks, definitely worth the money. Great place to stay if you look like you belong. If you look like you don?t belong however, spend your money somewhere else (I was in general left alone at the Four Seasons, for example).", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 16}]}, "80087": {"reviews": [{"text": "Our family of 4 just returned from a four night stay at this Manhattan hotel. Having read many of the reviews on this site, we decided that it would be a great accommodation choice. While most of what we read proved to be true, we encountered a few problems over the course of our stay. This hotel definitely has both pros and cons. \nPros:\n-Location is excellent. You can easily walk to many destinations including 5th ave. shopping, Rockefeller Center, Times Square, theaters, and countless restaurants.\n-Rooms are exceptionally large, especially when compared to an average New York hotel room. Our room had high ceilings, original hard wood floors, kitchen, etc.\n-Relatively quiet at night. We generally could not hear the noisy streets.\n-Reasonable price.\nCons:\n-Could be cleaner. Overall our room was very dusty. The counter top and the fridge handle were sticky. Having read how clean this hotel is, we were not impressed with the state of our room.\n-Extremely small elevator. We could barely fit all 4 of us in with our luggage. The lobby was also tiny.\n-Confusion regarding the reception desk staff and our room safe. The safe required a \"Master Key\" to activate. We were given the wrong master key 3 times. Each time we called down to inquire as to why the key didn't work, we were instructed to go down to the lobby to be given another key. The key that eventually worked was labeled for room 4D, although we were in a completely different room and on an entirely different floor.\n-The first morning of our stay, we went to pull our kitchen table away from the wall so we could all sit down and have breakfast. As soon as we lifted the table, one of the legs completely fell off onto the floor. We were left holding up a 3 legged table while trying to reattach the broken leg. \n-The sofa bed was one of the most uncomfortable we have ever encountered. The pillows were small and unusually lumpy. \nIn conclusion, the location and size of the rooms outweighed most of these issues. For the amount of time we spent at the hotel, this accommodation was adequate. We would recommend the Affinia 50 hotel as an alternate choice, as we stayed there on our last trip and had no complaints. We constantly found ourselves comparing the Best Western and the Affinia 50, and as a result were somewhat disappointed.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Four adults stayed at this wonderful hotel in May 2007 for almost three weeks. We are from Australia and it was our first visit to New York City. There is not a bad word to say about this fantastic place. We were warmly welcomed by the friendly staff who were all amazingly efficient and helped us with all our requests. Hotel amenities included free net access in our room ( a must for the two tech heads who spent a fair bit of cash in the unbelievably huge electronic store B&H ), large bedroom with a very comfortable bed, large living room with sofa bed, a great kitchenette with fridge, microwave, dishwasher, kettle etc and by the way breakfast is supplied everyday! Mmm bagels and cream cheese, we loved it! The bathroom had ample room and included a bathtub! The hotel location in midtown Manhattan is all you could want for a first visit to New York City, walking distance to so many sights and shops, Fifth Ave, Madison Ave shopping, Times Square, Chrysler Building, Empire State Building, Rockefeller Centre to name just a few. Our whole time in New York City was an amazing experience and we are definitely going to visit again. A pocket sized map and guide book called New York Everyman MapGuides was our bible and recommended selected art museums, architecture, buildings, places to eat, bars and shops in each area of Manhattan. The suggested restaurants were invaluable as we ate at many of the suggestions and found the food to be of high standard. A most memorable meal I could not recommend more highly is right next door to the hotel at Caffe Linda.\nI would thoroughly recommend this hotel to anyone visiting New York City and will stay there again on our next visit to this fabulous city. We love NY!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Was to check into this hotel August 13th. Showed up, dropped my wife and kid off with the luggage while I went to park the car. Got a call on my cell walking back saying \"We are not staying here!\". Got to the hotel - lobby looked like they rented by the minute. Went up to the room, it was disgusting. There was shredded toilet paper all over the floor, someone's feces in the toilet, walls dirty and dented, etc ... Wish I had unpacked the camera to take pictures. Went down and told the guy at the front desk we were leaving. Ended up staying at the Marriot around the corner. I will review that one later.\nOnly stay here if square footage/dollar is your only concern, otherwise there are a lot better options.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My family, consisting of my husband and myself and our four children ages 15 to 28 plus the girlfriend of one of our sons stayed at the Best Western Hospitality House Friday through Sunday. I had read about how big the suites are but I honestly was still amazed when I saw the one we got for the kids. It had two very large bedrooms, one with twin beds the other with a queen and a queen size sofa bed in the living room. There was a great sized living room with a table that could seat 8 and a very nice kithchen with a full size coffee maker.\nMy husband and I had a one bedroom suite with a large bedroom and living room and full kitchen. The only complaint would be that there was only a full sized bed in the bedroom. When you are used to sleeping on a king, full size just doesn't give you enough room.\nThere is no restaurant in this hotel but bagels, juice, milk and cereal are provided each suite and since there is a full sized refrigerator, we could have filled it with anything we wanted.\nThis hotel is neat as a pin. The decor is sort of contemporary/retro and all the furniture was in good shape. Better lighting in the living room and single serving peanut butters to add to the cream cheese and jam for the bagels would be about the only two things I thought would be an improvement in this otherwise terrific place.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My family of 5 stayed here for 3 nights - 2 adults and 3 children. It was *PERFECT*. It is basically a 1 bedroom apt - full kitchen, the fridge is stocked every morning with juice, milk, bagels, coffee, cream cheese, cereal - and it is very, very clean. Nice big bathroom. \nCouple of small things - the mattress on the pull-out couch should have been replaced, but was fine for kids; the remote didn't work for the TV; and it would be nice if hotels didn't charge for a portable crib. \nOverall, though, the location, comfort, and cleanliness of this place couldn't be beat. Great customer service by the front desk. Location is wonderful for seeing NY (especially with little girls - American Girl Place is right up the street). \nWe paid $240/night with AAA discount - I think we paid a fair price and would go there again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "There were 5 of us staying at the Best Western, Hospitality House - East 49th Street, two double bedrooms and a couch in the living room area that opened up into a double bed. Loads of space for everyone. Complimentary breakfast every morning (wasn't included in price) and maid service.\nOur first time in New York and it certainly won't be our last. \nThe accommodation was ideal, within walking distance of the main tourist sites. Very clean, friendly and spacious. I would recommend anyone visiting New York to stay in these apartments, great value for money. Ideal for children, young people and older people. Tourist buses stopped 50m outside the Apartments.\nWaldorf Astoria was \u00bd block away with the Chryslar Building virtually round the corner.\nBars and restaurants were close by, so we felt safe at night. Times Square, Central Park, Empire State Building, Bloomingdales & Macy's virtually 10-15min walk max.\nWe were made to feel very welcome and we can't wait to go back.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Stayed 5 nights at this terrific hotel. In this suite hotel, my husband and I had the room with the king-sized bed while our sons, 23 and 20 had the room with the two twin size beds. Juice, fruit, bagels, cereal, coffee etc stocked in fridge every night. #4,5,6 subway just two blocks away. We walked to Rockefeller Center. Very nice grocery store and less expensive restaurants on 2nd Avenue. Clean and comfortable. 49th street can be a little noisey but we just turned the fan on high. Living room, dining area and kitchen. If you're looking to stay in midtown, this is a great place. I would recommend for families.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Fantastic hotel, great location. The staff was extremely helpful and polite. The room was clean and mostly quiet though we did face a parking garage where there was quite a bit of screeching tires. The room was very spacious and did not feel cramped at all. 4 rooms on each floor with stairwells on either side. The hotel was in a great location. Within 5 blocks you were right on the outskirts of Times Square and within 10 you could be in Central Park. Also very close to Ess A Bagel which is always a plus in my book. I would absolutely recommend this hotel and I would stay there again. Word of warning: there is only one elevator that is small and slow and the stairs are steep and slippery but there normally wasn't a terribly long wait for the elevator.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We stayed in these apartments for one week. First impressions very spacious and clean ,exceeding our expectations. Very central to all sights, tour buses and subway(great value).Complementry fresh food in fridge everyday , a big plus. Staff were so helpful and nice.\nA big thumbs up !!\nRegards,\n Five very happy Irish Ladies.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My family and I have just returned from New York, where we stayed at the Best Western Hospitality House. We chose the hotel because it was one of the very few hotels where we could all stay together (5 people) without needing two separate rooms.\nThe reviews on Tripadvisor were very good (see below), so we booked the hotel online and hoped that the reviews were accurate...\nThey were!\nAs one of the other reviews say, it was great to come back to such a nice, large and clean apartment (not just a hotel room) following a busy day touring Manhattan. The living room/dining area was more than sufficient (dining table had seating for six), and the staff at the front desk were very helpful.\nThe location is very good - some street noise and sirens are to be expected in Manhattan, but it was not too bad. Hotels in Manhattan are notoriously expensive, and whilst Best Western Hospitality House is not exactly cheap, it represents excellent value for money. You could fit more than 5 people in the apartment, making the place a better deal - we had plenty of space. High-speed internet is available at a surcharge.\nI have stayed in 4 different hotels in Manhattan, and this is easily the nicest. Thoroughly recommended!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Would I stay here again? In a New York minute, yes! The room was clean, the location excellent, the staff helpful (all shifts). We had the two bedroom penthouse suite (PH-A). It was a full moon and we spent a good amount of time outside on the roof eating lunch, reading and enjoying the upward view of the surrounding buildings. We also had room 7A for part of our family. The room was equally clean and even larger (it didn't have the outdoor space that the roof top penthouse offered). We also had family in 9A which was a one bedroom unit. Again, much larger than one would expect. We really felt like our whole family got to experience life in NYC the way it is lived by residents. Fresh fruit, milk, juice, coffee and bagels were brought up daily during our 4 day stay. There's a full grocery store w/in 2 blocks. There's a shop on the corner where we bought a dozen fresh long stem roses for $6. We were able to pick up cabs almost every time right outside the hotel. A couple of times we went up to Lexington & 49th just to pick up a cab quicker. We were roughly 4 blocks to the UN, an easy walk. About the same to Rockefeller Center. About the same to Grand Central Station and the Chrysler Building. My daughter spent 1 night in the W hotel which was next door and we were blown away by how much of a deal this little hotel offered compared to what she paid at the W. The little pizza shop downstairs was a good cheap pizza for one night. We cooked in for a few lunches and one dinner (the grocery has a number of items that are prepared meals w/ great flavor). All in all, the only hesitation I have in recommending the hotel is the fear that too many people will learn of it and make it harder to get reservations here.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "We just got back from a week stay in NYC. Two couples with us stayed in the penthouse at the Hospitality House and my daughter, husband and I stayed in the one bedroom suite with pull out sofa. The place was fantastic!!! Everything was clean and fresh and the rooms are huge!! We had everything we would need in the kitchen and they kept it well stocked each day. The water is very hot and powerful every time we used it. The staff is wonderful and will do anything they can to help you. Maid service was great every day. We will stay there again when we go back to NYC and I would tell anyone that this is the place to stay. I have read reviews discussing the street noise well remember you are in NYC midtown and this is all part of the NYC charm. Location was super and could walk to alot of tour sites. You can catch a taxi right in front of the hotel and the metro line is not far away. The staff will store your luggage if you check in early or if you check out but still have time to tour before you leave the city. Cafe Linda next door is a great place to eat. Well, done Hospitality House in NYC!!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Just back from a 4 night stay in NY. We were there to celebrate my Daughters 18th Birthday. The acomodation was excellant, in a truely great location. The rooms were big, clean and very comfortable, even the Sofa bed in the lounge was user friendly.As every one says NY is quite noisy so if you can get a romm on a higher floor all the better. We will certainly stay there in the future.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I and 4 friends spent 4 nights at the BW Hospitality House. We weren't sure if it would be as good as the other reviews promised, but it was. It is very near the Waldorf Astoria, about one block away, at 49th and Lexington. We had the penthouse level. It was clean, freshly painted, remodeled. There were 2 separate bedrooms, two full baths, a living room, dining area, separate kitchen with full sized appliances. The penthouse had a walkout roof top patio that wrapped the room. We didn't spend much time out there as it was January, but it was a neat view - up to other high rises. The beds were very comfortable, firm matresses withpillowtops for comfort. Continental breakfast was nothing fancy, Lenders bagels, oj, milk, coffee, cereal, fresh fruit but they kept it replenished. They changed the towels daily, and gave maid service. It was definitely spacious. The elevator was prompt and the front desk people were helpful. The lobby is really just a desk area. It seems more like apartments than hotel. I was very pleased and would recommend it to anyone who needs a bit of space. It cost us about $80/person/night after you add in all the taxes, which I thought was pretty good for the space we got and the quality of the accomodations. We could walk to Rockefeller Center in less than 5 minutes, and shopping on 5th Ave in about the same. The subway was about 4-5 blocks up and another subway for cross town was another 4 blocks.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 26}, {"text": "This is a great place to stay if you needs lots of space and some independence (kitchen very handy). The location is also ideal. However if cleanliness and hot showers are of high importance to you, don't bother.\nHaving read the other reviews I was a bit disappointed with our stay here, however I would stay again for the location, amount of space and price.\nI found the maid service to be the worst I have ever come across in any hotel or serviced apartment.\nWe stayed five nights - the bed was only made on 3 out of those 5 nights and the sheets were not changed at all during our stay. The blankets on the bed were very grubby and worn. The bathroom tiles were very cracked and the bath absurdly shallow. The floors were not swept nor the carpets hoovered in 5 nights we spent there.\nWhen we arrived there was dirty cutlery in the drawer and only 1 knife.\nAnother negative was the heating and air conditioning. These were both very noisy when in operation (forgivable as this is an old building). The main problem we had was trying to control the temperature in the room - it was either freezing or sweltering. Staff were unable to assist as the heat was controlled via a main boiler room. We also had cold showers on our last 2 days as there was no hot water!\nIn general although staff were friendly enough, but as some refurbishment was being carried out in the building, they seemed a bit distracted. This may explain some of the problems we experienced above. \nPlease note, there are no bell boys or room service here, but this was not a problem for us.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I stayed at this hotel with my husband and son(19) we were met by a very friendly member of staff who made us feel really welcome, we were very impressed with our room because of the size and facilities. The kitchen was well stocked with essential food and drink items, there was even a kettle which means a lot to us british tea drinkers. the location of the hotel was brilliant, it was within walking distance to many of the attractions. We would not hesitate to stay there again and would reccommend this hotel to anyone especially families who like to cater for themselvesl,due to the kitchen facilities being excellent and it having a very large dishwasher. We had a TV in the bedroom and also one in the living room. On our day of departure the hotel staff were again very helpful, they let us leave our luggage with them due to our late flight and arranged our transport to the airport.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Our family stayed over the US Thanksgiving weekend, we were more than pleased with the property. Usually when my husband are in NY we stay at the W in Times Square. This time we had our parents and friends with us so we decided on the BW so we could all stay together. The room(s) were very large for NY standards. The LR was very spacious and the kitchen was great to have to make our our breakfats(food supplied by the Hotel) and snacks.I booked this property because of reviews on TripAdvisor, I was not disappointed, we would stay here again.\nPS. Don't let the small lobby and small halls when you get off the elevator discourage you, the rooms are worth it !", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "Stayed over the Turkey Day holiday. More than enough room for four. Large rooms, large enough bath, all perfect. Cont. Breakfast in our own apartment is very convenient - it is nice to have the opportunity to have breakfast in your underwear without needing to go down to the lobby! Great central location. Easy walk to Times Square, shopping and all of the AQpples finest. Adjacent pizzeria was tasty, as was Ashton's down the street. You will not find more space for less money in a great neighborhood. I will stay again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed here for 3 nights in November. This was his first time to NYC and we loved the Best Western Hospitality House. It is DELUXE inside. There is a full kitchen, full living room and seperate bedroom. Everything was fantastic. The location is excellent. (Just one block from the Waldorf Astoria where the double decker gray line bus picks up for the tours.) 2 blocks from the subway, a pizza place right next door, bus stop just steps away as well. English muffins, juice, milk, coffee, tea and an assortment of cereal and fruit in a bowl for breakfast. They held our luggage for us for 8 hours too. We could not have been happier here. It was a bit pricey in Nov. ($226 through AAA) but in comparison with everywhere else we checked out a GREAT value. It's like a cute 1-bedroom apt. with wood floors and a lot of charm. Hope this helps in your decision making! Enjoy the city! I'll try to get my husband to help me with attaching some pics of the place later on.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 26}, {"text": "We have just spent 5 nights at this apartment loving every minute of it.\n This place is very spacious and at New York sizes ( Enormous ). You get a large lounge, comfortably furnished and including a dining table with 6 chairs, TV, writing desk with pc connection availability. A sizeable bedroom with huge ( very comfy ) bed, Bathroom and kitchen.\n It was great to arrive and find a bowl of fresh fruit which was restocked every day. The fridge had fresh milk, muffins, Orange juice, jam and butter, with a choice of cereals, tea and coffee. These were also restocked on a daily basis.It was so nice to be able to do yourselves a drink whenever you wanted and to be able to take your breakfast in bed if that was your wish.\n We found the service second to non and the staff were always polite and extremely helpful. The lobby is nothing to shout home about but you only see that in passing.\n The building is flanked by Restaurants and if you take a left out of the building, cross over the 1st road you come to - there you will find a wonderful Indian eaterie with both Chinese and Mexican restaurants across the road.All within 5 minutes of your Hotel ( Dreamland ). A fabulous place to stay - We would definately go back.........", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "We booked that Best Western at a travel agency under another brand. When I read the description I was expecting the worst. But it exactly met our needs and the price (64\u20ac/person...hey it's New York!) sounded good. I was very surprised when we arrived. These are real appartments: bedroom, living room (with sleeper sofa) and a kitchen. When you're done with fast food, and not willing to pay the prices of the restaurants, you may cook there just like home. The rooms are clean and nothing special. The staff is friendly and helpful. So if you're looking for a good deal in NYC and you don't want to spend a lot of time in your hotel room this migt be the place.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We've stayed in NY for 5 days twice in the last month - the first time with friends who were concerned about costs, and the second with our grown up children. The first time we stayed in hostel accommodation - very cheap - 28 dollars per person per night but very cramped, no closets, tiny bathroom and dirty public areas, and a long way away from main Manhattan attractions\nThis time we chose the Hospitality House - OK It was more expensive - just over 300 dollars a night for a 2 bedroom/6 person suite, but so so much more convenient and comfortable - and actually much better value for what you got for your money. The suite was spacious - 1 bedroom with a king size bed, 1 bedroom with a Queen and a double sleep/sofa in the living area. The kitchen was well equipped - full size oven, microwave, dishwasher and fridge/freezer so you could save by preparing your own meals rather than eating out if you wished; breakfast (muffins, orange juice cereal, milk) is left in the kitchen daily - or there are plenty of delis/restautants within walking distance. NY is exhausting so it was so good to be able to come back to somewhere private, comfortable and relaxing to regroup in late afternoon before going out again for a show or a meal. Times sq, rockerfeller centre, 5th ave, and the Metro all within easy walking distance\nI'd choose it again without hesitation - Oh and 3 TVs and free high speed internet access & friendly service as well. \nOne disadvantage is noise - not from the hotel itself but from the street - NY is a very noisy city, and yes the A/C units in this 1899 building are set in the windows and are quite noisy - we just turned them off at night but we wouldn't have been able to do that when we visited in sweltering July. \nThe hotel has a penthouse suite which apparently has two bathrooms ratherthan just one as we had - and it only costs a little more so maybe worth it if that's imprtant to you.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "The BEST WESTERN ' HOSPITALITY HOUSE' was really a fantastic find. We only booked it having read the positive reviews posted on 'TRIPADVISOR'. \nWhen we reached the landing on the fifth floor I had to enter the room first as the rest of the party feared the worst. WHAT AN APARTMENT! We had a very large sittingroom/diningroom, two large bedrooms, a bathroom and a small but well equipped kitchen. There was a television in each bedroom and one in the sittingroom. Each morning towels, cereal, fruit, tea, coffee and milk were supplied (did'nt like the muffins ) All of the staff were very friendly and helpful. A special thank you to the manager and all of the desk staff. Our stay was for ten days, and we had no complaints regarding any aspect of our stay in the Hospitality House.\nHospitality House is in the heart of Manhattan but we recommend that visitors should buy the ' metro card' for unlimited bus and subway travel, its great value and it saves the feet. \nWould we stay in Hospitality House, New York, again ? EVERY TIME.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "To find that the reviews I had read on TripAdvisor were NOT exaggerations was refreshing. On June 6th, when we (4 adults, 3 children - ages 3, 5 & 12) arrived at 49th & 3rd, we all were more than pleasantly surprised, with the location and the apartments. My grandson 's immediate reaction was: \"This is great!.\" I was relieved. The Hospitality House truly was a FIND I never would have trusted without TripAdvisor's recommendation. Both units were clean and spacious, the A/C made the heat and humidity bearable and the well-stocked refrigerator made late-night snacks and breakfast convenient and economical. It really was \"as advertised\": an excellent value, perfect for families with children and just like actually living in NYC. The staff was courteous and helpful and even helped with getting discounted tickets. We look forward to staying there for our next visit to NYC - with or without children.\nThe only negatives are the elevators (slow & small) and the hallways from which you enter the units: dark and worn. But once the door was opened, all doubts disappeared. Thank you very much. We enjoyed it so much, we were sorry to leave.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I stayed here on my way back to London after a 4 month trip around the world. Was extremely impressed with the apartment suite - is the best place I've ever stayed. I would highly recommend staying here with a group of friends as the rooms are massive with huge king size beds and there is a futon couch in the living room also. Really felt like a home away from home. The kitchen was great as I was on my own and didn't want to spend money eating out, and it saved money having breakfast provided (fresh fruit, milk, cereal, english muffins). Had TV in both living room and bedroom with so many channels I now understand why Americans love TV so much! \nOnly complaint would be that the heating is steam (radiator) heating and is a bit noisy when it comes on in the middle of the night. My room was extremely hot when I checked in (-2 degrees celcius outside - about 30 inside!) and I couldn't adjust the temperature. Managed to crack a window (on 7th floor) and let some air in and mentioned it to the front desk. Staff were great - let me store my bags for the day when checking out as had about 5 hours to kill before leaving for airport.\nWas good value for money as was travelling on Kiwi dollar and got a great last minute deal.\nHighly, highly recommend this hotel - I can't wait to go back and stay there with my friends.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "stayed at the hospitality house best western, 145 e 49th st manhattan in july this year(2005)\nlocation good, rooms good, we had two bedroom and pullout sofa, 5 of us went, mum.dad, 22 year old son, 2 daughters age 18 and 16.\neverything we needed was there, in easy walking distance to sights such as times sq etc, rooms and hotel clean, restaurants next door, also next to the waldorf hotel.\nstaff more than helpful, would happily stay again, great for 1 st time visitors.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Just returned after a six-night stay at the BW Hospitality House. The suite was clean and very spacious - perfect for the five of us. A large living/dining room, one large and one medium-sized bedroom, one reasonably-sized bathroom (tub; full towel closet), and a medium-sized and well-stocked kitchen (fruits, fruit juice, milk, cereal, English muffins, coffee/tea; refrigerator, oven/stove, microwave, toaster, coffee-maker, dishwasher). Laundry machines in the basement. TVs in every room, VCR in two; free high-speed internet (they were nice enough to provide us with an ethernet cable as well).\nThe staff were helpful, courteous and friendly (Isaac in particular). \nThe midtown-Manhattan location was convenient in addition to giving us a nice taste of life among the skyscrapers in the Big Apple. It's right near the 51st St. subway station (Metro 6). Not much noise at all (perhaps because we were on the 7th floor).\nOverall, we had no complaints at all, and I'd highly recommend this for groups/families.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We just returned from a nine night stay at the Best Western Hospitality House in NY, NY. It was great! The best thing was the staff. They were wonderful. Very kind, courteous and helpful. It felt like we were leaving our family behind when we left. Issac is the BOMB! Like having our very own tour guide/personal assistant. Also, great rooms. Very clean, quiet and comfortable. We have no complaints and plan to stay here again when we return to NY. Also, hotel is close to everything! Thanks again!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Five ladies from Wisconsin stayed at the Hospitality House from May 24 thru the 29th. Five nights. We had no trouble finding it, the entrance is small and not fancy. We had a two bedroom/one bath, full kitchen, living, dining room combined. It was more than enough room. One bedroom had a king bed, the second a queen and the living room area had a full pull out bed in the sofa. Each bedroom had a TV as well as the main room. A few times we could have used another bathroom but we just took turns and finished with makeup, hair etc in the bedrooms. It was nice having the fruit, cereal, muffins, juice and milk every morning. The front desk was helpful. We were mostly there in the late evening as we did alot of the touristy things all day long. We could easily have had another adult with us.\nThe cost per night was $380.36, this included all fees and taxes. We each paid for one night. We all thought where it was located was great. We would hightly recommend it for a larger group wanting to stay together. Its in a nice area, restaurants right next door and shopping just up the street.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "This place is huge--probably larger than many NYC apts! I stayed by myself via a good Hotwire deal for 2 nights on a weekend at $413 total, inc. tax, etc.; it's usually about 300- a night. Full kitchen (fridge, microwave, toaster; pots/pans, a real stove, teakettle, coffee maker, sugar, boxed cereal, fruit, milk, english muffins, coffee, dining room table, good size bathroom, etc.). 2 closets, 2 full length mirrors, lots of storage space. Good size bathroom, nice shower, full size dining room table, roll-out comfy couch, 2 TVs, with the big one in the living room. Big bedroom w/smallish tv. Desk, with internet connection. You'll save tons of money on food, and it's a convenient location near Murray Hill.\nWhile the space was immaculate, with newish furniture and newly painted, there are some caveats. If you're looking for a 4 star boutiquey hotel, this is not for you: it's slightly grubby. The ancient radiators make it impossible to control the heat--I put bowls of water around the suite to prevent static.\nThere is no natural light-- the window shades are down and impossible to raise, possibly to block the view of the dark airshaft and pigeon poop. Some of the windows didn't lock--although it'd be pretty impossible for someone to break in since I was on the 4th floor and there are no balconies, as a woman staying alone, it creeped me out. There was no dish washing liquid, no kleenex, but there was plenty of toilet paper, towels, and nice bathroom amenities. Check out is too early: 11:30. \nIt's supremely quiet, very cozy. The front desk folks were awesome, very helpful, very nice. Highly recommended if you need space, want to party, need to do work, or like to save money on food.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Great location, excellent facilities,really friendly staff. Tea, coffee, muffins,jam and fresh fruit replenished dailey. Very clean, massive beds and more towels in the bathroom than you could possibly use. Although the weather was sub zero the rooms were warm and cosy. Desk clerk arranged car back to JFK at great rates and let us leave luggage all day and use a spare apartment bathroom for showers before we left. Would use them again and have reccomended them to all our friends.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Just returned from 5 nights in a 2 bed apartment suite in this hotel. Excellent value for money, several websites quote an inclusive tax rate. Clean, excellent kitchen and comfortable bathroom, 2 great queen size bedrooms and sofa in lounge, excellent for groups or families travelling together.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "I wanted to share this sweet little find in midtown Manhattan. As a family with 3 children (2 teens, 1 10 yr. old), it is always necessary for us to book two hotel rooms whenever we travel. After searching on the internet we stumbled upon the Best Western Hospitality House. The description sounded to be just what we wanted so we took a chance. Upon our arrival we were met by very friendly staff who helped us unload our van. The \"room\" was actually a two bedroom apartment with a full modern kitchen, large living room/dining area with a sofa bed, and two bedrooms - one with a king bed and 2 closets, the other with 2 twins. There is a large screen TV in the living room and 27\" tv's in the bedrooms. The only downside is that there is 1 bathroom. The hotel provides daily breakfast to fix in your suite (english muffins, milk, cereal, juices and fresh fruit) - perfect if you don't want to eat breakfast out everyday. All of this for only $279/night (in August!!!). \nBottom line, great location (mid-town East), spacious suite, CLEAN, and friendly. Worth a look if you have a large family.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}]}, "93566": {"reviews": [{"text": "This is my second stay at The Surrey, a lovely boutique hotel on 76th at Madison. On my first stay, I couldn't have been happier but on my second stay, I left with bed bugs. I went to bed on a Monday night and when I woke up the next morning, I started scratching my ankle and realized I had been bitten. I went down to the front desk and spoke with Petar Krstic, Asst. Director of Front desk and showed him my bites. He told me the hotel takes this very seriously and while I was out fro the day, he would go through my room throughly. When I spoke to him later, he told me the hotel did not find a thing. Basically, he implied The Surrey was not the cause of my bites. The next day I found 3 bites on my arm, more bites on my foot and a giant bite on my neck. I was traveling with friends and they all saw me before and after my stat at The Surrey. There is not a doubt in my mind that I received these bites from The Surrey. In addition, my entire room charge was billed to my girlfriend's credit card (who was also staying there) by mistake. She tried for 4 days to rectify the situation and finally on the 4th day did they realize the hotel made the mistake. She was beyond frustrated. I'm sorry I have to write this because I thought I had a great new hotel to frequent as I visit NY approx. 4-5 times per year. I just felt \"dismissed\" by them and thought someone higher up than the front desk person would have contacted me before I checked out. Not happy and I'm still phantom scratching 8 days later......", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "First let me start off saying I made reservations 5 months before our arrival. We arrived at the hotel before 12n and check in was to be at 3pm, however they were unable to locate our reservation that we had booked directly on the Surrey website. We spent over 50 mins getting the reservation info corrected, as the burden of proof was solely placed on me as the front desk representative just stood there and waited for me to prove him wrong. The reservation charges were $600 higher than our confirmed reservation.\nThank goodness for blackberry because I had to constantly provide proof of reservation via 2 separate emails and constantly repeat myself. After becoming increasingly frustrated, I asked to speak with a manager and my requests were constantly denied. Finally after reaching my limit and advising, I did not was to move forward until speaking w/ a manager, a gentleman came over to advise that he was a manager and their systems were being audited, and several reservations had been deleted. Come to find out at the time of check out, he was not even a manager. Also at the time of checkout the total was still incorrect, still $600 over the correct amount, and once again I was constantly declined from speaking with a manager.\nFinally once were assigned a room (few mins before 4pm) and allowed to go up, half of the room was still dirty and housekeeping was called to clean the other half\u2026 RIDICULOUS !!!!! \nWe received an email before our arrival inquiring what time we would like housekeeping and turndown services which we took as considerate and thoughtful. We requested a 10pm turndown every night. Which would have been great... if we weren't there every night to see it. Turndown service was completed every night before 8:30 or 9p. The problem how ever was we were always there or getting dressed and ready to go out, and never left the room before 9p-9:30 so any cleaning that had been done for turndown service was undone.\nThis hotel is one big expensive joke !! I have traveled the world and stayed at tons of different hotels with different currencies and limited English translations... I have never in all of my traveling encountered a hotel staff, with no management to be found on site and a hotel that requires the burden of proof of correct billing to be placed on the customer and a pretentious front desk staff too snooty to put forth any effort. \nAll though majority of the staff were pleasant and a delightful joy with their light hearted and friendly personalities, the front desk is less desirable and difficult. This was a horrible way to start off a vacation. \"Bad\" would have been if it only took a few minutes... \"Horrible\" is 52 mins to straighten out a reservation and having to repeat the same conversation at check out. It\u2019s really sad when traveling goes more smoothly thru an international airport than thru a boutique hotel.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I booked The Surrey mainly as a result of the positive reviews here on TripAdvisor. I have trusted TripAdvisor in the past to lead me in the right direction of great hotels, however on this occasion I was disappointed....beyond disappointed.\nThis was our first time visiting New York, all the way from Australia, and I decided I would spend extra money (unbeknownst to my fiance) to make the trip extra special as I thought all the wonderful reviews of the Surrey would ensure we had a wonderful holiday.\nOn checking in we were taken to our room and as soon as we stepped inside I was disappointed. The walls were scratched and so was the furniture and the furniture was dusty. We had just come from 6 nights at the Wynn in Las Vegas (which was amazing and cost 1/3 of what The Surrey cost) and couldn't believe how the room was presented. So, I immediately went to reception and spoke to Jessica, one of the managers. I explained my concerns and while she apologised she didn't seem a) overly surprised at my complaint and b) seemed distracted when I spoke to her. She mentioned that she could move us to a different room, but would have to look into the system to find out if she was able to do that immediately. I said that was fine as we would go out to dinner and she could leave us a message while we were out.\nBefore I headed upstairs I spoke to Andrew, the Conceirge, who recommended Carravagio for dinner and said he would book a table for 2 in half an hours time.\nWe arrived at Carravagio at the time of our booking only to find they had no record of the booking or a call from The Surrey. Nevertheless they arranged a table for us and we had the best Italian meal we have ever had. If you go there try the roast chicken. My fiance can't stop raving about it!\nUpon our return from dinner I expected to find a message left from Jessica. There wasn't one, so I headed downstairs to find out what was happening. She mentioned she wasn't able to find another room but would arrange for us to be moved the next day while we were out, all we had to do was inform reception in the morning that our bags were packed and they would move us. I asked if she could ensure that the new room didn't have the same issues as our current room, and she said it would be checked to be clean and free of any issues. She also said by way of apology she would arrange a free breakfast for us at Cafe Daniel and would send up a bottle of wine (she asked what wine we would like and I mentioned champagne to celebrate being in New York). 1 hour later (at 10pm) our wine arrived, and I was surprised and disappointed to find it was red wine.\nThe next day we headed down to breakfast. We had been told Cafe Daniel opened at 7am, and we arrived at 7:15 to find that they were closed and still setting up the breakfast buffet. A staff member saw us and let us in and took our order. Sadly, the food was beyond disappointing. Anyway, after breakfast I went to reception to inform them that our bags were packed ready for the room move. Wing Lei asked what time we would be back and I mentioned around 3pm and she advised our bags would be in our new room by then and to report to reception for our new room key. She also had no message from Jessica informing her that our breakfast had been organised to be comped. \nAt 4pm we arrived back at the hotel and upon checking with reception we were told our bags had not yet been moved. We were given the key to our new room and waited for our bags to arrive. I looked around the room and found it to be only slightly better than the last. After our bags arrived we went for a walk to find an ATM and as we walked through reception one of the reception staff yelled across reception \"Are you happy now?\". It made me feel like I was being a difficult guest and the people in reception turned around to look at us. If he had wanted to make sure we were happy he should have come to speak to us in person and not yelled across reception for everyone to hear. \nWhen we got back to the hotel I hopped in the shower and as I grabbed the washcloth a dirty razor cap from the previous guest fell out of the shower. I broke down in tears and felt sick at the thought that I had almost used a dirty washcloth and that the special hotel I had planned as a surprise for my boyfriend was turning into a nightmare. I told my boyfriend what had happened and showed him the razor and he headed down to reception. He spoke to Jessica again, and explained I was too upset to come down because of the comment from the person behind the front desk. My boyfriend explained we preferred to not move hotel rooms again and Jessica offered to comp one night as a way of apology.\nHalf an hour later the head of housekeeping visited our room and apologised. While he was there we mentioned an issue with the shower head, which we demonstrated him, and he said he would arrange for an engineer to visit while we were at dinner. When we returned from dinner there was no note from housekeeping and the shower had not been fixed.\nOver the next few days (we stayed 8 nights in total) we found the turn down service to be haphazard and despite the fact before you arrive you are asked what time you would like a turndown it does not happen at the time you requested. We also had several issues with housekeeping where items were not cleaned - for example the drinking glasses besides the tap in the bathroom were not changed for 5 days, we had to ask 3 times for the pillows we had requested on our booking and our prebooking survey. Had it not been for my boyfriend not wanting to move rooms let alone hotels I would have checked out after the second night. As a result, each night I became more and more irate at the money we were wasting on a supposedly 5 star hotel that just didn't live up to expectations.\nAs we were checking out the girl behind the desk asked if I enjoyed my stay. I answered honestly and said no, and I felt she was the first person we encountered who actually cared about what I was saying and wasn't distracted or running off half way through a conversation. She was most apologetic and spent the next 10 minutes trying to get hold of the manager for me to talk to. Eric, the manager, eventually came to our room and we explained all the issues we had encountered. He apologised profusely and offered to comp a night, and to send us something in the mail to encourage us to come back (something we've yet to receive which I think is due to the fact I twice provided our correct address and yet when we checked out the address was STILL wrong) and while that was nice, it still doesn't make up for the fact that our stay in New York was clouded by the disappointment in our choice of hotel. Next time I will save myself half the money and stay somewhere else.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 18}]}, "93525": {"reviews": []}, "76049": {"reviews": [{"text": "My grandmother said that if you cannot say anything nice do not say anything at all. However that would not allow others to understand why in our opinion we regret staying at this hotel. So just one word of advice. If you book the car service from the airport check with them before you arrive so they remember to send a car. The car we booked for a late night arrival never turned up. Now I am sure the management will respond to this review by setting out eveything they did to try to make up for their failure (but which did not include an apology when we finally arrived at the hotel). But it was insufficient. They ruined our night's stay and when I suggested they might wish to offer a discount on the hundreds of pounds we paid for the room they declined. Most guests clearly love this hotel but from our perspective it failed to live up to the promises made by Four Seasons.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "If you're going to spend a lot, spend it at the Peninsula and get REAL service.\nAt the Four Seasons, I was scammed by a Four Seasons valet employee into taking a private car service to the airport because it was cheaper than a taxi --- it was not. This was in October 2005.\nIn February 2006, an even worse visit - 1. no housekeeping service until 4:30 pm and that was after I had to call!\n2. told by the concierge that a jacket and tie was required for dinner in the Gardens restaurant, I discovered I was the only gentleman in the restaurant wearing a jacket. Never mind anyone wearing a tie!\n3. as I was finishing dinner, I looked up and there was a disgusting, reeking homeless man standing at my table asking for money! I had no idea from where he came. Since I was finished and had settled the bill, I just got up and walked to the front desk and reported the incident. I was told \u201cSorry\u201d. \n4. still no response from Four Seasons management on thesae complaints\nDo yourself a big favor, go to the Peninsula, excellent marks all around.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 27}, {"text": "Yes this hotel could do with a good makeover- but everything else is fab. We stayed for a long weekend and had a great time. The service at this hotel is excellent, their conceirge great, and they have a lovely pool area where u can have lunch.\nWe liked the location of this hotel and the fact we kept seeing so many celebs in the lift, lobby, bar area- it was great. Highly recommend it.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I have stayed at the Four Seasons Los Angeles innumerable times on business, usually for one or two nights at a time, but occasionally I add an extra day or two to experience what Los Angeles has to offer.\nI have been staying at this Four Seasons since 1994 (that's eleven years - the hotel is nearing 20-years old) and I have never once had a bad visit. Not once.\nGranted, I have never used the pool or spa, so I can't comment on possible issues folks have with these amenities, but I have dealt with the front desk staff, the front door personnel, the concierge, housekeeping, room service, gift shop, and the bar and restaurant offerings and staff. Not once have I ever been treated with anything but a pleasant attitude and a desire to please. \nFrankly, this Four Seasons is infinitely better than the Toronto Canada Four Seasons, which I find overly musty and decorated like some English aunt's dowdy cottage. And that's surprising, considering that the Four Seasons chain is headquartered in Toronto. The staff at the Toronto Four Seasons couldn't hold a candle to the L.A. staff, which lives to smile and warmly greet and please. The Toronto staff is dull and always seems on the verge of unhappiness. \nWhenever I check-in at the L.A. Four Seasons, I always ask for a room high up, and I'm accommodated. I love that each room has a balcony. I've included some photographs from the balcony. The front desk staff is top-notch and the concierge excellent, especially considering the bend-over backward service these people have to provide for the fussy and obnoxious Hollywood types (movie stars, directors, tv producers, fashion models) as well as politicians and the like who stay at the Four Seasons. Additionally, a lot of these so-called celebs use the restaurant and bar as a social center, even if they're not staying at the hotel. My hat is off to the staff for putting up with the celebs' imagined importance.\nThe hotel provides a shuttle car for guests who want to go to things in L.A. within a mile or so of the hotel, which includes the shopping area of Beverly Hils (Rodeo Drive), as well as the shops, bars, and clubs on Sunset Bouelvard and Santa Monica Boulevard. And yes, it's a spectacular Rolls Royce Phantom. \nI've read comments that the rooms here are not furnished well. That they're not \"woody\" or \"heavy\" enough for the room price. Okay, missing the point. The L.A. Four Seasons room decor is perfect because the hotel's design concept - from the lavish foliage at the entrance, to the huge flower arrangements at the elevators on each floor, to the carpeting, to the bathrooms, to the wallpaper - is of being an oasis in a desert Los Angeles. Pink and rose and aqua are the hotel's conceptual colors. As for wicker, well I've stayed here more than 150 times over eleven years in a variety of rooms and I've never once seen a wicker table or chair in any room.\nOne of the more amazing things about the Four Seasons is how you are almost always greeted by name the instant you step out of your airport cab or shuttle. I was told by a friend that the bellmen can read your luggage tag upside down. But what if the tag is not visible? Do they keep extensive photos and records of repeat guests? Do they share landing information with airlines and estimate a time when you're going to arrive? I still haven't figured out how they do it.\nThe room service food is some of the best I've ever eaten, and I've stayed in other Los Angeles hotels as well as hotels in New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Austin, and Washington, D.C. in the U.S. and at other spots in Canada and Europe.\nHousekeeping is flawless. My rooms have always been spotless. The bathrooms are gorgeous even if you never use the television, phone, or magnifying mirror in them. As for the towels. Well, the bath towels are fantastic. Large and fluffy.\nAnd I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the mattresses. Most of the people staying in this Four Seasons mentions them. They make sleeping a true pleasure. Movie stars have been known to buy the exact same model. The mattresses are heaven on earth. And the sheets are pretty darn good, too.\nHaving read all of the reviews about this hotel, I sense an attitude. There seems to be a \"you owe me\" thing going on. All huffy and imperious - \"well, tsk tsk, I'm paying $385 a night (or more) so that automatically makes me important.\" Ah, no it doesn't.\nI've experienced $385 a night rooms here, too, and every visit has been wonderful.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 31}, {"text": "When we arrived early to check in there was no problem and our room was ready and waiting, the staff were very friendly and helpful. I had requested a room on a high floor (we were on the 15th floor) so that we had a nice view. When we got to our room we had fresh chocolate covered strawberries (not sure if this is coz we were on honeymoon or regular thing) and the view was just amazing! \nThe pool was quite small but very nice, padded loungers and pool wait service, and again the service was great. We decided to try out the famous Sunday brunch and the food was delicious and there was everything you could imagine eating and i tried it all! The hotel is in a good location, couple of blocks from Rodeo Drive and Sunset Blvd, close to some good malls and restaurants. \nThere were beautiful fresh cut flowers in the lobbies and reception but to top the whole stay off had to be the hotel car, none other than a brand new Rolls Royce Phantom!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I stay regularly at the Four Seasons Los Angeles on business and can honestly say this is one of my favorite hotels in the world. The service at this hotel is unbeatable, anywhere! I love the intimate setting, the bar, the spa, the outdoor gardens, the people watching...it just doesn't get better than this.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Living in the UK, we (husband and 5 year old son) recently vacationed in Los Angeles and stayed at the Four Seasons Los Angeles. Service was amazing, and everyone so friendly. It was the special touches that made our stay so special. At check-in my son was presented with a Four Seasons t-shirt WITH HIS NAME printed on it and they made him feel so important. \nWe spent most of the time, due to the beautiful weather, by the pool and were pampered continually throughout the day with refreshments, and delicious little frozen fruits and even iced cold scented face cloths. The service was so unobtrusive and so many smiling faces. One of the pool attendants, I think his name was Eric, was just so great with our five year old and went to great lengths to ensure he had plenty of toys for the pool and even made him his favourite chocolate milkshake..... \nLunch at the Poolside terrace delicious, with an extensive selection of beautiful salads and my husband had I think the best hamburger he has ever had. They also had a kids menu with everything from macaroni cheese to chicken nuggets to home made icecream and coookies.\nHaving just 5 precious days in Los Angeles, and with the sun shining continuously, we did not leave the hotel. It became our home away home and felt deliciously pampered by the end. When we said our goodbyes it felt like we were saying goodbye to family members. Our son wanted to fly home with his Four Seasons t shirt and told everyone on the plane back to London that he had been a VIP at the hotel!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "As has been well covered by previous contributors, the hotel is definitely showing its age, whether in terms of room decor, or more especially the pool and fitness centre, and also the housekeeping is unextraordinary. That said, as also well covered, the staff are otherwise generally excellent. So basically a neutral experience with rather extravagant public areas not matched by the dated areas mentioned above. Reasonable value however, all factors considered, at the hotel's weekend rates. \nTwo items worth mentioning though, on the upside the complimentary House Car happens to be a brand new Rolls Royce Phantom, and anyone with a passing interest in cars knows what this means.\nOn the downside I was ripped off on check out. The story is that I called the concierge desk before my arrival to arrange for transport from LAX. I was offered a SUV and was told it was a little more expensive than a regular sedan and asked if that was OK. I asked how much more and was told $30 more, which I agreed to. How I came to be billed $200+ for that ride on my checkout is a mystery, but I can guess that some money probably changed hands under the table as I and anyone who frequents LA knows that there is no way that sort of cost can be justified for a airport transfer (unless it were the above mentioned Rolls Royce Phantom, in which case it would be more than justified!).", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "As many reviewers have noted, this hotel needs a significant facelift, especially the rooms, gym, and pool area. What shocked me the most having stayed at this Four Seasons (and others) many times, was the absolute horrible service at the pool. When I could flag someone down to take my food order, it took no less than 1 hour to get a Cobb Salad. The 2nd day at the pool attendants brought the same disappointing service. Very unorganized and seemingly too few, poorly trained, uncaring staff to handle the mob from the hotel and the \"guests\" who were allowed in who were not hotel guests. Other guests were complaining about the service (or lack thereof) as well. Seems the pool attendants enjoy walking around with their noses stuck a little too high in the air catering to a select few to notice that there are guests who need some basic levels of service. Also disappointing was the number of \"non-guests\" who were being allowed to use the pool, along with all of their family members and friends. The rooms are very average to below-average, not up-to-date, and needing renovation. I have stayed in suites and regular rooms at the hotel, and they are showing their age. The rooms are very quiet. Daily maid service was marginal, and 2 out of the 4 days they did not leave any toiletries. The hotel used to have Bulgari toiletries, but now have L-Occitane. Seems something is amiss at the Four Seasons Beverly Hills that is not good. The bar/restaurant service was very good, and the food average to above. Seems the \"hip\" crowd still hangs out here, but I'm afraid the hotel is losing it's focus and not maintaining a high level of service for it's customers who are paying $400+ a night for a room. What a shame. I totally agree with a previous reviewer and recommend the Le Montrose Suite Hotel. A smaller, quaint hotel in West Hollywood with newly renovated \"suite\" rooms and awesome service. The pool on the roof and food at the Le Montrose (including pool service) is excellent for the price.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "This Four Seasons is great but is need of an upgrade. The pool area needs new lounge chairs and a paint job. The fitness area is not acceptable at $500 a night. The pool staff needs to be far more attentive. The entire place needs a face lift and I would not stay there again until it get's one. Also some of the spa rooms are dated and facing the street...This hotel has alot going for it but it needs a restoration. New TV's in the room's and free wireless web are also lacking....", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I just checked-out of the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills and was not impressed. The hotel is about 18 years old and it shows. While the rooms had typical four seasons decor, old fake wicker furniture doesn't cut it for $400/night (and that was the discounted floor 3). The bathroom tile was original and very dated with the only bathroom ammenity that \"worked\" being the water pressure.\nBeing a frequent guest of the chain, many times a \"thank you for the business\" upgrade to a larger room will be offered. Not here, when I inquired, I was looked at like I had three eyes.\nThe pool was nice, but the health club was a mess. Basically, workout machines scattered on a roof top with a white plastic tent as enclosure.\nMy room faced the courtyard (entryway) so horns/doors and traffic were the norm, being on the \"cheap\" 3rd floor didn't help matters. When asking to move to the \"courtyard\" view on the 3rd floor, I was advised by a less impressed neighbor that it was not better...perpetual wedding night out there on weekends.\nThe bar in the lobby was \"hip\". Hot people with money. Not sure why...the surroundings were less impressive. I felt like someone could walk out with a breakfast buffet ticket at anytime.\nI may sound bitter, but believe me. I am a fan of Four Seasons. On this property, I vote \"renovation\" or \"tear down\". If you are going to lay out this kind of cash...check-in to the Penninsula down the street. At least if you are gonna get the financial shaft, it will be worth it. You may also choose tor save your money and hit the Beverly Hilton or Le Montrose Suites hotel. They aren't 5 start hotels, but let me tell you...in comparison to this place, well worth the money!", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I went with a group of friends for Thanksgiving brunch while in Los Angeles for the holiday weekend. Three men in suits were clearly standing and admiring the male guests as they walked through the dining room. Eyes , giggles, and comments. My partner and I clearly heard one make a comment to another one as we were walking by them. Later we realized that that they were employees of the hotel when one of them stopped by our table to \"check on us\" and make sure we were happy. Before we left we realized that one of the other 3 was an employee as well. For the price we paid for brunch yesterday the meal was a little better then mediocre. I would have thought that the staff would at least behave with the taste and decorum that other Four Seasons tend to exhibit. I couldn't help but think that if three heterosexual hotel employees were standing around and making comments about female clients that someone would have come along and broke it up. Tacky experience for brunch that people are attending with loved ones on a holiday.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "A roller coaster ride. One minute fabulous - the next serious problems. I had a business trip and took my 3 kids. We stayed in an executive suite for 2 nights. The kids had a great time. We took the complimentary limo to the Petersen Auto Museum and Le Brea Tar Pitts. Concierge arranged for an evening babysitter, so I could get some work done. Concierge was outstanding. However, upon arrival I asked the bell staff how much tip the ave. person left him. He said 1 thousand dollars. Then on the way up the elevator he pushed all the buttons to every floor in front of my 7 year old. Upon leaving, we waited a half hour, and he never showed up. The Pool Restaurant was extremely slow and there were only 6 people out there. The Gardens Restaurant had great service, especially in the morning. While at the windows lounge, the waitress accidently splilled a pitcher of water down my back that ran into my shoes and purse. She brought me another chair and wipped the side of the table and then left. The next night I had a different waiter and he brought my order and disappeared. I had to find another waiter to pay. Also, one of the workers tried to pick up my 17 year old daughter. When she ignored him, he turned to me and said. She's a typical LA girl. The spa was wonderful. There was a mix-up with the type of message, but it got worked out. My daughter had a message with a new, inexperienced girl and was not as pleased. I called Room Service and asked for a kids hamburger plain and dry with french fries and extra ketchup. The person was confused so I repeated the order 3 times. Up came just the meat patty. The lady who brought it up quickly fixed the problem. All in all, the room and the concierge staff were fabulous. The service in the pool area and lounge needs much improvement.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "minus': street side rooms somewhat noisy because of older french doors (doheney st. definitely not a cow path); unfathamably old t.v.; smallish room and bath; rather scrubby institutional towels; 10 bucks for internet; dinner in \"fine dining\" tres aveage and quite over salted. check out failed to give $60.00 food credit both to me and the gentleman checking out next to me. oh yea, the gym and spa are very dated and not all that pleasant to be in.\nplus': good service if somewhat impersonal; nice beds and bedding; fast room service; relatively cheap for a four seasons hotel; nice bath room amenities; decent location; nice west sun on street side.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I stayed there on business recently and was so disappointed! I've heard there are many famous faces who stay there. Well, I am not famous and I'm guessing that is why I received the substandard service that I did. \nUpon check in there was no bellman available. The bellman delivered the luggage about 15 minutes later. He did not offer any explanation of the room, nor did he point out fire exits, but I beleive he was in rush as one of the elevators was out of order and he seemed backed up. \nThe room service order was cold. An order for one person is usually delivered on a tray. This was delivered on a table with one lonely plate in the middle, not even any flowers. Quite disappointing.\nThe worst part of my stay was when I did not receive my wake-up call in the morning and missed my flight! An apology was offered by the doorman as I left the hotel, but no one in management has apologized. Truly disappointing. I highly recommend staying elsewhere when in LA. I won't be back........", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 24}]}, "1015206": {"reviews": []}, "578694": {"reviews": []}, "107836": {"reviews": []}, "247108": {"reviews": []}, "99109": {"reviews": []}, "615260": {"reviews": []}, "1205162": {"reviews": []}, "108141": {"reviews": []}, "1438752": {"reviews": []}, "1573321": {"reviews": []}, "266157": {"reviews": []}, "113317": {"reviews": [{"text": "We arrived in New York and came straight to our hotel, we specifically requested a twin room with two beds. When we entered our room there was one small bed, this was not acceptable as myself and my mother were sharing a room - I was 6 months pregnant at the time and we couldn't share a bed, we phoned down to reception and were greeted with hostility and unhelpfulness when we expressed our concerns about the room, we decided we couldn't stay there and went to ask the receptionist to help us find somewhere else, he was very rude and couldn't be bothered to recommend anywhere - all in all we ended up in the middle of New York, having only just arrived, 6 months pregnant and nowhere to go, thanks Casablanca!!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed a week in this Hotel mid June and were not disappointed.\nThe location is superb if you want to be right in the thick of it, step outside the door and you are literally in times square. \nRooms - Yeah they are small but do not lack anything, beds are super comfy and rooms well appointed.\nBreakfast - Great continental choices with lots of fresh fruit :)\nWine and Cheese each evening - Great opportunity to enjoy local wine and nibbles, and meet new folks if that is what you like to do .Staff are great, very accommodating and nothing is to much trouble. \nFree Computer access and printer is located in Rick's cafe and a good resource for trip planning etc.\n Eating tip !\nWe had the best food ever at Tony's Restaurant just beside the Hotel, a great family restaurant with a wonderful atmosphere, character and charm.Customer service was fantastic as well, excellent meals (antipasto seafood entree and the Tiramasu was to die for !) and huge servings. They are very reasonably priced. . we went there many times during our stay as it was so Yummy !\nOnly negative during our stay was that we could hear a fair amount of noise at night when the garbage collection trucks did their rounds... small price to pay for a great stay ! Thanks", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Casablanca is a small, modest hotel 1/2 block off Broadway in the heart of the Times Square area. I mistook the location, I thought the hotel was a few blocks away from Times Square, or would never have booked it. We stayed one night. Obviously it's not the hotel's fault we didn't grasp how close it is to the dirty, loud, tourist area but I wish I'd known.\nThey offer a lot of perks like wine and cheese and continental breakfast. The premium king we had was quiet, very small, with a combo bath/ shower and just kind of shabbily decorated, with a grey carpet, gold bedspread, green tiles in the bathroom, not stylish. Trying for Casablanca feeling, not quite making it. It felt tired and second rate to me.\nWe paid $360 and frankly I think it was a very poor value. We usually stay at On The Ave, which is about the same price and I think a much nicer hotel.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I booked based on reviews at TripAdvisor. It's nice that the staff are courteous and that they offer a continental breakfast and are located near Times Square etc... etc...\nNone of this matters right now.\nI'm in a second floor room and there is construction on the street in front. The jackhammer is LOUD and (because the hotel apparently doesn't have central air) my window is open. The front office offered to bring me ear plugs but they don't have another room for me to move to. \nAll this for $450/night. \nNext time I'm staying in a place with central air and no proximity to Manhattan's nighttime road crews. Who cares about hotel service when you can't sleep at night?", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "I am quite stunned by all of the positive reviews on this website regarding the Casablanca Hotel. We had a claustrophobic room in the back of the hotel with an A/C in the window. if you opened the bathroom door it closed off the window and A/C. \n Also the internet was non-functional in the room, and standing in the hallway barely functional. My husband said he would rather pay for internet that worked then get a barely functional free service.\n I couldn't bare to even sleep one night in that room. The management was nice and not surprised by my reaction. They offered us a \"suite\" at the front of the hotel that had a small room attached to the small hotel room, slightly better then the other room in that you could at least look out at the building across the street. They said they could only give it to us for one night and they would see what they could give us the next day.\nThe A/C unpleasantly blew on you if you stood in front of it which was hard not to do since the room was so small. The noise from the traffic kept us up all night, the windows may have had double pane glass but were not upgraded windows.\nThe lounge area was nice but very crowded at breakfast. The staff as everyone says was very friendly and tried their best, but they did not make up for the room.\nThis is the first time that my husband and I felt that someone was scamming the reviews, it is hard to believe they are the number one rated hotel in the theatre district. We checked out the next day and checked into the Marriot on Times Square. We were so happy to get out of the Casablanca that our vacation was saved.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Because of Tripadvisor's ratings, we stayed at this hotel for two nights. I could not wait to leave! We had to ask housekeeping to come and clean off two huge spider webs over our bed. The room was filthy. It had not been vacuumed. Our white socks were brown after walking around in the room. At the time we stayed, it was reasonably priced. The price now is outrageous for a run down hotel. The breakfast was nice and the wine in the afternoon was a nice touch, but for this price you can find a much nicer boutique hotel in a nicer location.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Very good location. I would like to acknowledge Phillip the bellman who was such a helpful individual, very professional and accurate. However I cannot say the same about the front desk employees, who could care less about this review. Management is another joke. I had such trouble with the internet in my room. I had asked for assistance, eventually I had to speak to the GM privately. My encounter with the GM seemed to have no effect on my slow/not working internet. I noticed that his eyes were very glassy and nostrils wide opened. His vocabulary was terrible and he showed me no class. I was very disgusted when one late morning I was exiting the building and as I was exiting the building the door to the front office was opened and I heard the GM tell another employee that I was another stupid guest who was complaining about the internet and how he didn't care if I had important emails that I had to attend. I walked away after I heard that, very dissappointed. Stay away if your on a business trip. Sister hotels are nothing like this hotel, so try to stay at the Library if you are around midtown manhattan.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I really don't understand the high praise of this hotel.\nI stayed at Sofitel and Casablanca for 3 nights each. The Sofitel is incredible. Casablanca is dreadful. They were the same rate but the Sofitel was sold out and I believed the positive feedback on this site. This was our honeymoon. Sofitel gave us an upgrade and champagne, Casablance did nothing - not even an acknowledgement. Even though, when I called to book the room, the manager said that we would be upgraded.\nRun down, musty smelling, staff clueless, poor service.\nAsked for a room away from the street, due to massive construction. Got upstairs and room was facing the street. Called the desk and someone brought a key for another room. Instead of helping, he took the only elevator, so we had to wait for it to come back up. Went to room 308, had a view of razor wire and paint buckets. I turned off the A/C and the loud sound did not go away. Outside, were huge A/C units from other buildings.\nWe couldn't even use one of the rare electrical outlets, it was so worn that the cord would fall out. The TV, lamps, bed, ceiling fan, A/C were so outdated, we were disgusted and longed for the Sofitel.\nBathroom had small pedestal sink and toilet was positioned so that you could not even sit on it without puting your legs to the side. The water pressure and temperature in the shower was inconsistent.\nThe internet did not work in the room, neither the wireless, nor the ethernet cable that was in the room. Instead of the staff resolving the problem, they gave us a phone number and said we would not be charged for the called. Upon checkout, they tried to charge us for the call. We had to ask for the manager to remove the charge. The internet never did work, so we had to go to the common room where breakfast was served to use the internet.\nThe food was mediocre and the breakfast staff had loud, annoying conversations instead of clearing tables. Breakfast was essentially ordinary pastries and cereal. There were cheese and crackers and generic wines in the evening.\nI asked the front desk for a pizza place near by. We never found it. The next day we happened to walk by it - he had given us wrong directions even though it was only 1 block away.\nLocation was too close to the crowds of Times Square, \nVery disappointed with this hotel and it took the fun out of our trip. Really becoming very skeptical of the feedback on this site.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "The previous reviews are absolutely correct - the location is excellent as you are approx 200 yards from Times Square, but the hotel is still remarkably quiet. The rooms are adequately sized and very clean. There is a decent buffet breakfast and complimentary wine in the evening which not all NY hotels provide. The major selling point is the top notch customer service, all the staff are very friendly and helpful and you do genuinely feel welcome.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Offensive impolite reception, disgraceful dirty room housekeeping;\ndeluxe king room so small that it could not accommodate a chest of drawers; bar and food service supplied by a cheap eat-a-lot\nItalian restaurant. Room charge over $450.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Just back from a stay in this wonderful hotel. I have been to New York 8 times now and this was my first time to stay here. Have stayed in the likes of the Plaza on 5th ave before and have to say that i found this hotel the best of the lot. I can not recommend this place enough. the friendliest staff you will ever find anywhere. The hotel itself is very clean. I though the room was a fine size considering what i have read. the bathroom was also fine. Only problem was I would have liked it to have air con as when opening the window the smell from the Italian next door was not to pleasant. Rik's cafe was fantastic. Great breakfast and great wine! When we checked out i couldn't believe it when we were told to make full use of the cafe until we had to get the flight. We were also told that if we had a late flight the make sure we came back for the wine and cheese later, even though we were checked out! They were truly amazing. Cant fault anything, location, cleanliness, friendliness, food, everything was great. Try Tony's next door for the best Italian food ever (and apple martinis!) Jimmy's Cornor around the block is an experience. A dive but a fantastic dive! Owned by a professional boxer who serves behind the bar this place has so much atmosphere. Want to meet true New Yorkers well here is the place to go. Also try St. Andrews 2 doors up.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Hubby and I stayed at the Casablanca from 1st-4th October and oh, how we wished it could have been longer! Yes, there are 'cheap&cheerful' hotels that often turn out to be not-so-cheerful once you've checked-in, but we firmly believe in 'what you pay is what you get', particularly in a major city. Having saved-up for so long (from NY we flew down to Florida for 13nights for the second leg of our holiday) we weren't going to compromise on the quality of the hotel. All the research I'd done on TA paid off, so thankyou to everyone who's contributed their opinions :-D \n Being greeted by polite and very efficient staff was the beginning of a wonderful stay. We were given a free upgrade to a King room (oh-so-comfortable 6' bed with quality linens) with a good-sized bathroom (we're not talking Hotel Edison postage-stamp size here!).The excellant water pressure never wavered whatever time of day or night you showered and the towels were good quality and in plentiful supply. All of the following were complimentary: continental breakfast, cheese&wine each evening, 24hr beverage availability, internet access, DVDs, bottled water, gorgeous-smelling Baroness Cali Tarocco bath products, slippers & bathrobes, electronic safe, hairdryer, iron and ironingboard. The aircon/heating was a dream to use and very efficient. Staff throughout the hotel greeted you with a smile and nothing was ever too much trouble for them. \n We recommend the Casablanca to anyone wanting a centrally located, well-staffed, well-maintained, clean and comfortable respite in The Big Apple....a big thankyou to EVERYONE at this lovely hotel - we WILL be back.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 34}, {"text": "We had a nice stay and would stay again, however, I do not have as over-the-top a review as some of the others. It is not a 5 star hotel by quality or service and I question a #1 Trip Advisor rating. However, that being said, if we get to go back to New York someday, I will definitely check out the Casablanca Hotel first. I don't think you can beat the location and the amenities for the price. \nOthers have covered what's great about this hotel - location, nice room size and CLEAN, complimentary internet access (that's good and fast), and the cheese/wine/champagne reception weekday evenings and the breakfast offerings each morning. All of this is great.\nThe service at the front desk and with baggage was good - not outstanding as others have reviewed - but just fine. They were helpful and answered any questions we had, but were not \"bend-over-backwards-I-must-mention-it-on-Trip-Advisor\" worthy. \nThis is a small hotel which has its positives and negatives. Positives include the above offerings and the unique, quiet theme of the hotel. Also, Tony's di Napoli, the restaurant next door, really is wonderful. I was always wanting to venture out for dinner, but we were exhausted one night and decided to stay close. We were pleasantly surprised with the atmosphere, wait staff and food - served \"family style\" where you share. We ate a prepared-at-the-table Caesar salad and a pasta dish - both excellent. Also a good wine selection.\nNegatives include no soda/vending/ice machines, a window A/C unit (which worked just fine I might add) but not very sightly, and, if you're facing the back of the hotel, quite an unpleasant view.\nNot necessarily negatives, but worth mentioning: the hallways and elevators were not air conditioned, so coming in from walking all day or leaving the nice cool room was not very pleasant. Also, the two elevators were both small and older - going up to the room, it would drop a little as it stopped at the floor, making your feet feel like they would come up off the floor; going down, it would make your knees bend a little with a hard stop.\nIs anything a deal breaker? No. The positives certainly outweigh the negatives.\nWhile I was there, I checked online to see what we would have paid for a room at the Marriott Marquis, caddy-corner from the Casablanca - $500+ per night compared to less than $400. With everything so expensive in New York, the Casablanca is a nice reprieve, especially considering what you get for the price.\nIf you've made reservations or are thinking about it, you can feel comfortable doing so, keeping in mind the few things mentioned above.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "It was my first trip to New York with my beloved girlfriend for a very special event, and the hotel Casablanca was an excellent part of the overall fantastic experience. Very friendly and helpful staff, a lovely common living room with all the comforts, including free internet (wifi or through a desktop), free beverages and snacks, cheese and wine in the afternoon, plus the superb location, in the middle of everything. Don't expect a view, though, this small hotel is buried within huge skyscrapers!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Travelling alone to NYC for the first time, it was important to find a comfortable, conveniently located hotel where personal service and size meant something more than the big chains offer.\nTrip advisor reviews served me well for a stay at the hotel Santa Maria in Rome last summer so expectations were high for Casablanca rated #2 in New York. It did not disappoint. Staff were terrific, room and public areas nicely furnished, equipped and cleaned to a very high standard.\nI enjoyed breakfast, and complimentary evening snacks and was made to feel right at home during the 4 nights of my stay. Jason and Al (front desk & concierge) couldn`t have been more obliging and friendly.\nMidtown location was ideal for majority of sights and I would have no hesitation booking this hotel again when next in NYC.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "My husband and I travel quite a bit, both for business and personal purposes. The Casablanca is the best overall hotel I have experienced, considering location, service, premises and price. We stayed at the Casablanca in the beginning of March 2007, which was my third time staying at the hotel, and as usual, the Casablanca did not disappoint me! The rooms are very spacious, especially for a city hotel. The location is impossible to beat - right off of Times Square, but it would be hard to guess by the extremely reasonable price. However, the best part of the Casablanca is the service. The hotel staff is so helpful and knowledgeable about the city. I always feel so welcome when I stay at the Casablanca! I would highly recommend this hotel to anyone traveling to Manhattan!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We just returned from a long weekend in NYC. The hotel was a hidden gem. The location is fantastic; 1/2 block off Times Square on 43rd street. Included in the rate is a great 2nd floor lounge called Rick's place with a nice breakfast, happy hour and often a piano man. The staff was very helpful and did whatever was needed or asked. It reminded us of the hotels we find in London. The room was more than adequately sized for the two of us. We will definitely stay there again on our next trip to NYC.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We (3 couples) stayed at the Casablanca for a theater weekend January 9-10. Once again the hotel worked out well in every respect. Good location, nice size queen rooms with large upscale bathrooms, wine and cheese by the fire place as well as breakfast in the 2nd floor lounge area, great and friendly staff and reasonable prices.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "This hotel receives great reviews on the website and as such was an important factor in choosing the hotel. I work in the 'Services' sector and as such have a high expectation in terms of customer service. Having stayed at the hotel last week on a 5 day break, I can not praise this hotel highly enough.\nAll of the staff I met were professional, polite, courteous, knowledgeable and very efficient. One (amongst many) example was on the Monday, where in casual conversation with the reception staff I mentioned that I was looking to go to a jazz club that evening and had mentioned that Les Paul (a world renowned, award winning guitarist) was rumoured to play a weekly set in New York. Later that afternoon whilst out sightseeing I received a call from reception on my mobile. They had tracked down the club (Iridium - also reccommended), confirmed Les Paul was actually playing that evening, provisionally reserved seats and wanted to know if we wanted to proceed with the reservation. Thats customer service! My room was vary spacious with a large comfortable bed and a large well stocked bathroom with quality accessories. The room also has some nice touches (e.g. up to date copies of Time Out etc so that you can see exactly what is going on/currently reccommended - which you cant get from a guide book). The lounge area is great for unwinding after a long day sightseeing and the cheese and wine is ideal before heading out for evening excursions. The location is great and if you sit outside the lounge area on the patio its difficult to imagine you are less than 50 metres from Times Square. We returned the day after the heavy snow showers in New York. You can imagine the traffic. The bell boy insisted on going outside whilst we waited in reception before returning fifteen minutes having successfully flagged down a cab. Great hotel, Great location, Great service.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "The hotel is just a few yards from Time Square, although you wouldn't realise because, once inside, the noise and hustle-bustle of the street instantly disappears into an oasis of calm and relaxation. We stayed for a few nights in February, when it was cold and snowy outside, and it was so nice to come in to a warm, peaceful hotel after a long day's sightseeing. It's a 10 minute walk from Grand Central mainline station, or a 2 minute walk from Time Square subway station, and for theatre lovers, you could not ask to be closer to the heart of the theatre district.\nOur room was a good size with a decent bathroom. The bath wasn't huge but we didn't need it as the shower worked perfectly well. I'd forgotten to bring shaving foam and toothpaste but the hotel staff provided me with both, only a couple of minutes after i rang reception. The bed was enormous - probably could have fitted 4 people, let alone 2! The hotel heating was very efficient, if not a little bit too effective - we ended up sleeping with the window open to avoid over-heating during the night - but, i'd much rather be too warm and have to open a window rather than being too cold and, as it was so cold outside, it was great to be able to get warm after being out on the streets. The room had an air-con unit but it was fairly noisy so we didn't use it. Our room only had a view over a central courtyard but it wasn't a problem as we hadn't exactly gone there expecting to see the hanging gardens of babylon outside the window! The walls between rooms must have been thick too, because we never heard a sound from any other residents.\nThe free breakfast was fairly simple (bagels, croissants, egg, fruit + cereal) but was more than adequate and in plentiful supply. The afternoon cheese + wine buffet was excellent and was available for 3 hours each afternoon between 5-8pm. The hotel had a lounge area that was open all day to residents, where breakfast and wine buffet were served. It also had a computer with internet connection that was free to use and a coffe machine which served a number of different coffees or hot chocolate 24 hours a day.\nThe staff were all very friendly and helpful and only too happy to assist us in anything we needed, particularly in sorting out our return travel to the airport.\nOverall, a really good hotel, with lots of 'extras', in a fantastic location, at a decent price (for central Manhattan) - we had a great time staying there.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "My boyfriend and I stayed at the hotel between 15th and the 23rd Jan 2007. I booked this hotel mainly due to the reviews on this site, so felt I should leave a review.\nThis was our 4th trip and we usually use a different hotel every trip. Not anymore!\nThis hotel is very good value for money, having the option of breakfast is great. It cuts down on wasted time trying to find a dinner and is great value. The choices were fruit, yougart, bagels, muffins and cerials. The only negitive point is that we found it very hard to get a seat during the weekend and felt the hotel should provide more seats at this busy time. ** might I add that the girls who work in the hotel cafe are brilliant, very friendly and wont allow you to lift a finger.\nI was unsure about the wine and cheese receptions, we are in our mid 20's and didnt know what the age range would be, however it was great and with good quality drinks and help when I was getting ready for night out!\nThe bedrooms were fine and came wih everything you could need. My only problem was that I felt the beds were uncomfortable, but each to their own I suppose.\nThe room and bathroom was kept very clean by daily maid service.\nThe reception staff were great, very friendly and helpful. \nI will deff use this hotel again and am considering it for my return shopping trip with my friend later this year in September.\nHope this helps any future hoildays!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Stayed in the Casablanca Hotel 25th - 28th of January. When I choose a hotel the three main reasons are Cleanliness, Staff and Location. This hotel had all three.\nWe booked a town car pickup from JFK through the hotel. This was dealt with by Peter (front desk), he called us in England the week before our flight to confirm the details and he was very efficient. When we arrived at the hotel the staff were extremely friendly and explained about the rooms and Rick\u2019s Caf\u00e9. Vinney took our cases and promptly delivered them to our room. We had a query about the rate of the town car pickup and Lenny (front desk) cleared this up in no time. We went for breakfast the next morning and was greeted by a lady (I think she was Russian) she had a chat with us and made us feel very welcome. She looked after the breakfast area and kept it clean and tidy.\nThe same afternoon we met another lady who was head of housekeeping, she came and sat with us and explained that if we had any queries about the room (adjusting the room temperature, extra towels etc etc) we just needed to ask and she would make sure it was done again she was very polite and welcoming. In all fairness the room was immaculate, seriously it was cleaner than any other hotel I have stayed in. (you can see by the photos).\nThe location was a dream, literally 50 meters into Times Square. We did not take any public transport apart from the bus tour, we walked everywhere as the hotel was centrally located. \nI was concerned about the construction work at the top of the street by the hotel but we never heard a thing (don\u2019t think they work after a certain time at night?). I had read reports that the rooms were very small but we had plenty of room and it did not cause us any problems. The bed was very also comfy. Rick\u2019s Cafe was lovely and the food great \u2026.. the wine also went down well \u2026. ;-)\nAll in all the hotel was the best I have ever stayed regarding customer service and cleanlness. Other hotels should take lessons from the Casablanca especially in staff training and hotel cleanliness.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We had an amazing time at the Casablanca. There's not much more I can add to the things other people have said, except to back it up and say that it was as good as people have said.\nThe staff are excellent - very attentive without being overly 'in your face'. They are always willing to help, but you do not feel that they are doing so just for a tip.\nThe head of house-keeping was a gem - I cannot remember her name, but she always made sure we were looked after and even left us a little bottle of Champagne in our room.\nThe wine and cheese is fabulous - it was great to see a good selection of cheeses. They had good red and white wine, and also served Champagne. The only little thing I would like to see is maybe a couple of sodas for the children, but there is juice if they like that. \nYes, they leave out pastries and cookies all day and night. Dangerous for the diet, but oh so nice. They have a huge selection of teas and the coffee machine is spectaculor. I want one!\nTheir Breakfast is very welcome - served from 7.30 to 10am. So many hotels in the states don't provide breakfast free of charge. The room size was fine I found. The bathroom was a good size too and stocked with very nice products. They clean the rooms very well every day. I had no problems at all with the cleanliness factor as I have done in so many hotels I've stayed in.\nThis is a real gem of a hotel - I would definitely stay there again.\nOne small tip: The mini-bar is pressure sensitive. If you are like us and like to swap their drinks for your own to keep them cool, then it actually shows up on the bill as though you have had the drinks. They do a manual inventory too, so they adjust the bill accordingly, but if you wanted to save yourself this trouble, they do have fridges that they can bring up to your room. At least, this is what the head of housekeeping offered to us.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I was hoping to give the wonderful Casablanca an excellent rating. However as explained below I do feel let down,\nWe stayed for three nights prior to joining our Caribbean cruise out of New York. We were due to stay another night upon our return which co-incided with the weekend of the NY Marathon.\nWhen we returned from our cruise and went to check in apparently our second reservation was not in their system and no room was available. To their credit they quickly found us a room at one of their sister properties which was not too far away but not as close to Times Square. That was disappointing as we had restaurant and theatre bookings for the Saturday evening. I had exchanged e-mails with the Hotel only a week or two before we left regarding a transfer back to the airport. Therefore I do just wonder whether this was a deliberate ploy to maximise occupancy across this small chain of Hotels. There is a similar story from another post around last Christmas.\nAll that said our three day stay was just great. The room was a reasonable size as was the bathroom. We were situated at the back of the Hotel and had no view but you don't go to New York to look at the view, you go to walk! The room was clean and well equipped. \nThe staff at the Hotel were friendly and helpful. The buffet breakfast was more than adequate. A useful tip, to get a nicer coffee than that obtained from the flasks, make yourself an expresso in a mug from the machine and top it up with the hot water button.\nThe evening wine and cheese reception was also good and saved the price of a pre-dinner drink!\nThis is a well run friendly small hotel very well situated for tourists to New York.\nHighly recommended but double check your booking!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We have just returned from our first ever visit to the USA. Our trip involved a three week itinerary in a wide area of locations one of which involved the very necessary visit to New York City. We did our homework at the planning stage and having read favourable reviews of The casablanca, we booked to stay for 5 nights.\nThis is New York City, one of the great cities of the world and as such, hotel prices are not cheap. The Casablanc isnt cheap either but there are times when it really is worth investing in quality and a visit to NYC is such a time and the Casablanca is such a place.\nThe Casablanca is conveniently and centrally situated in a street just off times square. even so it is an oasis of peace in which to seek refuge from the mad ,crazy bustle of NYC. The staff are incredibly friendly, welcoming and accomodating. The hotel sells itself as a themed boutique style hotel and it does it very well with good quality and stylish equipment and decor. True the rooms are small by European standards but then most rooms in NYC are of similar dimensions unless you pay an absolute fortune.\nOur room was well equipped, clean and comfortable. breakfast is served in a nice comfortable residents lounge and is of good quality, well prepared with a good choice. Coffee etc are available all day and there is the included wine and cheese reception in the afternoon.\nWe can recommend the Casablanca as a great place to stay for your visit to NYC.\nJoe & Judith, Manchester UK", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "My daughter and I visited NY City for the first time to celebrate our birthdays. Even though I have travelled all over the world this was my first triip to NY. The Casablanca was absolutely wonderful. We had a suite with separate living room and bedroom with 2 full beds. The rooms and bath were much larger than expected for NY. Very well decorated, nice linens, ect. The greatest was the absolute quiet after returing from all the outside street noise.\nThe staff were very attentative and answered any questions we might have. It was very much like staying at a hotel on the club level - the breakfast and 24 hr. coffee and cookies were great. \nI would highly recommend this hotel to any adult travelers - you could not possibly beat the value for both location and ammenities.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Just returned from a 4 night stay in the Casablanca and must say that the location of the hotel has to be among the best for its price range in New York. \nThis was our first time in New York and found being so close to times square (and subway station) made it very easy to find our way around the area. \nDespite being only 10 yards from times square we were not disturbed by any noise although our room was in a central location within the building, overlooking the courtyard.\nThe hotel staff are always on hand to provide assistance with any queries and recommendations.\nWe would not hesitate to stay at the Casablanca when we return to New York.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "My Husband and I went to New York for our 30th Wedding Anniversary, we researched hotels in New York extensively, using trip adviser, and settled with The Casablanca which we booked directly via the hotel, and what a find.\nHotel Casablanca is right on the corner of Times Square, with a 24 hour Starbucks just round the corner, Bliss.\nThe hotel was friendly beyond all words, the second floor lounge area, where breakfast is served , tea and coffee available (free) all day and cheese and wine in the evenings was a lovely relaxing room they also have a computer and free internet access. The bedrooms some say on their reviews were small but we didnt find them excessively small, they did up grade us as it was our anniversary, they provide fluffy dressing gowns, and small vials of toilettries and in room safe.\nThe location was perfect, bang in Times Square, but the hotel didnt seem noisy despite its central location. We felt very safe in Times Square, we walked everywhere, used the Metro, and did all the touristy bits possible, Ground Zero, Central Park, Macys, etc., At night we ate in Tonys next door to hotel, and another pub/restaurant next door to Tonys Heartlands Brewary, we found one or two Irish Bars where we spent many a pleasant evening, you shouldnt miss the enormous toys R Us, and if you are a fan of Starbucks (I am) they are everywhere. Bliss!!\nWe went on the Grayline Manhattan Coach tours this was a all day tour and a great way to see and learn about all the sites, and Howard the tour guide for the day was excellent.\nThe transfer to and from Newark airport went smoothly, we pre booked a mini bus with a firm called super shuttle, they dropped us off at our hotel and picked us up from there on the day of departure. Newark airport dosnt have its duty free area after security its all before security once you have checked in which is good as it means you can escape outside for a ciggy while waiting for your plane.!!!\nAll in all a brill holiday made better by such a lovely hote.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "We stayed at the Casablanca for 5 nights, Sept. 8th. to Sept. 13th.\nLocation, location, location within walking distance of many NY experiences, & steps from Times Square. I could run out of superlatives describing the staff, the housekeeping, the cleanliness & comfort, the complimentary breakfast & wine & cheese. We've stayed in many high end hotels that can't compare with the Casablanca, where we were upgraded to a king bed at no extra charge. Our whole NY visit was great, & the Casablanca was icing on the cake.\nJust like Winners \"you should go there\".\nJack & Christina, Calgary, Alberta, Canada", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "Only 1/2 block from Times Square this little gem was a wonderful little oasis in the middle of Manhattan. This is a small boutique hotel with great friendly staff. There were 3 adult women so we booked a one bedroom suite that offered 2 double beds and a double hideabed. We were a little concerned about the comfort of the hideabed but upon arrival we found that the housekeeping staff had added extra covering for the mattress, our fears were put to rest. Our room was clean, newly decorated including the large bathroom and provided 3 of everything. The hotel also offers a complimentary breakfast and a very welcome free afternoon wine (champagne) and cheese reception. A great way to unwind after a day of sights and shopping. We would all stay here again and again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I don't often give out 5 star - Excellent ratings on TripAdvisor because there is usually something that could be improved. However, with respect to the Casablanca you get exactly what has been described here on the site - a top 10 hotel in the heart of mid-town at a reasonable (by NYC standards) price.\nI have travelled to New York on business and have been put up in 'chain' hotels like the Hilton and Hyatt in the past. The Casablanca is by far a better choice, especially if you want a boutique hotel experience. It isn't however a \"5 star\" hotel with a gym, pool, etc, but I would say the actual accomodations are a solid 4 star.\nMy wife and I stayed at the Casablanca in early July and had a great time - we arrived at the hotel early (early flight in) and were told we could head up to the 2nd floor lounge area to grab some breakfast before we headed out for the day even though we hadn't checked in - little things like that make the hotel great. The breakfast is simple but good - fruit, some pasteries, cereal and bagels with juice and coffee. That saves you 7 or 8 bucks right there before you even hit the streets.\nThe Casablanca is on West 43rd street just half a block from Times Square so you WILL get street noise and/or crowd noise in the evenings. The sound-proofing in between hotel rooms is good and we only noticed crowd noise on a couple of occasions. It was great to be in the heart of Times Square and then walk 2 minutes and be relaxing with an ice tea or a wine in the lounge. West 43rd is kind of a secondary street so there isn't too much going on, which means no taxis standing out in front - but if you walk the half block to Times Square you have a subway stop and all the taxis you could want.\nThe staff was friendly and welcome you back each time you go out - the lounge has a computer set up with an internet connection and printer so you can check-in online for your flight out to save some time. The rooms are smallish to average size for New York (I had a room at the Grand Hyatt which was smaller but cost almost twice as much) and have nice linens and toiletries.\nI would absolutely recommend a stay at the Casablanca. The location is outstanding and the lounge feature makes it a great place to meet and relax before/after your day out touring.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My daughter and I stayed here for a long weekend - can't say enough\ngood about the facility and the staff. Large enough room had 2 comfortable\ndouble beds, adequate bathroom, complimentary bottles of water, relaxing\ndecor. The breakfast/lounge room was large and comfortable, plenty of\nnewspapers and a computer that was almost always available. Great\niced tea at all hours - very refreshing after coming in from the 90+\ndegree heat!! Evening wine and cheese was perfect to tide us over\nbefore a show and late dinner. But best of all were the polite and\nhelpful desk clerks - they made tour bus arrangements, restaurant\nrecommendations, gave maps and detailed directions all in a great\ngood humor and with the most helpful attitude. Would recommend\nthe Casablanca in a heartbeat to anyone heading to NYC.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We enjoyed our stay at the Cassablanca very much. The highlights were: \n-the location is perfect, literally meters from the middle of Time Square. This did freak us out the first couple of times we left the hotel though as it is so peaceful and calming in the hotel, and then suddenly you are thrust into the total assult on the senses which is Time Square in 2 or 3 steps!!\n- very friendly and helpful staff\n- delightful breakfasts\n- the cheese and wine that was available in the afternoon. This was very thoughtful and turned into a bit of a highlight of the day.\n- stylish and interesting decorated room \nOnly negative against our stay, was a very noisy aircon unit in the room which did get annoying after a while.\nOther than that, full marks.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "As with the last reviewers - I would have to say this Hotel is a great choice for value. After the fast pace of NYC it was great to come back to this little haven just off Times Square. The wine evenings were great as was the free internet. We had a room on the inner courtyard and it was exceptionally quiet. The staff were helpful and friendly and had no problem looking after our bags for the day prior to our 8pm flight. As my last review after a world trip and half a dozen reviews I would just like to say tripadvisor is an excellent resource and congratulations to everyone for posting.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "When choosing a New York hotel, I was almost put off by this one's Casablanca theme but it isn't as cheesy as it sounds and it does help ensure that the decor is stylish and well-maintained. The location is brilliant, a stone's throw from Times Square and subway stations. The downside is that it can be noisy, but no-one goes to New York for the peace and quiet, I suppose. However, I'd definitely request a room at the back next time. The rooms are not large but comfortable. The \"free\" buffet breakfast provides a better than average start to the day and the round-the-clock coffee etc is a real treat.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Have used Tripadvisor for the past couple of years to choose hotels, but have never posted my own review until now. Just wanted to confirm that the Hotel Casablanca is the great hotel described by most posters, and I really can't understand those who question the friendliness of the staff. Myself and my husband both independently commented on how good the staff were - they were particularly human and friendly, with a sense of humour which is often lacking. Doormen were also particularly helpful - noting our queries to pass onto the people on the desk if there was any queue at all - and our questions were always answered. \nThis is the 6th different hotel I've stayed at in New York on seven visits, and the first time I would choose to go back to a hotel for any other reason than price - not that I particularly disliked previous hotels, but for value for money (we paid $299 per night for our King sized bedroom), friendliness and amenities, this hotel would win hands down. The previous poster who noted the hotel was not a 5* hotel - well it's not, it's a 3* hotel according to this website, but it's the best 3* hotel I've stayed in. The Times Square location is ideal as nowhere in Manhattan is too far away from Midtown (we requested a quiet room and it was very quiet for New York, let alone Times Square). Room size was average, but the decor was very nice, clean and modern with nice toiletries. The DVD and complimentary DVD library was a nice touch, with a reasonable range of films to choose from, and the free internet access is always useful.\nThe wine and cheese in the evenings was a fantastic touch - with at least 5 different types of cheese, quality biscuits, grapes and very drinkable wine, as was the day long fruit, coffee, biscuits, muffins etc. It certainly drew guests back to sample what was on offer - yet there was always a seat left for us. The pianist sounded great on Friday night - sadly we weren't able to stay to listen to him as we had show tickets. Complimentary breakfasts were great considering they were complimentary - including cereals, pastries, bagels, fruit, cream cheese, hard boiled eggs, yoghurts etc. and a selection of drinks. You almost need not eat out at all with the quality and quantity of complimentary food and drink provided by the hotel (not that I recommend that given the wealth of good restaurants in the vicinity). \nThe day we checked out we left our bags and on going back for them popped upstairs to check our flight details on the internet for the following day. Thought the receptionist may have a problem with that (particularly as the internet was in the lounge with the free pastries and coffee), but nothing was said, nobody checked on us, and they were polite and courteous as usual.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "This was our second visit to the Casablanca and whenever we need a hotel room in New York this is where it will be. Not for us the sterile and impersonal chain hotels, here you are treated as an individual...a guest. From the moment we arrived we felt at home. Of course the wine and cheese and champagne reception six nights a week isnt the only reason why I want to return! There is the friendly staff who go out of their way to give you directions, recommend restaurants, and help make the trip what you want it to be. The breakfast of bagels, various cereals, cream cheese, fruits, eggs, different teas and coffees etc etc is plentiful and staff go out of their way to try and find your favourites_the cinnamon and raisin bagel for me! The lady serving even remembered my daughter and I from last year!\nThe rooms are small as you would expect in New York and so are some of the bathrooms. I have learnt a bathroom in the double bedded room is smaller than the King bedded. But nevertheless it is adequate. Lighting too could be a bit brighter but then my daughter needed it for studying.The rest of the hotel has such character and we love the lounge especially with its all day help yourself service of coffee, tea, iced water, fruits, cookies etc. Fantastic when you have come in thirsty with aching feet from a hard days shopping! And of course the free internet which was well used.\nAnd all this literally steps away from Times Square. My message to the owners:Dont change a thing about the character and staff of this hotel! You have a real gem here.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We picked this hotel for its proximity to the theatres as this was our first trip to New York and we were not sure how easy it was to get around. What a gem! So close to the bustle of Times Square and yet a million miles away when you walk through the doors. We stayed on the fifth floor at the rear overlooking the central courtyard and I can honestly say you hear nothing other than the occasional siren (it is New York after all). The room was spacious and the bathroom well equiped with a good sized shower.\nThe compimentary wines and cheese (and popcorn!) in Rick's Cafe each evening were a treat and nice to come back to after a day pounding the streets. The breakfast buffet was an unexpected bonus with fresh fruit, bagels, croissants etc and real coffee facilities. We never did get out for the \"must do\" American breakfast, it was just too easy to settle down in Rick's!\nInternet access was always available- and well used! \nWe wouldn't hesitate to stay here again, we had a fabulous week helped by excellent staff and great weather!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We stayed at the Casablanca for a week, during which we were married. From our experience, that's all we can give. \nWe were in contact with the manager for a long time, who assured us that they would help arrange transport from JFK to the hotel, it didn't happen, despite a call before we left home. Never mind, but it was our wedding/honeymoon. I think that's just wrong. Any apology? No. Anyway, its easy enough to get a cab. We arrive at the Casablancla and are warmly met. The staff are great, when you are there. We were shown to our room. It was big enough, but nothing like what you'd expect from a suite in NYC, at $ 400/night. A light didn't work, but that was sorted eventually. It definitely wasn't immaculately clean, that's a fact! It also was VERY noisy! There is major building going on just across the street, and that was loud, as was the constant traffic noise.\nThe hotel gave us the perfect venue to be married, and we were, and that, and the friendly staff, for us, is its only redeeming feature. And for that, we are grateful, but we paid for that, remember. On our wedding day, at least three people, two from Europe and one from USA, tried to buy champagne to send to us, only to be told \"there's already a few bottles on order\". Did we see any of them? No, we didn't. \nOverall, the Casablanca was full of, if you excuse me, of elderly peole, happy to be around Times Sq.\nThe 'free' food, you get also elswhere for cheaper.\nThe Casablanca, massively overpriced, and over-rated.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husband and I were first-time visitors to New York last month and stayed at the Casablanca. \nThe hotel was incredibly clean and well-kept, which was something I was a little nervous about since we had never stayed in New York. Everything was beautiful and we liked the little touches everywhere.\nThe continental breakfast was nice to have- it certainly wasn't a huge buffet spread of food, but it was plenty to give you a good start for a day of sight-seeing. We loved the wine and cheese in the evenings- we would take some back to our room while we got ready to go back out to dinner.\nThe rooms are definitely small- our room only had a double bed, but I knew that when we booked it. It's bigger than a cabin on a cruise ship, and we didn't spend much time in our room anyway.\nThe location is right in the middle of Times Square, by the 42nd street subway station, but it really is very quiet. \nThe staff was very nice and accomodating. The only problem we encountered was when we asked the front desk to make reservations for us at Tony's, the restaurant next door to the hotel. We were told our reservation was for 7:30 pm, but when we got to the restaurant, they told us the hotel had arranged for an 8:30 spot. The restaurant was able to move things around and got our group a table in about 20 minutes.\nWe are already planning our next visit to New York and will be staying at the Casablanca again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "This hotel is everything the reviews say it is, so I wont simply repeat the other comments. \nThe thing that places it above other hotels (some more expensive) I have stayed in in New York is how comfortable and relaxed I felt there, especially after returning from a long day's activities. I don't tend to sit in hotel lounges, but I did sit in this one. Because of the smaller size, you were on greeting terms with other guests, and to sit in the lounge for a glass of wine, or coffee/pastries was a pleasant and sociable experience. You could socialise with other guests, or just sit and plan your next day, read the newspapers, look up the internet, or catch up with emails. \nAlthough I said I wouldn't repeat the main comments from other guests, it would not be right to sign off without some praise for the staff - not just the reception staff, but those looking after the lounge area and food, and the housekeeping staff as well.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Stayed here for a couple of days earlier in the month based solely on the reviews on this site, and they're all spot on. I almost hesitate to add to the chorus of positive reviews for fear it will make getting a room more difficult in the future. This is a great place, only half a block off Times Square, yet dead silent inside except for the occasional siren. The entire building is immaculately spotless, hallways are even lightly and pleasantly scented. Lots of freebies that other places regard as \"revenue centers\"- bottled water in the room,coffee in all its varieties all day, snacks, broadband in room and public terminal in the second floor lounge. \nThe whole second floor is a great place to relax and chat, with multiple copies of NY Times to peruse over coffee. My own java tastes run a bit stronger than what was offered, but no problem, since there's even a Starbuck's right around the corner! I can also highly recommend two great restaurants, again selected solely based on 'net reviews. Try Bellavitae for superb Italian, as good as the last few times I've been to Babbo but without the hoopla, along with Hearth for great contemporary American.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My wife and I had our first stay at the Casablanca 4 nights thru Christmas, an \"easy\" walk from Penn Station due to the transit strike. We were concerned when we saw that the hotel is 1/2 block from Times Square, but once inside you'd never know it. From the time we arrived until we departed, the staff was superb! They really wanted us to enjoy our stay. Our interior room was extremely quiet, and while not large, of sufficient size (especially the bathroom). The \"full\" continental breakfast was wonderful, as were the wine and goodies available in the early evening. Both were in Rick's Lounge, which featured a fine pianist some evenings. We both enjoyed the Casablanca theme, which was tastefully done throughout. The tiny \"romantic\" elevators always gave us a laugh. We were so happy to discover this little gem and took away some great memories.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "We stayed here for 2 nights for a special birthday celebration weekend. The staff is SO friendly and hospitable. The accommodations comfortable and immaculate. The 2nd floor lounge is a real plus with beverages/snacks available 24 hours. Don't miss the wine/cheese from 5-8 or so...with piano player on Friday nights. The location is right in time square, but when you stay here, you feel as if you've left the city. It's a totally quiet and relaxed atmosphere. This will definitely be our place to stay on future trips to New York.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "We stayed at the Casablanca Hotel for just three nights Feb. 12-15, 2006. in the middle of the biggest snowstorm ever to hit Manhattan. It is a fantastic small hotel! Staff (everyone we met) were extremely\npleasant and helpful. You actually felt as though they were glad you were staying in the hotel! Our oom was large by NYC standards. The hotel is old but updated and well kept. Beds have down comforters.\nBathroom very clean and beautifully tiled. 24hr coffee, tee, and snacks on the 2nd floor. Good value for the money. Although located just steps from Times Square - noise was minimal. A much more pleasant experience than the larger more commercial properties in the area. Would definitely stay at this little NYC GEM again ( and again).", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "We stayed at the Casablanca for 4 nights from the 6th of February. I had advised the hotel that it was our anniversary and we were upgraded to a deluxe room and a bottle of chilled champagne was delivered to our room. A very nice touch. A few days before our arrival we received a phonecall from the hotel regarding transport from the airport. We found the room and the bathroom extremely clean with nice decor. The staff were excellent, extremely pleasant and helpful. The cheese and wine was welcome after a cold day outside. My only gripe was that our room was to the front of the hotel and was a small bit noisy. If booking ask for a room in the back. otherwise location was superb. This hotel is highly recommended.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "A surprise Christmas present from my husband was a trip to NYC for our 1st Anniversary in January. We've spent many months trying to recover from Hurricane Katrina and losing everything, so this trip was very special to us. I had never been to New York, so my husband prepared me for what would lie ahead as far as hotel/room size. We really enjoyed the Casablanca Hotel! We arrived before our room was ready because we had tickets to see David Letterman, so the Concierge kept our bags for us while we were there. When we got back that evening, our room was ready and I have to say, it was much bigger than what I had expected. Yes, it is a small room, but it was big enough for the two of us to sleep and for all of our luggage and we still had room to move about. The bathrooms are also big enough and immaculately clean. The whole hotel is kept very neat and clean. What we liked about the hotel is that we could walk right out the door and in less than a half-a-block, we were in Times Square and could catch a subway train. But we could walk right back into the hotel and not even hear the noise coming from Times Square; it was like our little oasis. If you want a more quiet experience in the hotel, then request a room in the back of the building, but if you're ok w/ a little noise and want to look out on Times Square, then get one in the front.\nThe hotel offers free continental breakfast every morning of muffins, scones, cereal, croissants, fruit, coffee, lattes, cappucinos, milk, juice and tea. Whatever pastries are left over from breakfast are left out for guests to snack on during the day. In the evenings, there is a wine and cheese reception. \nThe staff is very friendly and sees to it to help in every way possible.\nSightseeing: I'm amazed at how much we were able to see in just four days! If you get a chance, go to the West Village and eat at Philip Marie. On our anniversary, we went to Gramercy Tavern. This is a neat place and it had one of the highest Zagat ratings, but be prepared to spend A LOT of money there. If you sit in the front dining room, you can choose from a cheaper A la Carte menu, but if you request to sit in the back dining room, you are limited to a 3-course meal for almost $80/person, not including drinks. However, you do get a lot of little extras in the back dining room, like hor de ourves and extra little desserts. They also gave us complimentary champagne for our anniversary. Be prepared to make reservations days in advance. Soho is great, too, as was Little Italy, but China Town didn't do anything for us. Go ice skating in Central Park; it's cheaper than going at Rockefeller Centre. We didn't get to do a Broadway show this time, but next time we will. Another great thing about the hotel is that it is right by where they sell the show tickets at cheaper prices. There is a tent set-up in Times Square and at certain times during the day, you can line up and try to get cheap tickets to shows.\nSubway: This is great for getting around, but sometimes can be confusing as to what train to get on and where to switch, etc. NOTE: DO NOT buy metro cards from people standing next to the machines where you buy them. They do not work there and they will rip you off. \nWe bought a great guide book before we went. It's called Fodor's New York and we carried it everywhere. It tells you points of interest and what to do in each part of Manhattan. And it even has guided tours to show you what streets to take and what to see at each street. We highly recommend getting this book.\nWell I think that's all from our short NYC trip. We loved the Casablanca and would encourage anyone to stay there. If you have any questions, then feel free to email me.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 31}, {"text": "This is truly an oasis in the middle of New York and only a few yards from Time Square. The rooms and beds are a little on the small side. Otherwise a great friendly hotel. No complaints whats so ever.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "This a great little hotel. Just a few yards from Times Square, but feels a million miles away... the area is the main tourist part of town, but it's also got the subway just across the street to take you downtown to the Village etc, and is comfortable walking distance to Fifth Avenue, Empire State, Rockefeller, MOMA, Central Park and numerous other sights.\nThe rooms and nice enough, a little small - but you can't really expect anything more in the heart of NYC.\nStaff were very friendly, offering restaurant recommendations etc. The cafe was great - free breakfast, free coffee and cakes all day, and free cheese and wine every evening. When you factor all that into the room rate, it's actually a bit of a bargain.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "My daughter and I stayed at the Casablanca the week before Christmas in 2004 and 2005. Obviously, we were very satisfied during our stay in 2004 and extended for an additional day this past December. The location is ideal for walking to the theater district, tourist attractions, restaurants, and shopping, which was appreciated this time because of the transit strike. The friendly staff, the availability of a light breakfast before starting the day; coffee, etc. available throughout the day; wine and cheese in the evenings in a relaxed atmosphere just added to an enjoyable experience.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I had booked this hotel via the Trip Advisor web site and received a confirmation from Travelocity telling me that I had got the deluxe room I had asked for. A special occasion, I was taking my husband via the Queen Mary 2 to NY for our wedding anniversary break. The transatlantic sail was perfect, the ship, sublime, the suite, perfect and we arrived at the hotel in a limo along with a great deal of luggage! Confirmation in hand, we trooped to reception...only to find that they had no record of our booking! Yes, the bookers had told us we had a room, but neglected to tell the hotel, who were now full...leaving us stranded ( this happens a lot, we were told...so always check you have a booking...a confirmation with this company means very little!) We were stuck! No hotel! A great deal of luggage and no room at the busiest time for Christmas shopping in NY...it looked like the fantastic climax to our trip was ruined. However, the boys at the Casablanca were fantastic! Nick and the chaps immediately juggled bookings, made calls, put themsleves out and after a short wait, found us a room in their hotel (and had promised to find one elsewhere if they could not help us as they were very full!) It wasn't the deluxe room I wanted, they apologised the room would be small and not their best but I was so grateful for the fantastic service, we said yes! The room was great! If that is the worst, I look forward to staying in the deluxe when we next stay in NY! It was comfortable, well decorated and available straight away (11am!) On top of that, Nick took copies of all my paper work and has been great about chasing up the problem with me...really taking joint ownership when he really had no need. The hotel deserves all the praise you read in the reviews...coffee, juices and buns and biscuits available all day and a great cheese and wine evening (except Sundays). Breakfast is good too and though the hotel is just off Time Sq, we had an undisturbed trip and we were ideally located for shopping, theatre and everything else NY. Booking restaurants, taxis etc was no problem for the hotel and they really went out of their way to make sure we were happy and comfortable after our unfortunate start...they actually seemed to care about a problem that really wasn't theirs. I have stayed in many hotels in NY and I have to say that this is the best. An originally decorated, truly friendly, incredibly helpful establishment...I can't praise it enough for everything they did for us. On top of that...its half the price of the places we usually stay where you are pretty much invisable after check in.\nThank you Nick and the guys and please, members, if you book on line, even through a great site like Trip Advisor and you get a confirmation...please please call and check! I shall not be using Travelocity again...they really didn't care and made no effort to apologise or even respond to my problem.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 56}, {"text": "My partner and I stayed at the Casablanca for a week in mid December.\nThe hotel was clean and comfortable and is in a fantastic location (literally yards from Times Square). Our room was on the inside so was very quiet and well equiped, including a DVD player - free DVDs are available within the hotel, there is also a PC with internet access in the lounge area.\n On reading prior reviews I was a little concerned that the room would be too small, but the size was adequate and we were able to store ourselves and three large suitcases easily.\n There is a buffet continental style breakfast where you can eat as much as you want, also free wine and cheese in the afternoons.\nThe main asset of the hotel has to be the staff, they were all great and nothing was too much trouble. From arranging meals in nearby restaurants on theatre nights, to helping us with the subway system, everything was handled in a professional and friendly way.\nI have no hesitation in recommeding this hotel, and will certainly stay here again when we return to New York.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 26}, {"text": "Stayed with my daughter in December for a 3 day shopping weekend. The staff and service was excellent! Location was great! We are planning our next weekend escape at the Casablanca.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My girlfriend and I stayed at the Casablanca for six nights during December. We were greeted warmly and efficiently. The room was slightly small but we hardly in the room so it was not a major problem. Overall the hotel was ok for the price, NY hotels are very highly priced so perhaps I am being harsh but I expected a little more class for the money I paid.\nPositives\n- Location was superb just of the times sq\n- Free Coffee and Cookies\n- Staff were friendly and helpful\nNegatives\n- I had to kill a cockroach in the bathroom\n- Price was high for the standard of the room\n- Breakfast was not worth the money", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "We arrived in New York Thursday 8th December to celebrate my wifes \"big birthday\" and from the moment we walked through the doors of the Casablanca we knew we had came to the right place. We booked a limo pick up from JFK through the hotel ($111) and it swept us into town very smoothly, the hotel also put flowers in our room and the champagne arrived shortly after we did - courtesy of the hotel. We had room 506 (atrium facing) it was very quiet, very well decorated and very clean. Not a big room but great bed and great warm feeling in a freezing New York. The staff are excellent, we dealt with around 10 people through our stay and everyone from the girls in the lounge to the reception and door staff were not only well trained but charming, nice people in fact they are the best staff we have encountered anywhere (and we've travelled a lot). Things to be aware of are the cheese and wine hour...or 3! Its great and should be enjoyed as much as possible! The location is right beside Times square - good for nightlife, shops and subway. If you go make sure you let them know about any special celebration, they care about making your stay special and for those lucky folks celebrating something...it will be very special. To the Casablanca staff - thankyou for a great holiday, see you in December 2006!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Absolutely excellent hotel. No faults at all. Room was very clean (and I am fussy) with more then adequate room. The buffet breakfast was a great start to the day,the wine and cheese (and popcorn)in the evening was greatly appreciated after a long day exploring the shops in NYC.\nThe staff were extremely helpful and I will definitely be returning to this hotel without a doubt.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Arrived at the Casablanca Hotel on Fri 18th Nov 2005 at about 4pm for five nights. Our room (505 (booked through Expedia)) was better than expected and of a size which, while not large, was more than adiquate for the rate we payed.\n Room was very clean and tidy with a T.V., DVD player, mini bar, safe, iron and ironing board. Bed was very comfy and air conditioning unit worked well (but was a little loud).\n Bathroom was well equipped and clean with lots of free groming products.\n Hotel aminities were all very clean and tidy with the second floor breakfast room/Rick's Cafe being an excelent place to relax with complimentary drinks/pasteries after a long day sightseeing or shopping.\n The location of this hotel was amazing, being just 50 yards from the heart of times square and a major metro station at the end of the street.\n The staff were very frendly, helpfull and polite and we could not have wished for a better base for our first visit to the Big Apple.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My husband and I recently spent three nights at the Casablanca Hotel. The staff were wonderful, helpful and friendly. Our room was just what we requested. We were thrilled that even though we were in the heart of Times Square, we could not hear any of noise in our room. The breakfast and reception in the evening was great. We loved the wine, champagne, and cheese before our theater nights. The staff were very helpful in recommending great restaurants for after theater dinners. The location was great. We were just a ten-fifteen minute walk to the Broadway theaters. We walked everywhere. We only used transportation to and from the airport. We will definitely stay at the Casablanca again!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "The Casablanca is in a convenient location, is nicely decorated, well maintained, and the desk staff was very polite and helpful. The free continental breakfast and wine and cheese in the afternoon were nice touches. As noted in other reviews, the rooms are small. However the chief problem was our bathroom. Not only was it small but it was very poorly laid out. The toilet was so close to the wall in front of it that it was extremely awkward to use. This problem was much more annoying than it may sound, especially since the Casablanca is not cheap, and we would hesitate before staying here again.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We just spent two nights there and were very happy with the Casablanca. The staff was very nice and helpful. There was also a certain informality about the place and the staff that was refreshing. Our last trip to NYC we stayed at the Iroquois where everything seemed formal and cold-feeling. We paid $345/night due to the marathon taking place. If we had gotten some of the lower rates mentioned in other reviews I would be even happier with the hotel. The location was great for walking everywhere. Upon check-in we were given the option of a quiet inside room with a standard bathroom or a street-side room with a large bathroom. We went for street-side and were awakened a couple of times by the noise, but it wasn't too bad. If/when we stay there again we would probably go with an inside room. \nThe breakfasts were good although some better fruit would be nice. It was also great to have a computer in the lounge to check email for free. My major complaint about a lot of hotels is spending a lot for the room and then being nickel and dimed for a ton of small things. I never got that feeling at the Casablanca. It was expensive, but they threw enough in that I wasn't bitter about the price.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "After the rave reviews on this site, I booked a long weekend at the Casablanca for a girlfriend and myself, fully expecting free upgrades and all the amenitites mentioned for $269/night\nI did not read the fine print, my fault, but the room we were offered was tiny with only one double bed. (I did not know this was an option. I have never stayed in a hotel where the standard was one double bed.) This would not work for us, so my friend got on the phone and booked three nights at the Marriott Marquis on Times Square for $208 per night (a government rate), available immediately. \nWith our wheeled luggage, we rolled down two blocks to a wonderful room with two Queen beds with a partial view of Times Square. \nWe were in jeopardy of paying for the first night at the Casablanca, but either they rented the room or let us out of the committment due to goodwill. At any rate, in the future I will think twice before committing to a boutique hotel.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "The trip was a surprise for my husbands 30th birthday and I was very excited to be staying at the Casablanca after reading all of the wonderful reviews on Trip Advisor. \nI had planned a car to collect us at the airport, a bottle of champagne in the room and I'd also asked the hotel to store a birthday cake overnight which was being delivered the day before my husbands birthday. I had e-mailed/telephoned the hotel on several occasions to confirm these arrangements.\nThe champagne wasn't in our room when we arrived (Thursday) but I wasn't too bothered, these things happen. I went to the front desk and asked for it to be put in our room while we were out on Saturday (husbands birthday) I also confirmed that the birthday cake was being delivered the next day (Friday) and checked again than it was ok be stored overnight then put in the room along with the champagne on Saturday. I watched the gentleman at the front desk write this down so other members of staff were aware. Obviously this wasn\u2019t made clear enough despite e-mails, telephone conversations and the conversation I had once we arrived at the hotel because while we were in our room on Friday the birthday cake was brought up and my husband opened the door and the surprise was totally ruined. \nThen on Saturday we had stopped off at the hotel in the afternoon to drop off shopping bags and to rest our feet for half an hour and while I was sat reading a mouse ran across the room. My husband telephoned the front desk who sent someone up and when he removed the radiator cover there was a mouse trap under there so obviously they were aware they had a problem but still kept selling the room. We were moved to the room next door which I wasn\u2019t happy about because as far as I could see then if a mouse could get into one room then it could get into the one next door. We complained and were told that we would have to stay in that room for one night but could be moved to another room for the last two nights of our trip. We were really not comfortable with that so asked what else could be done. We were then told that we could move to a sister hotel (The Library) but would have to pay $50 - $70 more per night. I found this to be a very rude and insulting suggestion. They were trying to make more money out of us! Why should we be made to pay more just to ensure there weren\u2019t rodents in our room?\nThey telephoned the manager (whose cell was turned off as \u201che doesn\u2019t work weekends\u201d) and then after about half an hour and a confrontation at the front desk they agreed that we could move to the other hotel for the same rate we had at the Casablanca and they would also only charge us for one of the nights we had stayed and not both of them. They would also pay for a taxi to take us to the Library\nWe spent approx 2 hours trying to sort this out, and then a further 1.5hrs moving and unpacking again not an ideal way for my husband to spend what was supposed to be a memorable birthday but, thanks to the Casablanca, will now be memorable for all the wrong reasons. \nWe had a very disappointing stay at the Casablanca. The only thing they got right was the car was waiting for us to collect us at the airport but even then I was charged more than the quote I was given by the Casablanca and we had to wait 20 mins to get on a bus before we actually got to the car. \nDefinately won't be staying here again! Thanks Casablanca for ruining my husbands surprise birthday trip which I had spent months planning.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "Stayed at the Casablanca for 5 nights 20th to 25 October for a 50th birthday treat. Arrived mid afternoon to be told that we had been upgraded to a suite but with apologies that it could only be for the one night but they were also dropping our rate by 10 dollars a night, what superb start to the week, they informed us that we would have to be moved the following day but not to worry about anything as when we returned from our days excursions they would have transfered everything for us, low and behold on our return the following day everything was as we left it but in a different room. They then delivered a bottle of champagne to the room as a treat for my birthday, I don't think we would have got this in sort of treatment in many other hotels. The smaller room was adequate and the bathroom was a good size, at the end of the day you don't go to New York to spend a lot of time in your room ! All the staff were friedly and very proffesional, nothing was to much trouble. One day rain was forcast and they insisted that we take one of their umbrellas just in case, thats the sort of detail they take. Ricks on the second floor is great, free coffee and pastries all day with free cheese, wine and champagne from 17:00 - 20:00 every evening. The location cannot be beaten less the 50 yards from the centre of Times Square but still very quite once back in the hotel. There are less expensive hotels in New York but if this is on your short list try it you will not be dissapointed !!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My wife and I just returned from a short get-away in NYC where we stayed at the Hotel Casablanca on West 43rd Street. As you can see from a map, it's very well located just a block from Times Square. The staff was very courteous and helpful, the room was clean and quiet with a very nice large bathroom. On the second floor is \"Ric's Cafe\" which is available for the use of the guests; coffee, tea and soft drinks were available all the time with wine, cheeses, etc from 5:00 until 8:00 at no charge. In the morning a light breakfast (boiled eggs, cerials, fruit, rolls, breads and so forth) was available in Ric's.\nWe have two dining recommendations: the \"2nd Avenue Deli\" (2nd Ave @ 10th St, a cab ride from the hotel) was just great for lunch; have a pastrami sandwich, one was plenty for my wife and me to share, and if you like ales, try Layla which is brewed in Israel. For dinner, you should consider \"restaurant row\" which is on West 46th Street between 7th and 9th Avenues, a short walk from the hotel. There are several restaurants on both sides of the street and each has a menu out front for you to look at. We had Maine lobster dinners at Terry's ($17.95 each and worth it); next night we ate at a French restaurant just down from Terry's which was also very good and reasonably priced. After dinner we went to the very friendly St. Andrews Pub which is on the other side of the block from the hotel on 44th Street.\nWe will definitely consider the Hotel Casablanca on our next trip to the Big Apple and we do not hesitate to recommend it to others!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "A week in NYC was greatly enhanced by the convenience and comfort of the hotel and the exceptional amicability of the hotel's staff. Varied breakfast choices, snacks all day and the evening wine/cheese bar contributed to our feeling that the hotel truly makes every effort to serve as a home away from home. The room was surprisingly spacious (this IS NYC!) The bed was comfortable; the shower was perfect....even \"turn-down\" service chocolates. We will certainly return to a place so well-maintained and a staff so knowledgeable and friendly with such a central location - a block from the subway and from Times Square.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed a week (19/9 - 26/9) at the Casablanca on our first visit to New York. As first time visitors we found this to be an ideal position just steps away from the always busy Times Square. Despite the proximity to the hustle and bustle, the Hotel itself was a haven of tranquility and we did not hear any noise from our room at night.\nThe all day complimentary beverages and cakes in Rick's Cafe were most welcome when popping back to the Hotel to drop off shopping or for a break between visiting attractions. The central position and nearby Times Square subway station meant that it was easy to get back to from anywhere in Manhattan for break.\nThe Hotel also provides complimentary wine & cheese etc each weeknight which was also very welcome and was a \"pre Theatre\" must. We had prebooked Chicago & Spamalot before arriving and both were in easy walking distance from the Casablanca.\nThe service was excellent from all the staff who would do everything they could to help and assist when asked.\nWe would recommend this hotel and would not hesitate to stay there again if we are fortunate enough to return to New York.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed here for 4 nights and loved it ! The staff were unbelievably friendly, efficient and the rooms were clean and tastefully decorated. It manages to keep it African \"accents\" without degenerating into a tacky, themed hotel. The location was great and quieter than I expected, especially given its close proximity to Time Square. \nWe loved the wine and cheese event each evening where it was a good chance to chill out (drinking surprisingly good wine for a freebie), chatting with other guests or enjoying the small garden.\nMinor niggle - I couldnt get a cell phone signal in the hotel but that might be a common problem in NY.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Stayed 5 nights at the Casablanca and enjoyed the hotel, the staff and the location. There is a 2nd floor lounge that served continental breakfast, all day cookies and coffee and evening wine and cheese. It was great! The location for theatre going was perfect. \nI was initially booked into room 308 which was extremely noisy due to the ventilation system from the next door building but I asked to be moved and was accomodated quite willingly. I moved to a room on the inside courtyard which was much quieter.\nI would highly recommend this hotel.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We wish we could play our recent trip again. New York is a fascinating city and The Casablanca definitely increased the enjoyment for us. My wife and I stayed at the beginning and end of a 10 day trip for a total of 6 nights in 2 different rooms. My wife is very particular with regards to hygiene and found both rooms immaculately clean. For a city hotel our rooms were both of adequate size, one with quite a large bathroom. They were both very comfortable with everything you would need, bathrobes, safe, hairdryer, iron and board etc. The only point we would make is the noise of the air conditioning in one of the rooms but it was much needed at the time of our visit. The staff were all very helpful and courteous and attended to every need when asked but they weren't intrusive. \nRicks Cafe, the second floor lounge, was a welcome oasis and always our first ,middle and last stop of the day. The breakfast was very good, the cheese & wine from 5 till 8 was fantastic after a hard day's sightseeing / shopping and before going out for the evening. We have stayed in many hotels and only when we have been on a club floor have we ever seen anything like this and usually not as good. It was a very comfortable experience and sometimes we had to drag ourselves away from the lounge. It also has a computer with free internet access available and a pianist on Friday evenings.\nThe location is perfect, literally strides from Times Square but with the welcome tranquility inside the hotel this is hard to imagine.\nThe best recommendation anyone could give is to say they would stay again and on our next visit to New York we fully intend to do that. \nThank you Casablanca for making a great holiday even better.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I booked a room at the Casablanca for a 3 day stay in August 2005. I must admit that I was slightly apprehensive about staying there due to some recent reviews and, in fact, almost changed my reservation several times. However, I eventually decided to stick with my original reservation and I am so glad that I did.\nThe Casablanca is a truly wonderful hotel. An absolute oasis amidst the hustle and bustle of Time Square. It was almost as if I entered another era as soon as I stepped foot through the door. I was upgraded to a queen room without asking and I found the room to be delightful. Yes, it was fairly small, but this was not a problem at all. There was plenty of room for a queen sized bed, a cupboard with minibar, large TV and VCR, and a small table with 2 chairs. There was a marble ensuite bathroom which was lovely and clean, and the toiletries all smelled of spiced oranges. Yum! I am particularly picky about where I stay and about cleanliness, and I could not fault a single thing at the Casablanca Hotel. If anyone complains about the size of the rooms then they are obviously spending way too much time within the room. There is so much to see and do in NYC that I was rarely at the hotel.\nThere is a buffet breakfast in the 2nd floor lounge area, tea, coffee, cakes and biscuits throughout the day, and a wine, champagne and cheese buffet in the evening. This is a wonderful, and very useful, extra which most other hotels would charge for.\nThe staff are extremely helpful and friendly, including the porter, the russian (?) girl who helps with the food and the front desk staff, Igor and Peter (?). I'm not sure if I got the names right, but they were all fantastic.\nThe hotel decor is not, as previously suggested, tired and dated but is in fact somewhat reminiscient of old-world Morocco and has a delightful atmosphere. Those who do find the decor \"dated\" must prefer the clinical look of most major chain hotels. the Casablana has a more individual charm and alot more personality than other NY hotels.\nThe location is fantastic, being right in the centre of Time Square, about 4 doors away from the subway and from a Starbucks, and the theatres being approximately a 2 minute walk from the hotel. It is in a very central location giving good access to all major attractions.\nI would most certainly stay here again and I would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone. It is perfectly suited to all types of travellers and is a pleasure to visit.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "What a gem, an oasis just off Times Square. Brilliant location, warm and friendly staff. Loved the lounge with 24hr refreshments available and particularly felt welcomed and cherished as a guest by the champagne and nibbles laid on each evening.\nDecorations to a very high standard and appropriate to the name of the hotel. We had a good sized room with king bed and window to inner yard so no street noise but found A/C unit noisy as we are not used to having to use them. This was August in New York. Luxurious bed linen, toiletries and even soft fluffy robes. \nCannot recommend this hotel highly enough.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Great hotel, do I need to say more. We stayed 4 nights, 5 adults, 2 rooms. One adult is so obsessive that she turns the bed down and unfolds all the towels searching for hair etc. Even she was satisfied that this hotel is clean. The 2nd floor lounge is a joy. The gym they sent us to was excellent (only a short walk away). The location is great. But best of all, the staff is as nice as can be. I almost didn't write a review so I could keep this gem available just for us--I totally recommend it!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My mother, daughter and I stayed at the Casablanca every year for several years and were delighted with the accomodations and the service, which was always above and beyond. I tried to book the Casablanca this year as well for several days in August. I left a telephone message that was never returned. When I made a subsequent call for rates the response was rather curt, not at all like the prior experiences I had with hotel staff. Finally I discovered the reason for the change: Manager Joe Reyes had left the Casablanca, along with two other wonderful staffers, Aaron and Scott. With a little detective work I tracked Joe down. He is now managing The Shoreham Hotel on West 55th between 5th and 6th Aves. We made our reservation at The Shoreham instead. Getting Joe Reyes is certainly a coup for the company that owns the Shoreham -- Joe's unparalleled attention to detail and his wonderful way with hotel guests is what made the Casablanca such a wonderful place to stay in NYC. How unfortunate the company that owns the Casablanca let him get away!", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "The staff is the secret of this pleasant, small hotel. I do not know where these polite, helpful, personable people come from, but they are the Casablanca's secret weapon. The wonderful former manager is gone, but the new one also cares about the guest experience. Yes, the rooms are small. That's it - my criticism ends right there. They can't make the rooms bigger, so if you need more space, than go to a different hotel. I have stayed at fancier, pricier, more luxurious, hipper boutique hotels (with much larger rooms!) but at many, I feel like I am always feeding the meter -- with 20 dollar bills -- to get the kind of service and attitude I found at this hotel. (Yes, I tipped individuals and left a gratuity envelope for the front desk as well as one for housekeeping.) My husband and I spent a week at the Casablanca. Four family members (staying elsewhere), including 2 well-behaved children, came over at all hours to pick us up or collapse into a chair at the end of the day before going to the theater. They ate a few cookies, drank a couple of glasses of wine, tea, milk & water according to age and preference. At check out, I offered to pay for what they had consumed, but my offer was declined. The Casablanca people got me theater tickets, recommended decent and appropriate restaurants, handled an important fax and kept a sharp eye on everyone coming in the front door. This was my 4th time staying there and I anticipate the 5th soon.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We were initially captivated when we found this hotel two years ago. Despite the small rooms, everything was impeccible and we were treated, as the staff liked to say, like family. This last visit made us feel like oustead relatives however. The refreshment bar was always empty, the staff did not go \"above and beyond\" as we were used to, and an early morning power washing outside blew out the side of our AC unit, soaking everything in sight. I reported this to the front desk, as well as in a follow up letter to the manager, and never got any sort of satisfactory response. The only thing I can surmise is that, as one of the bellman confessed, they are just so busy all the time, some of that personal touch has definately been lost. We go to NYC at least once a month and have not been back to the Casablanca. We have found bigger rooms and better service at cheaper prices.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We stayed for 3 days/4 nights. The staff was very courteous, the decor was tasteful and the room was very clean, but quite frankly we were alarmed by how small our room was. We should have gotten an idea of the problem when we boarded one of the two elevators, each of which is not quite as wide as a phone booth and about twice as deep. We booked far in advance, but learned only upon confirming days before our trip that king or queen beds aren't available, only 2 singles or a double bed. We quickly learned what must be the reason: the rooms aren't large enough to accomodate any larger bed. I am 6'3\", so to avoid having my feet hanging way off the end of the bed, each night we edged the mattress down the box spring about 6-7 inches and filled in the gap near the headboard with pillows. As a result, we couldn't shut the bathroom door. That is how small the room is. The room itself was maybe 8' X 12'. Space was similarly at a premium in the adjoining bathroom. Ours had only a shower, but we were told that some rooms have tubs but none was available. There was no place to set out our toiletries in the bathroom because the bathroom was too tiny. We leaned our toiletry kits against one another on the elevated 5 \" wide windowsill. The bathrooms have now-outdated push button wall hook phones which seem quaint and useless now and the space would have been far better used on a fold down/up table or multi-use fold-down surface. The lack of any place to effectively set anything down was consistently off-putting. The designers would have done better to include less furniture and acknowlege the smallness of the space, placing functionality at a premium. They have not. We have truly mixed feelings about the hotel. It's well-located just off the heart of Times Square, the decor is pleasant, they put out a better than average complimentary continental breakfast in the comfortable and nicely appointed piano bar called \"Rick's\" (after the movie piano bar, I presume), set out daily papers for guests to peruse and the evening complimentary wine and cheese offering was better than adequate with pleasant non-intrusive live piano entertainment. We used an available PC internet connection in the bar, when it became available. I would actually recommend the hotel to anyone to whom the actual size of the accomodations is not less important, but completely unimportant. As I've detailed, the staff was friendly, the decor was pleasant and tasteful (evoking the promised Casablanca ambience without being overpowering or cartoonish) and the accomodations were clean, with some pleasant decor-appropriate touches (e.g. unusual orange scented shampoo and soap). With all of those positives said though...I've struggled with rating it as between Neutral and \"okay, but some problems\" because it was just so small. Frankly, unacceptably small. Because they've made such great effort to offer a worthwhile experience with the space they have, I've opted to go with the higher rating...but we would not stay there again. A final noteworthy disappointment was that after the trip, they double-charged our credit card. While they remedied it within a couple of days, charging back one of the two charges, they repeatedly blamed their credit card processor and while apologizing for the inconvenience, took no responsibility for it.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My wife and I stayed at the Casablanca over the weekend. The Hotel was quiet, well maintained and just around the corner from Times Square. The continental breakfast was excellent. Unfortunately we were expecting a larger room for the amount we paid. The bathroom was well decorated and the shower excellent. Not sure if we would stay there again.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I was pleasantly pleased with this hotel for my trip to NY. The breakfast buffet was free, nice selection not just pastries. The wireless Internet was free, and the cheese and wine buffet in the evening was free and excellent! I have stayed at many chain hotels in Manhattan, and this one was very clean, nice decor, great value, and great location. Even though it's a few steps from Times Square, my room was very quiet.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I stayed at the Hotel Casablanca for a business trip on the recommendation of other TripAdvisors. On previous trips, I had stayed at the Paramount. Comparatively, the Casablanca rooms are spacious. The service I received was absolutely impeccable. \nOnly 3 negatives, and these are fairly minor but worth mentioning: They were having trouble with the high speed internet access, but I was able to plug my cable in at the lounge. I also couldn't get reception on my cell phone unless I stepped outside. Thirdly, I had a view of a wall from my window <grin>. \nHowever, if you are like me and more interested in seeing New York than your hotel room, this is an awesome place to stay - a nice landing pad. The rooms were clean, the service great (I can't emphasize this enough!), all my requests were met (ice was brought quickly every time I requested it, and the mini-bar was emptied so I could use it as a fridge), the beds were exceptionally comfortable, the soaps and shampoos smelled heavenly, and the breakfast/snack room was really useful. Plus, the location absolutely can't be beat.\nI'm reluctant to say any more good things, since that will only make them harder to book next time. :-)", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "My wife and I traveled from Texas to NYC to celebrate our 25th anniversary. We booked the Casablanca based on the great reviews on TripAdvisor. We weren't disappointed. From the ultra pleasant and knowledgeable staff to the wonderful (complimentary) breakfasts and wine & cheese happy hours at Rick's Cafe, the Casablanca made our special occasion week even more special. Our king room was cozy, clean and well-appointed, and the location of the hotel itself can't be beat--just steps from Times Square. And the price, for New York, was very reasonable. We highly recommend the Casablanca, and we'll be back.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I have traveled quite a lot but this was my first trip to Time Square. We chose the Casablana because of the reviews we had read before booking this hotel. We were not dissapointed! Clean rooms, beyond exceptional staff, and a piece of heaven in the midst of the chaos in Time Square. Tom, Nick, Peter, Lenny, Andrew, and the rest of the staff went above and beyond to make our stay enjoyable. Very personable and informative. I will never stay anywhere else if I return to the Times Square area.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My wife and I stayed at the Casablanca from Thursday, May 19th-Sunday, May 22nd. This hotel is a quiet place to stay amid the chaos of Times Square. The staff practice a high level of service that is hard to find in most hotels. They greet you when entering the hotel and wish you a good day as you leave. Any request is met cheerfully and promptly. The rooms are not huge, but are very clean and nice. Rick's Cafe on the second floor is where guests can get breakfast in the morning as well as coffee, tea, or wine with cheese and other snacks in the evening, all complimentary. You can also access the internet there, again complimentary for guests. The hotel has a unique Moroccan-themed decor that is a pleasant change from the predictable chain hotel atmosphere. Also, there are many good restaurants in the immediate area, including a great Italian restaurant right next door to the hotel. Overall, the Casablanca is an exceptional place to stay in New York. We will stay there again when we return to New York.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My boyfriend and I chose the casablanca for our recent trip to New York on the strength of other reviews on tripadvisor.... we weren't disappointed! On arrival the staff could not have been more welcoming and were very understanding about an initial problem with my credit card. We were upgraded to a kingsize room which was very spacious by New York standards and had a fantastic bathroom. The location couldn't be better, on Times square slap bang in the middle of Manhattan and yet the hotel remained a little oasis of calm. The breakfast was always fresh and plentiful, coffee, juice, cereal, bagels, pastries and muffins etc and the cheese and wine in the evenings was a lovely touch.\nHighly recommended! By the way if you want the best pizza in town then check out Johns next to 'The Producers' on broadway.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Only joking in the title, seriously, for the most of us, staying in a new place can be daunting. Thanks to Tripadvisor, that can now be a thing of the past. If it wasnt for the good reviews about the Casablanca, we would never have known about this special hotel ( I'm sure there are others out there waiting to be tried ) - we might have gone with our first choice the Pennsylvania. We stayed for 3 nights at the Casablanca ( Apr 4,5,6 ), en route to Las Vegas. \nStaff - pleasant, courteous and helpful. \nPosition - step out of Hotel door, turn right 20yds ( I know, it should be mtrs ! ) now on the corner of 43rd and Broadway, turn right again and another 100yds takes you to Times Sq. Hotel to most Theaters, 10 mins by foot. \nRooms - pleasantly decorated, clean & quiet ( get one at the back, building work on 43rd St at the moment )\n2nd Floor Lounge - breakfast included, what more can you say. Evening wine & cheese. We came back in the day, and biscuits and coffee were available - in fact, I think that the refreshments were available all day long.\nAll in all, a very good place to stay - we will certainly be staying at the Casablanca when we vist NY next ( unless there are some other good reviews out there ! )\nif anyone wants more detail, photos, how to get there from Newark, etc, etc - contact me by email", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed at the Casablanca from March 10th till March 17th 2005. It is undoubtedly one of the most charming hotels I\u2019ve had the pleasure to stay in. Location is excellent, seconds from Times Square, Theatre district and minutes from 42nd St. Subway station. Macy\u2019s and Empire State are about 15 minutes walk from the hotel handy when returning laden with shopping. Despite its proximity to the hustle and bustle of Times Square it is incredibly quiet.\n The staff were excellent and very informative always willing to help out with a dinner reservation and took a genuine interest in our itinerary (especially keen on our reviews of the Broadway shows we\u2019d seen Avenue Q is brilliant). The hotel continental breakfast is better than expected and is a must for the walking required in New York. The wine and cheese was lovely to wind down to after a hectic day in the city and perfect for pre-dinner, theatre, Jazz drinks. This is accompanied with live piano music which I\u2019m sad to say is dying out in hotels now but full credit to the Casablanca for keeping it alive.\n The room was reasonably sized considering New York\u2019s penchant for human rabbit hutches. We had quite a small bed between two of us but that was more Expedia not explaining the bed sizes properly something to have in mind next time.\n Thus in summation Casablanca Hotel\u2019s location is excellent, staff are very friendly and the rooms are high above acceptable standard. I will definitely be staying here again and would not hesitate to recommend this \u2018secret\u2019 as it has been eloquently called by previous reviewers to my dearest friends and family.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "We read several reviews about the Casablanca before we booked for April 6-10, but never expected such a warm reception upon our arrival, nor such superb service throughout our stay. We were truly pampered by the staff. We have had \"continental breakfasts\" in the past, but never one to compare with the breakfast offered by this hotel. We especially enjoyed the second floor lounge with wine and cheese in the late afternoon. The hotel's location was perfect for our walks to the theater-and around Times Square. We highly recommend the Casablanca and hope to return.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "What a disappointment - in every regard. For a Christmas gift, I bought my parents tickets to a play and Saturday night at the Casablanca hotel. I chose this hotel because it was a great location - and the rooms and accomodations looked special - which I wanted them to have. \nThe room was booked in December - indicating that the cancellation policy was cancel at least 1 day before day of arrival. Their trip was for Valentines day evening. On the day before, the hotel called MY home and left a somewhat threatening message - if I didn't call to confirm before 7:30 the night before - the room would be re-booked. I was out of town for the weekend already and didn't get the message until 3 days later.\nI reluctantly called my parents to find out about their horrible treatment - they were assured that the guests who were booked for Friday night refused to leave - and they can't kick them out. If that was the case, why did they leave a message the day before saying if we didn't confirm, we would be cancelled? Their solution? They sent my parents to Hotel 41 - which was a much lower quality hotel - which they didn't enjoy at all. To boot, they charged my parents the rate that I agreed to pay for the Casablanca hotel - which is much higher than the dumpy hotel they stayed at.\nWhen I called the manager - I was assured that the bill would be credited. However - my parents just received the bill with no credit. I faxed the hotel and received no reply.\nWhat a disappointing evening all together - thanks to the Casablanca hotel.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 13}]}, "1862847": {"reviews": []}, "98979": {"reviews": []}, "73445": {"reviews": []}, "87659": {"reviews": [{"text": "My husband and I stayed at the Westin River North May 26th and May 27th. \n(Back story- We normally stay across the street at House of Blues which we LOVE, but this trip we ended up at the Westin River North. I work about a block from here and we do live in Chicago on the North side. It was my husband's birthday weekend and I wanted to do something nice so I planned a birthday weekend. We both recently just turned 30 to give you our age range)\nThe first night the hotel seemed to be hosting some type of prom or similiar function. Their were teens running all over the hotel from about 8 o'clock on. I checked in at about 1 pm with no incident. The front desk staff was friendly and attentive upon check-in.\nAfter we arrived back from dinner the first evening we went to our room and then came back down to the lounge for drinks. Big mistake! After three separate attempts to get our drink order we watched and listened to security chase prom-goers through the lobby and hotel. The only time security didn't care was if they came into the lounge and ordered a drink. We finally left when, what seemed to be maybe the chaperone's for the evening came into the evening clearly happy to left off some stress but WAY too loud yelling their drink orders. This didn't go on for just a few minutes which could have been understandable, but at least 10 minutes at which time we left.\nWe went back to our room, hoping to put the events of the lounge/lobby/hotel behing us and enjoy a shower and some sleep.\nWe turned on the shower only to find that there was no hot water. After about 30 minutes of fighting with all the shower water settings and making sure this wasn't our error I hopped in frustrated, tired and fed up while my husband called the front desk.\nThe front desk calls engineering, who checks the temperature and about an hour later my husband finally has a hot shower. Or so he tells me, by this point I'm shivering in bed half asleep and thoroughly disgusted with the Westin. So much for \"Heavenly Shower\"\nDay 2. I can only hope it gets better, we discuss checking out and totally scrapping plan for weekend but decide to try and give it another shot. How long can prom last? It is just a one night event right?\nI stop at the front desk and speak to a brunette. After helping everyone in site including the random people that just walk up even though I am clearly waiting in line, she finally has no choice but to help me. I explain to her the events of the past evening. She proceeds to smile and at points giggle while I tell her my story. I ask her the source of her amusement and she gets confused, and says she doesn't understand what I want. I ask her if the problems are going to continue for another day and she begins to say \"Security tried....\" and then lets her sentence trail off never finishing....After a minute or so she asks if I want to \"complain to a manager\". I tell her she has a lot to learn about dealing with customers and walk off.\nWe head off for the days events- massages, shopping, lunch, etc. We arrange to meet back in time to get ready for our Tut at Twilight Tickets at the Field Museum which I arrange for weeks ago.\nAt 5 o'clock we are surprised to find the room still not cleaned by house keeping. My husband jumps in the shower while I keep watch for the maid.\nAfter about 15 mins. I venture into the hall in search of her, only to find she speaks no English. I finally write my room number for her and she says she will be there in 5 mins.\nAt about 5:30 my husband and I head to the lounge again to try again and hope that when we return the room will FINALLY be clean. Before we leave I take all our used towels and place them in a pile on the floor of the room, I put a note on the bed and ask for 2 of the extra large 30x60 Westin bath towels since there are two of us and we would like to both have a bath towel when we get out of the shower.\nI leave a tip with my note.\nWe come back half hour later to find our room finaly clean, YAY. We don't have 2 bath towel, but what seems to be an endless supply of the smaller hair towels (probably 20x12) and 2 robes. This seems like a nice thought, but not quite on the mark.\nI call housekeeping request what I ASKED FOR ALREADY and then head to the shower. My husband waits for the towels. About 5 minutes into my shower I hear the phone ring. My husband comes to tell me they called back after telling me \"no problem they would be right up with my towels\" that they have none.\nThey explain to him that they have 1 per room and it's too late in the day to get any. He tries to explain we don't have any, we had 1 it was dirty and the maid took it and only left a little while ago, but this doesn't help. No towel for us.\nI'm still trying to figure out how/when this shower becomes a \"heavenly shower\"...I think the whole thing is laughable.No hot water, no towels. There is NOTHING heavenly about this shower, or trip for that matter.\nAfter I dry off with the postage stamp towels I am apparently luck to get and so does my husband we finish getting ready. We head to the valet to catch a cab to head to the Field Museum.\nWe arrive at Valet to find an absolute free-for-all. There is no valet or anyone from the Westin in site. There are 8+ people trying to either get out of cabs and unload luggage or get a cab.\nCabs aren't willing to take the people since they need to take cabs from the \"cab stand\", but since there is nobody from valet nobody knows how to get a cab from the cab stand. This chaos goes on for about 5 minutes.\nWe walk across the street to House of Blues and their valet gets us a cab.\nUpon returning from the museum, dinner and the foundation room we head to the room unwilling to take our chances in the lounge again.\nWe get to the room and settle in. After relaxing for some time we order a pizza from a local pizza restaurant. About an hour later the front desk calls to tell me they won't let the deliver driver come to my room and I have to come to the front desk to get my food. I hang up annoyed. This information is not disclosed anywhere that I have seen.\nI arrive in the lobby to find NOBODY at the front desk but the delivery driver from the pizza place. I didn't know I needed my credit card, and the front desk certainly didn't mention it. The delivery driver and I walk up to my room so I can give him the imprint of my credit card. Nobody says anything since there is NOBODY in the lobby anywhere, nor the front desk.\nThe front desk had inconvenienced me for NO REASON, but this seems par for the course at the Westin. Perhaps this is their business model.\nI get my bill slipped under my door, I review the bill. It has an extra $30 in phone calls which I never made. I purposely made all my calls, except 1 from my cell due to the cost of calls. As did my husband. After my interaction with the front desk this isn't worth dealing with, I fill out the survey and sign the check-out form. (Not surprisingly the total charged to my credit card was even higher than the slip I signed at check out when I saw it on my bank statement a few days later)\nI want to be done with the Westin. We will never stay there again, we will never recommend it to anyone. I would never consider them in any city. They clearly don't seem to care regardless of any member of staff. I sent an email to the Westin, I filled out the satisfaction questions on my check-out form, I filled out a automated form on the Westin website, I have never heard a word from them.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "Wow--I always love Westins--the heavenly bed really is. This was our, thousandth(?) trip to Chi town, we always stay somewhere different, because there are so many fantastic hotels. No longer--I will stay this Westin from now on. It is cool--very sleek and contemporary, zen like. It feels relaxed and quiet . The river views are awesome, the bed, perfect. We also heard the Sushi is great there, but haven't yet tried it. Rock on--!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "A great hotel, particularly if you get a river view (I only had to ask). The room was spotless, the bed fantastic, the shower even better. The bar was spacious and relaxing. The staff did everything to please. And do try Bin 36 over the road, an amazing restaurant with a cheese bar and a novel opportunity to try numerous wines in one sitting. Highly recommended hotel whether for business or pleasure.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "We travelled from Fort Lauderdale to Chicago for the New Year's weekend. We could not have been more pleased with the Westin Chicago River North. We were in Chicago in May 2005 and stayed at Hotel 71. No comparison. The Westin is so much better. Cleaner, better elevators, nicer lobby, better rooms. New Year's Eve the security was tight so no one that wasn't staying at the hotel couldn't get to the elevators. Great location as we walked to Marshall-Fields, the Ford Theatre and pretty much everywhere we wanted to go. And only 2 blocks to Lou Malnati's -some of the best Chicago deep dish pizza! Will definitely stay at the Westin Chicago River North again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 24}, {"text": "We really enjoyed the elegant, spare Asian decor in the public areas of the hotel. Our room was nice too, but not as nice. There was water damage on the ceiling and some disrepair in the corner wall of the bathroom, but the room was very comfortable wth romantic views of the river. \nThe restaurant has a great breakfast & service was impeccable. The bar area is very nice. The bellhops were all quick and helpful--really gracious. \nThe front desk staff was weirdly off the ball. The person at the front desk was rather rude, but we brushed that off. When we got to our room, though, it turned out she had actually given us a room that was already occupied! There were people asleep in bed! The bellman was horrified and rushed to the phone in the hallway to straighten things out. From what we could hear, she was rude to him too. A day later we found they had our check out date wrong (we got our bill under the door a day early, though they had the date right when we checked in). Lastly, after we checked out, we discovered that they had not billed the room charges to the proper credit card. \nNote that the location is really great for theatre-going, though a little far for walking to and from the Water Tower shopping area.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "This hotel is what you would expect from a Westin. Typical 4-star hotel. The service was good, the rooms were comfortable, clean and provided a good work environment. Style of building seemed Japanese, and I think a Japanese chain used to own the building. Staff were polite and helpful.\nDidn't eat at the restaurant on site, but the bar was fine. Nothing special.\nWould probably return for work but would stay at another location for pleasure.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "After a tough day in the airport waiting for my delayed flight, I arrived at the Westin on July 20, 2005. The hotel is modern with a friendly doorman and pleasant staff. The room was extremely clean and comfortable with a lovely bath. It's convenient to great restaurants and the House of Blues. I got a wonderful night's sleep on the Heavenly bed and loved the quiet. I would recommend this hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "I stayed at the Westin on July 9, 2005. I was planning a bachelorette party in Chicago, so all of the girls and I stayed here. We had a wonderful experience. The lobby is beautiful and very high class. All of the employees were extremely friendly and very helpful. The lady at the front desk let us check in early and made sure we had the river view, which was amazing. Now, I'm a former flight attendant, so I have stayed in about a million different hotels all over the world. This room was very clean and a nice size. The heavenly bed was so comfortable and the heavenly bath with the two shower heads and the bowed out shower curtain rod that provides extra elbow room was wonderful. I didn't want to get out of the shower! So, all in all we had an absolutely wonderful experience here, I definitely recommend it.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "We stayed at the Westin from June 23-June 28, 2005. The hotel staff provided outstanding service. Allen, was the most helpful and friendliest doorman/bellman in Chicago. The concierge was not the best that we have experienced, but her behavior was not enough to give the hotel a lower rate. We arrived approximately two hours early. The staff was very considerate and call us on my cell phone when the room was ready. The room was very clean and we had an excellent view of the river. The bed and shower were heavenly. The darken drapes provided enough darkness for us to sleep in a little later in the morning. The location is convienent to all areas.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "The rooms were quite small, compared to other hotel rooms. They were clean, though. Great location and MOST of the staff was nice.\nHere is where I had a problem...........went down stairs to ask where could I get 4 plates and 4 forks for us to eat a delivery dinner. One desk attendant looked at the other and said, \"go ahead and waive the fee\". I asked what fee. They said that there is normally a $25 fee for use of the hotel plates and flatware and not ordering in the hotel to encourage patrons not to eat outside of the hotel. I was shocked (and my face showed it). I looked at the other desk attendant and he stated, \"Well, this IS the Westin\" in a VERY arrogant tone.\nThe only restaurant in the hotel was a sushi/VERY upscale restaurant. If the hotel encourages, eating in, QUESTION: WHY does the conceirge recommend SEVERAL delivery places to eat in the hotel room? I guess they were hoping that the Chicago-style pizza place would supply plates and forks. I told the non-arrogant desk attendant, thanks for waiving the fee. I ended up not needed the plates and cancelled the \"room order\" for the plates.\nIn addition, I was misquoted on cab fare from several of the bell-hops to the airport compared to what the cab driver charged (a LARGE amount difference).", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "I frequently stay with Starwood hotels and especially Westins across the world for both business and leisure purposes. However, after staying at the Westin River North in Chicago, I was once again reminded the superiority of Westin in terms of product and service. The Westin River North has truly engaging staff members who are professional, curteous, and friendly! From the doormen, bellmen and concierge to the front desk, everyone is so caring and attentive. And of course, the bed and shower are heavenly as always. During my most recent stay, I had the opportunity to upgrade my room to the new Westin Workout room for only an addional $60. Wow! This was nothing like I've ever experienced before! A treadmill, workout equipment (weights, stability and medicine ball, etc.), fitness library, and a DVD player with workout DVDs were all at the convenience of my hotel room. As a fitness buff who has been thoroughly enjoying Westin's Reebok Westin Workout fitness center, this was a real treat! I most definitely reccommend this property to business and pleasure travelers alike!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I have been traveling to Chicago for years and just recently found the Perfect hotel. The Westin River North had everything I needed as a business traveler at a great price. From the beginning of the stay the hotel got two thumbs up. Stepping out of the cab I was greeted by the friendliest doorman who assisted me with my luggage. Walking from the front entrance to the checkin desk I thought I was a celebrity with all of the staff members greeting me. I was approached by at least three different employees with a good afternoon or friendly welcome. The front desk was equally as great with the perfect attitude not that I'm too busy to help you attitude. I was even offered an upgraded river view room for an additional $40. I strongly suggest this room with its unbelievable views - the best in the city. Plus this was perfect for me since I was going to be working out of my room this evening and enjoy a great view when I work. As I was being escorted to my room by the bellman, he mentioned to me about the wonderful massage services the hotel offers. It was not long until I made the appointment. This was perfect for $55 I was able to get a Hot Stone Therapy Massage which was the most rejuvenating massage I had in a long time. I will be returning to Chicago next month and guarantee I will be staying at The Westin River North.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Wow. What a wonderful experience my husband and I had last weekend at the Westin River North. We chose the hotel because I attended a conference there and the conference room rate was very reasonable. My husband went along with me for some much needed R&R. The Westin RN turned out to be the perfect place to mix business with pleasure. The conference facilities in the riverfront ballroom were outstanding. Even the food provided to attendees was good! The accommodations were exquisite and the service unbelievably good. We inquired about a riverview, but hesitated to pay an extra $40 per night and opted out. However, we were given a room on the southeast side of the hotel that looked out over the river anyway at no additional charge! We could only see two bridges, but were very pleased with our view of the river, Dearborn, and Wacker Drive (including a Memorial Day Parade!). The bed was \"heavenly,\" as advertised, and the room was much more spacious than we expected for the location. Everything we needed was already in the room, from declicious-smelling toiletries to a corkscrew and wine glasses! My husband got a great massage in the hotel and we were so impressed with the gym we wished we had one as nice back home. Everyone at the hotel was friendly and helpful. The desk staff was personable and gave the feel of a much smaller hotel. The concierge directed us to fabulous restaurants within a few blocks. The location was unbeatable. We walked a few blocks east to catch the architecture boat tour at sunset and saw a great show at the House of Blues across the street. Michigan Avenue, Millenium Park, museums, and the train stop to get to Midway Airport were all an easy walk. If we can get a good deal on the room again, Westin River North will definitely be our first choice hotel for our next trip to Chicago!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Stayed at this hotel from May 06 - May 08 2005. The hotel itself is in an awesome location, close to all the great areas of Chicago (we walked everywhere we went)!!! The train station to the airport was only 2 blocks over, which saved money on cabfare. The hotel inside is very well kept and stylish. Our room was very clean, contempoary, and comfortable-not to mention pretty big for a hotel room. Our view was awesome of the Chicago River and many bridges that wind through the city. The bathroom had a large tub, and plenty of room (no stand alone shower though).\nWe did try enjoy some drinks at the bar and had breakfast at the hotel. These were our only dissapointments. The bartender was sassy and rude, and the food was way overpriced-and did not even taste that good. There are plenty of good bars and resturants near by (on Clark street), I suggest going there.\nOverall the hotel was great, service (expept food and beverage) was wonderful as well, which is typical for all STARWOOD hotels I have stayed in. The photos attatched are from our Deluxe River View Room. I would highly recommend.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I think things must be getting better. I've sampled several Chicago Hotels as I go there for business often. For a while, I was staying at the Westin down on Michegan Ave., but just decided it was not convenient. The Westin River North is very convenient to everything I'm looking for and I found the staff to be very helpful. It has a nice large lobby to relax in, which I find very nice. The rooms were large (not small) and everything was in order. Mind you, I've only stayed here once, and hopeuflly will not experience any problems. Heading there again in June so I'll let you know, but for now, I'd highly recommed this hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Ended up getting the Westin River North in a ridiculous deal on priceline - $69 for 3/11 - the lowest I've ever read about it going for.\nWas thrilled with the deal, but wanted to ensure a river-view room, and was willing to pay $40. Called Thursday night when I got the room and was told, because of priceline, they could only see about something like that when I checked in.\nFriday morning, I thought I'd try again. I didn't have any real \"dressy\" clothes at hand, and I thought - had a feeling - they wouldn't give me a river view room if I just walked in in casual clothing and tried to reason with the hotel staff. So, I tried calling. The woman said that I could upgrade to a river suite for $50, and I'd also get a free continental breakfast. So, all-in-all, the room would cost $120 before taxes. Still good for the river view rooms, which apparently command a premium of about $50-60 over the regular rooms (I was getting an approximately $230 room for approx. $120). She blocked off the room over the telephone and I was all set.\nGet there and the front desk staff was okay - not cold, by any means, but that sort of impersonally friendly - \"trained\" friendly. Anyways, the hotel used to be a Japanese hotel - the Hotel Nikko - and the lobby is heavily Japanese-styled, complete with a lowered restaurant area/sushi bar. The elevators have carved designs in the back of them. There was a very nice gift shop also off to the side.\nWe get up to the 17th floor (20 floors in all - I believe 18,19,20 are business suites/rooms) and walk into the room and there's just a stunning view of the river. The room doesn't seem like a \"suite\", really, but it does certainly seem like a large/oversized room. There's a fairly lengthy hallway in the room, and off to the side in the hall is a mid-sized bathroom. You walk out into the room and to one side is a large desk area and the TV, and to the other side is the Westin \"Heavenly Bed\". The front of the room, facing the river, was sort of like half of a half circle - there was a nice sitting area and big windows looking out over the river. The nice thing about my room and the room next to it was that it's out a little bit, so you are literally looking down on nothing but river. There's a small walkway in-between the hotel and the river, but if you jumped from the window from my room, you'd hit water. At night, the view up along the river was pretty amazing. We had a big view up West along the river, but also had a pretty nice view East, although not a complete view East like we had looking West. The room next door appeared to have the opposite - big view East, good but not complete view West. We could see the lake through some buildings.\nThe Westin Heavenly Bed was definitely really nice - my finance didn't want to get out of bed - she jokingly wondered if they'd notice if we lugged a bed out the front door. They do sell the mattress in a catalog in the room, however - I think it was something like $1000. Shower had the Westin Heavenly Shower - 2 shower heads.\nThe room was nice and the view was GREAT, but the room didn't have much \"personality\". It's obviously a business hotel and not too funky in the rooms, where the Japanese flavor isn't carried over. The bathroom, with black marble tile, had more snap. The TV was also kind of underwelming - it appeared to be a 20 inch Philips that appeared to have been there for a while. Room was clean, though, and not worn in any way. Peeked into some of the other rooms on the floor when the maids were working, and they did not seem quite as big as our room.\nThe hallways were clean and well-lit, and the ice machine was down the way. We went down to the restaurant in the morning to see what the deal was with the continental breakfast. Surprisingly, there weren't too many people there, and the breakfast was set out. it consisted of some pastries/breads/muffins, fruit, cereal and oatmeal. I ended up just having a muffin and a little pastry - fiance had some fruit and said it was fresh and quite good. It was free and the quality was good, but the selection was a bit underwhelming - some eggs would have been nice. We got much more at the Residence Inn in downtown Chicago by Water Tower place, which had a really nice spread laid out for breakfast, including big muffins, bagels, drinks, eggs, meat, cereal and even waffle makers.\nThey didn't give us the breakfast coupon at checkin, so I had to go back down the prior afternoon. The restaurant was quite nice, and peaceful - you can look out at the rock garden (again, appears to be another element carried over from the days where it was the Hotel Nikko)\nThey slipped the bill under the door in the morning and it had the \"upgrade\" that I did charged twice, only on the bill it was $40, not $50. Since I was up at 5am, I took it downstairs and got it taken care of - so the upgrade was $45 (incl. tax). No big deal, apparently they billed at the time of the upgrade and then someone doing daily billing did it again. Easy to take care of, but reinforces my motto when staying in hotels - always watch your credit card billing.\nRoom service was available, but we decided not to this time. There wasn't anything either of us were interested in - the menu a little bit on the limited side and definitely pricey, with a sandwhich that sounded decent running $13 - there were also some pricier items like Filet Mignon, which was $29. 19% + $2.50 was also added to room service orders. If you walk down the street (Dearborn) there's a Sbarro's pizza, which is terrific - we ate there instead, and there's a White Hen Pantry across the street of Sbarros for snacks/drinks - definitely needed, given that room service soda was something like $3.\nThere are only 4 rooms per floor on the river side of the building. Given that there are a couple of floors with other things besides rooms, I would estimate that there are maybe 60 river rooms in the place. Out of the river rooms, there appear to be two smaller corner rooms on the sides, then the bigger rooms in the middle of the four. The river rooms, if the floors I were on are any indication, end in 24,25,26,27. 25 is the middle room looking West, 26 is the middle room looking East.\nSo, overall, it was nice. The room offered a fantastic view - other hotels offer a river view, but there aren't any like that, where you feel like you're literally over the river - the other hotels have a street in-between the hotel and river. The staff/service was okay - not bad, but not fantastic, either. It was the same way at the Intercontinental in Chicago, while the *** Courtyard Marriott seemed eager to please.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "Definitely pay attention to those previous reviews regarding the management/reservations! I cannot believe the absurdity. I made a reservation via telephone (their direct Chicago number, not the 800 number) for a Friday night stay. I called for the reservation that Fri morning and was happy to get a room. The reservation woman on the phone told me that I could still call and cancel by 3pm that same afternoon. \nWell, some travel problems arose and I had to cancel. I called back at 2:52 pm and spoke with a different woman, who assured me that my reservation was cancelled and there would be no charge. \nSure enough, my credit card bill arrives and there's a big fat charge from the Westin. I called and spoke to a manager, who tried very hard to be nice to me but still failed to give me a refund. He stated their cancellation policy is 24hours notice, and if it's a same-day reservation, then the policy is \"non-cancelable.\" I informed him this was NOT at ALL what the woman from reservations told me. In fact, WHY would I have called to cancel, if I was aware that the reservation was \"non-cancelable\"? Furthermore, the record of my phone call is all in their computer, the manager read it to me over the phone. Yet somehow the logic escaped him. He said there was nothing he could do since I didn't have the woman's name. (How many of us actually write down people's names when we're assured that there is no problem? Are we supposed to assume that everyone we talk to is a moron and take their name??)\nAnd just for hilarity, this manager told me that he gets calls like mine \"all the time.\" That means that their reservations people screw things up like this \"all the time!\" \nJust like the other reviews said, the manager then made a big show of offering me the courtesy of a gift certificate for a future stay. Firstly, I am so disgusted with this place that I have absolutely no interest in staying there ever again. Secondly, they still are charging ME money for THEIR mistake. I'm furious! I would stay away like the plague. Your money is better spent elsewhere.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We have stayed in many hotels in the Chicagoland area and we fell this Westin is one of the best. The staff is friendly and attentive, the location is great; just north of the Loop and theater district and three blocks off Michigan Avenue. We are Starwood Preferred members aned have never had any trouble with reservations or being upgraded. The staff goes out of their way to make your stay special.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I am a Starwood Preferred Gold and stay in Westins all over the country very frequently.\nI showed up to this hotel and despite a confirmed reservation and my status with Starwood, they were unable to give me a room. This is a problem that recurs at this hotel, as you can see from a review written on this site in September: \n----\nTo accomodate me, they offered to put me across town in a crappy Sheraton. No dice. Freezing. Midnight. And, I needed to be at the Westin for a conference at 7:30 AM, which is, of course, why I chose it in the first place.\nJames Bristow, the only manager on duty, was not very useful. His only suggestion was that I get a room across the street at the very run-down Hard Rock Hotel. Room cost was one-third of the Westin, which should tell you about the room quality.\nThis is a miserable experience and, apparently, this hotel does it frequently, even to its \"preferred\" customers.\nI'd avoid this until the hotel figures out how to honor a confirmed, paid-for reservation.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Stayed at this Westin two weeks ago, no problems, no complaints. Very nice place with friendly staff. Extremely clean room & bath. Within walking distance to everything from Water Tower Place north and Buddy Guys south. Or catch a cab waiting right outside on the curb. Didn't get a chance to try the sushi bar. Bin 36 right across street for nice breakfast - and they have a wine & cheese bar. Several nice steakhouses within block or two. And Andy's jazz bar is around the corner - within stumbling distance!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "This was our first stay at the Westin River North, and we were very happy with this 4-star hotel. \nTHE HOTEL:\nThe hotel used to be the Nikko Hotel, so it still contains a Japanese minimalist luxe feel, which I really liked. The lobby itself is smart & elegant in a totally understated way (no garish brass light fixtures or tacky edwardian wallpaper here, thank goodness). The staff was very professional and courteous. I had phoned in several days before arrival and requested a single bed, and they were very incredibly accomodating and professional.\nTHE ROOM:\nOur room was a non-smoking room on the 17th floor, with a partial view of the Chicago River and the circular \"corn cob\" towers, which are architecturally quite interesting. The room contained the \"heavenly bed\", and it was dreamy with beautiful white bedding. The room itself was spacious with 2 chairs, desk, and TV armoire. The bathroom contained a vanity with beautiful grey marble with black & off-white veining. The marble surrounded the shower/tub and the floors. The only detraction from the bathroom was that the wallpaper was starting to peel in a couple of places....just a minor thing...this could easily be remedied, and should be for a 4-star hotel. The rooms were very well sound-insulated from adjoining rooms, which is something that I really appreciated. Housekeeping was incredibly accomodating and friendly.\nLOCATION:\nThe hotel is centrally located on the north side of the Chicago River about 4 blocks west of Michigan Ave in the area called \"River North\". The hotel is in walking distance to: the shops on Michigan Ave., the fabulous Millenium Park (a must see!), the beautiful architecture of the Loop, and of the red & brown line \"El\" trains (The El is a great way of getting around the city for places too far to walk.) We parked the car in the surface lot in front of the hotel for $19/night and we just left the car there until we checked out of the hotel. Valet service is available, but is more expensive. (Had we not been doing traveling throughout the mid-west, we would have preferred not even having the car in Chicago) There is a 'average joe' breakfast dive a block north on Clark St. called Sam's, which was a good place to grab a quick bite before heading off exploring the city. (closed Sundays). \nOVERALL:\nConsidering the great price we paid on priceline($89/night including taxes/fees), and considering the top-notch accomodations & central location, this could not be beat. We were very happy with our stay.\nHappy Travels!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "You will nolt believe it,\nI made a reservation at this hotel 4 months ago. They accepted the reservation and charged my credit card. They later informed me 3 months later that they have moved me to a lower grade hotel (3.5 star, vs Westin is 4.5 star) This move was made without even checking with me. I called the manager and he told me they do it all the time, if they oversell there hotel (that it seems they do quite often) they move you to a lower grade hotel. And if the customer complains, all they have to do is be nasty. What type of world we are living in to tolerate this.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I've stayed here many times over the years. Ever since Westin bought it, it been very slowly sliding. Not that it's bad, it just isn't that good anymore. Here's my experience. I had requested a high room location. Checked at 3pm and was told by staff member nothing higher than 7th floor was available. She wouldn't even check for any other availablity. Just wanted to get us away from her post. Room is just a little tired. Carpet is stained,light was out in bathroom, air condidtioning is noisy and went from heat to cold, but did keep the room ok. Shower was terrible. Went from hot to cold and back to hot. Told front desk about shower and light. Only light was fixed. I don't think the wall paper has been changed in a decade. Like I said it's just getting old. Location is still great, but I'm looking for a new place to stay. On checkout I relayed the problem with the shower a second time. Got the standard \"we're really sorrry but we're not going to offer you any consideration for your inconvenience.\" Oh, and they now allow pets. Dog started barking in room next to us in the afternoon. Party in that room apologized and did keep dog quiet. But someone will be in a room when a dog barks at 3am. And turndown service is history. Yeah, after writing this I am definitely going to look for a new place to stay.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Stayed here last week of March for one evening. The lobby is very chic and modern. Check-in was quick, very helpful, and welcoming. Being a Preferred Guest member, I recieved a corner room on the southwest portion of the building with a nice view of the Chicago River and the many buildings along Wacker Drive (can even see the top of Sears Tower). Indeed, the other rooms would probably not have the same views as the hotel is cornered by taller structures. However, the views are rather secondary to the amenities of the rooms. From, the heavenly bed to the heavenly showers, one is in for a treat of comfort and relaxation. The room is large and very clean, with marbles in the bathroom a pleasant addition. I would definitely stay here again. It's an elegantly chic 4 star hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "The hotel is unbelievably great. Their \"Heavenly Bed\" is out of this world! I have had constant 24/7 low back pain for about 10 years now. \nI've tried 3 different mattress set in our home. I travel extensively with my job so I have the, normally unfortunate experience, of other hotel beds. For first time in 10 years, I was able to sleep pain free!\nAfter loving their beds for 3 wonderful nights, I am ordering the complete bed set including linens this week.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "841981": {"reviews": [{"text": "We usually stay north of the river and occasionally at the Fairmont but we were attending a Columbia College function and The Blackstone's location was perfect. My first impression was favorable. I liked the feel of an old hotel yet the renovations have brought it into the 21st century. \nThe room was nice sized as I had worried that it would be on the small size like so many of the older hotel rooms are. It was clean, bright, and modern. I'm a shower person so the fact that it didn't have a tube didn't affect me and I didn't hear my wife grumble. I like the walk in type shower and the glass wall made the room seem bigger. I would agree about the bathroom door though, it just doesn't offer privacy. The sliding door seemed at first functional and unique but when closed it left about a 2 inch gap between it and the wall. My wife was sitting at the desk in the room and had full view of me in the shower, not a pretty site. \nOne other criticism was the length of the beds. I'm not a tall person, 5' 10\u201d and my feet were barely on the bed when lying down. Might be a problem for someone taller. My overall opinion of the room was good to very good. \nOne thing I like in the morning is a good coffee and you can access a Starbucks without going outside. Something else I was surprised with and is worth mentioning was parking. It was the typical $40 something charge for valet but we wanted to do some shopping after checkout so I asked what I could do with my car. We had checked in at 10:00 a.m. on a Sunday and checking out by 11 on Monday. I was surprised that I could leave my car there till 5:00 p.m. without additional charge. Staff was very helpful and accommodating, very satisfied.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 17}]}, "114595": {"reviews": [{"text": "Fantastic staff, wonderful rooms, great beds, prime location. Would definitely stay again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I've been here for 4 days. Great location right off of miracle mile, near all major hotels, best shopping and theatres. Rooms very large. Hotel staff very friendly and helpful, and respond immediately. Problems: there frequently are homeless people (even during daylight) on Superior between St. Clair and Michigan Avenue (the main route you walk for or all activities, and just about everything is in walking distance from here). At night, the street on the north side of Superior is dark, and it usually smells strongly of several unpleasant odors. The street people do not approach you, although they may stare as you go by. Usually 2 or more along the way, where they sleep on the window sills of Neiman Marcus. I would not think a woman would feel safe by herself. (I am from a large city and do not have a street people phobia.) There are homeless up and down Michigan Street, but this is different as it's a lonely stretch and no open business is along either side of the street. The entire hotel needs a lot of cosmetic work, and apparently will soon undergo a major renovation. For now, expect two extremely small, warm, slow elevators with long waits serving 17 floors and warm, cramped hallways! All the walls throughout the hotel need painting, and the wallpaper is peeling in places. In the room, several electrical outlets were hanging out of the connection, the carpets were stained, the bathrooms needed new grout (some mold visible), the TV is very small (16 Inch?) and the windows very, very dirty. You won't get your room serviced unless you ask for it, sometimes more than once. The \"pub \" downstairs is run down, dark and kind of creepy. Food and room service are very expensive, as is parking ($34/day public and $38/day valet). On the plus side, the bed was very comfortable, there was ample comfortable furniture in the sitting area, plenty of space and a decent view as the hotels spans St. Clair street toward the north and south. You can see a sliver of Lake Michigan. Pool small, but clean. All in all, it was clean and quiet and provides lots of space for sitting around in the room, but I think it is overpriced, and I would not stay here again.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "As many have stated, the location is ideal for shopping along Chicago's Magnificent Mile on Michigan Avenue. Pool on the roof, while amusingly small, has great views, was clean and easily accessible. \nThe hotel has a European feel in that it's compact, yet highly functional. Lobby elevators are tiny and didn't seem to run fast enough so waiting with large bags and then cramming yourself into them was, at times, annoying. \nWe booked our reservation the same day and ended up with a suite and it was clean with ample room. We wanted a no smoking floor, but booking so late didn't have the option. However, it wasn't that bad with no real appreciable smell in the room. A/C worked well--it was close to a 100 degrees when we checked in, though, there was a minor leak from it that had soiled the carpet. The suite was so large it didn't really matter to us that much, to be honest.\nRoom service was fast, food was great and person was courteous. \nAll in all, recommended for its great location to all the sites and attractions of Chicago.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I am a long-time fan of Affinia New York hotels. I wanted to try their new Chicago property. After reading the mostly positive reviews, I booked a junior suite for $389.\nI asked for a guarantee that I would be put into a renovated room as the description of the unrenovated rooms sounded terrible.\nThe main reservation line could not accomodate the request, but put me through to the Chicago office. I was greeted -- then put on hold for almost 15-minutes. I gave up.\nI tried to go through the main reservation line again and was told that there was no way I could guarantee a renovated room. They put me through (again) to Chicago. The Chicago person repeated that they cannot guarantee a renovated room.\nBad marks for treating a loyal guest so shabbily, for the poor phone service, and for the attempt to charge almost $400 for a sub-standard room.\nI am re-thinking staying at their New York faciities based upon this experience.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "As mentioned in the title, while the Fitzpatrick has changed hands to the Affinia hotel group, renovations have not yet taken place. That being said...\nBIG plus on location. You couldn't ask for a better launch point to hit Michigan Avenue, Navy Pier, a variety of restaurants (if you have the opportunity, go to Roy's), or just about anything else you'd like. Taxis are readily available, and the el train isn't that far away that can whisk you away anywhere else you'd like to go. I can't think of a time when I needed to walk any longer than 15 minutes to get somewhere, and the walk was very pleasant.\nThe staff is very friendly and accommodating. Daniel was extremely friendly and told us that renovations were going to be taking place over the next year, floor by floor. If you are thinking about booking a reservation during the renovation time, you may want to check and see if you can get on a renovated floor, and maybe also ask about the impact of the renovation (i.e. noise, dust, etc.) when staying there. Whenever we ordered ice, it arrived promptly (they have no ice machines), and they were able to accommodate us with wine glasses and a corkscrew when we bought some wine in-town to enjoy with an in-room dinner.\nThe pub downstairs was awesome. The look and the feel of the place was great. Sometimes I would just go downstairs with a book and read in one of adjoining pub rooms. The staff was wonderful, the food was plentiful and delicious, and the Guinness was very good. I'm not sure they are keeping the pub post-renovations (I heard two different stories on this), but I hope they do since it is a wonderful place and definitely adds to the hotel.\nThe rooftop pool was a neat concept (unless, like me, you hate heights). The pool wasn't very large (you wouldn't be swimming laps), but looked clean and, on a hot day, would be the perfect way to enjoy a Chicago summer day.\nThe breakfast buffet on the 7th floor was very good and the staff was very attentive to the needs of the diners. I thought it was a tad expensive for breakfast (the Corner Bakery two blocks away is a lower-cost alternative), but it was nicely appointed and the food was well-prepared.\nFour things that concerned me - two or three of which will probably be handled by the renovation...\nFirst - the furniture/carpet/wallpaper was dated and old. It was still nice stuff, but obviously was starting to move past its prime. I wouldn't count this against them, since I'm assuming this will be part of the renovation.\nSecond - some aspects of the room were rather noisy. Two in particular were the elevators (if you had a room next to one) and the air conditioning vent in the bedroom. The elevators would make some squeaking and clanking noises when they approached your floor. The vent in the bedroom was very efficient (it blew directly on to the bed), but the power of the vent made it louder than was comfortable when trying to sleep. If you are a deep sleeper, neither of these should be a problem. I wore earplugs, so I didn't have any trouble. Again, the renovations may address this, so I wouldn't count this against them either.\nThird - housekeeping would occasionally cut a few corners. In particular, the room was a little dusty (my wife's allergies went crazy) and they seemed to have a thing against replacing glasses. Our first night there, we noted that one of the glasses was dirty (toothpaste-like residue in bottom). So we removed the paper cover and put it elsewhere in the room. The next day, after housekeeping had stopped by, the glass had been put back with a new paper cover. However, it was the same glass we started with. We kept taking it out, and it kept getting put back. Part of the allergen problem might have been the old carpet. The renovations will probably handle that, as well as any dust that may have accumulated in the ventilation system over time.\nFinally - the size of the bathroom. The bathroom was *small*. How small you ask? Well, if you were standing in the bathroom, it was difficult to shut the door because of the limited floor space. One of those cases where the door practically brushes the toilet when closing. Two people standing in the bathroom at the same time also would present a bit of a challenge. However, the bathroom sink area was nice, as was the extra vanity outside the bathroom. The shower always had hot water at a good pressure, so no complaints there either. I don't know if renovation would address this, since they'd need to do some fundamental re-architecting of the room to fix it.\nSo, overall, a positive experience with a few minor inconveniences. Nothing that I would call a show-stopper. I would be interested to see how it comes out after the renovations.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "Our company hosted a business meeting at the Affinia, requiring participant to stay there. While its an older hotel, the room was comfortable, clean and quiet. Lighting was adequate. Every staff member I spoke to was friendly and helpful. The only drawback was that there was no internet service unless you wanted to use the room phone for dial-up. Not even a business center. The front desk directed me to an internet cafe about 4 blocks south. If you don't mind that one thing, its a nice place to stay.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed at the Affinia for six nights in early May. It is ideally located just a block away from N Michigan. Easy walking distance to sights, restaurants and shopping.\nOur room (a queen deluxe suite) was clean and very well maintained - not a stain, tear or flaking paint in evidence anywhere! There are only 8 rooms on each floor so it was very quiet as there is not much corridor traffic. The between-room soundproofing was excellent - we never heard our neoghbours. The elevators are quiet, we were close to them and never heard a thing. The room was large with a queen bed, a sofa(bed), an arm chair, coffee table, table & chairs, 3 phones and 2 TVs. There is a small fridge and tea/coffee making facilities. The bathroom while not particularly large was clean, well laid out and had a decent shower.\nRoom service was quick and the food very good. There are no ice machines but room service bring the ice up very quickly which was fine. The staff were very helpful and friendly, particularly Daniel the doorman. Fitzers, the Irish bar in the basement, sells a decent pint of Guinness :-)\nWe had only one problem, it was quite a large problem and was the first thing that happened to us when we arrived - not a good introduction. They tried to put us in a standard room rather than the king suite that we booked 4 months previously. The assistant manager was very apologetic and managed to get us in a queen suite instead as all the kings were taken. He arranged for a free breakfast for us and a reduction in the rate. He was unable to explain it other than it was a mistake) but did his best to correct it. \nOn the whole you get value for money, a quiet stay, a decent room and helpful staff so I would recommend the Affinia - if you book online I would phone/email them direct just before you go just to make sure that everything is okay. I would have given them 5 stars if it weren't for the initial room problem.\n In the future the hotel will apparently be undergoing refurbishment to bring it into line with the Affinia brand so that might be worth checking up on as well!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "I was at the Fitzpatrick for only one night in March 2006 on business, but I wished I could've stayed longer (and I wish my husband was with me)! Everything about the hotel was fantastic.\nThe staff was wonderful--while checking in they bumped me up to a suite to keep me in a non-smoking room. That was an unexpected surprise, and I did appreciate it.\nThe room was beautiful, spacious, and very clean. The bed and pillows were soft and comfortable, and I got a better night's sleep than I normally get in hotels. There was a TV in both the living room and bedroom, and there was also a very nice radio in the living room. No street noise or hallway noise bothered me, even though I was right by the elevator. And the bathroom was beautiful, although a bit small. (However, I saw my friend's room--which was a regular room--and her bathroom was much larger due to the different layout of the room.) Another nice thing for a rainy night in Chicago--they provided umbrellas in each room for the guests to use!\nThe location of this hotel is also hard to beat. We were about a block off of Michigan Avenue, and a couple of blocks from the lake. Also walking distance to Navy Pier. A red line L station is about 4 blocks away--I used the L to get me to O'Hare when I had to leave. Lots of great retaurants and shopping in the area--I wish I could've stayed longer to experience it all.\nI would stay here again in a heartbeat, but hopefully not for only one night and hopefully not by myself!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I booked this hotel for a father/daughter weekend (teen concert at the Aragon Ballroom). I expected a fair deal based on TripAdvisor reviews I had read. What I got was an excellent deal: for $134 per night I received friendly, competent service; a comfortable room (carpets were worn but not threadbare like some of the reviews made it seem); great location on the Magnificent Mile; and a terrific pub downstairs -- what pubs are supposed to be: a place for families to enjoy warm company, good hearty food, and for the adults, delicious beer. My only issue was during the first night there, a bunch of 20-somethings arrived in their room next door to mine at 4:30 AM and were very obnoxious, but the hotel staff quieted them within 10 minutes of my complaint call. I'll eagerly book another stay at the Hotel Fitzpatrick next time I visit Chicago.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "Great place tucked one block off Michigan Ave. Nice reception by the bell man and rooms ready by 3:00 pm. The rooms are nice and large with sitting area. Yes the baths are small but adequate and clean. The room carpeting could use soom updating. The beds are absolutley comfortable. The elevators were never busy because of the size of hotel. Ordered coffee in the morning it only took five minutes, that's service. The Fitzer pub downstairs is a nice relaxing place to unwind after a long day shopping and Manny the bar tender pours a great drink and has personality. All in all enjoyed the stay and will come back.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 26}, {"text": "We recently returned from Chicago staying 5 nights at the Fitzpatrick Hotel. I have pros and cons regarding our stay. Cons - dirty grey caulking around the tub and floor area around the toilets. The king suite had a dirty grey looking carpet, but I think it is supposed to be beige, anyway dirty beige. They try to decorate the lobby now with Christmas decorations which is fine, but overall small and starting to look tired. I always bring lysol wipes to wipe down door knobs, taps, toilet handle, phones etc. (If you watch Dateline at all, you will understand why you should do this when staying at hotels). The wipes came up grey. The bathroom door had many fingerprints on it, and the closet door had something spilled down it and was left to dry on its own.\nI went downstairs to the bar to buy bottled water, as the bar fridge is completely empty...nothing, and the charge was $6.00 for 1 small bottle of sparkling water and a regular bottle of mineral water. We were too tired to go somewhere else as it was late. \nPros - location, great staff, nice pub type bar downstairs, comfortable bed and OK breakfasts. The breakfast could have more fresh cut up fruit, but this is minor. Staff helpful arranging private car for us on one of our outings. Terrific restaurant Tru just down the street, short walk. \nI see there will be construction going on, right beside the hotel during the next few months, so I would enquire about this before booking.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 43}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed here for 2 nights last week. The hotel is just screaming out for refurbishment. The suites are currently being sold to investors here in Ireland and perhaps the money generated from the sales will go towards a good clean up.\nThe carpets in the reception area and our room were threadbare, badly stained and very, very shabby. The comforter on the bed had definitly seen better days - I would even question letting my dogs sleep on it. There were suspect stains and 'crusty' attachments in places - Awful!\nThe room itself was very dark - although it was only a junior suite located at the back of the hotel. The windows were absolutely filthy. We found the room to be very depressing and it reminded us of a shabby country house of the 'olde Ireland' era of about 50 years ago - shabby, crumpled & best forgotten.\nNo doubt from the other reviews many disagree but this was our experience. We had booked the hotel because we had held our wedding reception in Fitzpatricks Castle Hotel in Dublin a number of years ago - however this branch of the hotel was a very sad disappointment in comparison. \nOn the plus side the location was excellent, the bathroom was small but clean and the towels were nice. The bar was also nicely decorated and had a nice atmosphere. Personally I can only say that I would not stay in this Hotel again, even if the room was for free.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 38}, {"text": "Despite paying for 2 non-smoking rooms in advance they had sold our rooms and only gave us non-smoking rooms when we made a fuss. Avoid room 2807 it is beside some kind of generator. The looby looks rather tired. Otherwise excellent location, friendly staff and nice rooms.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 35}, {"text": "I stayed for two nights at the Fitzpatrick Hotel while attending a weekend conference. I found the room spacious and soothingly decorated and the room service quick and pleasant. Little touches of Irish hospitality infused throughout the hotel are especially sweet (like a direct dial button to Aer Lingus on the phone). What really put the hotel above average, though, was the level of service and feeling of welcome that I received from all the staff. I received a personal note of welcome, a box of truffles, free tea and coffee delivered to me just for the asking and every staff member that I came across said hello and welcome and asked how my stay was going. I felt more like a guest in someone's home or a bed and breakfast than a guest in a hotel.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "My fiancee and I stayed at The Fitzpatrick over Labor Day weekend. Wow! We have travelled to a lot of cities all over the world and we appreciate the importance of location. This hotel could not be better located! Almost on Michigan Avenue itself, the Magnificent Mile. We were thrilled with our large spacious room. The staff, from the bellmen, to the reception desk, to the bar (and the bar in the basement is authentic Irish) ... wonderful, friendly and always helpful. We loved Chicago and hope to return again someday. If we do, we will return to The Fitzpatrick!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 26}, {"text": "My family and I were just in Chicago this past weekend and what a wonderful time did we have in the city as well as at the Fitzpatrick Hotel. The hotel was recommended by a friend of mine and boy was he right about the hotel. Not your typical hotel room with its canopy bedding and European flare to the spacious room. My wife just loved the hotel and the children loved to hear the Irish accents. Location is very ideal if you are looking to stay close the Michigan Avenue. As I received the recommendation to stay at the Fitzpatrick, I am doing the same to all of you who read this review!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My 10 year old daughter and I stayed four days at the Fitzpatrick in August. We arrived at the hotel on Friday at noon, and were taken straight to our room, despite the posted 4:00 check-in. The staff was very friendly and answered all of our questions about transportation, activities and shopping. The hotel location is perfect! You are right off the Magnificent Mile, across the street and around the corner from American Girl Place, and right next door to the hotel is a fantastic pizza place. We could even see the fireworks show at the Navy Pier from our hotel window. We felt safe the entire time and didn't return to our hotel until after dark a couple of nights. No problems at all. Our room was beautiful and spacious. There are robes and slippers for your personal use during your stay. The bedroom and living room are divided by a \"bookshelf\" wall (no door), with t.v.s on both sides. We were on the 28th floor (the 29th floor is the pool and meeting rooms), therefore our room had an elevated ceiling, which made it feel even more spacious. I would highly reccommend this hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "We just returned from a much-needed vacation to Chicago. We stayed at the Fitzpatrick Hotel and overall had a good experience there. Three of the great things about this hotel include location, comfort and service. This hotel is located one block off the Mag Mile and is right in the center of the shopping district, convenient access to both ends is within walking distance. The room was spacious and comfortable, bed was a dream. I honestly don't think I've ever had a better night's sleep in a hotel. No noises from other rooms so it must be well insulated. The hotel staff was ready and able to meet our needs, beginning with the bell hops-great guys! Very helpful. \nThe down side of our stay would involve 2 things. We are American and weren't familiar with the Irish way. We ordered room service one morning and found some kind of white pepper served, which tasted wierd to us. Also, how can you not have grape or strawberry jam? Orange marmelade and raspberry jam might be okay for adults, but not my kids!! The other issue was the way the room was set up. We selected a Queen suite. The virtual tour online is somewhat deceiving. On the web it looks as though the bedroom area is separate from the living room, but beware, it is all one room. If you want any privacy, don't go that route. I saw someone else's post on Trip Advisor, but took the virtual tour and thought that person was just picky. Believe me, she was right! The TV just swivels from one area to the other, so you're all there in the same room. We made do, but it would have been nice to have some privacy.\nOverall, we had a good experience at the Fitzpatrick. I would stay there again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed at the Fitzpatrick hotel following our wedding night - and also had a number of out of town guests stay there as well. Everyone was impressed by the generous room sizes and the helpful staff. I wholeheartedly recommend this hotel!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Most hotel rooms in cities that I travel are very cramped. I had heard and read good things about the Fitzpatrick, so I jumped at a good online deal.\nI ended up staying in a queen suite for two nights and it was very nice. Clean, very quiet and lots of room. Actually, more room than I certainly needed, but was a very refreshing change! Beds were very comfortable.\nI guess the only things to note (and I wouldn't call them negatives) was the lack of AC in the elevators (was 93 degrees this past weekend) and the bathrooms are a little small. However, if you know this going into it (and I had read other reviews, so I did) this shouldn't affect your overall stay in the least bit.\nThe staff was pleasant and, overall, the stay was great! I would definnitely stay there again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I took my daughter for a girl's weekend at the Fitzpatrick. We loved our \"princess suite\" complete with doll bed, doll bathrobe, doll slippers, and doll hairwrap. The staff was excellent and took good care of us. I would stay here again on my next trip to Chicago...with or without the doll!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Most of the reviews here are on target and complement my family's stay at the Fitz for four days. The staff is exemplary and super-friendly, terrific with young children. Our bedroom suite lacked a door, so our beautiful bed overlooked the sofa bed in which our two children slept. A bit odd, though the room was spacious. Yes, the furniture was a bit sparse and beaten, and, yes again, the bathrooms are cramped and in need of renovation. All in all, the hotel is nice, but if it isn't updated soon, it will really begin to show the wear and tear (others apparently already feel that time has arrived). The location is unbeatable and the hotel offers a pool (that could be cleaned more) for its guests; my children loved the opportunity to swim. I, too, was amazed by the relatively quiet of the rooms at night, though some ambulances can be heard. The elevators are small and they, like the halls, are not air-conditioned, though the rooms were super climate-comfortable! I would recommend this hotel to others, but I also would look to try out some other Chicago hotels on my next visits, which we do three times a year. Unfortunately, I did not have the opportunity to visit the Irish bar downstairs, though my wife said it was beautiful.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "I was a little disappointed in the outward appearance of the hotel. The picture on the website made it appear more grand. The lobby was unremarkable and the furniture had seen much much better days. There were two people only at the small front desk and they seeemed rather stressed as the phones were ringing non-stop. \nThe room was huge, undoutedly must be one of the largest rooms in Downtown. I liked the layout. You opened the door into a waiting/foyer area, then stepped down into the living area. To the right was the bedroom and then bathroom and then another area to do whatever. \nThe living room was spartanly furnished -- however it had its own smaLL television housed in a display unit.\nThe carpet was worn -- apparently from too much cleaning, which in itself is not too much of bad thing. The spread had two cigarette burns in it, yuck.\nFor such a huge room, the bathroom is rather small and not modern.\nAll in all, with updating and an eclectic infusion, these rooms could become one of the best in Chicago.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We stayed in the Fitzpatrick hotel in June of this year. We got a very warm Irish welcome when we arrived which lasted throughout our entire stay. The staff were very friendly and helpful. There was a good mix of Irish and American staff which was great. The hotels rooms are larger than what one would expect for a downtown hotel in the heart of the city which was a pleasant surprise. Fitzers bar in the basement was excellent - the food is great and the craic is mighty!! The hotel is within minutes walk of all the major shopping streets, restaurants, tourist destinations etc. I would highly recommend the Fitzpatrick hotel to both the leisure and business customer!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "The room was very nice size, with a comfortable queen bed. When we got to the room the chain on the toilet tank was broken, so I called the front desk, and the maintenance person showed up within 5 minutes and had it fixed. The hotel staff were very friendly and courteous. The elevators were quick and large, which is a change from some of the older downtown hotels. I'd heard some of the hotels had very small rooms and rude staff for the same price we'd paid, and we heard those complaints from some friends who were in town for a wedding. I stayed at this hotel because of the positive reviews on tripadvisor.com and wasn't disappointed. The Joey Buona's restuarant next door to the hotel has good food and a nice staff. We didn't try the hotel's restaurant, only because there were so many other restaurants in the area. The hotel is 1 block from Michigan Ave. and a 3 block walk to the Hancock Tower, and was safe. If you need WiFi access the service is $13/day from Waypoint, and was very reliable and fast. This hotel is 4 blocks from the Chicago Red Line CTA stop, walk 1 block south from Chicago to Superior, then 3 blocks east. It was a 1 hour from O'Hare to the hotel on the CTA, take the Blue line from O'Hare and change at Washington to the Red line to teh Chicago stop. Spending $1.75 was better than the $35 cab ride between the airport and downtown. I'd highly recommend this hotel for your next downtown stay.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed for 3 nights in March 2005 and absolutely loved this hotel. It is just off Michigan so right in the heart of Chicago. There were 3 of us and we had a superb room on 23rd floor. One kingsize bed and a pull out sofa. We would especially like to thank the really helpful doorman (you will know who you are we discussed golf!) He was so smiley and really helpful. Don't believe the negatives - it is a small, warm and friendly hotel and the Bar/Pizza place next door is also excellent.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Living in an Irish community in Chicago I had big expectations of the Fitzpatrick. I was told and read that there would be \"irish hospitality\" and a superior hotel. First off when we got there not only did they give us the wrong room, but the door lock was out of order. The food was fair and the appearance was not what I thought it would be. I expected to see Irish or Irish American employees working at the reception desk and throughout the hotel. The only \"pale face\" that I saw was the bartender, everyone else was a minority. One of the employees told me that there are only 6 or 7 irish workers in the entire hotel for the past 3 years. The accomodations were neutral/average, nothing special. Funny enough, a week later at the St. Pat's Parade in Chicago.....there was the Fitzpatrick Hotel marching in the parade ..... However, the hotel did not have their regular employees doing the marching that day. Instead they had irish friends walking in the parde, therefore given the impression that \"irish hospitality\" is at the hotel. Not having irish employees is not necesarily a big deal, it is just that they appear to mislead their potential customers into something that it is not!!! Some people who may never make it to a real irish hotel in Ireland, may think that the Fitz is the next best thing, IT ISN'T.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "This is a cozy, charming, wonderful hotel. The location cannot be beat ... right off Michigan Avenue and not even 5 minutes walk to Water Tower Place. The winter rates are great, especially if you get a suite. The suite is split-level and huge -- perfect for families. Even the regular rooms are larger than what you'd normally find in a big city. The rooms and all public areas feature a traditional Irish/English decor and are immaculate. Every employee I encountered was extremely friendly. The hotel restaurant offers an outstanding Irish breakfast. There is even a cool Irish pub on the lower level that draws a great crowd almost every night and often features live Irish music. The menu offers a good selection of Irish specialties and the food is superb. There's also a great selection of ales on tap. I highly recommend this hotel and pub!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Stay away from this hotel. Front Desk staff was rude and unhelpful. Our \"so-called' suite was nothing special with old non descript furniture and the bathroom was the size of a post stamp. The air conditionning is so old that you either freeze to death or end up in sauna-like conditions. The only good thing about this place is its location!!!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "My wife and I had a fabulous stay at The Fitzpatrick over New Year and we can't wait to return. It was our first visit to America and we just loved the city. We were visiting friends who had moved over to the windy city a year ago from London and they recommended that we stay at The Fitzpatrick. We booked on their website and got a great rate (the currency differential really helps too). The location could not have been better and we were made to feel very welcome by everybody. Our room was large and comfortable. We wanted to take the king-size bed home, it was so comfortable. We hope to return to The Fitzpatrick again next year. What a great city. Our friends have settled in well and are really happy there. They showed us around all the lovely sites, bars and great restaurants and we were lucky with the weather too.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Myself and my husband treated ourselves to a long-haul shopping trip to Chicago last November 18th for 3 nights. We were very pleased with Fitzpatrick's Hotel, we found the staff to be very friendly, Fitzers bar was lovely with a nice, warm atmosphere and good food. The beds were the most comfortable we've EVER slept in, I normally can't wait to get back to my bed at home after a hotel stay but it was the opposite on this trip! Location wise, it's perfect too. One small criticism - I thought our bedroom carpet could do with either a carpet-shampoo clean or else replaced as it was stained and a little scruffy looking. All in all, a great hotel and if we ever go back to Chicago we'll definitely book Fitzpatrick's again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We stayed at the Fitzpatrick Chicago Hotel over Easter weekend and had a terrific time. My wife and I are very demanding consumers and this was one of our best hotel experiences yet. We paid $109/nt plus taxes through Travelocity for room 1502 (the smallest room type).Here's what we liked: - Room design (unique layout with steps leading to the bed area, great intimate lighting) - Location (near the midpoint of the Magnificent Mile - the premium Chicago shopping district with a good italian restaurant and Benihana's downstairs) - Room view (all the rooms on the south side face down N St. Clair St, giving you a view 6 blocks long) - Full breakfast offered pancackes, sausages, scrambled eggs, muffins, danish, bacon, fresh fruit, cereals, coffee/tea, OJ, bagels, yogurt in a civilized dining room for $9.95/person (for cheaper options go to the McD's at the Chicago Place food court at the corner) - Other great things; staff, furnishings, window/bed treatments, bed linens, 3 internet jacks plus free MSNBC access via the LodgeNet TV, and a mini fridge that you can actually use.Slight room for improvement: - Bed was a little soft for my back (they use thick pillow-top mattresses, maybe I'm not used to this) - TV was a little small (19\"?) - No Vending machines (go to the bar downstairs or around the corner to Walgreens) - Valet parking is $32/day with in/out privs (you can self-park for less at 3 places on Chicago Ave for $20-26/day)FYI...Chicago tourist highlights: - The Chicago Architectural Foundation walking tours (http://www.architecture.org/) - The Hancock Observatory (94th floor, definitely splurge for the audio tour, for a cheaper experience order a drink at the lounge on 96) - The Marshall Fields flagship store (an amazing renovation, you could spend a whole day here, free audio tours)", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed at the Fitzpatrick in August 2003 when we took my 11 y/o daughter for a weekend at American Girl Place. We were very pleased upon registration to find the lobby full of airline pilots and stewards checking in for their lay over stays. Always a good sign you picked the right place. We loved it!! Great location for magnificent mile shopping and close walking distance to American Girl Place. Clean, friendly staff, and great beds. Will definately stay here again. PS: the itallian restaurant next door was very good with generous portions. \nArea felt safe for a woman and child.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My wife and I stayed at the Fitzpatrick for one night. We had booked the hotel for two nights but we ended up checking out early and moving to the nicer and cheaper Wyndham. The rave reviews brought us to this hotel but I wonder if I was at the wrong hotel altogether. The suite was tired looking and the bathroom was incredibly small. Not to mention the smell of smoke in the bathroom (in a non-smoking room) and the fact that the tub did not drain during a shower. Our stay at the hotel was all around disappointing, perhaps our expectations were too high because they were based on these reviews.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "We stayed here for our first trip to Chicago. First, our room was fantastic. We got the King executive which looked very posh and had a fridge, iron, and coffee maker. The maid forgot to leave us coffee the second morning. We also passed by one of the suites and it is also really nice and roomy. I love the room and felt so comfortable on the bed. The web tv works very poorly on the small tv provided. The second night we couldn't order any movies and was told that only seven tv's in the hotel can watch the same movie at a time and at that point of time, every single movie was being watched. The cocierge was more interested in her social life than helping us try to figure out the line system. The front desk also told a nice young man in front of us that he had to fill out his application outside. It was under 20 degrees! When our keys wouldn't work anymore, the maid told us to go down to the front desk and down there the manager told us to use the house phone on the floor. I would stay here again b/c I loved the room and the location. But I would not have high expectations for the people who work there.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I followed the advice I found on this forum and took a chance with the Fitzpatrick, although I had some misgivings, considering the low room rates. I am very glad I did.\nThe room was huge, multi-leveled, very nicely appointmented and clean, the bed was very soft, and the location could not be beat. There is a very pleasant bar downstairs. The service that I received at the front desk (thank you again, Yolanda) was way beyond expectation.\nI can honestly say that I never expect to stay in any other hotel in Chicago other than the fine Fitzpatrick. I think I'll treat myself to the 600 sq. foot suite next time for a whopping $144.\nYou will not be disappointment if you select this hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "After reading the reviews of the Chicago Fitzpatrick I couldn't wait to stay there during my July 19-21, 03 visit to Chicago. We arrived late - 7:00 PM - quite tired from touring Oak Park. Much to my surprise, I was told the room was not ready. We were told a large group just checked out. (That's not my problem.) Desk personnel tried to pacify us with two free drink coupons. Around 7:45 PM - I again checked on the room status and it still was not ready. I insisted on two more drink coupons and reluctantly got them. The room was finally ready around 8:00 PM. \nThe previous review mentioned bathrobes - we were supposed to get bathrobes? None in our room. I have stayed in hundreds of hotels and never once did I have to wait more than an hour past the the agreed upon check-in time - usually 3:00 PM. When I did, I was either given an upgrade or a fruit/cheese/wine basket with a note of apology from the management. On the positive side, the room was quite nice. Small, but nice. With the exception of the bath robes - the room was well stocked. \nThere was even an umbrella available for use while in town - a nice addition for those who have travelled without taking one and then having to buy one on the road. I prepaid for the room through a consolidator - I wonder if that was the reason I got the room so late. \nThe prepaid rate did not include taxes which were 14% - which would have been about an additional $42. That was not added to my check out total. I don't know if it was an oversight or the hotel's way of apologizing for the delay. Also, I knew about the $33 parking charge - which is outrageous - but, that is the going rate in the neighborhood. \nWe did find a $23 rate several block away on the corner of Ontario and Lake Shore Dr.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We stayed at the Fitzpatrick in mid June 2003. When we arrived, the doorman was quick to open the cab door for us and the bellboy was directed to take our bags inside. The checkin people were courteous and friendly and within minutes we were checked in and on our way to our suite. The bellboy quickly followed with our luggage and when he arrived, he took the time to show us all the amenites in our room. We noticed that one bathrobe was missing so he called down to housekeeping and a new bathrobe was at our door promptly. We thought the service at this hotel was excellent. As for the room itself, we were pleased with the space, but not so impressed with the decor and the size of the bathroom. For the price you pay for a suite, we expected a much more refined hotel with a more luxurious room.\nNot to sound uppity, but my wife completely agreed with my assessment of the Fitzpatrick when we were leaving Chicago. We have stayed at a couple of 5 star hotels, and the Fitzpatrick fell a little short of that. It was hard to put a finger on exactly why, besides the room decor, bathroom size and few amenities the hotel offered. But we don't consider it among the finest hotels, and it should not be classified as 5 star. We heard the Westin was nicer and a better price.\nWe must say however that we had a great time at the Fitzpatrick and in the city of Chicago. We were very impressed with how clean, friendly and safe the city is.\nIf you are a discerning traveller and expect the utmost in luxury and sophistication in a hotel and its rooms, then this is not the place for you.\nHowever, if you just want to be in the heart of Chicago and stay in a nice hotel and room quality and size of bathroom is not important, then the Fitzpatrick is right for you.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "We stayed at the Fitzpatrick for two nights in mid June, 2003. The doorman was quick to open the cab door for us when we arrived and the bellboy was also fast to help with our bags.\nThe check-in staff were friendly and courteous and in no time we were checked in and off to our suite. As an added touch, the bellboy quickly followed, bringing our bags and also pointing out all of the features of the suite.\nWe noticed a bathrobe was missing so the bellboy called to housekeeping and one was brought up promptly.\nThe service at this hotel is exemplary. However, we were slightly disappointed with the room and the hotel in general. Considering the price you must pay for the spacious suite, we were expecting a higher level of quality in the furnishings, a more spacious and luxurious bathroom and just an overall nicer hotel.\nI don't mean to sound snotty, because I'm not, but my wife completely agreed with my assessment of the Fitzpatrick after we left Chicago. The Fitzpatrick is not quite up to 5 Star standards. We have stayed at a few higher end hotels and know the difference. The Westin we heard from someone who was staying there was nicer and even a bit cheaper.\nIf you are a very discerning traveller and expect the utmost in room quality and amenities then this is not the place for you.\nIf you just want to be in the heart of Chicago, which is a great city by the way, and don't care much about your room decor and size of bathrooms, then this is the place for you.\nOverall it is a nice hotel and the city of Chicago is great. It's very clean, safe and friendly. We had a great time in Chicago.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We just returned from 4 nights at The Fitzpatrick with our 2 daughters, ages 10 and 8. I had found a family package on the hotel's web site for a King suite for $219. The package included the suite, a buffet breakfast, free movie and a $50 gift certificate for American Girl Place. The suite on the 28th floor was spectacular...14 foot ceilings, beautiful decor and a fantastic view. I stayed in a suite at The Venetian in Las Vegas about 6 weeks ago and I thought the suite at the Fitzpartick was even nicer, except for the bathroom which was too small for a suite this size.\nThe hotel is only 1 1/2 blocks from American Girl Place which we visited every day during our stay. The staff is friendly, especially in the dining room. We would definitley stay there again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I stayed in the smallest room, which was still relatively large and very nice. The rooms seem like they have been renovated recently, and they are very tastefully decorated. I had a room in the back (2707), and I faced directly into the windows of an adjacent office building that was a short distance away. I hope that the more expensive rooms have a better view.The hotel looked rather plain on the outside as I approached from Michigan Avenue, but it turned out to be very nice inside. The location is great - only a block and a half from the Water Tower on Michigan Avenue, and only 3.5 blocks from the Red Line Chicago subway station (not the Blue Line Chicago station). The neighborhood felt very safe, and there are a number of restaurants nearby.One review I read said that rooms have VCRs in them, but mine did not. Also, the TV was relatively small - 20 inches, I think. The room did have a nice CD player and radio, however.I would definitely stay there again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "I just returned from a business trip to Chicago and stayed at the Fitzpatrick based on the reviews I read here. I love this hotel. Generally not one for boutique hotels, I think the Fitzpatrick may have changed my mind. As I travel quite a bit for business I've stayed in all types of hotels and I must say that the Fitzpatrick really felt like home on the road. I stayed in what was probably one of the smaller rooms, but I did request a room with a view upon check in. The staff at the desk were lovely, as was the bellman who was always nearby to help. The sleeping area of my room was sunken, I walked down two steps to get to the bed. It made the room appear larger than it was and was a delightful change from your ordinary room. The bed was awesome, huge and you almost have to climb on, which I love. The canopy was gorgeous with lighting hidden within. My view was fabulous and the only minor problem I had was the water pressure, which is a problem in most places because I hate water saving shower-heads. The room was immaculate and the maids are very sweet. In fact everyone I encountered at the Fitzpatrick was warm and delightful and when you happened upon one of the employees with an irish accent it is charming. The location is terrific and I walked to the art museum (go!) but I love to walk, so the 15 or so blocks didn't bother me and the tribune and wrigley buildings were like cathedrals in their architecture, so I grabbed any opportunity to walk by and gawk. My conference was held at the Palmer house, which is grand and lovely, but I was happy I chose the more intimate Fitzpatrick. It's Fitz-perfect!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "My sister and I took our children to Chicago to visit American Girl Place. After reading many reviews and seeing the AG Special ($219 a night, breakfast and a $50 AG certificate) we decieded to stay at the Fitzpatrick.\nWhen we pulled up the outside of the hotel was rather plain and unimpressive. The Irish and American flag let us know we were at the right place. The bellman and doorman were right there ready to assist us with our bags. Once inside the lobby was very pretty, although on the small side (in my mind I expected a grand lobby). There was a cool spiral staircase that lead down to the hotel bar. We arrived at noon and knew the room would not be ready. The valet parked the car and the bellman held our bags for us so that we could go shopping.\nWe came back at 3:30 and the room was still not ready. We waited in the bar and ordered the kids some food. My son ordered grilled cheese and it was nasty. (How can you mess up grilled cheese?) The bartender was very friendly and provided great service. At 4:30 the room was ready.\nWe were on the 22nd floor. I was so worried that the room would be small and not meet my sisters finicky taste. (She'll kill me for saying that) I got to the room first. When I opened the door I was speechless! \nIt was beautiful. The door opened to a foyer with a long table and a mirror above. (Great place to drop your keys, packages, etc. and on a place to do a quick hair, make-up, outfit check before dashing out the door) Off the foyer was a walk in closet. This would have made a great second bathroom. It was a nice place to store luggage and shopping bags, but it did lack a light.\nFrom the foyer there were two steps down to the living area. The living room featured a large desk, club chair, hide-a-bed sofa (which didn't kill my back when sleeping on it), coffee table and two end tables. The (as said before) small t.v. was on a three drawer dresser and was shared between the living area and the bed area. (Room needed two t.v.'s) Also in the living room had a very nice radio/cd player. In the living room was a small closet with a safe.\nThe living room lead to the bedroom area. The bed was the best! It was a huge king size with a down comforter and the best sheets. There were three fluffy bed pillows along with toss pillows and big pillows in shams to match the beautiful bedding. Above the bed was a canopy (not a full four poster style, but still lovely) with a reading/mood light with a dimmer. It was a bed fit for a princess!\nFrom the bed area there were two steps up to a closet and large dresser. On the other side of this area was a half wall with a bar, cabinet and refrigerator (a microwave would have been nice).\nThe bathroom was off this area. It was done in black, white and gold. \nAs others have said it was small, but not too small. One downside was there were not outlets in the alcove with the mirror. It was a great spot to do make-up, but I had to move to the bar to do my hair.\nThe windows did look out to an office building, but you could still see the city. (It was slightly entertaining watching people in meetings, knowing they were watching you too and paying no attention to what was going on around them) The rooftop pool was small, but the kids didn't seem to mind and there was a nice view of the city.\nWe had the use of two fluffy bathrobes, slippers and the Fitzpatrick umbrella (nice touch). The staff was very friendly (no snobish employees). Everyone seemed glad to be there. A gentleman vacuuming the hallway from the pool even stoped while we waited for the elevator and chatted with us. The hotel was very clean. The location could not have been better. The doorman was always right there to help with the door, stroller, bags and hailing cabs. The bellhop loaded the very packed auto and even tied our extra baggage onto the roof rack. The staff went above and beyond with wonderful service. I loved the Fitzpatrick. I would stay again in a heartbeat.\nSome things I learned that may help you:\nDo not get the AG Special. You only get one $50 certificate regardless of how many nights you stay. You can get the same room for around $150 a night. You just don't get the gift certificate or the breakfast (which was nothing special, they need to look into improving food quality).\nIf you do not want to spend $5.00 to have a soda delivered via room service take the guestroom elevator down to the dinning room floor and then take the other elevator (quite the trip for a Coke) up to the excercise room where there is a soda machine and snack machine.\nEat dinner on the rooftop at the Italian restaurant down a few doors from the hotel. Great food, ambience and service!\nThe Double Decker bus tour was neat, but boring for little kids. The tour guide was not as funny as advertised.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}]}, "2648906": {"reviews": [{"text": "I have yet to critique a hotel as my experiences to date have been pleasant,. However, I felt compelled to write this review to recount my absolutely horrible experience at the Ivy Boutique Hotel, in Chicago. \nAfter driving a long 14hrs from Canada to Chicago, our group was extremely excited to get to our room and get ready for the Bruce Springsteen concert. Upon arriving at the hotel at 2:45PM, with a pre-booked room (with credit card), we were informed that our room was not ready yet. The gentleman at the front desk radioed housekeeping asking if room 405 was ready and unfortunately it was not. Considering the actual check-in time was 4PM we weren\u2019t apprehensive to go walk around for an hour or so. When 4PM rolled around we came back to the hotel and were informed that it was still not ready. The front desk agent suggested we go to the roof top terrace to enjoy a beverage etc. while we waited once again. As we were becoming pressed for time about 4:15pm we decided to just have a bite to eat and drink on the terrace as we wouldn\u2019t have time to all get ready and go out for dinner before the show. \nAfter another hour passed with no information about the room I proceeded to go to the front desk once again. I waited in line behind four grown women who seemed just as eager to get to their room. The front desk agent seemed a little flustered as I over heard him state he was \u201cswitching some things around\u201d to his concierge colleague. As he handed the keys to the party in front of me he mentioned the room 405. I thought that 405 was supposed to be our room?! As I continued to the desk I was informed that they unfortunately didn\u2019t have a room for us anymore, and that they were switching us to a hotel down the street. What is frustrating about the situation is the front desk deliberately gave our room away. As I asked the agent \u201cWasn\u2019t that supposed to be our room?\u201d he retorted with \u201cThat room only has one bed. Didn\u2019t you want two?\u201d He blatantly lied to my face as clearly four grown ladies would not stay in a room with one bed. Then he continued to insinuate that we could not afford to stay there by repeatedly mentioning that the Double Tree Hilton, that they were sending us to up the street, was a \u201cmuch cheaper rate\u201d of $199 per night. If I had intended to book a cheaper hotel, I would have booked a cheaper hotel! Furthermore, when the hotel bill came on my credit card, I was charged for the initial rate of $392.67. Clearly my friends and I (whom are all in our twenties) were profiled, as our appearances after a very long car trip were not up to Ivy standards. This form of ageism is absolutely ridiculous and it would have been a different story had we showed up with Louis Vuitton suitcases. \nWe left the rooftop patio in haste as we were in crunch time to get ready for the concert. We felt the hotel should at least take care of our patio bill as they made us wait over 3 hours when they could have initially told us there was no room. The manager then came out and explained that there was a leak in one of the rooms and that we had to pay our patio bill because the Ivy rooftop patio bar was not affiliated with their hotel. If the room was supposed to be ready by 4PM, why then when we returned at 4PM were we told that it would soon be ready instead of just telling us there was a leak? Clearly something fishy was going on, as they either over-booked or gave our room to someone else. As an individual who has worked in the Hotel and Hospitality industry for over 10 years, I was utterly disgusted with how my friends and I were treated. I will never be booking a room at the Ivy Boutique Hotel again and will continue to tell my story to people who are visiting Chicago. Do not stay at this hotel!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "First off, I apologize to the readers for this very long review, but the details below are necessary. PLEASE READ IN ENTIRETY IF YOU PLAN TO STAY here and want basics such as a working shower, TV or room with quality climate control.\nOUR STORY: My wife and I were really excited when we booked our stay at the Ivy Boutique Hotel, looking forward to celebrating our anniversary at what looked to be a very promising hotel. We had researched the hotel here at Trip Advisor and read the positive reviews. The reviews compared to or exceeded the Fairmont, Swissotel, Westin Mich Ave, Palmer House and other places we've stayed at in Chicago, so we were really excited. The location appeared awesome (it was) and the hotel being new, but open over a month, made us think the hotel would be in great condition (brand new) and some of the bugs others had pointed out in reviews here would be fixed! \nOh, wow, were we wrong!\nFirst, as it was our anniversary and we would be arriving at 1pm, so I asked and arranged (and reconfirmed the night before) and arrival at 1pm, asking our room be available then. I denoted it was our anniversary, as well. The hotel said they'd be happy to accommodate. Great! Well, our room wasn't ready as promised at 1pm. Actually it wasn't even ready at 4pm, the official check in time of the hotel. It's pretty frustrating to pay $350 for 20 hours time (4pm check in, 12pm check out) at a hotel, only to have the hotel not even have your room ready on time! 2 star hotels can manage this. Remember, we arranged early check in and were told it would be no problem!\nWhen we approached the front desk (a tiny 6ft long, basic counter - yes, that's it), it was staffed by two young ladies, both likely in their early 20's. One, Ilana, looked up and was very polite, welcoming us to the Ivy, but told me the young lady to her left (I don't remember her name) would check us in. I gave this young lady my name and she replied \"Your room is not ready, unfortunately\". I told her we had arranged early check in and confirmed the night before. Her reply was \"Many people have checked in in front of you.\" Huh? What does that mean? She then said she'd check on our room, grabbed a radio and just walked away, leaving us at the check in. What is this all about?\nThat was hurdle one. She returned 10 minutes later and said she'd found a room and it would be ready shortly. No apologies of the room not being rady, no \"Why don't we watch your bags and you can have a drink on us in the lobby bar for the delay.\" Nothing. Just stand here at the check in and wait on your room that is now 3 hours delayed and isn't even available at check in time!\nFinally, our room is ready and we are given keys. We go to our room and walk in. Nice room, but it's hot. Maybe 80f. The elevator was far cooler. It also seems that the hotel hallways are not air conditioned, or perhaps the AC is woefully insufficient. It was likely 80F in the hallway, too. Hot enough to sweat getting to your room. Definitely not a place to stay during hot Chicago summers.\nWe place our bags in the room and I go down to move my car, as the stated by the hotel benefit of \"Valet Parking\" simply does not exists (this was complained about by others here on TA). That's correct. They say they have it, but don't. They can tell you where a garage is. Hmmmm, really? You can tell us? What a service! This is a 4-5 star hotel and they say they have an important item, but don't? I tell tell the same young lady that I have medical condition that makes it necessary for the room to be much colder (severe asthma). I also ask for a second comforter, as my wife and I like to have separate blankets. Front desk lady (nor Ilana, the polite young lady, but the other again) says she'll send up a blanket and check on the AC (we found the coolest it can be set to is 67F. Again, climate control \"controls\" are not 4-5 star hotel controls, but that of a budget hotel). It's 4:40pm.\nWe return to the hotel at 10pm and the room is now about 75F in our room, getting better, but still warm, and the extra comforter has not been delivered, as requested. I head down to the lobby to discuss the comforter still not being there and heat situation and see a maid in the hall, ask for a blanket (very friendly, brings to our room in 1 minute). Frustrated with the hotel lack of response at this point from the front desk, I conclude front desk will not be fixing the AC at 10pm on a Saturday and it's futile, so I return to my room and get ready for dinner.\nWe go to take showers to head out on the town and the latest hotel problem props up. The shower is \"defective\". How can this be? Well, the water actually stops flowing out of the shower head about every 45-60 seconds, and repeats itself, all shower. Take a 10 minute shower and the shower will cut out for 15-30 seconds, every minute or so, offering literally no water flow for roughly half a minute at a time. In other words, 10-12 cut outs in a 10 minute shower. It's like someone is on the other side of the wall, turning the pressure from 100% to 5% and back, every 45-60 seconds! Pretty frustrating. Now throw in that the water was merely luke warm and would fluctuate from cold to warm and back, like someone was flushing a toilet every 30 seconds, and even showering became quite a frustrating experience! I travel 300 days per year + for almost two decades and have never, ever seen a shower as bad as this at any hotel.\nWe go to dinner and hit the town and he next AM we decide to watch some movies on HBO. Well, that's not going to work well, as the TV cuts out every 15 minutes or so for 3-4 minutes at a time. All the channels fail to work during the \"blackouts\", regardless of which TV is being watched (two in room). Others on our floor and that I spoke with on the elevator are having the same issues.\nWe go to check out on Sunday AM. I never complained at check out, as I felt the mentioning much to the front desk was a futile experience at this point, so I simply asked for the managers name when picking up our $350 bill. Ilana, the efficient and nice girl (the less friendly, less efficient lady who checked us in is not at the desk), digs through a drawer and countless business cards looking for one of the manager. After a minute, she gives up and writes the managers email on our bill. We check out, walk two blocks to the car in 90F heat to drop off our bags and head out on the town sweating from carrying the bags.\n3 hours POST CHECK OUT, James, the manger calls us out of the blue to explain the climate control situation. I explain to him we checked out hours ago and that any explanation is futile, as we are already gone! He apologizes for the problems we had and said he would personally write me an email of apology (I did not ask for this) and would give us a \"very generous discount to have us back to show us the true quality of the hotel\".\nSo, in review, the hotel has failed in:\n- Not having the promised valet parking\n- Not having our room ready as promised and not even at the check in time\n- Providing an unbearably hot room with a climate control the wouldn't adjust to an acceptable temperate.\n- Providing a room with a broken TV system\n- Providing a room with a broken shower\n- Dropping the ball on the comforter and response to the hot room, only addressing any issues hours after we've checked out and left the hotel!\nAll of these problems are apparently not worth a single dollar discount on the effected stay. Their position: Spend more money with us and just trust us we will make it better. Wait until you hear about the \"generous discount\" offered as detailed below!\nFolks, there are truly embarrassing levels of maintenance/build at this hotel, trumped by totally inept responses to problems within it. At a 4-5 star hotel, one should be able to sleep in comfort, not sweat all night, watch a TV that works, take a shower that doesn't cease working every 45-60 seconds and have their reasonable requests (temperature and blankets) met.\nBesides the above, we found problems others have noted as well:\n- Rugs: The area rugs are sharp on your feet, even in socks, and peel up from the floor, causing you to trip (others noted this many times). It sounds stupid, but you do trip over these. They are a total liability to this hotel and the complaints here will be evidence of non-response should someone get hurt. Taping down the corners as they did and write about on TA, did not work, as the tape was peeling off on our rugs and the corners were pointing up. These must be changed out for the liability alone. Are you listening owners, as your manager isn't!!!!\n- TV in bathroom behind mirror: How is this controlled? We could find no remote (there definitely wasn't one in bathroom) or room. A feature you can't use. Not good.\nBathtub - Stains in the bottom of the bathtub. Red spots all over had me trying to wipe them off. They seem permanent, but it's quite odd to have 15-20 spots of red, black and yellow in a brand new tub. \nWe stayed in: Room 1402\nDon't take our work, watch the below videos of the TV and shower flow.\nProblematic TV system at hotel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7giqRzLHKfU\nProblematic shower at hotel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IezXcZXXcY\nSo, back to the \"generous offer\": James, the manager, offered not a penny reduction on the room. He offered us to come back to Chicago, something not available to us due to our travel schedule any known time in the future. Yes, he wanted us to spend more money with the hotel, offering basically a $75 discount in the form of promising us a $199 room rate. When I didn't accept his offer and wrote I would take my complaints here to Trip Advisor, he wrote a rude and rambling, grammar poor letter, in which he claimedI was \"defaming him\" with my complaint to him per the documented facts of our stay. Apparently, to James, not having a properly working TV, shower or climate control, not having your rooms ready on time and not delivering things to the room as promised is par for the course and if you bring them up, you are \"defaming\". Watch out!\nConclusion: The Ivy Boutique hotel needs quality management and responses to issues that pop up. It seems understaffed and \"yes\" is not an answer that rolls off anyone's tongue. They showed absolutely no ability to resolve issues during our stay which damaged our stay and anniversary night. The property has far too many electrical and water based issues to stay currently. Manger just blames these items being new. The problem is, customers pay full price and are heavily inconvenienced while they sort their issues, causing poor sleep, showering and poor stays at the hotel. What more do you want from a hotel then TV, SLEEP AND BATHING!\nTake your business elsewhere.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 13}]}, "1742256": {"reviews": []}, "87640": {"reviews": [{"text": "We have been all over the world and prefer to stay in independent hotels and b-n-b's when ever possible.\nI spent a of time looking for such a place in the downtown Chicago area.\nWe found what we were looking for in THE WILLOWS.\nMy girlfriend is a Vegetarian and we asked about area resturants that we might enjoy. The recommendation from the hotel staff was OUTSTANDING.\nWe would rate this hotel as FOUR STAR ---- it had a definate Europeon flavor WITHOUT the bathrooms being DOWN THE HALL. We will DEFINATELY stay at THE WILLOWS again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed at The Willows for 5 nights this Dec. 04 b/c it was a few blocks from our daughter's apt. Be forwearned - their internet ad is MUCH nicer than the reality. It's centrally located if you want to stay in Lincoln Park - but it isn't a cute, boutique hotel, even though it advertises itself as one.\nThe lobby was a bit shabby - and the free continental breakfast was fast-foodish, carb-laden, and recycled. We didn't eat it once. The hallways were long and narrow - not very inviting. I felt as if I were walking down an old-fashioned rooming house kind of place - not an inviting little hotel. The elevator was a small, old cage affair (cute in movies, not in real life).\nOur room was very 1950's - beige, dingy, and dark. We had twin beds, I think - not two queens. Our windows overlooked a parking lot which had an all-night light that shined and made loud noises (so I wore ear plugs and kept the shades down). The bathroom was large - clean - and the products were replenished daily. We could hear someone practicing her flute down the hall - and people having sex in a room above us. The people next door had small kids - which we could hear clearly through the walls. Our TV was small - but hooked up to cable. There wasn't a closet - just an old armoire. I checked out the Days Inn a few blocks away - and The Willows was definitely better - but it wasn't a great, charming, adorable place by any stretch of the imagination.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "We stayed one night at The Willows while we were downtown for work. We thought the hotel was very nice, and the staff was helpful to us in finding a restaurant that had been recommended to us. We are from a small town, and really appreciated the relaxed, friendly atmosphere in the middle of the big city.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We travel to Chicago 15-20 times per year for weekends and stay at many of the hotels in town. We find ourselves often returning to the Willows as a pleasant alternative to the downtown scene. Perhaps the greatest asset of this hotel is the neighborhood: it's nice to be in a residential area filled with lively service businesses...you have access to some real Chicago living here away from the bustle (and cost) of downtown . The hotel itself is perfectly serviceable and well maintained, with a charming little lobby area, and relatively generic non-descript rooms. We prefer the rooms in the front of the hotel (the 00 and 01 rooms) which are smaller, but cozier somehow. The staff here has always been friendly and helpful, and there are 2 convenient parking garages nearby. This an easy place to stay, but you won't be fussed over. A terrific value.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "I stayed a the willows three times this year and always find the service excellent. It is a very good value also. I recommend it to all.M. Jones", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Unfortunately, barebones staff and poor security make this hotel undesirable. I stayed there for an extended weekend and had a CD player stolen from my belongings. The manager was very rude and antagonistic about the situation. I would never stay there again.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 31}]}, "1235890": {"reviews": [{"text": "I'm extremely critical in all my reviews as trip advisor has served me abounds over the past 10 years so I try to pay it forward. I really enjoyed my stay in chicago, I would like to add though it was sunny and nearly 80 each day in october which was apparently nearly unheard of weather so I might be overly excited about the trip in its entirety. I stayed a long weekend with my girl and really enjoyed the hotel overall. I paid a little extra for a corner room, had a great decent size bathroom with seperate shower/tub and the view down state st. was priceless especially the chicago theater sign.. I enjoyed being able to open the window and hear the elevated trains/sounds of the city and close it to complete calm. Bed was super comfy, TV was great and hotel could not have been in a better location, always easy to catch the train or a cab. One morning I had the pleasure of seeing 40,000 people run by for the chicago marathon and it was always easy to find breakfast in walking distance. Had a drink at the rooftop but couldnt stay long as we ventured to different restaurants and clubs every night. Concerns: Only a few first of course being the $12 for internet for 24hrs, its 2011 lets go with the charging for internet it just makes your hotel look stingy alot of us need web access for business. I travel alot and so many higher end hotels do this its just not right, especially in the US. Second I left a neck pillow in the room I used for the plane, had my girl run in literally an hour after we checkout and they were unable to find the pillow or the maid who might have taken it as the room had been cleaned, my girl seemed to feel they were genuinely unconcerned with it at the front desk. Not a big deal but enough to say something about. Finally the door opening issue. I travel alot and have stayed in decent hotels to top rated hotels all over the world. Wit has literally 2-3 \"doormen\" at all times (at least during my stay) and all weekend they hadn't opened a door more than once and we were in and out all day/night. If you are paying people to stand outside in a shirt with your hotel name on it, make them open the cab door, and the hotel entrance door, its simple enough and I tip when they do so!! Easy to make a great first impression... Overall staff seemed genuinely nice, with the exception of an extremely sarcastic valet who checked my baggage on the last day, and after I somehow misplaced my ticket for it an hour later proceeded to poke fun at the situation and then had trouble \"locating the bags\" even though it was an hour duration inbetween. Just nitpicking at this point though, I would definetely return in a minute!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}]}, "674288": {"reviews": []}, "304277": {"reviews": [{"text": "I\u00b4ve been visiting the RSNA meeting in Chicago every year since 1997. Last year was the fourth time I have spent a week in the Tangiers motel. It is a middle class motel with all usual facilities. It is quiet at night, non-expensive (last year the weekly rate was $40/day) and clean. You can get a good breakfast at Pindo\u00b4s restaurant which is only 50 mtrs away. Some shopping malls are also available within walking distance (about 1/2 Mile). \nWith a car you can reach Chicago downtown in 15 minutes.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 13}]}, "90959": {"reviews": []}, "286793": {"reviews": [{"text": "We arrived very late at night after a 9 hour delay flying over from UK and we received a warm reception on arrival. Our request was for a twin/twin/sofabed room high up with a front facing view. We were on the 21st floor but none of these rooms face the front - we could just see the tops of the Sears Tower ariels sticking above the other nearby towers.\nWe ate out for all our meals including breakfast - tip of the day is turn left towards the Michican Avenue and not right towards the Lake otherwise you'll be hungry. There is an amazing McDonalds a few blocks west - huge fancy thing unlike any other you will see in the world - it a special to mark their 50th anniversary and worth a visit.\nEverywhere you will want to see downtown is within walking distance so we didn't hire our car until time to drive Route 66. The hotel has an integrated public mutlistorey car park and you get a much reduced rate for staying at the hotel.\nThe kids & I appreciated the free high speed internet service - two PCs you can use so don't worry if you forget your laptop like I did.\nNice lounge bar and a few tables on the pavement outside (or side walk as you call it in the US). Nice Califonian red by the glass though I can't remember the label. Not many sidewalk cafes in Chicago, shame.\nFriendly staff (including some Brits), fresh fruit at reception and one day we even had free miniature Hersey bars though I still don't like them, it ain't chocolate.\nOur family party of 5 managed to share the single bathroom. We enjoyed our 3 night stay here and would recommend this hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "My husband and I were here the end of August for pleasure and were extremely happy with this hotel. I travel monthly for work and tend to stay in Courtyards and have to say this is definitely not your average Courtyard. We had a great corner room on the 20th floor which gave us a view of the East part of the city (as well as the Lake) and a north view which included the John Hancock. Although the room was not very big it was clean. \nWe also found the service friendly and knowldgeable. Check in took all of 5 minutes and they had a room ready early for us. The concierge (Damitry) was extremely helpful and friendly. Just the fact that this Courtyard has a concierge is a plus! \nLocation, location, location is magnificent. One block from the Mag Mile, a couple of blocks from the red line,", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "Great Location! 1 block from Michigan Ave., Starbucks in the lobby, & donut shop across the street. Walking distance to everything. Rooms are nice & staff is very accomadating. We would definetly stay again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "What a nice hotel! I have never stayed at a Courtyard before and only booked this one because the other nearby Marriott (where my meeting was held) had no availability. I don't regret the 1 1/2 block walk at all! I had stayed at the other hotel earlier in the summer and was not altogether pleased.\nThe room was nice although not huge. It was quiet.\nThe bonus was the restaurant, \"Viand\". It is actually a \"restaurant/bar.\" As it was a Saturday night there were quite a few people but not crowded. However, it was not noisy nor was the service slow. Our server was very pleasant, knowledgable and prompt. To beat all of that, the prices were very reasonable! It was after 7:30 when we arrived so we didn't want more than a light meal. I got a very good BBQ turkey wrap and fries for $12 and my Mother got a very large burger and fries for $10. Breakfast the next morning was the same value. Two eggs, meat, hash browns and toast for $7! (To compare, the same meal at the other hotel where we stayed this trip was $14!) It was so nice to be able to eat in a big city hotel restaurant that wasn't so overpriced.\nThere was free high speed internet access in the room. Which is something I haven't found in many large cities as it is usually at least $10 per day. That is a huge ripoff considering that one is usually paying well over $200 per night for the room even at a discounted/group rate.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 29}, {"text": "Standard Marriott hotel with the only hassle being a high rate for the night (one night $330.00). \nGreat location about one block from Michigan Avenue and parking garage attached to the hotel. \nBreakfast in the morning had a 20 minute wait to I walked one block east to West Egg Cafe but there are plenty of restaurants in the area if that is a frequent issue. \nQuick Internet and fairly good selection of cable channels.\nWarning there are two hotels in the downtown area so make sure you are driving to the correct location.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 26}, {"text": "We stayed in a mini suite type room. This had a half wall separating the sitting area from the bedroom, but there was so much furniture that it all felt very cramped. When the sofabed was open, you could only squeeze by. The hotel has a small indoor pool, very cold water, no hot tub. The Fitness room was modest, with a few weight machines and 3 treadmills. If you use the adjacent restaurant for breakfast, (\"Viand\") skip the small buffet and order from the menu, it was much better than the buffet. Parking in the garage is $30 per day, but ask for a discount ticket at the front desk and get $4 off. Front desk service was friendly and helpful, and the location is very good, though the small lobby always seemd crowded and a little chaotic. The hotel was very clean and well kept. There are several other Marriott properites downtown including the regular Marriott and the Rennaisance. They have better facilities overall, and are often competitively priced.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "I am in Chicago frequently for work. After reading the many positive posts, I decided to try this hotel while in Chicago May 9-12 for business. What a disappointment! After guaranteeing my reservation for a nonsmoking, corner king, I arrived at the hotel at 8pm to find that they were sold out and the only room they had available was a regular, smoking two queens. I checked the room out and politley said thanks, but no thanks. I received nothing more than \"somebody must of screwed up because we see your exact reservation, but we don't have any of the room types available.\" Blah, blah, blah. The rate I had reserved this room at was $319 to boot. What a joke.\nTreat yourself to an upgrade in every sense. I cabbed it to the Soffitel (which was sold out when I made my reservation) and stayed there for 3 nights. What a great business hotel and I paid $295/night. . .walk-up rate. It is much better than the Courtyard/Ontario and is also in a better location.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "I recently returned from a business trip to Chicago. What a great city! I had the pleasure of staying at the Courtyard Chicago Magnificent Mile on Ontario Street. I had a good experience there. Check-in was fast and convenient. The hotel staff was friendly. The lobby was nothing fabulous, but who needs to stay in the lobby?\n The room was very clean and quite nice. Viand restaurant has a nice breakfast buffet and the food is quite good. Starbucks near the lobby is a plus. The hotel is close to the magnficient mile and lots of shopping. About a block away is a restaurant called Grand Lux. It is on the second floor located above the Ann Taylor store. This restaurant served huge portions of good food at a fair price.\n While in Chicago make sure you take in Navy Pier for fantastic pictures. Don't miss the stained glass exhibit there.The art museum is fantastic. The people of Chicago are quite friendly to tourists. Enjoy Chicago. I hope to return someday!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Over the years, I've stayed in a lot of hotels in downtown Chicago and I like this one the best. It's small enough so that you don't have to walk miles through a lobby to reach your room and, unlike some of the larger mega hotels in the city, I never feel lost in an expansive and over used common area.\nI stayed here for the second time on a recent weekend and found it to be every bit a good as my first visit during the summer of 2005 and as decribed by a majority of the reviewers here. The property is fresh and clean. The staff is attentive without being obsequious and the rooms, while not palatial, are comfortable and clean.\nThere is nice, small pool area on the tenth floor. With floor to ceiling windows and views of Michigan Avenue, it was a nice place to spend some down time with my young daughter. There is also a well equiped exercise room. Each time I've been there, the facility was clean and did not look overused.\nFor my young family, this location could not be better. We spend an inordinate amount of time at the Children's Museum on Navy Pier. It's a nice walk in good weather and a short cab ride for those who don't like walking. And, there are all kinds of restaurant options within a block of the hotel - Capital Grill, Bice, Big Bowl, Burrito Beach are only a few that come to mind. But all of Michigan Avenue is just one block away.\nI also like the self park option at the hotel. It's convenient and your car is always accessible. However, if you plan on going in and out a lot, you're best served by using the valet service (since you're charged more money every time you take your car out of the garage by yourself).\nWhile not upscale or a five star property, this Courtyard is clean, comfortable and well located and I'd recommend it without reserve.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We stayed at the Courtyard the weekend of the Festival of Lights, the official start of the Christmas shopping season in Chicago. The hotel was booked to capacity, as was the whole downtown, I think from the look of the crowds in Michigan Ave! This hotel is one block off the Magnificent Mile and is well situated For Michigan Ave shopping.\nWe drove and parked our car in the structure next door, which was convenient, but expensive, as we expected from a downtown parking lot. The front desk staff is very friendly and helpful. Our only complaint was that on Saturday morning we went down for the breakfast buffet to find the dining room only half filled and a line at the door. We were told that we would have to wait 20 minutes for a table. We questioned this...it's a buffet and there are empty tables, and weren't given a satisfactory answer, never really understanding what the problem was. We were hungry and wanted to get out and about so went elsewhere, a great place a block away, recommended by the front desk. \nThe rooms are nice, not fancy, but good sized newer fabrics and well kept. The rooms have an open closet, which bother me for some reason, but that was really the only drawback in the room.\nWe had friends staying at the Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile the same weekend. They are three blocks away from each other and for the price difference, we preferred the Courtyard. The only real difference in the rooms was the bathrooms at the Marriott were nicer. So if you're loyal to Marriott, you might want to keep that in mind!\nWe're going back to Chicago this weekend and staying at the Courtyard again. Hopefully we'll get breakfast this time!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "This hotel was very conveniently located to many points of interest downtown. Is 1/2 block off of Michigan Ave (Magnificient Mile).\nOur room was very clean. We are very picky about cleanliness and were very satisfied with this room. Upon approaching our room, I noticed it was next to the vending and ice machine area. I was concerned about the noise, however it could not be heard in our room which surprised me. The walls must be fairly soundproof as we could not hear sounds from neighboring rooms next to, above or below us despite the hotel being booked. Front desk staff was very helpful in providing us with info pertaining to Navy Pier, parking, cost of area attractions etc.. all staff was friendly and helpful. Valet was prompt and cheerful. Room had two queen beds and a pull out sofa and was generous in size for downtown Chicago.\nWe will definitely stay in this hotel again. We stayed at the Fairfield on Ontario 1/2 block away earlier this month and would be a good second choice if this one is booked.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My family and I stayed for 1 night on June 19th. The hotel was very nice and clean. We were on the 23rd floor (24 total floors) with a nice view. I asked the front desk to give us a room as high up as possible and they were happy to accomodate. The room was very basic nothing special. The best thing about this hotel is the location. It is one block off Michigan ave. and one mile to Navy Pier. You are within 5 blocks of Water Tower Place, Giordano's Pizza (best pizza ever), Garrett's Popcorn (awesome), and The John Hancock Bldg. I would stay here again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 27}, {"text": "Recently stayed at this Marriott on Ontario for three nights in May. Our annual girls trip - 8 of us - and the hotel was awesome!!!! Two of us had birthdays while we were there and the entire staff sent up a tray of chocolate covered strawberries, crackers and cheeses and a card signed by all! Warren and Ryan were great help to us in finding great restaurants and areas of interest!!! Rooms were great - had two rooms that connected on the 24th floor. Location was prime to see the city! HIGHLY RECOMMEND this hotel to anyone visiting chicago. Hotel restaurant and bar were great too! Steve and Matt are great entertainment at the bar!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We made a last minute reservation at this newly renovated property because we were booked into The Congress Plaza downtown and HAD to get out of there. What a relief to find such a clean, polite and welcoming atmosphere. Our room was great; clean and lovely. The front desk staff could not have been more helpful. This is a GREAT location - one block from Michigan Avenue, walking distance to wonderful restaurants and entertainment, shopping, buses and taxis right outside your door. We will return for a Christmas shopping weekend!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I stayed at this Courtyard last September for three days. The staff was very friendly. My room was ready when I checked in at noon, which I really appreciated.\nThe room was not fancy, but very clean and comfortable. It was also very quiet, except for an occasional siren from the street below. As long as I can get a good rate, this is my first choice in Chicago. \nThe location is great. I love the Chinese restaurant next door (Szechwan) for takeout, and there is a convenience store and a Dunkin Donuts right across the street. Very handy.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed here on leisure for 2/18-2/20 weekend. We didn't choose a specific hotel but shopped for the best value. At the time, this hotel offered the best promotional rate among other compatible properties on the Magnificent Mile. My advice: if you want the best rate, go direct to the hotel's own web site, not to Marriott's general reservation web site. \nThe check-in and check-out was prompt. THe room was cleverly organized, nice and clean. We didn't use their vallet parking, pool or in-room service. Actually we didn't spend much time in the hotel at all :) -- only returned there for the night's sleep.\nOne thing that was NOT good with that hotel -- central a/conditioning was rather noisy. We tried two rooms, both were the same. It is a kind of noise you experience in a quiet turbo jet. You can get used to its monotonousness... Unfortunately I could't; but maybe I was too sensitive. After a busy day I had no difficulties to fell asleep, but then I would wake up at night from the noise. At other hotels with local in-room a/c units, you can usually turn a/c (or heat) down for the night, and the room becomes absolutely quiet. Not the case with this hotel -- the central a/c system's noise is permanent and you have to live with it.\nOtherwise, we absolutely enjoyed our weekend in Chicago.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "As a physician, I have travelled extensively for both business and leisure, and this was the absolute worst hotel experience imaginable. \nMy reservation was through the Marriott web site, not a discounter, and I arrived with both the print out of the reservation from the web site and the email confirmation sent by Marriott. Upon arrival, they informed me that my room was not available and there were no rooms available in all of downtown Chicago. The staff was extremely rude, and acted as if it were my fault for not getting there earlier. I was livid. They offered to give me a room 40 minutes away, or at an unsafe location far west of Michigan Avenue, in a 1 star property. \nConsequently, I drove home and missed an important educational conference. I spoke with the manager who basically said there is nothing they can do-it happens! My advice to others planning to stay there is to call the hotel to confirm that they do indeed have a room to go along with the reservation!!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We stayed at the Courtyard on a Friday evening. We got there at 10:00 a.m. because our train arrived at that time and they let us check in early. Our room was large, very clean and very nice looking. The staff, including the front desk, the waiters, and the bartenders all were so friendly and made us feel very welcome. That was one thing we all noticed, that everyone was so nice. The location is great, only one block from Michigan Avenue, very convenient for walking to all the shopping. The restaurant was a little high priced, but delicious, so it was well worth the price. We didn't see the pool, so can't comment on that. After we checked out, they kept our bags for us until we were done shopping. All in all, a great hotel...we would definitely stay there again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed at this hotel for three nights and had a great time in Chicago. The hotel is located wonderfully close to Michigan Ave shopping, the free bus to the Navy Piers, the bus to the Shedd Aquarium and other museums, and there are lots of nice, medium expensive places to eat in walking distance. \nThe room is a little smaller that we would have liked, and ther window was teeny-- we found that the drapes concealed a small window and lots of wall. Outside of being a bit cramped, our room was comfortable and and utterly immaculate. This hotel is amongst the cleanest I've ever stayed at, and even the public areas, which can't be easy to keep clean (like the stairs and the lobby) are totally spick and span. The bathroom is nicely done, comfortable, though it could use another towel rack, we found we were draping towels everywhere. The beds were comfortable, the business center had good net acceess and we could print up our boarding passes for our flights, very handy! \nI never got to the exercise room (walking around Chicago is plenty of exercise!), but the restaurant is good, and the desk staff is very helpful and friendly with tourist information.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We were in Chicago for our annual Christmas weekend. Had not stayed at this particular hotel before, but couldn't pass up the special on Travel Zoo of $89/night (parking in attached deck for $26/day). One block off of Michigan Avenue. Just a great location for shopping and restaurants. Staff at the front desk was very friendly and helpful. Room was large, very clean, and very adequate for our stay, especially considering the rate we got. Would definitely stay here again, especially if we can ever get the special rate.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "224036": {"reviews": [{"text": "You can't beat the location of this hotel - right around the corner from Michigan Ave - right where all the great stores are located - short walk to the old water tower etc. Hotel itself is great - very clean - new carpet - well presented - apartment wasn't spacious but wasn't too small either - quiet - the breakfast was excellent - a massive selection of cereal, toast, bagels, waffles, pastries, hot chocolate, coffee, tea and fruit. Staff kept replenshing supplies often - nice and helpful staff - would suggest the Grand Lux Cafe for a nice place to eat - not expensive and was lovely food, nice atmosphere too - cheesecake factory a little further down which was great too. We loved our stay at the Fairfield and have already recommended it to others.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "After seeing the generally positive reviews of the Fairfield, with negative comments about smallish rooms, I booked a suite (normal rooms were going for $89+tax with AAA discount on the weekend before xmas, so a suite was only $116+tax), so I spent the extra $27 and was really glad I did.\nThe suite had two oversized TVs, decent bathroom with great water pressure, and was nearly the size of 2 separate rooms. A pull-out couch, coffee table, and desk, along with a TV in one room; a bed with nightstands in the other room.\nBreakfast was actually excellent--I'm really not sure what \"Deluxe Continental Breakfast\" should mean, but that's exactly what it is: cold Cereals, hot oatmeal, 6 kinds pastries/muffins, waffles, bagels, toast, yogurt, coffee/tea, juices, and more. Arriving at 9:30am, I thought it would be mobbed, but even though it was busy, food was CONSTANTLY replenished--things were kept so neat, in fact, that when I left an empty plate on the counter for a second (because I'd forgotten to retrieve my make-your-own waffle), when I returned to get it, it was already cleaned up!\nSimple check-in, friendly staff, and (using my Marriott Silver level) I was even allowed a 3pm check-out.\nLocation is perfect--better for shopping (North Michigan Avenue shopping, including Water Tower Place, Marshall Field's, Filene's Basement, H&M) than just about any other hotel, other than maybe the Ritz-Carlton or Peninsula. Of course, those cost $400 per night! Within a block of the Fairfield, away from Michigan Avenue, are several nice Japanese restaurants, plus a Chipotle, Potbelly Sandwich shop, Baskin-Robbins/Dunkin Donuts, and coffee places, along with a White Hen Pantry (a 24-hour mini-mart).\nWe only used public transport, since it's less than 2 blks to Michigan Avenue. So, coming from Midway Airport, it's about 40 minutes; same out to O'Hare. Also, without walking more than 2 blocks, you can get buses to Sears Tower and to the Lakeview/Boystown neighborhoods. Get the $5 per day tourist transit card, and even if you don't use $5 worth, it's great because you can board any bus or train and you never need any money.\nIf you can get a good price at the Fairfield Downtown, this is really a no-brainer!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "An old friend and I went away for a girls weekend. We loved the Fairfield Inn. It was very comfortable and in a great location. We got back to the hotel and were sleeping.......at 5AM the phone started ringing. Thinking it was my wake up call, I answered the phone, said thanks for the wake up call and hung up. Someone was knocking at the door, yes at 5 AM. The phone rang again, this time my friend answered the phone. It was the front desk. Some guy walked past the front desk and said he was going to our room. We got to sleep early since I had to get up at 6AM to catch the early plane out. The girl at the front desk asked my friend if we were expecting a guest. Of course the answer was NO. She thanked us and told us security was on their way up to remove this \"guest\". Two seconds later we heard Security talking to this guy to remove him from the hotel. I can only guess he met some girl in the bar and she said she was staying in our room and he was going to pay her a visit. A little scary for us . Hats off to the Fairfield Inn in downtown Chicago. I will stay there again because of the top security again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "I just came home from the Fairfield Inn and everyone there was awesome! I was there with my mom and sister; the Fairfield gave us a great rate because our mother is a senior citizen! They also include a continental breakfast - we were used to coffee and day-old danish = here they have juices, cereals, toast, hard-boiled eggs, bagels, fruit, the requisite danish, but also 2 make-your-own waffle waffle-maker with individual waffle mix right there for your convenience! Very tasty and easy; ready in 2minutes! I wanted to take one home with me! The front desk staff were always very courteous and knowledgeable, even when we arrived tired and cranky after our red-eye flight at 7am! The best part was that our room was ready so we were allowed to check-in at 7am and take a nap. The room was fine, and the Fairfield's location was really great - just 2blocks from Michigan Ave. and the free Trolley to Navy Pier. I would definately recommend the Fairfield!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Let me start by stating that I am typically the world's greatest deplorer of so-called cheap (budget) hotels. But having stayed at many chain and non-chain hotels across the globe, both on business and pleasure, this is definitively one of the best value for money hotels you will ever ever (ever!) find. That is a fact, not a mad Brit raving about a one off experience. Fantastic location, highly functional rooms, very helpful staff...it hits the spot every single time. I really don't need to write much more. Try it. You will be very pleasantly surprised!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "This hotel is amazing! The rates are extremely reasonable and the location can't be beat! It's only a block and a half from Michigan Avenue! This is the only place we stay when we're in Chicago. The rooms aren't fancy, but they're clean and comfortable. The staff is very friendly. The breakfast is pretty decent, but the breakfast room is kind of small. I recommend bringing the food back to your room. I highly recommend staying here. It's great.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "Stayed 04/25/05 - 04/26/05.\nIn Chicago taking photos for work and this hotel is very close to Michigan Avenue.\nThe hotel had a very new look to it and the staff were first rate. \nRooms had high speed internet and decent cable channel selection.\nBreakfast buffet was very crowded - a group I think - so I headed to Cambridge House 1 block south of the hotel - my favorite place for breakfast in Chicago. \nValet parking was quick and they let me retrieve some items from the car after it had already been parked. \nHighly recommended.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 27}, {"text": "The location of this hotel is definately great! Just off Michigan Avenue, near Navy Pier and only about 4 blocks from the large Convention-focused Sheraton, it is a great alternative place to stay for those on a budget. I was in Chicago for a convention at the Sheraton and could not justify the rates there; this was a short 4 block walk, and saved me lots of money! Add in the really better than average complimentary breakfast and you have a great deal. Be aware that the rooms can be quite small, but if you're not there to spend more than just sleeping time in the room, it should be no problem.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "This hotel may not be a Four Seasons or a Westin, but it a definite good find for the budget traveler. This hotel is just two blocks off of the Mag Mile, and is central to many other locations. The rooms are simple yet stylish, and immaculately clean. The service staff at the front desk was composed of some of the nicest employees of any hotel I have ever offered. Any request we may have simply mentioned they looked into without hesitation. The valets were also extraordinarily nice. Again, while certainly this is not the luxury hotel you may be looking for, there are no negatives in this hotel and would be a great choice for any sort of traveler.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We spent a weekend here in mid October and loved it. The facilities were very clean and the rooms quiet. And what a fabulous location! We'd definitely stay here again. The staff was exceptionally helpful! We highly recomend this hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Decent but nothing special. The rooms were adequate and the bathrooms were clean. It's not the best price in town, but it beats some of the more expensive places.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I chose to stay at the Fairfield for a few nts. because I had a free night voucher and $ per nt was reasonable. It was within walking distance to sites and they had a free continental breakfast every morning. The room was very clean but VERY SMALL. (Don't know if all the rooms are this size-we had the queen) Checkin and checkout was a breeze and staff we associated with were friendly. We had a hard time finding it (it's not one of the larger hotels) and with the one way streets kept missing it. If traveling on a budget, it's probally a good choice. I knew it wouldn't be a spectacular hotel from the research I did. Don't let the free continental breakfast be your deciding factor it's just a little bonus. (cereal, toast, doughnuts) There was even a line one day. \nI wanted to be close to or on the Mag. Mile so location was good but I realized it seemed like most hotels are near everything. We walked EVERYWHERE. \nOh, at night I did hear sirens (it's near the hospital) and could even hear people sometimes outside the front but it wasn't a big problem for me. \nOther than that, Chicago was a great, clean city I look forward to visiting again.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "The staff was friendly and responsive. The room, though small, was spotless during our stay. Off site parking available. Good continental breakfast. All at a reasonable price for a downtown location.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My granddaughter and I just returned from a 4-day trip to Chicago and we stayed at the Fairfield Inn and Suites on Ontario and I only have good things to say about this hotel. The staff especially was very friendly and helpful and really made us feel welcome. The only thing I would suggest (if you don't already do this) is when you're in your room always make sure the night security lock is locked. A maintenance man knocked on our door one afternoon and without waiting to see if anyone answered he proceeded to try to enter the room using his master key. Housekeeping also did this once. I always use the night lock when in a room but it could've been an embarassing situation. They are located 2 blocks off Michigan Ave. and there are lots of restaurants and bars within walking distance and if you need a cab a doorman is always on duty to help you. I would highly recommend this facility!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "I agree with the other reviewer...for the money paid the downtown Fairfield was spotlessly clean, quiet, and the location is unbeatable, especially if you are a first-time visitor and want to experience the highlights of Chicago...eg Gold-coast shopping, Navy Pier, Wrigley Building. The breakfast buffet is copious and if you arrive 15 minutes before it is over there they are still restocking it, unlike most other hotels' continental breakfasts. Only negative is the actual street it is on.. a bit dark and dingy at night, but once you turn the corner onto Michigan Ave, plenty lighting and people.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "For the price paid this is one of the best values in Downtown Chicago. \nIf you don't need in house Restaurant or bar this a great palce to stay. Newly redone, one of the nicest continental breakfasts around (even has waffle maker), small work out area and rooms but by far the nicest in the low end Marriott properties (nicest Fairfiled I have stayed in). Price and location (right off N. Michigan Ave) can not be beat.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "Downtown Chicago is expensive. Expedia saved the day and found a great rate at a Marriott property on the Magnificent Mile. Close to shops, restaurants, and transportation.\nClean, excellent beds and bedding. Thick walls so you don't hear the next door's TV. :-) \nEnjoyed having a PC and printer in the lobby. Was able to print the airline boarding passes there.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "My husband and I just returned from staying at the Fairfield Inn (08/25-08/27/06) and we were very pleased. Room rate was $160 (AAA rate). We found this to be reasonable compared to other hotels in the area.\nSome points:\n1. Room was on the 14 floor. Did hear some sirens and traffic noise the first night; none the second night. We set the fan on the air conditioner to run continuously...this helped to from hearing small noises. Any noise we did hear did not prevent us from sleeping comfortably.\n Room was spotless. I did not see any random hair on the bathroom floor or in the bed. No mold in the bathroom. Cleanest room I have seen in a hotel.\n2. King bed. The bed was so comfortable. Had no problem sleeping, other than the pillows were small (standard size). We did not ask for bigger pillows so not sure if the hotel offered any. We have bigger pillows at home so that is what we are used to. Again, just a small item...didn't prevent us from sleeping.\n3. Breakfast. My husband brought me a toasted bagel, yogurt, banana, muffin and tea to the room (while I was getting ready), so I didn't see the breakfast spread. He said it was a great breakfast. Indicated there was an area to make your own waffles, oatmeal, coffee, tea, juice. Indicated that the staff kept it well-stocked at all times.\n4. Staff. Never had a problem with any of the staff. Everyone was very friendly and helpful. \n5. Hotel area. Great area...one - two blocks from Mag Mile. \nOther points of interest: \nO'Toole's bar was good for lunch and drinks. Friendly staff.\nChicago Chop House: Best prime rib I ever had. Wished they offered a smaller size (only served 16 oz). Husband had filet and was very pleased.\nTo sum it all up...we will definitely stay here for our next trip.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "We stayed at the Fairfield Inn July 8-10, to celebrate my husband's birthday with a Red Sox/White Sox game (the 19-inning marathon, actually......we stayed through 14 and are glad we didn't stay longer to see Boston lose!). Anyway, the Fairfield Inn was a perfect choice for our weekend. Definitely plusher than other Fairfield Inns (and most Courtyard Inns). The location was unbeatable - right in the middle of the action - restaurants, shopping, 5-minute walk to the subway, the beach, or Navy Pier. The room was larger than we expected. Decor was clearly recent. We could have done with more toiletries and a larger breakfast room, but otherwise, it was a good deal.\nOn Saturday nights in the summer, the Navy Pier has fireworks. They were quite good, and it wa sa fun way to experience Navy Pier. We also enjoyed Millenium Park and the CAS river cruise. For meals, we recommend Harry Carey's - I feared it would be too touristy, but actually a lot of Chicagoans were eating there (at lunchtime) and the food was excellent.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Just spent a night here on July 17th, 2006\n The room was clean and the location is great for shopping or eating at the best restaurants in Chicago. In fact while watching a Chicago local channel that night in our room, three of the top ten restaurants (according to the local channel) were located within four blocks of this hotel. We thought it would be great for a Christmas shopping stay. I forgot the taxes were so high, so our 249.00 room came to about 300.00. The desk staff was very knowledgeable. We took the metra in, so we have no information on parking. \n For the money we had no view. Even though we were on the 15th floor, we got to look into a square courtyard view of nothing. So I'd ask for a view if we stayed here again. The room even with a sleeper sofa seemed small. But we had to remember we were in the best area of stores and restaurants Chicago has to offer and nothing will be cheap. The breakfast was good enough to hold us over until lunch. Boiled eggs, waffles, pastries, coffee, orange juice, cereal, fruits and more. 6 to 10 am breakfast. A free U.S.A. today paper. I'd stay here for a romantic night of dinner and theatre. But we had our kids and nothing for small kids to get a bang out of.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "We stayed here in mid-May (the coldest May in decades!), and I must say I was very pleased. We initially had a regular room. It was VERY small, and we were to be there more than two nights. We asked to upgrade. There were no available suites, but we were given a king room, which was substantially larger. The mattress must have been new, because it was very comfortable, and the sheets were a very good quality. Our bathroom was immaculate. No mold or mildew in the caulking, no dust on the fixtures--I mean immaculate. Breakfast was a little better that the average continental style (fresh fruits, pastry, and the usual you-make waffles, etc..), and there were plenty of tables in the breakfast area. Coffee was available all day. The area can't be beat for convenience. Walking distance to Water Tower, John Hancock, a short block off Michigan Ave., Subway sandwiches next door for quick lunch, and two good Thai places nearby. Also, a White Hen on the next street over for anything you may need for mixed drinks, snacks, etc...An easy walk to Pizza Uno too. The hotel does not offer anything in thee way of views, but who is going to spend that much time in their room in Chicago? Only one negative; if you are on the back or lake side expect to be awakened early every day by laundry and garbage trucks. The medical center is behind the hotel, so they come EVERY morning! We were on the 8th floor, and it was still loud, but not horrible. On the morning we were trying to sleep in, we were able to go back to sleep. I woud stay there again in a heartbeat. Our chambermaid was lovely, and the desk staff were as helpful as could be. Also the valets out front were super nice, and we didn't even have a car. They will snag a taxi for you if you need one. Unlike Hilton chain hotels, we had no hidden charges, and the free high speed internet was indeed free. Local and toll-free long distance calls were free, and we were charged the exact price we were quoted at the time of the reservation.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}]}, "609738": {"reviews": [{"text": "After reading about the James Hotel, our stay was everything I had expected. Beautiful decor. Like the W Hotel, but with a splash of color/whimsy & quaint & inimate...much better, I'd say. The rooms are small, but the layout was well thought out, so they appear bigger. Service was super attentive & location couldn't be beat, we walked to almost of of the hot restaurants in Chicago or jumped in a cab for five minutes or so. \nBecause it is new, there are a few kinks that need to be worked out, for instance, since one of the partners in this hotel is a co-founder of Equinox Gym, shouldn't that have been a priority; The Fitness center still wasn't opened to guest. Also, & this is a big one, upon checking out, we were given the wrong directions to the airport which made us miss our flight home. This is a common request & they should have gotten this right, with question.\nWe did call them, & to compensate they took off the valet charges & offered us a free night stay if we couldn't get on a flight...that is a fair compensation I'd say. If we didn't need to get back home, we might have taken the offer. \nEven with those inconveniences, we would definitely stay here again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "247154": {"reviews": []}, "1027237": {"reviews": []}, "293203": {"reviews": [{"text": "We spent two nights at the Amalfi. After reading some of the reviews, I sent an e-mail to the hotel to request a quiet room, facing the front, rather than the back side of the hotel (where the loading dock and dumpsters are located). I received a response very promptly and was told that a room on the fifth floor with view on the city had been blocked for us. The room was extremely nice: king-size bed, big windows, very nice soothing decor. The first impression was one of cleanliness. The room smelled good, and everything looked impeccable. The bed was extremely comfortable, the linens of excellent quality, the bath products very nice. Little details I should mention: nice lamps, nice TV with CD and DVD player (DVDs can be borrowed free of charge at the front desk, and some CDs are already in the room), in-room coffee maker, nice closet with iron and ironing board and full-length mirror, magnifying mirror in the bathroom with different light settings for make-up, hair dryer, curved shower curtain rod that allows for more room in the tub/shower and makes it possible to take a shower without ever being in contact with the shower curtain, certificate showing the room is an allergy friendly room.\nIn addition, the manager's reception with great cocktails (Amalfitini and Amore for example) and a buffet with roasted vegetables, tapenade, cheese, foccacia, and a variety of Italian cold cuts is a really nice touch after a long arduous day of shopping! Of course, the lounge is small and seating is insufficient (especially on the weekend), but if you plan it right (arrive there early!), it makes for a very pleasant hour and a half. The breakfast buffet is another nice perk. A buffet is set across from the elevators on each floor: coffee, tea, juices, a variety of pastries, croissants, bagels, and fruit are available to take back to your room on a little tray that is provided. Very convenient!\nAll in all, I would highly recommend this hotel: friendly associates, quiet and comfortable rooms, convenient location with lots of restaurants in the vicinity (Avoid Redfish at all costs. We waited 55 minutes to be served after we ordered, the food was bad, the service inadequate, and our check --as well as the checks of our neighbors on each side-- was inaccurate. We could not wait to leave!) Good restaurant choices are Brasserie Jo for French food and Joe's Seafood Prime Steak & Stone Crab, among many others.\nWe will definitely consider this hotel next time we go to Chicago.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "This hotel is in a wonderful location for sightseeing, shopping, walking to good restaurants, etc. The employees are very cordial and eager to help you with hotel procedures, find any information you need about Chicago, and do that extra thing that makes your day easier. Even though my husband and I could be their parents they showed no age bias or impatience with us. The breakfast buffet has a good selection and is served on each floor, and the evening reception is a nice way to wind down. I would definitely recommend the Amalfi.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "As previous poster stated, the website makes you feel as though you will be at a better than Disneyworld customer service site, which this is not. The customer service is fine, but not anything to write home about. I wasn't greeted at the door the first time I entered or anytime I exited or entered again, but I had no problem with that. Just average service. The breakfast was so nice being on its own floor, so you can go to it in your robe and back to your room, without may seeing you. The sheets are great, nice and soft and not hotel white!! Neither are the towels! I thought that was good. 2 showerheads and a very nice location.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "The Amalfi Website is exceptional and will persuade those who are deciding between the many options to take a chance on its hip and cool presentation. The truth of the matter is that the Amalfi Website is better than the actual experience. If you are expecting to be blown away by incredible customer service think again. In my two days at the Amalfi I was not called sir one time. The only time during that period that I was called Sir was when I was jogging and walked through the Conrad Hotel to gain access to a mall. In a matter of 2 minutes I was addressed as Sir three times by different employees all while clad in jogging pants and a wrinkled t-shirt. Amalfi employees were nice but not polished. Accomadating, but not exceptional. Cool, but not excellent in service. I have had better service at an Embassy Suite and a residence inn.\nRoom - Beautiful Suite , Comfortable bed, Nice Amenities\nPrice - Good Value\nQuiet- Mature Patrons.\nOverall - A hip, incentive laden, 3 star boutique masquerading as a 4 star luxury hotel", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "I was pleased with the welcome as my spouse and daughter entered the lobby. My 4 year old daughter was greeted with crayons and a coloring book. The staff were extremely helpful each time we needed assistance. The bathroom had some minor problems but the staff quickly sent a technician to resolve the issue. I enjoyed the evening cocktails and they even have a service contracted for nanny services if wish to attend evening events (My experience some of the eateries downtown did not allow children in the resturant...The nerve)! The breakfast was average (no cereal selection neither hot or cold). Overall it was a very pleasant experience but nightlife requires a babysitter. Enjoy and hope this helps!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 24}, {"text": "Excellent service, clean, comfortable and quiet rooms, incredible breakfast and reception included in the cost of your hotel room. Very impressed, highly recommend this newer botique hotel, will stay here again!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 24}, {"text": "I managed to get an amazing rate at the Amalfi and was so impressed by the room and the friendly staff. I fell in love with the FREE continental breakfast provided every morning and especially the chocolate croissants, yum! The Amalfi is a great hotel and I will definately stay there again. While I love the Swissotel, I feel that you definately get more of your monies worth at the Amalfi since they at least offer Free continental breakfast and an evening cocktail reception.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 27}, {"text": "My wife and I stayed at the Amalfi this past weekend and were quite pleased. The staff was helpful and pleasant. The room (530) was tastefully appointed and spacious. The dual shower heads are great. Having breakfast on your floor is a definite plus. Decent choice of pastries, breads, and muffins. No fruit (except for juice) or dairy products sans butter. A choice of coffee and tea along with the juice as beverages. Within walking distance of the Navy Pier and just a block from the House of Blues (where we saw Chris Isaak). Plenty of restaurants around it and room service from Harry Carry's arrived in about 15 minutes at 7 pm on a Sunday night. Well equiped exercise facility.\nIf you drive you should definitely consider parking outside the Hotel. When we arrived the hotel's valet even suggested not having him park the car. It is $37 a day to park in the hotel's lot versus $6 a day on weekends and $24 a day on weekdays at a lot that is 2 blocks west of the hotel on the south side of Kinzie between Dearborn and Clark.\nIf I were to return to Chicago I would definitely stay at the Amalfi if I wanted to stay downtown. (It is just North of the Chicago River and therefore only a couple blocks away from the loop. The walk along the river to see the tall ships on the way out to the pier was also quite nice.)", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "Overall excellence. Stayed for 5 nights and was never disappointed. The location was central to everything from south of the river to the north, which made for easy walking. Friendly and helpful staff, quiet rooms, out-of-the-ordinary free continental breakfast and evening cocktail reception (with top shelf liquor). This hotel occupies the lower 6 floors of a 12 story building. The bedrooms are average size but the bathrooms are large with a double-headed shower and plenty of counter space. Very minor considerations: only provide 2 towels per day but give extra when asked; no exhaust fan in the bathrooms; had to jiggle the handle of the toilet to keep it from running; no mirror in the bedroom. The back of the hotel is the quietest but only the top 2 floors have a view --- the others face a brick wall. Would definitely stay here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Stayed there for a weekend; very low-key and quiet place; no hustle and bustle in the lobby, it's like coming home to a condo. Decor is clean, simple, and modern. Rooms are not huge but comfortably sized. Loooved the double shower heads!! Location is convenient enough, a block from House of Blues, and a couple of blocks walk to Michigan Ave. Good restaurants around it (Harry Caray's, Smith and Wollensky, etc.). Overall, the hotel is clean, comfortable, and great value for the price. Highly recommended and would stay there again!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed at Amalfi for 2 nights and i have to say after reading all the reviews here i expected a little bit more. It's a fine place with clean bathrooms and comfy beds but it's just not worth the money. \nIt does have comfy beds and free continental breakfast. The sheets though, made us itch for some reason and we are normally not sensitive to these things. The breakfast could really benefit from some bagels or yougurt. Otherwise, it's just an early morning sugar attach of muffins, danishes, sweet breads, and croissants. \nThere are plenty of restaurants around but they are all of the big chain variety, if you are into that sort of thing.\nAlso, the windows do not open and there is a climate control device in the room. The problem with it that it keeps blowing air all the time, alternating between cold and warm, right over the bed. There is a sign not to turn it off but we did once just to see what happens and the air in the room got uncomfortably stale.\nThey do have a business center where you can send fax and use internet for free. The problem is it is only one tiny room with one computer in there. One person at a time...\nAll and all, we will not stay there again. If we feel like luxury, we have to find some other place. But if we feel like a regular hotel in the heart of the city, maybe we will try Red Roof Inn or something like that. At least we'll know what we are paying for.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We attended a Bachorette Party in Chicago in Aug 2005. There were 10 girls total. We had 5 rooms ... and I did not hear one complaint from anyone during our entire extended weekend.\nNever been to Chi-town before, I booked our hotel based on reviews from TA. And we were not disappointed. The staff is wonderful, the happy hour was just fabulous. The room was nice and clean, with a great double headed shower and Aveda products was an extra bonus! Then you also get free internet in your room! \nThe hotel was chic and hip without the pretentiousness. We still talk about what a wonderful time we had ... and we all agree that if we ever go back to Chicago we will be staying at the Amalfi again.\nTrust me the pics don't do it justice!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I stayed here the weekend of August 5th, for two nights. This was the first of what I am sure will be MANY visits to this wonderful hotel! My first impression upon entering the lobby, was WOW! They had a player piano that was playing music, and it gave the ambience of elegance and class to this hotel. As I soon discovered, this ambience does not end there! You do not check in at a traditional \"check-in desk\". Instead, it is more like a concierege. I arrived rather early (12:30pm), and in most hotels they will not let you have a room until 3pm at the earliest. NOT HERE! After giving you your room keys, they ask if you will be needing dinner reservations or show tickets. They then offer the services of the bellman to deliver your bags to your room. I politely declined this, as I only had a small weekend bag with me. I entered the room and was instantly impressed! The room and bathroom were HUGE! There was an Amoir with a 27 inch widescreen television, a Dvd player, and a built in wet-bar! The king size bed with a pillow-top matress, and 500 thread count Egyptian Cotton linens, made me want to sleep all day! It was the most comfortable hotel bed I have ever slept in! The bathroom was HUGE! It had a beautiful black granite countertop, with a fogless, lighted makeup mirror, a tub/shower with dual shower heads, and the type of shower curtain that bows out, so it doesn't stick to you! And the maid comes back in the afternoon to offer turndown service, and to freshen up your room. Just another fine example of how immaculate the service is at this hotel! But it still does not end there. Every day between 5:30pm and 7:00pm, they have a complimentary Managers Reception in the lounge up on the 6th floor. In addition to free drinks, they have a wide array of complimentary finger foods: cold cuts, cheeses, breads, stuffed olives, olive oil, etc. This was one of the minor areas that can be improved upon, as the lounge is quite small, and only open for the duration of the reception. It would be nice if it were open later, even if they charged for drinks after 7pm. Most of us were just starting to enjoy ourselves, when we had to leave. And in the morning, they offer a very nice continental breakfast on every floor next to the elevators. They offer a wide variety of pastries, breads, fresh fruit, juices and coffee. It would also be nice if they also offered milk and cereal, but this too, is a very minor area which can be improved upon. The location is perfect as well. Directly across the street from Harry Carry's and the House Of Blues, and just a couple of blocks to Michigan Avenue. All in all I very much enjoyed my stay, and will DEFINATELY be back!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "My wife booked this online. The pictures looked great and when we arrived the hotel met all of our expectations and more. The decor of the lobby was very cool, and the rooms was beautiful. Anyone on the fence because of price: open bar from 5:30 to 7. That will help offset any price worries. Nice touch of having a plentiful breakfast spread across from the elevators on each floor. Delicious pastries, breads, juices and coffee or tea. One other thing I noticed: every member of the staff we encountered greeted us. That's something that doesn't happen a lot. The hotel is located around the cornere from Michigan Avenue, so that's a plus. Overall, great experience and we will be back.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Had a wonderful five night stay at the Alamfi and enjoyed every minute of it. Nice breakfast on each floor, robes and slippers in the room, Aveda products and a nice happy hour. Try the amaltinis. The reception does get crowded on Friday evenings when most people show up for the weekend but at any point during the week there is just a small number of people. The train(red) in within a few blocks and if you are willing to walk about five blocks you can take a train to either airport (save yourself the thirty-five dollar cab ride). Plenty of great restaurants around. Try Giordano's pizza and for a quick lunch grab a sandwhich from one of the many Potbelly's around. There is a fun bowling alley across the street by the House of Blues called 10pin. It is a swanky matini bowling alley. Also, if you have a chance, check out Bobby's bike and hike. There are a couple of three hour bike tours available and it is the perfect way to orient yourself with the city and see about seven miles worth without wearing out your feet. Keefer's is excellent as well as the lunch version of Keefer's cafe (which is right outside the door of the hotel). Two hour waits are common at Harry Carry's so we just stopped by for a drink one afternoon. The Redfish is a little overrated (they are owned by Friday's so what do you expect). Take the el to a Cub's game or go check out some of the young and trandy neighborhoods like Buckstown. I guess the best thing about the hotel is the location, not in the middle of the Magnificent Mile madness but gets you close enough to everything. Wish we could have stayed longer, I really wanted to go on the Gangster tour. The hotel will also set up reservations for achitctural tours and reccomend where to eat at three in the morning.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed at the Amalfi from 7/28-8/1/05. Everything was incredible. Our room had a fabulous view of Lake Michigan and downtown. The bed was the most comfortable I have ever slept in at a hotel.\nDozzy, our Experience Designer, was amazing. Anything we needed, he set up for us. He got us entry and a table to the newest, hottest nightclub in town, Victor Hotel. We breezed in past all those waiting in line.\nThe rest of the staff was also fantastic. We only took advantage of the complimentary cocktail hour on Sunday night, so I believe we avoided the crowds. Kenneth is a master bartender.\nWe loved the complimentary continental breakfast. What a delight to just walk down the hall and pick up pastries, juice and fresh coffee - all served by cheery staff.\nOur check in was smooth and seamless, with no wait. Same thing with check out. There did seem to be a few mistakes on a few charges, but you need to be responsible for overseeing those things. After pointing them out, the charges were taken off.\nDon't let any less than perfect reviews keep you from booking a stay here. It was incredible and we cannot wait to go back to Chicago and the Amalfi.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We stayed at the Amalfi Hotel for three nights in July, and were delighted with our visit. The hotel still feels very new--the public spaces and rooms are beautifully designed & decorated--a nice break from the convention barns or the kitschy theme hotels. Rooms are a comfortable size, and the bathrooms are well-appointed (rolling bench/seat, Aveda products, curved shower rod). The bed was very comfortable, and the sheets are great--I don't understand why they use a poly bedspread over them, but it looks nice, and it's folded away when the housekeeping staff turns down the bed for the night. \nThe breakfast bar is a great convenience--a small but thoughtful touch is the choice of nice glass mugs or to-go cups for the very good coffee. Decent pastries, fresh fruit. And the evening cocktail hour was wonderful. The Amalfitinis and the small but well-chosen antipasto bar were exactly what we needed after a long day to gear up for a night on the town and a late dinner. Contrary to other posters, the room was never packed while we were there. \nThe central location meant we could easily walk to shopping on State Street and Michigan Avenue, as well as restaurants in the River North area. We also walked to the Field Museum and Millennium Park. More ambitious, but still do-able. Cabs were everywhere, and bus stops just a short walk. \nStaff was adequate. Check in and check out went smoothly and quickly. However, when we asked about suggested restaurants, we were told 'anywhere!\". Hmm, not exactly helpful. On our own, we discovered nearby restaurant we enjoyed--Harry Carays (better than expected, and the chopped salad delicious), Frontera Grill, Brazzaz (new Brazilian place, where even a vegetarian could have a fabulous meal from their 'salad' bar), Smith & Wollensky (old-school steak house). \nThe small annoyance of no local daily paper was more than offset by the free in-room wi-fi. We brought our laptop and read our news and planned our day online each day. \nAll in all, the Amalfi is delightful. It reminded me of a W, but smaller, and with a warmer feel. You won't be disappointed with this little gem.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "This hotel is top-rate from every point of view. The front desk/concierge staff genuinely want to be helpful, and continually suggest activities, try to book tickets and restaurants, etc., etc. All the staff are welcoming and friendly: have to mention Kenneth, the wonderful barman in the 6th floor lounge. The hotel is on a quiet side street, walking distance to so many fabulous restaurants in the River North area, just far enough away from North Michigan (a 5-minute walk). Rooms are sleek and comfortable. Beds (the most important feature) are cozy; sheets are soft, as are bath towels. There is turndown service. In guest rooms, you can see that your hosts have tried to think of every little thing that would make your stay nicer, and their thoughtfulness makes a big difference. The best part are the breakfasts, which appear silently by 6:30 weekday mornings, and 7:00 on weekends, in the hall by the elevator--coffee and teas, rolls, muffins, danish, croissants, fruit, juices--all complimentary, to be taken back to your room for an unhurried start to the day. They offer robes and slippers, DVD's, cocktails--where else can you get an experience like this??? And for a reasonable price, if you can believe it.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "We ended up at the Amalfi for a 3 day weekend. The staff is extremely helpful and gracious. The continental breakfast was first rate and we really enjoyed the happy hour. Our room was good sized and the bed was super comfortable. The location was very convenient for travel to the Loop, Lincoln Park and the Gold Coast. The lack of restaurant or large lobby was not a problem at all. Overall, this was a great stay and represented a terrific value!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "This was one of the best hotels I've ever stayed at. We stayed there May 27th - May 30th. The service was excellent, all of the workers were extremely friendly and polite. Not a single worker ever walked by me without saying hello. The complimentary breakfast in the hallway was wonderful, it had a nice variety of fruit, pastrys, bagels, juice, coffee, etc. The welcome reception each evening is also a great touch. From 5:30 - 7pm, they had alcoholic drinks, meat and cheese trays, etc. The bartender was extremely polite despite the large crowd he was serving. Anytime you had any questions about somewhere to go in the city, they could tell you where to go and how to get there. The room is also great, very comfortable bed, huge bathroom, dvd player, nice jazz music. I really could not have asked for a better hotel in the city of Chicago! It's a hotel you definitly must check out!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We had a fabulous stay at the Amalfi hotel. The location is great (Harry Careys, House of Blues within a block) The hotel staff were extremely helpful and very nice. The rooms were beautifully decorated and the shower (two heads) was very refreshing. Large rooms, nightly cocktail hour, complimentary breakfast, and a unheard of onlite rate, made my trip to Chicago one that I will never forget.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We just got back from 4 days and 3 nights at the Amalfi Hotel in Chicago and loved the way we were treated, loved the room and the breakfast is a lovely continental spread with fruit, pastries etc. laid out on each floor so it's very convenient. After all the traveling we do it was so nice to stay in a hotel that didn't have all the hustle and long lines of the larger chains.\nThe staff were all very friendly and accomodating. We checked in a little early and there were no problems and since our return plane was leaving late they allowed us a later check out.\nThe hotel is in a great location for walking just about everywhere with great restaurants within walking distance plus a couple of blocks to wonderful shopping.\nAll in all we were very pleased to stay in this hotel and will definitely stay there when we return to Chicago.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We need more hotels like this one every where, best sleep I've had in years. the amafi hotel is my new home away from home.\nTamaria Williamson,Detroit Mi", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "After reading all the glowing reviews here, we eagerly booked a Deluxe Corner King Room, the most expensive room type. We called ahead to let them know that we'd be late checking in, and also to confirm our request for a crib. I emphasized that it was VERY important that the crib be set up and ready as we would be arriving so late at night. The front desk staff reassured me that it wouldn't be a problem.\nWe arrived at 11pm on Friday night, exhausted from our 4-hour flight, and our toddler was sleepy and ready for bed. As we feared, no crib had been set up! We called to the front desk and they said they'd find one \"right away.\" Forty-five minutes later, at midnight, (not \"right away\" in my book), someone finally arrived with a PLAYPEN. Note to Amalfi management: a playpen is not a crib, nor is it an adequate substitute. To add insult to injury, they gave us a BROKEN playpen...the leg support was loose and unstable. Apparently, the hotel had run out of cribs. \nNext up: our mini-fridge was BROKEN. But we didn't discover this until after we found out that they hadn't left us a key to the fridge. We had to call housekeeping for it. Anyway, having a fridge was imperative, as we had to store milk and other food for our toddler. I immediately reported it to housekeeping, and they NEVER fixed it or acknowledged the problem during our 2-night stay there. We ended up having to buy new cartons of milk and yogurt twice a day. \nThe room itself: we booked a Deluxe Corner King room, the most expensive and supposedly the largest. What an utter disappointment. Sure, the soft linens and silk comforter were wonderful, it was spotless and very clean, and there were other nice touches such as a magazine selection, CD, Aveda products, and books, but other than that, the place was **dark and depressing**. I was expecting a fairly decent-sized hotel room, but instead, when we opened our door, we saw a long, dark hallway that stretched around the corner to a tiny room. I guess that long hallway makes it \"deluxe\" somehow...? After paying a pretty \"deluxe\" rate, I would expect at least a view of the street, or something. But from one of our windows, we got a great view of a BRICK WALL. From the other window on the adjacent corner, another panoramic view of a BRICK WALL. Needless to say, there was NO NATURAL LIGHT in our room. So how is this a \"deluxe corner\" room??\nAnother problem was the air conditioning. It was LOUD. It didn't prevent my laid-back husband from sleeping, but even he admitted that it bothered him. It definitely prevented me from getting any quality rest. \nThe bed. Warning: if you have back problems or prefer sleeping on a firmer surface, you're not going to like the Amalfi beds. That was the softest, least supportive bed that I have ever slept in. Granted, I'm 6 months pregnant so I'm a little achey these days, but even my husband complained about it.\nBreakfast buffet: after reading the reviews, I thought that it would be more than it really was. It turned out to be a small table set up in front of the elevators, with a basic assortment of danishes, croissants, muffins, and breads. Yes, they were nicer pastries than the ones you'd find at the Holiday Inn breakfast buffet, but not THAT much nicer! There was a bowl of apples and bananas. Tea and coffee served up in pretty urns. A basic continental breakfast, that's all. Nothing fancy. Strangely, they did not provide PLATES on either morning that we were there. I had to spread a napkin across a serving tray (with an open basket bottom) and bring my food back to my room, dribbling crumbs all the way. \nI've saved the best for last: the horrible, horrible concierge -- oops, sorry, the \"Experience Designer.\" It was a miserable and rainy Saturday morning and my husband, friend, son, and I were looking for a nearby brunch place to drive to. The concierge said, \"There are lots of places you can walk to within 2 - 3 blocks.\" I said, \"We don't have an umbrella and would prefer to drive.\" \"She said, \"You're going to have a lot of trouble finding parking.\" I said, \"That's OK, we're used to it. So can you recommend any places nearby?\" She said, \"Just drive around and you'll find something.\" WTF?! The CONCIERGE just told me to \"drive around\" until I find a restaurant? And this after she just told me how bad parking was?? Uh, lady, how about doing your job?? Her demeanor was incrediby curt and impatient, and she didn't crack a smile even once. Talk about a useless, rude, incompetent, and UNPROFESSIONAL concierge. \nMy bottom line on this hotel: they try really hard in certain areas (little personal touches in the rooms, very nice doormen, hip and mod decor in the lobby, very clean rooms), but the lack of professionalism and standard procedure are painfully apparent. And if the other rooms are anything like our dark, depressing, and tiny \"deluxe corner\" room, then you'd truly be better off elsewhere. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a prissy 5-star hotel princess, in fact - we usually stay at simpler hotels and inns, but for a supposedly upscale boutique hotel, I was shocked by how sub-par it was compared to the less trendy and chain-type hotels.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 29}]}, "505788": {"reviews": []}, "111486": {"reviews": [{"text": "We stayed here for a week at the beginning of March 2006, largely on the strength of the reviews on this site.\nWe were absolutely delighted with the hotel. We had an immaculately maintained suite, comprising a full kitchen, lounge, bedroom, and bathroom. The room was clean, the bedding was clean, and the AC worked, as did all the other equipment. \nThe breakfasts were also really good - a wide range of very American breakfast fare - and there was also hot tea, coffee, etc available 24 hours a day in the dining room. \nThe hotel staff were always courteous and helpful; and were interesting in what we were doing and where we had come from. \nThe hotel is on a busy city block, and we were occasionally woken by sirens from the fire station next door, but this kind of thing goes with the territory. There are loads of bars and restaurants in the vicinity, the hotel is ideally placed for trips to the Loop or to Magnificent Mile, and the El stop is on the next block along. \nLike a previous reviewer, we were also amazed that this is only a 2* hotel. Any misgivings we had beforehand were swiftly allayed. I would stay at this hotel again without hesitation, and will look at the Hampton chain first the next time that I visit the USA.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "this hotel is the most disgusting place i have ever styaed, there were HAIRS all over my room. the froint desk could NOT have cred less. Nothing was done to improve my stay. Stay anywhere but here!!!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Searched for hours on the web for best deal in Chicago. Settled on this hotel for best price and features. Extremely satisfied. Excellent breakfast-eggs with ham, french toast, mixed fresh fruit, donuts, muffins, etc. Very clean, excellent service, pool and whirlpool well maintained. Excellent value. Also, good location for downtown sites. Comfortable bed. Highly recommend-you won't be disappointed.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 24}, {"text": "We stayed in this hotel Dec 9 to Dec 11/05. We found it to be very clean and quiet. The room was large and the bed was very comfy.We stayed on the side facing the fire department, but did not find it bothersome at all.The breakfast was good, with both hot and cold selections. Close to buses and subway, lots of places to eat nearby and easy walk to mall.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "I stayed here for 3 nights and have no real complaints.\nwhy I liked it:\n-I was able to check in early\n- Free breakfast. It wasn't great but it was free and I was able to put something in my stomach before I left in the morning. Eggs and sausages, fruits, cereals, oatmeal, yogurt, muffins, bagels, wheat bread, etc.\n- Close to Mag Mile and Subway. Took the subway from O'Hare about an hour ride but it only cost $1.75. Took the bus from Michigan Ave to the Lincoln Park Zoo and The Shedd Aqarium. Took the train and a bus to the Musuem of Science and Industry. Get the transit visitor's pass. It's worth it. You can not get it at the hotel or at the train station but you can get one at Jewel's grocery store on State Street right upstairs from the train station.\n-Night light in the bathroom, 4 pillows, clock radio, indoor pool, gym, business center with free internet access, you had to use your room key to enter the hotel late at night\n-Helpful and friendly staff, housekeeping did a great job\nONLY COMPLAINT...I did not receive my free USA Today paper on any of the days I was there but they had a bunch in the breakfast room so it was okay.\nIt is next to the Fire Station and you do hear the sirens but it's a city so you have to expect noise. It was not overbearing and I tuned it out after the first siren.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 31}, {"text": "Just returned from a 3 night stay at this much underated hotel. From the moment we arrived, when the desk person greeted us with a brief but comprehensive overview of the hotel until our quick and easy checkout, this hotel rates much more than the 2 1/2 stars some are rating it. The modern, clean conveniences including 4 pillows in our king size, 2 room suite and the complimentary full hot breakfast are but a few of the wonderful amenities you will find here. Great location too!!!! I highly, highly recommend a stay at the Hampton Inn & Suites, downtown, Chicago.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 26}, {"text": "My husband and I spent the weekend of Oct. 29-30 with two other couples in the six-person suite, and the whole experience was wonderful. As you may know if you've tried to find a suite in downtown Chicago that can accommodate three couples, they're extremely rare; pretty much the only other ones available are at super-expensive luxury hotels. The Hampton Inn offered excellent service, lovely decor, high-quality and varied breakfast and a spacious room, all for a reasonable price.\nOur suite had a bedroom with two double beds, plus a queen-sized pullout couch in the living room. All of the beds were very comfortable. There were two TVs - one in the living room and one in the bedroom - and the kitchen area had a full-sized fridge, two-burner stove, dishwasher, microwave, 10-cup coffeemaker, and table. The entire suite was about 550 square feet - a little tight for six people and their belongings, but not at all bad.\nThe pool, hot tub and fitness room were all very nice, and so was the breakfast room. The morning we were there, there were four kinds of coffee, plus tea and hot chocolate; biscuits, gravy and eggs; fresh fruit; dry cereal and oatmeal; yogurt; bagels; muffins; danishes; and toast. The room also had plenty of tables and chairs to accommodate all guests.\nThe hotel is also in an excellent location - an easy walk from Randolph Street train station, Millennium Park, the Art Institute, Michigan Avenue, the river, Union Station, etc. \nFinally, the staff was very gracious and eager to serve, and the decor is truly lovely. I'm not one to care much whether the wall art is bad or the bedspread is ugly, but the mission-style decor all throughout the hotel was delightful.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "Have just returned to England after a trip to USA. Spent 4 nights at Hampton Inn and Suites Chicago Downtown. Had used Trip Advisor to research hotels in downtown area and this hotel seemed to tick all of our boxes. We were not disappointed. All the staff that we came onto contact with were heplful and polite. We stayed in a king studio which was very clean and with lovely decor. Central for all tourist activities and the free trolley bus to Navy Pier was a bonus, picks up almost outside hotel. Surprised hotel is only rated 2 star.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I didn't know this was a 2 star hotel until writing this review. I just returned from a three day stay and enjoyed my time. The hotel is done in an Arts and Crafts style, and while the decor is not lavish, it is clean and feels recently updated. Our room was on the 5th floor facing another building, but we didn't spend much time there anyway. The room is comprised of two rooms-a living/eating/kitchen area and a bed/bath area. All were well maintained and clean. The sofa bed in the living room wasn't too bad to sleep on, either. If you're into TV, there are two; one in the living room and one in the bedroom. The kitchen area has a good size fridge, microwave, dishwasher, and stove. There are also dishes and pots and pans. While we did not use them, they mght be useful if staying for a while with kids. We used our glasses on the first day, and before we knew it, housekeeping had run them through the dishwasher. The pool/sauna/hot tub area was good-very clean and plenty of towels. The free breakfast was also good, for what it was. There was plenty of pastry, muffins, bagels etc., in addition to a hot meal (eggs, sausage) and cereal, milk, juice, fresh fruit, and yogurt. It was nice not to have to buy breakfast, so we could plurge on dinner.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Just got back from a two-day trip to Chicago; we had a great stay at the Hampton Inn and Suites. My husband, my two preschool-age sons, and I found the king-bed suite very comfortable and convenient. The separate living area was perfect--the kids ate at the handy counter/table in the kitchenette. \nEveryone was very helpful: The bellhop immediately called down to get us a crib when we realized our room didn't have one (I had requested one in my phone call a few days earlier); it was delivered right away.\nThe location in River North is ideal--close to so many restaurants, and there's a free trolley to Navy Pier just down the street (our only minor complaint during our whole stay: my husband had to wait almost 40 minutes for the trolley, with the two kids in tow).\nOverall, we had a great time. We would definitely return again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I spent about a week at the Hampton Inn on a business trip, and really have nothing but good things to say about the hotel. It is only about a 15 minute walk to the center of the Loop, very close to the Miracle Mile, and near a number of great restaurants. Not having a car, I was able to get to a number of Chicago landmarks conveniently by foot. The hotel building is in very good shape, the rooms are comfortable, and meet all my expectations as a business traveler. I had a full desk with high-speed internet access. Also, the service was excellent. I travel to Chicago fairly regularly, and the Hampton Inn is one of my top two choices of hotels in downtown Chicago.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Our family just came back from Chicago for three nights this past weekend. We have two boys, 6 and 4. For a two star hotel, this is one great hotel. The location is the best part about this hotel: (1) it's 1.5 blocks from the FREE(!!) trolley, which goes to the navy pier (until midnight), Field museum, Adler planetarium, Soldier Field, up and down Michigan Ave, Lincoln Park Zoo, etc. (remember, only the navy pier trolley goes until midnight; the other free trolleys stop at 6pm); (2) the hotel is also 1.5 blocks from the subway station, for those who want to go Wrigley Field - a very short ride; (3) about 4 blocks from Michigan Ave, for shopping or to pick up a bus; we took the bus to the Museum of Science & Industry. Every morning, we would have a great breakfast that the hotel put out; eggs one day, waffles (not the best tasting, though) the other day; the \"hot\" breakfast was different every day. Or you can choose to eat cereal (great for our boys), bagels, muffins (chocolate, too; but you have to be fast or early; they go quickly); fruits like banana or apple. The swimming pool is nice and clean, but just a bit on the cool side for my wife. My older son and i had fun swimming there. My wife and the younger son enjoyed the hot whirlpool. The room (we only got the regular room; two beds - reading the other reviews, i would suggest getting the suite; they sound pretty nice) was pretty good. The front desk staff were great. They were very helpful, patient (i had lots of questions about where to go, how to go, etc.), and very polite. Yes, parking is expensive in Chicago. If you want to valet park, it's $36/day, with in/out as much as you want. We chose to park our minivan ourself. In fact, there is a self parking lot only 20 yards from the hotel. It cost me $55 for three days, and i was able to take our van out one day after 4pm. It's usually $20/day, and you have to pay each time you go in and out. So, if you can tolerate the public transportation system in Chicago and don't need your car for your hotel stay, self park right next to the hotel. We had a great time, especially at the navy pier - good food, lots of kids stuff to do (Children's museum, ferris wheel, 18 hole miniature golf).", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 26}, {"text": "Stayed for four nights. Excellent hotel. Great location (close to free trolley stop, easy walk to Navy Pier for \"walkers\"). Hotel staff was very professional yet personable. Buffet breakfast was more than enough for us with fresh fruit and a variety of muffins, bagels, eggs, etc. This was a girls getaway and the four of us stayed in a one-bedroom suite which was roomy, clean and comfortable. Great rate too. Highly recommend this hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "We just returned from five nights at the Hampton Inn and Suites and thought there was great value for the money. The rooms and pool area were standard. The location was great and just a block from the train station and there were good restaurants within walking distance. The continental breakfast was excellent and included hot dishes, fresh fruit and the usual breads, muffins and cereal. Most important the people at the front desk were helpful, pleasant and seemed to enjoy tourists. We would stay there again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "From our arrival, the bellman, front desk, guest services manager were all cheerful, professional, and friendly. Our room was very spacious and well-equipped for a big city hotel. The price was very reasonable too.\nThe hotel is very clean, and the expanded continental breakfast includes hot food---the best deal around! There is a nice little workout area, outdoor patio, and swimming pool & hot tub.\nThe restaurants, city attractions--are endless---and only a short $5 cab ride or walking distance to numerous locales. I would recommend this hotel to business people or families...a great all-around value!!! I will return. AAA+++", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "We stayed just before Christmas 2004. Great value with senior rate, very clean, free breakfast too! The mini kitchen was good for snacks and coffee. We didn't use the pool it was being redone. No noise problems with fire station nearby, we couldn't have asked for more.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Nice rooms, great price. Can't beat it. I will stay here when I want to stay on that side of the river.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We stayed at this hotel December 11, 2004. It was in a good location only about 4 blocks west of Michigan Avenue (and only about 3 blocks from the back entrance to Nordstroms). We were told the rooms had been redecorated about a year ago. Our room was very welcoming and comfortable. We liked the fact that they enclosed the bathroom sink area with lower cabinets that provided for extra enclosed storage. The staff was very friendly and helpful and ready to attend to any of our needs. Breakfast was good and the eating area bright with many windows. We had booked early on their website so the price was right for Chicago (during this holiday season) and we plan on staying there again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Wonderful hotel! Polite Staff, Clean Rooms, Free HOT breakfast in the morning including eggs, and sausage biscuits. Pool looked lovely, but didn't have a chance to use it. My room was on ly 9'th floor, and it only took 15 seconds in the elevator from the library. My only complaint is that when we called the front desk, (ext. 0 ), no one answered after atleast 20 rings. Even though it was clearly stated to call that extension any time. But, that was not a big issue! Beware of the gift shop, $2.00 for a 5 pack of gum! I highly recommend this hotel for all people coming to the downtown Chicago Area! It was a lot of fun!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We arrived 5 hours prior to check-in time so that we could go to an early Cubs game and leave our car at the hotel. It worked out perfectly...the bellman was courteous, the desk staff allowed us to secure our bags in a safe room, and we took off to the game. The location is great as the entrance to the subway is only a block and a half away. We enjoyed the game, returned later in the afternoon, and had our bags brought up to the room. The room was great...a two room king suite, two TV's, large bathroom, on the 5th floor overlooking the indoor pool and not the street, so it was very quiet, too. The spacious room was clean, had a microwave with a free bag of popcorn, fridge, coffeepot, hairdryer, and safe. The two 11 year old boys traveling with us were able to hook up their X-box game system without a problem. The pay per view movies were a nice touch too. The indoor pool, sauna and whirlpool were on the 2nd floor, and they were very nice too. There were clean towels, and it adjoined the workout room. The hot breakfast the next morning was more than adequate...biscuits and gravy, eggs, toast, bagels, rolls, juice, milk, cereals, etc. All in all, I would recommend this hotel to anyone going to Chicago. We were a very short distance from ESPN Zone for the kids, Lou Malnati's pizza on Wells was great, and you could also walk to the Rainforest Cafe. The one and only drawback was a very large tax on our room of over $25 from the City of Chicago. It was not a very welcome surprise but one you should be made aware of.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "My husband and daughter and I stayed at this hotel from Aug 1 - 5. I spent a bit of time prior to our trip familiarizing myself with the various areas in downtown Chicago and the hotels in the area. I had a budget I wanted to stick to and chose this hotel because if offered a great AAA rate that was about 1/2 the cost of the other hotels in the surrounding areas. At first I was a bit skeptical. Cheap doesn't always mean good and my only expectation honestly was that it be clean and in a relatively safe part of town since we'd be walking alot.\nWe arrived on Aug 1 and were impressed by the hotel as we pulled up in the drive way. We were greeted by the valet parking attendant who was very helpful. Parking is $36US per day Valet or $30 per day Self Park. The car is parked around the block in a lot across the street from the House of Blues Hotel. Check in was quick and the staff was very polite and courteous. We had a Non Smoking Deluxe King room and I had requested a higher floor when I made reservations. There are 12 floors in the building. We were in room 921 on the ninth floor. The room was very clean and had everything we needed. The washroom was very clean and the room looked new. Yes the fire station was across the street and the first night we left the window open and were awakened a few times by sirens but with the windows closed it wasn't too bad. We could have requested a room change but it was no big deal to us.\nA free breakfast was served on the 2nd floor each morning from 6 am until 10 am. We realized the first night that there was an hour time difference between Toronto and Chicago as we had requested a wake up call for 8:15 and it was 8:45 am when we woke up. When we called Reception they told us it was 7:45 :-) Anyway breakfast was decent. You could certainly choose to have something to get your day started. They had bagels and toast, danishes, muffins, cereals, yogurt, juices, milk, coffee and tea and each day there were 2 hot breakfasts available. Usually eggs that looked like pancakes and sausages that looked like hamburger patties. No fresh fruit except apples and oranges.\nThe hotel has a pool on the 2nd floor and a fitness room which had a nice selection of equipment and a walk out to a small outdoor patio. There is also a business center on the 2nd floor with free internet access to hotel guests which we used on a few occassions to check for restaurants and show tickets.\nThe hotel is within walking distance to everything! 15 minutes to the Navy Pier (1 street all the way down to the waterfront) and 2-3 blocks to all the great shops. The ESPNZone is a few blocks away and so too are a good selection of restaurants like Harry Caray, Phil Stefani's...etc. and the free trolley service was a great option when we got tired of walking.\nThe people were very friendly and the city much more laid back than NYC. I would definitely recommend this hotel to anyone visiting downtown Chicago .", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "The staff was courteous,friendly and helpful whether it be for directions,transportation. or a great place to eat. Three days after we left, they called our home concerning lost clothing. They WILL get our business on the next visit to Chicago.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Excellent stay. Nice, clean two room suite. Package included 4 sodas and four passes for the ferris wheel. Would stay again", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "My 3 friends and I stayed at this hotel. The staff was very helpful and friendly. We all slept really well, the mattresses were so great my friend wrote down the brand name to buy one herself. The breakfast choices were much better than your average hotel. It was a joy to stay there and we will again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "When traveling with two 4 year olds, vacations can be heaven or hell. From the moment we arrived, the staff (valet, front desk, breakfast staff etc) were more than accomodating to my family. The two little ones were sound asleep when we pulled up to the hotel. I had called from the Shedd Aquarium to make sure our room was ready because I knew they would be fast asleep and did'nt want to be sitting in the lobby. The front desk had told me my room would be ready and it was!\nThe room/suite was perfect. Room enough for the kids to have \"space\", two TVs, and a kitchenette. Clean, nicely decorated, and great pillows.\nWarm indoor pool was great entertainment as well as the sun terrance. \nBreakfast was one of the best I have had as far as selection and it was served in a bright, cheery room. (Trix and LUcky Charms were a hit with the four year olds - while I got to enjoy my breakfast. Staff was helpful and very attentive. Nice mix of families and business travelers. \nGreat neighborhood - we all walked to Michigan Avenue. Took the trolley to Navy Pier. Always felt safe. \nWe did lots of things in Chicago - the favorite thing to my little ones - the pool at the hotel. :)\nMy sister has already booked a room for a stay in August.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "Very impressed with the hotel on a recent stay. The hotel is well located close to the centre, and includes many amenities including a well equipped gym, attached restaurants, an inclusive breakfast, and large clean rooms. Also, the staff are very helpful. Cannot be beaten for the price.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "My friends and I were in Chicago for a Ladies weekend away. We arrived off the train at 11:30 am. Our room wasn't ready of course, but the staff was very friendly and offered right away to store our luggage and asked us what we were going to do today. The staff gave us some great sugggestions, including a good restaurant. The front desk staff was the most friendly I have ever encountered. Went out of their way to make guests feel welcome and comfortable. We had a 2 room suite and the room was large and included a full kitchen with full size fridge, small stove, full size microwave and dishwasher. The living area was large as was the bedroom. The only downside was the bathroom sink area was small for 4 ladies getting ready and the lighting was dim elsewhere in suite. \nHousekeeping was a bit unorganized. We were inconvenienced by them showing up at 4:30 one day just as we came back from shopping all day and ready to collapse and take a nap. The next day they arrived at 10:00 am!\nOverall, a great experience. Can't say enough about the friendly staff. \nCan't be beat!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Had a one night stay with a two room suite. Very clean, quiet and comfortable. Plenty selection for breakfast. Staff very friendly and helpful. Close to many sights. Would stay there again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "The Hampton Inn at this particualr location should be avoided for awhile.Although it's centrally located and the staff is helpful and friendly, the hotel itself is old and shabby.I paid top dollar for a room that had stained and cigarette-burned carpeting, draperies and bedspreads. The furnishings were sufficient but old and worn.There is a firehouse located 1/2 block away from it and the sirens are disturbing.I was told by a desk clerk that this hotel is being refurbished over the next few months.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "Here's what you need to know about this hotel...it's in a perfect location, the staff is fabulous, the rates are very reasonable, DO NOT GET A ROOM IN THE FRONT...a main Chicago Fire Station is directly opposite the hotel...even if you're on the top floor the noise is intense...our first night was on the top floor but facing the street. I could tell you every call they went out on that night...happy ending though...the wonderful front desk staff moved us to a tremendous suite that faced the alley and all was right again. Stay here absolutely, but be sure to know where your room faces!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 27}, {"text": "We recently stayed two nights in Chicago at the Hampton Inn, Downtown. It was a great location - quiet, close-by (one block) self-parking (valet available), great free continental breakfast, very friendly staff, and nice, warm pool, and wonderful hot tub! After all the walking we did, the warm pool and hot tub were great!We stayed for free by using our HHonors points, and we were put on a HHonors only floor. We only saw one other person. The room was very quiet, the elevators fast, and we had a pretty good view from the top floor, the 12th. There is a lot to do within walking distance, and the free trolley runs to Navy Pier. We were on a tight budget, so we walked one block to Subway, but Ruth's Chris's Steak house is attached to the building, and the House of Blues, Harry Carey's, and Rainforest Cafe are just a couple of blocks away. There's also a McDonald's and a grocery store very close. There are many other things, but we didn't have a chance to see/do them as we were only in town for 48 hrs.We had our 5 year-old son with us, and he was treated well by hotel staff. Our request for additional pillows was filled quickly. There are no food vending machines, just a pricey \"suite shop\" by the front desk, so we paid a premium for three candy bars. The breakfast was extensive with the usual donuts, rolls, bagels, cereal, frozen waffles, etc. But they also had lots of fresh fruit, yogurt, and perfectly cooked hard-boiled eggs. The dining room is large and has a great view of Illinois and Dearborn streets, as it's on the second floor. We were very happy with our choice.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "My family and I thought we were going to a nice hotel, little did we dream that this hotel was a living nightmare. First of all the hotel parking is one street over and, it charges $13.00 a day. When we go up to our hotel the telephone is spread all over sofa. When we called to complain about it they said they'd be right up. It took three hours before they did get it fixed. The room didn't even have a telephone book. The hotel does have a heated indoor pool that is kept cold all the time. The front desk lied to us when they said the parking was $13.00 . But it turned out to be $13.00 a day. We had the suite and the plates that you got to eat off with were dirty.The location is right and the continental breakfat was good. That is about it. The beds were as hard as a rock. So enough was enough so we checked out a day early. We went to stay at the Lenox Suites which I highly recommend.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "My husband and I found our 6-night stay at the Hampton Inn and Suites to be much more \"sweet\" than \"sour.\" Sweet: friendly, helpful staff, robust continental breakfast every day, great location, handy access to taxis, etc, good value for the money, and nice (smallish) pool/whirlpool. Sour: across the street from the Chicago Fire Department (no problem for us, but not good for a light sleeper) and a \"fitted\" sheet that is slightly too small for the mattress, causing the corners to ride up during the night. However, we would definitely stay there again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "A good experience from start to finish - check in was easy and as we were on our honeymoon we were upgraded into a lovely suite with kitchenette facilities. Both the front desk and bell staff could not do enough to assist us and were very friendly and informative.\nThe rooms were very clean and the beds were very,very comfortable! The hotel is in a good location and has some nice restaurants nearby - we would recomend the Thai down the road and the Rock Bottom Tavern for a good feed very close by. Didn't hear the sirens that other reviews mention - although we had previously been in NYC were they never stop so maybe we just got used to them?!?!\nThe breakfast had the best variety of food we saw in our whole 10 week trip and there were enough tables that you didn't feel that you had to fight for a seat - the breakfast staff were also very friendly.\nIt was a bit of a walk to the Navy Pier - but do-able and a pick up for the Hop on - Hop off trolley was only about 2 blocks away.\nI would recommend this hotel and if we ever go back to Chicago would not look to stay anywhere else!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I cannot say enough good things about this hotel. Our family of five stayed in a two-room suite that was spacious and comfortable and clean. The beds and sofabed were all very comfortable. The suite had a kitchenette also. The location was great for using public transportation and touring Chicago. The staff was extremely helpful and answered all of our questions completely. There is a really good breakfast - besides the usual items on a continental breakfast, on one day, there were eggs scrambled with ham, and on another, sausage patties and french toast sticks. There is a very small store by the front desk if you want to buy cokes, snacks, etc., late at night - the front desk folks will open it for you. I got a good rate on Expedia (government rate). I will absolutely stay there the next time I am in Chicago.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "This hotel is exactly what we needed for our vacation to Chicago. The location is just north of downtown, so walking to the center of town (it takes about fifteen minutes) or taking the train was easy. It is also located just a few blocks from a terrific jazz club, the Magnificent Mile (with a large variety of restaurants) and the Hancock Tower. \nThe service at the hotel is very friendly, professional and responsive; I really felt that they were happy to have us stay there. The breakfast has a lot of variety. The rooms were very clean, and the price was reasonable. The Hampton Inn and Suites fit our needs perfectly.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "This hotel is in a good location to downtown/Mich. Avenue and shopping. Unfortunately it is also one block from the fire station and we heard sirens all night long. The other thing that I was disappointed with is that I think the purpose of a suite is to have a separate bedroom. The design of this hotel is such that you have to go through the bedroom to get to the bathroom, and the wash area is not even closed off from the bedroom. So, there is really no private sleeping area, which is what I look for in a suite. If you don't care about sharing the bedroom with the bathroom/vanity area, then it won't bother you, and if that's the case you're probably a heavy sleeper and the sirens won't bother you, either. Otherwise, it's a mediocre hotel that delivers what it advertises.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "After doing extensive research, I chose this hotel for my school's traveling choir, and we stayed in 10 different rooms on several different floors. Every student and chaperone agreed unanimously that it was an outstanding place to stay. The location was great: near the EL and the Navy Pier trolley stop, within walking distance of the Magnificent Mile and the theater district. The suites were clean, spacious and well equipped, and the bed was extremely comfortable. The breakfast offered a wide variety of hot and cold foods, and the breakfast room was large and pleasant. The decor was very attractive--an arts and crafts motif. The most outstanding aspect for me was the service. When we had difficulties with some of our other travel arrangements, the entire desk staff and the group sales manager went out of their way to help us. I would strongly recommend this hotel to anyone.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We stayed with our tennage daughter. Decided to take Amtrak to Union Station and 'walk' as much as we could to save $$.\nThe walk from Union Station was only about 1.2 miles. Nothing if you're active -- also gives you a good idea of what downtown Chi-Town is like.\nOf all the 'continental breakfast' situations I've experienced, this is the best. Change-out for fresh is done constantly and immediately. The selection is great. The only limiting selection is the warm eggs/sausage/stuff. Well, that usually isn't included. They did a great job with supplying and keeping the breakfrast fresh. A large room for all to sit in with the buffet style breakfast.\nThere's great coffee, tea available all day.\nVery centrally located - within 2 to 3 blocks from the mag mile. We walked to the Art Institute with no problem (for walkers). We taxi'd several places with no crimp in our wallet (6$ to 11$ w/o tip). Very central to Mag Mile, Hancock, Art Inst., Union Station.\nThere is a big grocery store not more than 3-4 blocks away for those that want to skrimp on food and booze. Also a Subway sandwiche and other places w/in 2 blocks. The place is very centrally located for many many good restaurants. The hotel is connected to two. Good eats there.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I usually stay at the Hilton Garden across the street, but they were full midway thru my visit to Chicago, so thought I would try the Hampton Downtown.\nI was not disappointed - booked a suite and were given a corner suite on a higher floor,which had full kitchen, complete with pans, plates and flatware, dishwasher etc, also lounge, bathroom and kingsize bed. The room was spotless and cleaned and vacummed thoroughly each day throughout.\nFront desk staff were very friendly and helpful, allowing us early check-in and late check-out. Being on a higher floor we did not hear any of the sirens or club noise that other reviewers mentioned. Breakfast was free and plenty of tables available with a fair selection of hot and cold, and as usual with Hampton Inns, free coffee / tea 24 hours a day.\nThe internet access was free and was quick and easy to connect any time day or night with fast speeds. Easy access to Michigan Avenue, and may eating places nearby, also the Red Line Chicago stop is only 1 block away.\nA bonus, as I was away from home for some time, is that they also have a laundry room on the 3rd floor with two washers and dryers which is open from 8am - 10pm.\nWould have no hesitation in staying there again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We had a mini family reunion at this hotel over Labor Day weekend. We reserved 4 rooms for 7 adults and 4 children: 2 with king bed, 1 with 2 doubles and one king suite. The suite was connected to the room with 2 doubles and the living space served as a kind of gathering area for all of the families. It was nice having a refrigerator in the suite. Our breakfasts were substantial - there was always a hot choice, many cold choices and a selection of fruits, juices and hot drinks - pretty typical for Hampton Inns. The breakfast area was sufficiently large to accomodate all comers. We enjoyed the choice of pillows in our rooms and the new duvets. Everything was quite clean.\nThe hotel is well-situated with many family-friendly restaurants within walking distance. We ate at Boston Blackie's (huge burgers at reasonable prices) and Lalo's (Mexican with a great maharichi band - lots of fun for everyone). The concierge was more than willing to give advice on where to go and how to get there. Most of the attractions did require the use of some sort of transportation whether it be taxi, bus or subway. Taxis were readily available, the subway station was a block away and bus stops were nearby.\nBecause there were a couple of negatives about this hotel I can not give it the highest rating, however. As previous reviewers have said, there is a fire station on the next block - you do hear the sirens if you are on the Dearborn Street (west) side. We were on the 4th floor - maybe if you were higher up (the hotel is 11 or 12 stories high) it would be quieter. Your best bet though for avoiding the noise is to stay on the Hubbard Street (south) side. My second complaint is that housekeeping would not show up until 5 PM each day. By that time, we had finished running around for the day and were returning to the hotel to relax before dinner. The hotel staff explained that housekeeping had until 5:30 to make up the rooms - an absolutely ridiculous policy - perhaps they were short handed but thats their problem, not mine.\nAll of this being said, I would recommend this hotel to others but with reservations. You can't beat the price, especially for the suites which were only a few dollars extra. The free breakfasts are also a plus.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "My wife and I just returned from our fourth annual visit to Chicago. We stayed in Holiday Inn hotels the first three years, with good results. When booking this year's trip we saw that all hotels in central Chicago are more expensive, so we decided to shop around. Lucky for us we chose Homewood Suites. The location is excellent for our kind of tourism -- close to Michigan Avenue, so we can see the Magnificent Mile and Millennium Park and all the related sights and sounds. In the other direction, easy to walk to some of our favourite River North restaurants. This year we discovered the Blue Chicago club and store. The suite was small, but it had everything we needed. Yes, you have to go through the bedroom to get to the bathroom, but we were travelling without kids, so no problem. The hotel itself has good sound-proofing. There were many families staying there, but we didn't hear children unless we were in the hall or the elevator with them. We were on the 9th floor, so we didn't hear street noise. The complimentary dinner (called \"welcome reception\" features good food (middle-of-the-road, ideal for families with children) and perfectly good wine / beer. We slept in too late to catch the breakfast. Let other guests advise you on that. Restaurants withing walking distance in every price range, from burgers and hot dogs to fancy-fancy. The suite has a kitchenette with fridge, 2-burner stove, microwave and coffee-maker, plus dishes and cooking pots. Staff were helpful and attentive to detail and helpful whenever we asked. We hope to visit Chicago again next summer. This hotel will be the first place we check for accommodation.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "Stayed at Hampton Inn for a week July, 2006. Check-in was frienldy and expedient. Staff was helpful. Suite was clean and nice to have separate room for day-time lounging. King-sized bed and pillows very comfortable and firm (no typical mattress sag in the middle).\nGreat value for family vacations. Free breakfast was a boon to get everyone started in the morning. Kids really enjoyed swimming in the pool, adults took advantage of the whirlpool and sauna. \nClose proximity to public transportation, downtown stores and restaurants, and various attractions.\nWould stay here again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 27}, {"text": "We stayed here with another family for a long weekend, and the hotel was every bit as good as most other reviews. Our two sons, ages 8 and 9, were comfortable on the sofabed in one room, while the grownups had their own room. Both rooms had TVs, which was great. The suite also had a full kitchen with refrigerator, dishwasher, stove, microwave, and dishes. We didn't really use the kitchen much, as there are countless good restaurants within walking distance. The room was very clean and functional. Free buffet breakfast was good as well, and the kids loved the indoor pool.\nThe hotel location is excellent. The subway is one block away, and will take you right to Wrigley Field. A free shuttle to Navy Pier picks up just down the block. But so much is walkable.\nThe staff was very accomodating at all times. The only negative at all was the lack of onsite parking. Valet parking was $38 per day, but you can save a few bucks if you park yourself at any one of the many garages nearby. We will definitely stay here again on our next visit.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 26}, {"text": "Just returned from a two night stay at the Hampton Inn Downtown. It was our first trip to Chicago and we found this hotel to be in a great location. It was an easy walk to Michigan Avenue and also all the great restaurants in the River North area.\nOur room was very clean and had an updated bathroom and the \"new\" Hampton Inn beds. I love the fact that they now wash all the bedding after each guest including the duvet cover. The breakfast area was very nice with plenty of seating. It seemed much larger than those in most Hamptons. There was a small (but nice) indoor pool that our kids really enjoyed after long hot days of touring.\nAt just over $200 per night, we felt this hotel was a great value considering its location in the heart of downtown. We would definitely stay here again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Visited here as went to Wrestlemania and stayed for 3 nights. Great value hotel. Had a 1 bed suite which was massive with kitchenette area, bathroom and large lounge with large tv and double sofa bed. Free tea and coffee all day and night and near all attractions, such as sears tower and navy pier. We walked to and from all of these although buses and taxis are plentiful. \nEnjoyed the city and if went back would definately stay at Hampton Inn. Did not hear fire engines like other guests have said. Hotel swimming pool was nice with hot tub and gym. Breakfast was free at hotel and was good. Selection was only small but better than expected for free. Free selection of cereals and juices as well. \nHad a very enjoyable stay, hotel was excellent value, staff were all nice and this was as good if not better than some 4 star hotels have stayed in. The only thing to be cautious of was bell boy getting cars if requesting to go to airport or in our case hotel in O'hare. He gives a set price and asks his mate to take you but it is more expensive than a taxi on a meter. I had read another review about him and they were right. I insisted I wanted a taxi instead and he was a bit too pushy about it but in the end got in taxi. Apart from him had a brill time and definately stay there again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "2042562": {"reviews": [{"text": "As someone with a layperson's interest in architecture, it's always fun to stay in a hotel with unique architectural style or history. Such was the case for my last 2 visits to Chicago. Last November, I stayed at the Burnham, a restored building from the 1800's, and this visit I stayed here. Both stays were split with stays at my home-away-from-home in Chicago, the Ritz Carlton.\nI developed an interest in the Aqua building as a I saw it under construction over the last few years. The Aqua is an 80+ story residential and hotel skyscraper instantly recognizable by a seemingly simple design feature: curvy, undulating white concrete balconies of varying sizes and locations that work cohesively when viewed from below to mimic the movement of waves on adjacent Lake Michigan or the Chicago River. Designed by Chicago architect Jeanne Gang, the building has become an award-winning icon. It is purportedly the tallest building in the U.S. designed by a woman. You know a building is well respected when the Chicago Architecture Foundation offers a tour of it, like the Burnham. Alas, the Aqua tour was not offered during my visit. When I discovered the building would also house a hotel, I vowed to one day stay there even if it was a Motel 6. Fortunately, the hotel ultimately became the Radisson Blu Aqua, the Radisson brand's first Blu property in the U.S. It occupies the first 18 floors, and opened just before my last Chicago visit in 11/11, during which time I did a little moseying about.\nLOCATION\nThe Aqua sits on the western edge of a new master-planned neighbourhood called Lakeshore East, which sits a few blocks east of the Loop, a few block south of the river, and across the street from the north side of Millennium Park. Lakeshore East Park, a well designed, uncrowded park with water features, a large lawn, a playground and dog-friendly area, sits in the centre of the neighbourhood. It is surrounded on 3 sides by tall residential buildings (all with nautical names like the Aqua), and on one side by tall commercial buildings, plus a shorter, more communal building still being constructed that already houses a steakhouse (III Forks), diner (Eggy's), and upscale supermarket (Mariano's). The Aqua has a CVS on its ground floor. Nearby hotels include the Fairmont, Hyatt Regency, and Swissotel.\nTHE ROOM\nI booked online, where you are given the opportunity to request various upgrades (\"eStandbys\") that can be honoured on a space-available basis the day of check-in for a reduced fee. Having taken a red-eye flight, I arrived quite early, before the eStandbys were processed. Florence graciously took the time and effort to find and honour my top 2 requests--early check-in and a corner park view room with balcony. I also knew from the website the hotel rooms have 2 different design schemes. The 'Naturally Cool\" rooms, which I requested, have hardwood floors and light-toned features, while the \"Mansion House\" rooms have darker-hued blueish tones and carpeting (more clubby and Kimpton-esque). My room faced south and east with 270 degree views of the lake, Navy Pier, Lakeshore East Park, and a sliver of Millennium Park, including Cloud Gate (the Bean), the backside of Frank Gehry's Pritzker Pavilion, BP Bridge, and the Modern wing of the Art Institute. Some views are blocked by the aforementioned tall buildings. I also got a complete view of the building's huge 3rd floor outdoor terrace (more on this later), which sits atop the public facilities. \nThe room itself was rather awesome, design-wise. Entered via a bright corridor that housed a contemporary armoire, you turn the corner and pass the bathroom and minibar (pressure sensitive, with a coffee-maker on top) to enter the room with 2 walls of windows and balcony access. The floorplate for each floor is different, so balcony size, shape and location vary. The desk was a rectangular glass top with a unique lamp and HD TV. The hotel is paperless, so all information is accessed via the TV. Instead of a headboard, above the bed was a 3-D installation of white pieces of paper stitched to a base, covered in plexiglass and lit like a piece of art. The bathroom was large and modern, with separate tub and shower with 2 heads and a sliding door, as was the door to the bathroom. The loo had 2 flush buttons depending on the volume needed. Regular rooms like mine do not have slippers, and turndown service is by request only. If you book a Business Class room or above, you receive these amenities as well as access to the Lounge in the 17th floor.\nThere are 2 banks of 2 elevators each for the hotel, and you must swipe your room key to get anywhere. In the corridor, you see doors of other elevators that serve the residences; on the communal 2nd and 3rd floors, all these elevators can be a bit confusing. Some rooms seem precariously close to elevators.\nThe hotel is nonsmoking and, according instructions on the TV, intolerant of loud noises or parties. \nPUBLIC AREAS\nThe first floor houses the front desk and concierge, a long lounge area with a long fireplace, and the split level bar and Italian restaurant, Filini, which I did not try. The bar can open up to the sidewalk. Beyond the restaurant is the ballroom, reached via a corridor that serves as an art gallery.\nThe 2nd floor houses a pretty large business center and a huge (8,000 square feet) fitness center for hotel guests and residents. There is a lounge area, game room (pool and card tables), screening room, sauna, steam room, massage rooms, half basketball court, fitness class room, and 2 large areas for weights and aerobic exercise. There is a small outdoor Zen garden also.\nThe 3rd floor has a few meeting rooms that can access the outdoors, an indoor lap pool and hot tub, a lounge,and restrooms with showers. The highlight is the outdoor rooftop 70,000 square foot \"Contemporary Lifestyle Garden\" that contains a 25m lap pool, wading pool, hot tub, cabanas, yoga/exercise area, firepit, BBQ grills and picnic area, lounge areas, sundeck, and a 1/5 mile jogging track.\nThe communal facilities are large, but I noticed no staff on these floors to sign you in to the fitness center, instruct you on equipment, hand out towels, etc. There is no poolside restaurant or lounge. Other reviews have said you must bring your own towel, but I found a locked key-swipe cabinet with towels just outside the indoor pool. \nAgain, I did not try the restaurant, but both the restaurant and room service menus are Italian. I enjoyed breakfasts at Eggy's as well as nearby Wildberry, where the berry bliss pancakes are addictive.\nBesides my positive check-in and check-out procedures and the doorman getting me a cab, I had no other staff encounters. Everyone was very friendly, however, always greeting you as you pass by.\nOverall, this was a very positive introduction to the Radisson Blu brand, and this hotel may yet become another Chicago home-away-from -home for me.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "236299": {"reviews": [{"text": "This was a beautiful hotel, impeccable service and a group of people who go out of their way to ensure a fantastic visit by all... Their rooms are exactly as described and their location perfect for a stroll down Michigan avenue. If you are coming to Chicago, I would highly recommend the Sofitel!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I stayed in this hotel during a business trip, and while conducting a business meeting in the hotel bar, a customer grabbed all of the cash out of my wallet. Security was informed, but I was told that I had to wait to talk to them. After about twenty minutes of waiting I was informed that if I did not continue to wait l would never be able to report the incident, despite the fact that I was a hotel guest. Unfortunately I had to go to a business dinner and could no longer wait.\nLong story short, I no longer felt comfortable in this hotel and wish that someone, anyone would have talked to me about it. I've since been on the phone with a manager, who promised to call me back once she researched the incident, and have yet to hear back, despite the promise that she would call me back two days ago. I expected more from this hotel.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "A nice hotel, nice room. We stayed at the hotel for one night for a wedding, only to experience every traveler's worst nightmare. Our room was broken into and robbed while we were sleeping. Cash, jewelry... to make matters worse, the hotel has refused to accept this incident occurred, in so many words accusing us of lying. Can you imagine anything worse? You wake up in the morning to find a purse by the door, cash emptied from your wallets, an expensive bracelet missing (a bracelet worn to the event that night -- so it clearly happened in the middle of the night). The lock interrogation report shows an entry into the room at 2am after we were sleeping. Yet the hotel has been unwilling to rectify this matter. We are lucky we weren't hurt. For the safety of those considering staying at this hotel, I highly recommend against it.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "We arrived at the Sofitel ready to check-in, and possiblly receive an upgrade. We were greeted and later informed that they did not have a double room ready for us (this was at about 5:00pm). We were offered two complimentary drinks and some snacks while we were waiting for our room or to accpet a king room with no wait. No problem for us, we had the drinks (which would have been $12 each for a martini) and then made our way upto the room. I loved the decor of the hotel, very modern and relaxing. I'm not sure what the room rate was, as we were not paying and traveling on business. We were placed in room #602, which was on the lower floors and really didn't have a view. I asked to be assigned another room and we were told they were full. Complimentary comuters are located on the 2nd and 3rd floors, therefore don't purchase an in-room Wifi or ehternet connection unless you would like the added privacy. The bathroom was very spacious and had a walk-in shower, seperate soaking tub and large vanity with high quality towels and bath products. The Beds were super comfortable (I'll tell you now that I am a very picky prerson for when it comes to beds in hotels and this hotel exceeded my expectations. The fitness center could have been nicer, I found it very dark and stuffy, however it contained a large collection of stregth and weight equipment along with cardio machines equiped with personal viewing monitors, wery nice. Check-out was efficent and quick. I highly reccomend that Sofitel Chicago.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "I Stayed here for three nights at the beginning of September. I was on vacation on my own.\nI had heard some shaky reviews after I'd booked my stay but before I went, so I left the UK with a little trepidation. \nI could not have been more pleased with the hotel. Checking in was a pleasant experience with the offer of bottles of water with my privilege card. My room on the 22nd floor was ready immediately and was fairly spacious. The bathroom made it for me with a seperate shower unit as well as a bath.\nI went down to the bar and was met by some of the friendliest people I've ever met ( I'm talking about the staff rather than the clientele). They enquired about my stay and as soon as I stated I was on my own and had never been to Chicago before they were more than eager to advise me as to not only the major attractions but also some good local tips in respect of restaurants, bars and shopping. I was even taken outside to be shown the various directions and streets to take in respect of these tips, and to allow me to get my bearing on things. This continued throughout my stay with constant feedback from me about the places they'd directed me too and further tips from them.\nThe concierge was also more than helpful, organising golf for me and also coming to my rescue with a taxi when i became stranded at the golf culb, quite some miles out of town.\nThe gym is small, but more than adequate for an inner city hotel. There are plenty of machines and it wasn't too busy. \nI only ate breakfast in the hotel which was adequate, but nothing to write home about. All other meals were taken outside the hotel at venues given to me by the bar staff.\nThe hotel is in a prime location. You're a block away from all the shops on michigan avenue with rush street and its bars and clubs only a few blocks in the other direction. There's a cta station around the corner making it ideal for exploring the city. The hotel staff advised me it was more than safe to walk around on my own in this area and they were right; as not once did I feel threated or intimidated even though I was walking around on my own at night. \nI really enjoyed this hotel and the staff in particular were more than helpful, enabling me to experience the real chicago and not just the usual tourist attractions. I'd definately go back!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 34}, {"text": "We spent 4 nights in a Deluxe Suite with a King Bed at this Hotel. When we first checked in, we were given a nice suite on the 7th floor, with a view of a parking garage. I immediately complained about this, and they changed us to another suite, on the 14th floor, which was not as nice as the first one (had a smaller bathroom), but had a nice view of the city, including the Hancock building. From there on...\nRoom: The Deluxe Suite was nice, but not as \"deluxe\" as I had expected. Some of the furniture and the walls had signs of wear and tear. There was not enough closet space for people who are travelling with a lot of stuff (2 suitcases), and we had to place clothes just about everywhere. At some point we even had to use the cupboard that contained the mini bar to store some clothes. The bathroom had a nice glass enclosed shower, but a very small bathtub. The amenities were standard, nothing special.\nService: Though we had been told that we were going to get a nice surprise for our aniversary (which took place while we were in Chicago), we did not get anything, which dissapointed us. Otherwise the staff was friendly and helpfull. However, I must note that there seemed to be an issue with the drinking glasses in the room: we used the glasses from the mini bar one night, and left them on the living room table. The next day, the maid cleaned the room, but did not touch the glasses. Maybe washig glasses is not part of their duties...\nValue: We paid about $400 per night for the suite. I don't feel that it was worth it, primarily because all the suite gave us was a little extra room, but no extra bathroom space, no extra storage space. I do not feel that this was a great value for money.\nCleanliness: No issue. We did not find anything wrong in this department.\nOverall: A very nicely decorated hotel, with a near perfect location. However, the \"luxury\" suites are not that luxurious. Try a room on the upper floors so that you can enjoy the view.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 27}, {"text": "After some deliberation I booked the Sofitel Water Tower Place for a 3 night stop-over in June. This was my first visit to Chicago and it turned out that we had a really great time. We loved our rooms, which were just the basic type on the lower floors but they were very well appointed. The d\u00e9cor is modern and personally I liked it a lot. The rooms were pleasant and airy and the bed extremely comfortable. The hotel location is just perfect, close to the shops on Michagan Avenue, and the beach at Oak Street. Lovely restaurants close by and nightlife in Rush Street is just steps away. The area although bustling was peaceful and quiet. We could walk to most places and I would not hesitate to stay here again. The hotel staff very helpful, always smiling and ready to help; from the doormen to the helpful lady at Conceriage. I would not hesitate at all to stay at Sofitel Water Tower Place next time I\u2019m in Chicago; in fact I look forward to my next visit.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 31}, {"text": "My husband and I just returned form the most wonderful week at the Sofitel Chiago! I just re-read many of the other reviews posted, so that I can address issues directly, and not waste everyone's time:\n- Bathrooms are as amazing as everyone says. Great products, space, luxury upfittings.\n- Staff was amazing with customer service, while not being at all \"snooty.\"\n- Conceirge was one of the best that I have ever dealt with. \"Brian\" was a star and should be promoted! He was like an old friend, pointing us to great restaurants, and gently guiding us aware from the tourist traps.\n- Room was modern, clean and comfortable. Small, but perfect in every other way. I choose perfection over space.\n- Stop sitting on the fence. Book the Sofitel Water Tower! We are in New York just before Christmas, and are staying at the Sofitel there. Can't wait to see the sister property, and this time in a suite. This may be the beginning of a long and loyal relationship!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "Just spent the weekend at the Sofitel Water Tower in Chicago. I couldn't get a room at the Four Seasons where my friends were staying, so I booked the Sofitel mainly for its location (literally around the corner from the FS). \nThe decor is more modern, which I liked, and the room was a nice size with a view of the city. The location of the hotel is outstanding, too, and the staff was friendly and professional. \nI have to compare my experience to theirs, though. At a fraction of the cost of the Four Seasons, I got a much bigger, nicer, and newer bathroom. The king sized room was just slightly smaller than theirs, and appointed equally well. Comfortable bed with lots of pillows, too. \nFor my purposes -- essentially, sleep, and a place to come back and get ready for the next activity -- Sofitel was perfect. Highly recommended!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Stayed here for 3 nights 10-12 July based on good reviews seen on TA. All Chicago hotels appear to be dear for what they are, and this seemed best compromise of good location and price. Sofitel perfect in terms of location, but OK in terms of comfort (beds throughout chain superb) and cleanliness of rooms, but boy are they SMALL. We had room 3105, and our daughters 3101- latter on the corner had more spacious bathroom, but we didn't even have enough room to put our cases out other than on the bed. Breakfast great value (try the healthy parfait for 8$!), but otherwise hotel pretty mean on service- e.g. only one tiny botle of Evian left in room for 2 people.,,only after making a fuss did we get another bottle and that with bad grace- silly to cut corners on this when you are paying c 400$ for room. Facilities guide in room rubbish- no mention of the gym atall. Found service \"OK\"- pretentious use of French for some reason - e.g. Bonjour when door opened and \"deux eggs \"on the menu - Helloooo, deux oeufs or two eggs please! - and the use of 3 doormen to open each of the 3 swing doors to exit could have been refined I'm sure. Bar dark, dominated by TV, and FULL of conference guests at 6- yet not open atall at lunch time! Hence went around the corner to Talbotts hotel, with a lovely street terrace and indoor bar that we'd thoroughly recommend. Also visited Park Hyatt - looks great based on bar/bar food and Drake - this one to be avoided- trading on past glories. All in all Chicago a wonderful, wonderful city, and one we'd revisit, but certainly would try another hotel next time- and had we not paid in advance for Sofitel, would have only put up with this average conference hotel for 1 night.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "As a frequent guest of this hotel, I was a bit alarmed by the string of less than stellar reviews prior to my visit last week. After my three night stay in a deluxe suite (2508) with my wife and two boys (5 and 8), I can assure you the hotel is in fine form. The rooms were impeccably clean; I saw no evidence of worn furniture, carpet, etc. The staff was quite friendly, as always. There was always someone opening the door for me, greeting me with a smile. Breakfast (room service plus the restaurant) was excellent; I recommend the french press coffee and croissants. Overall, my family had a wonderful experience in this hotel, and I recommend it to couples and families.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We stayed for 5 nights at the Sofitel from June 8-June 13th in a standard room with 2 queen beds. We stayed on the 32nd floor (the highest floor in the hotel) in room 3216. The cost was probably at the high end of what you\u2019d expect $345 as there was a conference in town (Neo-Con) and many of the hotels were booked solid. With this in mind, you weren\u2019t going to find a 4 star hotel with 2 queen beds for much less. I\u2019m sure the rate would be less in slower travel time. We loved the hotel. It has a beautiful lobby, clean feeling and the service was great. \nPROS\n--BATHROOM\nI am very particular about bathrooms and that is why I selected this hotel over others in a similar price range. The bathrooms are large and quite beautiful. They have a standard tub with a hand held shower head. They also have a separate glass enclosed shower with seamless glass. The bath only has one sink, but the granite counter top is very large, plenty of space to put my things and spread out. I LOVED the large glass shelf under the sink where I could put all of my toiletries, including extra towels and even clothes, it was so large! \nThe entire bathroom is in marble, even the floor. No tile here, which gives the bathroom a more luxurious feel. They also used higher end European bath hardware that feels upscale. They provide a makeup mirror and blow dryer. \nI noticed past reviews complained of low end toiletries. Perhaps they have changed this. They had nice toiletries, very ample in size and offered shampoo, separate hair conditioner, bath gel and lotion. The bathroom basically \u201cmade\u201d the room for me. Nothing to disappoint there. Don\u2019t get me wrong, the bathrooms at the Penninsula, Park Hyatt or Ritz are nicer, but for this price range, I\u2019d say the bathrooms are tops. \n--BEDS\nSoft pillowy beds! The beds have been upgraded at this hotel by putting a separate pillow top on each mattress. It\u2019s a nice touch and makes the beds feel more luxurious and soft. You just may need to adjust your pillow top as mine kind of slipped around a bit. They also use down comforters and the sheets are a cut above the normal scratchy hotel 100% cotton sheets. I concur that the sleeping experience here was very nice. \n--LOCATION\nThe Sofitel is so perfectly located. It is one tiny block west of the Magnificent Mile. I had read many reviews and guide books that said that any hotel on the Magnificent Mile was the \u201cBest Location\u201d. So true. Even if you don\u2019t like to shop, being close to the magnificent mile give you access to restaurants, attractions and transportation. \nFrom the Sofitel hotel, the first building you hit on the Magnificent Miles is the Water Tower Mall. This mall houses the department stores of \u201cLord and Taylor\u201d and \u201cMarshall Fields\u201d. In the basement of Marshall Fields is this really upscale food court called \u201cFood Life\u201d. No Pizza, tacos or burgers here. The food is fresh cooked and higher end. It is a neat way to eat fast food, but not have to eat McDonalds or pizza. Everyone should at least walk by this food court. \nI am one who likes to have fresh fruit and vegetables at all times when I travel. Literally around the corner of the hotel is an upscale grocery store called Potash. They have high end fruit, gourmet items, and hot items in addition to a completely stocked grocery store. It was a great find. And yes, it is only a 1 minute walk from out the hotel door. We bought sodas and bottled waters to take back to our room to put in our mini bar. FYI, at many hotels, the mini bar is electronically monitored. When an item is removed from the fridge, even to re-arrange, it automatically bills your room. So just make sure you are sure what you did consume and to check with the front desk on your bill. \nThe Sofitel is only 1 \u00bd blocks from the subways, the \u201cEl\u201d. The subway is very safe in Chicago. If you don\u2019t want to pay the $60 cab ride from O\u2019Hare, you can catch the subway for $2 right from inside the O\u2019Hare Airport and it drops you only 1 \u00bd blocks from the hotel. It\u2019s an easy walk to the hotel from there. It\u2019s also a fun way to see the city from a commuter\u2019s point of view. \nIt does take 45 minutes from the airport to the hotel on the subway. Also, there are 2-3 sets of stairs that must be navigated if you take the subway. If you\u2019ve got more than one piece of luggage, or are traveling with small children or physically impaired, I\u2019d probably just opt for the taxi. The \u201cEl\u201d stop closest to the hotel is the \u201cChicago\u201d stop on the RED LINE. \nWe did a lot of walking. From the hotel to the art museum (southern most tip of Magnificent mile, it\u2019s about 30 minutes. There is also a bus that can take you up and down the Magnificent Mile. We took a $5 cab ride to the Navy Pier, so taxis are ubiquitous, easy to hail and pretty inexpensive. \nVIEW\nOur room was on the highest floor, 32nd floor and yes, the view was beautiful. Seeing that Chicago has many high rises, no one can expect a 100% perfect view without seeing another sky scraper. But the entire wall of your room is a large window which makes the room seem more open. Our room was # 3216\nI would highly encourage (insist?) that you stay on a high floor if your room faces the Magnificent Mile. There is a tall building being constructed right next to the hotel on the Magnificent Mile side. There is a lot of banging, sawing, etc happening 24/7. We heard not a sound as we were on the 32nd floor, but rooms probably below the 20th floor probably had to deal with the noise. \nSERVICE and CLEANLINESS\nWe did not eat in the hotel, but all of the staff was extremely friendly and accommodating. At one point we needed some help from the concierge and they were extremely knowledgeable and so willing to please. We did get charged for re-arranging our mini bar (remember the mini bar electronically senses when items are removed even if you\u2019re only re-arranging) and we had to explain that we only re-arranged, but didn\u2019t actually consume anything. The front desk was very accommodating and had no problem removing the items from our bill. There was daily maid service and turn down service like clockwork. \nThe room was very clean and nothing about the room or its appearance seemed run down or worn. In fact the entire room and bath seemed fresh, clean and welcoming. No worn carpet or bedspreads here. \nCommunal Computer Access\nThe hotel has 2 locations where you can use a computer (printer also) for no charge to surf the net. At both locations they have 2 computers. These two locations are on different floors and I was surprised there was no charge to print. The computers are very nice, large panel flat screens and centrally located. We were thrilled to be able to log on and pre-print our boarding passes for the flight home. \nFree Gym Access\nThe hotel has a small gym. But the nice thing is that they give you access to it, without charging you. There is also fresh fruit in the Gym at all times. A nice touch. \nCONS\n--Smaller Rooms\nI had read the reviews on this hotel and that the rooms seemed small. I agree. I called the hotel and talked to them about the room size prior to booking. They assured me that all the standard or deluxe rooms are 350 square feet. Unless you move up to a suite, the rooms are all 350 square feet. \nI tried to figure out how this could be as the room did seem smaller than other hotels. My only answer would be that the bathrooms must be slightly larger and so this makes the room seem smaller? If you want to order room service, it\u2019s going to be very tight to get a small table/cart into these rooms. These rooms really were designed for 2 people max, if you\u2019re a family I\u2019d check into another hotel, as there won\u2019t be maneuvering space. \n--No pool\nNot a big deal for us, but it would have been nice to swim after a long day. I\u2019m a swimmer by nature. Just be aware of this fact\n--A $9.95 charge per 24 hour period for in-room wireless connection to the net\nThis isn\u2019t a shock to me, as it\u2019s becoming more common, but it would be nice to simply have access without the sticker price. \n--No armoire to house the TV and not Flat Panel TV\nThere was simply a 24 inch black TV that sat on the desk. I guess at this level of hotel, I expected a flat panel or a sleek armoire to house a TV. \n--No light in the shower enclosure, just a bit dark \nAll in all, we loved the location of this hotel and there wasn\u2019t much to complain about. If you\u2019re on business, or traveling as a couple, this is the perfect hotel!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 31}, {"text": "It pains me to say it, but Sofitel Water Tower was not what I had hoped for. I have stayed at Sofitel in New York City many times and always look forward to returning. I can't say the same about Sofitel Water Tower.\nThere are good things to be found here, and they deserve mention. The lobby is neat, I enjoyed breakfast in the restaurant and found the service and food to offer a much better meal for a few dollars more than the good, but hectic, diner at the end of the street. The concierge, Jacqueline, could not have been more friendly or helpful.\nThe down side, for me, was the room. I had a room on a high floor with a nice view, but the furnishings were tired and left the room feeling less-than-clean. The carpet was spotted, the furniture worn, and housekeeping lackluster. During my three night stay housekeeping was sporadic and there was no turn down service. After a long day I did not look forward to returning to my room, and that is important to me.\nAs a Sofitel Privelege card holder I was offered a free drink, Evian water and choclates at turn down in New York. These were not to be had in Chicago.\nThe Privelege card offers points towards future stays at Sofitel. Even so, I am returning to Chicago soon and will stay elsewhere.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We stayed for the first two nights of a business/leisure visit to Chicago and selected the Sofitel Water Tower hotel mainly based on the positive reviews here. Much has been made of the design and decor of the hotel; while it is certainly unique, it does not overcome its main shortcomings: inattentive service and poor training. The hotel was nothing extraordinary. The front desk was cordial but not particularly friendly, knowledgable or helpful when asked about the town, or for recommendations for dining or sightseeing. We were given a standard room \"with a lake view\" - between buildings. Be forewarned that the walls of the room are thin, and the water pressure in the shower is adequate but not particularly strong. The most disappointing part of our room was its cleanliness - or lack thereof. The carpet was dirty and furniture was dusty. I informed both the front desk and housekeeping and asked if it could be addressed while we were out for the afternoon - both were defensive and argued that the room was clean, but they would \"look into it.\" When we returned in the evening, it looked exactly the same - dingy.\nWe had breakfast in the restaurant (Cafe de Architects) one morning. While the food was good the service was slow and we had to ask for coffee refills every time. As for coming and going - it was interesting. While there appeared to be at least 3 or 4 doormen, bellmen or porters available near the front door at a given time, rarely did any of them open the door or acknowledge arriving or departing guests. This has an interesting effect inside the hotel. Once guests are inside, they could be subjected to \"random checks\" by \"security personnel\" who were NOT in uniform and did NOT identify themselves (i.e., badges), but rather aggressively ask to see room keys with the assumption that visitors were vagrants or squattors. When I brought this to the attention of the manager, she shrugged and said that this was policy. While I can appreciate this measure of consideration, it is not handled with the tact or discretion that I have seen in other hotels of this caliber. \nAfter two nights, we decamped to the Park Hyatt Chicago - where service and quality are superior all around - and we enjoyed the best part of our stay in Chicago!", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "I live in Milwaukee but travel to Chicago several times a year. Last weekend, I took my wife there for her birthday and we stayed at the Sofitel. I chose to book a room there after reading all the great reviews. After staying for two nights, I can honestly say the Sofitel is a bit overrated. First of all, we spent $260 a night for a cityview room with a king-size bed. We were on the 20th floor, but the room was very small! It was decorated nicely, but my wife and I were pretty unhappy with the size of the room. It was honestly one of the smallest, if not the smallest hotel rooms I have ever stayed in. We didn't let that ruin our first evening, however. \nThe next morning (my wife's birthday), we woke up and when trying to brush our teeth, realized that there was no COLD water. For some reason, there was only steaming, scalding water - too hot to even shower in. We called down to the front desk and they sent up a maintenance person. After about 20 minutes, we called back down and asked to change rooms because we wanted to get ready to leave out for the day. The person at the front desk told us to wait a few minutes and they'd call back. After 20 more minutes, the maintenace guy finally fixed the problem and as he was leaving, the front desk called up to tell us we could switch rooms. I informed them that it was too late, but we'd appreciate some type of credit to our account due to the inconvenience. The woman said all she could give us was about $20 off (not much considering we paid $250 a night). The rest of our experience was okay. Oh, except our bed didn't have a sheet on it! We had to call house cleaning to bring one up!\nHere are some other observations-\nThe GOOD: Very quiet hallways (not a lot of kids running around), good room-service, nice views, large bathrooms\nThe BAD: No connected parking, SMALL ROOMS, not-so-great staff, loud heating/cooling system, over-rated restaurant and over-crowded bar.\nI just don't see why the Sofitel is so highly rated. There are other options, including the Wydham (inexpensive, better location, and much larger rooms) and Swissotel (better staff, much larger rooms). WHile not horrible, I would not stay at the Sofitel again unless everywhere else was booked.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Brilliant hotel. I could not fault it. Everyone was extremely friendly and the rooms are beautiful. Amazingly comfortable beds, luxurious bathrooms. What more could you want. The location is perfect and I would recommend anyone looking for a good hotel in Chicago to look no further. I'm definitely coming back!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Heaven! Great beds, marvy bedding, beautiful bathroom good tolietries, nice quiet relaxing rooms, awesome location. A get away right in them iddle of it all. Much nicer than the bigger hotels.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "What can be said that hasn't been said before? This is Chicago's best hotel for the money, hands down. The fact that this place can often be had at less than $250 a room makes the Sofitel by far my favorite hotel in the city.\nFrom the first phonecall to the hotel reservationist to the final goodbye from the bellhops, the staff at this hotel was among the most accommodating and convivial I've ever experienced. Of course internet booking is so convenient, but call the hotel during the day and request a rate. I was delighted to be offered a regular rate lower than those available on discount travel sites - and I didn't have to prepay. The reservationist also explained the different room types in detail, so I wasn't in that confusing situation of having to choose a room based on vague terminology (ie: \"deluxe\" versus \"superior\" room).\nOur room was flawless. I don't understand the complaints regarding the size of the room because this was the largest bathroom I've ever seen in a conventional hotel room. Gorgeous! The bed was perfect and there were nice touches everywhere, from the unique and effective window shade to the innovative closet light to the french doors in the bathroom. \nThe restaurant was excellent and unique. The butterfish was fantastic and the Chocolate Decadence desert was breathtaking. Comprehensive wine list and wonderful service. Sadly, my friend and I enjoyed the cuisine in utter isolation. Why was this place empty on a Friday night? However the bar on the other side of the lobby was far from desolate. We really enjoyed drinks in this upscale, trendy spot.\nThis is a beautiful hotel. The architecture and interior decor is decidedly modern but surprisingly warm and familiar. I couldn't have been happier with this hotel and I had very lofty expectations.\nToo many times people just simply book the absolute lowest rate they can find, assuming that truly unique and exciting hotels are only the five-star institutions. But the Sofitel offers more style and service than any of the insipid convention hotels in its price range. Don't pass it up.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 28}, {"text": "I am almost universally disappointed with most high end hotels, given the usually undeserved hype around them. Take away the mysticism of overcharging for a room, and all of a sudden Four Seasons just isn't that impressive. Although the Water Tower Sofitel isn't for everybody, it is certainly one of the best hotels I have stayed it. I hate the apathy behind cookie cutter hotels rooms; this certainly is not an issue at this hotel. Although rooms could be a little larger, I have never been in a better designed room. Bathrooms are outstanding, although the mediocre Holiday Inn-ish towels seem out of place in such a beautiful bathroom. TV is not LCD, which is also a little conspicuous. Separate shower and bathtub, with great water pressure. Nice amenities, and beautiful rose for Valentine's Day weekend was a nice touch, as were bath salts and candle. If you are a Francophile, the French flair of high design will be a heaven of sorts; if you like things a bit more stoic, this may not be for you. Restaurant is good but not great; you could certainly do much worse. Will definitely stay here again. Location is great, staff were nice and helpful. Overall a very restful stay. N.B. View of Lake Michigan will be lost with contruction across the street over next several months.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "I stay in Chicago on business about once a week and have stayed at many of the Michigan Ave. area hotels. Sofitel is the best I have stayed at in this area.\nService was great (suprising since much of the staff is French). \nRoom was clean and good sized for downtown Chicago. Business traveler services were good.\nAccess to the building was much less congested than most Mich. Ave area hotels making parking much easier.\nOnly negative was \"lake view\" room can't actually see the lake except through small gaps between other buildings.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We're picky, but this hotel hit all the right notes for us: superb location, gorgeous new bathrooms, comfortable beds, really quiet rooms, fresh & modern decor, and french-pressed coffee for breakfast. Staff is well-trained but not overly friendly. Rooms aren't large but are clean, well appointed and efficient. The hotel bar can be over-crowded but has a sophisticated atmosphere and excellent bartenders. Walk one direction and you're in the middle of the Michigan Avenue bustle; walk the other direction and you'll find yourself in a pleasant, upscale neighborhood. There are numerous bars and restaurants within minutes of walking (including the cleanest McDonald's ever a block away). For upscale dining, try MK. We walked back from there. For $2.00 you can take the train from O'hare to the \"Chicago\" stop, transfer to bus #66 for a 10 minute ride to State Street, and walk 2 blocks. Can't wait to return. We like to stay at Four Seasons properties, but in Chicago, it's the Sofitel for us.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Run to this hotel... It's an hotel like a home.\nIn a few times you won't have one of the nicest view of Chicago (The Hancock Building with the Michigan Lake) because there is a building in construction in front of the Sofitel that is going to hide all the view from the Hotel.\nWe were at the Sofitel Oct 14th-October 19th for the American Academy of Ophtalmology. We had a wonderful Deluxe Suite at the 30th Floor.\nThe Suite was very nice and the view was a real ++.\nThe bed was Good.\nWhen we arrived there was a box of Len\u00f4tre Chocolates.\nAnd every nigh they gave us free bottle of Evian.\nThe bathroom was also nice, in marble, with bathrobes from Frette and bath amentities from Roger et Gallet which is common in France.\nThe only bad point on this suite was the closet which was very small (smaller than in the Deluxe Room). But when we told that to the front desk they bring us a mobile rack to hang the clothes.\nWe come from France with Rebecca (our little Shih-tzu) and there was a \"Queen\" Bowl of water waiting for her in the room (look at the photos...) and sweets for dogs.\nIt's just a pity that there is no pool in a new hotel like this one.\nThe bar of the Hotel was very cool and it was the place to meet the Chicagoans.\nThe Breakfast at Caf\u00e9 des Architectes was also top.\nThe pastries were like the best in France\nAnd nothing to say also about:\n-the eggs benedict with bacon or crab cakes or just simple\n-the omelettes\n-the Belgian waffle\n-the fruits\nJust perfect!\nThe deco of the Sofitel is breathtaking.\nThe location is just one block from the magnificient mile (Water Tower Place, Bloomingdale's, Tiffany & co, Ralph Lauren, Armani Exchange, Saks, Neiman Marcus, Apple Store, Nike Town, Nordstrom...) and two blocks from Oak Street (Prada, Tod's, Herm\u00e8s, Diesel...) \n...and walk away from the major interesting sites of the city.\nThe Check-in/out was with no wait.\nThe information of the Concierge (especially of Heather who spoke French) were very good for all sightseeings and restaurants.\nThe staff of the Sofitel is always with smile and ready for a lot of little attentions that makes your stay the most pleasant as it can be.\nTo End, if you go to the Sofitel you won't regret your choice.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "I booked the Sofitel for two nights, October 6-7, during the very busy Marathon weekend. \nNo marathon for me :) and I would not have picked a high priced weekend if I had known, but I had booked my airfare first to accomadate a work schedule. I don't mind the crowd so much as the high rate of $275/night, and that was WITH a corporate discount, else rack was over $350. \nAnyway, I did think it was worth the higher rate because some of the other 2-3* hotels were at least $200. I traveled alone, for a pleasure trip away. \nFROM AIRPORT: Booked a car service called American Chauffeurs for $42 with tax, one way, about 30 minutes. Taxi would have been about the same. Checked shuttle in advance which would have been about $25 one way but was worried about the longer wait time and drop offs at various hotels. \nCHECK-IN: The bellmen were quick to bring my luggage in and wait for my check-in. It was right before the 3pm check in time and no issues. I had requested a higher floor which they gave me on 24th floor. The elevator was quick and quiet--ie did not hear rattling and movement if you had a room near it, because it is also setback a bit from the hallway, by design. Clean, sleek, dark, but you could tell right away it was new, modern, and sophisticated. \nMany of the guests were European (I could hear Dutch, French) and I think there were a few conferences that day from the posting in hotel lobby, but this did not interfere--you could hardly notice because those areas were well concealed. \nHOTEL LOCATION: Perfect, a block from John Hancock Observatory and the north end of Michigan Mag Mile. I shopped at Filene's, H&M, Marshall's, MaxMara, etc. Some designer bargains to be had at Filene's so look thoroughly. \nDINING: Loved breakfast there at Sofitel's only restaurant, L'Architecte. It was about $15 for a selection of eggs with meats, and the best basket of french pastries and breads (chocolate croissants, baguette mini, danish, muffin/scone, etc). Or you could get waffles, crepes. Came with fresh squeezed juice and coffee in your own karafe/pot brewed individually. Great service!!! Did not try room service though. \nI also ate at TEMPO's the diner a few doors down, which was ok, much cheaper (about $6-10). I had asparagus omelette there with coffee and toast for about $9 which was ok. But for $5 more, try Sofitel food! I did like the fact that Tempo is 24 hours so you can have much more there (sandwiches, etc) for cheap.\nBISTRO 110: Walked there, around corner from Michigan , and food was good, nothing spectacular, other than the bread being served with full roasted garlic cloves. Had oysters as an appetizer, Artichoke dish, and tried the creme brulee for dessert, which is average. Moderate pricing, about $35 total. \nGIORDANO's PIZZA: Ordered delivery to try a small deep dish, and calamari. Very good, very fast. About $20.\nBELLA BACINO'S: Ordered delivery when I was at in the loop at Hotel71 (right next door) and while the thin pizza was decent, it would have been better if HOT or a bit more warm. The service was horrible. They forgot my order, I had cold calamari, and the desserts creme brulee and tiramisu were melting away. Promised delivery of 30 minutes and it took 2 hours plus two phone calls with the manager to ask when they left (response was always--15 minutes ago). All this for $30 and I can't recommend unless you dine in there I guess.\nLE COLONIAL: Vietnamese, I thought, but it is definitely geared for Amer/French and if you are expecting the REAL deal, you will be disappointed. The salads were geared towards American tatses, like using lettuce greens vs. the true style of all julienned carrots and super thinly sliced cucumber mesh. Nice atmosphere--all business types when I was there and not a single Asian person except myself, so you know this is not home cooking when you don't see natives. The Pho was ok, missing the typical meat variation, and the thiet nhuong was served not in the typical rice noodle bowl fashion but on a plate on top of thin banh hoi. Very expensive at $50 for appetizer salad, main dish, and banana tapioca dessert. \nBACK TO HOTEL: \nBATHROOM, BED, ROOM: Clean, clean, clean! Spotless. Tub separate from shower. Nice water pressure. \nThe bed has the greatest fluffy pad and feather down duvet. It turned cold that weekend, like 45F at night and 55F daytime, so I had the heater on and it worked wonderfully. Always as hot as I wanted --no limit setting, like with other hotels who give you Warm and Cool, this has actual temperature settings. \nNever heard much from anyone--the rooms were quiet, the doors didn't shut too loudly, and the views were good, with the large windows. The rooms seemed very small to me, but you don't expect so much space in a city. There was a separate lounge chair and desk area next to the king bed. \nTurndown service included Evian water and temperature card. \nGreat modern safe to set your own code. I did not use the mini bar nor the internet this time. \nSTAFF: Easy checkout. Very professional people. At times, it did appear there were a lot of bellmen who could have helped some of the folks open the doors as they carted in their luggage...this did not happen to me but I did notice that as I sat in the lounge/lobby waiting for a friend one evening. \nMainly business people or those in their 30's and above. Everyone always smartly dressed. Few families here, or if they were here, I didn't notice any kids running around like you have at other hotels. \nBAR: It was vey popular and busy, even late! It seemed people who were not staying at the hotel, also frequented this spot so it must be a gathering place for friends to have drinks. Nice ambience, and I did not try any of the appetizers here. \nOther Attractions: I visited Art Institute, $12 admission and about $7 cab ride away. Also, Architectural boat tour with First Lady Co. for $25 and about $6 cab ride away. John Hancock was within walking distance of Sofitel, $10 admission and the best view!!\nIn summary, I would stay here again in a heartbeat, if I could get a discounted rate. Nothing super special that is a MUST SEE in this hotel, but so comfortable and enjoyable that I have to give 5 stars. I hope my details helped and that you can get a better rate!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "Just returned from a 3 night stay at the Sofitel Water Tower. It's vibe is new, trendy and sophisticated with a French accent. Like at W Hotels, the bar spills over into the lobby at night with young professionals but security is excellent. Our room was comfortable with stylish furniture, art and expansive views of the city on the higher floors. Front desk staff and housekeeping were very helpful, especially with our early check-n even when the hotel was full the night before. The concierges, while helpful, seemed a bit aloof. The doormen were plentiful but never seemed to be there when you needed their help. Food at the Cafe des Artiste was excellent for dinner and breakfast (reasonable prices for a 5* hotel). Conveniently located 2 blocks from the subway. Had dinners at Alinea (very different and expesive) and MK (very good).", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Just 3 stars for this hotel which is \"Neutral / Average\" because compared to other hotels it's nothing really extra to write home about! \nWe chose the Sofitel based on reviews here and being #1 in the popularity index. We weren't disappointed but we weren't \"WOWed\" by any means! Having said that, by Chicago prices this hotel isn't so bad for what you get.\nWe chose the deluxe rooms where you pay a little extra for a higher floor and we were on the 28th. Good views over the city where we weren't overlooked by neighboring buildings. The room size was okay - I'm not sure how it compares with \"non-deluxe\", but we weren't in Chicago to spend all our time in the hotel! It had a chair with footrest so you could open up the blind on the very large window, sit back and look out over the views if you wanted to. There was also a desk where you could work, but unlike most hotels nowadays, internet connection was an additional $20 for the 3 nights we would be staying. This should be included in the price and not additional. There was enough hanging space, a safe, iron, TV etc, and of course the bed... One thing we were looking forward to was trying out the bed especially after reading all the reviews which mentioned the bed! So jumped onto the bed and.... what are all the reviews talking about!!!??? It may not seem like it but I'm not a hard critic but the bed was.... just a comfortable bed as I would expect in any hotel. No better, no worse.\nBathroom was large and clean. If you're going to stay in the room with a non-spouse, beware that the two \"French window\" style doors to the bathroom have a gap in the middle and no lock! So you may want to sing or whistle to remind the other person(s) you're in the bathroom! Shower was great, didn't use the bath. There is a volume control in the bathroom too where you can hear what is on the TV from a speaker under the sink unit.\nHotel was clean. Hotel valet parking was $37 a day additional - parking in Chicago is expensive wherever you go. Check in/out was quick and easy. \nOverall, a nice and clean hotel but not a place where I'd say \"Oooh - you MUST stay at the Sofitel if you go to Chicago!\" I've had the experience of staying there now and it was nothing extraordinary, but next time in Chicago I'll be trying somewhere different.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "The outside of the building is .... phwoar!! amazing!! and the inside is so chic it's breathtaking. The staff are smart, everything is elegant yet the hotel is warm, friendly and welcoming. They have got it just right.\nRooms are comfortable, the bed divine. Bathrooms the best we experienced in The States (we stayed in 10 good hotels on this trip) with hand held shower attachment on the tub, and Roger&Gallet shower gel and toiletries. Breakfast was excellent, stylishly served and affordable. It's a shame we didn't try dinner; the menu looked great.\nLocation is perfect, right by the Magnificent Mile. Go up to the 96th floor of the Hancock building for cocktails at sunset; it's very nearby and the views are amazing. We can't wait to go back, and return to the Sofitel. Fabulous.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "You can't beat the Sofitel for value, rooms, place and people. You can spend a lot more and get a lot less. We seldom give a five star, but this weekend they get it. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Just got back from my 4-day visit to Chicago and must say that staying at the Sofitel was a truly wonderful experience. I stayed for only one night and spent the other two nights at Le Meridien. While the Le Meridien is nice, I much preferred the Sofitel. Cleaner bathroom, nicer views, warmer staff, hipper lobby, nicer location, etc.\nFrom the moment we jumped out of our cab to the moment we left, we felt like the Sofitel really apprecaited our business. The concierge was very imformative and gave us tips on what to see and do. I was given a wonderful room on the 31st floor with a partial view of the lake, John Hancok Building and some of Lakeshore Drive and Michigan Avenue. It was beautiful. The room was super clean. The first time I stayed at a Hotel without having to wear shoes on the carpet. The bathroom was also sparkly clean and I asked my husband to take pictures of the door so that we could copy the design for our bathroom at home. The robes and one slipper(?) were soft and not old and used looking. A happy birthday card and box of chocolates awaited me in the room and that was a nice touch. I did advise at the time of reservation that it would be my birthday and my first visit to Chicago. \nThe lobby, while not huge, is very warm and hip. I loved it. You got a vibe that was somewhat energizing. I was able to pop into the Peninuslar, the Park Hyatt and the Ritz-Carlton and barring these three heavy hitters, the Soitel is clearly the best hotel for the money. I did not have time to see the Four Seasons. \nI am grateful to the Sofitel for their hospitality and will continue to support this brand whenever and wherever I vacation.\nTHANKS SOFITEL.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "My husband and I just returned from my first visit to Chicago. This hotel was wonderful and it made our visit all the better. From the minute we pulled up we knew we had a winner. The doormen were pleasant and responsive. The front desk was fast and courteous. The room was fantastic! We were greeted each evening by turndown service with some jazz on the radio - a nice touch! The bed was so wonderful that we slept in every single day. Bathroom complete with bath robes. marble, seperate bath tub and shower. We couldn't have chosen a better place. The concierge was extremely helpful and friendly. Lynn was awesome! She took into consideration our preferences and made reservations at some fabulous restaurants and got us on the architectural boat tour - which we loved! Sometimes the concierge desk will push you towards the $125 a plate spot but Lynn listened and gave us some spectacular spots that really gave us a complete view of the city along with some really great food and wine. The bar was cushy and posh. A fun spot to hang out and be seen before you head up to your room - where you'll be lulled into the most comfortable sleep ever! My local friends had never heard of the place but were impressed - we'll be recommending the Sofitel to all our friends. We had a wonderful time!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed here for three nights during June 2005 and it is the best hotel we have ever stayed in. The room was ultra clean, stylish and spacious. The restaurant is also very good here and the location cannot be beaten - just minutes walk from the hub of the city centre, shops, great restaurants etc. We were also impressed with the little things that make a good hotel a great hotel - like fluffy white bathrobes, free slippers, gorgeous Roger & Gallet freebies in the bathroom, free Internet use in the Business Centre etc etc. Chicago is a great city to visit but a stay here makes it even more enjoyable!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "stayed at this hotel the first weekend of june.\nlobby nice, staff wonderful, room service great, location is perfect, bathroom was very big - entire hotel room super clean and like everyone has said - has great views. the lobby and hallways outside our room were kind of dark and dramatic - but they were nice. also, it rained while we there and they had umbrellas waiting right by the door for us .. that was great!\nonly snag was the beds .. i may have missed it in all the reviews i read before leaving but the sofitel is into european beds and bedding. i'm used to sleeping in a king - and was sleeping in a full at the soiftel - by the way, they have twins too. i'm 5'4 and felt the bed a little small .. very odd. also, they don't have a top sheet - only a bottom sheet and a comforter (duvet with feather bed). the sheet and the comforter are wonderful but i kept waking up looking for my top sheet. i'm sure i'd get used to the idea of not having a top sheet but not in just a few days .. i should have just asked for the top sheet and tried to not be european for a weekend.\nthere's a cheap (i'm pretty sure 24 hour) *cash only* restaurant to the right (as you are leaving the hotel). i think it's a breakfast spot for the locals and we had a mighty great breakfast. we found out about this place in our search across town .. we were over by millenium park and the guy at the hard rock said it was great .. we were like .. geez, we always turn left when we leave the hotel!!! there was a wait, but it went really fast. it was worth it; we couldn't find a good place to eat breakfast that didn't cost a zillion dollars. and this really was good. i love breakfast!\nsorry about the messy room in the photo :), the kinda dark photo is of the lobby .. like i said it was kinda of dark .. hard to get a good photo w/my amateur camera.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "My wife and I loved this hotel. It is stylish, spotlessly clean and very comfortable. Our king-sized room was first class with a bathroom so lovely that we took photos of it with a view to copying some of their ideas in our own bathroom. We loved the rather funky lobby and the bar is welcoming and obviously a popular place for folks to hang out.\nAnd you can't argue with the prices - very reasonable indeed. You get top service and comfort at significantly less than top prices. We have stayed in other places in Chicago but if we go back to Chicago in future, we would only stay at the Sofitel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Was required to stay to here on company business. \nPros: Great location, great views, very nice rooms, decent staff\nCons: In my opinion WAY overpriced, as I paid about $200 for one night, and the elevators are VERY slow. Also, parking is ridiculous, although that is to be expected in this area of Chicago", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Wife and I stayed over Memorial Day weekend. Can't say enough about it. Staff was friendly and attentive. Walking distance to Magnificent Mile and Lake Shore Dr. One block from Rush Street bars and restaurants. Two blocks from the subway. Beautiful rooms with minimalist design. Hugh windows afforded great views from 30th floor. Bed was incredibly comfortable. Luxurious bathroom. Room service prices surprisingly reasonable. Only complaint: all bathroom lights controlled by one switch and at one setting, which is very bright. Bottom line: would recommend the Sofitel to anyone looking for a great hotel experience.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "I've stayed at and loved Sofitels in New York, Philadelphia and Washington, so I was excited to try the Windy City version--and wasn't disappointed. The building itself is a distinctive architectural gem in the City of Architecture. With its triangular shape and narrowing angle toward the top, it looks like a ship's prow--very striking. The lobby is chic and more open than some other Sofitels, with a three-story atrium. The front desk staff was very helpful (I was checking in early) and made a room available to me by noon on a sold-out weekend. And it had an amazing view over the John Hancock Center, Mag Mile and Lake Michigan! \nIf you've stayed at other Sofitels, you know what to expect in the rooms: colorful, contemporary and comfortable. The carpet was rust-colored, which was very different but attractive. There was the trademark color-swirl painting on the wall, nice glass-topped bedside tables and a large work desk. There's plenty of drawer/closet space and robes in both the closet and the bathroom, plus a CD player. \nSpeaking of the bathroom--heaven. Large, with a soaking tub and separate shower, shelf space and a large counter. Marble everywhere--and even a bamboo plant! The toiletries are also top-notch French products. As has been noted in other reviews, the bed is almost dangerously comfortable. Plush to the nth degree with better linens than I recall from other Sofitels. Perhaps they're upgrading their beds like all the other chains. \nDidn't eat at the restaurant but did have room-service breakfast which was a little overpriced but tasty, attractively presented and delivered on time to the minute. The lobby bar is nice, but was crushingly crowded on a holiday weekend. If it's full, you can always try the small bar in the restuarant for a more peaceful drink. We were always able to get a seat there.\nThe location is perfect--less than a 5-minute walk to the Mag Mile (the hotel is on the same cross street as the Water-Tower Place mall and the Hancock Center. There's also a subway stop two blocks away. If you're into views, here's a tip: Go to the Bar on 96th at the top of the Hancock Center. For the same price as entrance to the Observation Deck, you can get a drink and enjoy the view from a nice cushy chair.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My boyfriend and I chose this hotel after reading the reviews on here and we were not disappointed. We loved it! The hotel is stunning and the room was fab - we had fantastic views. We stayed for a week and had a couple of lazy days and took full advantage of the room service menu - the food was lovely. Really can't fault the place in any way (the staff were all lovely too!) and I'm sure we will be back soon.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husband and I (and our spaniel Rosencrantz) all stayed at the Water Tower Sofitel for our wedding night! The rooms are exquisite, the views are breathtaking, and the staff is incredible (they speak amazing French as well!). We live in Chicago, and were particular in where we would stay. We are huge Francophiles and were pleased with their hotels when in France last summer. The food is very authentically French, complete with typical delicacies of France that we miss so much. It was like staying in Paris for one night. The staff was very accepting our our 10 pound pooch, for those who are vacationing with their dog. The bed and tub were outstanding. The most comfortable bedding I have ever slept in. Feather Bed, Feather Pillows, Feather Duvet Cover. I recommend it hands down over the Peninsula, Four Seasons, the Drake, the Congress, and other more \"well known\" hotels in Chicago.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Stayed at the Sofitel for 1 night. The location is perfect blocks away from the Magnificent Mile ( Michigan Ave.). If your there just for a few days then use public transportation. The hotel is only a few blocks from the Red Line and from most buses. The staff was extremely helpful and friendly.\nThe concierge was full of useful information. The room was beautiful. We had a king room on the 16th floor. Once I laid down on the feather bed I didn't want to get back up. It was almost sinful how comfortable it was.\nThe down in the featherbed is treated to be allergen free. My wife who is allergic to down had no problems. The room was decorated very nicely.\nPictures on the walls, There was a chaise to lounge on. We ordered room service Sunday morning. The food came within 30 minutes. The food was hot and very good. \nThe Sofitel is now my favorite hotel in Chicago.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I loved everything about my stay at the Sofitel - stunning architecture, the gorgeous lobby, the hip bar lounge, the immaculate bedroom with huge windows and modern bathroom, etc. My only caveat is if you are a fitness buff, the gym is very tiny. But it's clean and not too busy while I used it. I am very finicky about cleanliness and most hotels aren't perfect (I found a tiny hole in my blanket at the Ritz Carlton Hong Kong) but the rooms at Sofitel were absolutely immaculate. My biggest pet peeves with hotels is their top cover/duvet. It's so dirty. Everyone always throws it on the floor. But at Sofitel, the duvet cover is changed daily just like the sheets! :)", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "The Sofitel, only a few years old, is located within walking distance of many wonderful restaurants and one block from Magnificent Mile. Expect attentive serivce and a memorable experience from this contemporary architectural treasure. Plenty of staff in the lobby will preclude you from opening a single door. Check in is simple and swift. Your immediate reaction will be Wow! when you see the lobby and adjacent bar and restaurant. Fabulous designing. This hotel is consistent in delivering that message. Even the interior of the elevators are innovative. The rooms are spotless. Your every comfort has been taken into consideration- fluffy terry cloth robe and slippers, separate tub and shower, and marble bath that is beautifully illuminated with magnifying mirror. Here's the best part- feather bed with a down comforter and your choice of pillows. You will never have a more comfortable rest. My only regret was I couldn't take it home with me. This is THE place to stay in Chicago.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We have just returned from a trip to Chicago to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary. We cannot recommend the Sofitel highly enough.\nThe room was lovely, on the 30th floor, with a clear view straight across to the John Hancock Tower. The beds were very comfortable and the marble bathroon spacious and clean. We ordered breakfast in our room on our anniversary including a glass of champagne each. The hotel added a box of chocolates by way of congratulations.\nAnother nice touch was a bottle of Evian water each every night at turndown - much better than a chocolate!\nThe hotel has a beautiful lobby and the bar is very comfortable with lots of atmosphere. It is a little pricey as is the restaurant but no more that you would expect from a hotel of this calibre.\nWe would definitely stay here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I am not sure why this hotel could be given any less than 5 stars. My husband and I visit family in Chicago every three months and our favorite thing (besides seeing family) is getting to stay at the Sofitel. \nThe rooms are modern, crisp, beautiful and peaceful. The beds are SO WONDERFUL that we are asking for their bedding for Christmas (you can order from the hotel). The bathrooms are the best that we have ever experienced in a hotel- with separate baths, beautiful marble showers and deluxe bath products that are restocked daily. Each room has large floor to ceiling windows with beautiful views of the city.\nTwo of our favorite things about the Sofitel is the lobby and the restaurant. The lobby is very sleek and lively, with beautiful color arranged fresh flowers throughout and wonderful relaxing music always playing. \nWe dine at the restaurant for breakfast most mornings. Everything is delicious, fresh with a perfect modern fresh presentation. Definitely opt to have breakfast here at least one morning, or late night milkshakes via room service. Another option for breakfast is right next door at the little caf\u00e9, Tempo, which is better for a hearty breakfast. \nThe price is very reasonable for the amenities, comfort and service you receive. Also, you can\u2019t beat the location. I would stay here for a romantic stay, a long weekend with friends or on business. \nYay Sofitel!\np.s.- favorite Sofitel memory was seeing Bill from the Apprentice eating breakfast there one morning! Not a big fanatic, but nonetheless, it was cool.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "A last minute trip to Chicago prompted a quick perusal of the TripAdvisor site, and I decided to try a stay at the Sofitel. A quick check of online rates didn't turn up any great deals, so I opted to just walk in and see what I would get. I arrived at the hotel around 3:00 pm, walked to the desk, and asked, \"What is the best rate you can give me for a room tonight?\" The clerk told me that the best rate she could offer was $229. I responded with, \"I was really hoping that we could do better than that,\" and she said \"that's the best rate that I have.\" So, I replied that I felt I could get a better rate at another hotel, and the clerk let me walk out. Now, I would think that a room sold near the end of the day for any amount is better than a room not sold at all, but that doesn't seem to be the philosophy of the Sofitel Chicago. \nAs I left the hotel, I was not halfway down the block when I got the wild idea to CALL the hotel. I placed a quick call on my cell phone directly to the reservaton desk at the Chicago hotel, and asked the very same question: \"what is the best rate that you can give me tonight.\" I was quoted a rate of $145. Standing at the corner and gazing at the hotel, I booked the rate. So, just 15 minutes later, I walk back into the Sofitel, up to the same desk clerk, and state my name and that I have a reservation. She was as cold as she could possibly be. \nSo, after all that trouble, was it worth it? The lobby is very hip and trendy, and I could not help but notice the half-dozen \"security\" men in dark suits with earphones lodged in place standing all over the place. I sense that they're placed there more for atmosphere than any real purpose. The room was of modest size, with a king-size bed and a wonderful down comforter. The pillows were plentiful and comfortable. The bathroom was large and nicely appointed. Everything was clean and well-kept. Would I stay here again? Yes, but only if I could get a good rate. I would try any of the Kimpton Hotels first, however, as they're equally lovely, with comparable rooms, with better prices. And their front-desk staffers could definitely serve as an example to the Sofitel clerk.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 37}, {"text": "This is really an outstanding hotel. I have stayed here at least four times. The location is terrific - very close to North Michigan Avenue with good shopping, restaurants and sights within walking distance. The rooms are very well-designed with a modern flair. The marble bathrooms, which have great lighting, all include separate bathtubs and showers. The hotel also provides high quality amenities. The feather beds are extremely comfortable. I would recommend this hotel to anyone wanting to visit Chicago.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Definitely a very nice hotel with great service, however the room was a bit disapointing for the price paid. The bed was outstanding with it's feather top mattress and I must admit that I had a wonderful sleep. The staff were very professional and courteous at all times. \nThe downside is that the room itself was quite small with a very standard bathroom, small tub, and poor view. I just expected more for the Sofitel. I will most likely try somewhere else on my next stay.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "Travelled to this hotel over the weekend of 11/02/05 to 16/02/05 for a five night stay. This Hotel was everything and more.\nUpon arrival the staff even knew who we were as we walked through the door and all were very polite, helpful and couldn't do enough to help from the doormen getting you a taxi to the reception making phone calls.\nThen to the room this was spotless, the bed enormous and so comfortable the best hotel bed I've ever slept in. The bed was turned down every night, the towels fresh everyday. Toiletries refreshed everyday. The large all marble bathroom was excellent. Yes you paid for extras but these were reasonably priced.\nAsk for an upper floor room if your visiting Chicago for the first time the views are amazing.\nFinally the cafe/restaurant , the food was fantastic,the staff helpful.\nI would say this hotel was worth every penny no matter what you pay", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "very pleasantly surprised at most aspects of hotel. contrary to other reviews, I don't think there were many hidden or extra charges at all -- certainly not for the gym. \nroom was very large, modern, comfortable and quiet. lobby and bar beautiful tho we never ate in. perfect location close to shopping on michigan and right on rush st. expensive to be sure, and less than thrilled w/ the parking/valet options, but still very happy w/ our stay.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I am writing this for those people who are specifically looking for suites in Chicago, as I had a hard time finding information on these types of rooms. My sister got married over the summer and I was planning the bachelorette party. I wanted to find a fun, affordable hotel with large rooms or, even better, a suite to accomodate six girls (this is difficult to do in downtown Chicago, where the rooms, besides being very expensive, are usually quite small). I spent a lot of time reviewing the various hotels downtown, and finally decided on the Sofitel Watertower. My experiece was wonderful from start to finish. I actually made the reservation by walking in the front door of this beautiful hotel, where I was greeted by a very friendly and accomodating staff. I told the lady at the desk, Oriana, that I was looking for a suite for a special occasion, and she OFFERED to show me some of their suites! They have several suites in the hotel, but only one that would accommodate 6 people, with two double beds and a pullout couch in the seperate seating area. All the suites have huge windows that overlook the city, including views of the Hancock building.. they are absolutely breathtaking! The suites are also enormous, with the sleeping area (which is about the size of a normal hotel room, except it feels bigger because of the huge windows and mirrored closet doors), then a hallway to the marble bathroom complete with fresh flowers, candle, bathrobes and slippers, stand-up shower and seperate tub, etc... then there is the sitting area, which has, again, a great view of the city (east and south views, if you're in a corner suite which I recommend), a desk, and sitting area complete with stereo sysem and tv. All for just over $300! (By comparison, I looked at an \"executive\" suite at the W Lakeshore that bragged of wonderful views and chic furniture...it was small, dark and smoky and would have run me $800!) Since we had to accomodate six girls I requested the one \"double bed\" suite that they had, and since I made the reservations two months in advance, was assured that there would be no problem. Well, there was a problem. Even though I reconfirmed my reservation numerous times, they gave my room away by mistake, and I called the hotel in a panic the morning of the bachelorette party because we didnt have enough room for all the girls to sleep. They were so accomodating and apologetic, they gave me a regular suite (which I paid for) and then a regular room- that was free! (and almost as big as the suites!) This worked out even better-now we had two bathrooms! Needless to say, we had a wonderful time, the hotel is in the middle of one of the best neighborhoods in the city, with great bars, restaurants, and beautiful people everywhere. For the tourists, you are also about a block away from Michigan Avenue. We ordered room service late night and it was delicious. The service was wonderful, they turn your bed down and leave a bottle of Evian water on the nightstand for you. I was just so impressed with the overall service, especially the hotel's ability to correct their mistake and make it right for the customer. Truly a remarkable place.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 24}, {"text": "Attended a wedding in Chicago; Sofitel is new, humming, very very modern (W hotel style - minimalist) and a great location. However, I miss the basics of a less trendy hotel. We checked in at 7 PM and our room wasn't ready - when they gave me a key the maid was still in the room making it up for me!!! I had to wait in the hallway .... On the weekend I came back for a nap at about 3:30 PM after vacating the room at 8:30 AM and it still wasn't made up. The housekeeping line was never answered so had to call front desk to get someone to make up my room. Also called housekeeping for a new hairdryer and they never brought me one....I gave up...This is a hot, youth hotel but for my next visit, I think I'd prefer some of the classic amenities likely timely housekeeping, a somewhat larger room that you can walk around, and a less trendy, hot, loud clientele. I'm over 40.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We were to be in Chicago just for one evening this past weekend but I followed the advice of other reviewers and booked here to make it a pleasant stay. I only booked this room a week in advance so I wasn't sure what would still be available. We opted for a guaranteed good view for $10 more and we got a gorgeous lake view for $219. This particular weekend I could not find anything in the city for under $179 and believe me this was worth the extra dollars. All the good that has been said about this hotel is true, the decor, service, extra touches, THE BED! I've never seen a hotel actually mention how you can purchase their bedding but I am saving up, it's truly divine and I never sleep well in hotels but I certainly did here. I liked the bath products so much I ordered them off the web site. We had plans all weekend and didn't have a chance to eat in the restaurant but will next time. We did stop in at the bar about 12:30am and it was still packed unlike much of what we saw right around there. Don't let this deter you if you are an early riser, this is a very quiet hotel and the bar is really off to the side, in fact we walked right by it the first time through. We were sitting at a back table and despite the crowd, the waitresses (who are impeccibly dressed, professional and attentive), noticed every time I put down my empty glass. All in all, a lovely weekend for us. We plan on returning again and again, and will recommend highly to our friends.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Lobby entrance is gorgeous. 21st floor deluxe room was very small. Clean, but not sparkly like you would expect from a $200 a night hotel. Feather bed was comfortable. The amenities fail to make the hotel personable or cozy.\nI would not stay at this hotel again for more than $69 a night.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "This is a superb, clean, spectacularly luxurous hotel that is priced way below what it is worth. In general, I hate large hotels, and always feel ripped off, especially in large American cities. The Sofitel in some way made amends for every poor experience I have had with hotels. \nThe management is fast, intelligent, sophisitcated, and extremely polite. For example, the stopper on the large bath tub was stuck. In 5 minutes, a technician and an assistant came up and fized the problem immeidately and refused a tip I offered. Whenever I called, and I calld about 4 times, the phone was picked up immediately and I was adressed by my name. I did breakfast room service twice, and the breakfasts are spectacularly French and amazing--the crepes with ham and gruyere was tremendous and the continental breakfast is awe inspiring and enormous. \nThe view of the city is unsurpassed and I took several photos at night that turned out to be spectacular. The hallways and lobbies are somehting I never have experienced. The fitness center is large, clean, and well organized, and there is a huge glass bowl of fresh fruit in the fitness center along with tons of rolled white cotton towles and water. The hotel is spotlessly clean. The bathrooms are enormous and pampering. The shower is a large marble cavernous afair that must have its own timezone and zip code. I did not want to leave the bed. The location is perfect. Let me say again that I hate large hotels in large American cities, but I absolutely love this hotel. If you visit you will not want to leave.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "This is a really nice place! I've stayed there twice in the last 60 days, and I will be staying there again in 60 +/- days. We are in suburban Indianapolis, IN, and have been going to Chicago for concerts. \nThis hotel is the place to stay, no matter wher the venue is! wE saw Sim & Garf, The White Stripes & will See Elvis Costello, and these digs are close to all the action. One tip - skip the restaurant & order room service breakfast -\"Le bar\" is cool but expensive, and the staff is really quite friendly, esp. considering they are mostly French, and only sometime \"stand-off-ish\" which is what we have all come to expect from the froggies!!! Try it once! You'll be hooked!!!\nAnti-franconphile Gib", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My father and I were VERY disappointed with our stay at the Sofitel Chicago Water Tower. First of all, back in August, I had requested a non-smoking double room. When we got to the room, it had an incredibly smoky odor and along with that, there were ashes all over the bathtub and sink! I called down to the front desk and alerted them of this problem and was told that they didn't have any non-smoking double rooms left, so they put us in a junior suite. Well, it ended up that my dad got the bed and I had to sleep on the MOST uncomfortable pull-out sofa imaginable. Once you would lie down, you could feel the steel frame on your back. Needless to say, I couldn't sleep the entire night. I definitely did not think that the front desk accomodated us well at all.\nAnother problem I experienced was the incompetence of the bellhop person. On my way down to the front desk to switch to different rooms, I saw that one of my bags was just sitting on the rolling cart. He apparently forgot to drop it off with the other luggage.\nThe only thing good about this stay was the breakfast that was included in the price of the room. I think it was a special.\nAll in all, it was a very disappointing stay and I will not recommend this hotel to anyone.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "i valeted my lexus and it was returned with a smashed side mirror. They admitted it was their fault, and now they won't pay the $500 to fix it because we can't prove it was not broken before!!! the hotel is wonderful, the rooms are new and nice, but we will never stay here again because of this....Be sure to inspect your car before you leave!", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Once a year a dear friend and I have a long weekend getaway to Chicago. We have stayed here and theredowntown, up north, out in the burbs, but our recent stay at the Sofitel was absolute the best weve had. Guest service is most important, but so is d\u00e9cor, ambience, the little details that travelers remember. For example: the valets new our names by the second day, night saw the lobby illuminated with soft lights and many beautiful burning candles, our bathroom had a fresh flower in it every day (and the bathroom was a palace!), an Ethernet cable was delivered instantly to the room when I needed one for my Mac, and so much more. Get this: there is a speaker in the bathroom so you can here the TV while getting ready. The beds were a dreamsoft sheets, duvets and a feather bed. Do not miss the Sofitel for your trip to downtown Chicago. David and I loved it!!! (i actually spoke to the manager to paraise the staff...)", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "I stayed at the Sofitel Chicago Water Tower at the end of July. It was the best hotel stay I have ever had hands down. From the moment me and my girlfriend stepped out of the cab, 4 bellhops rushed to get our bags out of the taxi, and one radioed ahead to the front desk, so our reservation was all pulled up when we got there. We just picked up our key and off to the room! Everything you have read here about the room is true. I have not slept better at any other hotel, their bed is so comfy. The bathroom is very spacious, loved the robes. My girlfriend loved the candle and the flowers they put in each day. I enjoyed the WebTV, although it was a lot slower than the cable internet I'm used to at home. At turn down, they place Evian water next to the bed, turn on the radio, and give you the next days weather on a little card. The rooms are very quiet, with no outside noise, or noise from adjoining rooms. The concierge was very helpful in giving directions to anywhere we wanted to go, as well as making reservations for the Untouchables tour. They even went above and beyond with a couple things. I Ebayed a pair of Cubs tickets, but didn't buy them in time to have them sent to my home, so they offered to except the fedex for me, and i picked up the tickets when we checked in. We also had a situation where we had to check out in the afternoon, but our train didn't leave until the late evening. The concierge offered to hold our bags with the bellhop while we wandered around Chicago for a little while longer until we needed to pick them up and head for Union Station. I couldn't have been more impressed with the staff at the hotel.\nThe hotel itself is 2 blocks from the top of the Miracle Mile, 3 blocks from a red line stop, and about a 15 minute walk from all the standard tourist restaurants (Ginos East, Hard Rock, Rainforest Cafe, ESPNZone, etc).\nThe only bad thing about the Sofitel is the prices for room service and the mini bar. A Coke from the mini bar was $3.50, and a 50ml bottle of Jack Daniels, Grey Goose, or Chivas was $6. Room service was expensive as well, but it was very delicious - try the creme brulee, at $7, its not a bad deal and worth the calories!\nOne thing to do before you go. go to www.sofitel.com, and sign up for their preferred guest card. This allows you to check in as early as noon, check out as late as 4pm with no late fee, and a free room upgrade. There is no cost to sign up.\nOverall, this was the best possible place I could ever stay in Chicago, and would not think twice about staying there again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "We just got back from a weekend anniversary getawa stay at the Sofitel. \nIt was just as the internet searches described. Our room was immaculately clean and the bathroom was great. Nice touches within included fresh flowers, candle, robes, etc. However, our view was horrible. I booked three months ahead of time and all they could do was give us a view of the back of the building. Very dissapointing. The beds were terrific however and we got a great nights sleep (no noise from other rooms or hallway). I would reccomend this hotel but be sure to get a high floor or else it is a waste of money.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Very Cool-- but bad and expensive food. Rooms are great, location is great, service is great. $8.00 for watery cream of wheat! Definitely stay here, but eat somewhere else.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Chicago is my hometown. Five years ago, my wife and I were transferred to Phoenix, so we have stayed at many Chicago area hotels when going back home to visit family and friends. The Sofitel Water Tower is by far the best overall hotel we've visited in terms of quality, value and location. The rooms are fresh and contemporary. While this french-inspired hotel does not boast the largest rooms in the city, the clean marble bath and efficient design make up for any lack of space. High floors have great views, too. Room service was tasty and prompt. The staff is courteous but not friendly -- this is Chicago, what do you expect? Hotel is located just off N. Michigan Ave., and not too far from the L. Valet parking is expensive ($35/night) and SLOW, but it is everywhere downtown. With the exception of the Four Seasons hotel just down the street, I can't think of a better place to stay. And for the price, it is definitely the best value.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Just returned from a quick stay at the Sofitel Chicago. We chose the hotel after reading reviews on sites like this one and found it to be just what we had read in the reviews. Service was outstanding from the moment we walked in the door. The room was small but the bathroom was large and very well appointed. Great shower! Loved the flower and the candle in the bathroom. Our room was on the 26th fl. and offered a nice view of the city and lake. The feather bed was a dream come true. Great deal for $160 and would definatly recommend it.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I surprised my husband with a long-weekend in our hometown in mid-March. Sofitel was the perfect downtown choice. Great location, beautiful lobby, terrific bar for late-night people watching. Our room was a good size, had a terrific view (ask for a high floor),a fabulous bathroom, and a way too comfortable bed. Sofitel made our weekend!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed at the Sofitel Water Tower for a weekend in January, 2003. We searched the web for a nice, reasonably priced hotel near Water Tower Place for shopping and dining.This hotel looked very nice and the price was unbeatable at $159. It is a new hotel that was recently opened in 2002.We arrived at the hotel and the lobby was playing soft music. The dark floor had lights in it that changed colors as you walked by. The bar area had a seating area with a fireplace that was very cozy. The front desk staff was very courteous. Our room was available immediately.We took the elevator to our room. Surprisingly, there were huge paintings displayed in the elevator of the John Hancock building and Sears Tower. Our room turned out to be another pleasant surprise. It had a very clean, contemporary feel, yet remained quite elegant. Maple wood double doors led us into a bathroom with marble floors, a spacious glass shower, deep tub, candles, an orchid plant and complimentary bathrobes. The king bed had king pillows and a soft down comforter. For a hotel, the bed was extremely comfortable. The view from our window was spectacular. (We didn't request a room with a view.) Our 24th floor room looked out at the John Hancock Building and Water Tower Place.We would definitely recommend this hotel to out of towners that don't want to pay the $200+ to stay at the Chicago \"classic hotels\"Although we are from the Chicago area, it was important for us to find a hotel close to the Michigan Ave. shopping, etc and not have to pay a fortune. The Sofitel is one block west of Michigan Avenue on Chestnut. At the Sofitel, you not only pay a fair rate, but reap the benefits of staying in a high class, modern, European style hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Wow is all I can say. The hippest hotel ever. This new place to stay in the Windy City is in the best location possible- one block off Michigan and near a lot of great restaurants and bars.The exterior is an architectural work of art. The public areas are decorated in black and multi colors. (Black leather couches- colored lights in the black ceramic floor) \nThe bar: Sleek and sexy- lit with candles (as is the lobby at night)- fun to hang out in. People from outside the hotel must know how cool this place is- as there were quite a few non-guests. A cozy fireplace with couches adorns the entryway to this watering hole.\nThe rooms: A bit small- but the floor to ceiling windows with spectacular views make it seem larger. I had a great view of the John Hancock building. THE BEDS ARE PHENOMENAL. Thick down comforters, a bunch of pillows, and extra padding. \nThe bathrooms: huge and all marble. Seperate tub and glassed in shower. Lots of nice amenities. \nThe workout room: The best I've ever seen with individual TV's at each cardio machine and free fresh fruit and bottles of water! \nThe restaurant: Though I did not eat at Cafe Des Artists- located off the lobby- it looked hip as everything else- with a very chic looking clientele.\nService: Attentive and friendly.\nThe only draw back was the price- $200 a night- but still very much worth it! Rumor has it- prices may spike up to $300 in the coming year- so check it out now!\nAs this was my first trip to Chicago I have not stayed anywhere else- but I must say- it was the best hotel I've been in yet! If you really want to treat yourself- The Sofitel is the place. I never wanted to leave! It was an extremely fun place to stay with an AWESOME location and a young, well-heeled, professional group of guests staying here.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 22}]}, "87632": {"reviews": [{"text": "The Peninsula was full so I thought I would try the Hyatt. I stayed there for 6 days.\nI arrived after a long flight so was looking forward to checking in, but guess what? - the room was not ready ( something which seems to happen more and more in the US). I was asked to come back in an hour, came back in two, and the room still was not ready. Eventually I got in, booked a wake up call and a car the next morning, and guess what? - no wake up call and no car.\nThings got better, but not much, so I have difficulty in understanding all the rave reviews. There is no lobby to speak of ( so nowhere to wait when the room is not ready) and the breakfast in uninspiring. The room is nice with great views and the lunch menu is unusual and the food good.\nHowever next time I will be staying at the Peninsula.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Checked in Oct. 24 for a one-night, quick business trip stay. My daughter made the reservation, obtaining a very attractive rate available to her employer, a big-4 accounting firm. My travel budget wouldn't have afforded my staying here, otherwise. The young lady at reception, noting that it was my first stay there and after determining that I didn't need assistance with my small overnight bag, personally walked me to the elevator lobby -- a nice expression of hospitality. The room was impressively large and very well appointed, even having an Eames lounge chair and ottoman for relaxation in front of the expansive windows (which included small windows on either side of a large picture window that were openable, allowing fresh air if desired). There was also a long window seat with a comfortable cushion and ample throw pillows for relaxing and enjoying the view from my location on the 17th floor, looking west. The bed was very comfortable, with a duvet, using high quality linens. The bathroom was particularly impressive with a large soaking tub that was easily big enough for two. They even provided large candles for a romantic bathing experience and have large, sliding wooden doors adjacent to the tub that open the view to the bedroom area and the city lights view out the windows. The separate shower are, enclosed in floor-to-ceiling thick glass panels, had both a tall shower head and a separate, adjustable head that could be removed from its holder for hand operation. Much marble, attractive wood, mirrors, glass and excellent lighting. In fact, lighting throughout the room and bathroom was remarkable for the variety of options available for creating different kinds of lighting combinations. The TV/entertainment area included a DVD player. A nice touch was, in addition to the high-end glossy magazines typically found in hotels at this quality level, there were several books including one that had fascinating information and photographs on Chicago architecture. Another interesting detail was a large bowl of potpourrie on the chest of drawers. I found the fragrance pleasant but a bit strong. Of course, you can hide that in a drawer if it offends. A few details were missed, though. Some of the chrome fixtures in the bathroom could stand polishing more frequently to avoid dust or corrosion. Also, the sliding doors between the bathroom and bed area were apparently somewhat off track, not allowing them to come together properly to completely close off view between the two areas. All-in-all, I thought the Chicago Park Hyatt was a top-end hotel with its guests receiving a very good experience. At their regular rates, you get good value for the money. At the deeply discounted corporate rate I enjoyed, it was a tremendous value.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Just returned from a four night stay. The hotel is perfectly located and has very professional staff. The rooms are very nice and the bathrooms are beautiful. The hotel itself is relatively small so it has something of a boutique feel to it...which is good. I would certainly recommend this hotel and would be happy to stay here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Just completed a one night stay August 29 at the Park Hyatt. The place has a very upscale feeling as soon as you walk into the lobby. Everyone at the front desk is extremely professional. They were not able to honor my upgrade certificate and offered no sort of benefit for my disappointment. \nCheck in was painless, yet it should be for the price of the rooms here. Purchased a King deluxe that promised a view and the view did not disappoint. This was a getaway weekend with my husband and I wanted to go all out and make it special. \nThe room was very attractive, Zen-like. Huge tub that had wonderful hot water that is temperature controlled. Amazing for a nice relaxing soak. Room was immaculate with a beautiful view of the water and Michigan Avenue. Hotel is right across the street from Ralph Lauren and American Girl Store. There is a bus stop right across the street from the hotel that takes you down to the Navy Pier and travels along Michigan Avenue. You can purchase a CTA transit card on their website prior to travel. If you want to book the courtesy car a BMW you are better off doing that a couple of weeks prior to arrival throught the concierge. Ramon the driver is very professional and was very prompt in taking us to our dinner location. We dined at NoMi and the service is top shelf. The waiters are extremely attentive and professional. We had breakfast and the view is wonderful. The staff at the hotel are definitely well trained people. Service is impeccable. My husband used the gym and raved about the equipment, the personnel and yes the pitchers of ice cold water with fresh fruit in it. If you are looking for a luxury hotel this is a great bet. For a special stay I will be back in a heart beat.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "I booked a King Deluxe room a couple weekends ago. I received a wonderful room with a great view of the Water Tower and the lake. The room has almost everything you could ask for. There was a great window seat extending across the whole window and a very comfortable Eames lounge chair. The bed was with down everything, from the pillows to the duvet, to the feather bed I slept on top of. There was a DVD player and also a speaker plug to attach your iPod to. The bathroom had a small LCD tv with surround sound attached above the double sinks. The amenities were comprehensive and included candles above the large soaking tub. The glass enclosed shower was separate and well as the toilet commode. The best thing is that the bathroom had sliding doors by the soaking tub that opened so you could see the view out the window. Service was courteous and great all around, from the doormen to the server in NoMi. The craziest thing is that I never saw a housekeeping service cart in the hallways. I'm not sure when housekeeping came by but I was never once disturbed when I was in my room. Overall, the hotel had the feel of a boutique hotel to me, very quiet and cosy. The location cannot be beat. I walked everywhere. I would recommend the hotel for people who enjoy modern luxury.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I took my family, including two preteen children, to the Park Hyatt for a couple of nights to get a tourist's eye view of Chicago, and can't think of one offputting thing the hotel offered. Our arrival was smooth, and the room and view were incredible. The health club facilities, along with the pool, were top notch and the restaurant NoMi was beyond expectation. This obviously isn't anywhere near the budget or mid-range neighborhood, but the value is there, which is more than I can say of the American Girl Place accross the street, but I'll save that for another review, perhaps.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My stay at the Park Hyatt was flawless. Perfect location in the MIDDLE of everything. (Walking distance to everything.) Perfectly clean room (NO BEDSPREADS only Duvet Covers). The Bathroom was a dream (<--It even had a small television, mood music, candles, bath salts, everything you could possibly think of needing in order to have a romantic evening.) I am EXTREMELY picky and I was able to walk around the bathroom without shoes. My view from room 905 was lovely. The staff was extremely friendly and helpful. I love this hotel, it was extremely private and a dream for a couple. The next time I return to Chicago I will stay here again. Feel free to email me if you have any concerns.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 26}, {"text": "park hyatt was trully, truly outstanding. i felt like a like a celebrity of sorts -- everyone of the staff went out of their way to be helpful. the rooms were unbelievable -- sliding door btw a huge tub, two tvs and a king size bed. the location is the most central of any hotel in chicago. if you had to put a finger on the center of chicago, it d be it. i have stayed at many outstanding hotels around the world and this one takes the prize. if you can afford a hotel of this caliber, it would be a mistake on your part to pass it up.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "OK, this hotel is the real deal. I must admit that when I booked this hotel, my expectations were high- at the price, I was expecting the works- and we got it! Our arrival was seamless- got early check-in and an instant upgrade with no effort. The room was absolutely a dream. We are extremely observant travelers (only stay at the top rated hotels, after checking and double checking ratings on multiple sites, including this trip advisor site, and of course, only 4-5 star). In our room, was fresh fruit and soft music playing. The room was absolutely beautiful, the bed was a soft, and sweet sleep (white down comforter with duvett- I stopped staying at hotels with \"bedspreads\" years ago- they are so gross). The marble bathroom, tv at the vanity/sink, double head shower and walk in shower/bath were absoultely beautiful. There is a flat screen tv, dvd with complimentary movies, vcr, stereo, 2 cordless phones, and free wireless internet- do I need to go on? The location is ideal- the Watertower is across the street, as well as the Ralph Lauren store, the American Girl Store, and all of the shops and food of Michigan Ave. This is not even the half of what this great hotel has- we went down for a drink at the NoMi lounge- the service/drinks/food were outstanding. As we wandered back to the room, we came across the spa/gym- unbelievable (I'm getting a massage in the am after my run). There was a tv on every treadmill and step machine, there was complimentary bottled water and glass pitchers of raspberry (fresh) ice water (at 10;30 at night), cold towels, steam room, lap pool. Hands down the best hotel in Chicago (we've stayed in nearly all of them- family nearby and usually come here at least once every 2 months). We will never stay at another hotel. I am sad that we have to check out tomorrow. Splurge and try it- I promise, you'll agree.... See you at NoMI!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "Yes, the P.H. Chicago is perfectly located. And the service personnel, especially the bell staff, housekeeping and in-room dining, deserve high marks. We were, however, extremely disappointed that there was absolutely no sign of any decorations of the season. It may as well have been mid-July in the lobby. Oh, pardon my oversight, the hotel entrance had a sparse attempt at conveying some semblance of Christmas/Holiday spirit. The Pritzkers should be ashamed. The property located in the block immediately to the south was resplendent in good cheer and glad tidings. Next visit! The P.H. room was certainly adequate albeit nothing extraordinary. The carpets will need to be replaced soon as there was a tear in our room. The furnitue had the look of nicks and dents that happens with age. And, don't believe everything seen on the hotel's web site. What doors from the tub/bathroom to the bedroom area? While we didn't enjoy dining at NoMi, the P.H.'s highly lauded restaurant, the adjoing bar area was comfortable and well served. Come on Hyatt, kick it up a notch or two!", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "this hotel is truly the bizzomb!!! there is a reason its number one here. stunning rooms, impeccable service, and hands down the best location in chicago. they sent up a computer guy to fix my laptop at 11pm! the usher at the door walked up my luggage right up and i was checked in less than 5 minutes. i wanted a room with a better view -- got upgraded without a word to a michigan-ave room on a high floor overlooking the watertower. everything is done with a \"yes sir, right away sir attitude.\" you should definately try nomi for breakfast or dinner -- makes you feel like you \"made\" it. imagine having lobster egg benedict reading the tribune while overlooking the watertower! truly unique experience -- beats any other place i ve stayed before hands down, including the ritz, four seasons, and the intercontinental. if you can afford it, you should *****definately**** stay there, particularly with a significant other.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "my husband and i just returned from a weekend trip in chicago (aug.18-21). we decided to stay at the park hyatt mainly based on reviews from ta and i'm glad we did. the hotel location is great. we were directly across the street from the water tower, one block from neimans and saks and for you american girl lovers you are directly across from the front door. being a mother of two boys i don't understand the american girl phenomenom but families were lined up down the block prior to the store opening so get there early.\nhonestly, i thought the room would be a little bigger but due to the long hallway and foyer i guess it is larger than a standard hotel room. we had a beautiful view of michigan ave. and the lake, the window seat and eames chair are a great touch. the bathroom is great (except we couldn't figure out the light switches, way to many). loved the davies gate bath products. \nthe staff is very generous. we had continental bkfst. included with our stay or you can apply the cost to bkfst. of your choice. my husband is a southern man so it has to be a full bkfst. the next morning to our surprise the staff gave us 3 more certificates under our door. it was very very thoughtful. \nwe loved the conceriege on staff both nights they were very accomodating worked to get us dinner res. at the time we suggested without any questions. \nbut most of all we loved the driver ramon. my husband attended a conference at the marriot down the street and he was there each morning happy to take my husband so he didn't have to catch a cab. he also was available to transport us to dinner both nights. he was very charming and enjoyable. \ni highly suggest this hotel you can't go wrong.\np.s. the bed is fabulous!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Beautiful hotel, excellent location, great service. But......cell phone reception is awful or non-existent (we had to go outside at all hours of the day and night) and the same is true for wi-fi. However, if you're here on a romantic getaway and don't WANT to use your cell phone, then the Park Hyatt is the place. I'll leave my cell phone and laptop home and stay here again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Absolute first class all the way. Check in started the second my car door was opened by a hotel staff member at the valet parking area. My key card was ready by the time I got to the check in desk and with a quick swipe of my credit card I was escorted to the elevator where my bagage and a bell boy were waiting. The room was perfect in every sense. I struggled to find some minor thing that was not perfect, I couldn't find anything. My room was cleaned twice daily, I never saw the maid. Valet parking was perfect. Every individual I encountered went out of their way to give me anything I had requested.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "This is a well run, comfortable place to stay...and an almost second home for multiple business trips to Chicago. The rooms are so nice I have not felt so bad being too tired to venture out. The rooms are quiet and the hotel feels safe and secure. It is nice to be recognized as a returning guest and have staff that is ready, willing and able to make accomodations and attend to requests efficiently and sincerely. Although the room service prices are quite pricey, the food is great and served nicely. The restaurant for breakfast is a great way to start the day, looking out at the Water Tower and the lake beyond. The rooms are spotless and well organized, and comfortable for working and relaxing. Great fitness center and nice lap pool.....(indoor). A five minute walk in any direction leads to great shopping and restaurant options, and multiple transportation options from the wonderful hotel driver to public bus/el or taxi service. I have found a lot of the lower tier Hyatt properties lacking and not keeping up to speed, but this property is the best of the brand, without exception.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "The Park Hyatt Chicago is a luxurious hotel situated by the Water Tower on Michigan Avenue. It's right in the middle of the shopping district. The rooms are beautiful. The bath products were fantastic. I loved the soap so much I asked to for a few extras to take home. To my disbelief - housekeeping gave me more than 20 bars of soap! (the products are davies gates and typically cost $10 a bar). The restaurant/lounge has good drinks and great food. The service was impeccable and the staff very polite and helpful. This is a must stay. Oh yes... and the beds... they are so comfortable. You feel as if you are floating on a cloud.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 26}, {"text": "The rooms at the Park Hyatt are to die for in my opinion. They are just my style. Warm, ultra modern and clean. Wish I could afford to stay here more often.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "After treating my mother and father-in-law to a weekend downtown at the Park Hyatt, I can sum the hotel up in one word: Impressive. We live in the western suburbs of Chicago and wanted to make a \u201cweekend\u201d of it. I chose this hotel online and made the perfect choice.\nService:\nTop-notch. Everyone from the reception desk, to bellmen to servers were polite and very gracious. They treat you like you're a king.\nCheck-in:\nWe arrived for our 3pm check-in at 2:45 and our room wasn\u2019t ready yet. We checked our bags with the bellmen and walked down Rush street to decide where to eat dinner while we waited. I got a call on my cell phone at 4:45 letting me know the room was ready. This was a long wait for our room but didn\u2019t bother us because there was lots of sightseeing. They seemed sincerely sorry we had to wait so long, too.\nLocation:\nTHIS is what you\u2019re paying the big bucks for! This hotel is prime. It is smack on Michigan avenue, kiddie corner from Watertower place, You can walk a few blocks and swim at Oak Street beach, visit the Hancock building, catch a bus to navy pier or just walk around and take in the sights. Rush street in on the other side of this hotel, so you have access to plenty of great restaurants \u2013 all of which you can walk to! \nAmenities:\nThis hotel has the most fabulous workout facility I\u2019ve seen. Wonderful equipment in a setting that even tempts couch potatoes to work out! The 7th floor gym has glass windows that look out over the city and the hotel\u2019s indoor lap pool. There are complimentary bottles of water and towels everywhere. The bathrooms have toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash, lotions, shower caps: the works. You almost don\u2019t even need to PACK if you\u2019re staying here! (There are even candles burning in the ladies room for ambience!)\nRooms:\nThe good size rooms do not look like \u201chotel\u201d rooms at all. They look like decorator showrooms. Beds have white feather top bedding and feather pillows. The bathrooms have lovely soaps, lotions, candles etc. There is potpourri in bowls in baths, on the desk, even by the elevators in the hall! But the view is to die for. We looked out over the lake and could watch the people strolling on Michigan avenue.\nFinal note:\nWe took a boat ride on Saturday night, and it was pointed out during the tour that Oprah owns the top penthouse in this hotel. I can see why.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 28}, {"text": "I just returned from my 4th stay at this fabulous hotel. Having stayed at several hotels on Michigan Ave., this one is tops! You just can't beat the location, atmosphere, wonderful staff & impeccable service, not to mention that the room & bathroom sizes are one of the largest for a downtown hotel. The location is great - shopping & restaurants are all within easy walking distance, plus the hotel reastauant/lounge - NoMI, is excellent. Staying at the Park Hyatt, although located in a hub of activity, is a relaxing & serene experience.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 24}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed here for our honeymoon. We love this hotel. We were checked in quickly and personally walked up to our room. The rooms are lovely with down comfortors, dvd/cd players in every room, and a plasma screen tv in the bathroom. We received complementary champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries soon after arrival as they knew it was our honeymoon. We never saw a maid once and yet our room was turned over three times a day. If you feel like staying in for the evening, there is a closet behind the front desk with a large selection of DVD's that can be taken back to your room for no extra charge. While the service is excellent, it isn't stuffy. We felt comfortable walking through the lobby in jeans and a baseball cap. The location is excellent with lots of shopping within walking distance. Could not recommend this hotel more highly.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "The Park Hyatt is located just off North Michigan Avenue adjacent to the famous Water Tower. Abundant shopping and restaurants are close by and its only a short cab ride to the Art Institute.The hotel itself has been extensively refurbished with ample and tastefully decorated guest rooms. It is a very efficient operation from the time one pulls up to the entrance. With a reservation you should be in your room within 5 minutes. There is an excellent hotel bar and a superb restaurant for those that may want to stay in one night. Check out was equally efficient and overall the experience was fantastic.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Had a long weekend at the Park Hyatt 4/1/05-4//4/05 with my wife. To start the hotel and rooms smell great thanks to kiwi potpourri. Check in is a breeze and they apologized because I had to wait 5 seconds. The rooms are beautiful, large, modern and clean with an amazing bathroom. The health club and pool are top of the line and the service is unmatched anywhere. Food at Nomi is terrific though the portions are somewhat small. Their location is perfect for all activites. What a great weekend.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 27}, {"text": "This is the place to choose if you travel to Chicago. Suberb bedroom with huge window, bathroom is like a private spa. The sound system as well as the tv is out of this world. The staff is very nice and attentive to details. Just to sum up: The best hotel in Chicago!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "You have to stay at this hotel! Especially if you are visiting the American Girl Doll store. I just returned from a weekend getaway at the Park Hyatt March 18th-20th. We stayed in their standard room, and let me tell you there was nothing standard about it. Everything was top of the line. Top shelf bottled water and fresh fruit awaited us upon arrival, the room was immaculate, flat screen t.v.'s with free movies in the bedroom and the bathroom. The bathroom was like having our own personal spa. Complimentary sea salts,loofah, and scented candles were just the beginning. We were worried about the room because we usually stay in a suite, but we booked last minute and this was all they had available. I was so suprised, and pleased! The room had huge windows with window seats over looking Michigan Ave. They even had a present from the doll store for each of my daughters sitting on the window seat when we arrived, and specialty cookies and milk for them before bedtime, all complimentary!!! We left in the evening to go to dinner and when we returned they had 2 doll beds awaiting my little girl's dolls and slippers and robes set out for us. The beds were heaven. I have stayed in some of the nicest hotels in Chicago and their beds cannot compare. I could go on for days on how great our stay was! Strange for me because I am very picky about where we stay. If you're big on service come here, it's the best service I have ever received in Chicago. The breakfast at Nomi was very good. I've been to the Ritz, Drake, and Peninsula, and the Park Hyatt has been my most memorable experience!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 30}, {"text": "As a travel agent we hear and see the best and the worst and I have to say this is the Best Hotel I have ever stayed in. THe room was amazing. It overlooked the Water Tower and Lake Michigan. We were greeted quickly and up at our room within minutes of getting out of our car. We had drove over 7 hours from Minnesota. Our Bellman was informational and asked if we needed any further assistance and made us feel right at home. \nThe room was large with the beds being very comfortable. Now for even the better part the Bathroom was as large as my kitchen at home. It had a large deep tub and separate toliet and separate shower. \nI cannot say enough about this hotel except it is worth every penny.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "We have stayed at many Park Hyatt properties in the past and were very impressed with the Park Hyatt Chicago when we stayed at it for a weekend getaway. There is a reason why the Hyatt company calls the Chicago Park Hyatt their \"flagship\" Park Hyatt, and it is obvious to anybody who steps into this hotel. The hotel is centrally located on N. Michigan Avenue across from the Water Tower and within walking or 5-min taxi distance of all that you would want to do in downtown Chicago. On entering the hotel lobby, you feel like you've been transported into another world. The staff is extremely gracious and inviting, and the interior screams 5-star quality. The rooms are exceptional, even by Park Hyatt standards. Spacious, clean, wonderful amenities, LCD TV's, luxurious bathroom, beds you will not want to get out of... in a word: perfect. The hotel's flagship restaurant, NoMi has a wonderful brunch menu. Dinner at NoMi meets or exceeds the high standards you would expect at any top-tier fine restaurant in Chicago. We would recommend this hotel to all of our friends and family, and think that it is definitely worth the 5-star price.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "I have been fortunate to travel extensively in the U.S. on a fairly generous expense account and I've had a chance to stay in many of the best hotels in the country. Overall I'd have to say that the Park Hyatt Chicago is as fine as any city hotel in the U.S. We live just outside Chicago and when we want a city getaway, the Park Hyatt is the only game in town: The highlights:\nLOCATION: It's the best in the city: across the street from the Water Tower and the John Hancock Tower, central to all the north Michigan avenue and Oak Street shopping, and directly opposite American Girl place. To be fair, the Ritz, the Four Seasons and the Peninsula are all in the neighborhood too.\nROOMS: This is a pretty new hotel so the rooms were designed with modern touches in mind: giant bathrooms with oversized tubs and an LCD TV; a long hallway separating the sleeping area from the corridors; a great padded window seat overlooking Michigan Avenue and the lake, Eames chairs in every room, Sony Flat-screen TVs with a home theater receiver and a DVD/CD player : all the toys. The decor is simple, modern and elegant, and is, to my mind, just right: not as severe and self consciously \"hip\" as a W or most of the modern boutique hotels, but not as silly as the attempts of a newly built Ritz-Carlton to look old and fancy. Michigan Avenue can be noisy so you may want to get a high floor. The standard rooms here are the nicest around.\nPUBLIC SPACES: These too are in a restrained modern style. Very nice, but not over the top. It's a fairly small hotel so the lobby, the library sitting area, etc., are not huge. The rooms are so nice, though, that there's not much point to hanging out in the lobby. The spa, locker rooms and pool are all also top notch, but not large. Last week my wife and I had the whole pool and jacuzzi to ourselves: at 11:00 a.m on a Sunday!\nSERVICE\" We have stayed there with our daughters (2 and 8) and without. We were made to feel very welcome either way. We made no extraordinary demands on the hotle staff but received very good service whenever we dealt with the staff.\nPRICE: We have always been able to get a room here for $200 to $300 and often an upgrade to a suite or a deluxe (eastern-facing) room. Why pay another hundred (or more) for the Peninsula or Ritz?", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "Stayed 12/10 - 12/13 booked through priceline $90 per night. Arrived at 12:15 was able to check in my room with no problem. All requests were meet (i.e. non-smoking, king bed, away from the elevator & view of the water). Room was clean and spacious. The only complaints I do have are as follows:\nNo Safe\nLighting is poor in room & bathroom\nPipes makes noise in the middle of the night (loud enough to wake you)\nNot enough drawer space\nOverall, the hotel was nice but, extremely large. The staff was very helpful and accomodating. Good location to Michigan Ave (State St is about a 15 minute walk).\nPS I did take my own linen and pillows because of other reviews. There's looked clean but to be on the safe side I used my own!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "I think that the reviewer (a few reviews down from mine) must have been staying at the Pork Hyatt, in the slaughterhouse district.\nSeriously, I travel on business about 20 weeks a year. This is my second favorite hotel in the world, tied with the Grand Hyatt Shanghai and behind the Mandarin Oriental Munich. The Park Hyatt Chicago is a world-class hotel, outstadning in every way.\nThe rooms are very tastefully done. Beds are super comfortable and the sheets, pillows, bedspreads are very very clean. \nThe bathroom is huge - the bathroom itself is the size of the actual room I've stayed in at a few hotels in Scandinavia.\nLook, to each their own. Live and let live :) If you are traveling to Chicago, and want a perfect location and an amazing hotel where your needs will be met but no one will bother you, this is the spot.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "This hotel is truly amazing. First off, the location is probably the best in the city. Just blocks from the lake and within close proximity to the best shopping, restaurants, and recreation.\nThe staff is wonderful (the only complaint was the concierge seemed a little snooty) and attentive. The rooms are amazin. Wonderful tubs and great (although a little small) showers. The best part of our room was the window weat. A deep seat in front of the large window where both my wife and I could sit for hours and read or watch the city go by.\nThe work out facility is easily the best in the city (at a hotel). There is a LCD tv at every machine, cold towels to relax, a wonderful lap pool and spa amenities everywhere (robes, slippers, etc).\nWe wish we could have stayed longer!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I just stumbled across some reviews for the Chicago Park Hyatt and had to add my two cents. This is truly a special property! The name and stature of Park Hyatt hotels does not connote a small boutique hotel, but somehow that is the feel. It's like having a personal residence in the middle of this great city. Very well located, couldn't be better situated for North Michigan Avenue excitement, Water Tower, hotels, shopping, etc. and the rooms, like to whole hotel environment, is extemely comfortable... not the slightest bit stuffy or elitest. This hotel is about luxury, yet it doesn't have to scream, \"look at me!\" Our initial assigned room was nicely appointed, but perhaps the worse view... northwest corner... I don't think we were paying a high rate... the bell person immediately called the front desk and requested a better room for my wife and I, without our even having to ask! The next room was a similar location, but higher floor and much better light and vantage. We had the concierge make reservations for theatre, restaurants, etc. and they even offered us the chauffered house car, which makes the evening that little bit more special. The staff are top-notch; a real credit to the Hyatt World. That was our second stay ay the Park Hyatt Chicago...the first time in the old property they tore down. We look forward to staying again on our next visit to the Windy City. \nP.S. Stay away from the Hyatt Convention Hotel by the river... it's obvious that these two properties have nothing in common other than their parent company.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 33}, {"text": "I have been using TripAdvisor to choose hotels for a few years but never felt the urge to write a review...that is, until now. I was so overwhelmed by my stay at the Park Hyatt, I felt it was worth sharing. The rooms are impeccable. The staff, from the door guys to the front desk to the cleaning people are remarkably helpful and friendly. The location of this Hyatt is outstanding. One couldn't possibly ask for anything more in this wonderful city!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 31}, {"text": "Stayed for two nights at the Park Hyatt. The view from our room was spectacular. Lake Michigan and the water tower! The room was beautiful and the staff exceptional. Robin from the hotel contacted us before out stay and was very accomodating. The location was perfect and NOMI outstanding. Cant wait to return again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 26}, {"text": "So enjoyed hotel. Love the serrene modern, Asian decor. Have also spent much time at Peninsula-obviously both outstantding-just like modernity of Park Haytt more-beds and linens superior at Park Hyatt-wonderful deep tub and bath-could link my ipod into stereo tv system-Had dinner at hotel restaraunt and found excellent food, decor and service. Prompt morning breakfast room service. Amex Platinum services of lunch and included breakfast very worthwhile.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 26}, {"text": "The Park Hyatt is without a doubt the best hotel in Chicago. My girlfriend and I spent a weekend here just for a romantic getaway, and there's no doubt we'll be back! The check in process was so smooth and seamless...far better than any other hotel we've been to. We requested to be put on the highest floor possible, and that was done with no problem whatsoever. We had the King Deluxe room, and were very happy with it. The bed was so comfortable...it had a Sealy Posturepedic mattress with a downfeather bed over it, a duvet, and down pillows (6 of them I might add!) The roman shades were a very nice touch, as were the mood lights. The bathroom was all marble and had a large soaking tub with Davis Gate bath products, and a huge walk-in shower with 2 shower heads. There was also an LCD tv mounted on the wall, a nice glass scale, and 2 bathrobes all set to go! There was a low fog that night (being on the 18th floor it was especially noticeable) so we turned down the lights, opened the shades, and turned on some soft music while relaxing with a glass of wine...very romantic to be sitting there high above the city in that kind of atmosphere looking out at the lights and cars through the mist.\nThe minibar had a decent selection, however it was very pricy. For a can of Pepsi, they charged $4.50. Breakfast for myself was a bowl of Raison Bran, 2 pieces of white toast, and a glass of milk which ended up costing $24.63. So there's definitely a huge mark-up but to stay here and pamper yourself...it's worth it! The room was turned down twice a day, and the housekeeping staff is absolutely fantastic. There wasn't a single spot or a stain anywhere to be found...not even a water spot in the tub or shower. If you can splurge and stay here, by all means do so! You won't regret it!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "We stayed at the Park Hyatt Chicago for two nights at the tail-end of a business/pleasure trip, and we loved every minute of it. From beginning to end, the staff, service and facility were outstanding. Upon (early) arrival, we were greeted at the door by friendly but vigilant personnel - I appreciated this measure of discreet security throughout our stay. The gentleman who assisted us at the front desk upgraded us to what we later discovered was a deluxe king room on the eighth floor with unsurpassed window seat views of the Water Tower, downtown and Lake Michigan. Since our room was not yet ready, he had our luggage stored safely while we went sightseeing. Upon return, we found that our luggage had already been brought to our room. Soft music from the sound system was playing and the room was warmly lit by the soft glow of the city below. Very romantic beginning of our stay. After a long day of walking, I really appreciated the soaking tub, which was surrounded by candles and a jar of aromatherapy bath crystals. The bed, enrobed with Frette linens, was phenomenally cozy and comfortable. During our stay, we enjoyed room service (expensive), the fitness center (which is a very clean, fully equipped gym, pool and spa, with friendly staff), and breakfast in NoMi (expensive). \nI can't imagine staying anywhere else - the intimate, understated and boutique feel of the Park Hyatt, coupled with a well-trained, attentive staff makes this a must-stay in Chicago for discerning business or leisure travelers, couples seeking romance, or families with well-behaved children...the hotel is truly outstanding at all levels.\nChicago is a shopper's, culture hound's and foodie's dream - there is a myriad of dining establishments within walking distance from which to choose, and a visit to the Signature Room near the top of the Hancock Tower for evening cocktails is a must-do.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "My daughter and I recently returned from a \"just the girls\" weekend in Chicago. We were absolutely delighted with the accommodations at the Park Hyatt Chicago. The room was meticulously clean and filled with amenities. From the over-sized window seat, to the comfortable bed, the quiet surroundings, the luxurious bath, we felt immediately comfortable and at home. It was a pleasure to return to our room each evening after a fun-filled day of shopping along the Magnificent Mile. Even an unexpected late February snowfall added to the ambiance of Chicago. The Park Hyatt is perfectly situated directly in front of the historic Watertower. It is literally only steps away from shopping heaven. For the young (and young at heart), the American Girl store is right across the street. A 24 hour Walgreens is adjacent to the hotel, as is an open-late Ghiradelli's Ice Cream shop and a Borders. Despite the modern store fronts nearby, the hotel is pleasantly quiet and relaxing. Our 48-hour stay in Chicago included the theatre. We saw \"Wicked\" (our third time seeing but our first time seeing in Chicago), and our favorite musical of all-time. \"Wicked\" is at Chicago's beautifully-restored circa 1920's Oriental Theatre, a treat in and of itself. The Park Hyatt is only a walk away from excellent casual and more formal dining. We kept it pretty casual this time and enjoyed pizza at Giardino's, Wow Bao's at Watertower Plaza, and breakfast with chocolate fondue (!) at Pierrot Gourmet. The Park Hyatt has enormous style. We never felt \"processed\". The staff was always accessible and quite willing to give friendly, personal service. The hotel lobby, sitting areas, and room furnishings are very stylish. We loved the sliding panels by the oversized bath tub that could be opened or closed for privacy! The room lighting was fantastic. Towels were abundant (not always the case in many hotels). There's 24 hour room service which wasn't needed but is certainly appreciated! The Park Hyatt is a manageably sized hotel with first-class service and style in the heart of bustling Chicago. We would not hesitate to return and recommend to others.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My partner and I booked a Terrace Room at the Chicago Park Hyatt for the weekend of Feb 2-4 to celebrate our birthdays. I know it was a little silly to book the Terrace Room on a weekend where the high was around 3 degrees, but I wanted a special room, and we were not disappointed!\nFirst of all, the check in was seamless...everything about our reservation was in perfect order, and the desk clerk escorted us to the elevator. The Terrace Rooms are on the 3rd floor...a quick ride up the elevator. After entering the room, you are in a small \"foyer.\" The bedroom portion of the room is large, with a king bed, leather chair, large desk, and TV/storage unit. Then there is a large set of sliding french doors that open out onto the terrace. Now, the terrace is not what you usually expect from a hotel. Usually, a hotel balcony or terrace is large enough for 2 small chairs and a little table to put a drink on. This was HUGE! Since it was winter, there was no furniture available, but it was big enough for a cocktail party for 30 people! There may have been more square feet than the actual room/bathroom...which was 550 sq ft. AND THE VIEW! You looked out right onto the historic water tower and Michigan Avenue. Since you are on the 3rd floor, you don't get much of a lake view, but with everything else there is to look at, it is not missed.\nNow, back to the room.....actually, the bathroom. in the hallway leading to the bathroom, there is a small bar and the closet. The closet isn't large, but has an ironing board, iron, hair dryer, safe, various hangars, and shoe polisher. Then the bathroom! When you walk in, you see a glass shower door...through that door is the shower and bathtub....all in one room, with a window looking out onto the terrace and the Water Tower. The tub is huge, probably big enough for 2, and the shower has 2 heads....one stationary, and one hand held. They don't work at the same time, but the water pressure is great. Then back into the bathroom there is a large vanity with double sinks...and a small wall mounted TV with a remote control. Next to that, there is a small vanity with a bench for putting on make up and such. And the toilet is in a seprarate water closet. There is also a closet door that opens into the other side of the closet in the hallway, which is very convenient.\nThe room decor is simple. Black and white photos, and taupe carpet. The bedding is all white, and the furniture is contemporary medium stained wood. Besides lamps, there is recessed lighting over the bed, in the hallways, and in the bathroom.\nService for the room was provided twice a day. \nOur cost for the room with the AAA discount was $400 a night, which included breakfast for 2 both mornings at NoMI, the hotel restaurant....more about that in the restaurant section.\nAs many have noted before, the location couldn't be better. Since we are familiar with Chicago, we use public transportation, but cabs are readily available all around.\nWe can't stay here everytime we stay in Chicago due to the cost, but we'd sure like to. We're definitely planning on staying here again for a special occasion.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We stayed at the Park Hyatt Chicago December 6 - 8. Here is my impression:\nCheck in: Fairly quick and friendly. The agent walked us to the elevator and explained the amenties of the hotel.\nRoom: Great. Very upscale: wonderful bed, down duvet and featherbed. The bathrooms were excellent with separate tub shower and water closet. Also, a small television was positioned above the vanity - a very nice touch.\nStaff: As was previously mentioned, the front desk staff were good, the doormen helpful. The housekeeping staff assigned to our room were unpolished. A housekeeper actually opened our door to ask us how much longer we would be and if we would be checking out that day. I had checked with the front desk and verified that we at least 45 minutes prior to the check out time. I would have put the do not disturb on the door, except after we slept in the first day, the sign miraculously dissapeared! Also, the concierge was impossible to reach via telephone. My husband and I tried phoning on several occasions and received voicemail! I'd expect that at a Hilton, but not Park Hyatt.\nFood: With so many great locations near the hotel, we only had to have breakfast in the hotel. The food was your typical hotel breakfast - nothing more, but certainly not worth the $22 I paid for my bacon and egg entree. I realize that city prices are expensive, but having stayed at numerous Ritz Carltons and Four Seasons properties, I have come to expect more for the money. Do yourself a favor, skip breakfast and go to the Hershey store located just outside the front door and get a great hot chocolate and wait until lunch!\nLocation: The hotel is in a great location and shares the same streets as the Penisula and Ritz Carlton. Several reviewers wrote about the sirens around the hotel. Certainly, it is noisy, but the people paying $700 a night at the Penisula hear it too. The hotel is near the Water Tower Shopping Center and Neiman Marcus. After your hot chocolate, grab a cab and head to the Chicago Chop House for a great steak lunch. Soup, Salad, Filet Mignon and desert run $20.95 at lunch and are as good as any other city steakhouse.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}]}, "111490": {"reviews": [{"text": "Excellent location in the Loop in downtown Chicago, walking distance to shops, museums, parks, theatres, restaurants and the Magnificent Mile. Love the personal touch, the courteous service all around and the very helpful concierge. Great way of unwinding with the complimentary wine tasting in the lobby everyday. Very comfortable and cozy room with even a turn down service at night (bed ready, curtains drawn, ice buckets filled and chocolates)! Would recommend the Atwood Restaurant found at the main floor of the hotel-rated one of the best places to eat in the city. Would definitely return.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "This hotel is in a beautiful old building that has some great architectural elements. The location of the hotel is good for exploring the loop and it is not far from Grant Park. I thought the service was above average and our room was clean and decorated very nicely. Try to get a larger room if you stay here because the smaller rooms are really small!! Overall, we enjoyed our stay here and would recommend walking through or eating at the hotel even you do not stay here because it has some great architectural elements and is pretty to look at.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Stayed here last weekend with another couple. We loved everything about this hotel. The service was wonderful, friendly, and very helpful. The room was charming and oh so comfortable. Floors 7 and up are a little nicer, ask for those. The restaurant was excellent (so was Pizano's down the street) The had a nice little wine reception every night. Very close to Millennium Park and the \"bean\". Couple blocks form the river and the start of the Magnificent mile. Easy walk to Sears tower. What else can I say!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Loved this hotel--will totally stay here again. \nThe staff was excellent. When we checked in, we got a room on the 2nd floor that smelled like smoke, and I noticed a giant construction site right across the street. Asked to change rooms and the front desk happily obliged--no questions asked, no attitude! They were friendly, polite, and helpful throughout. Some of the best service I've had. \nNew room on 8th floor had a great view of the city, was above the construction noise, and had an awesome hallway. They kept the original doors from the office building prior to conversion--frosted glass with metal work--really cool. \nRooms are small, but they are very nicely appointed and comfortable. These pictures are kind of dark but hopefully you get the idea. \nLocation is excellent--right in the heart of downtown, a block from Millenium park, el stops abound, fantastic shopping, major museums nearby. \nI highly recommend this place, but I'd ask for a room on a higher floor to avoid construction noise.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 24}, {"text": "Where do I start. It all began with the bellmen at the door. Smiling faces and very friendly. Check-in was fast, and before I knew it, I was in a slightly small, but tastefully decorated room. The view was beautiful except for the construction site. Chicago's Jazz Fest was in full swing labor day weekend and the proximatey to the park only required a brief and enjoyable walk. Burnhams's location to the trains couldn't be better. The redline train station was just outside the door, and the blueline was right around the corner. Staff was extremely helpful and went out of their way to satisfy. For the price I paid through an online booking site, I fully got my dollars worth. I wouldn't hesitate to stay there again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "This older hotel has been thoughtfully renovated keeping the look of the office hallways on floors 8 through 12. Extremely clean, well maintained with a staff that provides great customer service with a smile. Our room had a bay window. Never mind the construction that is taking place across the street, its a city, and construction is to be expected. Its close to Millinium Park and the Art Institute and reasonably priced for a big city smaller almost boutique style hotel. The downstairs bar is known for its white sangria and the little restaurant is upbeat and very interestingly designed. I recommend this hotel highly. Instead of paying $35.00 a day though to park your car at any of the Chicago hotels, I believe you can leave your car overnight at the Millinium Park Garage for $13.00 a day.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 24}, {"text": "I stayed at the Hotel Burnham for three nights last week and though the hotel was completely booked, I never had to wait for anything. Room service was nearly instant, elevators speedy, concierge questions were addressed immediately. The twice daily housekeeping was never intrusive, the rooms were silent and the beds heavenly. Upon returning from a run or from shopping, the doorman offered a cold bottle of water - what a treat! The food at the hotel's Atwood Cafe was so outstanding and well-priced, I ate every meal there (save for one mistake at the Ritz Carlton). I liked the Loop location better than the Mag Mile because it is a little quieter.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed at the Hotel Burnham over the Aug. 12 weekend. Great hotel that's in easy walking distance to many attractions. \nPROs: Beautiful building with well-appointed rooms. Very comfortable beds. Amenities include iron/board, safe, daily paper, complementary wine in the afternoon, L'Occutane shampoo/gel/conditioner, radio/CD player, lush velvet bedding. Had an Executive Suite (two rooms with king bed in one room and a small parlor in the next, French door dividers). Within walking distance of Ford's Oriental Theater (currently running Wicked -- The Musical which was very good), the Chicago theater, Millenium Park, Art Institute, shopping, restaurants, and if you're in reasonably decent shape, you can even walk to the Field Museum and the Chicago River (for Wendella Boat tours - highly recommend). Had an excellent dinner at the Atwood Cafe at the hotel. Pricey but good portions.\nCONS: Parking is $35/day and you have to pull up to the hotel's front (in the midst of traffic) and let the valet take it from there (valets were very professional however). \nBathrooms are small (it is a historical building) and elevators are slow but it's really nothing that takes away from an all-around great hotel.\nNo coffee makers in room - but they do have Starbucks coffee in the lobby every morning. However, I really believe the other guests would NOT want to see me pre-coffee. Even Holiday Inn Expresses have coffee in the room now, so should Hotel Burnham.\nHuge construction project across street (50-story office/shopping/hotel building) -- will kill views. Construction runs Monday through Saturday. Higher the floor, less noise you'll hear.\nWas only disappointed slightly with two incidences (and they would NOT keep me from coming back). \nNumber One -- Had some problems with check-in. We arrived early and was told our room wasn't ready which we fully expected - we were then told that they would give us a call about our room by the usual check-in time of 3:00. Stayed in lobby in direct sight of front desk and waited an hour. Meanwhile bellmen were falling over each other trying to please a group of single women who were also waiting for their rooms (can I get you a drink, would you like a paper) but we were pretty much ignored. At 3:20, no phone call received, and we had watched several people who arrived after us get their rooms. So I had to go back to front desk to find out the situation. It was only then that they told me that the previous occupants were still in our room and had late checkout. To the hotel's credit they immediately upgraded us to an Executive Suite but this wasn't that big of a deal because we had already reserved a Deluxe Suite (no french doors, queen size bed). I understand snafus can happen, but I think they should have known when we got there that our room wasn't going to be ready at the check-in time of 3:00, and change the rooms then - why make us wait for a call that didn't come or ignore us in the lobby for almost an hour and a half. \nNumber Two -- concierge staff was a little underwhelming. I had already set up all the tickets for everything we wanted to do (Wicked, Wendella Boats, King Tut exhibition, and Blue Man Group - all fantastic). All we needed were recommendations to a restaurant in a certain area but he had no clue whatsoever. The concierge couldn't have been nicer, but all he could do is google the info and print us out a map (well heck I could have done that myself). For a hotel of this caliber, the concierge should know the city backwards/forwards, know all the logistics for the main attractions, and be ready with suggestions for dining/entertainment (or at least know someone who does). \nI guess these very minor things just seemed really glaring to me because the hotel is ranked so high (and for the most part it's deservedly so) and the reviews have been so glowing. I really wish I could give it 4.9 stars. Just a little touchup in check-in procedures and concierge services, and it's easily 5-star.\nWe'll definitely be back, but will probably get a standard room. We were able to peek in a few and they look just as nice as the suites (if smaller) and are much less expensive (gotta save that money for parking!!)", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I just returned from an underwhelming experience at the Burnham, considering the glowing reviews it usually gets.\nPros: Clean, comfortable bed, water was hot enough, L'Occitane en Provence soaps and shampoos, air conditioning worked well and was quiet, most of the furniture in fairly decent shape. Centrally located in the Loop across the street from Marshall Fields/Macy's, the forty bazillionth Old Navy store franchise, and surrounded by the Nordstom Rack and Walgreen's. Washington Red Line Station right outside, easy walk to Art Institute, Millennium Park, etc.. Building has an interesting history of restoration which is nicely documented on the first floor public area.\nCons: I got the room via Priceline, which requests a non-smoking room but does not guarantee one - good thing, because I was stuck in a second floor smoking room (202). The air conditioner running full blast cleaned the air, but it sure stank when I first entered the room; otherwise, the hotel was sold out, so no change was possible. If you nudged the desk/table between the beds, the whole thing shook back and forth, I thought it was going to fall apart, the phone wasn't plugged in correctly, and the lamp wasn't plugged in at all. The ambient noise from the streets below might bother some people. The \"complimentary Internet service\" in the lobby is at the check-in desk - you stand next to the incoming clientele - no chair, not sure if it was attached to a printer. Not that this mattered, because the server only worked on the evening I arrived and not for the rest of my stay; they told me a serviceman was coming to fix it on the day I was leaving; it was obviously not a priority. Thanks to Tonya, one of the concierges, who allowed me to use her desk's computer to print out boarding passes for the trip home. And be forewarned, hotel guests have no priority at the attached Atwood Cafe - if you don't make dinner reservations you're toast. I did have breakfast the first morning I was there - greasy eggs and sausage, coffee and OJ for $19.50. The elevators in this building made the ones at the Ambassador East seem jet-propelled. Here being on the second floor was an advantage and the stairs worked fine.\nI wouldn't ever pay their advertised rates to stay here, and if I got the place via Priceline again, I'd sure be more proactive in ensuring satisfaction, instead of expecting the hotel to provide it outright. This place has a serious case of unwarranted smugness. Boutique shmoutique!", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Very clean, beautiful hotel. However, because they preserved the historic nature of the building, the doors were so heavy that they slammed shut when anyone would go in or out of their room. It also was very noisy. Guest talking in the hall by the elevators sounded as though they were in your room. The bathroom had very little shelf space for all the women's essential needs :).\nBut what I hated the most about the hotel was findng that my new pair of white slacks had been stolen out of my luggage. The weather had been so cold that we mostly stayed in our jeans so never even unpacked the lighter clothing. And it wasn't noticed until I unpacked at home. We reported it to the hotel but nothing was done about it.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "This was an amazing hotel. Wonderful location and wonderful staff. You feel like you stepped into a turn of the century art deco architectural masterpiece. Truly remarkable. The rooms are bit on the small side but it is more than made up for with the fantastic furnishings and decoration. When in Chicago I'll only stay here!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "The Burnham offers a great location in Chicago, just a half block from the Blue Line that easily gets you to and from O'Hare for $3, and a quick walk from the river, Mag Mile, Millennium Park, art museums, theater district. This is a boutique hotel offering reasonable rates, a gorgeously designed environment and very friendly staff.\nThe Burnham is in a glorious old office building that's been restored for hotel use. In my three stays, I have had rooms of various size and shape which is part of the charm, and have enjoyed very comfortable sheets and beds, reasonably well-configured baths.\nMy only complaint (as with most hotel rooms) is that the bathroom lighting isn't exactly conducive to expert makeup application, but you live with it.\nStaff are pleasant and helpful. The doormen were unfailingly polite and helpful, particularly one whose name I didn't catch but who exemplified the idea of Joy At Work -- always smiling and enthusiastically greeting you in the morning or evening.\nThe in-lobby restaurant has great tall windows and an ambitious breakfast-lunch-dinner menu as well as a creative wine list. \nI'd recommend the Burnham to business or leisure travelers who enjoy a special place that outshines the more pedestrian big-chain hotels.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We're here now at the Hotel Burnham using our FREE internet access in our room. The rooms are adorable; small yet well appointed. The chocolates were on our bed, as was my sons PJs all folded up nicely, right alongside the new Build-A-Bear bears he bought today for his sister. We usually stay in either Four Seasons or Holiday Inn Express, because so often that place in the middle is so lacking, dirty, and ordinary that it's just not worth it. The Hotel Burnham is worth it. Aveda bath products, incredibly comfortable beds and pillows, and a perfect location. Get this: our first night we went to the Cubs game (they lost, what's new?), and we simply walked out the door and on to the Red line and up to Wrigely Field. Last night we went to see Wicked (amazing), and during intermission we ran across the street to our room to use our own bathroom! Also yesterday we went to the Museum of Science and Industry and we walked to the corner and took the number 10 bus, just a matter of feet from our door. This is a truly wonderful hotel where someone is in charge and telling his/her people: let's bring back the art of customer service.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I stay in hotels all the time for work, and often rely on my friends at TripAdvisor. They were right-on with the Hotel Burnham. Firstly--I arrived with four significant bags. When the bellman brought them up to my room, he was just so friendly and nice. Willing and able to answer any questions whatsoever. \nSecondly, I loved the decor of the hotel. Lots of wrought iron and marble. No generic cream and teal hallways here. The Burnham must have been an old office building because each hotel room door has that 1940s style look to it--as if there's a bookkeeper or accountant behind the door. And they give you a real key--not one of those credit card things. I must admit to being a big fan of the real key. (Hopefully they get them back from everyone upon checkout.) \nThirdly--the wine in the lobby from 5 to 6 is really great. A friend of mine was meeting me at the hotel at 5:30 and she was late, so I was quite blissfully enjoying my shiraz in the lobby when she finally did arrive at 5:45.\nWhat else--the beds are really comfortable and don't have those horrible dips in them as if you're the 20 millionth person to sleep there. The stereo in each room is a really nice touch. The curtains are FANTASTIC! They block out all the light and you'd think it was the dead of night at 2 in the afternoon. (This was great with my jetlag.) Also, they give you a robe and have a turn down service with chocolates on the pillow. Aveda bath products. Free Internet access if you bring your laptop--ethernet cables are provided in the room. \nI was impressed that I checked in around 10 a.m. on Friday morning and when I came back to the hotel around 5 p.m. that night, the doorman remembered me and welcomed me back. \nOn the downside--valet parking costs $37 a day.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "My husband and I are locals, but live on the North side. We stayed here for two nights as a birthday gift.\nThe good ...\nThe location really cannot be beat. Across the street from Marshall Fields -- soon to be Macy's grrrr :( , walking distance to theaters, Millenium Park, the Art Institute and more.\nThe building is a Chicago landmark named after Daniel Burnham, the architect who designed most of the city. And care has been taken to re-create the lobby to match what it would have looked like hundreds of years ago. Great for tourists who are interested in architecture and Chicago history.\nThe bad ...\nWe felt the hotel was overpriced for what you get. Other hotels in the Chicago seem to give you more for your buck.\nThe rooms have been all redone so they are very modern instead of vintage. They are extremely nice, clean, etc., but we were expecting something more historic, like the Drake.\nThe ugly ...\nAcross the street from our room, construction has begun on an empty lot, which used to be the city's ice skating rank. The hotel can do nothing about this, it is not their fault, but construction begins very early in the morning ... 7am Monday-Friday ... and wakes you up. Other guests were complaining about it as well.\n(See my pictures of the hole and the location.)\nMy advice, if you're a light sleeper, wait until construction is done before staying here. If you have the $$ and want the location, don't worry about it.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I must say I was very surprised how good this hotel is. Located in the heart of Chicago's Loop, right across the street from Marshall Field's flagship store (soon to be Macy's), one block from the theater district and two blocks to Millennium Park.\nService was unbelievable. The room was immaculate (but on the small size) and was decorated in a late '90's plush whimsical style. There is a Sony CD player in the room along with an honor bar (not those obnoxious electronic mini-bars in big hotels that charge you just for looking). The rooms also feature tall ceilings and huge windows with great views of the city. Also supplied with the rooms are a terrific selection of bath amenities, two plush bath robes and the thing that impressed me the most...a dimmer switch for the bathroom lights. Genius!\nComplimentary wine is served in the lobby in the evening and Starbucks coffee and teas are set up in the mornings.\nI didn\u2019t get a chance to check out the hotel restaurant, but I have heard that the food is outstanding.\nThis is a boutique hotel that is a wonderful alternative to the huge convention hotels that populate the Loop and Michigan Avenue areas. I would highly recommend the Hotel Burnham.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "After an awful, stressful drive in a people carrier that was falling apart, our Hotel Burnham Experience started as it went on. Our driver stopped a good way from the Hotel Entrance, but the doorman saw us, started walking towards us, saw all the luggage and returned with a luggage trolley. \nWe were soon whisked into the hotel and the wonderful James appeared -Bell Captain ? - and waited while we checked in. We were several hours early, but no problem, we were told we had been upgraded to a Deluxe Suite and there would be a wine reception in the foyer at 5:00. James took us up, regailed us with amusing stories and got us settled in to our 15th floor room. We had great views along State Street and Washington, with the Millenium Park and the Lake in the not far distance.\nWe went off to explore a little and came back to find a note congratulating us and a bottle of champagne and some chocolates. We never heard our fellow guests, or the elevator, though we were away from it. The Concierge service was excellent and as we were determined to sample as many different restaurants as we could, their knowledge was great. Our beds were turned down each evening and chocolates placed on the bed, the Sound System set to play soothing music, and the Ice Bucket filled at some point, but we only noticed this on the last day.\nEveryone on the staff we met made a point of talking to us, a rare thing in most hotels. When we were too tired to eat out, a call to the Cafe in the Foyer always met the same response. Well we are fully booked with Pre-Theatre customers until 7:30, but when asked if they could call us if a table became vacant early, we were sitting at a table within 15 minutes on both occasions. The food was great, the service superb and my only criticism was that some of the tables have small sofas for seats, and for my diminutive bride, this meant she felt like a child at the dining table. \nThe curtains in the rooms are dark, thick and almost light proof. You can sleep in without knowning it's morning. The air conditioning is excellent, not an after thought and my main worry from the photographs on their web site is unfounded. It looks as if the original marble floors were uncovered from the photos, but in fact they are covered with a carpet that mimics the style of marble, so don't worry about footsteps from the other guests.\nAs a British Citizen, I find the taxi cabs in America Strange. They are usually huge great Fords, which have no more room inside than a European or Japanese mid range car, yet there is a partition which makes the passengers feel like sardines in a can. When we asked James to arrange for a taxi to get us and all our luggage to O'Hare, he had to pass the task to one of the other guys, Graham I think, but what an effort he made to ensure we didn't get a taxi with a partition.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Hotel Burnham was oh so perfect in many ways, a real unexpected treat!\nDon't bother with a taxi, the Chicago transit authority ride from O'hare was just as easy, and only cost $2.00. It was truly no problem, except getting up the last flight of stairs from the underground to the street. However, some very nice man saw me and hauled the luggage up with a smile. (What a great way to start a trip!)The guy at the airport said it was quicker to take the train because the roads are so congested. I believe him. James, from the hotel, helped me with the luggage when I left, in fact he actually put it on the train!\nEveryone in Chicago was great, from the people in the airport that directed me to the metro to the wonderful hotel employees. They treated me like a princess, and being that I'm forty, and the mother of two, I felt spoiled rotten. And I loved it! \nThe decor of the hotel is awesome. Kind of whimsical and fun, the whole thing is light and airy and beautiful. The beds were soft and comfortable and everything was clean and the service was superb. Everyone seemed happy, willing, and able. They went out of their way to make sure I was happy. From finding me a historic Babtist church to attend Palm Sunday services, to getting me the blintzes I love.\nI felt like it was home, and everyone knew me. Smiling and waving as I went out in the morning and welcoming me home at night. The location was perfect. Fifty feet from the subway, across the street from Marshall Fields, across the block from the theater. About three blocks from the Art museum. I could see the Walnut room, (a delicious, fun, reasonably priced place to eat in Marshall Fields) from my window, and the theater where Wicked is playing. A new network (don't remember which one) studio just opened a block away and it was fun to watch them do a live newscast from the huge glass front window. \nOne night when I was so tired I couldn't possibly go out, I just sat on the bed with the curtains opened and enjoyed the magnificient view of the city from my 11th floor vantage.\nI love hot tea and they had a wonderful selection in the lobby and served Argo tea in the restaurant. The Argo shop is a block away and was also fun to visit. Everything is close. Perfect location. \nThe only bad spot was the homeless. I didn't expect them and they always break my heart.\nOne glorious spring day, when my conference at the Lakeside Conference center was over, I wandered out the door instead of boarding a bus. Low and behold I was transported to a seaside path, in one direction the view of Chicago was incredible, the other felt as if I was walking in the middle of nowhere. Both were absolutely beautiful, and it was hard to believe I was in the middle of the third largest city in the US. It was the Lakeside running/biking/walking path I had discovered. \nIt was a great vacation and if I'm in Chicago again I will most certainly stay at the Hotel Burnham.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Hotel Burnham is fantastic! Honestly, all Kimpton Hotels are great, so it is no surprise that Burnham would be anything but fantastic! My boyfriend had planned this weekend trip for me as part of a Christmas gift...and what a gift it was. We stayed in the best suite in the hotel, but I am positive all the other rooms are great too. We had a view of Ford theather (where we went to see Wicked...FANTASTIC!!) We had a view of Millennium Park, which is just amazing. The historic building itself is just a sight to see, with all the marble and iron work. Great location, we walked to everything, but it is very close to the train station. Shopping of all kinds right across the street and a couple blocks from the Mile. If you go, please meet Tracy, the Concierge, she is FANTASTIC! Let her make your reservations...you will not be disappointed. We took her suggestions for every meal, breakfast thru dinner, and she was right on the money every time. The restaurant at the hotel is supposed to be very good, we never had a chance to get in (make your reservations early, theater goers pack it in) we did have room service one night of dessert...and it was great. Next time, we will have dinner. If you are going to Chicago, pick Burnham...all the romance of a Kimpton...along with the service and standards you come to expect from them. Very safe area, very safe hotel, very clean, great staff.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We stayed over Thanksgiving and had a wonderful time. We arrived the night before the big parade and had requested a room facing State Street. Boy, what a great decision! The temperature hovered in the teens and the wind was whipping right down State Street. We stayed warm and cozy with a bird's eye view of the parade from our big picture window across from Marshall Fields' while breakfasting on the free coffee, hot chocolate, and pastries the hotel provided that morning. Everyone was great at the hotel, even though it was a holiday, and the hotel is unique with a great location. \n I highly recommend the Thanksgiving dinner we had at the Park Grill in Millennium Park, and we even went ice skating there! To top off a great weekend, we rolled out of bed onto State Street for the first holiday shopping sales, attended the tree-lighting ceremony in Daly Plaza 1 block away, and followed that by going to see \"Wicked\" at the Ford Center 1 block away. Best location for the money. ($119/night with their Hot Dates/Great Rates)", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Nice hotel in a good location, esspecially if you're looking to go to the theatre or go shopping. My wife and I stayed here for a couple days with our two young children. The rooms are small, but they were fine for our needs. Front desk staff was a little distracted when we checked in.\nGREAT coffeshop on the block. Good reseteraunt in the hotel. \nFollowing the trip, the hotel's assistant manage sent a personal note responding to the areas of improvement I mentioned in the online survey form I filled out. It was nice to get a response that wasn't a form letter.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed at the Hotel Burnham on December third for only a night while in Chicago this past Saturday but I wish it could have been longer!\nWe were in the area for business but decided to go into the city after we were finished and do a little shopping. We love Michigan Avenue but the \"Loop\" is so much fun too so decided to do that for this trip and since Marshall Field's won't be much longer, we thought we'd see the windows dressed in their theme decor one last time. This year the theme for their windows was Cinderella!\nFrom the minute we stepped in the door, until we left the next morning, everyone was very attentive to our needs and very pleasant which can be difficult in these busy times of Christmas. \nI think we talked with a girl named, Terry at the front desk and our room wasn't ready but she stored our bags and we took off for lunch at the Walnut Room in Marshall Fields which was way TOO crowded and the line must have been a few hundred people so we ended up at The Big Downtown at the Palmer House. As we walked in, we were handed a complimentary glass of our choice of red or white wine and waited about 15 minutes for a table (they said it would be 30). The Cobb salad was GREAT. We shopped around a bit and when we arrived back at the Burnham, Terry said our room was almost ready and we waited in a small lounge area which was glowing with Christmas finery. Someone had just finished having tea at a small table nearby and I understand that the restaurant at the Burnham is noted for it's afternoon tea with scones and the works. I think they have a wine reception every evening too but we didn't make it downstairs around that time in the early evening. Our room was ready shortly and we were on the top floor (15) and Terry gave us a wonderful room overlooking State Street and Marshall Fields as well as the German Christmas Mart not far away!\nI loved our room. There was a radio/CD stereo playing a soft jazz station as we walked in and the room was just delightfully decorated and spotless as well.They provided a CD also but I'd brought a Christmas CD which we played most of the time. It is a boutique hotel so the rooms will run a little smaller than the larger hotels but I love that it's not the same hotel room that you would find in 100 other hotels! The hotel is built in what looks as though it were an office building at one time. It has so much character and it's just enchanting! The lobby where you catch the elevators is marble and elaborate ironwork with mosaic tile floor. I wanted to take a photo of this but my camera's battery failed in the middle of our stay and I didn't get a lot of photos I wanted to take.\nSaturday night we had reservations at Petterino's. It's just about 3 blocks away and an enjoyable walk as it had just started snowing. We strolled by the German Christmas Market on our way. Our experience at Petterino's was wonderful. My husband said he hadn't had that kind of perfect dining experience in a long time! Our server even treated us to a small taste of a deep dark chocolate cake as we had our coffee after our meal! The pear salad with goat cheese was to die for and the scallops with garlic sauce was equally delicious. My husband raved about his steak as well. It was like a \"winter wonderland\" when we stepped out and walked back to the hotel.\nSome other quick pluses for the Burnham. Towels are fluffy and thick! Coffee in the room but also complimentary Starbucks in the morning in the lobby as we were waiting to catch our taxi.\nTo add one more way that the Burnham went beyond what most hotels will do, I was in a hurry as we were packing to leave and as I put my retainers in their box in my bag, the bottom one fell out and must have caught in the carpet between the wall and carpet. I didn't know where it was when I got home and called and talked with Paul who directed me to Audrey in housekeeping. She had already found it and wanted to know how I'd like her to send it to me. I told her and she did the rest. \nThe whole experience was a delight! They've trained their staff to treat the customer with respect and courtesy and we were given quality for our money.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "My wife and I checked into Hotel Burnham on Thanksgiving Day. We actually had a wonderful view from our 8th floor room of the parade on State Street. First impressions were that the building was beautifully restored and a true landmark. Beds were clean. Great view and great location (across the street from the main Marshall Field's and a block from Millenium Park). The room was quite small, but we didn't seem to mind. The desk would be a joke if I had had to use it so I'm not sure I'd recommend this hotel for the business traveller. The hotel emits charm and grace with simple touches like real keys and a mini-bar filled with fun, creative alternatives to standard fare. As for service, it was sufficient but lackluster. The bed had two lousy pillows and I requested two more. Housekeeping left them on the floor outside my door. I'm a bit of a clean freak so that didn't fly with me, but it is to be expected (what do you think they do when you're not looking anyway?) The concierge made reservations at the Park Grill over in Millenium Park, a nice stroll away from the hotel. The restaurant was a bit of a disappointment, good enough but in that strictly generic, cheesecake factory sort of way. Breakfast at Atwood Cafe was worthwhile. I'll write off any lack of service to the holiday. The hotel was an incredible value for Chicago and its location, its charm, and its clean, comfortable rooms made for a memorable stay.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Beautiful hotel, friendly staff, excellent food and great position in the loop. Another great Kimpton Hotel.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "What is most impressive about this hotel is its quality in virtually all areas for a restored, historic building in the heart of downtown. Note - if you want to be very handy to the Mag Mile (N. Michigan Ave) or the Convention Center, this is not the place. But it's good to see a vibrant downtown all around you, with transportation readily available. For transportation, the subway (Red line) is across the street, the El is a block or two away, and taxis and buses can handle the rest. Leave your car (parking is expensive, but this is downtown, and any major cities have comparable high prices downtown), unless you need to drive a distance - parking in the city in any desired destination is usually difficult.\nYes - it's pricey, but it offers excellent furnishings and very good service. The concierge desk was helpful. The only glitch in service was maid service one day, when some things in the room were missed. It was reported, and didn't happen again. Lobby staff (front desk, doormen, bellmen) were excellent.\nThe in-house restaurant (Atwood Cafe) receives very good reviews. Room service is from there. We ate there one lunch - it was good, but crowded (tables too close), service only fair, and not worth the money. There are very good restaurants in the Loop, even in walking distance. (Trattoria #10 around the corner, the Berghoff, the Russian Tea Time, for example) Other restaurants (we like Greek restaurants in Greektown and mideastern on the north side) are a taxi ride away. A tip - the Corner Bakery is a chain all over town - ask for directions to the nearest one(s). They have good pastries, sandwiches, at reasonable prices. A bottled juice from the Walgreens next door, a pastry, and coffee made in the room was a fine breakfast.\nContrary to what was on the Kimpton website, this is not on the Mag Mile (that's a mile away), and Millenium Park is not across the street (it's 2 blocks to the east). There's some interesting shopping on State Street (not as glitzy and huge as Mag Mile). The views from the room (we had a corner, with views up State Street, and over to the lake) are fantastic. If you like being in the heart of a bustling city, this is a good choice. It's small enough to feel personalized, and always felt safe. (Admittedly, we were not out real late at night.)\nWe were there as tourists (had lived near Chicago many years ago). The Culture Center (with a good bookstore and noon concerts) is a block away. Took an easy busride to Museum Campus (Field Museum - the best). Recommended - the boat tour on the river, guided by the Chicago Architecture Foundation.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "My husband and I spent a lovely two nights at the Hotel Burnham in Chicago. Formerly the Reliance Insurance Building, this hotel is an architectural landmark (one of so very many in Chicago) that should not be missed. Some of the guest rooms have the original doors to the old insurance offices, while others have newer doors. Great care has been taken to maintain the consistency of the original architectural style...as a result, the rooms are a bit smaller than a chain hotel would offer, but SO much more filled with character. Everything from the down pillows to the beautiful window treatments to the marble in the bathroom was unique and felt completely luxurious. And the location!!!! The view from our 12th floor room was of historic State St. Marshall Field's department store as well as the Chicago and Oriental Theatres (where we saw and thoroughly loved Wicked)! This location is so central to all forms of public transportation (buses and El trains within 1/2 block), we will recommend this hotel to anyone who asks. The room service was a bit slow, but we were otherwise thrilled with our experience at the Hotel Burnham.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Well. I've stayed in the Burnham twice this year, and I'd have no hesitation\nin staying there again for a theatre-break vacation in Chicago. The Oriental Theatre where I saw \"Wicked\" (which was a real treat!) is just a block away, and the hotel restaurant (Atwood Cafe) caters for theatre goers with a special early dinner (I had mine at 5:00 p.m.) whcih allows you to return after the performance to finish your sweet. A nice touch. \nArchitecture lovers will adore this hotel too, for the Art Nouveau internal decorations as much as the historic features. My room wasn't huge but it was nicely furnished. The staff were all friendly too and tried there best to \nlook after you. The only thing I'd mark it down was that there were no dining facilities open on Labor Day - though with the Walnut Room in Marshall Fields just across the road open, that was hardly any hardship. For the money (I got a discount via Expedia) I would stay here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I stayed at Burnham twice during August and both experiences were fantastic. The two rooms I stayed both had very high ceiling giving me a very pleasant, bright, airy feeling. Bed was very comfy. Turn-down service was on the spot every night. Bathroom amenities were also 5 star. I especially liked the day bed next to the window as I could simply watch the people outside on the street. The food at the restaurant downstairs were also great and priced reasonably.\nThe only drawback was the relatively weak shower pressure on the upper floors. Also, certain low level rooms facing the street could be quite noisy, but certainly acceptable.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I'll start out by saying that I've never been a big service buff, but now I've turned into one knowing what a difference good service can make to your stay. \nThe Burnham is very conveniently located. We took the train there from the airport, at $1.75 per person it was quite a bargain and only a block or so away from the station. I pretty much walked everywhere from the hotel including most of Michigan Avenue, the Navy Pier, Milleneum Park, and the general lake/river area. I love to walk though and some of these distances might be too far for some, so a cab or train might be in order.\nCheck in was the fastest process I've ever seen. It literally took two minutes and we were off and running. We had booked a suite at the AAA rate of $206 per night. I can't speak to the size of the regular rooms, but the suite was perfect. There was a sitting area with sofa, TV, chair, and table, along with a bedroom with a king bed, desk and TV. The bathroom was adequately sized. The room was spotless and very nicely decorated. Maid service was always prompt and they did a good job.\nAfter stepping out for a few hours, we received a note, a bottle of water and a small box of chocolates welcoming us, which was a very nice touch. I had ocassion to use the Concierge a number of times throughout the trip and she was EXCELLENT. She helped me get play tickets and restaurant reservations at an excellent restaurant near the theater, the same day we were wanting to go. At the restaurant, we received a complimentary appitizer from the conceirge and at our room soda and choclates for our anniversary. I've never stayed anywhere that has gone the extra mile like that, and all though the concierge was especially helpful, all the staff was super nice and friendly.\nI ate at the restaurant on the premises twice. Once for breakfast and once using room service and both times it was very good, albeit predictably over priced. \nI can unequivoclly say that this was one of the best hotel experiences I have ever had (and I've had a few) and I'll definitely return to the Burnham on my next trip to Chicago!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "We stayed at the Burnham this past weekend and were really very pleased. The lobby area is quite lovely, as was our room. I must say the room was really very small, but it was very well appointed and the entire East wall was one huge window. We didn't feel cramped at all, but I could see how someone would.\nAlthough there is no mistaking us more multi-millionaires, we received particularly good service from all of the staff, from the doormen to the concierge. \nWe found a rate of $170/night on the hotel's own website, and at this rate we feel we received a very good value.\nChicago is a fantastic city and I would definitely recommend considering this hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Trip: 7-26-05 to 7-29-05\nThe best thing about this hotel is the main lobby floor and the cafe/bar. It's beautifully decorated and high windowed ceilings make for a nice place to have breakfast. The location is good but we spent more time in Wicker Park and the Gold Coast so I would probably stay in the GC next time to save on cab fair. The doormen at the hotel with the exception of one grumpy old guy were the best service people in the hotel. They were quick to open your door or hail you a cab - even in the pouring rain. \nHowever, the front desk people were unresponsive and didn't do what they said they would do. Really young people running the show who didn't seem to care about the service they provided. \nThe bar closes really early which is unfortunate since like I said it's the best part of the hotel. The rooms are terribly tiny even though we had a nice view the bed was so close to the entertainment center which had faulty doors. Not what you would expect from a $250/night room.\nBut Chicago is great and the people are super friendly!", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Ideally located across the street from Marshall Field's, the Burnham is a pleasant if not somewhat overpriced hotel. For $350USD/night I was expecting something a little more luxurious. The room was absurdly small. It was not comfortable for two people. The bathroom was unremarkable. The staff were OK. The \"above and beyond\" attitude that Kimpton Hotels' staff purport to possess was simply not there. \nI would look elsewhere on my next trip to Chicago and were I to stay here again, would never pay this absurdly high rate for such an absurdly small room.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "The Hotel Burnham was a most pleasant experience: historic surroundings, helpful and professional staff from the front desk to housekeeping, and comfortable to come \"home\" to after a day of sightseeing. This hotel is highly recommended and will our family's hotel of choice in Chicago. (We were guests at this hotel from July 3-July 10, 2005.)", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "A most charming hotel but quite expensive. Over $300 per night with taxes\nand w/o breakfast. Lobby small. Room is decent size. Bathroom good. Located one block west of Michigan Avenue and several blocks below Wacker. It's across from Marshall Field's flagship store. Good spot for the Art Institute and some theatres. Inconvenient for N. Michigan shopping.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "We stayed at the Hotel Burnham in May, 2005 and found it a very nice experience. The hotel itself is really beautiful -- the mosaic tile in the elevator lobby is gorgeous, the Lobby very attractive, and the Atwood Cafe practically a work of art. The hotel rooms are quite small (I agree with other reviewers stating this) but are uniquely done. The room seemed immaculate (and I'm pretty particular) and the bathroom was simply spotless. The Aveda products supplied were a nice treat from the ordinary. We had a great view from the 9th floor right up State Street, which was cool (we never seem to get view rooms when we stay in hotels, but this time we did). Nice chaise lounge to relax on and enjoy the view, too! \nThe staff was very friendly and warmly welcomed our dog to the hotel. Check in was easy (I had booked via an online service and was a little nervous if it all would work out -- but it turned out fine). \nNow the negatives -- relatively slight and some out of the Burnham's control: we had booked a King Bed room and I maintain that if this was a king-sized bed it was the smallest I've ever seen. I think it was actually a queen but we didn't challenge them on it. \nThe carpet in the room looked warn and was a bit stained. It was a fairly light color, which seems a mistake in a hotel room -- and had seen better days. This should be replaced. Same goes for the bed skirt -- could use replacement.\nAs mentioned, we had our dog with us on the trip. The hotel itself was wonderfully accommodating to her -- greeting her by name, petting her on the way in, etc. She's a great dog and an experienced traveler so it was nice to see her welcomed in the manner she deserves! However, pet owners should be advised that there is nowhere close by the hotel to take animals to relieve themselves. Millennium Park is about three blocks to the east, but dogs are NOT allowed there (not even along the edges, from what we could tell). We are very responsible pet owners who never fail to pick up after our dog (and we even rinse the grass after she wets) but just the same we were rudely moved along every single time we went near that park. They are apparently trying to keep it pristine but are simply rude. The park also seems grossly overstaffed in terms of security personnel -- they are on their little scooters at 7 a.m. apparently waiting for dogs to chase away! Believe me, some kids and adults stand to do a lot more damage than any dog! Grant Park is a bit more forgiving but that's a quite a long distance for a polite Midwestern dog who prefers a blade of grass to go potty on. . .", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Eschewing a budget option for the recent England football trip to Chicago a choice was made based on the tripadvisor reviews. Not cheap but centrally located on the edge of the Loop. If you want shopping fall out of bed and you are in Marshall Fields , a little walk and you are on Michigan Avenue or on the river doing a sightseeing trip. \nBig tip- the blue line CTA from O Hare airport stops yards from the hotel, great if you have loads of luggage but only want to spend $1.75 on transport!\nI read that the rooms were cramped. I wasnt in a suite yet the space was fine and the view unbelievable. When we were there we had a prime view of the Memorial Day parade down State Street from our room.\nThe room surroundings and fittings were reminiscent of a golden area, based on Art Deco. The toiletries are Aveda and, its true, there is a turndown service with chocolates left on the bed on your return (except on the last night!!).\nAnd.......you also get free Starbucks from 6-9am in the lobby so you can take a cup back to your room. When I went down the night shift concierge was very friendly and helpful. There is also a free wine reception in the evening. The Attwood Cafe is rated but we didnt try it. Instead we tried deep dish pizzas at Guardinos chain (you will have a job to finish one!), Pot Belly sandwiches and had breakfast in Johnny Rockets, just like a 50's diner.\nSo... its not too small, great views from the room, great location, free Starbucks and turndown service. It doesnt get much better.\nOnly gripe generally was that there is a free trolley service to most central places but it wasn't advertised anywhere in the city that I could see. Most stop near the hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "When planning a trip to an unfamiliar city, it is always a challenge to decide on the right hotel. Thanks to TripAdvisor reviews, we decided to \"take a chance\" on the Hotel Burnham for our visit to Chicago, May 3-9, 2005. \nFrom the moment we walked through the doors held open by a uniformed doorman, we knew we were in a special place. Check in was instantaneous and we were on our way through the restored elevator lobby. As we entered our suite, I knew that life will never be the same when it comes to hotel accommodations. From this time forward, the standard by which all other hotels will be measured is that set by the Hotel Burnham. Our suite was tastefully decorated and exceptionally comfortable. While most hotels are perfectly fine and provide an adequate place to stay, our stay at the Burnham became part of the overall Chicago experience. The smaller size of the hotel gives it more personality than those of the big lodging chains. Our rooms were inviting, comfortable and hard to leave. The amenities were well thought out, down to the telephone in the bathroom. The view from the large Chicago-style windows was of Marshall Field's, the theatre district and down Washington Street past the El to Millennium Park and a glimpse of Lake Michigan beyond. To say that expectations were exceeded is an understatement.\nAt the corner of State and Washington streets, we found ourselves in the literal heart of Chicago, within walking distance to the Art Institute, Symphony Hall, the theatre district, financial district and even boat tours on the Chicago River. Taxis, buses and the subway are right at the doorstep when you don't want to walk; the El is a block away. I didn't fully appreciate the historic status of the building that houses the Hotel Burnham until after we arrived. The turn of the century Reliance Building is an important part of the architectural history of Chicago and its design is part of the cultural heritage of the city. My only disappointment was that we were unaware that on the first (and third) Wednesdays of each month, a special 45 minute tour of the hotel building is given by the Chicago Architecture Foundation, so we missed that. \nThe hotel's staff is very friendly and we were always greeted by at least three of them, whether coming or going: \"Welcome back,\" \"Nice to see you again,\" words we don't hear often enough. As a person who travels frequently--30 or more nights a year--I found this a most memorable stay. This was our first experience with a Kimpton Hotel and this will encourage us to consider their hotels in other cities. But, as far as Chicago goes, we will always return to the Hotel Burnham.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "We stayed at the Hotel Burnham this past weekend in May. The hotel, located at the corner of State and Washington Streets in the Loop, is a stunningly beautiful hotel. The restoration of the hotel has included such intricate details as wrought-iron railings on inner stairwells and elevators. The decor in the lobby is very stylish and modern (a la W Hotels). Each afternoon, the hotel has free wine in the lobby for its guests.\nOur room faced State Street, and overlooked the old-line Marshall Field's department store, and a small portion of the Frank Gehry-designed bandshell in Millenium Park. The room, albeit small, was furnished with a very large king bed, wonderful linens, and Aveda bath products. \nThe service at the hotel was outstanding. Every bellman, front desk attendant, waiter/waitress and maid we encountered were very friendly and made every effort to assist and make things easier. We were especially impressed with the concierge, Tracy. She gave thoughtful and considered recommendations for restaurants and entertainment (e.g., local blues clubs). Once we had decided on a restaurant (e.g., Gino's East for great deep-dish pizza), she even had discount/special privilege coupons which allowed us to jump ahead in line (a supposed 45-minute wait turned into a 10-minute wait), or provided other special benefits. (She even managed to get us tickets for a nearly sold-out exhibition at the Museum of Science and Industry). Tracy was excellent!\nThe hotel is located right off the Red and Blue lines of the \"L\" (a block or two from the other L lines), is conveniently located about 2 blocks from Millenium Park (stunning), is within the Theatre District, and has great shopping all nearby. \nThe hotel also has the Atwood Cafe in its lobby as well. This is a wonderful restaurant, serving Continental cuisine, tinged with Asian flavors. (Make sure to try the duck breast with Asian-seasoned noodles). Prices are not cheap, but the food is well worth it.\nAll in all, the Hotel Burnham is a terrific hotel, with outstanding service, and a nearly-can't-be-beat location. We'll be sure to stay here again when we come to Chicago.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "My wife and I spent a belated anniversary at the Burnham this past weekend. From the check in, to the stay, wine hour from 5-6pm each evening, to checkout was a wonderful experience. \nThe check in was extremely smooth with the valet Al and Reggie taking care of things from the car to the room. \nThe room was very clean, bed was very comfortable, and the turn down service at bed time with chocolate was very much appreciated after a long concert on Friday and busy Saturday of shopping and eating.\nThe resturant (Atwood Cafe) was excellent. We spent two enjoyable mornings their and found the breakfest extremely filling. The Raspberry Pancake was amazing.\nThe conciege (Tracy) was very helpful. She created a warm enjoyable Saturday evening for us from the Chicago style Pizza joint to the Jazz club when we had no plans. Also her help with getting tickets to Bodyworks at the MSI was something we are grateful for. (BTW, the bodyworks exhibit was great.)\nIn closing, checkout was smooth and easy. I give this hotel 5 out of 5, not because it was a 5 star property (like the Ritz), its just that as a guest, you are treated like one by the staff. Rooms are clean, location is great, has an amazing staff, what more can a guest ask for...", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Stayed at the Burnham last Sept for a romantic getaway....really love the Kimpton Group hotels, and it was up to their standards of chic boutique. The Burnham is a romantic setting, great view from our room, with a sexy chaise lounge by the picture window. It's one of the refurbished Euro-style hotels, and if you're not into that, stay at a Marriott. The room was small, but cute enuf that you didn't mind hanging out there. The restaurant on the ground floor was first rate. My only complaint was that the hotel lobby is kinda crowded (small issue) and that, if you're going to Chicago to go out on the town, the Burnham is kinda far away from the chic nightclub scene, and you ought to add money to your budget for the cab rides. It would be great for business trips however, as it is smack downtown. The area is sparsely populated on weekends. The value for the stay was ok. I've stayed at better Kimptons - the Rouge in DC!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed at the Hotel Burnham from 31st March - 4th April, and we had an amazing stay. The hotel is right in the heart of downtown Chicago, and is in the best location to get anywhere. Washington 'El' stop is just 200 metres away, and the Blue Line from O'Hare runs straight there - much better than getting a cab.\nThe room in the hotel was fantastic - we were on the 14th floor, with amazing views of the John Hancock Centre to the north. In the room, which is a great size, had Elemis toiletries in the bathroom, and a very comfy bed.\nThe hotel has a great atmosphere, with the very busy Atwood Cafe in the lobby. It has a 20's/30's theme througout, and has kept a lot of the original features that it had when it was the Reliance Buildling - like the AMAZING mosaic floor in the lobby. In the evening between 5 and 6 there is a wine reception every night for guests, and free Starbucks's coffee and tea in the mornings between 6.30 and 9am. What more could you ask for!\nWe would whole-heartedly recommend this hotel for anyone wanting a city break in Chicago - you won't be disappointed!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Great service from the front desk, beautiful rooms, and a very friendly doorman. \nMy only issue was, I went to the hotel bar/restaurant at 10:00 PM, to get a glass of wine. The male staff members were standing around discussing their plans for the evening and looked annoyed that I walked in, despite the fact that they didn't close for another hour. I ordered $13 dollar glass, but the waiter made me sit in the lobby with it because \"I needed to to order some food if I wanted to be seated at the bar\" I came back a few minutes later and told them I didn't want to sitting in the breezy lobby in the middle of Feburary with my wine. They rolled their eyes and found me a table close to the door. I realized that they were more interested in closing the place early so they could go out on the town for evening. The attitude was disgusting, and I'd stay at the Palmer House next time.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Stayed at this hotel Feb 26 for one night. Had read all the favorable reviews about this hotel and was excited about the stay. The building is beautifully restored, lots of dark wood and marble on the floors,walls and ceilings, but I certainly would not rate it as the number 2 in Chicago. It was the smallest room I have ever had in Chicago, the size was not much larger than a Microtel. Bathroom very ordinary. The television reception was not good. The beds and pillows were hard. The evening wine service is from 5-6, we arrived on the tail end of that and were lucky that the server took pity on us and brought out two glasses for us to take to our room. The lobby is very small, much too small to have a wine service in . Hardly any seating area, no snacks to go with the wine, and only two varieties of wine. one red, one white. The walls were so thin we could easily hear the very \"romantic\"couple in the adjoining room. They do serve coffee in the lobby in the mornings. The good things were the LOCATION, right across the street from Marshall Fields, and we did feel very secure inside the hotel.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We stayed at the Burnham in February, purely on the glowing recommendations of Tripadvisor reviewers. The building itself is impressive, and the conversion to a hotel has been done with great sympathy. It made a refreshing change from corporate blandness. Our junior suite was rather small, and cluttered with fussy furnishings, but the huge windows offered great views of State Street. The screaming brat who was next door for the duration of our visit was not a bonus - but there's not much the hotel could have done about that.\nLocation is tremendous; convenient for practically everything - El, shops, restaurants. etc. \nCheck-in was courteous and quick ,and the staff consistently made a genuine effort to engage with guests. The concierge, though, gave us incorrect information about a firework show (\"that's all finished\" - it hadn't, and we saw it anyway, trusting the city's website). The evening wine tasting, while a nice touch, takes place in the tiny lobby area - there were rarely seats available. People waiting for tables in the small (and noisy, due to acoustics, not people) restaurant add to the claustrophobic effect. \nAn enjoyable stay, but this hotel, like all hotels, has its flaws.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Hotel Burnham is a jewel. We stayed two nights the weekend before Christmas. We found the location to be excellent ( across the street from State street Marshall Fields). The staff is helpful and courteous. My only gripe is the room size (which is normal for old renovated boutique hotels) my suggestion is to upgrade to a suite which we will definitely do next visit. The restaurant serves a great breakfast but the bar is way to small.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "Had a mother/daughter weekend and stayed one night at this lovely hotel based on the numerous excellent reviews found on this website. This hotel has the elegance and quaintness of many smaller, older European hotels. The staff was courteous and helpful; the rate ($139/night) was very reasonable; and the room itself was a good size and tastefully decorated. Wrought-iron gates surrounded each floor of elevators...very art deco! The only tiny drawbacks are the $31 parking fee for guests and the expensive (for what you get) menu at the Atwood Cafe. All in all, this was a wonderful experience and I will definitely go there again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed at the Hotel Burnham for three nights in September. \nThe pluses: friendly staff, good location, beautiful elevator lobby, Aveda bath products. \nThe minuses: very small room, not very good food in the surprisingly busy restaurant and a bellman who never arrived to help us with our luggage, despite two requests.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "The Burnham Hotel is in a renovated, 19th c. building with a bit of character. I\u2019m not sure of its history, but it has the appearance of having been an office building because the top halves of the doors to the rooms have frosted glass panels. (The glass-paneled doors raise security and fire-safety concerns.) It isn\u2019t grand, but it has the feel of an old hotel, sort of eclectic, or maybe it could be called \"western commercial Victorian\" in style. It\u2019s smallish and cozy. D\u00e9cor in the public spaces is kind of heavy and dark in spite of all the windows in the lobby and adjoining restaurant; the guest rooms are lighter, more stylish, and very attractive. Upholstery, drapery, and bedspread fabrics are of high quality and quite pretty. Reproduction iron work surrounds the elevators, and in the elevator hall there is a striking mosaic floor, restored. Upstairs, some of the hallway walls, ceilings, and stairs are covered in thick slabs of white Carrara marble. There are rug runners throughout, probably covering damaged mosaic tile; wall & rug colors are deep gold, accented with dark red and royal or navy blue.\nI had made the reservation by telephone because I couldn\u2019t work out on-line a way that a family of four (two young teens) could sleep comfortably. A King Suite for $189 was recommended: the children could use the \"sofa bed\" and a cot in the sitting room. When we arrived, however, the staff was unaware that the reservation promised beds for four, and they did not appear to have thought about how to accommodate us, although we were obviously four people. But when we requested a cot, they brought it. When it turned out that the loveseat/sofa was not a sofa-bed after all, we had to request an additional cot. This was somewhat vexing, but once all of this was settled, we were fine. \nIn the King Suite, the door from the outside hall opens to a short hallway with bathroom and closet on either side leading to a stylish sitting room. It has a high back and high armed loveseat upholstered in gold damask, large TV cabinet with stereo and minibar, end and coffee tables, and a desk & chair. Wood furniture is dark, formal style. The bathroom is not luxurious (except for the many Aveda products), but it is adequate and attractive. There is an iron and a good hairdryer. The very comfortable kingsize bed in our suite came with an elaborate half-canopy crown in blue and gold fabric. The bed is in a small room (8\u2019x8\u2019?) separated from the sitting room by glass-paned French doors--some but not as much privacy as expected; plus, access to the bath is through the sitting room. There was 2 to 3 feet of walking space on the sides of the bed, maybe 3-1/2 feet at the foot. This was a corner room with two walls of large windows & great views; sheer roman shades and heavy blue and gold draperies that could be open or drawn. A TV is also in this room. We had a wonderful view of the Frank Gehry sculpture in Millennium Park, and of Marshall Fields across the street (fantastic dept. store). The Art Institute is within walking distance.\nThe hotel staff were responsive and very nice, although the valet and bellman were somewhat overly familiar. The only other minor complaint might be that the rug in our suite was a bit soiled and had a wet spot in the middle of the sitting room.\nA plus: Guests are served wine in the lobby at 5pm--good wine, we thought. This was a very nice touch. We complimented the wine selection and were given a bottle, gratis. The hotel has an intimate feeling, and we liked the atmosphere. It was very relaxed and friendly. We had no time to eat in the restaurant, but the menu was interesting, although rather expensive; prices $18-28 for dinner entrees and at breakfast, $20 for bacon & eggs. The restaurant enjoys a very good reputation in Chicago. Overall a very nice hotel experience.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "We had the weekend planned for four months and selected the Hotel Burnham based on the reviews. What a wonderful experience!!! We left Detroit during the blackout and couldn't have been happier with every aspect of our trip! The hotel is small, which is nice in the big city, and was just beautiful! What made it even more special was the staff, especially Tracy!! She is the famous concierge that was able to finally get tickets for a guest (after 9 years of trying!) to the Oprah Winfrey show. She took such good care of us! Every resturant recommendation was superb and she had us hopping everywhere with cards and discounts! We even saw the Chicago air and boat show from the top of the John Hancock building, in the air conditioning - it couldn't have been better (it was a very hot/humid day with thousands of people everywhere)! Thanks to Tracy and all of the staff at the Burnham - the ladies at the desk and the guys at the door never missed a beat! We had a most memoriable trip and now won't stay anywhere else - we're still hoping for those Oprah tickets some day!!!! Go Tracy!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed at the Hotel Burnham over July 4th weekend. It is in a great \nlocation in the loop, across the street from Marshall Fields. There are \nfree trolleys that stop at MF to get on and off for visiting major \nattractions. It was so easy to get around and lots of good places to \neat. We went to the Taste of Chicago, saw the best fireworks display \never.The streets are clean, people are friendly and there is so much to \ndo and see. I thought I loved NY but now Chicago is my kind of PLace!! \nThe hotel is awesome, the conceirges and staff were wonderful!!! Free \nwine every evening in the hotel lobby and a great restaurant is next to \nthe lobby.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "111507": {"reviews": [{"text": "Unlike most Ritz-Carltons, this one is managed by Four Seasons. Service is generally quite good, but the interiors are quite dated, even the public areas. We were part of a group, and had to stand in line 10 minutes to check-in in the ballroom, only to be told that they needed to make more room keys and we needed to come back in another 15 minutes, during which time we could stand around. Otherwise, the staff was excellent. Our room was supposedly non-smoking, but had apparently been used as a smoking room earlier, and reeked fo stale smoke. There was no coffee-maker, but we discovered that room service will bring you one if you ask for it. This is not a good hotel for people who have difficulty navigating steps, as they're everywhere. Nice place, but in this price range, you're better at the Park Hyatt or the Four Seasons, both nearby.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "I have to say...I love staying here. Over the years they have been consistent with the top notch service. \nThe beds are fantastic and the room darkening curtains are a wonderful way to sleep in!\nLocation couldn't be better and if you haven't eaten at the restaurant, you are really missing out. \nSure, it's not budget prices but you get what you pay for and this place is worth paying for 100%. We'll return year after year!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 24}, {"text": "My problem with the Peninsula and the Ritz Carleton is that I keep comparing the hotels to grandness of the Four Seasons Chicago. If the Four Seasoins didn't exist I would say they were just fine hotels.\nYes-the FS is showing it's age here and there but it's aging like a fine wine. The people that built the Four Seasons built a hotel that they would be proud of. It's everywhere. Even in the bathroom doors with 8 panel wood heavy doors. \nThe Peninsula has extreme almost psychic customer service but the hotels are just not the quality of the Four Seasons. \nThe Ritz needs renovating. We stayed in one of the large suites. King bed corner location. Paid under $800.00 a night. We love wine and the hotel did not feel like I would get the table service to compliment a great bottle. Amazing to me too. The hotel is loaded with wall paper and feels like the 1980's. The sound system in the suites is outdated. Forget Plasma. Forget great sound system. Not here. Standard tub. No sound in the bathroom. I even missed the greeting that you get from the FS guys outside when you pull your car up. They will stop all traffic in thier cute little suits to get you in. \nI have tried to get into the Ritz for years now and always heard that it is the best but I feel let down by the other trip advisor people. This was our twenty fifth anniversary and we should have stayed at the FS. \nSorry for bursting your bubble-but if we don't get the word out they will not improve this hotel.\nSome positives: Great room service-A+ all the way. The beds are cuddly...\nSide note: The Four Seasons treated my hyper active kids like they owned the joint at Chistmas of 2000. They were spoiled in millions of ways.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 35}, {"text": "We stayed at this Ritz about 6 years ago when our eldest child was only a year old, and we loved it then. But now that we have three girls, ages 7 years, 4 years and 5 months, we love it even more! And it's because they actually pay attention to the needs of the children and the family.\nThe hotel provides you with a real crib that has actual, nice bedding (not just a pack and play); DVD players are free of charge to your room on request; milk and juice boxes were waiting iin the room for the kids on check-in, as well as a basket of diapers, wipes, baby shampoo and soap. At check-in, the kids were allowed to pick out a toy from a red wagon of goodies (my girls chose crayons and coloring books).\nThe Ritz Kids program also allowed them to sign up for a cookie-making session in the kitchen with the executive chef. Afterwards, the kitchen staff bakes them and delivers them to your room. If you have some downtime, there is a library of DVDs and books that you can borrow from the hotel.\nIf your girls are into the American Girl dolls, the store is just a little over a block away (very short walk). Our girls of course brought their dolls with them to the restaurant for meals, and to our surprise (though we really shouldn't have been surprised, considering the outstanding service), they brought out little high chairs designed for the dolls. \nThe staff is very friendly, attentive, and the hotel is well-appointed and clean. Plus having the Water Tower mall connected to the hotel makes it easy to stroll around with the baby if you want to kill time and the weather outside is yucky.\nWould definitely stay here again and recommend it to anybody!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 29}, {"text": "Let me first say something- I did not stay at this hotel. I did come here everyday for breakfast in the morning, and drinks and desserts at night. I hung out in the lobby a lot and checked out the pool and spa as well. Even though I paid $300 for a junior suite at The Westin next door (which was very nice) I wish I had stayed at the Ritz-Carlton Chicago for $439 a night(thats what the front desk attendent told me). I traveled to Chicago back in June to watch the Red Sox play the Cubs, and this is where the Red Sox were staying- and it is up and away from the craziness (good for them). Anyway, The Ritz-Carlton had an amazing lobby with comfortable furniture, marble floors, attractice chandeliers etc. It was so clean too(including the main bathrooms in the hotel). The breakfast restaurant was incredible- the best service and food! And I also dined at The Greenhouse Lounge off the lobby and in the Trianon Cigar and dessert lounge. Both were great with unbelieveable service and the after dinner drinks and desserts I have to say were delicious! For any price under $500 or so this is an outstanding hotel. I also visited the Four Seasons next door which seemedc to be a little nicer and more expensive than he ritz-Carlton (also a bit more snotty). If you are looking for a descent comfortable hotel with a nice lobby and location, the Westin Michigan Ave. is the place to be, if you want a high-end upscale luxury hotel up and away from the craziness pick the Ritz-Carlton, if you want an amazing rediculoous expensive hotel (like $600-700 a night and you are a snob)then stay at The Four Seasons.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 35}, {"text": "Having just stayed at the Park Hyatt in Los Angeles, I knew when arriving at the Ritz that I was truly in a five-star hotel, not one with 5-star pretentions like the Park Hyatt. The lobby is spectacular and the rooms were large and luxurious.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 26}, {"text": "This is the greatest hotel I have stayed at!\nIts very very luxorious and the staff was very kind.\nThe lobby is just great located at the 12 floor and my suite was great and elegant!\nI absolutely recommend this hotel because the amenities and the great location.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "We had a reservation for a room with a king bed. When we showed up, they said they didn't have any left and the only thing they could give us was a room with two SINGLE beds. I'm shocked that a hotel supposedly of a high calibre would do this. Our protests fell on deaf ears; they couldn't have cared less. Front desk staff was unconcerned about our happiness. I will not be staying here again.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 30}, {"text": "After a 2 night disaster at the Chicago Meridien, I moved a few blocks north to the Ritz-Carlton for another 2 nights. I have been staying there for over 20 years.\nOn this visit it was impeccable from every prespective...front desk, concierge, housekeeping, maintenance, etc.\nCare must be taken in selecting Ritz-Carlton Hotels, as they may be managed by a variety of hospitality companies, many in the US by Marriott,( mediocre). \nThe Chicago property is managed by Four Seasons, probably the finest hotel management company in the world, and it shows.\nOne cannot go wrong in staying here...ideal location on N. Michigan at the Mag Mile.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "Stayed at the Ritz Carlton in Chicago for 3 nights earlier this week - loved it - very comfortable, quiet room - excellent service - the staff was wonderful!!!! Can't wait to go back", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "It doesn't get any better than the Ritz. Fantastic location - attached to the Water Tower shopping and convenient to Rush Street restaurants. Clean, clean, clean room. We had a view of the lake. Comfortable bed and great sheets.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "This hotel is TOP NOTCH! Not only was the service incredible,I was treated like royalty. All the staff were extremely friendly and so helpful. The bed was so comfortable like melting into heaven. The bathroom was fabulous with marble floors, 2 sinks and wonderful comfy robes. The room service was superb as well. I ordered a ceasar salad and French onion soup. The salad was prepared bedside rather than table side in the room. It was a neat experience. The lobby area, which is located on the 12th floor has beautiful views and has an elegant feel to it. All in all the Ritz lived up to its standards for sure.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Everything about The Ritz was superior. The staff and their service are truly top rate. I loved every aspect of my stay; we were totally pampered. ALL the staff knew us by name and greeted us every time they walked by. We never even had to push an elevator button because someone would run in and push it for us.\nNo other hotel will ever match up to this experience. Thanks to all at The Ritz for spoiling us rotten. We will most definitely stay here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "I had a medical conference in Chicago and decided to splurge and stay at the Ritz for several reasons...\n1. We wanted the service of a luxury hotel and was not disappointed at all at this Ritz Carlton property (but managed by the Four Seasons, thus how can you go wrong!) Everyone treated us like royalty. Even my two young kids, aged 6 & 8, were catered to as if they were a prince and princess. \n2. The location right at the Water Tower Place on the Magnificent Mile is a shopper's haven. My wife spent three days shopping all along Michigan Ave and complained that it was not enough for her. The American Girl Place is a must if you have a little girl.\n3. Our gorgeous suite on the 28th floor overlooked the Magnificent Mile. The bedding was absolutely heavenly, and even the kid's sofa bed was adorned with the same bedding that we had on our king sized bed. \nIf you are looking to save money, do not look here. If you want the best location and unparalled service, the Ritz is the place. This is the only hotel we will be staying at when visiting Chicago.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "I don't know what to praise first: attractive lake-view room; pleasant staff; beautiful decor; free computer use in business center; fine Dining Room; well-run spa. I do agree that an in-room coffee maker would have been nice, though there is free coffee in the lobby if you get there by 8:30 am. The Ritz is connected to the Water Tower Place shopping mall, so you can shop without even going outside. All in all a positive experience! Highly recommended.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "stayed there in june 2004 for 1 week. views of lake were superb. only thing going for it. conceierge and check in not up to scratch, and disinterested. staff in restaurant & coference dining were superb. i feel management less than interested in hotel but think they are big time because of hotel brand. second time at ritz/four seasons never again. overpriced & fake", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 29}, {"text": "The Ritz Carlton of Chicago is a superb hotel. It does not rest on its outstanding reputation. It earns it.\nSome five-star hotels rest on their laurels. Rich in tradition and their long-standing reputations of grandeur, their decor and their staff show signs of age and wear. The Ritz-Carlton of Chicago is no such place. Every inch of this hotel is beautiful, and its staff treat the hotel's clientele with superior elegance and class. This is a five-star hotel which deserves to be a five-star hotel. \nWe stayed in a superior lakeside suite during the weekend of April 1, 2005. Prior to our arrival, I received a telephone call from the concierge, inquiring as to whether she could do anything for me in advance of my arrival. The valets, the bellmen, and the reception clerks all acted as though they had been waiting for just us. They jumped to attention and they well-served our needs. They were extremely courteous and helpful.\nThe suite, boasting more than 1,000 square feet, was simply breath-taking. It was very large, and very clean. It appeared somewhat older, but by no means dated or stale. Rather, its age contributed to a classy, elegant and stately charm. We had one very large bathroom and one powder room. The dining area was outstanding, and teh living room and its furniture were superior. We had an afternoon meeting, and twice ordered room service of champagne and appetizers. The room service was very prompt, the food was much better than what we had asked for, and the room service staff set up our formal dining table very nicely for us. The bed was very comfortable, and fine linens complimented the large comfortable bed nicely. \nThis hotel adjoins Water Tower Place, one of the finest malls in the City of Chicago. A short elevator ride from the lobby, and you exit directly into a wonderful mall.\nCheck-out was uneventful and pleasant, and once again, it seemed as though the staff had been waiting just to serve us. Upon check-out, the clerk asked if there was anything that the hotel could do to make our stay even better. Our honest answer was \"absolutely nothing.\" It was perfect. \nThe Ritz-Carlton is a very expensive hotel. Then again, diamonds and Rolls Royces are expensive too. We benefitted from a very good rate, and still paid $700.00 for the suite for one night. We felt that it was worth it, but we recognize that this hotel is not the most affordable option that Chicago has to offer. This hotel may be expensive but, unlike many \"five-star\" hotels, this hotel has the look and feel of a justifiably expensive hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "My standard room was quiet, comfortable and larger than average. However, whether this hotel is worthwhile depends on your lifestyle. I was there in March 2005 to attend a business conference. Perhaps the hotel should have frequent guests fill out a preference form.\nI like to purchase healthy foods to put in my hotel refrigerator and to brew a pot of coffee in my room, without having to call room service. For me, room service usually isn't worth the cost because it often does not get me exactly what I want. Or to paraphrase JP Morgan if you don't want to use room service drink or \"party\", you are not the right kind of guest for this hotel.\nThe refrigerator and counter above were JAM PACKED with booze and junk food. I had to move half of it to find room for healthy food. It was a pain.\nThere was no coffee maker in the room. It took the hotel half an afternoon to find one. The carafe did not fit the maker and the coffee flooded. They never replaced the carafe over a two day period, despite several calls. Not what I expect from a luxury hotel.\nWhile I was working the first afternoon of my visit, I got a knock on the door from a clerk with a cart filled with more alcohol asking if I wanted more. I was amazed. \nLater that evening, a room engineer suddenly appeared asking to adjust my TV. I told him that I don't watch TV and that I was fine. He told me that he had to fix the TV because housekeeping filed a report on it. I know he had no choice, but this was disruptive. I was trying to work and prepare for my conference. \nFor my purposes which were to work in peace and quiet and eat simple healthy food, this hotel was not a good fit and therefore not worth the money. I got the feeling I was paying for the \"Ritz\" name and the forced fluttering and flattery of clerks which was not important to me, if not grating. \nI would have rather had airline mileage credit than the hotel name. However, I recognize that others with different priorities would appreciate this hotel.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 24}, {"text": "We stayed in the Ritz-Carlton over New Years Eve and had a truly exceptional time. This is how hotels ought to be run. The staff are amazing and impeccable, always catering to every need and always at attention. When I disputed a charge there was no dicussion, it was simply taken off straight away. We stayed in a very expensive suite as I proposed to my girlfriend that night. We were sent chocolates and champagne complimentary, and we were put in a special corner suite overlooking the lake and the city. Everyone treated her like a princess. It was a remarkable night.\nI really can't say enough about this place. I've stayed at many a five-star hotel but none compares when it comes to quality and perfection.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 24}, {"text": "My wife and I thought this hotel was uniquely superb. We ended up doing a bit a research and found out that many customers must feel the same way, as it has won the finest hotel award for all of North America for the past 4 years!\nThe key is the people working at the Ritz. They have a way anticipating your next need without having any snobbery or pretense.\nWe plan to go back whenever we can.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "I stayed here twice for business in the fall of 2003. One time I had a very large, gorgeous room with a wonderful view of the Sears building and lakefront. The size of the room almost swallowed the king sized bed. The other time the room was much smaller but came with a small sofa, and the view was of the city. The elegant decor, bedding and furniture all befit a Ritz-Carlton hotel. The staff were always pleasant, helpful and eager to serve - they were almost disturbingly subsequious... The food in the meeting rooms was the only mediocre aspect of my stays - just typical hotel food. A truly elegant, luxurious place to stay on someone else's expense account!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Stayed here over Easter. What a wonderful hotel, smiling helpful staff, a totally relaxing atmosphere, I revelled in the complete peace and quiet. I can only compare the comfort of the bed to a cloud. I'm a light sleeper and I know we werent the only guests but there was absolutely no noise, nothing at all. Tears from my teenage daughter were imminent when her hair straightners didnt work, within minutes staff sourced some from a nearby hair salon, I need these folks for trouble shooting back home! Do eat in the Dining Room mmmm definitely grownups food. I cant understand the previous poor review at all, staff at this hotel were genuinely charming and helpful and made my daughter feel like a princess. When asked on checking out if there was anything which could have made our stay more enjoyable I had to think for a moment and finally admit that I'd have liked to find George Clooney in my suite. Maybe next time.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "My first experience at a Ritz Carlton. We had a suite and it was just perfect except for a light over the bar which kept on going out. They wanted to fix it but they needed tear the ceiling out in order to replace the whole fixture but we declined and told them that they could fix it when we left. The bathroom door wouldn't shut unless you pulled the door hard toward you and it would lock - even though maintenance worked on it - it still didn't work. BUT... other than those two things the everything was PERFECT!\nThe lake view and the large sitting area was perfect for friends to visit us. They had a CD player so bring your own CDs! Plush towels and big soft bed with large soft fluffy pillows. Seperate shower and seperate tub (great for my boyfriend and me since this was the first time together...we were shy). The service was wonderful, the breakfast room service was perfect, the staff was very friendly and we felt like royality. Although getting from the ground floor to the lobby is a switch of elevators - it's quick. Another perfect fact is that the shopping mall is easily accessed with the same elevator.\nBe forewarned men, its easy to shop there! Also on Saturdays it is impossible to get a taxi (even for the experienced door men at the Ritz) so prepare to wait quite a while...there will be a backup of guests trying to hustle for a taxi ride.\nBut its a wonderful experience...we will be back again! P.S. Yes, our relationship bloomed into romance and we are now a couple!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "On several occasions I have treated my wife and daughter to a stay at the Chicago Ritz-Carlton. It is true that they make kids feel special but the best thing of all is the location...above the fabulous Watertower Mall. Other nearby attractions are American Girl Place, John Hancock Center and Bistro 110.Nothing for kids to do? Take the Musuem Express Bus down to the Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, Adler Planetarium and the Museum of Science & Industry. If it is near the holidays, take the kids to the Chicago Symphony's Christmas program.....a lively and fun event.I don't know how you spend $4000 on a hotel room but we really like the Jr. Exec suites for about $390.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "the dining was bad and there was nothing for my five year old son to do.I stayed in the imperial suite.I payed 4000 dollars for it.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "My husband and I along with our three children stayed in this Ritz hotel in April and we all had a wonderful stay. My children are kind of young (ages 2-5) and I was concerned that maybe the hotel would be too \"stuffy and up-tight\" with kids in tow, but nothing could be further from the truth. Our kids enjoyed their stay as much as my husband and I did! The staff was extremely friendly and outgoing with my kids. They were consistently made to feel special and because our kids were treated so well, my husband and I felt great, too. A toy wagon was brought out upon our arrival and the kids got to pick out a new toy each to take up to the suite. When we got to the room there was a box for each of my kids with a helium balloon, coloring book and crayons and chocolate chip cookie and a juice box. For my husband and I there was wine and cheese. Yes, the suite was expensive---but we were spoiled, the service was superb and we would go back there in a heartbeat. If you can swing the money----take the plunge---and have an exceptional stay in Chicago.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 24}]}, "619615": {"reviews": []}, "225105": {"reviews": [{"text": "The hotel refused to honor a coupon for a $10 second night having paid full price the first night. The hotel claimed the maximum number of rooms had been used but the coupon on Trip Advisor says nothing about such limitations. Seems like the old bait and switch to me.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "It took 45 minutes to check in -- not fun with our two children. Then they told us that the room we booked was not available. We had written confirmation of our reservation, and showed it to them. First they said it was a computer error, then they changed the story to something else. They said that in any event they didn't have any rooms available except a small single room with one king bed -- certainly not sufficient for the 4 of us! We spoke with the manager, and then that person's manager, and they wouldn't do anything except see if they could squeeze in a cot in the small room, admitting that at best it would be a tight fit. I explained that I've stayed at many nice hotels, and that if this happened at, for example, a Mariott then they would give us an upgrade. He pretended to type something into the computer, and then told me that no upgraded rooms were available. I then had a friend call and reserve a small suite for the same night. Lo and behold, my friend was able to get us into the suite that he paid for. Unbelievable.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "Stayed at the Peninsula for two nights (Saturday and Sunday) while in Chicago for a wedding (held at the Peninsula). As wedding guests we received a discounted rate for our room and I'm not sure to which room category it belonged. We had two king beds.\nThe Peninsula reminded me of a well-oiled machine, like a luxury car. The place is big enough to feel anonymous but the service is excellent when you need it to be. The check-in staff at the Front Desk disappointed (knew nothing about the wedding, could not tell us about a scheduled bus journey for wedding guests leaving from the hotel, etc) but everyone else from housekeeping to bell staff to the doormen were friendly and efficient. Smooth is the word that kept coming to mind.\nThe decor is bland but restful. My partner found the room control system (varying degrees of light, heat and entertainment at your fingertips by the bedside) to be confusing. If you're not technically inclined, ask the bell person who brings your luggage up to show you how to work the lights. For the rest of us, it's pretty neat. I liked being able to darken the bedroom while keeping the entryway slightly lit for my partner the night I went to bed early. The ambiance lighting worked a treat.\nBathroom was fantastic, as per everyone else's review. And ours didn't even have a window, so no view from the bathtub. It was still one of the best hotel bathrooms I've seen -- separate stand up shower from a huge soaking bathtub, towels galore, not just two sinks but two separate vanities complete with toiletries and mirrors. Cue more of that ambiance lighting for a long soak in the tub (I didn't avail myself of the television though).\nIf you're wondering whether or not the Peninsula is \"worth\" the extra money, I would say it depends on what you value and the purpose of your trip. Some people just want the cheapest place in which to hang their hat, so to speak. Other people care about the concierge's ability to secure tickets and restaurant bookings. \nPersonally, I value comfortable beds, good storage and closet space for hanging up my clothes and intelligent, verging on indulgent, bathrooms. The Peninsula fit my bill for this particular visit at this particular time though I would consider staying there again in the future if I needed to be in downtown Chicago.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I have to disagree with the previous post about the Peninsula being unfriendly toward African Americans. I took my husband there in August as a birthday surprise and I am still recovering from the extreme pampering and luxury. The staff was very accomodating, and everyone went out of their way to make sure we had an enjoyable stay. My husband and I, who are both African American, checked into the Peninsula at around 1:30 in the afternoon. Not only was our room ready, we were also offered a complimentary room upgrade. The room was unlike anything I had ever experienced. We had tea in the Lobby that afternoon. Everything was delicious and the service was impeccable. We were seated immediately, and the wait staff was attentive. I couldn't have asked for a better experience. As a matter of fact, there was a table with about 10 African American women having tea right next to us. Later that night my husband and I wanted dinner from Grand Lux Cafe, but we were too lazy to walk there. I called the concierge and she sent someone out to pick up our food for us and deliver it to our room. I didn't see or experience any discrimination at all during my stay, and I plan to go back often.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Stayed here for the first time. The hotel is outstanding. I especially enjoyed the rooftop pool and deck. The deck is a nice way to spend the afternoon reading the paper while looking out at the Sears Tower. The room was nice and although some prior reviews did not like the bed, it was great.....sank into for a sound nights sleep. The public spaces, like the lobby, far surpass the nearby rival Four Seasons.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Beautiful and supremely comfortable room (where else can you get a TV at the foot of the bath); a enormous beautiful roof-top pool with an amazing view; and excellent food -- not to mention the extremely attentive service (I would actually prefer if it were slightly less fawing, but that's my taste). I can't even complain about the price (high), because it was certainly justified by the quality. What's not to like?", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 27}, {"text": "stayed 2 times before, once in Aug of 05 and in Feb 06 and am booking agian this August, the hotel is first class, food and personal service was perfect, am booked again, i go to Northwestern Medical every 6 months from Southampton, NY and have had nothing but the best experiences, great location.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "The first time we stayed at the Pen in Chicago was in 2004 and the hotel was ranked by T&L magazine as the best in the US. While the hotel was very nice, it did not live up to our expectations. Well, it is two years later and things have changed! We have tried both the Four Seasons and Ritz in Chicago since our last stay and from now on we will stay at the Pen when in Chicago. My main complaint the last time was the bed - it was impossible to get a good nights rest because it was hard as a rock. Well, the Peninsula has rectified that issue - slept like a baby last night in a very comfortable bed. This is truly a five-star hotel - the location is perfect, the rooms are state of the art (very high tech), and the customer service from EVERYONE on the staff was top tier.\nThe Peninsula Chicago has my business forever...", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 26}, {"text": "This place is heaven on earth! The room was divine - I only had a view of the parking lot, but who cares when the carpet is a foot thick and the bathtub is huge! The bed was so comfortable I almost overslept and missed my meeting I was in town on business for. I ordered breakfast in and was perfectly satisfied.\nI had a few hours before my flight home, so I had a glass of wine in the lobby restaurant. When I needed to run out to make a phone call, my waiter kept watch on my bags near my table while I was gone - that is what I call service! They even had models wearing the latest from YSL walking around the room in case you had a couple thousand dollars to spare. The cost is high, but if you want to know what superior service coupled with ultimate luxury is, stay at this hotel!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "Stayed at the Peninsula Chicago for three nights late April/early May. Guy right there at streetside to greet cab and offer to take luggage up. (I decline that...feel guilty having anyone carry my luggage around. Im', relatively young and healthy enough! I go ahead and tip the guy anyway, since they probably peg you a cheapskate, not that that should bother me.) Check-in smooth but awkward and irritating as the clerk tries (through smiling face) to pronounce my not-really-THAT difficult ethnic name over and over. I even say it slowly, and have handed a written pronunciation to the person in similar situations in the past, but it doesn't seem to do any good. I would just as soon not have people calling my name in public where it can be overheard. Paranoid, you say? Perhaps. But I did get burned in a sitaution because of that one time. Something I don't want to go through again while on the road.\nThen, clerk tries to line up transportaion (limousine) for your return trip to airport, etc... Not really necessary, I say. Asks me what time I'd like turndown service each night, and room make-up each day. I tell him, and that night, when I returned 30 minutes after turndown time, it hadn't been done. Next day, two hours after room make-up time request, it hadn't been done. To me, turndown service is like a lot of things in life -- nice, but hardly necessary. I do like having a room made up though!\nHad a Junior Suite. Very clean. Separate living room and bedroom, large.long entrance foyer, phones all over the place, including three in bathroom. Bathroom very nice with TV at foot of deep tub, radio console as well, two separte vanities. I was there by myself, so there was plenty of room. I don't mind paying for extra space. Pampering I can do without. For the most part, hotel workers left me alone, which I like. I'm from the \"don't call me, I'll call you\" school. If I need something, I'll ask. Don't hover and make a lot of fuss on my account.\nVery quiet, serene, dignified atmosphere permeates throughout the hotel and restaurants. Service and waitstaff at Lobby Restaurant exemplary. Food very expensive, but what do you expect?All kinds of great restaurants and shops around the hotel (Magnificent Mile). Walgreens across the street for sundries at good price. Hotel Gift Shop very small and comes up short in that regard. Also, no ice machines or vending machines on property. Again, something I don't mind doing for myself if given that opportunity. Also, no mouthwash as part of bathroom products. Does have everything else.\nPool area and fitness room(s) outstanding. Nice pool and hot tub with great views. Exercise room has many Cybex machines to work all parts of body, plus usual assortment of treadmills, lifecycles, etc...\nWill definitely stay there again, and am looking forward to it.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed in this hotel for new years eve and had a wonderful, wonderfl time. The room was beautiful and the service phenomenal. I had a massage at the spa and met my husband afterwards in the pool. The pool facilities are amazing - i wanted to spend an entire day in the locker rooom. They had fluffy towels, a menthol steam room and fancy bath products in the HEALTH CLUB showers. Back at the room we had a huge bathroom with tub and double shower. There were Molton Brown products there as well. The bed was divine and there was a remote control next to it on both sides that controlled the drapes and lights in the entire room. There was a welcome bag with little treats when we got there. The next morning i had breakfast with girlfriends in the little cafe next door which was wonderful, too. One of the best new years eves I have ever had.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Spent five wonderful nights at this terrific hotel. It is the staff and service that set this hotel apart from others. First class, professional and friendly.\nI normally only experience service like this in five star hotels in Asia. The Pen Chicago brings five star service to the U.S. Management is doing something right here. \nThe lobby bar dinner was quite expensive and not too great. Other than that, no complaints. Cannot wait to return to Chicago and stay at the Pen.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed at the Peninsula Chicago over the New Year's weekend. The hotel is elegantly decorated and the service was excellent. I was a little disapointed with the food. We had afternoon tea on New Year's Eve and felt the food could have been a little better. It lacked freshness ever so slightly. Okay, so I'm comparing the food to my tea experience at Claridges in London in October 2005. I would still recommend the hotel.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Stayed at the Peninsula for one night in late December, and had an absolutely wonderful experience.\nFrom the first contact with the staff to the last, everything was flawless. A request for a high floor, even though I was paying a discount rate? \"Certainly sir, how about a room on our 18th (top floor) overlooking Michigan Avenue.\" OK! 15 minutes later, housekeeping wants to confirm the age of our daughter to get the appropriate robe and slipper size. An hour later, room service is knocking (or, ringing the doorbell, rather) to deliver a complimentary welcome gift; a tray of fresh chocolate chip cookies, a bottle of coke, gummy bears and jello -- all for the kids. (Rooms without children seemed to be receiving a tray of dried fruits and nuts, which also looked very good). Upon checkout, which took all of about 30 seconds, the clerk was efficient and friendly, while also acting warm and sincere. \nPhysically, the hotel is gorgeous, and impecabbly clean. Our double bedded room was large with a nice seating area, comfortable desk, and a nice little hallway between the bathroom and bedroom. Molton Brown amenities and super-soft towels completed the experience. In the bedroom, bed sheets were soft and luxurious, although I must admit, the bed wasn't as good as some in lower-class properties, although it was still comfortable. \nThe Spa is a must on the upper two levels of the hotel, with great locker rooms, a cool pool, fitness room, and a great selection of teas, coffee, citrus water and fruits in between. \nThe conceirge staff effortlessly handled our questions and gave great recommendations for breakfast. When I called down for directions to a theater, they had it drawn out in minutes. \nBut, thinking back on the experience, it all goes back to the staff, which truly made the trip. Every member of the hotel made an effort to greet us in the hall, and all seemed to care about their jobs, delivering service that was super-professional, but also not snotty. \nNeedless to say, I can't wait to go back.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 30}, {"text": "The Peninsula was clearly a very nice 5 star hotel. But I was hoping that for the price, it would be the best in town. I have also stayed at the Four Seasons and the Park Hyatt. I think the Park Hyatt is a little more hip, more of a place to take your spouse on a romantic, urban weekend. The Four Seasons is superior in terms of service. I had some difficulty with the concierge at the Peninsula. Nothing major, but despite a request and an assurance of an early check-in, we had to wait a couple of hours to check into our room, which was especially inconvenient since we were traveling with our 2 year old son. Also, there was a mix up with dinner reservations that were not confirmed. I also purchased a special package for our son the \"Peninsula Kids\" or something. It included a backpack and some goodies for kids. The backpack was so cheap we left it in the room and I would not recommend it. It would be better to just order room service treats for the kiddos. The good news? The hotel was very accomodating to children. The babysitter service was wonderful. And the room service menu was excellent. They had a huge menu for children, which was wonderful. The rest of the food was good, but insanely expensive. I usually don't bat an eye at expensive food, but it was pricey, even by my standards. The bathrooms were awesome, with the flat screen television in the tub. Next time, I will probably stay at the Four Seasons again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 26}, {"text": "We stayed at this hotel from 21-25 November with our children, ages 4 & 6. Since many of the reviews touch on the beauty of the hotel which is as beautiful as everyone says, I'll gear my review towards those traveling with small children and trying to decide if this hotel is a good fit.\n1. Location. The Peninsula was perfectly situated for all our excursions to the various museums around town since it's a block from Watertower, the Disney store on Michigan, a couple blocks from Lake Shore Drive and about 2 blocks from the \"El\" elevated trains/subway. The American Girl store is on the same block around the corner and the Hershey Store and Girardelli were just a few steps more. Plenty of shopping for everyone on Michigan Ave.\n2. Staff. Everyone was friendly to us and our children. The staff of Avenues was fantastic. Those on the Lobby Restaurant were hit or miss. \n3. Restaurants/Food. The Children's Afternoon Tea in the Lobby was yummy with mini hamburgers, PB & J, & ham and cheese in addition to the sweets and a pot of hot chocolate. Pierre Gourmet, the French Cafe just outside the main entrance, was perfect for breakfast (and probably for lunch). The staff and friendly and attentive to us and our children. Room service did well by us when we ordered dessert for the family one evening. Everything arrived on time and was as ordered. The hotel does have a children's menu at the Lobby and Avenues but the selection is somewhat limited.\n4. Pool. There are three swimming lanes and a hot tub on the 19th floor. There were a few swimmers swimming laps while we were there who were politely tolerant of the 10+ children in the area. While not ideal for children or those who are swimming laps for that matter, it might make a good 30 minute diversion.\n5. Pen Kids Package. We researched the various packages at the Four Seasons and Ritz Carlton before picking the Peninsula. The most kid friendly package was at the Ritz Carlton and it provided the most value for the $. If you choose the Peninsula, I would go with the standard room rate or the American Girl package and spend the additional $60+/per night from the Pen Kids Package elsewhere. With the package, the kids got a nice welcome snack, Pen Kids multi-color backpacks, a signature bear (who can't keep it's pants on), crayons and some coloring paper. We also received two coupons (one for ice cream at Bloomingdale's and children's admission to the Children's Museum at Navy Pier). A better investment is to buy a family membership at your local ASTC museum which had reciprocity at a number of museums in Chicago (Museum of Science & Industry, Children's Museum and Field Museum, to name only a few).\n6. Room. Our bathroom was a nice extension of the main room. Whenever we were there, the kids wanted to take a bath and watch cartoons. This came in handy if one of the kids wanted to nap or as a diversion if one woke up before the other in the morning.\n7. We also took advantage of the Thanksgiving buffet offered by the hotel. The food came from all three restaurants and exceeded our expectations. The hotel had also created a separate kids area with movies, playstation, and crafts that our kids enjoyed. The only negative were the $18 mimosas we ordered with the meal but thought were included with the buffet.\nAll in all the Peninsula is a wonderful hotel, in a great location. It is clear that the chain is trying to cater to families - the kids room during the buffet was a good example of this.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 39}, {"text": "When I arrived at the Peninsula after the usual traffic filled ride from O'Hare, I was completedly frazzled and must have shown it. The check in person asked me for my favorite wine and 5 minutes after I reached my beautiful suite, a glass of complimentary wine arrived. What a treat!!! I have stayed at the Peninsula again and the rooms and service are terrific. So are both of the restaurants. I have stayed at the Peninsulas in Hong Kong and Bankok, both of which have better views, but in all other respects the Chicago Peninsula is in their category of among the best hodels in the world.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "The Peninsula in Chicago is an adventure in extravagance. Our suite was charming; spacious, and with the most extraordinary bathroom I've ever encountered in a hotel, complete with an enormous soaking tub overlooking the Chicago skyline...and a built-in television behind glass, so you could catch the news while indulging in a bubble bath. (It became my habit.) Our bedlinens were crisp and soft at the same time; and control panels for the lights, the radio, the television, and the front door \"privacy\" light were well-placed throughout the suite, always a finger-touch away. The hotel's public areas are unapologetically grand; amazing vistas, endless ceilings, and gleaming marble floors. Our only complaints? Room service could be a bit time-consuming; it often took forty minutes to an hour (a far longer wait then, say, the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills or the ever-speedy Covent Garden Hotel in London). Once we even placed a simple order (a pot of coffee) and it never arrived. And the valet wasn't too speedy delivering our luggage upon departure; we must have waited fifteen minutes. If the staff can learn the value of alacrity, then this hotel will rapidly become a true favorite of mine.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "After our trip fell thru down to florida b/c my parents still didnt have power from Wilma, the hubby and I decided to take a short trip to chicago. We usually only stay at the Four Seasons, but decided to try the Peninsula based on pics and reviews on here.. and WOW!!! We loved it!\nFrom the moment we arrived.. how the head doorman greeted us and they took care of our bags. we got there early at 11am and our room was ready.. we were personally brought to it and given a tour. we then stepped out and got some lunch.. unfortunately their french bistro was booked solid and i didnt want to wait 1 hour.. so, we ate on michigan. upon returning to the hotel they had placed a bottle of champage and choc dipped strawberries and whipped creme out for us!! what a TREAT!! :)\ni then took a bath in the great tub with the tv.. adn set the mood lighting! so much fun!\nwe had a dinner reservation at Shangai terrace.. and i will agree with the last review.. i wasnt that impressed with the food. to me, it didnt seem to have much taste at all- i got the wok seared lobster and my hubby got the kobi filet.. we also got a bottle of wine and splurged on $20 teas which were amazing. \nwe had a 9pm reservation for the chocolate buffet.. but, we were so exhuasted from the day we decided to pass.. but, i bet it is amazing!!\nupon waking up sunday morning i called to see if we could get a late checkout... they just told me to \"name the time\".. so, we didnt even have to check out until 3pm!!\ni had booked my hubby for a massage at the spa and myself a facial.. the spa and pool are GREAT! on the 19th and 20th floors of the hotel! great viwes! my hubby loved working out and looking at lake michigan! :)\nwe did have lunch at pierre gourmet then.. it was only a 10 min wait.. EXCELLENT food! i felt like i was back in france! :) tables are very close together and the wait people have to watch out from bumping into one another-- but, itsnt that truly what a french cafe is??\none other thing about the hotel-- im an Orchid lover.. and i could not believe the huge, gorgeous orchids they had all around the hotel!! such an oriental, gorgeous look!!!! \nlocation as well cannot be beat! right across the street from Saks and Neimanns and within walking distance to all that i love about Michigan Ave! \nWhat a great trip! The hotel made all the difference and we will be returning!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We went to Chicago for a wedding and chose the Peninsula after struggling through numerous recommedations and reviews on Trip Advisor. I have to say we made an excellent choice; our room (junior suite) was spacious, the beds were comfortable (although not a 'heavenly bed'), the 'at your fingertips' in room gadgets were great as well. The living area was actually very comfortable, which is in contrast to most hotel living areas (e.g. the sofa was soft comfortable, not hard and rigid).\nMy only negative experience was with a gentleman on the concierge staff - on Sunday we wanted a nice brunch spot; he recommended the same places the day before and upon pointing it out to him, he seemed frustrated and asked me to 'then tell me what it is you want' in a less than pleasant tone. I ended up telling him to forget it and walking out. Maybe I am too idealistic, but he should have gone out of his way. I realize they are busy, but this is his job. On the flip side, we encountered many other eager and helpful staff members. \nI highly recommend this hotel; however, you should book any spa appointments well in advance as they fill up quickly.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "There is no doubt that this is the best hotel in Chicago. We have stayed at the Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton, Drake, Whitehall, Hyatt, and others, and none of them have come close to the quality of the Peninsula. The location is perfect, right next to the Water Tower - all the great shopping and restaurants in walking distance, and the \"L\" two blocks away. The hotel is new (I think it opened in 2002), so all the features and amenities are up to date. The bedside control panels allows one to turn on/off all the lights, control the radio and TV, adjust the thermostat, check the outside temperature, and turn on the do not disturb light outside your room. The beds are as good as the famously wonderful beds at the Four Seasons. The baths are big with double sinks, separate tub (with a TV) and shower, big thick towels, and the toilet is behind a separate door. I just stayed there for my birthday and the hotel gave me a complimentary bottle of French Champagne and a chocolate cake as an arrival gift. The double corner exective suite is spacious and full of light, and at $535/night is less than similar (but not as nice) type rooms at the Four Seasons and Ritz (I think the standard rooms start at around $350). The restaurants are wonderful. Avenues is one of the best restaurants in town, the beautiful lobby restaurant with 2 story wall of windows is great for lunch, tea or cocktails, and the deli/wine bar on the ground floor makes for a great lunch/brunch (we didn't get to the Shanghai Terrace). The service is absolutely wonderful all around. The concierge are friendly, very knowledgable, and helpful. They of course have slippers and robes. The rooms have stereo, DVD player, VCR, fax, and high speed internet access. I noted no negatives (allowing dogs is a major plus in my book); you just can't beat this place!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "Made reservation over the 1-800 number, which I was told came out of Hong Kong, my fault I didn't ask if hotel was pet friendly until we are at hotel dining with pets, and I mean pets everywhere, and my husband is allergic, we asked at front desk if they had rooms that had not had pets in them NO! I LOVE animals but come on you know most sleep with there owners and I myself at the rate of 1300 for the room said no thanks and drove back home to Indy. The bellman said most hotels are on Michigan Avenue.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "It lived up to all my expectations of a Peninsula hotel (this being my first one). The decor, restaurants, rooms and bathrooms were top notch - although service was not up to the standards of a Four Seasons. The cigar bar is a trendy spot on a Friday night, the lap pool and outdoor terace gives the feel of an urban resort. All in all made my first trip to Chicago a memorable one!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Well - what can you say about one of the elite 35 five star hotels in the country? Besides being EXPENSIVE (Room - minibar-room service), It is a sublime experience - right down to the slippers. Most people that stay here are used to being pampered and the Peninsula does not disaapoint. \nHowever - I was very disappointed with the valet service - insomuch to the point of being downright cranky about it. I called down from my room prior to checkout at about 8:30 am and asked for my car to be sent. At 9:15, I was still waiting for it with a 10:00 am flight from Midway (needless to say I missed my flight). The gentleman at the valet podium was very apologetic and trying hard to compensate with extremely charming conversation but I was upset, nonetheless. My car did not arrive until 9:30 - ONE WHOLE HOUR after I called for it. This is very bad. They explained that they were putting air in my tire - which is very nice but it had been there overnight and had plenty of time to do so without jeopardizing my flight. \nWill I stay at the Peninsula again? Ye, of course. It is one of only two five star hotels in Chicago. The other being the Four Seasons. And even though the Peninsula is more expensive (about $100.00 more per night for a standard room), it is less \"snobby\" (my opinion), less \"put on\" with all the amenties and ambience expected for the $600.00 per night plus room rate. \nThe room service menu is good but a little to PanAsian. Could do with a little more versatility, though there are a few \"midwestern\" options. The bed and linens - excellent - better than home. I slept like a baby. The bathroom is fantastic - way better than the Four Seasons. \nJust take my advice and make sure they bring you your car on time! I luckily was able to catch another flight 30 minutes later and it didn't really affect my trip - but if I had bee going somewhere else it could have been a real issue.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 37}, {"text": "My husband, 10 year old daughter, and I just returned from a weekend at the Chicago Penninsula Hotel. It was great! The hotel was beautiful and the staff was wonderful! While we were checking in, my daughter was playing with her 2 American Girl dolls. One of the people at check in noticed and sent up 2 little bathrobes and 2 little beds for the dolls without us even asking for it or being told about it! Also, after returning from dinner that night, we were pleasantly surprised to find a note not only welcoming us, but cookies, gummie bears for my daughter, and a fruit tray for us! We loved the hotel also because of all the little details to attention. We tried the chocolate buffet one night as well...which is not to be missed! It was excellent! We stayed in a Grand Deluxe king room. It was a very nice room..the only thing is, it is a little tightly spaced, but not too uncomfortable. I also tried the spa, and it was very nice as well. The exercise room and pool area had a very open feel too it. Overall, it was a great hotel and I would highly recommend it to anyone.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 54}, {"text": "We stayed here for two nights-our wedding night and one more. You would have to pry us out of the room because we didn't want to leave! We were pleased to find an upgrade, and waiting for us in the room was champagne, chocolate-covered strawberries, and Blackout cake we requested from the Cheesecake Factory (that we were not charged for!). The room itself was stunning and we couldn't believe the door bell, lighting system, and master bath, bigger than our livingroom in our apartment. The concierge was able to make us a dinner reservation (and when we arrived, I overheard them on the phone saying they were booked) and arrange a car to take us home, which ended up being a stretch limousine. Everything about the hotel was classy and wonderful, yet warm and friendly. We are hoping to save up enough to make it back next year!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 53}, {"text": "I live in Chicago and stayed at the Peninsula Chicago last year for two nights - the night before my wedding and then with my new husband on our wedding night. \nWe had a suite - living room, bedroom and 1.5 bathrooms. The room is beautiful - decorated in contemporary classic style, with the main bathroom being huge and gorgeous with marble everywhere. There is also a TV built into the wall over the bathtub! Everything is immaculate and very nicely appointed.\nThe service at the hotel is fantastic. In the room, they left us champagne, fruits, nuts, candies and a box of Vosges chocolates. \nThe most wonderful service was at 4:00am, when my husband woke up realizing he had not taken out his contact lenses and had forgotten to pack solution... He called the front desk - they sent someone out to the nearby Walgreen's store and brought back a contact lens case and solution. \nWe did not try the restaurants, but we have been to the bar on other occasions for a drink. It's nice, with a good atmosphere. The drinks are good and they provide little snacks as well.\nI would not hesitate to recommend this hotel to others. I had such a good experience here that we will be staying in the Peninsula Bangkok during our first-year anniversary trip this year!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 52}, {"text": "Everything you've heard about this hotel is true. It is simply wonderful and will be my first choice whenever I return to Chicago from now on. I've stayed in many hotels around the world and this is easily in the top 5 for service and standards.\nWe ended up stopping here through a twist of fate, it being the start of Memorial Day weekend in the States and our original hotel having overbooked by a mile. Left struggling for room we started phoning every hotel in the city and luckily my third call was to the Peninsula. They had a room and did us a very good rate considering the busy state of the city that weekend. Not that it mattered as the original hotel were picking up the tab but I'm not one to take liberties.\nWhen we arrived, rather worn out and bedraggled, the door staff had our bags before we could get out of the cab! We then took the short lift up to the 6th floor check in area and were treated like kings from then on. We were given a deluxe room and boy was it deluxe. Beautiful and huge, really well furnished and decorated with a bathroom bigger than some normal rooms I've stayed in. The staff really went out of their way to give us everything they could, as though they had been at fault for the over-booking at our other hotel!\nOther facilities are equally great. The gym and spa are excellent, with a wonderful outside seating area on the 20th floor outside the pool which is heaven in the sunshine. The restaurant was as good as I expected, breakfast being particularly superb with the chefs willing to make anything you wanted.\nIn short if you really want to treat yourself and stay somewhere where the excellent staff match the fantastic surroundings then pick the Peninsula. You really won't regret stopping here.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 40}, {"text": "Excellent, excellent, excellent from the time we walked in the door until we got into our cab for the airport. The service is impeccable. The computerized lighting system in the room is to die for. It was fun just testing out the different light settings. The bathroom has a TV that is encased in fog-free glass, and the sound is piped in through the ceiling. \nThe Peninsula Chicago is divine!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "I have stayed at the Peninsula 5 times. Used to be that the Four Seasons and Ritz Carlton (a Four Seasons hotel) were the creme de la creme in Chicago, but then comes the Park Hyatt and the Peninsula and suddenly the FS and RC are almost provincial. Of course, they're not, but the Peninsula has brought an even more sublime sense of hospitality to the Windy City. It is a perfect hotel. The Lobby Restaurant is a high-ceiling space with soaring windows, a wonderful menu, and live cabaret music on weekends. Avenues is haute-haute cuisine, and Shanghai Terrace is the best this side of, well, Shanghai (summer evenings on the terrace are experiences that will have you profoundly appreciate the time and space you are priviledged to occupy). I love the room service, which is quietly efficient and always prompt. The Peninsula is best at meeting individual needs and desires, and strangely faulters when striving to meet group needs; I think their effort to bring their legendary individual attention to groups is mathematically impossible. Can a large group's entrees be tabled simultaneously without compromising quality? Unlikely. But that is my only observed shortcoming. This is, by far, my hotel of choice in Chicago.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "After reading the Travel & Leisure article giving the Peninsula the #5 ranking in service out of all hotels and resorts in the U.S., I was a little surprised to find, upon arriving on a Sunday at the check-in time of 3:00 p.m., that my room wasn't ready. The young man at the registration desk said he would \"put two maids on it\" and took down my cell phone number so he could call me as soon as it was ready. I returned 2 1/2 hours later (having received no phone call.) My room still wasn't ready, but after a brief wait, they found another one. The man next to me was complaining that he needed to take a shower and his room wasn't ready. Even more surprising, when the rest of my group arrived at 6:00 p.m., only one of their three rooms was ready. It took an additional hour, until 7:00 p.m., before we all had our rooms.\nApparently there was a large convention group leaving that day, and the Peninsula was having trouble getting the rooms made up. (The hotel was full.) Another thing that surprised me was that while we waited we weren't shown a little more love. A small gesture like, \"Would you like a free bottle of water or cup of coffee while you wait?\" would have helped smooth some ruffled feathers.\nSpeaking of coffee, it irked us a little that at a 5-star hotel one has to pay for something - coffee in the room - that is free at the lowliest Holiday Inn Express. A small carafe of coffee from room service will run about $12 total. However, the Peninsula does give you free bottled water with the evening turndown service. Be sure to use the \u201cprivacy\u201d and \u201cmake up room\u201d buttons. You are locked out while housekeeping is making up the room \u2013 I assume for the maids\u2019 safety and to secure your belongings\u2013 so you want to make sure they get in there to clean when it is convenient for you. \nThat said, this is a stunningly beautiful hotel with top-notch amenities. The extra items requested from housekeeping arrived in fewer than 10 minutes (this was my second stay.) And how many hotels have a built-in tv above the extra-large marble bathtub - in a standard room? The rooms are so large, comfortable and gorgeous that it's hard to leave them. I have to agree with the other posting, though that the extra-long bathtub is a bit of a challenge for anyone under 5\u2019-9\u201d. If you\u2019re not careful, your feet go up and your head goes down. I was able to hang on by gripping the other end of the tub with my toes and putting a towel under my head. It\u2019s kind of hard to get out of, too. But I wanted to watch tv in the tub, so I was motivated. The shower was heavenly. The glass door comes within 3\u201d of the ceiling \u2013 enough to vent the shower without fogging up the bathroom. I didn\u2019t find the bathroom \u201ctight\u201d; it\u2019s about 12\u2019 x 12\u2019 square, probably the largest standard hotel bathroom I\u2019ve been in.\nI can\u2019t imagine what a previous post found to complain about the beds. They are wonderful. It does take a little practice to operate all the light switches, etc., but if you can\u2019t find one, just call the front desk and ask them. \nThe spa and pool areas are especially nice. The pool and hot tub are indoors, but there is an outdoor terrace next to them. There are full-blown locker rooms, a large, well-equipped workout room, and free classes in pilates, yoga, etc. Several of the others in our party had massages which they raved about; I had a standard pedicure for $65.\nThe only other issue I had was upon checking out. I was presented with a bill for my stay, which was supposed to have been charged to another person in our party. I was surprised because at check-in they had confirmed that my room was already paid for. However, the clerk checked again, and it was worked out.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Several days prior to arriving at the Peninsula I called the concierge to arrange reservations for restaurants and clubs during our stay. Mee Mee at the concierge desk was extremely helpful in pulling it all together. Her recommendations were terrific. She was able to get us tickets to Buddy Guy's blues club even though it was sold out for a special tribute night. The show was amazing. \nWe were celebrating our anniversary and upon arrival we were told that our room had been upgraded from a standard room to a Junior Suite. We we got to the room and there was a champagne bucket and chocalate covered strawberries waiting for us. \nThe Peninsula is the only hotel I have ever stayed at where the person checking you in at the front desk, actually escorts you to your room. The attention to detail in the rooms is apparent. Unlike the previous review our bed was wonderful. The electronic console by the bed allows you to change the temperature, lighting, adjust the music, turn on the privacy at the door, etc.... This is unique to the Peninsula and a real fun feature. The rooms are set up with mood lighting and at the flip of a switch you are in romance heaven. Individual reading lights at the bed allow each person to either be reading or fast asleep. \nWe never ate in the hotel other than the complimentary continental breakfast each morning which if we had to pay it would have been $50/day. \nLocation couldnt be better. If you are looking for over the top views look somewhere else. I am sure that there are rooms with better views than ours but in general this is not a \"view\" property. \nGood storage in a room is important to my wife and she says there was more than ample drawers and closet storage space. \nHousekeeping was phenomenal! Absolutely 5 star all the way. Again, attention to detail is very apparent. It was clear the room was tidied extremely well twice a day. \nThe bathroom was fully equiped and functional although a bit tight. However the private comod and the glass enclosed shower were 5 star. The tub was too big for my wife and she was uncomfortable sliding around. A peninsula tub pillow would have maybe solved this problem. \nWe could have settled in for longer but our 3 nights were perfect. This hotel is exceptional. Service, attention to detail, super quality linens, towels, wireless internet at no charge, on and on. We have 3 children and we left them att home this trip. We probably would not bring them to the Peninsula as the other clientel might not appreciate them. However, Peninsula has just started a kids program which shows their willingness to enter this arena. \nAll in all this is an outstanding 5 star property and I would highly recommend it to those who want a great Mag. Mile location with outstanding service and amenities.\nLook for a full Chicago Trip Report upcoming in the Chicago forum.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "I stayed only one night from 1 - 2 April 2005 in a suite overlooking the watertower. All staff were very friendly and helpful. The service was perfect and also the food in the main restaurant was very nice. In the later evening I enjoyed the bar, a very trendy and popular place in Chicago. The 2 bedroom suite and the lovely bathroom made me dreaming. This hotel is just perfect and in my opinion the best choice for Chicago. Absolutely wonderful, nothing to complain about.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We have stayed at the Peninsula twice now--first in May 2004 and most recently on May 20, 2005. Both times were without a flaw. The rooms are wonderful (even the standard rooms), the location is perfect, the dining is sumptuous and the customer service is unlike any other I have experienced, and we travel quite a bit.\nWe once stayed at the Ritz Carlton in Chicago because the Peninsula was booked, but still went to the Peninsula for the Chocolate Buffett which was to die for.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I heartily disagree with the review from a disgruntled dining patron of THE LOBBY at the Hotel Peninsula dated July 19, 2004 advising those who are not W.A.S.P.s to avoid dining there! I have dined several times at THE LOBBY while visiting my daughter in Chicago and have always been more than pleased. As a Hispanic family we have found the Peninsula staff to be very professional yet open and friendly to all patrons. We have always had 5 STAR service from the entire wait staff in THE LOBBY. The food is always delicious and freshly prepared to perfection. I have witnessed people of every race and culture dining at THE LOBBY and observed all were treated most graciously. The staff is multilingual and ready to make everyone comfrotable in their dining experience! I plan to have Sunday tea or enjoy the Chocolate Night Buffet when I am back in Chicago this March!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We had a wonderful experience. We frequent many 5 stars and would rank The Peninsula at the very top. We were there for 3 nights the last wk of May 2004.\nWe booked the mother's day brunch at the hotel and that was so tasty with a great variety.\nWe booked an executive suite. It was very nice with a well equipped bathroom. We had a TV at the tub and a separate shower stall. Most importantly, everything was very clean.\nThe location on Michigan Ave was terrific for shopping. Almost a little too good as I spent alot b/c everything was so close!!\nWe have stayed at well appointed hotels but what is critical to us is the level of service. It was outstanding here. A few mistakes were made but quickly corrected and a bottle of champagne sent up as a token of their apology. \nWe took our son and that was great. They had my son's diapers ready in our room and a very cute bath set for him as well. \nMy only disappointment was that I had just missed the cast of Oceans 12 staying there by a few days!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Having stayed at the other five star hotels in Chicago, I was pleasantly surprised that this hotel surpassed the others. Rooms were wonderful and sumputous and the service was outstanding. I had requested early check in and was told they would try, but they could not garauntee it. A perfectly appropriate response. We arrived at 2:00 pm, with normal check in at 3:00 pm, and our room was not ready. They asked us to wait in the bar/lobby area and enjoy drinks on the house. They make a great $18 martini. We received a call on my cell phone and told that they had an upgraded suite available, if we would accept it. We had the Penn Kids package for our son, and he loved the goodie-filled backpack, as well as his own personal business cards. He also enjoyed the kid-friendly snacks delivered to the room (gummy worms, popcorn, milk and cookies). We loved the Sunday brunch, especially because they had a whole table of kid-friendly food for our picky eater. The only surprise came when we got the bill. For two adults and one child, our bill was $245. I admit that I had two glasses of champagne, but I thought it was included in the meal price. That alone raised the bill by $50. Not that we're piching pennies, but I do like to make informed choices. There is no menu, no pricing info available, and I didn't feel comfortable asking about the cost of the brunch. Everything else was top notch, we'll just go out for breakfast when we stay there again next week.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "Me and my girlfriends had reservations at \"The Lobby\" at the Peninsula Hotel this past Friday. I made reservations over 3 weeks in advance and called the day of to confirm, and everything was fine. When we arrived downstairs at the hotel the service was impeccable and everything was great until we arrived at the lobby on the 5th floor. From the MOMENT Johanna our \"hostess\" greeted us we sensed that we were not welcome. Not a hello, not a \"Welcome to the Peninsula\" nothing, this woman walked up to us, clapped her hands and stared as to infer \"how can I help you\" I stated that we had reservations and she said \"Let me check\". After waiting for about 2 minutes, I glanced over to the reservations booth where I noticed Johanna and another girl pulling a sheet out of the reservations book and putting it into the lower cubicle, removing another blank sheet, putting it in the binder and flipping it back and forth, as to infer that they did not see us listed. After the caught me staring at them, Johanna walked over and said our table would be ready in a minute (obliterating the necessity of our reservation) We were seated and ordered our tea which was not allowed to steep and our Tea Refreshments were stale and took an additional 10 minute to arrive to our table. Not to mention the not so subtle stares we were recieving from the patrons. I couldnt help but wonder if \"The Lobby\" was used to having African American patrons, since we were the ONLY blacks in the whole room, save a bus boy who 20 minutes later turned into a waiter and was serving the people next to us. I have never felt so uncomfortable in my life and I am appalled at the shabby service we received. I will NEVER go back and I strongly encourage non WASP's to do the same.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 32}, {"text": "The Peninsula is either letter perfect or head-scratchingly wrong. \nThere's no in between. More the former than the latter, thank heaven, but for what we're paying and for the reputation it brings, some of the stuff that goes on here is just plain wrong.\nThe arrival is a little confusing. Our car and bags were handled smoothly, even though we had brought our dog and he comes with a lot of equipment. (That's right, Peninsula accepts pets under 30 lb!) That's a good start. We move through the revolving doors, to the ... front desk? \nNo, it's the bell stand. The nice man tells us to take the elevator to the hotel lobby. We do, and we walk up to the ... front desk? No, it's the concierge. They politely point us to our left, and there's the front desk. We get a complimentary upgrade for the asking, and we are escorted to our room for the quick tour. So, even despite our confusion, we're off to a pretty darn good start.\nSome hotels would call our room a junior suite, it's that big. Separate dressing area, decadent bathroom with separate tub (not a jacuzzi, alas) and shower, desk and loveseat-size sofa in the main part of the room. The bed was so comfortable, I forgot to check the label to see who makes it. I would get tired just standing next to it. We also get two bathrobes and slippers. And then there's the \"James Bond\" control panel. Everything in the room is wired to a bedside panel. Ever want to hit a button that would just light up enough lights for you to walk from the bed to the bathroom? Peninsula's got it. Ever want to answer the phone in the tub and speak hands-free? Ditto. There's even a button on the phone that they program to show you the time in your home town. \nThis is as nice as it sounds, but it can get confusing. We hit a certain combination of buttons that left the bedside sconce lights off all the time. And, you can't turn the TV off with the remote, you have to turn it off at the console. So I guess it's possible to be too high-tech. The only negatives -- too little closet space, and no coffee maker. Score another point for the room. (Note another thing here -- no icemakers in the hall. This was important because we brought a cooler with our dog food, and we had to keep it filled with ice. But the staff was glad to fill it for us.)\nWe then hit the spa. We both had a fine experience there, everything you could ask for and a solicitous staff to boot. We regret not bringing our swim suits, because the lap pool has floor-to-ceiling windows looking out on the Chicago skyline. Score another point.\nOur only food & beverage experiences were at the Bar and Sunday Brunch. \nNothing wrong with the Bar, except the high prices, but hey, this is the Peninsula. Now then, about that Brunch. The food was very good (and again, high-priced), but the service wasn't just bad, it was nonexistent. I had to get up and find our waiter twice to get beverage service, and when it was time to leave, I walked to the front stand and told them that was our table over there, charge it to our room. And the place was only about two-thirds full! The fact that this was so shockingly out of step, where everywhere else we're treated like royalty, made it seem even worse. They really need to kick some behind here.\nThe Concierge was pretty disappointing. I tried to get them to get us show tickets, and they asked for my credit card number. I should have realized that they can't use my credit card, because they aren't me, but then they compounded the error by saying sorry, we can't help you. \nI felt like saying, okay, let's open our copy of Concierge for Dummies, Peninsula buys the tickets then charges them to my room. But I let it slide. Later, my wife gave them a post card to mail, and was told the stamp costs 23 cents. I know, she said. The concierge said, should I charge it to your room? There was an awkward silence as my wife was formulating one of those cleverly obscene ripostes that are her specialty. But she too let it slide, and fished a quarter out of her purse. For what we're paying, postage comes gratis.\nAnd since bad news comes in threes, let me tell you about the valet charge. $36 a day. That's three-six. Didn't get that bomb dropped on us until checkout. Anyone thinking about driving to Peninsula, note that there's a garage directly across Rush Street that charges $20 a day.\nDespite these negatives, we give the Peninsula overall high marks and recommend it. We'd even say it's a good value.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "I travel for my job and stay at hotels all over the world. I have had plenty of experience with the cream of the crop, as well as average hotels. And... when not on planes... I live in Chicago, so I know a thing or two about the local hotels. I've stayed there 5-6 times.\nGiven that backdrop - take my word that this hotel is not only the best in Chicago, but probably among the best in the world. Why? Take the main things you look for in hotels: 1) comfort is second to none, great decorating, spacious rooms, highest quality beds, pillows and linens, and all very new - the hotel is one of the most recently built ones in the city; 2) location is the best is Chicago, right on the Mag Mile, elevated off the street to reduce noise, views of the Water Tower and the lake. What more can one want? 3) service, in my experience, was extremely attentive. We ordered breakfast and it was delivered almost faster than we could get dressed, the concierge helped arrange several things and they were exceeedingly friendly and concerned about our enjoyment.\nI should also note the spa is out of this world, and the restaurant is top-rated as well.\nI cannot comment on the some of the other ratings, but anyone who has an real experience traveling would instantly recognize that hotel is a true gem. I cannot imagine anyone could find a single fault with it. \nThis level of service comes at a price, but if you can afford it, you cannot go wrong. It easily tops the other hotels in its price range.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I went there with friends on a Saturday night after dinner. It was a friend's birthday, so I was dressed pretty well. I was able to get into the bar, but I then left and went to the bathroom. Imagine my surprise when I was told that I couldn't re-enter the bar, because it was 'too crowded.' I calmly and politely asked if I could at least see if my friends were still there. One of the 'bouncers' went in to check and came out about 30s later saying that there was noone by my friend's name in there. I tried calling my friends, thinking that they had left. \nFinally one of my friends came out. The rest of the night when my friends went to the bathroom they re-entered the bar without a problem. \nAt this point I will say that I am Asian, and my friends were white. It was a pretty uncomfortable situation to be in, especially since I was about to leave my friends, several of whom were from out of town. It was their analysis, and I have to agree, that it was racially motivated. In any event I have to say to avoid this place, if you oppose bad service and/or discrimination. I'm not convinced it was discriminatory, but it's not as if I'm a scruffy-looking guy or anything. And surprisingly I didn't lose my temper and start insulting them or behaving inappropriately. So it's hard for me to explain what happened but I would still say to stay away.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 32}, {"text": "Started out at the W Hotel Lakeshore...checked out after being there 10 hours...absolutely horrible...found out it was an old Days Inn, in my opinion it still is, with a coat of brown paint and a 250.00 a night increase in price (the worst hotel)...moved to the Penisula the next day...I can't even begin to tell you how wonderful this hotel is...I travel the world and the service, attitude, quality of this hotel was the best I have EVER seen...the staff was more than friendly. Every staff person from the front desk to people you would see in elevators acknowledged you with a hello, how are you, how is your day...they were definetly TOP NOTCH...the W Hotel lake shore was $279.00 a night and the Penisula was $379.00...the extra $100.00 a night is more than made up for in the size of the room, the amenities, the spa, gym, service, etc. A wonderful hotel that i will stay in on every visit to Chicago. \nIt seemed as though I was the first person to stay in that room, it was so clean and fresh, it was amazing...The W lakeshore looked as though it had been hit by a bomb and they had some extra brown paint lying around and slapped it all over...rooms cannot get smaller than those at the W Lakeshore...if you can afford a bit more, the Penisula will give you 100 times the quality...Congrats Penisula for making my stay the best hotel experience I have had in a long time....", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "What a treat to dine and dance in the sophisticated lobby of the Chicago Peninsula this past Saturday (3/25/2003)! We were actually booked for the Shanghai Terrace. But in passing thru the lobby, we heard the magical music of Stephanie Browning and her trio. We could not leave. After a magnificent dinner by a most attentive staff, we had three incredibly pleasant hours as we danced and danced .. just like an old-time movie. Total costs less than a C-note, but pricelessly valued memories for my wife and me.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}]}, "114591": {"reviews": [{"text": "I live in Chicago - and, from time-to-time, stay downtown at luxury hotels to enjoy all that the City has to offer. This time, I made the mistake of staying at the Four Seasons. The rate was very fair - $330 for a deluxe king room on the 45th floor. The room, however, was in need of a make-over. I requested a non-smoking room. And, at check-in, was assured that I was in a non-smoking room on a floor with some smoking rooms. When I opened the room door, it smelled like a mixture of cheap perfume and ashtrays. When I complained to the front desk, they offered to move me into a standard room on a low floor with a worse view. So, I decided to deal with the smell to experience the larger room on a higher floor with a great view. The bathroom was in need of a complete renovation. The fixtures have to be from the 1960's. The furniture was worn, scratched and dented. Most of all, the room technology was below poor. In what is supposed to be one of the most luxurious hotels in the United States, I found one, old 25 inch tube TV and no DVD player in the room. There was no wireless technology to access the Internet. Finally, when I called room service and asked them to recommend a champagne selection (the beverage menu was missing from our room), they only provided me with two choices (a bottle of Dom at $285 and a bottle of Veuve at just under $100). I couldn't believe this poor service from a hotel that is supposed to have a \"champagne butler\" to assist with the selection. In sum, I got a good rate - but, for that rate, I stayed in a smoke-smelling, run down, technology-bare room. And, the one time that I requested help from a staff member, I received mediocre service. I would definitely skip this location until they upgrade it and stay down the street at the Peninsula.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "This is the Four Seasons people; it should be perfect, but it is average. The common areas are nice enough, but the rooms are really old. I pay over $700 a night and am watching TV on a 25-inch picture tube??? Why is the bathroom sink so old it makes me feel like I am stuck in the 60's? Why is the room service food reminiscent of a Hilton instead of Jean Georges? FS is getting by on brand name in this disappointing hotel. I stayed at the Peninsula two weeks prior and was wowed by the brand new rooms with all the bells and whistles that you expect from a $500+ five star hotel, and the lobby is nicer.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "I had been in town on business on Chicago and was looking forward to a relaxing afternoon at the Four Seasons Spa, which came highly recommended by a friend from Chicago. I purchased a day pass and had an hour Swedish massage, and also ordered lunch to be brought in to me. \nThe Positives: the dry sauna, the steamroom, the large towels, the accessible lockers and huge showers with all the amenities, the prompt luncheon service, the staff (very, very kind...too much so...see below), the eucalyptus-scented cool hand towels for after sauna/steamroom, the pool, the food, the variety of beverages in the pool area, the massage (EXCELLENT) and the fact that the Spa area is located on its own floor in relation to this large hotel so you are not bumping into hotel guests. \nThe Negatives: This is my big peeve. And please don't get me wrong....I love children. However, there is a time and place for them, particularly in an upscale spa. I did not at all mind the children who were guests of the hotel having access to the pool, which is seperate from the Spa, Sauna, Steamroom and Showers/Locker Area. They were loud, as small (ranging in age from 2 to 10) children will be at swimming pools and did not mind this so much due to the fact that the lounge area for the pool where the juices and teas were located were seperated by a glass wall. \nI was however, VERY perturbed at the mommies who were seemingly oblivious to their noisy, loud, spoiled children running around the Spa area grabbing magazines and spilling juices unsupervised in areas they were not to be permitted. One child, about 8 years old, was dumping tea bags on the floor for fun. Mommy could see this child through the window and did nothing. \nI understood the Four Seasons Spa to be \"child-free\" except in the pool area. The staff knew the children were running around the Spa area and did nothing about it, perhaps out of fear of the mommies. They definitely turned a blind eye, and I can state definitively that these mommies and their children were not of any relation to anyone who owns the Ritz-Carlton group.\nAt any rate, the relaxation of my massage quickly disappeared due to the children allowed in the spa area. If you luck out, you will visit on a day when children are truly not allowed in an area meant for adults who mean to relax. But do not count on the staff to handle it. I will try the Penisula Spa next trip.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 27}, {"text": "Stayed in a lovely suite on 31st floor. Saw that earplugs was provided but as it was not windy at all I did not experience the problems other reviewers have mentioned. The interior of the suite was oldfashioned and very pretty but yes one could also see that FS is in need of some touch up.\nI had breakfast in room and the service was vey good. \nThe pool and gym facilities was excellent and I was lucky to find friendly helpful staff when needed.\nWhat else? Stunning flower arrangements in the public areas and very helpful concierge. As Chicago is one option for me to move to due to work I found the information they gave me very helpful.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 401}, {"text": "We were at the Four Seasons Chicago last weekend...\nThe public areas are BEAUTIFUL, flowers everywere and the staff very friendly and helpful.\nWe had drinks at the bar, and ate at the light asian table and everything was fine... one day we had lunch at the restaurant and the food and service was excellent.\nOur room was in the 36th floor with a nice view of the lake... the room was very comfortable with nice decoration, however it does not look like a regular Four Season's room, it is a little \"old world\" style.\nWe used the spa services and installations (incl. pool)... the service was good, sometimes I was looking for help and there were nobody, I had to go to the spa reception to get help with the steam room, to get body lotion, that was weird because you see lots of people working and a second later, nobody.\nIn genera, we had a good time, will go back again, but since we have been in several FS, I'm sure that the rooms need to be at the FS standards (even that the rooms are nice).", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 428}, {"text": "After staying at many Four Seasons properties over the years, including this particular Chicago location at least a dozen times, I have finally realized that this hotel desperately needs an overhaul. The lobby is gorgeous, the staff is generally accommodating and professional, the restaurants are certainly above average and the location is ideal. Also, there is an elegant complimentary coffee/tea service set up in the reception area each morning. This hotel had become a comfortable, familiar place to stay. However, after my most recent experience, I feel it no longer meets the impeccable standards of the Four Seasons. \nI had requested a room with 2 beds, and upon checking in, I immediately noticed that the room was quite dreary, although as with most of the rooms, the view was amazing. Carpeting worn, and there was a gap in the floor across the length of the room that had been carpeted over. The headboard banged against the wall, as it was not attached to anything; there was a lampshade on the desk that was about 3 sizes too large for the base; the vinyl backing to the draperies was ripped, worn and yellowed, and there was some unsightly mold/dust in one area where the wall met the ceiling. I called to request a room change, mainly because of the headboard, and they promptly moved me to a similar room, which was an improvement. I also want to mention, the clerk who assited me at the front desk was quite brusque. I was surprised, since most front desk personnel are usually most gracious and polite.\nThat evening, due to high winds, our walls were creaking so loudly, we could barely hear the TV...and I am not exaggerating! I have heard these sounds in the past, but not to this extent. My daughter and I left for a few hours just to get away from the noise. \nUpon checkout the next morning, when asked how our stay was, I mentioned we barely slept due to the noise in our room from the walls creaking all night, so we were tired and did not enjoy our stay this time. The desk clerk half-heartedly apologized, but that was about it. This particular hotel does not maintain or operate under the Four Seasons standards of excellence. There are far too many choices of great hotels in Chicago, to be bothered and annoyed with accommodations and service like this.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 30}, {"text": "I do not understand all the negative reviews of this hotel. When I arrived, I was upgraded to a suite with fantastic views. Every single member of staff was charming and helpful and always used/remembered my name. The room was absolutely silent at night. I admit that it wasn't as new as the Peninsula but it had every amenity that you could possibly want/need and was nicely decorated. Of the public areas, the lounge was lovely (try afternoon tea, it's great) and the pool was beautiful. If you are there over a weekend, book for brunch on the Sunday - it is amazing and relatively good value for what you get.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 460}, {"text": "Stayed here on business and chose if over the peninsula since it was slightly more reasonable. Not a good decision. The common parts are quite grand but the rooms are small and very dated. The bathroom, in particular, is not up to four seasons standards with i) no double sinks and ii) no separate stall shower (you shower in the tub). In addition, the fixtures look like they are out of the 1970s. The room was quite small, sparsely decorated and had no wireless internet access. The view of the lake was definitely the best thing going for it. I did not sample the food so cannot comment on that. Staff was courteous.\nAnother reviewer pointed out that the hotel is noisy and creaks. I too experienced this and it woke me up several times during the night. It is a bizarre sensation hearing the building creaking around you! Overall, relative to other Four Seasons I have stayed at, this hotel was very disappointing and more akin to a 4 star than 5 star hotel.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "This hotel was everything I imagined it would be with beautiful rooms and accomodations and very friendly service, until it was time to sleep. The walls on each side of the room creeked like an old wooden floor all night long. They say it's due to the wind and they provide earplugs, but nothing can block out this constant noise. It was miserable and we didn't sleep much at all. On the second night we found a humidifier which helped a little, but for Four Seasons, this was disappointing. I can't imagine this is the case in all the rooms, but hopefully you don't have the same bad luck we did.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 467}, {"text": "Spring, Summer, Winter or Fall the Four Seasons Chicago is in a class all by itself.\nI recently stayed there on business while in Chicago. \nFrom the very first \" Oh Hello, Mrs. C. we have been expecting you\" ...to the \"Goodbye Mrs. C. we will look forward to seeing you again\" the entire experience was heavenly.\n It is obviously no accident the staff is well trained, polite, professional -without the slightest hint of stuffiness and \"No\" is just not in their vocabulary.\n The rooms are spotless, airy, spacious, elegantly appointed and oh so comfortable. I was upgraded to a Jr. suite on the 34th floor. My room was on a corner with huge windows on all sides with a beautiful view of the city.\n The single most impressive thing about my beautiful room was not the fabulous bed or two tv's or even three telephones or lightening fast internet connection...it was the complete silence of the room.\n I know for a fact the hotel was sold out for my entire stay but honestly I did not hear a single sound ...not a door slam, toliet flush, siren, honking horn...nothing absolute pure exquisite silence.\nMagically, my ice bucket was constantly filled to the brim with fresh ice and when I indulged in popcorn and Orangina from the mini bar they were mysteriously replaced the very same day.\n I was busy and needed to work on my computer and because of the comfort of the room decided to spend more time at the hotel and I can honestly say with the exception of venturing to Seasons for high tea, I ate every meal from room service in my room.\n High tea is an experience all of its own. I was dining alone and felt a little uncomfortable but any reservations I had were quickly dispelled when I was kindly given a beautiful small table with a breathtaking view and offered a variety of newpapers. \n As I pretended to read my paper and munched on an assortment of cucumber sandwiches and deviled eggs, I felt like the Queen of England without the hat and gloves. The only difficult decison I had to make was dessert so I had three small divine ones.\n In Room dining was wonderful; quick, hot and delicious and served very professionally.\nMy entire experience was delightful. You simply can't go wrong with this beautiful, elegant hotel. It's a true jewel in the Windy City.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 468}, {"text": "I've been a client of this hotel for 11 years (basically since it opened). I'm sad to see it recently transform from a tranquil urban oasis of fine accomodations, amenities, facilities and service into a glorified miswestern urban Disneyland-type atmosphere, overrun with screaming families, whose children repeatedly slam doors, throw things to the floor and create a general cacophony that can be heard even in corner rooms. If that's what you're looking for, then you will love this place and should make it your home away from home. But, if you're an adult on serious business or a couple looking to escape for a few nights, stay at the Peninsula instead-- that's where I'm staying next time.\nFirst off, if you're looking for a good swim or relaxing soak, forget about the pool and hot tub (and even locker rooms). Each time I came down to the pool, there were at least 4 children in the hot tub (hot water and kids equals you know what) and another 6-10 in the pool (ibid). On a previous stay, the pool had actually been closed for a day because someone's child made a mess in there. Don't even bring your bathing suit or goggles unless you plan to use them in your own bathtub. On my latest visit, I detected the stench of urine in one of the showers-- this was a first for me at this hotel and it is what ultimately motivated me write this review.\nThe gym is pretty well equipped and I did get in a decent workout, but I wasn't able to swim because the pool was so overrun, nor did I use the hot tub after my workout because of the same reason. I even decided to shower up in my room because of the aforementioned problem in the locker room.\nAs for the rooms, some other reviewers have mentioned that the decor looks dated and worn. I don't think so. The fact that the rooms are still original decor doesn't bother me-- I think they are very nice and have excellent views. Yes, the TV's are kind of old but they work fine and are well placed. The bathrooms are meticulously maintained. \nHowever, the room above us must have had 5 children in it, with the kids banging the doors, walls, screaming at the top of their lungs at all hours, early AM and PM, which prevented us from really unwinding-- the only quiet times were when the cacophanous family above us was out of their room. Housekeeping is excellent, room service is great, and the concierge staff is very good. \nIt's still a five diamond hotel, but a more accurate description would be a five diamond urban midwestern Disneyland type atmosphere.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 29}, {"text": "We love this chain and have stayed at other Four Season Hotels. However, we couldn't believe how bad this one was. Kids screaming and running around everytime we entered the hotel. All public areas were smoking areas. Empty cigarette wrappers were left on the tables. A group of 6 or so ten-year old little girls(unsupervised) were playing with make-up in the public bathrooms. They were still there when I came back a half hour later. Kids running in the halls. We have children ourselves and do not let them roam unsupervised in a hotel.\nOur room had not been vacuumed. Dried cereal was on the carpet by the bathroom. Pieces of food were under the bedside table. Ear plugs were provided by the hotel to block the noisy mechanicals. My luggage was lost by the bell caps even though it contained 2 luggage tags plus the Four Seasons tag. Our floor was subject to unannounced security sweeps which were never explained.\nWe are world travelers who stay in all type of places from low to high price ranges. We understand inconveniences. This hotel does not deserve the Four Seasons name.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "Our family of four just spent 2 nights at the Four Seasons in Chicago. We stayed in one of the cheaper suites with an adjoining room for the kids. We had a great view of Lake Michigan. The rooms and furnishings were very nice, and the location was good - right around the corner from Michigan Avenue.\n The gym/spa was outstanding. The locker room had dry and wet saunas. Freshly squeezed orange juice was available along with fresh fruit and some other juices. The indoor pool was nice, although a bit small. (My kids made sure that they did cannonballs in the pool - imitating a scene from Home Alone II which had been filmed at the same pool.)\n We didn't eat at the hotel. Grabbed a drink at the bar which was fine.\n Free internet access was available at the business center. \n Service was excellent. Bag handling, check-in and check-out was very efficient. The concierge was always helpful and friendly. Housekeeping was very quick and could be scheduled at your convenience.\n Incidentals included complimentary coffee in the lobby in the morning, lemonade in the afternoon. The kids got free popcorn and Cokes upon arrival. You can choose between the NY Times and one of the Chicago newspapers for delivery to your room. As part of the turndown service they provided complimentary bottles of water and earplugs. (Not sure why they provide the earplugs - we didn't have any problems with noise.)\n Overall, we thought that it was a great hotel. We would definitely be interested in staying here again if we return to Chicago.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 515}, {"text": "It excells in detail for service and comfort! Unparallel views and fabulous bed!!! I had the best time...", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 465}, {"text": "This hotel remains the best in Chicago! We stayed at the Peninsula Hotel 3 months ago. Although the Peninsula is very nice, you absolutely can not beat the Four Seasons service. We went there with our children on the \"Kids in the City\" package. The kids had a terrific time. There was popcorn and mini cokes in the room when we arrived. They prepared an awesome bubble bath for the kids with lots of toys and and the Sundae man came to our room and made the kids awesome Sundaes. The last thing too... room service was free for the kids. Oh yes, the pool is terrific too!!!! We will continue to make this our favorite hotel!!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 441}, {"text": "Excellent all around! I had some reservations, and considered The Penninsula, but our experience was wonderful. Lovely suite, with a view of Lake Michigan, as requested. Prompt and courteous service. Even our Pug recieved upscale accomodations! Don't be \"girlie men\" ( or women), there is nothing to fear at the Four Seasons. \nP.S. We are an out lesbian couple. For our like blessed brethren, The Seasons was welcoming at every turn.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 261}, {"text": "Wow - what a great getaway with my 5 and 7 year old. Rooms were perfect and very very clean. Pool and Whirlpool were great. Location is ideal for walking, shops or taking a carriage ride. Food at the hotel was great.\nThe highlight was the special visit to our room by the Ice Cream Man! The kids loved it and it is very family friendly!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 72}, {"text": "We choosed the Four Seasons Chicago for a four day week-end in March 2005, because we are fans of this chain. The location was perfect on the Magnificient Mile: the service was excellent; the breakfast and lunch were very good; the room (it was an upgrade) had a magnificient view of the lake and the city; we even had windows that opened to bring fresh air into the room.\nBut this hotel is dated: the room was small for a deluxe room; the TV was tiny, the carpets were used, the decor was old fashioned, and the bath/shower were not up to Four Seasons standarts. A major renovation is planned for 2006. Next time, we will try the Peninsula, even if we will not get the view of the Four Seasons.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 50}, {"text": "We stayed just one night (March 24, 2005), because this was a last minute trip, however, we were very pleased with our stay at the Four Seasons in Chicago.\nMy husband and I were traveling with our two sons (6 and 9) and we were so pleased with how family-friendly this hotel was! When we arrived, they had two freshly baked cookies and ice cold milk waiting for the boys. After a long day, this was so nice for them. We also took advantage of the \"Kids in the City\" package which allows children to eat free room service and entitles you to discounted shopping and museum tickets. If you are traveling with children, you definately want to take advantage of this!\nOur room was clean and spacious with a large parlor area, a bedroom with french doors and a large bath with separate tub and shower. Everything was very clean. Bed was very comfortable with feather pillows and comforters.\nThe pool and fitness areas, which have well-appointed locker rooms and showers, are wonderful and clean. We didn't have time to take advantage of the spa, but a lot of other people did so. The staff was very courteous and we felt very pampered. We definately would go back!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 26}, {"text": "My family of five (3yr old, 8yr old and a 12 yr old) spent the weekend down in the city for my husband's birthday. We had the family plan which had a second adjoining room with two twin beds and a rollaway for only $190! They had kid size robes, a teddy bear to take home, fun touches in the kids bathroom and games and coloring things in the room! My children were thrilled and had an incredible time. They loved the pool (and hot tub) and thought they were in heaven. \nWe booked the \"Kids in the City\" package (for $10 per night) which included many discounts/free admission to local sites including the Hancock Observatory, Adler Planetarium, The Art Institute of Chicago, The Chicago's Children's Museum, and more. Free children's gifts were available from the American Girl Place, Bloomingdale's, Galt Toys and discounts off purchases from many shops. In addition and more importantly- the kids could schedule a complimentary visit from the ice cream man, eat FREE from the in-room kids menu and milk and ADORABLE turtle cookies were left in the room in the afternoon (there was a cute chocolate milk mixer on the tray that the kids thought was so cool). \nThe service was phenomenal. When they heard it was my husband's birthday- they left an incredible torte-like cake with a card in the room. Every time we turned around they had refreshed our ice and left more water bottles. They were always making sure that we had everything, without us feeling like they were in our space all the time.\nI read comments about the rooms being small and outdated- they were on the smaller side but I have to say- I never thought that we were cramped in the room at all. As far as outdated- I didn't notice that, except that the bathroom wasn't overly luxurious. The attention, service and location, by far, outweighed any shortcomings!\nThe bottom-line is that it was a fabulous stay and I would go back in a flash. It was an extremely kid friendly 5 star hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "The service is fantastic (as one would expect at a Four Seasons), but the room was a real disappointment. The moderate/superior/deluxe rooms are all TINY and haven't been renovated in 15 years, so they feel very dated. Compared to the Peninsula, which has modern rooms with huge bathrooms and nice TV's, the Four Seasons was physically a real disappointment.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Having stayed in fifteen different Four Seasons properties around the world, in addition to Mandarin Oriental's, Rosewood, Orient Express, & Aman properties, I was so surprised at our recent experience in Chicago. The Four Seasons Chicago typically scores as one of the top 3 \"city\" hotels in the USA in most all the travel surveys. We had a Four Seasons Executive Suite booked, and I must say it looked \"tired\". The furniture, carpeting, and furnishings were well-seasoned. The bathroom (typically a Four Seasons highlight) was marginal at best. There was a single bathtub/shower combo more in tune with a Marriott. The service in some areas was wonderful and other areas weak. The Cafe, The Bar, and room service were plaqued by mediocre service while \"Seasons\" restaurant and the bell staff were delightful. The entire stay was so sub-par versus years of consistently superb Four Seasons service. I would recommend the Peninsula (1 1/2 blocks away) as a better Windy City alternative. Even as a newer hotel, they consistently rise to the occasion. Additionally, the front desk indicated room renovations are scheduled to commence January 2006. They need it... it's been 15 years!!!", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I am writing this from room 4119 in the Four Seasons. The sun is rising over the lake and streaming through the window. The view is spectacular. I've stayed in many hotels in Chicago, but avoided the Four Seasons due to cost. After much disappointment elsewhere, I elected to try it and see.\nStay here; it is worth every penny you will pay. The service is wonderful, the staff can not do enough, and the food is better than the rooms. And the rooms are great.\nI don't think I'll see staying elsewhere in the future unless the market crashes even more. This is the best hotel in the Windy City.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "An amazing hotel. Unfortunately, we stayed only one night enroute to Europe and just had barely enough time to enjoy the lovely room and fabulous room service. Our waiter even made our cosmos to order in our room!\nThe location can't be beat for shopping or just seeing the town. \nOur room was beautiful and had a massive bathroom with seperate adjoining dressing areas. And aahhh delicious smelling L'Occitane toiletries.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "The Four Seasons is a beautiful hotel with a perfect location (near the Hancock Building and Water Tower Place, right off Michigan Avenue). The accomodations were very comfortable, the staff was professional and attentive, and the food was delicious. I expected to enjoy every minute, and I did, until...bedtime. Unexpectedly, the wind kept me up all night. It was like being on a boat; the building kept creaking and knocking due to the high winds (I was on the 39th floor), and I only got 1-1/2 hours of sleep despite the earplugs furnished by the hotel. \nNext time I'll try to find a much lower floor in Chicago. Note: it is a great place to hold an event; the ballroom and dining room is spacious and elegant, and the food was served quickly and hot. Just don't plan on sleeping that night!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Took a long weekend trip in November 2003.\nThe level of service was as expected though I thought that Robert at the concierge desk was in a league of his own, whith nothing posing a problem to him.\nThe Irish barman had the knack of being very friendly without being overfamiliar.\nBeds and pillows were..well.. they were Four seasons. What more can I say?\nI could only find one fault and it is one that suprised me. The bar area is tiny for a hotel this size. It is popular with local drinkers and as a result residents can be refused entry because of lack of space. I am sure that it will be said that if the bar were enlarged that the athmosphere would be lost but I am aware of many establishments with bars at least three times the size that are still able to hold a good athmosphere.\nThis having been said the hotel is top class and the location could not be more central.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My wife and I have stayed at both the Four Seasons and the Ritz Carlton numberous times over the last 4 years. The service at the Four Seasons is excellent. Very expensive. Very formal. You will not feel comfortable in jeans. The rooms are second to none. Walking distance to many fine resturants and about 2 miles to Navy Pier. Shopping at 900 North is very expensive. Try Watertower and Michigan Avenue.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We just returned from our honeymoon in Chicago at the Four Seasons. Amazingly, they forgot to mention during reservations and at check in that they would be jackhammering marble on the floor directly above our room. Needless to say the construction began at 9am. I was also told by an Asst. Manager that it was only happening on one day. That again was untrue. I will give the Spa a true 5 \"exceptional\" since they were so wonderful. The Spa is soundproofed so you do not hear anything other than the soothing music. A must if you plan to stay at the hotel. For us, it was the only positive.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 25}]}, "111492": {"reviews": [{"text": "Dear TripAdvisor: You have put this hotel on your Travelers' Choice list but maybe you should rethink that decision.\n My husband wanted to surprise me for my 40th birthday by staying overnight in downtown Chicago. He booked a room for one night, Friday October 27th, and asked for a room on the top floor with the best view. We arrived early -at 11:00 a.m.- and were told the room wouldn't be ready until 3:00. They told us we could check in our bag and they would call our cell phone when the room was ready. We paid to check in the bag and left to do sightseeing and shopping. Although no one had called, we returned at 3:00 and retrieved our bag. The room was still not ready. Now we were told by the manager that the guests had paid to stay in the room until 5:00 p.m. so it wouldn't be ready until 6 p.m. by the time housekeeping cleaned it. They offered another room on a lower floor without the best view. I asked what the rate would be and was told it was the same. We looked at it. The view was disappointing. Since they were going to charge us the same rate we decided to wait for the better room we had originally been promised. We paid to check in our bag again. We spoke to the concierge for recommendations on where to kill some time until our room was ready. He gave us a card for a free appetizer at the hotel's adjoining restaurant, Water Street. We sat at the bar and ordered drinks and appetizers- a flatbread pizza and 2 \"sliders\", items the bartender described as the special appetizers of the day. When we presented the coupon with our order she said she could not honor it for the flatbread because that \"is not really an appetizer. It's just what we happen to be serving today.\" But she could apply it toward the sliders-$1 each. We told her to call the concierge next door. She spoke to him over the phone out of our earshot. She agreed to honor it for the flatbread but asked if we wanted the special one she had previously described or the one \"with just the cheese.\" I was ready to go back to the hotel and return the \"free\" appetizer coupon if it was going to be that painful for them to honor it. \n We were done at the restaurant around 4:30. Feeling like we were wasting our day, we went out again. At 7:10 p.m. still no one had called us. We went back to the hotel and asked if our room was ready yet. The girl behind the desk looked confused. Yes it was ready. I asked why no one had called us. She had no answer. During this conversation, the manager was present and he also offered no explanation why we had not been called. \n Once we were finally in the room we felt we should have a late check out to make up for the time we had to wait. I called the desk and spoke with the same girl we had just checked in with. She informed me the latest we would be allowed to check out was 2:00 p.m. I told her that was not satisfactory since when we tried to check in earlier we were told late check out was at 3. She put me on hold, returned and said we could check out at 3. \n Finally in the room and unpacked, I attempt to take a shower and no soap! I called the desk again. Housekeeping arrived shortly with 4 bars! I'm not trying to get extra soap. I don't think one bar of soap is too much to ask.\n Everything about our stay at Hotel Monaco went wrong and it could have so easily been fixed with an apology or a reduced room rate. There was nothing special about this hotel that would make us return or recommend it.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Hotel (and the city of Chicago) was very clean. Hotel and room decor/furnishing was beautiful and functional. Housekeeping (both morning and turn down service) was excellent. All staff members were very friendly and helpful. Wine hour is an added bonus.\nThis is a fabulous hotel with excellent service.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "After reading so many great reviews I booked the Hotel Monaco and was not disappointed. I booked through their web site about 2 1/2 months prior to arrival for $170/night plus tax for a room with 2 queens. The location was perfect - right by the river near Michigan Ave. - minutes walk to the El, Millenium Park, the Theater District and Shopping. The room was clean, a little larger than standard and nicely decorated. We had window seats in the room with a view of the river. There was Starbucks coffee in the lobby in the morning and a wine reception in the evening. To top it off, the staff was very friendly and knowledgable about the area.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "Can't say enough good things about this place. From the wine reception, friendly staff, great location, funky room with amazing water pressure in the shower---It's all good.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 24}, {"text": "I was in charge of finding a hotel for 11 ladies that were coming from all different parts of the US to see Chicago. We had picked the plastics convention weekend in June when many hotels were booked up in November . I made my reservations over the phone directly with the hotel for 1 MEDITERRANEAN SUITE which had a king size bed and a pull out sofa bed in the sitting area. There is also a huge hot tub with jets. In addition to the suite I booked 2 double queen rooms, one which was supposed to be adjoining to the suite. (That didn't work out but the manager sent a note of apology and two free bottles of wine to the suite.) In downtown Chicago double queen rooms are hard to find most are double/double. The suite was $340 a night and the double queens where $274 with a AAA discount. I thought the rates were high but actually this was less than the going rate for most of the hotels in the downtown area for that weekend. \n All the ladies liked my choice of this hotel for several reasons. \nFirst, was the FRIENDLIEST BELL SERVICE we had ever encountered. They were dressed comfortably and all seemed to enjoy helping us. We laughed and joked with them as we gathered in the front of the hotel and found every one of them to be pleasant. \nSecond, was the LOCATION of this hotel. Whether the ladies flew in at O'hare or Midway they were able to take a train to a station that was only 4 blocks from the hotel. Some ladies jogged along the lake front in the morning as far as Buckingham Fountain. In the afternoon it was an easy walk to Michigan Ave for shopping. We took the subway to a White Sox game and again it was a short walk back to the hotel. Marshall Field's was also just a few blocks away. \nThird, were the WINDOW SEATS in each room. The suite had three of them. We all gathered in the suite and several of us could sit in the window together. We had a nice view looking at the lights of the city. (The Trump construction project was also part of the view. ) \nFourth, the LITTLE TOUCHES. Free chocolate chip cookies in the lobby, as good as the ones Midwest Airlines serves. A free wine happy hour in the cozy lobby lounge. The big fluffy animal print robes. Spa type shampoo, conditioner etc. \nFifth, the restaurant manager who lent us his martini glasses to use for one night in our room. \nSixth, the cleaning staff was great. There wasn't a spot of dirt or dust in any of the rooms. \n I didn't rate the hotel as excellent because we didn't get the room set up the way we wanted. If they had given us the adjoining queen room we probably wouldn't have gotten complaints from the rooms next to us for talking and laughing too loudly. \nAlso the actual concierge misdirected us to the correct train station and was not very helpful when I asked about a boat tour down the river that included the Sears Tower. I had found the information on the Hotel Monaco web site under the concierge tab but the actual concierge couldn't find it for me when I was there. It was Shoreline Sightseeing. The bell staff guys gave much better directions and eating recommendations. \n Our experience with the hotel front desk staff and management was very pleasant. I would recommend this hotel for a group of women, but not a group that would want to party past midnight. \nThe mediterranean suite with the hot tub would be a great room for a romantic night with the hubby too.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "I stayed at the Monaco for 3 nights on business. The hotel is centrally located, in the downtown \"business district\" and is a short walk from Michigan Avenue shopping. \nPROS:\n- The rooms are an average size for a major city but well laid out. The signature large Kimpton desk with 2 chairs was useful and my standard King room had two comfy chairs, one with a nice ottoman. \n- The beds are incredibly comfortable, as you would expect from a Kimpton hotel.\n- The mini bar is large - this is important to me when I travel, as I like to remove the overpriced water and snacks and place my own inside.\n- The staff was warm and welcoming and check-in and check-out were both easy.\nCONS:\n- My room (I am a Kimpton In Touch member) faced a dark air shaft. While this was nice due to the lack of noise, there was no natural light whatsoever.\n- Because the windows don't open the smoking rooms REEKED of smoke. I am a light smoker and usually request a smoking room. The second I stepped off the elevator I realized I was on a smoking \"floor\" as the smoke hit my like a punch in the face.\nOverall it was an excellent Kimpton experience and I'd definitely stay here again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 24}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed at the Hotel Monaco this past weekend based on the reviews from TripAdvisor. It definitely met and exceeded our expectations. The location was in a terrific spot - a few blocks from the train station and walking distance to nightlife/Michigan Ave/etc. \nAfter a day out exploring, we arrived back at the hotel around 6p and took advantage of the wine reception. In the mornings, there was a short line of people filling up on the Starbucks coffee. The two best things about our room was the window box seat - we both could sit up there and look outside and people watch. The next best thing was the bed - very comfortable and gave us a good nights rest. Oh, and the price was very reasonable for the room size, the location. The concierge also directed us to some fabulous lounges to have a drink at in the evening. Would recommend this hotel to almost anyone!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 26}, {"text": "I stayed with my teenage daughter and niece at the Hotel Monaco June 30-July 2. I printed out directions, we were coming from the Field Museum, but after 1 turn the street was blocked off for Taste of Chicago. So, it took us about an hour driving around downtown in Friday rush hour traffic stuck behind a bus, but we finally found it. We opted for the valet parking at 36 dollars a night. It seemed high, but when I checked with a nearby parking garage the fee was 27 dollars for 24 hours, so the extra few dollars was worth the convenience. Check in was painless, and our bellman was very pleasant. I thought he was going to unpack our luggage for us! The room was huge, two queen beds, etc, but no window seat, which was my determining factor for choosing this hotel over it's sister hotel, the Burnham. I called down to the front desk, and the very efficient clerk assured me that I had a really nice room and I should stick with it. If i wanted to switch to a room with the window seats, it may not be as large, and I may not get two beds. I didn't feel like making a fuss, so we stayed with our non view room. As I said, it was quite large, with 2 small tables with chairs, two comfy armchairs, one with an ottoman, and the cabinet in the corner with tv, honor bar, and cd player. The bathroom was especially large also, with nice size tub and shower. I was happy to see the magnifying makeup mirror, but the bulb must have been burned out. The extras like cotton balls and cotton swabs were provided, that was a nice touch. I signed up for the Kimpton customer loyalty program, and was pleasantly surprised to receive a tray shortly after we got to our room with a personalized card, a bottle of Fiji water, and a biscotti, as well as a complimentary menu item should we go to the restaurant. The beds were comfortable, one had a down comforter, one had a blanket. The decorative pillows were kind of stained and gross, but we always just toss those to the side as soon as we get into the room anyhow, so no big deal. We faced out onto an alley, and the first night I was awakened by garbage pickup in that alley, never heard a peep from other guests though. I didn't take advantage of the wine reception in the evenings, or Starbucks in the morning, but other people seemed to be enjoying them. We were in the room the first night when the turn down attendent came, so she just left ice and candy. The second night we got back late, and I was expecting to come back to a dark room. I was pleasantly surprised to come into a dimly lit room with the relaxation channel on the tv, and a chocolate surprise on the pillow. We had a problem with the toilet not flushing efficiently, and practically before I could hang up the phone, an engineer was there, plunger in hand, and had the problem taken care of. When I returned home, I received an online survey to fill out. I dutifully fill those out, as I have gotten them at other hotels I've stayed in. I was honest, and to my surprise I got an email back from the manager saying he was sorry my stay wasn't flawless, and should I stay there again, make my reservations directly with him, and he would do everything in his power to make sure I got my 2 beds plus the window seats. That was refreshing. I've had major problems at other hotels before, and no response back from management. To have this personal reply to my minor disappointment made the difference for me between looking at another hotel among the many fine ones in downtown Chicago, or going back to the Monaco. To sum it up, the location was great for the theatre, 3 blocks to theatre where Wicked is playing. Garrett's popcorn is right next to the theatre, Marshall Fields is right there.... We'd planned on going to Water Tower place for shopping, but ended up in that same little area of State Street every day. There was plenty to do. So, try the Monaco. The staff are so friendly and efficient, and their commitment to customer service is exemplary.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "After our wedding, we went to Chicago because did not have much vacation time (we are in Minneapolis). From the monent we walked into the lobby to our last day, our experience was outstanding:\nSpecial package that includes daily chilled champaige (including ice in a bucket and 2 flutes), daily box of Marshall Fields chocolates, dairly romantic music CD, daily coupon for room service breakfast from the hotel restaurant, and daily gift certificates to Victoria's Secret.\nRoom: \n-Mediterranean Suite- enter into a main room that has a sofa bed, TV, computer desk with highspeed (though we used the wireless network via our laptop). It has 2 bay windows with a cushion so that 2 people can sit comfortably and enjoy the view of the river. That room connects to the bedroom, which has 2 similar bay windows with a seating cushion as well as a TV. The bathroom is connected to the bedroom and in pristine condition and includes a jazucci. \n-assortment of CDs, unique chocolates/snacks, chicago maps, etc in the room bar\n-daily cleaning, though the staff always respected 'Do Not Disturb' signs and happily agreed to come back at a later time when request\n-Aveda products\nCheckout: late checkout (early afternoon rather than in the morning)\nServices: \n-Restaurant in the hotel for room services and dining: we only used it for breakfast, which was good but nothing special. However, there are a plethora of dining options nearby and a taxi ride away so it does not really matter where you stay in Chicago.\n-Concierge: knowledgable, friendly, many guide books\n-quickly fixed any problems with the room (lightbulb fused) and answered questions\n-Doorman\n-Lobby personel were always friendly and helpful and made you feel like a individual patron rather than someone lost among the masses, as can happen in larger hotels \nTransportation: Loop El trains, including Brown line; free chicago shuttles along Mag Mile; taxi hailed by the doorman\nLocation: in the loop area, by the chicago river, never concerned about safety", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "We stayed for two nights over the Memorial weekend, unfortunately we had to leave on the Saturday. I booked this hotel based on the reviews and I also managed to get a very good rate. We liked the friendly relaxed attitude of the hotel and the staff, easy check in and we changed rooms as the original option on the 9th floor had no view, we were offered a room on the 4th floor which is the smoking floor. As ex smokers this did not bother us but you could smell smoke when you came out of the elevator, also in the room a little bit. The view was much better this time though, almost at the corner with a nice view over the river. We ate in the restaurant on the first night and it was OK if nothing else.\nAs others have said the location is great as you can walk easily to the places of interest, a great option for breakfast is the Old Timers Diner which is just around the corner, the dorrman told us about this place and it was just what we were looking for. \nWe just made the end of one of the wine receptions,which were good and the Starbucks in the morning was a nice touch. \nIn summary a great hotel and was not hesitate to book Kimton hotels again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I am usually one to agree with the masses and typically agree with fellow raters on TripAdvisor...but I can't agree on this one. I will preface this by saying it is possible that it is just due to the holiday weekend and the hotel being booked full, but we will not give it another chance to see.\nArrival: Doorman literally just looked at us coming in with our luggage (we had to walk from down the street due to the parade). There was no offer to try and get the door or to even help us with the luggage. I thought that was a litte strange, but okay, whatever.\nCheck-in: Perky girl at the front starts checking me in and then says \"oh, no...what do I do?\" Sorry, can't help you there! The young man next to her tells her our room is not ready and we can preregister. My husband and I were not upset at all that the room was not ready because we were there several hours before check-in. However, this young man looks at us and tells us \"we can't just kick them out you know!\" NOW I'm getting a little nervous that this is going to be the hotel from....but, we laughed and said that we understood and they said they will call us when the room is ready. We left, ate, walked the entire Mag Mile, sat at the Vet Memorial..la di dah...no calls...finally, at check-in time I ask a less perky girl if the room might be ready. She says \"no\". I mean, nothing else so I said well do you have an estimate? She said no, its hard to tell. I could go on, but lets just say that we finally were helped by an older gentlemen who was WONDERFUL. He called housekeeping got our room ready and we were in only an HOUR after check-in time.\nRoom: Next time I won't ask about the room and maybe they will actually clean it. There was a mess left from the previous guest(s). Wrappers, plastic tags and lots of hair in the bathroom. UGH. To think we paid $309 for a Med Suite and actually had to inspect the sheets to see if they were cleaned. The couch had 'stains' (I won't go there) and the floor had lots of little puddle stains. I know they are pet friendly, but this seemed a little much. The shower was extremely small and you had to do some strange maneuvering with the bathroom door to get to it and the toilet. However, we did enjoy their bathroom amenities and their cute minibar offerings. Nice view of the Chicago River, State Street and Wabash. \nRestaurant: South Water Kitchen was actually pretty good. We ate twice in the restaurant and once as room service. It was pretty basic fare but it was all very good. \nLocation: we liked where the Hotel Monaco is located. It was an easy walk to the Mag Mile, theater district, pretty much anywhere we wanted to go. The only thing I would suggest is if you are going to Chicago strictly to shop then the location may be out of the way. I can't imagine having a lot of shopping bags and not being able to drop them off occasionally. If shopping is your passion I would suggest staying on Michigan Ave somewhere such as the Intercontinental.\nIn summary, I did not hate the Hotel Monaco. I think their front desk personnel needs training in basic customer service skills and their housekeepers (at least the ones on the third floor) could use some retraining. However, it was a whimsical hotel with cute touches and does offer a complimentary wine reception in the evening.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "The staff and service made our stay at the Hotel Monaco unbelievable. Having gone in the off-season for a family event, the staff not only provided us a great reservation rate but then upgraded us to the Rock Star suite. This place was awesome with a CD jukebox, deep two-person whirlpool, giant king-size bed and comfortable sitting room with Keith Moon tv-through-the-window decorative piece. The relatives took a standard room and found it just as clean, quaint and comfortable...if less raucus. \nI can't say enough great things about our stay at the Monaco. The valets were lightning quick in retrieving the car on the busy, snowy downtown street. The desk and bell staffs were attentive and sincere. The complimentary evening wine tastings were relaxing and pleasant. There was an adjacent independent restuarant with suitable food and a range of other choices just a cab jump away. Ditto for sightseeing.\nEven if season rates are higher than you may prefer, I'd advise indulging in the Monaco and trying out a different style of hotel service.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We went to the Hotel Monaco with 3 girlfriends for a Bachelorette Party. As the organizer, I appeciated the friendly demeanor of the in-house reservations team. I felt that the price was very reasonable for it's downtown location. We loved the individuality of this hotel over cookie-cutter hotels. The decorating was very nice, and the the goldfish and leopard-print robes were a fun addition. We enjoyed the large window seat overlooking the river. The bathroom was nice and spacious- definitely a plus when 4 women are getting ready to hit the town. Unfortunately, we were out shopping during the complementary wine reception and weren't up early enough to enjoy the complementary Starbuck's Coffee! The concierge was very helpful with planning where to go out for the evening, and she supplied us with plenty of free passes. We all can't wait to go back!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "We loved The Monaco. We arrived very early and expected the hotel to hold our bags until afternoon, but there were rooms ready and they let us checkin before 10am! On arrival we requested a goldfish, who was delivered when we returned from shopping, that afternoon. We named her Myrna.\nOur first night in, turn down service included a wrapped truffle and a full bucket of ice; the next night offered tootsie roll pops. Returning from shopping we were offered fresh baked cookies. This style conscious hotel is filled with little and nice surprises.\nThe Doorman knew us by name, even though we only had one interaction, and admonished us for waiting in line at Garretts for popcorn, when he would have been happy to take care of that.\nI can't say enough about the concierges. We dealt with two, both women. One aptly took care of an issue with our airline, the other pointed us to shopping with discount coupons in hand.\nWe ate breakfast at the restaurant. The food and service were good although nothing extraordinary.\nThe rooms have a quirky feel to them. The honor bars include the usuals and items such as silly putty and stuffed goldfish souveniers.\nThere is no question we will stay at The Monaco on return trips to Chicago. With a fantastic location and hospitable staff, it has become an all time favorite.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Stayed here recently on Business. Nice, attentive staff; clean and functional rooms. The lobby was inviting with fire, free newspapers and morning coffee and evening wine. The location is great and many rooms have nice view of Chicago river. They didn't have a goldfish available, but that's a minor disappointment all considered.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Stayed here with friends for a long weekend in August and loved the hotel. Enjoyed the free nightly wine happy hour, and the accomodations were quite nice (our beds were very soft and comfortable). We had excellent views of the river from our rooms. The location was wonderful for seeing the sights around town, with easy access to public transportation nearby. My friends actually received the goldfish upon request, which they enjoyed. Some noise could be heard from rooms nearby or above, but it was minimal. Price seemed very resonable to us for the location. Will certainly return to the Windy City and plan on staying here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "This hotel was comfortable, and the service was fine. It was fairly expensive (booked at the last minute for business travel at $249 for one night and $299 the next night). The lobby was funky, but not large. I had stayed at the 71, which is right around the corner on an earlier stay. The room I got at the 71 had a fabulous view, and I'd probably try the 71 on my next stay if I end up in the same section of town.\nOne cool thing was the yoga channel on TV -- an endless loop of a yoga class. Unfortunately, the yoga gear that was promised (mat, accessories) was not in the room, and I didn't bother to request it.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We stayed here back in June. Celebrated our 5 years anniversery in Chicago and reserved a suite with a jacuzzi. The price of the suite was very reasonable, considering up a few more blocks north on Michigan Ave on the Magnificent Mile would've cost about a couple of hundred dollars more per night. The location was great. Just a short distance between the Magnificent Mile up north and the musuems down south on Michigan Ave.\nThe people who worked there were very friendly and helpful. The suite has a FANTASTIC view. We're planning on coming up to Chicago again shortly and plan on staying here. Next time though, we're taking our dogs with us. Did I mention this place is dog friendly? ;-)", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 29}, {"text": "I am pleased to say I have stayed in a lot of hotels but The Monaco is very affordable, a very nice comfortable, and relaxing hotel with the suites there are jacuzzis in the bathroom and close to clubs restaurants and magnificent Michigan Avenue. I recently stayed at the Embassy suites and it is also very comfortable, affordable and relaxing the lobby is outstanding when you walk in it seems like your still outside it has more of a party atmosphere than a lobby. There is a great restaurant right downstairs and it is also located by the nightlife chicago has to offer. If your looking for affordable plus comfortable these to places are definitely places you would like to stay.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "My extended family stayed at the Hotel Monaco to celebrate a wedding in the city. We were not disappointed.\nEvery aspect of the hotel was wonderful. The eclectic decor, the friendly staff, the free coffee in the mornings and wine in the evenings, the comfortable lobby--this hotel has all the elements of an excellent boutique property. The rooms have large window seats, excellent for reading, relaxing, or just watching the busy Chicago traffic.\nThe concierge gave us excellent tips on nearby eateries, and helped members of our party find their way to the museums. \nI would echo other reviewers in saying that the hotel's restaurant, the South Water Kitchen, was disappointing. The food was less than stellar, and overpriced, and the service slow.\nThe hotel, however, was outstanding. I would definitely stay here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 34}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed at Hotel Monaco for a weekend getaway. The hotel staff was courteous and helpful with suggestions for dining, transportation, etc. The hotel room itself had lots of character and was very charming. The only downfall to our trip was the hotel's restaurant, the Southwater Kitchen. We waited 45 minutes for our breakfast to be served in the restaurant and finally got up and left. I'd definitely stay here again!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 34}, {"text": "For our anniversary my wife surprised me with a stay at the Hotel Monaco in Chicago. We had an awesome time there. The room (suite) was spacious and the whirlpool tub for 2 was a nice touch. Both the bedroom and living room were fun and eclectically furnished. We got a lot of use out of the window seats overlooking the river (Chicago River) in our corner room. The staff was great and the valet guy was the best (not to mention he went to U of M Duluth...where we live!). We look forward to staying there again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "Our stay at Hotel Monaco over Memorial Day weekend was very nice. The staff was wonderful...very helpful and friendly. We flew on a red-eye flight from San Diego and therefore arrived at the hotel very early in the morning. The front desk staff was willing to check us in early, if we were willing to go for a king size bed, and we would have a view of the river, too. Unfortunately because it was two friends travelling together, we opted to wait until the afternoon to check in, so that we could have two double beds. The rooms were adoreable, and the beds extremely comfortable with down duvets. There are two window seats in the room, which made for some great relax time, especially with a view of the river and the city. The bell staff and conciege were also very friendly and helpful and gave us some good recommendations for dining / jazz clubs / etc. While in Chicago, try RUMBA restaurant on hubbard street. It was unbelievable with live music and dancing on Saturday night. Make a reservation and dress well...it's pricey but very well worth it. b", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "This was our first trip to Chicago. The Monaco was fabulous. Check in and check out were simple. At check-in we asked for and were given a room with a view of the river. Very romantic room, good sized with beautiful decor. Afternoon wine was great - wish we had been less shy and had taken advantage of chair massage they offered. Concierge was great - got us reservation at the classy restaurant at John Hancock building for fireworks at the last minute. Location, location, location was fabulous. Easy access to museums, Magnificent Mile, river cruises, Millenium Park. Major sights are very walkable from hotel even with blisters from ill-fitting shoes or easily accessible by bus from Michigan Avenue. Don't miss \"the bean\" at Millenium Park. Will definitely stay at other Kimpton Hotels - we were very impressed. Although there are other terrific Kimpton hotels in Chicago would stay at Monaco again because of the super location and river view.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We live in a Chicago suburb and needed a day 'away' so we stayed at the Hotel Monaco. What an excellent hotel with great service and a stylish and clean room! \nThe Hotel's location couldn't be better with Millennium Park, Michigan Avenue, the Loop and Navy Pier within walking distance. The complimentary evening wine tasting was nice and our really cool 'companion' goldfish was delivered during what the front desk called their '9 p.m. goldfish run'. \nAsk for a 'quiet' room to avoid the loud late night folks and the elevators. Also, use the excellent concierge who seemed to know all the sales and store hours for places in the area. \nWe visited my sister-in-law who was staying at the Swissotel on Wacker Drive at the same time. While her room had a better view, it didn't have half the character or the same excellent service that we enjoyed at the Hotel Monaco.\nI'm becoming a big fan of Kimtpon Hotels which owns Hotel Monaco and other really interesting and fun 'boutique' hotels in Chicago and around the country.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We just returned from our first stay at the Monaco. Having read all the reviews, I was curious as to what my impressions of the hotel and staff would be. I found the staff to be friendly and helpful ( even at the concierge desk which several reviewers had blasted). Our room was cheery, clean, and spacious. The hotel located just around the corner from the El-lines and Metra, so getting around was easy. And as far as the complaints that it was too far to walk to Michigan Ave., those reviewers must not walk at all at home. Michigan Ave. is a five minute walk. I would definitely stay at this hotel again. It had everything I want from a four star hotel and is a good value for the price.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "After staying at the Monaco in Seattle, the Chicago Monaco is not as nice -- nor the staff as helpful. The concierge was a joke. Recommended mostly all the places you find in the glossy hotel magazine for dining. Room was bizarre in its layout -- very difficult bathroom to use as the door barely cleared the tub and sink and the smallest shower I have ever used -- including on a cruise ship. This was the Mediterranean Suite. Doesn't hold a candle to the one in Seatte. Will not stay here again. Too many nice hotels to choose from. Great location, though.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I love all of the Chicago Kimpton Hotels but since my last stay at Hotel Monaco have decided the this is my new favorite. Check in was a breeze, I asked about room size and the clerk told me If I wanted a bigger room with no view I could have it for the same price. Huge! two very comfortable king beds, two comfy chairs with ottomans a desk and armoire with t.v.. Bathroom wasn't huge but we managed. Foyer was large to accomodate our luggage so as not to mess up sleeping area. The Decor was very funky and fun. Afternoon wine hour was a hit in the lovely common area with fireplace. Concierge was helpful as was the valet team. The one bad thing and it was bad was after a full day of shopping we returned to our room at about 8:00 for a quick change for our dinner reservations and our room had not been cleaned no fresh towels nothing. When I called they immediately sent somebody to our room w/towels then finished after we left for the evening. Despite that I will definitely stay again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed at the Hotel Monaco for 2 nights in celebration of our 10th anniversary. Everything was fabulous...our room overlooked the Chicago River, great French Deco furnishings, Luxury bed linens, great service, and walking distance to everything. The only icky thing is our \"pet goldfish\", which is a cute perk to staying at the Monaco, was belly up upon our return one night. The replacement fish was found in the same condition the following night. Yuck! We did get a good laugh out of it and do plan to return.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I am writing this from my room in Hotel Monaco at the end of a long weekend in January 2005. All in all, the hotel has lived up to my very high expectations! Towncar transfer was arranged perfectly, check-in was a breeze, I was up in my room before I knew it. As I had requested, I had a high floor room overlooking the river, great view from the window seat. Decoration of the room and hotel in general is colourful, a nice change from generic chain hotels without falling into annoyingly trying-to-hard-to-be-hip. Bed is very comfortable, nice bathroom with Aveda amenities. One of the things I liked most about the hotel is all the added amenities. Every morning free coffee and tea, free wine in the evening, turndown service, etc.etc. Staff are very polite. Nice touch was also the discount card I got, to redeem at my next stay at a Kimpton Hotel; to me that is an incentive, more than some frequent guest programs where you need to stay numerous times before you can have the benefits. Location of the hotel is also great, within walking distance of everything - in contrary to other reviewers I found the walk to Michigan Av to be absolutely no problem at all. I would highly recommend Hotel Monaco!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "Ok, my husband and I stayed at the Chicago Hotel Monaco New Years Weekend. The man at the front desk was very cold, so were the women at concierge... when they were actually AT THEIR DESK. The location isnt that bad, but next time I think I will stay directly on Michigan Avenue. The walk isnt too bad the first time, but we couldnt move by the time we were finished shopping on the Magnificent Mile (and we had comfy shoes on) so we had to take a $5 cab back to the hotel and we continued taking cabs for the rest of our stay. The hotel restaurant, South Water Kitchen, was great for breakfast, a bit pricey but everything is pricey in that area. We ordered extra shampoo and towels... never received them. The mini fridge was stocked well, but the little goodies bin looked like the goodies have been there for years. Dusty with crumbled wrappers. The bed was comfortable and we loved the down comforter, the bathroom was a decent size. The window seat was a great touch, except for the stains on its pillow top. We paid $160 a night and I think that was decent for what we received (all the other hotels were $200++). We were out most of the time so it wasnt too bad. The lobby is small but nicely decorated, free starbucks coffee in the lobby was too strong, again, front desk was rude. Overall, if you pay $160 or less, you are more or less getting an OK deal. But I would suggest that you put a couple extra bucks into a nicer hotel on Michigan Avenue where everything is happening. Oh, and we tried the world famous popcorn... great popcorn but not worth the 45 minute wait in line. Navy Pier was nice!", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I stayed at the Chicago Monaco on Halloween night 2004. The location is great. Easy walking to shops & restaurants & not far from the bus stop. As usual the Monacos are beautifully decorated. We enjoed excellent service & an evening wine reception. The restaurant South Water Kitchen had served a wonderful breakfast & a delightful staff. They are a pet friendly hotel as well. They offer a business center which allows free access to the internet. The rooms are a little larger than normal. I would return with out hesitation. \nKA Snodgrass AAA Travel", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My family and I satyed at the Monaco for one night and had a wondeful time! The hotel was in the center of it all. The staff was friendly form the check-in to the valet. We love the window seat and spent all the morning lookig out of it. We had a suite and it did not let us down. The colors were vibrant and inviting, very comfy! The bathroom wa also gorgeous. The jacuzzi was relaxing and the bath products scented the room the whole stay! Overall, WONDERUL!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Just spent two nights at the Monaco. Very good hotel, and I'd stay again. Some of the criticisms in the thread below are just unfair and harsh; e.g., fwiw, the front desk LV replica is NOT shabby.\nI prize the following in a hotel: value, convenience, cleanliness and ambience.\nPros and cons as I saw it:\n1) Convenience: arrived at Midway on Southwest at 0920. Took our carryon bags straight to the Orange line, $1.75 fare one way. Made the mistake of transferring to the State line, although we ended up in the new Pedway and exited through the Marshall Fields--my wife thought that was a good thing. The hotel is only a block or two away from the El station, an easy walk even with bags. Gate to door time was about 40 minutes, and was 30 minutes on the departure since we took the Orange line directly to the airport.\nI think Chicago is a very easy town to navigate, but the hotel location makes it extremely easy. The in room maps made finding our eating locations and walking strategies easy to figure. Concierge gave a very accurate estimate of how long it would take to cab to Charlie Trotter's; finding a cab on a wet Friday evening in December was a challenge; we walked over to the Wrigley building and caught one after about 5 minutes.\n2) Cleanliness- the room was spotless. Be aware that this is an old building and there is some sound transmission from the halls to your room. We had room 1212 with an excellent view of the river, even with our early check in. The bay windows are nice. Most of the noise actually came from other guests who thought nothing of allowing their doors to slam behind them. Staff was very polite and appreciative when we gave her a tip at the end of our stay.\n3) Ambience- a pretty good effort here. I like the Kimpton approach, having stayed at the Argonaut this summer in San Francisco. Kind of an eclectic decor. The room was comfortable, the bed was fine; there's about 25 cable channels (no HBO). Did not dine at the hotel or the adjacent restaurant. Did eat at the Corner Bakery just down the street. All staff were fairly friendly. Business Center on the third floor had free internet access and a printer (no printer from the front desk computer) so we could checkin with Southwest online and get our boarding passes ahead of time.\n4) Value-- this is one of the city's busiest weekends; no discounts of significance. Paid $199 per night and felt good about it at checkout. Paid two and a half times that for a single meal at Charlie Trotter's (and, incredibly, felt good about that too!). No question I've stayed at hotels with higher marks, but often with a notably higher price tag. I have stayed at the Ritz Carlton in Chicago and liked it, but would return to the Monaco first. The Kimpton group is usually willing to exceed any discount you can find on the Net, so be sure to ask when you book.\nIf you're a reasonable guest with fair expectations (unlike some of the whining I've read here), I think you'll have a good time.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Disappointed!\nThe first time we went to Chicago we stayed at the Hotel Burnham. The hotel was fabulous, the rooms were exquisite and the service was impeccable. As a result, we wanted to try another Kimpton Boutique Hotel and after seeing the reviews, we decided to stay at the Monaco. When we first arrived the front desk staff was rude and acted as if we were inconveniencing them when we asked for the added touch of the pet goldfish. They cared more about their chic instead of their job. The rooms were nice and large and my fiancee loved the little alcove where he could stare at all the activity outside. The next morning after our room was serviced VERY LATE AND we did not receive new glasses or the ironing board returned to its original location. An addition to the other amenities the Monaco provides a complimentary wine hour. During this hour, we went across the street to the White Hen to pick up some juice for in the morning. After returning to the hotel the front desk staff advised us of the wine hour. We politely said that we may come down later. Looking at our juice, he then emphasized to us that the wine hour was \"FREE\" insinuating that cost was a factor to us and we were being cheap. That night we wanted to eat at an italian restaurant and the concierge recommended a place 2 minutes away stating that the staff eats there regularly. The food at Nick & Tony's, THE GRILL ROOM, was horrible UNLESS YOU HAVE NO TATSEBUDS. We only ate two bites and then decided to eat sandwiches from White Hen. The next day we ate at a much better location for a lot better price off Michigan. We had a great time in Chicago but for the true hotel experience I am staying at the Burnham.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "My wife and I brought our daughter downtown for a blowout \"American Girl\" Weekend and chose the Monaco because of it's glowing reviews. We arrived late and maybe that's when they put out their second-stringers, but we felt unwelcome by the desk staff--like we were an intrusion. I'll never understand this--they're in the hospitality business and they're inhospitable! (This is getting picky, but the reception desk which is cleverly designed to look like a vintage Louis Vuitton trunk needs some maintenance. The repeated \"HM\" initials are peeling off--looks like they used rub-downs where they should have silk screened for durability). When we got to our room we found the maid's ratty work shoes at the foot of the bed (yuck!). I'm still trying to figure out that scenario. There were no ashes--so I've ruled out spontaneous combustion. Also, to the disappointment of my daughter, the much-advertised goldfish was MIA. The bellhop (who apologized for the shoes) explained that they take away the fish when they turn down the bed \"...is that OK?\" he said. I think the proper response at a hotel like this would have been to bring up a stinking 35\u00a2 fish to make a tired 5-year-old happy. On the up side, the rooms are nice and have an over-the-top decoration that my daughter loved (\"I'd like to live here!\" she said). The bed is VERY comfortable--my wife wants the same brand now. The bathroom is nicely appointed with quality materials and good strong shower--except for the cheap fall-apart-while-you're-using-it toilet paper. Come on Kimpton! How much can a decent roll cost? The view towards the river is great (try to get one) and my daughter loved the upholstered wide ledge by the window--she closed the curtains and was in her own \"club house\" watching the world go by from from high above the city. In short: very nice hotel--desk staff at night could be nicer (wouldn't cost anything and would have made up for the maid's shoes!)", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Their website gives the impression that they have two, and only two, types of rooms: regular and suite. The rooms actually come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. When checking in, we didn\u2019t make any specific request, so we got a narrow room with a bed that was too big for it, and no view to boot. Lesson learned -- specifically ask for a big room, and a river view, or at least a view out on to Wabash Avenue.\nAlso, definitely take them up on their offer of a free pass at the gym down the street, the exercise \u201croom\u201d is more like a closet. And the curb in front of the hotel gets crowded, so dropping off luggage can be an adventure. The bellhops do their best, but someone directing traffic would be better.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I just returned from Chicago where I stayed at the Hotel Monaco. It was a great experience. The hotel is in a great location, close to shopping and theatres. The decor is really great, so different than all the other boring hotels. They even give you a goldfish for your stay if you want one -- how unique. From 5pm to 6pm there was wine hour in the beautiful lobby. All of the staff was very friendly and the Concierge was so helpful. I'd recommend this hotel to anyone and plan to stay there again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "I really like the Kimpton hotels, and this is like any of them - a decent value, boutique feel, with some fun, sleek and even tongue-in-cheek furnishings. Rooms are nice, about what you'd expect, with some really nice views of the Chicago river and downtown. It's not my favorite of the Kimptons out there, but it's still a nicer (and more interesting) experience than most of the business (or leisure) hotels you'll stay at. Note: a full menu room service ends at 9:30 PM -- which is a bummer if you're just flying in late.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Stayed at the Hotel Monaco over 4th of July weekend. When booking months in advance I requested a quiet room. Upon arrival found room faced a brick wall with a very large and noisy air handler. Room was decent sized. There were no window seats. Just 1 window with no seat which is understandable because there is no view. The bathroom was huge and everything was spotless. The bed however was one of the worst I have ever slept in. Very soft and sagged in the middle. It was ironic seeing that all linens were top notch for this abominable bed. It is hard to tell if the lack of sleep was from the bed or the loud air handlers. The next day I requested a different room. The desk was very courteous and prompt in responding to my complaints. We were moved to a much smaller room which did have the 2 window seats. You could hear a lot of traffic noise as you are facing the street. Fortunately it was not too bad. Unfortunately, the bed was just the same as the previous room. Terribly soft and sagging in the middle. We never heard any noise from neighboring rooms. However the hallway noise can be loud. We never ate at the restaurant on site because I thought it was rather pricey. Across the street is a deli and around the corner was a Corner Bakery.\nThe decor in the rooms is top notch and fun. I like that they use duvet covers which are changed daily. After seeing 60 minutes where it crucified the hygiene of comforter covers in hotels i.e. the amount of bodily fluids on these comforters which are not typically washed on a regular basis, I am relieved to see the duvet covers. The location puts you walking distance to everything. The staff and concierge were very helpful and welcoming. \nSince My husband and I travel to Chicago at least once a year we like to try different hotels. I liked the Hotel Monaco but did not fall in love with it like many other writers. I found the Swissotel similar in price and location. Although it lacked the ecclectic decor and outgoing staff, I found it to be far more comfortable with larger rooms, outstanding views, top quality beds and very peaceful. I will probably return there next time.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Just stayed over Valentines Day. It was a real romantic treat. The staff was very friendly. Room was funky and cool; loved the striped walls, amply stocked goodies and giant round mirror- strategically placed, too. Look for the complimentary CD!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I have stayed in hotels all over the world, and this is probably the worst service that I've ever experienced. The staff was unaccomodating and the hotel did not provide the services that it claimed it would. I decided to try the Monaco because it seemed interesting, was close to the theater, and had what seemed to be a good rate. What a huge mistake. The front desk staff was condescending and not even remotely helpful. The room was not clean, the gold fish we had requested came many hours after we told them we would be arriving, they never bothered to come turn down the beds, and the late check-out \"priviledges\" which were guarenteed when I booked the room suddenly became \"upon request\" - boy the extra 30 minutes they gave me sure were helpful. Dont' waste your time or your money here. At best, it's nothing special. \nPersonally, I like the Fairmont in Chicago, but anyplace woudl be better than the Monaco.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I stayed here the nights of May 10th and 11th. The staff was very professional and friendly. When we first went up to our room, the key didn't work so we had to go back down to the front desk. They were very helpful. We also found a part glass of milk obviously left by another person. They took care of it for us and apologized. Someone showed a few minutes later to inspect the room. But that was really the only problem. The room was very clean. The location was wonderful. Easy access to a lot of things. The free trolley is about a block and a half away. You can use that to go to a lot places like the Art Institute and Navy Pier. My biggest complaint was the room. It was very small especially for four people. The beds were shoved against the wall on one side so the person sleeping on that side of the bed had to crawl down to the end to get out. Not very comfortable. I could get claustrophobic if I had to spend much time there. The pillows were non existent. You couldn't really tell whether your head was on the pillow or the mattress, that's how thin they were. Also, the restaurant that is on the premises is very expensive. I expect that to a degree but their prices were outrageous. The cheapest dinner they had was $17.00. We ended up having two pieces of cheesecake and two cups of coffee and they bill was $21. There are a lot of places to eat around there. I wouldn't recommend their restaurant. Also, the convenience store across the street is really expensive. You would be better off stopping at Walgreen's which isn't that far away. They had a lot better prices.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Just got back from a great trip to the Windy City. Had an excellent stay at the Hotel Monaco. My room had a very comfy king sized bed,and a wonderful window seat from which I watched an awesome night time thunderstorm. I also enjoyed the cd stereo and the Aveda bath products. The location of the hotel couldn't have been better for my needs, very quiet at night yet only a few blocks to the Art Institute in one direction, and the great shopping along Michigan Avenue in the other direction. The hotel has a wonderful concierge and is a 4 block walk to the Blue Line train which goes all the way to O'Hare airport for only $1.50. I booked the room through the Kimpton group which has an 800 number (1-800-KIMPTON) and was offered the AMAZING \"tickle-me-pink\" rate of only $119/night, much less than I could find on any \"discount\" hotel website. I highly recommend this hotel for it's rooms, location and staff. Cannot reccomend room service though, I paid over $20 for an average tunafish sandwich (I ordered a chicken BLT). The front desk people seem a bit unfriendly and overworked but took care of a noise complaint within one minute, the same when my minibar key got stuck. There is an adequate American restaurant on site with sporadic hours, and a 24 hour convenience store is directly across the street. All in all, probably the BEST value for a stay in Chicago. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "My sister and I stayed one night with kids for the air and water show. After returning from a long day at the beach this room provided plenty of space and comfort for 2 adults and 3 kids. The kids had their own room and tv. The decor is contemporary and just plain kool. We had an awesome view of the Chicago River and Wrigley Building. I've lived here all my life and I still enjoy staying downtown. Lots of restaurants within walking distance. Lobby was small but comfy. Staff was great and bell person was very helpful (lots of bags and kids). Parking is very pricey but convenient with in-out option. Great location, great views. Check this out..", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My husband won free tickets to see Buddy Guy in January, 2003 and we decided to make a weekend of it. Got an excellent price from Expedia - and the Hotel was wonderful! We got a jacuzzi suite - very interesting, bright modern decor -(the couch was a little stained); bed was top class; bathroom very nice; but the window boxes in the bedroom were exceptional!! You can sleep in them - overlooking the Chicago River - I really enjoyed just sitting in them and looking out at the snow. Staff was great - and I loved the goldfish! I could live in that suite...", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "1566945": {"reviews": []}, "87654": {"reviews": [{"text": "Avoid The Talbot, especially for group functions. My in-laws spent a great deal of time trying to find just the right hotel to use for our wedding party and several out of town guests. They were lured in by promises from The Talbot, that since they were a small boutique hotel that they could provide \"special, personal treatment\". Nothing could have been further from the truth. They failed to honor two requests to keep the bar open after our reception, they persistently confused reservation requests, they front desk failed to contact the valet despite multiple requests and nearly caused of my guests, his wife, and his two year old daughter to miss their departing flight. Now the worse part. Mistakes are made, even hotel managers are human, but where a hotel, which is supposed to be in the hospitality service, can distinguish itself is in how they handle and correct the error. Case in point: I had requested on several occasions when I made the reservations for my family that they all be placed under my credit card, all expenses, they assurred me that this would be no problem. Of course, when my brother, his wife, and asthmatic five year old arrived to searing hot and humid Chicago after six hours of travel they wouldn't let them check in until they physically saw my card... again despite them having my card on record, and despite my explaining this to them over the phone. My brother recalls the \"indignation\" of the desk clerk when he mentioned that the charges were to be put on my card. Then Another guest, in this case my older brother, came by and put the charges onto his card so that the five year old could escape the heat and the prolonged waiting in the lobby. When I finally was able to get across town, leaving a Cubs game early, I again spoke to them about putting all the charges on my account. Again they agreed, but never did anything about it. In the end when my older brother checked out on Sunday he was told everything was alright, but when he went to his ATM his account was frozen from \"unathorized overuse\". The hotel kept billing his debit card automatically for multiple charges ubtil his account was essentially drained. When he got home he had to take an entire day off to discuss with his bank how to rectify these events. I spent Sunday afternoon for an hour and three hours on Monday, the first two days of my honeymoon on the phone, calling The Talbot, the credit card fraud division, my brother, etc trying to solve this situation. The most aggregious insults continued to come form the covering manager, who at one point suggested that \"I was mistaken about coming back down to talk with the desk clerk about these matters\".... this was a witnessed event, and her insinuation was that I was lying, and that there was no way her clerk could have made a mistake. In the end, there is no one running this place... managers from one department refer you to the manager of another departments voice mail. When I was finally able to get the name of the general manager (after two days)m neither he nor his assistant would ever call back. The communication between the staff and mangement is non-existant.\nFortuneatly the staff at the Signature Room (where we had the reception) was beyond excellent so the day was not lost, but the The Talbot went out of its way to insult and poorly serve my family and many of our wedding guests.\nTry The Ambassador East (same neighborhood) cheaper, much more professional staff.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Just back from a weekend stay at Chicago's Talbot Hotel and we all awarded it high marks for location, ambiance and service. It's locaction between Rush and State streets is ideal just a couple of blocks from the Magnificent Mile, the John Hancock Center and the WaterTower which is a great stop for tourist information and for picking up the Hop on Hop off bus.\nIt has great curb appeal with a lovely outdoor dining area - all cheery yellow tablecloths and cafe umbrellas. We had a great alfresco breakfast, Nutella and banana crepes.\nLike most boutique hotels the lobby is small but it's charming - lots of leather couches and antiques ( including a score of French horns) and sort of an English Club look and feel. Great lobby bar but terrible Cosmopolitans and the house wines need to be upgraded.\nOur room was clean, attractive,very spacious and with two large windows it was flooded with sunshine.The bathroom was a decent size with double sink, a make-up mirror (my favorite amenity) and Aveda toiliteries. The bathtub was a bit shabby and the water pressure didn;t allow for an invigorating shower. No complaints on the beds - comfortable enough.\nWe found the service to be good despite a glitch at check-in. Gene the conciegre was \nso accomodating and delivered great advice and some terrific dinner reservations on Saturday night\nWe'll return.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "I called the Talbott for price and avaiability in april 05 for a stay in Chicago in Oct 05. I was asked for my credit card # and assured I would not be charged until I made the actual reservation. I was then charged in Oct for one days stay {$241.00} on my credit card. no reservation was made, and no contact with the hotel to show any transaction had occurred. Now I am still working with my credit card to have this removed. never stayed at hotel, just a bad transaction.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Great front desk staff, the rest of the experience was dreadful. The room service staff have to be among the most poorly trained I have ever encountered. We had to ask FOUR times for the staff not to slam the supply closet, adjacent to our room (almost in the room itself). They do these random room checks for the minibar, as if the entire budget hinged on the sale of a can of $9 peanuts. The roomservice is also equipped with walkie-talkies as loud as megaphones. If you like sleeping in on your vacation, don't stay here. Also, the hotel was under massive construction, a detail that was conveniently excluded from the website. SO we had to take the elevator with construction workers just about every time we used it. No discount because of the work and noise. I'd rather sleep in a box in the alley.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "I just returned from Chicago with a girlfriend. The Talbott was a very nice place to stay. It is a smaller hotel, but it has the best service. It is the kind of place where everyone knows your name and wants you to have the best experience possible. The conceirge was so helpful getting us into the best restraunts on a last minutes notice, also finding us Oprah tickets! They also printed up my boarding pass, delivered it to my room and did not charge me for their service. They do not nickel and dime you for everything at this hotel. The rooms were very spacious and clean, nice Aveada products in the bathroom and it stayed at a very comfortable temperature. We had 2 queen beds and had plenty of room to move around. It is a short 1.5 blocks from all the shopping and food on Michigan Ave. The American Girl Store was very close by and a must for people with little girls in their lives. The only downsides I can think of is the view from our window was not very great but it was no big deal for us because we only looked outside once. Also there are only 2 elevators so if it was very busy you may have to wait, but we did not have a problem with that. Overall, we were very pleased with our choice to stay there. It was a very intimate hotel and we felt very at home. We cannot wait to go back there for more shopping and fun.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Any traveler who is loyal to a favorite hotel has experienced this sad truth: eventually the lodging deteriorates. But you do not expect the price to double and triple at the same time!\nI have been staying at the Talbott for several decades.\nYes, changes have been made, like the updated heating and cooling systems and the front entrance, most recently.\nBut other things have gone downhill. For the last several stays I have experienced very dirty carpets and slow service.\nRates have skyrocketed and now they are asking for 3 night minimum stays on many occasions. This is the kind of rate structure one might expect from the 5 star hotels within spitting distance of The Talbott, but not this less-than-maintained lodging.\nI, personally, am shopping for a new home away from home.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We booked at another hotel a block away and spent a unhappy night. We walked over to the Talbott and the courtiest staff showed us a room and we booked the rest of our stay.\nThe room was very attractive and well furnished with double sinks in the bathroom. The tub is large and the shower a pleasure. The location was quiet as requested.\nThe staff was always cheerful and very helpful. Tim and Stephanie provide excellent concierge services! \nThe breakfast at the Basil Cafe is a great way to start the day.\nWe travel a lot and appreciate the ambiance of a good hotel. I would highly recommend the Talbott for your stay.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "After looking over several other hotel reviews in the same area we decided on The Talbott and were not disappointed. Our room was nicer than the picture shown on the web site. We had previously stayed at the Knickerbocker a year ago and the price this year was $100 more per night than we had paid in '04. The rate we got at the Talbott was fair and now we'll never go back to the Knickerbocker. Our room was comfortable and spacious, well maintained. The only minor, and I mean very minor, flaw with our room was that it was so big that the TV was a little bit too far away from the bed, but as I said, that's a very minor criticism. The staff were all very efficient and courteous. The location is great. It's within walking distance to lots of shopping on Michigan Ave and many restaurants in all price ranges. We would definitely stay at the Talbott again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I'm posting this review years after our stay but only recently discovered trip advisor. I won't write reviews for all the hotels we have visited but felt compelled to let readers know about the Talbott. Everything about our stay exceeded our expectations. It's a great location, our room was large and quiet. But the staff really made the difference. Some luxury hotels employ a concierge staff that seem annoyed when you ask for help. Some are willing to help but are aloof. The Talbott staff looked for ways to help us. When we checked in we mentioned to the front desk that since it was late we would like to go down the street for a quick meal at the cheesecake factory. The concierge overheard us and, after we had checked in, caught our attention as we were leaving for dinner. He gave us his card and told us to give it to the restaurant and it might cut some time off our wait. The concierge went even further and actually called the cheesecake factory to let them know we were coming. The couple in front of us was told there was a 45 minute wait. We waited only 5 minutes with the concierge's card and call. The great service continued throughout the long weekend and we will always stay at the Talbott when we travel to Chicago.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Location, location, location. What a great find! Excellent, well-run, small boutique-type hotel on a tree-lined street near all the action without being in the oppressive crunch of it. Rooms are good-sized and clean; good bed and shower with tub. The air conditioner, as mentioned in other reviews, is noisy, but it's a minor complaint. The staff is simply wonderful and attentive from housecleaning to concierge. The on site restaurant is great. The red-line El is about 3-4 blocks away which makes getting around the city a breeze. You are footsteps away from Rush Street and North Michigan Avenue and Lake Michigan. I would not have a moment's hesitation booking at this hotel again in the future; in fact, I wouldn't book anywhere else.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Firstly, I paid $175CAD a night. For the price, it was not bad. I would not pay any more for this hotel though, as other hotels that are significantly nicer are not that much more. \nThe hotel has a nice classical European charm. Was clean. Staff were friendly and helpful, and as stated, the construction in the lobby is pretty much finished. \nOne thing to note is that soundproofing is nonexistant. You can literally hear everything that goes on in the hallways, upstairs, and beside you.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Hotel staff was incredibly friendly. Room was large and clean with Aveda products in the marble bathroom. The hotel is a small European boutique style property. The location is perfect and only a couple of blocks from the heart of Michigan Avenue's world famous shopping. The bed was comfortable. The rooms have a window air-conditioner unit which takes a bit to get used to. The value of the hotel is incredible and overall I would recommend anyone to stay here if you are looking for a quaint, luxury, and fair priced hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Just back from spending Memorial Day weekend in Chicago. We decided to stay at the Talbott, and we reserved a room there over a month ago. I must say that we found the staff to be wonderful, but the accommodations to be quite disappointing. We were given room #1605. Avoid this room at all costs! The adjacent elevator is so noisy that it will keep you awake most of the night (and then awaken you at 6 AM). In addition, we had requested a king bed, and #1605 has two doubles. We were also surprised that there was no coffee maker in the room. Despite the very friendly staff and its super location, the Talbott was less than what we expected, and we would probably not stay there again.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 24}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed at the Talbott for close to a week in Mid-May, 2005; we booked based on an extensive review of comments on Trip Advisor. The constuction at the hotel is continuing, but we reaped the benefits of a recently renovated upper-floor suite, and were NEVER inconvenienced by the renovations. \nWe positively loved our enormous King Suite! A King bedroom with TV, spacious closet..a dressing bench at the foot of the bed made a wonderful perch for gazing north from 2 sunny windows. The bathroom was a suite in itself - marble-tiled shower, 2 vanities, 1 with bench, a deep soaking tub with European hand-held spray, and a separate WC. Posh robes, and a warm-air circulation system also made for a treat could never hope to have in my own home! \nAdd a living room with 2 comfy chairs, a pull-out sofa, TV, and 3 huge windows with eastern and southern views. My husband had to bring his laptop to check his email each day - a free WiFi converter was appreciated. \"His\" huge desk was in a nook off the living room, and also had a wet bar. Perry, who greeted us at Valet and took us to our suite also arranged for us to have a mini-fridge, which was greatly appreciated and much-used. All the windows have nice blinds that allowed for \"blackout\" on the mornings we wished to sleep in...and the 2 central AC control panels kept our rooms the perfect temps. The entire hotel staff was gracious, knowledgable, and housekeeping very quiet. Only exception was \"K*****\" (you know who you are) on the Reservation desk, she got snippy with me when she couldn't find my reservation. I hung up, redialed, got Ramona, as well as a smiling voice and the answer I was looking for. \nThe Talbott is the PERFECT location to see the North Side of Chicago, with easy access to the Red Line buses and El. Hint - purchase a Visitor's Pass from the white machines in the El stations - don't use the same machines as the comuters! We were in walking distance to the Hancock Tower (go at sunset!) Mag Mile, and the lake. A very nice grocery, Potash Market, is on State just south of the hotel - salad bar, deli, hot food cases, beer, wine, liquor, plus all the regular groceries; a 7-11 is next door, and a large Walgreens' is 1 block north. For an inexpensive but full breakfast or lunch, try Johnny's on State...the Tempo Cafe was also suggested. So many restaurants and pubs if you head North on State a couple blocks, at the convergance of Rush - all walking distance! \nConcierge Gene got us in at the Saloon Steakhouse at the Seneca Hotel - our meal was fantastic! We ate at 8:30, and unfortunately the heavy cigar smoke from about 9:30 on drifted across our table and ruined our dessert as well as our mood. Eat earlier, or reserve a table FAR AWAY from the bar if this would bother you also. We found that the middle-aged white male in Chicago is still very taken with the nasty tendancy to foul up the world around them with their oral-fixation on cigars, not sure who they are trying to impress, but we walked out of quite a few establishments so that our clothes and respiratory systems weren't put in a putrid, dismal state. WAKE UP MEN AND BUSINESS OWNERS - we live in DC, and frequently travel to NYC, Baltimore, and we don't have the problem of cigar smoke when enjoying a meal or a drink in those big cities. I don't foul your air with noise or odor, don't foul mine! \nA great sports pub is Mother Hubbards, on Hubbard Street just east of State. Huge place, clear air, good prices and pub menu. Spent quite a few hours in front of their numerous TV's :) \nThe only reason you would need a car in Chicago is tour tour Oak Park, the home of the Frank Lloyd Wright Home & Studio. It's a DO NOT MISS day-trip if you're in construction, architecture, or interior design. The entire neighborhood is a gem, you'll spend all day wandering up and down streets...call ahead to make sure of tour times, as you can't get in unless you take a guided tour. We had a nice lunch at Erik's Deli in downtown Oak Park - great salad bar, with huge hot-and-cold menu. Plenty of other cafes and bistros if that's a preference. There is an Enterprise Rental station on State Street just south of Delaware - we'd rent a car just for one day rather than driving from the airport next time we're in town. There is a convenient train station at Midway - Orange Line - takes about 30 minutes to transfer to the Red Line at Marshall Fields, then exit the Chicago Ave station for a 2-block walk to the Talbott. \nThe only problem we had with cab drivers was 1 dropped us off in front of Soldier Field, when we repeatedly asked for the Aquarium. We gave up, hopped out, and flagged down another cab driver rather than walk 1 mile up hill. But all the other drivers were friendly, courteous, and the cabs were very clean. A nice change from the NYC cab experience! The beluga whales at the aquarium were mesmerizing; but all the little kids on school tours drove us insane. Go as late in the afternoon as you can, but still allow 2 hours or more to get through. Navy Pier was...well, a mall. We did thoroughly enjoy the Architecture Tour on the river.\nDefinately - Stay At The Talbott! It's an experience you won't find at any chain hotel :) \nTwo 40-something, well-seasoned travellers from \nWashington, DC", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Was just there for a night in late May. The good news is that the construction is wrapping up - you still can only go in and out through the side door, but the lobby is in good shape. The location is excellent, wireless internet is free, and they provide free passes to a very good fitness center with a full sized pool a short walk away.\nIt was not warm enough to use the window air conditioners, but having them meant that any noise from outside was audible in the room. But once it got late, things were fairly quiet in the neighborhood. The rooms are just okay - could use better lighting and the furniture is a little outdated, but the amenities are good.\nThe staff was incredibly nice - I would go back.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We stayed at The Talbott for one week in May. This is a small European style boutique hotel in the heart of downtown Chicago. The room was spacious with 2 queen size beds, 2 large comfortable chairs, a large desk and lovely bathroom with 2 sinks and other amenities. Very clean hotel. The staff including the doormen and concierges were most helpful and friendly. Room service was fast and the food was good and reasonably priced for a downtown hotel. Wonderful location, walking distance to shopping on Michigan Avenue and the Magnificient Mile. Well worth considering for a stay in Chicago which by the way is a lovely, clean city. What a nice surprise that was!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "As first time tourists to Chicago, we chose the Talbott and were not disappointed. Our corner suite was roomy, clean and had a great marble bathroom with his and hers sinks and a great tub for soaking. There was plenty of room and the room temperature was controlled by a new thermostate system with two controls, one in the bedroom and one in the living area and they worked perfectly. The construction did take away a bit from the lobby area, but the the bar was still cosey and the completion date is just around the corner, I think. Location is perfect for tourists, none better for the price in the city. If you go there, call Stephanie Leese first and she will make any arrangements you desire and her suggestions were perfect. She even called our room on her day off to be sure we were happy with our schedule. It was our anniversary weekend and at every restaurant she referred us to we were given complimentary desserts and happy anniversary wishes. Some waiters even spoke to us by name which added a nice personal touch. We will stay at the Talbott again on our next visit. The staff were very personal and quite friendly for a major city hotel. We really loved this place.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Stayed at The Talbott for two nights with my husband and although it wasn't terrible, I expected better. The construction was a pain and made the lobby pretty smelly and dusty. Our room was okay but a looked a little battered with lots of nicks on the woodwork and scratches on the walls. Also had problems with the room temperature--it got very warm at night and the air conditioner didn't seem to work very effectively.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "If location is the only thing that matters, stay at the Talbott. However, my wife and I have travelled extensively throughout North America and Europe, and I have never, in my entire life, seen such an inept housekeeping staff. They are unprofessional, noisy, incompetent and better suited for a one star hotel. They were yelling in the halls, slamming doors, and taking far too long to clean each room. They come to your room several times to check the fridge where they sell bottles of water for $3. The hotel was being renovated when we were staying there so we also had to endure the construction work - no discount was offered even after we complained several times. The front desk staff was very polite, but who cares?They're supposed to be nice. I spent a lot of money to stay here and did not feel that I received a fair deal. The room was sub-par for the price, even for an inner city hotel. Stay somewhere else and have a better vacation.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "After our second stay at the Talbott, we are convinced that there is no other place to stay when in Chicago. The service is impeccable, the rooms are comfortable and the location is great. The Talbott is just a couple of blocks from the Magnificent Mile and all of its activities (read shopping). The neighborhood has a great selection of restaurants (the Thai restaurant across the street has good food at great low prices), and is great for strolling. I would not hesitate to recommend the Talbott!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "The hotel is lovely and you can't have a more central location in the city. The staff exceeded my expectations in providing everything I would need to have a comfortable stay. Will highly recommend to friends and colleagues", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Stayed there during 7 nights last september.\nGreat little hotel with very large room. The rooms are a bit dusty though.\nService is good and people are helpful.\nLoved the free wireless internet.\nLocation is fantastic just behind watertower and next to the \"restaurant district\".\nI would have expeceted a gesture for staying 7 nights but did not get any special treatment.\nGood value for money.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "217498": {"reviews": [{"text": "I stayed in this hotel for a week and I was looking forward to a stay at a top class hotel. I was shocked and disapointed with my stay, Here are some of my gripes\n - Room had a broken phone and broken lightbulb\n - Breakfast service was slow and impolite\n - Hotel rationed shampoo (one bottle for two people sharing and did not refill a bottle that was less than half full).\n - We also shared a bar of soap.\nI was so disappointed with this hotel, I paid for a premium hotel and got a very disappointing stay.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 29}, {"text": "Stayed at the Conrad July 30-August 2 with my partner during the heat wave of '06. The price for the Hilton \"Bounceback\" promotion was under $200 and included breakfast. Most of the other hotels in the area were over $200 just for the room. Although the room had no view, it was large and comfortable with good air conditioning. The bathroom had a very deep \"soaking\" tub and a separate shower. The staff was attractive, and the concierge was very helpful. Unlike other hotels in the area, there were no tour groups staying at the Conrad so the hotel was quiet and peaceful. The central location is great for shopping or sightseeing.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "We booked this hotel via priceline and only paid 65 pounds per night! (About 130 US Dollar before tax) which i have to say is very cheap so consequently we were very happy with the hotel. However if i had paid the rack rate of 375 US i dont think i would have been happy with the service levels and im british !(we dont generally get good service) \nThe location is fab and i thought the room was great - incredibly comfy bed, huge plasma screen, good choice of films etc. Breakfast was delicious and the breakfast wait staff and bell hops were good but housekeeping got our pillow request wrong twice and it took them 40 mins to get me a plug adaptor.\nWe loved Chicago and if we ever came back would consider satying here again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "We just got back from a 3 night weekend in Chicago. Just went for fun with my husband and 1 year old son. I read all the reviews, so we booked the first two nights at the Hotel Indigo and then the last night, I used 40,000 Hilton Honor points to book at the Conrad. Though the Indigo was good and in a great location, the room we were given was not child friendly. I would stay again if we didn't have our son with us, but we were so crammed there. We actually had to put part of his crib in the bathroom so we could move around comfortably. I was a little nervous about the Conrad as the reviews were just okay. However, our stay was excellent! We must have been given a completely rennovated room located on the 17th floor. No view, but the room was so spacious and modern, a very large sunken tub, huge Plasma screen, Bose sound system. I am not sure if my floor was empty, but we could not hear a thing in rooms next to us! We all watched a movie in our totally comfortable king sized bed. I wonder if they put us away from the rest of the guests since we had a baby. Either way, it worked great. I can't say enough what a great hotel this was with for us. We are used to good hotels for business, so being able to still receive that level of service with our baby was very nice. THe little touches the Conrad had were great. They had a little tray to set your shoes, big umbrella, shoe horn/brush, slippers by your bed, waters by your bed. I was so happy, especially after coming from such cramped quarters. And that tub was amazing! The room was large enough for several kids to run around. It seemed to be almost baby proofed too. Wires were hidden, all the outlets were high, the toilet was in a seperate little room, so we just shut the door so he couldn't get into that.. He tried his best to get into trouble, but couldn't. The location was ideal, we walked with him to the Navy Pier, all around downtown, shopping, etc. The staff were so friendly to him as well. I was afraid since it was a more \"business\" centered hotel being downtown, we wouldnt feel welcomed, but that was not the case. In fact, I was blown away how child friendly Chicagoans in general are! I am used to city people not making eye contact, so it was such a surprise! We took the El from Midway to downtown since we didn't have a car seat. Some of the elevators were out and there wasn't any kind of elevator at all at the Roosevelt transfer. Everytime, we had more than several offers from people wanting to help us! And this was at 5pm on Friday evening rush hour when you know people are probably anxious to get home. And when the train doors opened for our stop, people even cleared a path so we could get the stroller out. Very nice...I think Chicago is a great destination if you have kids, you can get the same treatment at fine hotels there without feeling like an outcast because you have a baby. For dining close to the Conrad, Bici's a few blocks away had VERY GOOD Italian food.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 29}, {"text": "Miserable service; 45 minutes to receive luggage in room; had finished buffet breakfast BEFORE waiter ever showed up with options, coffee, etc; rooms have NO VIEW, no tub, no coffee maker; 'had to ask at breakfast for Diamond Elite VIP certs that SHOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN AT CHECK IN.\nThis is NOT typical CONRAD luxury or service, and as a Hilton Diamond Elite Member I expected more. The Embassy Suites on N Columbus surpassed the Conrad in every aspect I mentioned; service, room amenities, great view of Navy Pier and restaurant.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 34}, {"text": "I just got back from a 3 day stay at the Conrad, a Hilton property. In November, 2005 it was converted from Le Meridien to this lovely hotel. The room we stayed in had been completely remodeled. Although it looked out over Michigan Ave it was very quiet and didn't get any sounds from the other rooms. As previously mentioned plasma tv, Bose sound system, comfy beds, new granite bathroom with separate shower from tub. The staff was great. When I checked in the front desk person actually helped me with my bags to the room and pointed out the direct access to Nordstrom's, the Terrace Bar on the 5th floor outside, the cute bar (where we had some nice appetizer's) and the other restaurant (my husband had breakfast there and found it very expensive). The concierge was very helpful as were all of the rest of the staff. I read that this property was recently sold again so I don't know if it will remain a Hilton property but I would definately stay here given the price was right. We had a coporate rate of $165. A great deal and the location is perfect.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 24}, {"text": "Booked the Conrad via the Five Star Alliance website for 225.00 per nite and the hotel later said they could not beat this price since I checked the hotel after booking online to make sure it wasnt cheaper. Anyway...the Conrad did not dissappoint. My girlfriend and I were traveling to Chicago for a girls weekend away over the Labor Day weekend. The point of the trip was to relax in affordable luxury and to enjoy some good old fashioned shopping. We were pleased to be greeted by Stephanie with warm smiles even after 11pm on a busy Friday nite. After reading several reviews about the property on TA and noting that folks had a tough time locating the entrance we decided to catch a cab from the metro (totaling about 4.50) and the cab took us right to the Rush street lobby door. I do however get the confusion on the entrance to hotel since the main lobby is really on the 5th floor if you enter from the mall side off Michigan and on the 1st floor if you enter from Rush Street. \nThere was not a wait at check-in and we walked right up to the desk. Stephanie checked us in and though we asked about the view she told us it was limited but that the room had been renovated. She was right...the room had all of the luxury of a 4 Seasons or even a couple of Ritz properties as far as I am concerned. The beds were turned down with soft music playing, a hand written welcome note next to Christofle silver neatly placed next to a generous bowl of fresh fruit, two bottles of cool VOSS water , a full ice bucket and even two small bottles of evian on either side of nite stand with the beds turned down waiting for our arrival. I was floored! There were two large fluffy terry robes with matching slippers and hi-thread count sheets, about 4-5 fluffy pillows, and the lightest but quite comfy euro style duvet ever! The bathroom had no tub( so not as relaxing as it could have been) but had a separate water closet(toilet area) and all marble and granite everything. Molton Brown bath products and beautiful crystal glasses, bath tumblers and soap dishes. There was a very large flat screen TV (about 42\") with a Bose home theatre setup that was phenomenal for listening to relaxing music as well as watching a late nite movie. We could not hear any outside noises from the ground...though we were on the 16th floor, we also couldnt hear any voices from the hall or anywhere else either. Stephanie was right about the view, but I think I only looked out of the window twice to check on the weather in the morning so the view did not matter at all. The bathroom light blew out and the sink had a slow drain but after a call to report this, both issues were resolved on our return to the room in the evening. \nThere was an honor bar, but we did not need to use it since there was plenty of welcome fruit for noshing. We did use the room service for late nite sandwiches ( Classic Club and an Angus Burger ) Both sandwiches delicious and served hot and beautifully but with only one flaw. I requested Blue Cheese and Bacon and both had be be brought separately later as they were not placed on the burger. Once all ingredients got together though there were fabulous. Room service charges not bad at 35.00 for everything including two soft drinks. We had vouchers for complimentary Continental breakfast or you could use it to subtract 12.00 from your meal...the omelet, thick toast, and home fries were cooked to order and delicous and cost 14.00 so this was a reasonable upgrade for 2.00!\nMy girlfriend and I were greeted by name by the hotel staff during our entire stay and I just dont know how they do that, but we felt welcome and appreciated for staying in their hotel...that is quite rare these days! \nCheckout went very smoothly and Stephanie was on again to make sure we knew where and how to leave our luggage for pick up later as we were not leaving Chicago to late in the evening and had much more shopping to do. \nThis was a wonderful weekend and my stay at the Conrad just made it better. For maximum comfort I would make sure I was in a renovated room. I would definetly stay at the Conrad again! Very, very nice!\nps. After arriving home I realized I had left a CD in the theatre system. I called back to inquire if it had been turned it. The person who answered the phone took my name and home phone number and called me back in less than 15 minutes saying that she had indeed located it would send it to me via FEDEX in 2-3 days on them! (To me this is SUPERSTAR service)..I shall return to the Conrad!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "Great location a block off Michigan Ave. connected to the North Bridge Mall (this feature would be most useful in winter). Two blocks from the Grand Street station on the Red line (especially handy for getting to Wrgley Field). \nRenovation is in process (no noticable noise) in conversion of the property to a Conrad (apparently it was previously a Le Meridan). Renovated rooms are great, with VERY comfy beds, nice furnishings and bathrooms with seperate shower and tubs and a seperate enclosure for the commode (this is stanadrd in other Conrad's I've been in). \nStaff was unfailingly polite, but no more efficient than a standard big city hotel. Has a nice workout room. \nOne negative experience: Breakfast service was inexcusably slow. The resturant was not even crowded. Also, no buffet was offered to help mitigate this problem. After I complained, they offered to remove the charges for brakfast, but since it was already included in my rate, it didn't help. \nBOTTOM LINE: Rooms are worth paying some premium, especially if there will be more than one person in the room. However, there are a plethora of hotels within a few blocks of this, so be sure to check around for rates.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I reserved this hotel room using the Conrad hotel's website for a \"net-only\" advertised price. For its location and the time of year(summer, Friday night) I felt $150.00 was a steal (normally $375). I was nervous that I would have been stuck with a dingy, room since I had paid so little. Well I was relieved to find the room was immaculate. The King size deluxe room was beautiful. The bathroom was just as terrific. Attention to detail was above all my expectations. All of the staff from the concierge to the doorman were helpful and super friendly. The hotel aura didn't feel pretentious at all. The staff were always willing to help make your stay superior. We called down to schedule a late check-out which was no problem. The hotel is absolutely beautiful. The lobby area was comfortable-contemporary. The terrace was just as relaxing. Within walking distance to the Mag. mile, and great places to eat. Short inexpensive cab rides (ave. $10.00) to museums and area attractions. I was so happy with my stay I look forward to coming back. I am sure you will be just as satisfied with your stay.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I live in Chicago and have frequent occasion to recommend hotels to friends and business acquaintances. We recently put up a candidate (and his family) we were recruiting for our company at the Conrad. We had had good luck with this hotel when it was a Le Meridien. It was a disappointment for all concerned as a Conrad. \nOn the plus side, our guests were able to check in early with no problem and they generally liked their room.\nOn the downside\u2026\nThey learned after the fact that all rooms with two beds have no bath tub (only a shower). Our guests moved to a room with a bath tub and found hairs in it, which they had to clean themselves.\nWhen the coffee bar had no caffeinated coffee and our guests asked for some, they were told it would be delivered immediately. When they called 30 minutes later the front desk admitted that they had \u201cforgotten.\u201d\nWhile the concierge and doorman were quite helpful, our guests told us that the front desk personnel were sullen and unresponsive. \nOur guests were generally under whelmed by one of the \u201cfive best hotels in Chicago.\u201d Conrad has a long way to go to compete with the Four Seasons, Peninsula and Park Hyatt.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "The Conrad Hilton recently took over this property from the failed Meridian Hotel. It seems that the Conrad has inherited a hotel property that just doesn't work.\nThe entrance is very difficult to find. There are only two elevators to take you up to the lobby. As a result, there was often a line waiting for them. The same problem affects the guest room elevators located beyond the registration area. If you go in and out of the hotel more than a couple of times during your stay, you will find the poor elevator layout annoying. \nThe King room is what I would consider small compared to other Chicago hotels. Although I like modern design, the room was quite stark and cold. It was also showing quite a bit of wear and tear. The bathroom was the best part. \nHas anyone from management tried to sit in the chair and work at the desk? It was the most uncomfortable set-up I've experienced. \nThe views are non-existent for most of the rooms. In a city with amazing vistas, this was disappointing. I saw a couple walking the halls with management trying to find a room that was acceptable to them. \nRoom service breakfast was a highlight of our stay. Excellent food and high quality presentation. \nSorry I couldn't write a better review. Would I stay here again? No. Chicago has some incredible hotels and this is not one of them.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 24}]}, "84505": {"reviews": [{"text": "I think the high ranking of this hotel in Trip Advisor\u2019s ranked list of LA hotels is well deserved. \nThe following represents positive aspects of the hotel:\n1. Location: For anyone visiting LA who wishes to see the tourist sites, the location is pretty superb. There are a number of tourist sites in the vicinity, including Hollywood Blvd., Chinese Theater with celebrity handprints, Kodak Theater, Hollywood and Highland shopping complex, Jimmy Kimmel show, Hollywood Bowl, Mulholland Drive, and Universal Studios. And it\u2019s somewhat central for other tourist attractions that are further away, including downtown LA, Burbank (for studio shows and tours), Paramount studio, Sunset Strip, and Beverly Hills. Also, there is a subway stop right at Hollywood and Highland, close to the hotel. \n2. Condition & Environment of Hotel & Room: The front lobby is quaint and welcoming. The hotel has a nice Hollywood retro 50\u2019s theme going on. There is a nice outdoor patio with tables and chairs. The rooms seem large (we were in room 203) and spacious, and included a sofa seating area with a glass coffee table, and a small dining area with table, chairs and bar fridge. There was also plenty of open space to open up large luggage. The room and washroom condition was better than expected. I did not see any problems with the room condition. It is nothing fancy, but more than adequate. \n3. Hotel Breakfasts: Free hotel breakfasts are a major perk. I\u2019m a little confused about the reviews here that are critical of the breakfasts \u2013 what do you expect from a budget hotel that is not obligated to provide any breakfast? If you want bacon and eggs, or health-conscious options, how could you book with a budget hotel expecting these kind of options for free? Anyways, the week we were there they had croissants, bagels with cream cheese, muffins, coffee, tea, about 4 juice options, and a toaster for the bagels.\n4. Internet/Computer Access: It was great having access to our e-mail accounts through this free internet service in the lobby. There is only one computer, but we rarely had to wait for anyone to finish. The internet connection was very fast. Because we had this internet access, I was able to get us last minute tickets to a taping of David Spade\u2019s Showbiz Show, and look up LA events for that week. \n5. Price: Given the above-mentioned factors, the price is right. We paid, on average, $104 US/night including taxes, and we were there for 7 nights. This was a government rate.\nNegative attributes of this hotel:\n1. Payment process: I really only had one disappointing experience at this hotel. Since we had a very early morning flight to catch on the Saturday, I wanted to pay the night before in order to save time and have less worries on Saturday morning. But for some reason the desk worker would not let me pay on Friday night (March 16, 2007), and insisted that the payment process would be a quick and simple process in the morning. So the following morning at about 6:30 am, I tried to pay the front desk worker (there was a different person working at this time, \u201cArthur\u201d) who was having difficulty getting the credit card machine to work. He fumbled with it for some time, and in the mean time our cab showed up and we were getting behind schedule. Because of the machine problems, I had to sign a billing statement that totaled more than what we actually owed. It all worked out, and I was not over-charged in the end \u2013 but this was an irritating experience. I would have given a perfect rating had it not been for this incident. \n2. The Gym/Workout Room: I saw in a posted picture that this hotel had a weight machine, and I was looking forward to using it. But it was broken and useless. \nTips/Suggestions:\n* Breakfast is served at 8:00 am. Stack your paper plate and take it to the outdoor patio out front \u2013 pleasurable experience!\n* As already mentioned on this site, there is a shortcut to the Hollywood & Highland shopping centre. At the end of this hotel\u2019s street (Orchid Ave.), it looks like a dead end. But if you turn left to the area that looks like a loading dock, you\u2019ll find a large, open entrance on the right that goes directly into the shopping centre. \n* If you plan on going to some tourist sites, take the tourist brochures from the hotel lobby. Some of them have discounts on the brochure (such as the Paramount studio tour). \nOther Tips/Comments Not Relating to the Hotel:\n\u00b7Studio Tours: Seeing some studio tours was a priority for me. We saw 3 of them \u2013 Universal, Warner Brothers, and Paramount. In my opinion, Paramount was the best. It is a small, intimate walking tour of about a half dozen people, and everything you see is authentic - not staged. The Universal studio tour was very disappointing. It is more of a \u2018thrill-ride\u2019 than it is a studio tour. You are on an enormous golf cart with a couple of hundred other people, and you encounter staged situations that have nothing to do with the studios. For anyone that has been to Universal Orlando, the Jaws, Earthquake, and King Kong thrill rides are all a part of the Universal Hollywood studio tour. Universal Orlando is better than Universal Hollywood \u2013 if you\u2019ve been to the former, don\u2019t bother going to the latter. \n\u00b7Show Tapings: This was also a priority on our trip. If it is a priority for you too, start booking shows on the internet 1 to 2 months before your trip. Some shows fill up the same day they become available on the internet, so you need to monitor their websites daily. Also, you should book more shows than you intend to attend. You will find that for one reason or another, you will not be able to attend all the shows you booked, so it\u2019s nice to have back-up options (for instance, one show did not get back to us about tickets; Jeopardy cancelled all tapings for our vacation week two days before our trip; for Ellen\u2019s show, we did not get in line soon enough to secure a spot). Be prepared to wait in line for hours, even though you got your ticket in advance on-line. The earlier you show up, the better your chances of getting into the show. The shows we got into included Dr. Phil, Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Jimmy Kimmel, and the Showbiz Show with David Spade. \n\u00b7Getting Around: There is a lot to see and do in L.A., but it is all spread out everywhere. We decided to stick with walking and public transportation, but this was tough. Overall the transportation system was good, especially the subway. But the worst part was the bus transit system in Burbank. They don\u2019t seem to know what a schedule is.\n\u00b7Touristy Activity Suggestions: Studio tours, like Paramount; TV show tapings; Ride the ferris wheel at the Santa Monica Pier & eat on the patio at the Mexican restaurant at the end of the Pier; Check out the shops, street performers, and crazy people along Venice Beach; the Tar Pits; Hollywood Forever Cemetery (many celebrity resting here); Watch a movie at the Chinese Theatre; Check out the costumed movie characters and performers along the Walk of Fame where the hand-prints are located; Walk along Sunset Strip and see where the celebrities shop, party, and sleep/trash hotel rooms; Hike the trail that gets you close to the Hollywood sign (which is one thing we didn\u2019t get to do). \n\u00b7Shopping: Maybe our timing was bad for sales, but shopping was very disappointing in LA. We normally purchase quite a bit when travelling to the USA, but not this time. Perhaps you need to travel away from the touristy areas to get the deals. I was looking forward to the vintage clothing shops in LA, such as along Melrose, but everything was really over-priced. Ironically, I\u2019m able to get better deals and selection on vintage clothing through a well-know on-line auction site \u2013 and a lot of it comes from LA!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Overall, a fantastic experience. I stayed eight nights, with no major problems at all. The hotel staff is friendly and knowledgeable, the location is incredibly convenient, and the accomodations are clean and comfortable. This is a superb value for the money. I stayed in a room with a kitchen, and it was stocked with the various cooking necessities, so it was incredibly convenient to cook a few of own meals. Housekeeping staff was great. For example, not once did they wake me up even though I slept in late. They just took note of when I left, then tidied up the room. The lobby has a computer with Internet access, but I brought my own laptop, and each room has free internet access via an Ethernet cable. The cable had to stretch across the floor to the table, but this was a small inconveniece to pay for broadband access. The continental breakfast each morning was spartan but nice, with four different juices, coffee (regular and decaf), fresh muffins and croissants, with condiments. The hotel is located on a quiet side street nestled in the hills behind Graumann's Chinese Theater, the Kodak Theater, and the Hollywood & Highland (H&H) Mall. There is a Metro train entrance there as well. The Walk of Fame is right there. Hollywood High School is a block over. I loved the daily parade of characters in front of the Chinese Theater. Within walking distance to many shops and restaurants, tour companies, etc. The hotel has a nice patio to sit and enjoy as well. The rooms were actually fairly spacious and quiet (tip: run the A/C fan to drown out the slight traffic noice in the morning). Hotel was usually very quiet, even early morning. Try and stay on the first level towards the rear (no elevator and it is quieter). Some more tips: there is a shortcut through the mall...find it. If you have a car, there is a hidden shortcut to Orange Street as well. Even though the hotel has a fitness room (with a steam room) I needed a larger gym and there is a huge LA Fitness one block over that was only $40 for the whole week...nice club and definitely a bargain. Another tip: prearrange transportation online from LAX via a shuttle (Super Shuttle or PrimeTime Express)...will save you tons of money over a cab ride. $31 for two people. I know someone who also stayed there and paid $80 for a cab ride from LAX. The parking lot is very small, so a smaller rental car might be better. Be careful backing out onto Franklin, and park closer to the street so you don't get blocked in (there were a few mornings where there were more cars than spots).. More tips if you have time: see the Getty Center, Rodeo Drive (run into Heidi Klum there), Santa Monica Pier, Venice Beach, Malibu/PCH (someone I was with saw Sting and his wife there), drive Mullholland between the 101 and the 405...stop at the overlooks. Breathtaking homes and views..slip into a canyon road (watch out! locals drive fast in their beautiful exotic cars). Take a studio tour (Warner Bros is the best). Also try and see a show taping (Jimmy Kimmel is across the street). Also, there is usually someone handing out free tickets in front of Grauman's daily. Or check www.tvtickets.com or tvtix.com to see what's taping. Buy a stars map. See what shows are playing...esp. in West Hollywood. have a drink at an 'old' Hollywood club like the Formosa. Or, hit a hot club like the Cabana Club on a Thurs. if you can get on the guest list (search and ask for stuff like this). Take an hour to drive down Sunset Blvd. past Beverly Hills and Bel Air and UCLA to the ocean. During rush hours, avoid the freeways at all costs. Main side roads are usually quicker.\nAgain, this was an AMAZING value ($109 with AAA discount) for a two queen room with a full kitchen in the heart of Hollywood!!!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "This is a great place to stay!\nThis hotels location is fantastic, the staff are delightful and the rooms are superb. Need I say more?", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Well I have to admit - I was very nervous after I booked this hotel.\nI decided to travel to LA not knowing it was the week before Memorial Day and most hotels had put their prices up. My old reliable, The Ramada in West Hollwood were asking for room rates over 100% more than what I had paid previously.\nI decided to give Hollywood Celebrity Hotel a go and I was pleasently surprised.\nAmazing value for money. \nIts not The W or the Four Seasons but if you are after a very reasonably priced, very clean and conveniently located hotel in Los Angeles this one is for you. \nLocated right next to the Kodak Theatre, Hollywood and Highland Shopping Complex, Chinese Theatre, Walk of Fame and only a short drive to Universal Studios this hotel is PERFECT. \nThe rooms are huge and ideal for pre party drinks with some friends before heading out.\nLike other reviewers have said - parking is extremely tight but Hollywood and HIghland shopping complex has a huge, secure car park and it is only $10 per day. Very safe to walk from there to hotel late at night as well.\nWill definately stay here again", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Before I describe the hotel, let me first mention that I'd categorize this hotel as \"superior tourist class\". It's nothing like the adjacent Renaissance Hotel, but it's a far better value (in my opinion). For starters, it has that \"old world\" Hollywood charm -- the interior has an \"art deco\" look, and the walls are lined with nostalgic Hollywood posters & memorabilia. The beds are not as \"comfy\" as the nearby \"Hollywood Hills\", but the location is better, and the staff is every bit as hospitable as they are at \"Hollywood Hills\" & \"Magic Castle\" hotels. We only stayed for 4 nights, but it was a perfect fit for our needs. BTW, if you want to visit the Magic Castle, the Celebrity hotel is a member and can get you tickets (but be sure to bring a jacket & tie).\nIts best attributes are:\n1. A great location, you can walk thru the adjacent Koday Theatre complex, right onto Hollywood Blvd. It's an easy 5-10 minute drive to Universal Hollywood\n2. Value & price -- the rooms are large & adequate and a great value. We had a double-king room (it was huge).\n3. Helpful & friendly staff. They bend over backwards to make your stay enjoyable\n4. Decent amenities, free internet access, cool lobby, and a nice garden/patio outside the front of the hotel\n5. Rooms have a small kitchen -- this is really convenient for those who want to \"eat in\".\n6. It has a nostalgic Hollywood charm, complete with one-of-a-kind mural in each room (we had John Wayne in ours).\nThe negatives are:\n1. Parking is free, but it is very tight (it's best to have them park your car for you)\n2. The beds are adequate & acceptable, but could be a bit more cozy/comfy\n3. The room decorations remind me of the Ramada Inn, but they are adequate\nOverall, this is a great value hotel with a great location. I'd definitely stay here again. I stayed at the \"Hollywood Hills\" on my previous visit, and I like this location a little better.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "If you like the bottom of the Days Inn barrel or are satisified with uncomfortable beds and floors that look to grimey to walk on barefooted and showers with shower heads so clogged that the water trickles and very well worn 50's furniture and desk clerks with unintelligble accents than this is a place for you.\nSeedy is a kind word. Yes you are only feet from Hollywood Blvd and Kodak Center and The Star walk and Mann Chinese Theater and all the souvenier shops in LA but the street the hotel is on has numerous run down hotels that make you feel you want to be securely inside your room at sundown. \nStay away.\nI have no idea what criteria the people that wrote 5 star reviews of this place use to judge hotels but they surely blew it on this one. I know I must surely have stayed in worse but I can't remember a place as worn out as this one andI am pretty sure they were less than single star bad dreams in scary parts of Europe. \nThe room I had was a king for $99 .. a fair price would have been $39.\ndon.brown@brownchild.com", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Ok folks, here's what to expect from the Hollywood Celebrity Hotel. I stayed there with my partner in March and really enjoyed my time.\nFirstly the positives. The staff here are magnificent, in particular one of the gentlemen at the front desk (his name escapes me). He would greet us every time we entered and seemed like he genuinely cared about how our day was and what we did.\nHe also gave us many tips on where to go, where to eat and how to get around as we didn't have a car for the first couple of days. Although I stayed there a month ago, I have stayed in around 12 hotels since then as part of a worldwide vacation and my girlfriend and I still talk about how he was the nicest 'front desk dude' we have come across.\nAnother positive is the location. The hotel is on a dead-end street behind Hollywood Blvd. The Highland Shopping complex provides a great backdrop to the hotel and is a top place to grab a bite or browse the numerous shops.\nThe rooms are very spacious and there is plenty of room to relax. \nThe free parking is a nice touch, and we never had trouble finding a park.\nThe breakfast was also simple, but a good way to tie your stomach over till lunch.\nMy biggest gripe was the fact that there was a fair amount of noise at night from the apartment block next door. However we were there during Spring Break and from the sounds of it, the teenagers were really enjoying themselves.\nIf you are a budget traveller and you enjoy quality service, stay here.\nIf you expect fine French toiletries and Egyptian cotton sheets, don't.\nI would highly recommend it.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "My husband and I have just returned from our honeymoon in the US. If you are looking for a great location this is the place, situated right behind Kodak Theatre where out the back you will see the Hollywood sign on the hill, this location is just great. A walk around the corner brings you to Hollywood Walk of Fame. Grauman's Chinese Theatre and the subway. The public transport is also great to get to the farmer's markets (a must see) and Santa Monica Blvd and Venice Beach. It has free internet access for a 15 minute period which is great as most hotels do not have access or you have to pay. Reception are happy to answer questions and this hotel comes with a continental breakfast (to be more specific orange and poppyseed muffins, all day coffee, bagels). There are also shops close to get drinks or food. Its an older hotel that has been renovated in the last 12 months but its clean and our room had a small kitchen with fridge and microwave. The water is hot for a great shower also. All in all a must to say - I'd do it again!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I just got back from a week's stay at the Hollywood Celebrity Hotel over Christmas and New Year's. The hotel is an old 2-story building that has been well maintained and has a GREAT location right behind Hollywood Boulevard where Grauman's, the footprints, the stars on the sidewalk, El Capitan, the subway station, Kodak Theatre and the Hollywood/Highland Mall. The location can't be beat. It's less than 100 steps from the hotel, down the street to the walkway that goes into the Hollywood/Highland Mall. It's that simple. The street is a cul-de-sac (not a through street) so the traffic is just local and the area is well lit and feels very safe. No seedy characters or anything like that. The Renaissance Hotel adjoins the mall so there is some hotel traffic down there with the service trucks and workers but it can't be heard from the hotel. The Hollywood Orchid Suites, the other one that everyone also raves about is at the end of the block, close to the walkway so they might hear the service trucks and mall activity.\nThe hotel lobby and hallways are very nicely decorated and bright. The decor is whimsical and quite cute in the lobby area. The hallways have large framed movie star posters. There is \"free\" internet access in the lobby and a seating area with magazines on the coffee table. Along one wall is a table set up with a toaster, microwave and coffee dispensers for the free breakfast in the morning between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. The toaster and microwave stays there all day so you could easily heat your own things up. Breakfast is a large supply of bagels, croissants and muffins along with little packets of cream cheese and margarine. Beverages are also provided. Every single day the breakfast items are identical so it might get boring if you stay too long. For a week's stay, it was fine and a good cost savings if you take advantage of the breakfast offerings, however boring. Yeah, they could add a bit more variety but hey, it's free.\nBeing an old building has its advantages. The room itself was exceptionally large. We had a king-sized bed that seemed tiny in comparison to the huge room. Two comfy sitting chairs with a coffee table is at one end near the window and a little cut-in room with a small dining table, 2 chairs and a decent sized mini fridge. The tv is housed in a large wooden cabinet in front of the bed with storage drawers and cupboard. There is a cheesy painted Hollywood mural at the head of the bed. It's very fitting to the old-time Hollywood \"celebrity\" image that the hotel is doing. The washroom was adequate with great water pressure. It wasn't hot enough to require air-conditioning so we didn't test that out but the windows all have screens and window bars so that gave us fresh outside air as well as a great sense of security especially since our room was on the ground floor.\nWe really enjoyed our stay and thought the room was exceptionally well-maintained and very clean. It wasn't seedy or anything like that. It looked quite nice and we felt comfy in it. It's not a Hilton or anything modern or fancy. It's basic but very nice. The hotel staff are very friendly and helpful. That said, here's what we didn't like but it was okay enough to tolerate for a week's stay. The hotel is \"old\" and wooden so that means that there will be lots of noise! Everyone upstairs when they walked sounded like herds of elephants stampeding. Do elephants stampede? Heehee. It really was quite loud but we were in vacation spirits and didn't let it bother us. The other noise that woke us the first night at 2 a.m. was this repetitive thumping sound. At first we thought it was someone playing bongle drums outside. After investigating because it was such a strange noise, we discovered it was water coming down the gutter drain pipe outside our window. The funny thing is that it wasn't raining at all so we don't know where the water was coming from but it was gushing down the drain pipe, making loud ticking noises. There are drain pipes outside every other suite! I don't know if any of them were making noises but you might want to watch out for room 110. Occasionally the people upstairs turned their air-conditioner/heater on and water dripped from their air-conditioner/heater onto ours, making ticking noises on the metal housing. If you're the type that gets very agitated by a lot of noise, you might want to try to get an upstairs suite. It should be quieter. We did request an upstairs non-smoking room when we booked but a non-smoking one wasn't available when we arrived. The entire first floor is all non-smoking and the top floor is mixed so we chose non-smoking. It was noisy but we expected to have a fair amount of noise being the hotel is in a central location in Hollywood. The outside street noise was actually quite low because the hotel is in the back of the mall complex which blocks out the traffic noise. It was just the inside noise that was most noticeable but tolerable enough for us because we chose to let it be that way but if you're the type that doesn't like noise, you've been warned but don't let that be the decision that steers you away from the hotel. It really is a nice hotel. You'll enjoy your stay. You can always bring ear plugs just in case but I don't think you'll need them. It is a great hotel for the price and we would stay there again.\nOh yes, parking is provided \"free\" which is a great bonus for such a central location. It is a small lot so it fills up quickly and sometimes there are cars double-parked so that you can't get out in the morning but the hotel staff will quickly send someone to move the cars so that you can get out.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "248239": {"reviews": []}, "77264": {"reviews": []}, "119382": {"reviews": [{"text": "The Inn at Venice Beach is Southern California's best kept secret. We have stayed here 5 times in the last 2 years and were always greeted by a super friendly staff. \nOur first impression when we arrived was enhanced by the clean rooms, cozy courtyard, fresh bathrobes, complimentary water and weclome mug filled with snacks. We recommed the inside courtyard rooms or the rooms facing the back of the hotel because they are quieter than those facing the sidestreet.\nIn the afternoon until early evening, complimentary punch, apples and homemade cookies are offered in the lobby. The included breakfast, while not gourmet, is satisfying. There was always plenty of fresh bread, bagels, cereals, fruit, yogurt, juices and assorted coffees and teas.\nThe staff is friendly and knowledgeable and helped us with directions to church and hiking. When they were unsure of a recommendation, they got the information and let us know. \nYou can't beat the location. Within a 2-3 minute walk, you are on the beach. Along the way, you will pass several very good restaurants and a bike rental shop. The C&O Trattoria and The Terrace are our favorite places to dine. There's also a Starbucks and a Cold Stone Creamery across the street.\nThe beach is clean and it's great to walk to the Santa Monica Pier. On the way back we usually walk along the Venice Beach Boardwalk. Its packed with interesting vendors, locals and tourists.\nAlthough this may sound like a paid advertisement, it isn't. We have always been super satisfied staying here and I think others should know about this place, especially when accomadations, in and around Santa Monica range from dissapointingly pricey to high-priced luxury. The Inn at Venice Beach is a true value.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "My wife and I recently returned from a trip to LA. After seeing the webpage, we decided to give the Inn at Venice Beach a try as we wanted to stay in the Venice/Santa Monica area. It was outstanding! The staff was extremely helpful, and the Continental breakfasts were excellent as well. If you like Euro/boutique hotels, you'll love this place. Just two blocks from Venice Beach (which, by the way, is still funky but has actually gone way upscale since I lived in Santa Monica 17 years ago!). Price-wise, it's extremely reasonable-parking was only $4. We'll definitely be back soon! If you can, book a room overlooking the courtyard...it's much quieter in the morning!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "The Inn at Venice Beach was the best find of our tour of Las Angeles. This small hotel has the excellent personalized service one sees in great hotels. The staff is friendly and goes out of its way to be of help. Our spacious, vaulted-celinged room was decorated in sunny beach tones reminiscent of the 1960s, and fit the locale perfectly. We fell asleep to the soft sound of the water fountain in the courtyard - the same courtyard in which we ate breakfast (included in the very reasonable price) the next morning. The toiletries were of high quality and there were plenty of towels. Best of all, it's only a 3-minute walk from the Venice boardwalk, pier, and beach. Upon checking out, the manager asked if there was anything at all that we could suggest to improve our stay. We could think only of two things: real plastic hangers and an extra reading light by the bed. What a find!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}]}, "84517": {"reviews": []}, "76793": {"reviews": []}, "84555": {"reviews": []}, "2236331": {"reviews": []}, "82636": {"reviews": [{"text": "The Westwood Royal Palace is a faded but comfortable hotel in a neighborhood with scarce lodging options. It's a plain (pink!) stucco building that blends in with the apartments surrounding it. Although nothing is new or particularly fancy, the hotel offers above-standard amenities such as two-room suites with a couch in the second room, two televisions (though the reception is bad), HBO, hair dryers, and a kitchenette complete with microwave and refrigerator. You'll pay around $100 for the relative comfort and convenience of these double rooms. This sounds like a lot, but when compared to $120 or more for a smaller, less well appointed, and odoriferous room at the Hilgard House it is a bargain. Those on a teensy, hostel-sized budget would do well to check out the Claremont House next to the Royal Palace--the faucets leak and there are no TVs, but it's a screaming deal at less than $50 per night. If you can't live without a TV, and need to stay in the charming and walkable neighborhood of Westwood, the Royal Palace is your best option.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 36}]}, "272703": {"reviews": [{"text": "In June I returned for my third visit in three years to the Hollywood Hills Hotel and I love it a little bit more every time I go.\u00a0\u00a0I travel to Los Angeles often on business but when I get to choose the hotel I always pick the HHH.\u00a0\u00a0This time I stayed for 11 nights and more than ever appreciated having basically a luxury apartment with hotel trimmings instead of being cooped up in a hotel room for all that time.\u00a0\u00a0I also save a small fortune on room service!\nThe hotel has two beautiful pools, one (unheated but quite warm enough when I was there) is right by the apartments but if you prefer a heated pool you can stroll two minutes the hill to the main building (the magic castle hotel).\u00a0\u00a0The main building also has free wifi, which I used every day.\u00a0\u00a0I stayed in a massive 1 bed suite with kitchen so I often cooked in the room and ate on the balcony and kept the fridge full of snacks.\u00a0\u00a0There were two TVs in the room with millions of channels, a good safe, lots of hanging space and lovely fluffy towels and linen.\nFor me the main thing about the HHH is the absolutely beautiful views over Hollywood from the apartment rooms.\u00a0\u00a0I spent most evenings sitting on my balcony while the sun went down and it's incredible to enjoy the view of a bustling city from such a tranquil viewpoint.\u00a0\u00a0There are also some very cute squirrels in the area and a friendly local cat.\u00a0\u00a0It's very lush and green up there and feels far removed from the hustle of LA.\u00a0\u00a0The staff are still as friendly as always and make you feel completely at home without being intrusive.\u00a0\u00a0If I win the lottery I plan to move in there forever...\nAs always, I think it's pretty essential to have a car in LA but I did walk from the hotel to Hollywood Blvd and it only took 10 minutes.\u00a0\u00a0You can reach some nice bars, shops and tourist things on foot, but to make the most of Hollywood and the surrounding areas I would recommend you hire a car.\nI really can't think of anything bad to say about this hotel.\u00a0\u00a0Not all the rooms are as amazing as the one I had this time, but they are all big and I think they all have some views. It probably isn't for you if you want the big fancy hotel service experience since they don't do things like room service or laundry but the staff are really helpful and knowledgeable about the local area.\u00a0\u00a0Its perfect for the independent traveller who likes their space and privacy but enjoys amenities like a swimming pool.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Okay, first of all you must realize that this property used to be an old apartment building and there are still people who live there (they have rent controlled apartments). The hotel people cannot spend money doing major renovations because they have actual tenants living there. I imagine whenever the tenants finally vacate, they will do massive renovations which will result in room rates five times what they are now and sort of a \"ruining\" of the experience here (in my opinion).\nYears ago when I went to LA I would stay at the Hollywood Roosevelt in one of their poolside cabana rooms. There was something about them that reminded me of how Hollywood used to be in the fifties. Since they renovated the HR all of those kinds of great authentic Hollywood experiences were gone. Only to be replaced by all things gross and glossy mall-like any-city any-place.\nThe HHH is the last real great place to stay in Hollywood. If you need room service, and want luxuries of that sort -- you won't find them here. But you will find the same quality linens and bed that you will get at the other over-priced hotels in Hollywood. Personally, I'd rather stop by Mayfair Market on Franklin and pick up water, food, etc., or Victor's deli for some wine and then keep them in the fridge (every room has a full kitchen) than to order the exact same things and spend more money. You also get complimentary dishes and basic pots/pans.\nOn my most recent visit I was \"upgraded\" to a one bedroom suite. I honestly prefer the Studio City View because I liked that the room was more open. I thought the \"bedroom\" area made it more congested. The *best* thing about the hotel is the balcony and the view.\nNOTE: There are two types of rooms here. When you drive into the compound there are a row of rooms on the left-hand side of the road and a row of rooms on the right-hand side of the road. The rooms on the left at what they call rooms with a \"hill view\" and the rooms on the right are what they call rooms with a \"city view.\" I have never seen inside a \"hill view\" room, but judging from how they look from outside, I wouldn't stay in them. The ones you want are in the greyish building on the right -- the city view rooms. But then again, from outside, those don't look so hot either. Never mind all that - this isn't the place to stay if you're shallow and into surface only.\nEasy to get a complimentary ride down the hill if you just wait to call the front desk until you're ready to go. It takes them about 4 minutes to come pick you up.\nThe service at the HHH is great. Gretchen delivers some of the best customer service I've ever experienced.\nI'm very afraid of writing this review because I want to be selfish about this hotel and tell no one it's here. Because I have this horrible feeling that sooner rather than later more and more people will realize what's here and Paris Hilton, or the like, will ruin it.\nAlso -- I'm not a budget traveller. I have no problem spending $400/night on a hotel room or $200 on a nice dinner. The reasons I love the HHH are more about the feeling - the energy - the sense of magic and a taste of what true Hollywood has to offer. If you want to feel a part of it, stay here. If you want to be destracted by glossiness and mall-like atmosphere, stay elsewhere. \nThe HHH is for people who want to be near everything but yet hidden, out of view, nestled in a quiet place. So that at the end of the day, you can retreat. And in a city as fake and gross as LA -- nothing's better than to escape into calmness.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}]}, "84453": {"reviews": [{"text": "Location & Directions:\nI'd stayed at the Residence Inn, Beverly Hills, during the week of February 15th for business and some golf. Same week as the Nissan Open at the Riviera Country Club in Pacific Pallisades. The weather was warm, shorts and short sleeves during the day but later Saturday evening and Sunday it rained. This Residence Inn is located near the Southern tip of Beverly Hills. From the San Diego 405 freeway, headed South, you can get off at the Olympic Blvd. exit and head east on Pico till you run into S. Beverly/Pico. It is about 10-15 minute drive from the 405 freeway. There is a Crowne Plaza just Northeast to this Residence Inn. The neighborhood appears to be ethnically Jewish neighborhood with my Koser Delis and Markets and some Religious institutions nearby. It is a residental nearborhood with main thorough fare, West Pico running through it. I noticed many local restaurants are closed down. This Residence Inn is not within walking distance of any SoCal sights, but is centrally located by car. It takes about 20-25 minutes to drive to Hollywood Blvd. and Vine (Pantages theatre) from this property.\nThis propertly has local onsite underground parking. Parking is $18.00 plus $2.00 tax for a total of $20.00 per day. The first two parking levels are valet. The bottom level (C) is self parking. From bottom (C) parking, you need to use your card key to access the elevator, so drop off you heavy bags first. Also get your card tagged by the car attendant, even if you self park. I never found self parking to be problem even at night, evening returning in the even at midnight. Though from the Level C self parking, to the elevator to get up to your room, you have to enter a hallway that has around eight steps, and must roll your luggage up and down these steps.\nLevel C is also the small Fitness Gym (must use room key to access), with one Elliptical Trainer, One Regular Size Treadmill (inoperable),. One Small Size Treadmills, One Stationary Bike and a Weight Machine & vending beverage machine. There are towels and water available in the gym which can get a bit stuffy and is used from about 0630 in the a.m.\nCheck In & Room:\nMy check in representatives were plesant and friendly. I checked in early around, 12:30 p.m. and asked for a quiet room. I got a Queen Studio room at great rate via online, between $109.00 - $129.00 (weekends cheaper( plus taxes & parking. This is a killer rate because I have seen rates between $180.00 - $220.00 for the same room. I was a bit worried since the room was on the third floor facing the main streets of Pico and S. Beverly. To my suprise, it was quiet, with no noticable street noise. One night, late in the evening, I did hear my neighbor listening to HBO. Many of the workers at this Residence Inn, either at the Front Desk, Service, or Parking were of some ethnic decent, many of Latino decent or Easter European and all were very friendly, talkative, and efficient. Overall, this Marriott property surpase's Marriott's South Beach in friendly and efficient staff.\nMy room was a good size studio room with full kitchen, fully equiped, good size bathroom, small closet (Residence Inn).\nThe room was clean, in good shape, and bright when the two windows shades were opened. You can also open both windows. Later on that evening, I noticed by bedside lamp was\nout, I called the next morning, and later that day they replaced it.\nThe service folks cleaning the room, always did a great job.\nThe bed was comfortable and room was quiet. The room was good size, clean, bright and enough space to eat and work on my laptop with free internet connection. \nThe free buffet breakfast (eggs, tortillas, french toast, waffles, sausage, fresh fruit, cold cereals, muffins and oatmeal was okay. Coffee, milk and juices. The breakfast area busy from 0700 with a fair amount of families and many kids visiting. My of the guests were of Jewish background because of the Religous items they were wearing religous items. If the dining room is busy you can bring your food to the good size and comfortable lobby. I did not try any of weekday evening appetizers.\nLocal Eats:\nFactor's Deli is just opposite corner of the Residence Inn. I can not really say that Factor's Hot Pastrami is better than Katz's in the Lower East Side of NYC or Carnegi Deli on Broadway in NYC, but at Katz's they put Coleslaw in their sandwiches. I\n I can give two thumbs to Factor's Debbie's Chopped Salad, both version #1 (Turkey & Salami) & #2 (Chicken Breast). Both were Yummy! The guys working the take out counter were very efficient and service oriented. There are three to four other Jewish Deli's within easy walking distance, most East on W. Pico. \nA little further to the eon W. Pico,is bakery called Beverlywood Bakery on 9128 W. Pico. Excellent, tasty baked goods at reasonable prices. I highly recommend this place. It is about a four short block walk east of the Residence Inn on W. Pico Blvd. There is also a large Ralph's chain Supermarket (with a good size Kosher section too) just across the street (south) and two blocks west of the Residence Inn on W. Pico. Full service supermarket with a bakery and deli too, if you like to prepare your own food or purchase beverages and snacks, this is the place for you. Above Ralphs there is Longs Drug store for personal tolietries. There are are several resturants in this complex and all along Pico, though most restaurants within walking distance are east of the Hotel.Also several dry cleaning stores on W. Pico too.\nI would rate this property as one of the Best Marriott properties that I have stayed at. It rates up with Marriott South Beach in Miami and Marriott Residence Inn at Times Square in Manhattan.\nIf you want quiet, room, clean, and comfortable central location in West Los Angeles, you'd be hard pressed to find anything coming close, especially for a online rate of $109.00 - $129.00 (weekends, lower rate). For a similar rate in the future, I would stay at the Residence Inn, Beverly Hills again!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "I stayed at the Marriott Residence Inn from 9/29 - 10/2. Overall my experience was excellent.\nI will start by addressing my one and only gripe--the chamber maid was not very friendly and mistakenly had me charged for a bottle of water that I did not drink. She no doubt made the mistake of not charging against the previous guest's stay. Marriott was quick to address the issue. I could not understand why she had such a bad attitude--I was friendly, and I am never a cheap tipper! I am also not a messy person so the room required very little on her part.\nI rented their larger suite which includes a separate living room and a full kitchen. Everything was in working order and clean when I arrived. Large screen LCD TV was a nice touch, but an even nicer touch would have been to have a high definition feed to get the most out of a tv like that. But I have yet to see a hotel that offers HD. I am sure that will change.\nThe bed was a queen size, and very comfortable. Bathroom and separate sink area were both in good working order. \nAll their fridges have a built in ice maker which is a nice touch. \nHot breakfast is included in your stay at this hotel, and that is nice. Weekdays you have the omlette station which is a Marriott staple, and the cook was very nice. Other breakfast items were similarly good. A nice way to start the day.\nHotel staff were very friendly and helpful. Valet company at the location also very friendly and helpful. The only person that I had trouble with was my chamber maid (detailed above). \nLocally, there is a good Jewish deli diagonally across the street, and a few other markets. I am not Jewish, but living in NYC and visiting places like Katz certainly helped me to appreciate a good Jewish deli! Beyond the deli, I didn't venture anywhere close by. I had a car rented, and traveled around a lot.\nOne good thing about this hotel: Easy to get to many popular spots around the Los Angeles area. You can walk to Rodeo Drive in less than 15 minutes. The 10 and 405 freeways are not far. Pico Blvd is a main thoroughfare so you can get to many places quick from there. Sunday morning I took a drive down Pico to Santa Monica, then jumped on Pacific Coast Highway all the way up to Zuma Beach, turned around, followed the same route but went down to Venice, parked, walked around, then headed back. The following day I went to Hollywood, the hills, and Downtown. With the freeways so close by, and Pico being a major avenue, this hotel is a good central spot to stay if you want to see the sights.\nI saw a lot of families at this hotel, and they seemed happy so I assume this hotel is kid-friendly. That, plus a cheap rate, full kitchen, and easy access to sites makes this an ideal spot for just about any type of traveler: individuals, business travelers, families, friends, etc.\nI highly recommend this hotel and will stay there again when I return to LA in December 2006.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I NEVER give a 5 out of 5 to anything, but after this experience, a 4 out of 5 just didn't seem to be enough. I had never stayed at a Residence Inn before, but this one in particular will be my choice for long-term stays going forward. \nThe location is perfect: 5 minutes to Century City, 10 minutes to Westwood, 15-20 minutes to Santa Monica or Venice, and 20 minutes to Downtown. \nFor those who like shopping (not a personal favorite), you are steps from the heart of the Beverly Hills Shopping District. \nThere is not a great variety of food in the immediate area, but Factor's Famous Deli is a block East on Pico and it is fabulous, especially if you love authentic Jewish deli food. The rooms feature full kitchens (my room had a refrigerator/freezer with icemaker, a 2 burner electric stove, a microwave, a dishwasher, a sink, and plenty of plates, dishes, cups, glasses, cutlery, and other cooking accessories), so I took advantage of the quaint Jewish market (Pico Glatt Market) directly across the street from Factor's. (Skip the adjacent convenience stores and experience the culture of this neighborhood by checking out this full service, reasonably priced market.)\nI've read complaints about the parking fees, but perhaps these folks have not paid to park elsewhere in Los Angeles. At $18 per day, plus tax, the convenience and expedience of the garage and its staff were well worth it. I gladly paid the parking fee and tipped the courteous, friendly valets each time. There is street parking very close to the hotel and the neighborhood appears very safe, so that's an alternative when available.\nMy room was immaculate. That is very important to me when I travel, so I was not disappointed. Housekeeping was thorough, effective, and almost stealth in their cleaning. Instead of just a \"Do Not Disturb\" and/or \"Please Service\" sign, the rooms offer magnets (the doors are metal) that read \"Later, Please,\" \"Day Sleeper,\" and \"No Service\" to indicate to Housekeeping when, if at all, they should service the room. On several of the days of my stay, I left the room for barely an hour (at different times of day) and returned to find my room serviced in an almost clandestine manner. I was very pleased.\nThe bed was almost too comfortable (if that is possible). There were plenty of SOFT pillows (I'm a stomach sleeper) and the down comforter was both cozy and light. The bed linens were nice and the towels were soft and plentiful.\nThe front desk staff was friendly and very helpful. I didn't call upon them much, but when I did, they could not have been more attentive.\nI did not indulge in any of the weekday hospitality hours, but I enjoyed the complimentary FULL (not just \"continental\") breakfast all but one morning. In addition to the typical continental breakfast items one might expect, the breakfast also featured an omelet bar, scrambled eggs, potatoes, french toast, and a wafflemaker with ample pre-poured cups of waffle batter. There was so much to choose from that I could not bring myself to have breakfast anywhere else.\nOverall, I was impressed, maybe even shocked, by the Residence Inn Beverly Hills and how much I enjoyed my stay. Friends in Santa Monica and Westwood invite me to crash with them whenever I'm in LA, but this was a much better choice for me. I have, without a doubt, found my home away from home in Los Angeles.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I am writing this from the hotel, as we just checked in last night. I got this on PL for 3 days at a rate of 70/night. WHen we checked in, the staff at front desk was super nice, no mention of PL (Not that it matters to me anyways), we got a nice room with queen bed. The hotel also looks quite new with comfy bed and free DSL if you broght your lappie with you. The only thing that kinda bites you is the parking- it's 18 dollars!! When I called the reception desk the night before we arrived and asked if there are free street parking, I was told no- I am not sure if that was intentional or just a mistake, but paying 18 just didn't seem right. Howerver, if you drive around you WILL find overnight parking walking distance from the hotel and it looks pretty safe. Oh the breakfast is also very good, not the typical dry cerial and milk, but these guys actually serve continental style breakfast! Hope this helps.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "my boyfriend and i stayed at this hotel in oct 05 for 4 nights, as soon as we got there we were greeted at the reception from a very friendly irish man. he answered any questions we had the rest of our stay. he gave us a room on the top floor with a view of the hollywood sign!!!\nthe room was one of the best we have stayed in with a really comfy bed and lots of pillows, and it was kept very clean every day, the bathroom was an average size and again very clean. we had a kitchen with a fridge, freezer and microwave and a small living area. hotel was a little bit far out but we didnt mind walking or getting taxis to where we wanted to go.\nwe went to universal studios hollywood one day which was great, we payed extra for the queue hopping pass which was well worth the money, no waiting in long queues all day, dont miss the studio tour it was fab.\nit was great to have such a comfy and clean room after a long day at universal and would reccomend this hotel to anyone looking to stay in los angeles.\noh and never saw any homeless people anywhere near the hotel let alone in it!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We really enjoyed our stay here, and I got the room for a steal on priceline at $60/night.\nThe rooms are great, come equipped with stoves, utensils, a fridge and a microwave. But the best thing is the bed, it was like sleeping on a cloud, I stayed in 10 hotels this holiday and nothing came close to this bed. Also the service was great, the desk staff were terribly polite and courteous. \nAnother great thing was the buffet breakfast. They had waffle makers, cereals, coffee, soft drinks, juices, toast, french toast, everything !\nI didn't park in the garage, it was $18/day. But its not too bad to park for free in the sidestreets off Pico, about a 3 minute walk away.\nThe location is great, lots of delis, kosher restaurants and its quiet.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "For those of you who are expecting to be on Rodeo Drive then go spend $450 a night at the Four Seasons. \nThis hotel was extremely well priced and convenient to just about everything you need. The area was nowhere near ghetto as one reviewer wrote, but not really in walking distance to anything scenic. \nLA is the city of cars. You HAVE to have one to get around and this hotel provides you a great jumping off point. You're in southwest Beverly Hills close to the highway, West Hollywood, and can easily get to Santa Monica, Venice, etc.\nThe rooms are VERY well appointed and comfortable. I stayed in a King studio and couldn't have been happier. The kitchen was small, but still a bonus. The bathroom was very large with a seperate sink are with a marble countertop. There was free internet and a great free breakfast.\nThe view is what really sealed the deal. I was on the sixth floor and I had a view of all of downtown LA and the Hollywood sign. It was beautiful.\nOverall I would recommend this hotel to any traveler to LA with a car (which everyone should have).", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "Myself and my boyfriend booked into this hotel for five nights after a mix up with the one we previously booked. We arrived late afternoon after a flight from San Francisco and the hotel staff were very friendly, helpful, and sympathetic after a long day and stressful encounter at the previous hotel. \nWe were given a large one bedroom suite with a full kitchen (fridge freezer, microwave, dishwasher, the works!), sitting area, bathroom and what felt to me like the most comfy bed in the world! The hotel has just been fully renovated and is spotlessly clean and tidy. It has a spacious lobby and bar area, and we had complementary breakfast (waffles, omelettes, cereal etc). It also has 'happy hour' between 5.30 and 7 weekdays with free snack food (jacket potatoes, burgers, tacos and salad) and free soft drinks, wine and beer which was great- lovely to come back to the hotel after a day at the beach to some warm food and a glass of wine. \nThere is a big supermarket across the road which is useful for buying food to cook in your room, and at the bus stop accross the road (outside the Crowne Plaza) buses stop every hour running to Hollywood. Just around the corner is a bus stop to take a bus to Santa Monica. You can walk to Rodeo Drive etc from the hotel- its not just up the street but its not a long walk either and the neighbourhood felt very safe to us.\nWe loved this hotel, it was perfect for us- comfortable and the perfect base for us in Beverly Hills. We had a couple of evenings out on the Sunset Strip but the others we were more than happy to relax in our room with a nice (home cooked!) meal and a bottle of wine. I would stay here again if I return to Beverly Hills, the only drawback to me is that it did not have a pool.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "My husband, three children (ages 5, 2 and 11 mos) and I stayed here for one day. It was all we could stand... it is not in Beverly Hills, but in a trashy part of town miles away from Rodeo Drive. Not a place I would take my family for a walk and as far from shopping as you can get. I take that back-you could shop at all the 99, 98, 97 and 96 cent stores-they're all over the place!\nWe picked this hotel because we wanted a kitchen which, though small was functional and had everything you need to cook with (probably bought from one of the stores mentioned above) but we were very disgusted by the size of the one bedroom suite we had reserved. My husband compared it to the insurance commercial where the couple is crammed into a tiny house and their heads and shoulders are scraping across the low ceilings- but the unfunny part of it was that his description was about right.\nWhen he called downstairs to request a bigger room the woman told him that all the rooms were about that size, because you see folks, this was a former working hospital. (another employee confirmed that and added to it)\nThey moved us to a King room which for some weird reason was a little bigger than the one bedroom suite. We decided to stay one night to see if we liked it or not. The next morning we woke up after only two or three hours of disruptive sleep (disruption coming from within our hotel room not from outside) and decided we did not wish to continue our stay. \nThe hotel itself has a pretty lobby and though the tiny rooms are dark the decor is nice and the free breakfasts can't be beat. It's obvious that Marriott spent a LOT of money, time and effort into making the hotel's insides look nice, because asthetically speaking it's very pretty and pleasant looking.\nMy conclusion is: If you have a family and looking for a bigger room or a kitchen or a nice location or if the idea of it being a former hospital filled with former patients bothers you, I recommend staying somewhere else (perhaps at the Mariott downtown like we are now) and buy snacks to feed the kids. \nBut if you are a single person or here on business and are only interested in the free breakfasts and whatever, then this place is for you!", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I shared a two bedroom suite with two other people last thanksgiving, for two nights. My credit card was used, and on checkout the bill was about $645. When I got my credit card statement the charge had been increased to about $952.\nI called the hotel to report the overcharge and get it corrected. I was told that I was charged for three nights instead of two and that it would be corrected and I would receive a fax verifying the correction. The fax was not sent. This did not surpise me as the person I spoke to gave me the impression that he could not care less about my problem.\nI tried to deal with the problem through my credit card company, but the hotel challenged this, sending a phoney bill showing a stay of three nights. Eventually I received the credit, but the process took over 5 months, many hours of work and a great deal of aggravation. I would rather sleep on the street than return to this hotel", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Just finished my second week at this hotel and I will not be staying there for the third week, partly because of convenience and partly because of the facility and value (or lack of...). The best thing about this place? The free high-speed wireless internet access. Other than that? Free beer, free breakfast. You can get a much better room and hotel for not much more money (most of the time) elsewhere in Century City...at the Century Plaza, Park Hyatt or St. Regis. First week my King Studio was adequate but dark. Looked into an interior patio area where the sun never shines. The bed was comfortable, bathroom was adequate size, two closets. Week two was worse. No King non-smoking suites so I got a Queen smoking studio...bad news...the room smelled, had mold on the carpet around the air conditioner, dirty (stained) sofa and carpet, very soft mattress (old?), much lower quality pillows, linens and comforter than in the King room. Good thing? They lowered my rate since I could not get into the reserved room. This hotel is fairly convenient to BH and Century City. RE the previous reviewer, I did not see a problem with vagrants in the lobby but the breakfast was very crowded. Evening free food was soggy fried stuff but beer was cold and free. Some good restaurants nearby but it is a questionable neighborhood though I never felt unsafe. Try Delmonico's for good drinks, good staff, good food. Overall, not a quality version of Residence Inns. Be careful what price you pay here before you look elsewhere.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I am a female and travel alone on business and was appalled at this hotel. It is not in Beverly Hills but in LA which makes all the difference. The hotel staff not only allowed homeless men to hang out in the lobby but they encouraged it by giving them tokens for free coffee. These people were filthy and frightening. The air conditioner dripped all night and kept me awake and they did not fix it when I complained the next day. The free breakfast and nightly snack is a free-for-all-with people knocking each other down to get to the food. A very low-class and unsafe experience. (I later found out homeless people are a huge problem in this part of town. They are not \"allowed\" in Beverly Hills so they camp out near Santa Monica instead. Don't go to the Santa Monica beaches at night. Very dangerous.)", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "I cannot recomend Marriott Residence Inn enough to anyone coming to visit LA. The people at the front desk could not do enough to make me more cofortable or feel more at home. Take it from someone who travels A LOT, this hotel really knows how to take care of you. Plus why pay 125+ bucks to stay in a tiny room when you can have a gigantic suite with views of Downtown LA and the Sunset Strip WITH a kitchen (as I did)? The free beer at night did not hurt either. Oh - and I think I am in love with the super cute manager that floats around the lobby chating with everyone!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}]}, "82501": {"reviews": [{"text": "This really is THE place to stay. After staying at the Venice Beach Suites I just wouldn't consider staying anywhere else in the area. It's not only a perfect location for visitng Venice Beach, but is minutes away from the airport, and great for an LA stopover. \nI didn't know what to expect -my husband booked the hotel for me & all he said was that he hoped it was OK, the staff were really friendly over the phone and that it was an 'older' style hotel. That could have meant anything - I was imagining 1970's decor and musty smells! Well, I couldn't have been more pleasantly surprised by just how nice this hotel is.\nIt's in a beautiful old terrace house that has all it's old world charm, but all the mod cons, too. The decor has been tastefully done in keeping with the age of the building, right down to gorgeous claw-footed baths! The hotel has been modernised (to include full kitchens & cable TV) without knocking any of the character out of the building - it's retained quaint nooks & crannies & just so much character.\nWhen you add to this it's amazing location right on the beachfront, and the nicest staff you could encounter anywhere, you've really hit the jackpot! You step outside the front door straight into the chaos that Venice Beach is famous, and much loved, for - street performers, market stalls, amazing restaurants and, of course, the beach. You can literally sit on the little bench on the front verandah and just watch all the action roll by.\nAfter just a very short stay we felt so at home and welcomed. I am aware that this all sounds gushy, but I mean it all so sincerely. We genuinely couldn't fault the hotel. I'd be very surprised indeed if anyone were not happy with this hotel, it's location and the lovely staff. We've since recommended it without reservation to friends & family & we're really looking forward to our next stay there.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My wife and I enjoyed spending a couple nights on Venice Beach just a week ago. What an incredible place!! The hotel was in the most central location there could possibly be in Venice! The rooms were really cute, nicely renovated historic building. The staff (Teri especially) was so helpful, recommending places to eat, shop, etc. We had to check out 7 hours before our plane left on our last day, and the staff let us store our luggage in their tiny office and let us use their office bathroom to let us get cleaned up after the beach. So accomodating!\nWe spent one day out in Santa Monica, we caught a bus right by the hotel that took us straight there (10 min bus ride). Santa Monica is beautiful and has some great shopping on Main St. We recommend that you take a trip down there!\nI understand that Venice Beach is not for everyone, but if you have an open mind, then you will love it. This is a MUST SEE for anyone touring the beach cities of LA. The street performers and the general atmosphere is second to none. We recommend walking down to Washington st. to find some nice places to eat. It's a bit of a walk (15 min), heading towards Marina del rey along the beach, but there is a great Mediteranean place as well as this place called 'Bite' which is a great place to go for martinis, wine, a bottle of asian beer, and some sushi/skewers of fun foods!\nAnyone who has had a bad experience here is expecting something completely different. This community is laid back and unpretentious. If you do not like tattoo parlours or anything in that end of the spectrum then you should consider travelling elsewhere (there is a tattoo shop every 30 steps). There is a visible homeless population, but they are harmless and some of the most fun individuals in the area. Although people have said that it is not a safe place to walk after dark, we did not experience this at all. \nThe rooms are historic, if you are looking for large suites with large bathrooms then I recommend you find a Best Western. Otherwise, if you are looking for a new experience in a friendly hotel, you will love it here!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Stayed here for 2 nights at the end of April. It's lovely! From the little e-mail they sent when we booked it, to the free bottle of wine and the gorgeous beach front location! It's right on the Venice boardwalk, so you're close to all the action. You can waste all day walking up and down looking at the street performers and shops. Beach very clean, there were some very brave people in the water - it was freezing! We walked along the beach to Santa Monica pier, it took about an hour but was worth it. Got a bus back for 25 cents! \nThe hotel itself is so cute, very clean, lovely rooms. Ours wasn't advertised as an ocean view, but you could see it if you stuck your head out of the window and looked left! They let us check out late, as we were going to the airport at 12.30pm which was great. I would recommend the Sidewalk cafe, a few steps left out of the boardwalk entrance - great breakfasts, and a good people watching view!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "Should have written this months ago! We stayed here in early August 2005. My wife and I travelled from Australia and neglected to consider the crossing of the date line when we made our booking and arrived the day before the booking started! The staff moved heaven and earth to look after us and succeeded magnificently throughout our stay. The room was clean and comfortable and excellent value for the price - particularly considering the \"on the boardwalk\" location between the Santa Monica Pier and the Venice Beach Pier. Both are within reasonable walking distance and we took the boardwalk in one direction and the beach in the other during our wanderings. Good bus service, too. There are certainly some strange and interesting people wandering about, but they mostly leave you alone. We never felt threatened.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "ABSOLUTELY the WORST \"hotel\" I have ever stayed in my 40 years!! FILTHY DIRTY GROSS OLD...Rude management is unresponsive, at best. BEWARE of using your credit card here - they will double charge for items and not return your money without a fight. VERY POOR BUSINESS TACTICS. Try the Best Western. So sorry we didnt go there again.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We were at our witts end when we firs arrived in California , and I had gotten suckered into the Package deal with Orbitz where you can't change a single thing. Well I found out my previous hotel was in a horrible area so without bothering we spent 4 hours in LAX calling hotels. We went to one that was horrible, and when all hope was lost I called this hotel. It was a breathe of fresh air when we arrived. The woman who was there was soo helpful and waited for us to get there. She gave me directions to give the cab, and becuase she was fully booked on Saturday adn we left on Sunday she set us up with other hotels. She wonderful, she helped us with everything we needed and went above and beyond for us. The room was the most adorable room! It had a wonderful fiew and a beautiful cross breeze. It made my trip so much better and te location was great. At night it's a little iffy, but during the day it was wonderful with so many little stores. If you're traveling with family I would suggest the Santa Monica area was is about a mile from this hotel. All in all because of this hotel and their owners, my trip was great.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We stayed at the Venice Suites, 417 Ocean Front Walk, (not to be confused with the Venice Beach Suites at 1305 Ocean Front Walk) from April 28 - May 2, 2005, and we loved it. My only complaint is that we couldn't stay longer.\nThey offer one bedroom and studio apartments with full kitchens. The apts. have been completely renovated. They are small, but perfect if you prefer an at-home feel to a hotel. The rooms have hardwood floors and modern, contemporary furniture. The kitchens have maple cabinets, granite countertops and electric cooktops for preparing meals, which we did several times during our stay. There is also a rooftop sundeck with lounging chairs and a BBQ grill. The beach views up there are superb!\nI was initially worried because I had read other reviews about hotels in Venice Beach being described one way and turning out to be dirty, rundown and/or outdated. This place, however, was clean and the prices were affordable. The studio was $120 per night, which is relatively cheap for the area. It's located right on the beach, in the middle of the action, but was surprisingly quiet. It's also in close walking distance to a number of restaurants, cafes, clubs, and even Blockbuster. It's a perfect place to enjoy the the laid-back Venice beach lifestyle. I would definitely recommend!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}]}, "77944": {"reviews": [{"text": "When you walk in the lobby of this hotel, it's gorgeous. It looks clean and well maintained, however when I awoke on the morning of June 20, 2011 I did not wake up alone. When the night side lamp was turned on, I found multiple bed bugs crawling around my neck and shoulder area. I immediately jumped out of bed and killed what I saw and even have pictures to prove it, which I'm happy I chose to do and I'll share why. I took one of the bed bugs down to the front desk to show them and the front desk clerk told me he would have to take the bug to show the exterminator and then said, \"have a nice day\" with never an apology or the managers name and number. After checking out, I threw out the Pajama's and under garments I was wearing and once I arrived home threw out all of my luggage and all leather items that could not be laundered. I also called the hotel manager and never heard back until a family member sent a letter to someone at corp. and they urged the general manager to return my call. During our conversation he admitted to having found bed bugs in my room. In the interm of not hearing back from the manager, I also called the LA county health dept. but once they arrived it was too late. The hotel room had been vacated and all furniture pulled out and the extermination process was in place and they told him that no bed bugs had been found but were treating it \"just in case\". I was then passed onto the claims department and told all of my items I had thrown out would be replaced. That was the last I have heard from Marriott. They are no longer communicating with me and are saying the room never had any bed bugs to begin with and that basically I am lying. My family and myself have been loyal to Marriott and have exclusively stayed only at Marriott when traveling and have always been treated well, that is until now. I am shocked and disappointed in how they've treated me through this whole ordeal and all I can say is, thank goodness I saw these bed bugs crawling around my bed as aweful as it was, because I knew not to bring a single item into my home.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Over the years it has almost become tradition to stay one night at the start and end of a trip at this excellent property. It is quite amazing really that this hotel has been very consistent in service and quality for donkey's years.\nI never ever had problems at this property. Staff always nice and helpful, high housekeeping standards, pretty good food quality. I suppose they could start on updating rooms and give it that modern design Renaissance touch but having said that I am still pretty happy with the rooms.\nIt also helps that this inn does not feel that much like a airport hotel. Yes I said airport location apparently some reviewers expect it also to be close to tourist locations (???).\nParking is the usual LA rates but one can circumvent this by parking on the street as long as one is aware of street sweeping days. Saved me $ 18.40 including tax.\nI certainly recommend this hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I recently stayed at this hotel on a return trip to Los Angeles. I needed to stay near LAX for a quick overnight trip. In October I stayed at the nearby Marriott LAX which was very expensive and they didn't have their act together. This hotel, on the other hand, is very nice and much cheaper too. It also seemed much more relaxed and less convention like. The lobby wasn't noisy or too busy. The restaurant had a well above average wine list - much to my surprise. The hotel is a little gem at LAX. \nMy stay was over a Friday night so I had a $99 (the Marriott was $119) weekend rate which is very reasonable price. The room was very spacious and had a large bathroom and the new-Marriott beds. The room also offered a Ipod radio as well as cd player, plus free bottles of water. Very nice touch. \nBeing a Marriott Rewards member I was granted access to the concierge lounge which, I must say, was fantastic. This place offered well above the average appetizers including poached salmon, various cheeses, meatballs, etc. \nThe hotel also has a cute-little gift shop and great gym (also outdoor pool if you have the time). \nI was on the 5:30 am airport shuttle and the shuttle (which also picks up people at the Marriott) was right on time and was a short 10 minute ride to my airline at LAX. \nThis hotel is very nice an I highly recommend it if you need to stay near LAX airport.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "We stayed twice at the Montura on the bookends of our trip - after and before long flights from/to Asia. Overall, the hotel is good for an overnight layover, but I would not stay longer.\nThe airport shuttle bus service was excellent during our two stays - the bus runs in 15-min intervals and was pretty time efficient for service to this hotel. The close proximity to LAX is a big plus for fliers.\nThe staff were pretty good, with the possible exception was the maids during the afternoon during our second stay - talking/yelling loudly in the hall to communicate - you would think that they would be more cautious being an airport-area hotel. The room service was pretty good - reasonably priced and some creative dishes.\nThe room was fairly large and gave a decent sense of space. The bed was really nice, but the furnishings were a bit old - yet well-maintained and very clean.\nTwo flaws: the water temperature of the shower was bothersome - e.g., taking a long time to get hot and needing frequent adjustments. Also, the room is pretty dark - - natural light did not get in too much and the in-room lighting was not very bright. Staying overnight the first time, we did not notice this - we just wanted to sleep after a 14-hour flight. It was more noticeable during our second stay. I would not really like to stay or work in such a dark room ..... so overall, a good lay-over hotel but probably not for longer.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Just a one-night stay, but we were very impressed with the all-round quality of this airport hotel. Despite a bargain rate, we were given a junior suite - which had had a stylish recent makeover. And the restaurant, although rather lacking in atmosphere on a Saturday night, served up remarkably good, innovative food.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We spent a night here prior to a flight to Hawaii on March 18th. I read the reviews at Tripadvisor and compared it to other nearby hotels. We are Marriott Rewards members and this hotel, based on reviews at this website, sounded perfect for us. After collecting our bags, we picked up the free Marriott shuttle outside baggage claim. The hotel is the 2nd stop on the route....about 2 blocks from LAX and a block from the Marriott LAX, which does not have the same charm as this hotel.\nThe hotel feels intimate, elegant and very clean. It is nicer than the other Marriott nearby.\nThe staff was very accomodating. I asked for a room on an upper floor, facing the runway and got it. The bed was amazing....lots of pillows and crisp white linens...nicely appointed bathroom too. We had a wonderful meal in the diningroom and then sat in the roof top jacuzzi on the 2nd level and watched the planes overhead.. It was a very nice little rooftop garden with pool as well, and fitness center. the breakfast buffet was also very nice. i did go across the street to the Burger King once to get something for my husband but i do not recommend it. It was smokey and did not feel clean. there were alot of people there who seemed a little rough. Even though the hotel is upscale, it is surrounded by rental car parking lots and an industrtial area. I still recommend this hotel to anyone waiting for a connection. It is really a great place to rest. Just don't venture out on the sidewalk at night. One great thing we saw...the landing of the new Airbus which came in from France. Lots of media and police escort. It was quite a sight to see it land from our hotel window. By the way, the hotel is completely soundproof.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "A terrific hotel overall. Very close to LAX, walking distance to the Hertz and Avis lots, excellent service from the welcoming and competent staff (one of the fastest check-ins I've ever had at any hotel), fantastic bed, extremely clean bathroom, excellent food in the concierge lounge, marble top furniture, live plant in the guest room, beautiful artwork throughout the property. I still can't believe I only paid $109 per night. My only complaint was the airport shuttle, which is shared with a number of other hotels and makes a number of stops before getting to the Renaissance.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We stayed at the Renaissance Montura on Saturday, March 25, 2006. There was four of us and with the senior rate we paid $98.00/night...$111.86 with all the taxes. Excellent price for a beautiful hotel, close to the airport with no noise, seemed like a safe part of town.\n-Check in was very quick and the staff was very nice.\n-Free shuttle bus to and from LAX runs 24 hours.\n-Clean, beautiful rooms (furniture was a bit large for these smaller rooms)\n-We had a light breakfast in the hotel restaurant and it was delicious, service was excellent and when the food came to the table, it was on beautiful dishes and garnished with fresh fruit etc., looked like a picture out of a magazine. My toast was made with thick homemade bread and my daughter's french toast was garnished with fresh strawberries and she said that it was the best french toast that she has ever had.\n-Burger King is across the street.\n-Budget car rental across the street, I rented from Alamo which is about 1 mile away. To save on taxi fees, I took the shuttle back to the airport and walked downstairs and caught the alamo shuttle. \nI highly recommend this hotel. I was in California for about a week and stayed at other hotels if you would like to look at those reviews. \nArea/Hotels:\nNorth Hollywood - Holiday Inn, Beverly Garland\nAnaheim (Near Disneyland) - Holiday Inn Express\nHuntington Beach - Best Western Huntington Beach Inn\nLong Beach - The Coast Long Beach Hotel", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed at this hotel for one night on our way back from NY to Sydney. We had also stayed at the Radisson LAX the night before, but the Renaissance wins hands down. The room was some 30% cheaper, the night we stayed, the beds more comfortable, the room a little larger, but what really stood out was the service. They have something called \"delighted to serve\" which I thought would be some cheesy corporate service standard that they just put up to say they have good service. But they actually all seemed to be genuinely delighted to serve you. Everyone staff member we ran into or dealt with was extremely courteous, pleasant and nothing was too much trouble. A rarity in American hotels.\nIf we have to stay near LAX, we will stay here.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Very nice hotel with a great location. Close to car rentals and LAX (1-2 miles). Closest car rental is Budget across the street. We rented from Hertz which is one block from hotel, extremely convenient, can walk there.\nHotel staff are very friendly and helpful. Room is very clean and decent size. Furniture is a little big for the room but there was still plenty of room for two people. For women - bring your own blow dryer if you need to use it for more than five minutes. I have long hair and it kept shutting off to cool down after about 2 minutes of use on medium heat, what a nuisance.\nParking was $13 per day in the garage. Did not use valet service. Never heard the airplanes and our stay was very quiet and restful. Would gladly stay again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I stay overnight near Los Angeles Int'l Airport (LAX) at least several times per year and this is easily the best hotel in the area. \n- Beautifully appointed hotel and rooms\n- Execllent location: 1 block off Century Blvd. near LAX\n- Free shuttle to airport\n- Competetive parking rates incl. valet\n- \"Club\" level provides breakfast and Hors d'\u0153uvres\nThe only negative experience for me has been the clueless valet parking staff which always screws up the parking fees, car wash (included w/ some packages) etc... Not a deal breaker by any means.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I stayed at the Renaissance Montura LAX hotel during October 2005 for three nights. I booked this hotel as I was attending a conference held in the International Room. The rooms are nicely decorated and the views range from LA carparks to the runway at LAX. Surprisingly, there is zero noise from the jets, the rooms are very well insulated. I had a good amount of time to explore the LAX area by foot and in the immediate area there is absolutely nothing aside from a Burger King across the road. However, if you walk left and follow the main road right down (20 mins) you'll find many restaurants (Mexican/ Chinese/ American) and commercial blocks. Otherwise there are many other hotels in the area to visit! In the LAX area, it is the finest hotel, it has many european style touches including a prized art collection. The restaurant in the hotel serves very good food, though it is a little pricey! Snacks and essential items are available in a store in the lobby and a pool/spa on the lower level. The staff are very friendly and provided items I requested free of charge such as toothpaste (!) and a late check-out at 3pm. If you're considering staying around LAX to save on LA hotel costs, the taxi downtown is $40, alternatively take the free shuttle back to LAX and a super shuttle into town- $19 per person or the bus which is a few dollars but takes 2 hours. Staying in the LAX area you are really confined to the hotel itself to provide all necessary comforts. The Renaissance Montura hotel does this and more!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Being a fan of the Marriott chain, it is my first choice in hotels. Recently visiting the TUT exhibit, we chose The Renaissance Montura Hotel Los Angeles that recently underwent a major remodel. My compliments to this fine hotel for a job well done. Beautiful furnishings & artwork throughout. Close and easy to get to from LAX and the freeway. Airplane noise was minimal and not an issue. \nComfortable room & beds.\nNewspaper at your door in the am. Staff pleasant and helpful with maps & directions. Food & resturants excellant. The berry crepes were fabulous. Small pool & gym with lots of equipment. Non valet parking in their garage was $14.00 pd. a little steep. I would absolutly stay again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I stayed here on 09/23/05 and enjoyed the stay. I wasn\u2019t impressed with the exterior, but the hotel was gorgeous inside and the rooms were in great shape. The bed was also very comfortable. Parking at the hotel was $13.99 a day and included in-and-out privileges. We had one problem with room service; when we ordered at 1:30am the kitchen was having problems. The menu was inaccurate, the order took 45 minutes to get to us, and I didn\u2019t get what I asked for. TO THEIR CREDIT\u2014they gave the food to us for free and apologized. I was impressed. It was easily $30 worth of food. The hotel bar was great and I enjoyed the stay here", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I stayed at the Renaissance Montura about two weeks ago (in late August) for several nights, while visiting relatives in LA. The hotel, while fairly close to the LA airport, is quieter than many other hotels both near the airport and farther away-- for instance, on one of the many busy LA streets--because of the excellent soundproofing. Another advantage of staying here is that the shuttle picks you up and take you back to the airport, which spares my relatives the trouble of dealing with LAX.\n I've stayed here a couple of other times for these reasons, even though I don't have a burning desire to stay near the airport. Yet, freeway access is nearby and it's easy to get to other parts of LA (usually west LA for me). On this visit, the shuttle came by the airport within a few minutes. (However, the shuttle wouldn't take me to a local car rental place about 6-8 blocks away a couple of days later, but luckily Enterprise picked me up, since I have some leg trouble.) The room at the Renaissance was nicely furnished and of good size, with fairly comfortable beds, but not as comfy as at the Westin, although the LAX airport Westin--which I've stayed at a couple of times because of my Starwood membership--is noisier and less well maintained than the Renaissance. I keep wondering, though, when most hotels--even quite upscale ones--will decide to use fitted mattress pads and bottom sheets so the bed doesn't keep unmaking itself during the night? \n The bathroom and desk had lovely granite countertops, although I found both much too high for an average-height woman. At least the desk should have an adjustable chair. I felt like I needed a child's booster seat to be able to write at the desk (and instead had to sit on two pillows). Like most hotels, this one seems designed by and for (tall) men. The bathroom had a lot of counter space, so it was a little surprising that the coffeemaker was in the bedroom, near the TV, which made things a little more difficult than if it had been on the bathroom counter, near the water, as at most hotels. There was actually a nice small (and empty) refrigerator rather than a mini-bar, so I could keep my bottled water and a few other things in there without having to take the hotel's stuff out, as I usually do. The hotel provides fresh apples for guests, by the way, and has decent coffee replenished daily in the room with real half and half (although not much of it or of sugar).\n The staff I met all seemed very nice and helpful. My room was exactly as I'd requested--non-smoking (and this sometimes is true in name only), quiet, on a high floor, and away from the elevator and ice machine. I actually was able to sleep in a quiet environment for the most part. The a/c was a little noisy, however, so I turned it off when I was sleeping, even though it was fairly hot in LA while I was there. I'd get up in the middle of the night and turn the a/c back on for a little while to cool off the room a bit. All things considered, and speaking as someone who oftens has bad hotel luck, I felt like my stay went smoothly. The hotel is nicely designed, both in its public spaces and guest rooms. I got a good rate on the Marriott/Renaissance website (about $100/night), and would stay here again if I could get a similar or lower rate. The parking charge of $13/day for self-parking is much lower than in some parts of LA and in many other cities. I didn't use the restaurant or room service, so can't comment on those. But if you're looking for a quiet, understated, well-decorated hotel in this general part of LA, the Renaissance is a good choice.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "This hotel was lovely and the service (front desk, restaurant, valet) was excellent. The rooms were very clean, updated, smelled good. Bed was very comfortable. Ate twice in the restaurant. Food was very good and very reasonably priced. I was worried there would be a lot of airport noise, but didn't hear any. I am going back out to LA in a few weeks and am staying at this hotel again (I usually stay at the beach, but the renovation is so nice at this hotel, I'll give up the ocean for a much nicer hotel).", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I stayed on the airport side and didn't hear a jet at all. I also turned of the airconditioner as I always do in hotels rooms. I was in Club level though but that shouldn't make a difference. The Marriot hotel around the corner is no where near as nice as I stayed at the Marriot the week before and decided that I didn't want to stay there unless i was desperate. Old dingy rooms with such skinny bathroom doors you almost had to turn sideways to get in. The Montura rooms seem overly luxurious in comparison. Service was fine, I signed up for the park and fly $199 and got Club level, a private town car to the airport and free breakfast. That was very nice. Didn't bring a car to park but they did call me to ask me if I wanted my car washed when I was gone (complimentary)! The food at Club Level is pretty much the same at most hotels club level floors -acceptable. Didn't go downstairs for my breakfast as I was pressed for time so I can't say how the food is. I will definitely stay here again while passing through.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We live about an hour north of Los Angeles and decided to spend one night at the Renaissance Montura before an early morning flight to Maui. I booked a room online through Marriott's website and got their 'AAA Park & Fly' special. For about $215 (including tax), we got the room, 7 days of free valet parking, a car wash and a town-car ride to the airport the morning of our flight! We also stayed on the club level and enjoyed that thoroughly. The lounge (only accessible to people staying on the club levels) was great for appetizers/drinks in the evening and then breakfast the day of our departure. Our room was very nice - beautifully appointed and not terribly \"cramped\" even with 4 people, golf clubs and luggage in it. We had a great view of the airport from our window - our 5 and 6 year old children loved watching the planes land every few minutes and we were amazed that there was NO noise from the jets whatsoever! Our children would've been perfectly happy with dinner at Burger King (directly across the street!) but, instead, we enjoyed a wonderful dinner at The Conservatory Restaurant just off the lobby. The hotel is gorgeous - decorated beautifully and very clean. The orchids everywhere are just incredible!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We picked this hotel for it's convenience since we drove in from the Central Coast and had an early morning flight. \nThe service was great. The evening appetizers were enough to make a light meal. The rooms were clean, quiet and comfortable. We stayed on the Club Level which was included in the AAA Park and Fly promotion. From the dining room on the 11th floor there was a great view of the planes arriving and departing. The soundproofing was really good, couldn't hear the planes at all. \nWe had two kids with us so we used the pool which is definitely small, but not crowded. The gym was well equipped. The front desk were very helpful arranging the shuttle since we couldn't use the towncar they offered for free with the two kids and no car seats. They also arranged an early room service for breakfast, complimentary, since we had to leave before 6am. \nAlso included in the AAA deal was 7 days of free parking and they washed the car while we were gone. The staff were all very professional and friendly. \nI would not hesitate to stay here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I was traveling to LA on business and got a great rate on the leading discount hotel website. I was familiar with the Renaissance chain, but had never stayed at the LAX location. I was very pleasantly surprised -- because some of the hotels around the airport can be hit-or-miss. The staff greeted me very personably and checked me in quickly. The decor of the lobby is luxurious down to the fresh flower arrangements and orchids. My room was well appointed -- granite in the bathroom, fluffy pillowtop mattress, soft sheets, mini-bar, gourmet coffee, etc. I called room service for dinner and they brought me a delicious meal served on a tray sprinkled with rose petals. It was Valentine's day, so I'm assuming that was the reason for the rose treatment. About 40 minutes after my meal, room service called just to make sure I had enjoyed my food. The staff always called me by name and wished me a good night when I called for a wake-up. Had breakfast the next morning in the restaurant that was slightly above the average buffet. I would certainly recommend this hotel for any business traveler who needs to be close to the airport. It is first rate.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}]}, "77917": {"reviews": [{"text": "We have just come back from a nights stay at this hotel. On arrival at LAX aiport I was informed by the hotel that the transport shuttle was not available, so take a taxi and they would re-imburse us. Obviously that did not take into account the gratuity that we had to pay the taxi driver. When we arrived at the hotel we were given a room with one double bed, when I had clearly booked a room with 2 double beds due to the fact that I had a 13 and 15 year old with us. When we got to the room it was clearly a smoking room and very tatty.(I had also booked a non smoking room). After a lot of discussion with the hotel they gave us another room which also was a smoking room, we had to leave the air conditioning off to help get rid of the smell. The hotel had no outdoor pool. The waitress dropped my husbands meal on the floor at the evening meal. Therefore his meal came much later than ours. The comlimentary breakfast was the worst I have had. I would suggest that they give this hotel a major overall. I am glad we only had to spend the night there. I have stayed in embassy suites before and they are not all like this one.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed in the Embassy Suites LAX North for 2 nights in July, 2006.\nFirst, the bad news. While I read in prior reviews that parking was OK, I found the parking situation at this hotel to be unsatisfactory, to be kind.\nThere appears to be just 1 level of parking, which was beneath the hotel. We got back late the 2 nights that we were there, and the lot was full.\nWhat to do?\nWe wound up going next door to an independent lot. I got turned around walking back to my hotel.\nDo I really need to face a parking problem when dealing with a hotel? I found this disconcerting.\n On the upside: outside of the parking issue, the hotel was simply outstanding. \nThe room was enormous, it was a suite. It had 2 rooms, the bed was comfortable, the bathroom was fine.\nQuiet is very important to me. I read a prior review that said noise was an issue. I did not have that problem.\nIn fact, you walk to the back of the suite to get to the sleeping area, which is well away from the front door of the suite.\nAll the suites face the atrium, looking down on the restaurant on the ground floor.\nThe breakfast is included at it may be the best inclusive breakfast in the hotel industry.\nThere were many tables available, I found the staff worked quickly to clean up dirty dishes.\n Conclusion: If you don't mind a possible parking issue, this hotel was outstanding. It is right down the block from, LAX, and from Hertz, if you rent a car from them. The nearest freeway is just minutes away.\n I informed the front desk about the parking issue each night, and the girls removed the parking charge each night from my bill, as I had to park elsewhere.\n All in all, this hotel is excellent, but keep the parking situation in the back of your mind, as a possible issue for you.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I stayed at Embassy Suites with my boyfriend, mother and sister as a stop over on the way to a awaiting cruise ship. We only stayed the one night but I could have easily stayed more. Check-in was quick and hassle free - except they tried charging us $40 more per room than what I had booked over the internet (due to some occupancy tax, claiming I had not stated I had booked 2 people into each room). This was easily sorted though and once I had showed the receptionist my e-mail confirmation they agreed to keep to the internet price without any fuss. We booked two rooms and both were exceptionally large, clean and tidy. Both had two double beds which were really comfortable and each had a massive bathroom. They had a separate living room area as well which came complete with sofa, TV and a little kitchenette (fridge, kettle, microwave). If you want a cup of tea though, take your own milk, as we were not provided with any.My only concern about the hotel was its proximity to the airport. I thought it would be very noisy due to the planes but I couldn't hear a thing from our room. \nWe got a free newspaper in the morning which was nice. The complimentary breakfast was very good and served in the atrium downstairs. There was a good selection of cereals and pastries and there was a small kitchen where the staff cooked your breakfast infront of you whilst you waited. I opted for a cheese omelette and hashbrowns followed by pancakes, which were all very delicious.\nI did not get to see the swimmming pool or experience any other facilities at the hotel but from the short time I was there, I would definitely stay here again and recommend it to other travellers.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Embassy Suites North LAX\nRooms \u2013 clean and large. We had two TVs and separate living spaces in our room. Not too bad for the cheap priceline bid for a standard room. The fridge/microwave were standard but nice to have. Internet access available for a fee (not free) so I was a little disappointed in that. Bathroom was clean and the shower was hot. Towels were adequate.\nBeds \u2013 A bit soft. They didn\u2019t seem as firm as the typical hotel bed. Many pillows.\nAlarm clock/wake up call \u2013 We used the wakeup call. They called with a standard computer message. It worked.\nCheckin/Checkout \u2013 Friendly and fast. Was able to checkout \u201cexpress\u201d by just calling when I needed to leave. They also allowed us to check in at noon (we arrived at 11 a.m.) and provided an area for the suitcases so we could enjoy a lunch at the restaurant while we waited.\nFree breakfast \u2013 Great! They offered the usual cereals, rolls, and fruit but also had a grill to order eggs, French toast, etc\u2026 I had a delicious eggbeaters omelet.\nRestaurant \u2013 Offered standard fare. I enjoyed a fish taco that was good but not four star. The fresh sourdough bread was excellent. \nSocial Hour \u2013 Free social hour was offered from 5:30-7:30. Included two free drinks of your choice (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) and some snacks such as nachos, pretzels, etc.. Can\u2019t complain about a little free food and drink.\nPool/Exercise Equipment \u2013 Pool was smallish. Exercise equipment was standard (treadmills, elliptical, a few weights) but worked fine.\nLobby \u2013 High cellings and lots of sitting area. No major complaints except it never seemed that secure (see below).\nSecurity \u2013 I don\u2019t know if I liked the \u201copen\u201d style of the hotel room (i.e. all rooms facing an atrium/lobby) \u2013 there seemed to be less privacy than traditional hotel floor styles. I heard a fellow guest complaining of a strange guy in the laundry room on one of the floors. I wouldn\u2019t be surprised if people could sneak in past the lobby and \u201cwander\u201d around in that hotel. Door locks seemed fine with room.\nLaundry room \u2013 nice big washers and dryers. I noticed that one of the dryers didn\u2019t \u201cdry\u201d the clothing as well as I would have liked. $1 dollar a load so standard price.\nNoise \u2013 Nice and quiet. Couldn\u2019t hear neighbors even though they seemed to have kids so I assume the walls are well-insulated.\nShuttle bus \u2013 It was free and was on time. No problems. We called to ask when they left and got to the airport quickly. Hotel is close and quick even for a Monday morning at LAX. \nNeighborhood \u2013 Lots of other hotels nearby \u2013 Buisness/Airport-like. Burger King down the street and a few other \u201chotel\u201d restaurants within walking distance for additional food choices. Not close to anything besides the airport so if you want to go \u201csomewhere\u201d a rental car/taxi/tour would need to be considered.\nTours \u2013 Hotel had a contract with a tour company that offered various \u201cHollywood\u201d or area tours for an additional fee. We went on a \u201ccondensed\u201d 4-5 hour tour of the area since we hadn\u2019t been to LA before. We saw the Hollywood sign, the Chinese theater, rodeo drive, farmers market, etc\u2026 We were dropped off and picked up from the hotel lobby. \nOverall, it was a great hotel if you need something close to LAX esp. if on business or just \u201ctraveling\u201d through for a day. For vacation purposes/longer stays, I would probably go into another hotel in LA closer to main attractions or the beach.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 27}, {"text": "Was very pleased with this hotel. Rooms are very large, well appoingted but with plenty of space for luggage etc. Breakfast was more than adequate, with made-to-order omelets, and the whole facility was immaculate and actually worked!\n Only negatives we noted were shuttle service from LAX is on request which we didn't know and lost some time waiting curbside before calling, and if you rent a car or drive, note that hotel parking is $15.00 per nite. Since it is very close to the airport the aircraft noise might bother light sleepers/children.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Stayed here one night 10/1 through priceline paid $70.\nThis hotel is a four star for sure. In the middle of airport hotels, no need for a car if you have flight immediately before or after. Except the rest of LA is at least 15 miles away, the closest mall is 5 miles away (think cab fare) and the major road is off Rt. 405 where traffic is a bit insane, even on a Saturday night.\nThe hotel staff is really very nice. I asked \"Any way I can get a nicer room on a high floor?\" And they said \"Of course you can\". They did but I have a feeling all of the rooms were just as nice.\nThe hotel itself is VERY clean. The rooms are very nice, very well-maintained and very updated. Very nice. We were impressed the moment we stepped foot in our suite. Large marble bathrooms, really comfy king size beds in a separate bedroom and spacious living room (couch, chair, dining table and kitchennette).. What was MOST impressive, which makes us want to go back every time, is the breakfast. The \"Continental Breakfast\", which all of us are used to cold dry bagels and toast, is actually an all you can eat buffet, with a kitchen grill where the staff will make you ANYTHING you want COMPLIMENTARY. Omelettes, Pancakes, French Toast, Sausage, Bacon, whatever. And the cold stuff is there too. Cereal, Muffins, Pastries, Bagels, Fruit... Amazing. You need to take advantage of it to appreciate it.\nDefinetely worth going back. Good for you if you win or book this hotel. You will be pleased. I wish all hotels were like this one.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Great AIRPORT hotel! Don't confuse this place with an upscale downtown hotel or a beachfront hotel. It's an Embassy Suites AIRPORT hotel which means you're close to the airport so it won't have all the luxuries or amenities that you might be used to at a pricier chain or at a resort hotel.\nBut this place is comfortable, everything in our room was in working order and the check-in people were fast, polite and efficient.\nAn added touch for me was a little note in the room welcoming HiltonHHonors guests providing a special phone number if we had any issues while we were at the hotel. We never had to use the number or have any other interactions with the front desk.\nCooked-to-order breakfast comes with the room rate which is a nice added perk. And there's the evening complimentary cocktail hour of which we did not partake.\nBut this place is convenient to the airport, safe and very easy to find if you're traveling from anywhere in the Los Angeles area.\nI did see a mention in another review about the location being perceived as \"not safe.\" Maybe because I live in New York City but I had no qualms about walking around that area after returning a rental car and going across the street to get coffee at the Starbucks at the LAX Marriott. Neighborhood safety wasn't even an issue that showed up on my radar screen. \nTwo other notes. I love watching the planes move around and my room had a great view of the southern two runways. But not all rooms will have runway views. And you could hear some planes coming and going but I got a great night's rest.\nShould mention we were traveling with a 2 1/2 year old. Embassy Suites is rapidly becoming our preferred chain (over Marriott) because of the suite configuration of the room. It allows us to put Junior down to sleep while we can read or watch TV in the other room. And the microwave, refirgerator, table and chairs are all huge plusses when you're traveling with a youngster. He also enjoyed the clean pool and hot tub.\nIf your travel takes you to Los Angeles and you have to book an airport hotel for whatever reason this will meet your needs perfectly.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I stayed at this hotel one Saturday night near the end of March while I was on my way to Japan. \nThings didn't start off so well when the airport van zoomed past the Terminal 4 hotel pickup point without stopping. I had to call the hotel back and wait another 10-15 minutes for the van to come back. The front desk clerks were nice enough and apologized for the van problems. \nI was assigned to a room on the 2nd floor. I know that rooms on the 1st and 2nd floors of hotels are thought to be inferior, so I figured I was put here because I had booked the hotel through Priceline. Since I got my room at a pretty good discount, I thought this was fair.\nThe room was pretty nice and clean. It was an Embassy \"Suites\", so there was a sort of den/living room and a bedroom. This den might be nice if you are traveling with a family, but I had no use for it since I was by myself.\nThe manager's reception was not worth it for me. I got a free Diet Coke, but the only snacks I saw were nachos and popcorn. Neither of those appealed to me at the time, so I took a pass. As I walked back to my room, I noticed there were 2 weddings taking place in the atrium area. \nThere didn't seem to be any shops around the hotel, so I decided to stay in for the night. Just as a was getting ready for bed around 9:00, the LOUD music started. I wondered where the noise was coming from, then I realized it was the entertainment at one of the wedding receptions which was taking place in the banquet room just below me. Unfortunately, the music was a combination of hip-hop and disco played at an extremely high volume. Normally I can sleep throught anything, but this was just too loud and too floor-rattling. I thought about calling the front desk and asking to switch rooms, but I didn't want to pack up all my stuff. After about an hour, I resorted to sticking wadded up Kleenex in my ears. I finally got to sleep and I was just woken up once more by the festivities below.\nThe next morning I had the free breakfast buffet. It was pretty good for a free breakfast. Basically, you start at a little booth where a cook makes you eggs or pancakes with sausage, bacon, and/or hashbrowns. Then you can go to the buffet line which has cereal, bagels, croissants, fruit, etc. All drinks are free too.\nThis hotel has some things going for it, but the fact that they allow loud music is not fair to the people who paid to stay there. Even though I have no way of knowking it for sure, I'm assuming that I was given such a room because I paid a discounted rate. But, at no time, was I informed that I would get an inferior room because I didn't pay full price. In my opinion, this is dishonest. Shame on Embassy Suites.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I have just come back from a trip around the States and a cruise in the Caribbean with my husband, mother-in-law and three children in October. After cutting our trip short we decided to stay at this hotel overnight before flying home to Australia. To be honest, for the rate, $139 incl breakfast, (we had 2 rooms so paid $278)we really didn't expect much. We were very pleasantly surprised. Being a five star kinda girl I am pretty hard to please but I have to say the Embassy LAX exceeded all expectations. Proximity to the airport was excellent and we were collected from LAX by the hotel shuttle withing 15min of calling the hotel, free of charge of course. Upon entering the room my first impression was \"a little claustrophobic\" as the dining, wetbar and lounge area has no \"outside\" windows. The only window in this room looks out into the atrium, this is the same for all the rooms in this hotel. But, then you walk through into the bedroom area, which is quite large, it has a balcony which you can open to get some outside light into the room. The decor is reasonably new and very tastefully done. The bathroom was lovely and also spacious. Travelling with three children, including a toddler and a young baby, this hotel was a godsend! The breakfast was delicious, freshly cooked to order, pretty much anything you would want, quickly and with a smile. Lots of pastries, fresh fruit and cereals to choose from if you wish. Dinner for the kids was lovely, just when I was about to give up finding a decent hotel meal for my children, the Embassy came through with the goods! The room was clean, service excellent, and I would highly recommend this hotel to anyone wishing to stay in LA particularly if you have a family.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "The best LAX Aiport Hotel and I have tried them\nall.\nThe King Suites were beautifully decorated,\nthe bed linens and curtains far superior to a\nlot of five star Hotels I have stayed in.\nAn added bonus, the free cooked to order\nbreakfast.\nJust a tip, ring the Hotel for pick up.\nYou can use the free phones where you collect\nyour bags.\nFor the size of the rooms, to the breakfast\nand managers reception, the best value by far\nin the Aiport area.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}]}, "507339": {"reviews": [{"text": "My wife and I recently had the opportunity to stay at the Venice on the Beach Hotel in Venice Beach, and I must say that this was arguably the worst hotel experience I have ever had. \nI believe that Trip Advisor rates this hotel at two stars, and I think that\u2019s over-generous. \nBut since I\u2019m fair, let\u2019s start with the good. The hotel is located right on Venice Beach, very near the pier and within close walking distance to all the sidewalk shops. It\u2019s a great location. \nThe bed, despite looking like the frame has been around since the 1920s, was extremely comfortable, even though it squeaked with every single little movement, to the point that you could hardly breathe without waking yourself up. \nThat\u2019s about where the good ends. I\u2019ve noticed that no one on here has complained about parking. Well, there are, I believe, 8-10 parking spaces at the hotel, which apparently are not enough spaces to accommodate all of the guests. \nMy wife and I arrived at about 12:30 for our stay. Checkin wasn\u2019t until 3, but we figured we would see if we could get in early, as hotels generally are able to accommodate this. We went into the \u201chotel,\u201d that is after we found it (we drove by the first time, because it looks like a regular apartment building), and no one was at the counter. We looked down the halls, checked upstairs, and it seemed there was no one in the entire building. There was a number on the counter to call, so we called it and got an answering machine. I stated that we were at the hotel and were going to walk around, and we were hoping we could check in. We then left and walked out on the pier.\nWe decided to then go grab our stuff and walk down the beach. When we came back to the hotel, there was a maid in the hallway. I asked her if she could check us in, and she graciously did so. She said maybe two words to us the entire time she did this. She gave us a parking pass, not saying a word about it. \nThe room was dinky, with no carpeting, just tile. The bathroom is very small and disconnected from the teeny, tiny shower. As I already stated, the bed was very old looking, and had holes in the sheets, comforter, pillow cases, etc. It also creaked with every move. \nThere was a nice wide screen TV with DirecTV, but the picture was fuzzy, and the universal remote worked when it wanted to. \nDespite this, we were happy with the location, and figured we\u2019d tough it out for the night. \nLater in the evening, we returned from dinner to find all the parking spaces full. I was confused, because we had a parking pass, so I figured there must be another place around the corner or something where we could park. My wife went in and spoke to the manager, who happened to be there this time, and asked where we were supposed to park. He came out with a map and told us that if we \u201cexercised some patience,\u201d we could find a spot on one of the other streets either a block or two away. We were very nice to this point, but I was extremely annoyed that my $140 a night did not include a parking space, and I was not told this until about 8 p.m. that night. \nWe drove around for I believe two hours trying to find a spot, meanwhile missing the sunset that we both wanted to see. We then went back to the hotel and I went in to speak to the manager. He was no where to be found. I again went upstairs and checked all the hallways. I knocked on the \u201cmanager\u201d door, where it sounded like there was a TV going, and no one answered. I went to my car, still not parked, very upset, and again called the hotel. He answered, and I said I was talking to someone earlier about parking and he tells me \u201cI\u2019m the only one you\u2019ll ever talk to here.\u201d At this point, I see him at the front door of the hotel, so I hang up and go talk to him. I told him he needs to give me some better advice for parking because we cannot find a space. He again tells me that we need to \u201cexercise patience.\u201d \nI told him that I no longer wanted to stay at his hotel, and would like at least a partial refund so I could find another place to stay. He said \u201cthat\u2019s your choice\u201d but informed me that he had \u201cbeen holding the room for a while,\u201d therefore I was getting nothing back. \nAt this point I was irate. We drove around for another half hour and finally found a spot approximately one mile away from the hotel. We then had to walk back to the hotel through dark alleys when I had just read Venice Beach may not be the safest after dark. \nWhen we arrived back at the hotel, we were greeted with a snide remark from him. \nWhen I left the next morning, I told him that I thought they (at this point I was again reminded that he is the only person there that I would speak to, there is no \u201cthey\u201d) should tell people that parking is limited. I said the parking pass implied that we had a space, and that isn\u2019t the case. He shrugged me off and informed me that $140 a night is a great rate for a beachside hotel and apparently felt that was good enough reason for his poor service. \nThe information I was given stated that the staff would do anything to make your stay enjoyable. They did nothing for me, except treat me badly. I did not expect a refund, I mostly expected an apology and the admittance that they should have informed me there were more parking passes than spaces. \nIn addition, there was no air conditioning in the room. During the evening, we needed to have the windows open to keep cool. At around 4 or 5 a.m., trucks began driving up and down the street, waking us up every five minutes. In addition, you could hear water running from other rooms all night, and any time someone walked overhead, the entire building creaked.\nI saw a photo on here someone posted of their great view of the beach. Our room overlooked the alley/road behind the hotel, though I believe my room was the last available when I reserved it, so again, it wasn\u2019t a big deal.\nThe roof patio is nice, though there are no chairs or tables, only uncomfortable benches. It\u2019s kind of a waste of space, as it\u2019s useless without chairs, though if you fly in, you probably won\u2019t have any with you.\nWe will not return to this hotel, and I suggest that if you plan to park a car there, or get any sort of actual service, you do not either. It would be more worth it to spend twice as much than deal with this joke of a hotel.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "It only received one bubble because I was unable to give it a zero!!! This hotel was completely run down on the inside. Upon arriving, there is no parking provided as it claims there is. Also, once you pay to park on the beach a few blocks away (where you can't park between 1-6am) since there is no street parking within about 8 blocks (hello, I'm carrying luggage!!!). Then you get into the hallway, which is missing ceiling tile and a wall panel (so there is a hose sticking out and you see baseboards). Then you pick up a phone, which the manager/owner tells us to go up to room 9 (after only taking my name to make sure I had a reservation), and says that when I get there to press 9999 to enter. Hello, how original???? and this is what keeps the room locked with all my stuff in it??? How many people who've stayed here before would know this? Then when we walk into the room, there is 2 holes in the ceiling with toilet paper stuffed in it to \"conceal\" one of them. Also, the place was extremely dusty on the desk, and nightstand. The ocean view I paid $200 for one night was a 2' wide by 4' tall window that was hard to open. Oh yea, and I walked into the bathroom where the shower was leaking and there was a red \"party cup\" that had a open bar of soap in it. Did someone use it already? Did they even clean the shower? Then I had to think, are the sheets under there even clean? Basically, I called up hotels where I booked, and left that place within an hour of arriving. Stayed at a very nice Travelodge on Pico & 32 or 33 for less than $130. I should have listened to the only other review on this site that said to stay somewhere else, and by the way, the pictures on the site (hotels) ARE NOT REPRESENTATIVE, stay somewhere else, yuck!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Got a reservation for this place on Travelocity... no address given, no directions, phone number doesn't work, after over an hour of driving around in a cab working with several of Travelocity's folks, finally found the place courtesy of another web site where someone complained about how freakin' difficult this place is to find.\nAlso, it's a fair dump, no parking to speak of, no hours posted, no sign stating that it is actually \"Venice on the Beach\" hotel, nothing. \nDo yourself a favor: Don't Stay Here Under Any Circumstances!! You can do much better for about the same money.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 15}]}, "638765": {"reviews": []}, "78046": {"reviews": [{"text": "This wasn\u2019t our first stay at the property, and we enjoyed seeing much improvement: our room was in excellent shape, the bed was comfortable and the furnishings were almost perfect. The staff was pleasant, well-trained and helpful. Upon request, they honored our Starwood status, something that apparently caused tension with another reviewer. The restaurants remain a weak point. A Starbucks outlet provides the basics, but the grandly named \u201cBrasserie\u201d might as well be named \u201cDenny's\u201d. The breakfast was comprised of standard, processed foodstuff without a hint of originality. This would certainly not pass muster in France. Given the grammatical errors in the \u201cItalian\u201d restaurant we didn\u2019t even bother with it. Remarkably, despite the acres of parking lots around the property, getting a decent spot is either an expensive or a tedious task. The adjacent lot gladly took our money, but refused the promised in-and-out privileges, audaciously claiming that the \u201cdaily\u201d rate ends at 1PM, regardless of when we entered (a few hours earlier). One must account for $30-$15 in addition to the nightly rate for parking, something that is commonly free in airport hotels. Overall, pay no more than $130 a night.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Took the recommendation from \"Global Traveler\" by Francis. The Sheraton has been remodeled. We signed up for the \"Romance Package\". \"What?\" was the response from the front desk. We had to explain to the front desk manager what it entailed. Club level was a flat out lie. Website states free alcholic drinks in the club lounge (not often found in the US). We arrived to find a price list. When we brought it to their attention they removed the drinks!! The club room was not finished it was in a make shift hotel room. \nShula's Steak house was closed, for 3 days. When I requested to speak the the General manager via his voice mail, he had a lesser manager call, he was too busy. \nWe changed our travel plans to spend one night here, before our trip to asia. What a bad hotel! \nRoom was filthy. Sevice was awful. Staff were incompetent. Management most likely the problem. \nGlobal Traveler recommendation. Did he really stay here?\nStay next door at the Radisson, no experience there, but the Sheraton is that bad!!!\nTheir website still offer free drinks for the club lounge. Good luck!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "The first rude awakening was that the valet parking was full. I was forced to park in the hotel's off-site parking lot, where they charge more for hotel guests with in and out priveleges ($13/day) than someone not staying at the hotel ($11/day). You'd think they'd give their hotel guests a break. Since I am a woman and I was travelling by myself, I didn't relish having to hike back to the hotel late at night from the parking lot. They have a shuttle from the parking lot to the hotel, but you still have to sit at the shuttle stop for quite a while until the shuttle comes. The second night I stayed, the valet parking was also full.\nThe reception check-in was extremely rude. I had purchased the hotel stay on Priceline and this proved that internet-paying guests are treated poorly. He said he couldn't guarantee a non-smoking room since I had booked through the internet. I told him that there was no way I could have a smoking room since 1) I'm allergic to smoke and 2) I'm 4 months pregnant. He \"happened to have two non-smoking rooms left.\"\nWhen I arrived at the room, the carpets were damp as if they had just been cleaned. When I called to complain, they said they'd send someone up to dry them. Housekeeping came up with a tiny fan that was meant to somehow dry the entire room of its damp floors. I told them I didn't think that would work and asked if they could just set down towels.\nI ordered room service and both the woman who took my order and the delivery man were very friendly and professional. After the bad experience I had so far, I really appreciated it.\nThe room was clean, but definitely no-frills. Very few amenities -- not even bottled water in the room or a mini bar. The bathroom was looking very worn -- cracks in the tub and the the sink did not drain well.\nThe next morning I had breakfast at \"The Brasserie.\" The service was very good.\nBesides their food service, this hotel should make a lot of improvements before it can call itself a 4-Star hotel.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We spent two nights here in June, on the first and last days of a weeklong trip. We actually booked the room through Priceline for $100 a night, which was a great deal! The hotel has been very recently renovated, and as a previous reviewer stated, it is indeed \u201csurprisingly cool\u201d! There\u2019s a Starbucks in the lobby, which is very convenient for that early morning caffeine fix. Overall, I would definitely recommend this hotel if you need to stay by the airport.\nRooms A \nAs Starwood gold members, we hoped for an upgrade, but there were none available. However, the standard guestrooms were actually quite nice. They are not large, but well decorated and very comfortable. Standard Starwood heavenly beds, but with a dark blue duvet instead of the usual stark white. The rooms look exactly like the ones shown on the website, which is rare! The windows are triple paned, and we did not hear so much as a whisper of a plane taking off or landing. Both rooms we had overlooked the pool, though, so I can\u2019t say how the noise would be on the other side of the building.\nService A\nThe valets were quick, the bellmen did not complain one bit about the insane amount of luggage we had with us, and the woman who checked us in both nights was very quick and courteous. Our wakeup calls came right on time, which is always good\u2014I am always surprised at how many hotels can\u2019t seem to get this right!\nBar A We came here for dinner and drinks both nights, and enjoyed it. The mojitos were great, and the food is pretty impressive (taste-wise) for bar fare. The first night we ordered nachos for an appetizer, which were so enormous we didn\u2019t need any dinner! Don\u2019t remember what else we ordered, but it was all good. The service is fast and generally friendly, and it is nice to be able to take your drinks and wander out by the pool to relax on a cushy chaise lounge \uf04a \nBusiness Center A The woman working at the desk in here was very helpful and friendly, and they seemed to have anything a business traveler could possibly need. Free coffee, too!\nPool A There are lots of lounge chairs, and well as padded benches and several cabanas. You can get bar service out here as well, which is nice. We saw several planes fly overhead, but somehow could just barely hear them!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed here on our way to and from Australia. We called for shuttle pickup and it arrived within 10 minutes both times. Although the hotel was very busy, we were greeted by very pleasant reception staff. We were upgraded to a suite both times. The suite had a very soft and comfortable King bed and a sofa that turned out into a bed. We requested a rollaway and received one very quickly. My family of four was very comfortable in our spacious room. We loved the view of the airport and watching the planes land and take off. I don't remember noise from the airport but I did hear people walking in the hall and heard voices near the connecting doors in our suite. No big deal though! The hotel has a heated outdoor pool, great fitness center, Starbucks (that was open on our return) and a restaurant. \nThe convenience of the hotel to the airport is great! If you have time, you can even take the shuttle back to the airport and have lunch or dinner at the Encounter restaurant.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I stayed at this hotel the night before an early flight to Hawaii. I was given a great rate which included valet parking for the week I was in Hawaii. It was very convenient to be able to stay in a fabulous room and take the hotel shuttle to the airport the next morning. The bed was the best hotel bed I\u2019ve ever slept in and the rooms are very comfortable and furnished quite tastefully. I have no hesitation recommending this hotel!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We were put into this hotel by BA when our aircraft developed a mechanical problem and the return flight to London had to be delayed until the next day. In every way the Sheraton Gateway was better than the Holiday Inn at LAX where we spent the first night of our recent holiday. The lobby staff were efficient, the food and service in the restaurant were good and our room was great. We will definitely consider returning to this hotel when we stay at LAX again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "119479": {"reviews": [{"text": "Farmer's Daughter, a hypoallergenic, non-smoking hotel:\n1. Ashtrays and cigarette butts on grounds.\n2. 1/2 hour to check in.\n3. Unfriendly daytime desk staff.\n4. Stained sheets.\n5. Fly in room. Infestation immediately outside of room door.\n6. Toilet smelled of urine.\n7. Tub smelled of mildew.\n8. Bathroom light not working.\n9. Used liquid body soap left in room for my \"use.\"\n10. No hand soap.\n11. Mold remediation equipment outside window/door.\n12. Awakened by front desk - unrequested call, then again by hotel workers moving equipment.\n13. Internet not working.\n14. Overcharged credit card.\n15. Very disappointing experience.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Farmer's Daughter is a motel in a good location. The service we received was rude. We prepaid a month in advance for adjoining rooms so that our young kids could sleep in one room and the grownups could sleep next door with a door joining the two rooms. We called the morning we arrived to ask about the rooms and were assured all would be ready when we arrived. When we arrived they told us they no longer had adjoining rooms. They were not apologetic, would not show us what rooms they did have available, would not help us to find another hotel, and were generally condescending and rude. We have travelled frequently in the US and abroad for the last 15 years and this is the worst hotel staff experience we have ever had.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I absolutely adored this hotel. The farm theme is beautifully executed (it's more hip than country) and is carried throughout the entire property, ensuring lots of delightful little surprises in the hotel's decor and amenities. Our first-floor pet room with double beds was spacious, CLEAN, nicely decorated, and above all, comfortable. We had lots of stuff, but the tables, shelf space and curtained closet kept our room looking tidy. \nI thought the ultra firm beds would be a problem, but not one of the four of us complained about them. Besides, the sheets were crisp and white, and the blankets fluffy, which made for a good night's sleep.\nThe courtyard is aesthetically pleasing and a great place to eat your takeout or relax in the morning with a magazine and cup of tea or coffee from the lobby.\nEvery morning, I'd stroll across the street to the charming indoor market and outdoor shopping center while my traveling companions slept past noon. They'd call me when they were ready to hit the sights, and I'd be back at the hotel in five minutes! \nThe free movies, high-end toileries, friendly service, great rates and endless supply of thick towels and hot water all were icing on the cake.\nI'll never search for another L.A. hotel again!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I asked for a non smoking room and was given a smoking when I arrived. They said they had no other rooms available so I left, when I returned home four days later they charged my credit card over $160.00 after calling them I was told by the person who answered the phone this was not on their sholders and there was nothing he could do. He said just call back later.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Just loved this place. The rooms and hotel were really clean and fresh and were in a great location. The staff were very helpful and the outfits are dinky. We got really good room rates by booking a few months in advance. The hotel is within walking distance to the Tar Pits and the Farmers market and a great shopping and movie complex. I have been recommending this place to family and friends.\none downside is that the doors to the rooms slam shut, and this will wake you as soon as other guests start leaving their rooms in the morning.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I stayed here July 4th weekend 2005 with my 12 year old son, and we had a wonderful visit. The valet service was quick, the farmer's market was great for browsing, quick food and for people watching. (Try the French Crepe place for a satisfying dinner). We walked to the Tutanhkamen exhibit at LACMA in about 20 minutes. La Brea Tar Pits is right next door to that. We really appreciated the location for our short trip. \nWe had a deluxe \"his\" room on the third floor (top) of the main building, which I would definitely recommend. It was great to have the little fridge under the tv, but I would have liked a microwave. The room is cute and different. We kept the fan on at night to block the outside noise. The beds were very, very comforable, with a great quilt. The internet for my laptop worked perfectly. The non carpeted floor was great and I wish more places would go that route. Everything was clean in the room - no complaints.\nThere is a small DVD library at the front desk which we used. The pool was too cold for me to swim in. It is not heated. There are lots of public areas to lounge in and I wish I would have had more time to spend there. All staff we encountered were pleasant and professional. \nWe have another trip to LA coming up in November and will book this hotel again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husband and I lived in LA for 4 years, and stayed at the Farmer's Daughter on our recent return trip. We chose it because it's in a great location, and being able to walk across the street to eat at the Farmer's Market is a PLUS that cannot be underestimated. \nThe lobby and lounge area are great, very hip and modern in a relaxed, SoCal sort of way, there are chairs and tables, pillows, nice places to relax in or out of the sun. After staying there, it is apparent to me that most of the money on the hotel was spent on the public areas and the overall appearance of the hotel. \nThe room - I was a bit disappointed. We stayed in the main building, which is a renovated mid-century motel. Overall, I feel that the room amenities could be a bit nicer, considering the thought and nice finishings they put into the public areas of the hotel. I'm not one to be picky about beds, but the mattress was incredibly HARD, like it was the cheapest one they could find. The yellow wooden lattice that serves as a \"headboard\" of sorts behind the bed had a homemade look to it, was in need of sanding and had a couple nails sticking out of it. The floor has no carpet, just some kind of synthetic \"wood\" vinyl flooring, which made the room lack warmth. The TV, stereo are cheap brands, not fancy like the shiny brochure and webpage would lead you to believe. And the refrigerator looked like they got it from a garage sale.\nBottom line, the hotel, though it looks posh from the street and from the lobby, is posh by no means. As far as the room goes, I can only give credit to the nice rain-shower showerhead and the sweet smelling toiletries that come with the room. Otherwise, it still has a \"cheap hotel\" feel to it under it all.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed at the Farmers Daughter for 2 nights this June. Overall the hotel was fun and had a cute theme throughout. The desk staff was helpful and knowledgable, the valet parking was only 10/night, the Farmers Market and the Grove mall was just across the street as well as Cbs Studios. We ate at Maggiano's Little Italy in The Grove and it was awesome. We also ate at the Farmers Market for breakfast at one of the booths (I think it was called Phil's) so this hotel doesn't need a restaurant you have so many optons right across the street. Our room overlooked a car repair shop which I was a little disappointed about. We were not close to any of the touristy attractions (Mann's, Universal, Sunset Blvd etc...)so if you are looking to be in walking distance or quick driving distance any of those spots this is not the place for you. With traffiic it took us close to 20 min or so by car to get there. We ended up driving there and paying for parking so we can walk around. Next time we visit we will definitely pick a hotel closer than this. I would recommend this hotel to Price is Right fans and people not interested in the \"touristy\" part of LA. The hotel looks like it doesn't belong, it's next to a bank and auto body with no other hotels around. It's very cute and the people were all friendly but would not stay here again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Pleasantly surprised with the hotel - its location is great as you are across the street from the Farmer's Market & The Grove. Lots of places to eat and shop. Valet parking very reasonable ($10/night) - Whole Foods one block up the street. Stay on the back side away from Fairfax though as road noise can be horrific. No restaurant but none needed - breakfast in the Farmer's Market is a real treat. Son goes to USC and it is only 20 minutes away via surface roads - avoid interstates. Will definately stay again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "i thought this was the cutest little place. the rooms were very cozy. the location was great, it is right across from the farmers market. the staff was very helpful. lots of outdoor seating if you want to sit outside and read a book. i will stay there again on my next visit!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "The Farmer's Daughter is a delight! I'd had some doubts about staying here, as some old-timers I know thought it used to be a \"no-tell motel\" kinda place ... but it was clean, safe, and neat as a pin. I would definitely stay here again. If you're traveling alone and on a budget, it's a very good place to stay -- not seedy like a lot of the affordable Hollywood and mid-Wilshire hotels, and not haughty and overpriced like a lot of the Beverly Hills places with delusions of their own grandeur. Sure, there's a bit of traffic noise, but in the morning you can see the sun hit the top of the Hollywood Hills, and just across the street is the Farmer's Market with lots of quiet places to enjoy your coffee. With the Farmer's Daughter outdoor sitting areas and pool, you can really soak up the sun (and the sunsets). And who needs a gym? With the lovely Pan Pacific Park just past the Farmer's Market, you can get a good workout in before breakfast. As for the mandatory valet parking, it was no problem. They were wonderful about keeping the car up front while you loaded or unloaded bags, they were very prompt to retrieve the car in the mornings, and not having to look for parking was very convenient.\nThe Farmer's Daughter is at once old-fashioned sweet and delightfully corny, and as long as you're not looking for five-star amenities, you'll find this place a no-frills, affordably-priced delight. Enjoy!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My first stay last year was great, the rooms where clean and the staff was very friendly. My girlfriend and I returned again this year looking forward to another great stay, but this time around many things changed for the worst. An unexpected addition was the valet parking, which was ok but many times where not present to greet us, on one occasion I ended up parking the car myself. During our first night the front desk was somewhat clueless about the area, for ex. he did not know the name of the restaurants or movie theater across the street and was not very outgoing on trying to find out. The second day was worse, the bed was not made and toilet was leaking, and after complaining to the front desk, their only response was \"the cleaning staff is gone\", that's it no apology, and when I asked for one, it was given to me with a really nasty attitude. After complaining to the management about these problems, they where kind enough to discount our stay. I do like the Farmer's Daughter, but unless that unpleasant staff goes, I'm not sure that I will return.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My husband and I just returned from a two night stay at the Farmer's Daughter and had a wonderful experience there. If you're traveling to L.A. for a chance to be on The Price is Right, this is an excellent choice -- their location directly across the street from the CBS studios makes your long wait in line much better. They'll even rent you a chair so you don't have to sit on the pavement while you wait in line! Don't miss Ted's free nightly Price is Right seminar at 10:20 PM -- full of good info and tips! The rooms were VERY clean (and I'm picky about that!), they offer free high-speed internet access (if you forget your ethernet cable, you can check one out for free at the front desk), and free DVD rentals (for your in-room DVD player). The beds were comfortable, and the water pressure was great. Nice minty bath products from Lather too! The L.A. Farmer's Market a block down the road offers a ton of inexpensive food choices, and you're within walking distance of Canter's famous deli. Book through their website rather than over the phone for an additional discount. We will definitely stay here again the next time we visit L.A.!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "78694": {"reviews": [{"text": "We stayed here for 10 days during our 5 week trip in the USA. \nThis was by far the best hotel we stayed in on our trip (we stayed in Hiltons during our whole stay). The hotel is very well kept and the staff are excellent. \nRoom: The room was really big, clean and comfortable. We gt a corner room looking over Universal Studios. The bed was really comfortable. The sitting area had a 2 seater sofa and a coffee table with a large TV cabinet. The bathroom was huge, with a shower/bath and a large vanity area and a seperate power mirror and chair.\nService: The service was excellent, staff were really friendly and willing to answer any questions. \nLocation: A short walk (up a steep hill) or free shuttle ride to Universal Studios and City Walk. City Walk has great shops and restaurants and is fun day and night.\nTake a short walk down the hill to the subway station and it is 2 stops to Hollywood Blvd, the station walks straight out onto Hollywood Blvd almost right next door to the Kodak theatre. During the day the subway felt safe, but at night was a little scary. Also make sure you don't miss the universal shuttle up the hill when you get back or it is a steep walk and not fun after a day of walking! Catch the shuttle to universal and the hotel shuttle back to the hotel. Seems like a pain in the butt but wait till you see the hill lol.\nPool: The pool area isn't anything too flash, was clean but not under cover. The outdoor chairs seemed to be a little old and need to be updated.\nAll in all this was the best Hotel we stayed in. It was great and reasonably priced. We paid $220pn including breakfast.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My son and I were in LA and on a very tight schedule. We were leaving the Universal City Hilton and needed to print our boarding passes before arriving at the airport that evening. We would not have access to a printer for the entire day - but the website for the airline was down. I spoke with Darwin Wang at the front desk and he attempted to print them out - and even called the airline for us. Even though we were checking out, he said he would check back on the airline site for us later and we should come back and he would leave the boarding passses in an envelope for us at the front desk......And amazingly enough, he did. This was exceptional customer service. This is what makes people want to return to a hotel. We have stayed within the last two years at Hiltons in Greece, Australia and in the U.S. - and on this trip we wpent the first night in a VERY lackluster Hilton (Mission Valley San Diego) where we would never return, but Darwin Wang restored my faith in the U.S. Hiltons. Universal City Hilton highly recommended for great staffing.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We spent two nights at the Hilton Universal City and thought it was the right choice for our family of four. We spent our first day touring Universal Studios (which was only 5 minutes away by foot or shuttle) and then had dinner in the Hollywood and Highland mall which is only 10 minutes away. So basically it was a very convenient spot.\nOur check in went smoothly and our room, on the Executive floor, looked like it had been recently updated. Nice size although I think it was one of the smallest on the floor. We had a large, marble bathroom but no extra sink outside (as I understand other rooms have). Good wifi service for my husband.\nWe had booked the Executive Floor on the Hilton website for an additional $30 per day. I figured it would save us on time and $$ at the hotel restaurant for breakfast. That was true except that the hotel failed to inform us in advance that they were renovating the Executive floors and that the lounge had been moved to a very unattractive, windowless, function room on the 4th floor. I had hoped to be able to pop over for coffee, bagels, etc. while leaving my kids in the room. This wasn't possible with the 4th floor location. I also thought that the staff in the Executive Lounge was not overly friendly and seemed more like waitresses than concierges. I didn't even bother to ask them for restaurant suggestions because they seemed timid. The breakfast buffet itself was as I expected--muffins, cold cereal, bagels, pastries, fruit, coffee and juices. Hopefully the new space will be finished soon as the temporary space is really a downer.\nWe liked the pool area (saw no algae or mold) and the availability of drinks there after a day of touring Universal. While we didn't eat in the hotel, the seafood buffet ($39.95 for adults) looked extensive and well-attended.\nI would chose the Hilton again and recommend it to you. Just realize that it's not perfect (they never vacuumed the elevator area carpet during our stay there) but for $180 per night including breakfast for four it was a good deal for LA.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Our goal was a visit to Universal Studios. The two choices: Sheraton and Universal Hilton, so based on these reviews, we chose the Hilton.\nThe lobby was small but had lots of open space and seating. The bell captain, concierge and desk staff were all very helpful and courteous. We got the 15th floor, with 1 King Bed, and it was an AWESOME bed, very firm, and with excellent bedding. The room was very big, with a desk, and a sofa/coffee table. The bathroom was also very large. Room was very clean, and had lots of reading material. \nThe nice surprise was a knock at the door, with room service delivering a basket of fruit with 2 bottled waters. That's a pleasant surprise in a world that 'nickels and dimes' you for everything.\nWe ate at the buffet restuarant on Saturday night. For $38, you get a seafood feast, as well as tons of sushi choices. There's also other food. It's really alot of food, for the average diner, but it does prove to be convenient, after a long exhausting day.\nWe booked the bounceback breakfast, and that was certainly a bargain. You get made to order omlets, and another huge breakfast buffet. Well, worth the price....\nThe best part was the free shuttle running every 15 minutes to and from Universal Citywalk/Studios. \nGood price and nice hotel, would stay here again!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We spent a week at the Hilton Universal in January. We used it as our \"home base\" for a week spent touring Southern California. The location was excellent...minutes from downtown, walking distance from City Walk/Universal Studios, and about 2 and a half hours from San Diego - where we spent a lovely day at the Zoo and then drove back to the Hilton Universal the same day. The Hotel is 10 minutes from horseback riding under the Holywood sign...the highlight of out trip. \nCheck in was a breeze. When I went to self park the car (my choice - valet also available) my wife called from the room to tell me we had inadvertantly left a suitcase at the airport. We were staying on the Executive level and I wasted no time availing myself of the concierge services in the Executive lounge. \nMa'ayan, the concierge, melted away my angst instantly. She got on the phone and spoke to her contact at American Airlines. They confirmed that they had the bag and she arranged a messenger service to deliver the bag to the hotel for a nominal fee. All this while I was relaxing in the lounge eating a danish and coffee!....\nAlthough a bit cold for the pool in January, my daughters enjoyed a late night dip in the outdoor hottub (open until midnight) after a tough day of sightseeing. \nThere are plenty of restaurants available for dinner at CityWalk, a short walk away. Meals in the hotel were pricey for a family, but were beautifully presented and plentiful.\nAfter overeating in the Executive lounge (included in the room fee) I made good use of the on site gym. The upgrade to the executive level is well worth the fee, especially if you are traveling with kids. Mine particularly enjoyed the free daily breakfast.\nDuring your stay, I recommend visiting the 3rd street promanade in Santa Monica, Venice Beach, and taking a drive though Malibu Canyon. You can avoid Disneyland, the NBC studios tour, and the Santa Monica Pier.\nEnjoy!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Stayed at the Hilton Universal City (just across from the Univeral Hollywood Theme Park) for two nights on 7 Feb 06 in Room 2351. I had booked an Executive King room for $254 US (plus $35.56 US in tax) per night.\nOddly though the room that I was placed in wasn't on an Executive Floor but a floor above it. \nThe room was large in size with a sofa, a very comfortable bed, and a work desk (with glass top \u2013 looks good but unfortunately interferes with laser mouse of your average laptop warrior).\nBathroom was spacious, with separate vanity mirror and chair, but the shower was one of those annoying water saving contraptions that always leave you feeling like you never get wet enough. The bath was a shallow depth and not conducive to a relacing soak.\nRoom service meal, while very generous on portions, was of a \u2018diner\u2019 style quality and overpriced for room service offering in my view.\nVisited the Executive Lounge for Breakfast on my last day \u2013 was not too bad a selection \u2013 but wasn\u2019t too much different from what I got in the Hampton\u2019s Inn the next day.\nI found the front desk staff cold and not very welcoming at all. One of the front desk staff complained to me when I asked her to run my bill up to include my Mini-bar use. I was also less than impressed to see that that hadn\u2019t included my Valet parking charges and I had to pay separately at the front. Customers want a one-stop billing experience to speed their exit and making their accounting documentation simple \u2013 I found an unacceptable practice for a hotel in this class (this is certainly not standard practice in Australia).\nThis hotel is very convenient to Universal Studios but in my view is overpriced. If you have a car and don\u2019t mind driving I would stay at the Hampton\u2019s Inn at Buena Park \u2013 I found it very comparable and, at more than half the price, certainly the better choice.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Me & my husband chose this hotel because its a walking distance to the Universal Studio. Day before our arrival, i called the hotel to let them know that we'll be arriving early. The hotel person said that there should be any problem coz the hotel is not booked. Upon arrival @ 9am (from a 6hrs drive) we tried to check in but the front people said that no rooms available & we were asked to go back @ noon. Although we were very tired from the drive, me & my husband went to universal studio and start our 2 day pass. At around 2pm, we decided to go back to the hotel to check in and also to refresh ourselves. Unfortunately, they didnt check us in until 4 pm (passed the check in time which is 3pm). \nThe following day, we spent the whole morning at the studio. In the afternoon, we decided to go back to the hotel to take a nap. Before going to bed, i asked my husband to close the curtain and turn off the lights so that we would have a good rest. And while we were sleeping, i heard somebody coming in the room and turn on the bathroom light (If you enter the room, the bathroom is in your right & you have to walk few more steps to see the bed). I was shocked for a moment & i listened to whoever was in our room. I could hear that he was in the bathroom making some noises. When i tried to wake up my husband, that person probably heard me & so he turn off the light and slammed the door way out. My husband was shocked to hear the slamming of door. We called the front desk, and they were not helpfull at all. All they asked us to do is to fill up a complaint form since nothing was stolen.\nIm wondering what was that person doing in our room??\nHe probably didnt expect anybody in the room coz its around 3-5 pm that time. \nI just want to warn anybody who stays in this hotel to watch out for your important belongings. Coz it seems to me that everyone has access in your room.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "After extensive research done on this and other websites, we decided to stay at this hotel for a week on the first leg of our summer 2005 West Coast trip. We chose the concierge(club) level as the amenities offered (drinks, light food) was worth the small extra fee and afforded us the ability to have a quick breakfast or light snack during our days in Los Angeles. Note that rates for less than a week were charged at a daily rate, once we decided upon 7 nights we were given a cheaper weekly rate.\nThe location was good. For visitors to Universal Studios, a short walk got you there in about 7 minutes. We avoided most of the LA traffic by staying here, as it was easy to find off-highway routes nearby that, with the help of a map, took us wherever we wanted to go. We did a lot of driving around and felt our location was a bit far for some trips (such as the beach) but centrally located to the highway, simplifying most other excursions.\nThe hotel was clean, the most important criteria. As we arrived at our room we saw carpets being shampooed between guests. The room was a good size for two adults, one teenager, and one pre-teen, but kids shared a bed. I believe there was a sofa that could be pulled-out, but I'd double check that if it pertains to you. The bathroom was very clean, toiletries plentiful and of excellent quality. Robes, hairdryer, iron and board were provided. Beds were comfortable, nice linens, great pillows. Separate check-in area at main desk for concierge speeded up the process.\nSomething to keep in mind - we were on the 22nd floor, and the noise from outside seemed a bit loud for a floor this high. We just couldn't put our finger on why until we realized, though the windows had a bolt on them to keep them closed, one of ours was open. Not only was street and park noise creeping in, but all it took was a slight push to fully open this unlocked window. We called and received immediate response from the staff. A noise issue in the next room, however, didn't seem to rate any attention at all. We called the front desk, which passed the buck to security. Luckily this was at the end of our stay, as nothing was done about the noisy neighbors.\nThe concierge lounge area well-monitored. Guests had to sign in. Card access was required on the elevator to access these upper floors. The food choices were limited. There were light breakfast items, coffee, teas, and juices \u2013 OK for a family on the run. Water and soda was available during the day, however it was requested that you not take it from the lounge. We had no problem taking water or soda with us. Keep in mind that you have to ask for your beverages as they are kept in a refrigerator in another room. This is inconvenient, as you have to wait until staff can assist you, though they do their best to keep on top of it all. Evening choices were limited (snacks and one warm appetizer dish) and there is a charge for alcoholic drinks. Personnel in the concierge room were very helpful in getting us tickets to a studio tour, and very pleasant. In fact, one sweet lady took a liking to our children and made a special effort to give them each a small gift the last day of our stay. Per the Hilton website this service is offered Monday through Friday, however we also found the lounge staffed on the weekend.\nThere is an easy walk down a hill to the train station that will take you throughout California's metro system. Beware of the steep walk back. It was not a problem for us, but if you have strollers, elderly or young children, wheelchairs, you would not want to attempt the hike. There are free trams and buses taking guests and park visitors up and down the hill to Universal City and/or hotels. Be prepared to wait, however, as they run slowly and fill up fast. Hollywood Boulevard is only a few stops from the hotel on the train. Fair was about $1.50 each way for this venture, per person.\nOne negative is the lack of nearby fast food and/or supermarkets. City Walk can easily be accessed for evening dining or entertainment, however when staying for a week, that becomes repetitive. We had a rental car (definitely needed to stay at this hotel) and drove for food. There is a supermarket about a mile or so away and lots of Dollar stores. No need to carry too many supplies with you. Between the hotel offerings and these stores, it's easy to buy what you may need. \nThere are no laundry facilities at this hotel, though they will do it for you for a fee. We searched the Internet ahead of time and found suitable laundromats within a couple miles and did our washing there. This is a big negative, however, as you must plan it into your trip. There is a pool and fitness room. Though we were unable to swim due to weather conditions, the pool was unremarkable as this is not a resort. The hotel's shop seemed limited in its offerings and hours. There is a restaurant and a separate lounge area. Though the restaurant offered elaborate themed buffets, the prices were very high. Be prepared to pay a daily parking fee of about $10 or $12.\nThis Hilton caters mostly to the business traveler. Though we did not feel out of place as a family, they did not offer the experience a mom and dad with young children would like. If your kids are older, you may consider this hotel. Universal Studios, however, can be covered in two days. Have other plans and be ready to drive or take the train if you plan to stay here longer.\nWe would not eliminate this hotel in the future; however it would not be our first choice. I will also be reviewing the Embassy Suites South in Garden Grove, California and the Venezia Tower at the Venetian in Las Vegas.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We stayed at the Universal City/Los Angeles Hilton from March 14 till the 17th and on March 19th. From March 17th to March 19th we stayed at the Residence Inn San Diego. Please see my review on that hotel too.\nIntroduction/Location:\nThis Hilton property is located in the heart of the touristy Hollywood/Beverly Hills/Universal Studios area. The area is very nice and safe. This hotel attracts the more civilized (but not snobby) guests rather than the sloppy and messy people which are better suited for a cheap motel. You enter on Universal Hollywood Drive. There is also Sheraton property located on the same street and there is an elevator which takes you between the two hotels. There is a hotel shuttle which takes you to Universal Studios and City Walk. It runs about every 15 minutes and the trip takes no more than a minute or too. It is very convenient for travelers without a car or people who don\u2019t want to pay the money to park at Universal. The hotel has 24 floors. We stayed on the 18th for the first part and on the 11th for the last part.\nFeatures:\nThis hotel was built in 1986 and seems to have been renovated recently. When we were staying there I overheard one of the desk clerks telling one guest that they are replacing the carpet starting with the top floor. We were given room 1872 for the first part of our stay (March 14th-March 17th). This floor/room had newer looking carpeting which was clean and did not have any stains. The desk and night table also looked to be in good condition. There was also an armoire which contained the television, a mini bar drawer, a minibar fridge and a small safe with a key. The television had the basic US TV channels plus the standard hotel movies, internet, games, etc. Everything worked fine. There are also many banquet/meeting rooms which are used quite a bit. There were a lot of parties/conferences and functions are held at this hotel. All were kept at a reasonable level (the people here are civilized). On our last day after we returned from San Diego we were given a room on the 11th floor which was not in such a good shape. The carpet was older (but clean), the night-table/armoire was worn/scratched and the beds were quite soft and creaky. I believe this is because they had not yet replaced the carpets/beds in this room since they had been working from the top floor (24th) down. Luckily it was just for one night and we managed.\nAmenities:\nStandard Hilton amenities are present at this hotel. People who are HHonors members with high status usually get a gift of some sort. We are not members but we still received a nice fruit/snack/water tray. I believe all the guests get this, although I am not sure.\nOn the lobby level (Fourth floor) there is a nicely equipped fitness centre which has working and new machinery such as treadmills, stair climbers, bikes, etc. The place is split into two rooms which have difference types of equipment. One room had a TV and the other had a stereo with speakers on the wall. Also on the 3rd floor is a gift shop with travellers\u2019 supplies and food/drink items. The prices are quite high for the drinks so I suggest you just pick up some from a local variety store.\nThe access door to the outdoor pool is on the first floor. You need to use your keycard to open the gate. This is to prevent non-guests from using the pool. The pool area has a large pool with shallow and deep ends as well as a smaller whirlpool which has an adjustable massage/bubble control. The whirlpool was nice and warm (actually HOT) but once you\u2019re in for a few minutes you get adjusted to it. Both the pool and the whirlpool were clean and heated. There are towels provided for you on a table as well as a basket for used towels. Surrounding the pool are chairs for tanning and poolside resting.\nYou must pay to park at this hotel. Self Parking in one of their two underground garages is $11 per night and $16 for valet parking. Remember, to access the self parking you must take one of the elevators near the meeting rooms as the main ones do not service the garages.\nService:\nRight from the start I was treated with care and attentive service. Upon pulling up to the door the attendants help you with unloading your luggage as well as holding the door open for you as you enter. Staff the front desk were incredible and helped us with driving directions as well as the locations of the different attractions in the area. The travel guide suggested tours for us and helped us choose the right one. Housekeeping came to make the beds daily and to replace towels, toiletries, etc. Everyone in the hotel was always there to help you.\nDining:\nThe hotel has a restaurant called \u201cCaf\u00e9 Sierra\u201d which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Each morning we ate the breakfast buffet there which cost $15 per person. The price was a bit steep but the breakfast buffet was so filling we didn\u2019t eat until dinner. Some of the food included the normal breakfast food such as bacon, sausages, pancakes, eggs as well as a nice fresh fruit and 2 or 3 dim sum dishes such as shrimp dumplings and BBQ Pork buns. If you want to save yourself some money and spend your time touring the city, take the buffet for breakfast. It will keep you full until dinnertime. On Friday/Saturday/Sunday they had a very large seafood buffet complete with hot/cold crab/lobster/shrimp/fish as well as sushi, dim sum as well as roast lamb and beef. The dessert selection was also quite nice with fresh fruit, cakes and cookies. It cost $38 per adult which is worth it if you\u2019re a big seafood lover (like us) but if you don\u2019t eat seafood it is not worth it to eat at this buffet.\nAlso available Monday to Friday from 4pm-6pm is a happy hour snack in the lobby. A different hot hors d\u2019oeurve was served each afternoon as well as a selection of cheeses, spreads and breads. Drinks were available for a nominal fee.\nValue:\nWe paid $159USD per night which is a fantastic price for the quality and service we received at this hotel. This was for a standard guest room. The suites with whirlpools and the rooms on the executive floor were in the $200USD+ category.\nOverall:\nThis hotel is an excellent choice for anyone who is going to be touring the Hollywood/Universal area that doesn\u2019t have a car. Tours information is available from the concierge and there is a free shuttle that runs every 15 minutes between the Sheraton, the Hilton and Universal Studios.\nLocation: 10/10\nAmenities: 9/10\nGuestroom: 8/10\nDining: 8/10\nService: 9/10\nValue: 9/10", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "We stayed at this hotel late July/early August, 2005 It is conveniently located near the freeway, and is not a bad place However, it does have some problems, and we shall not use this hotel again\nThe entire hotel looks slightly run down and heavily used Some furniture is marred in the rooms I was surprised at the lackadaisical attitude of the hotel staff To say they are not very ambitious is an understatement The room next to ours had some very distracting, loud children who kept banging and laughing When I went to the understaffed front desk to complain, rather than offering an apology and a room change, I was asked if I had \"called security\" I demanded a room change and got one, although we did not receive any offer to help us move\nOur first room had a small welcome fruit basket containing two apples, a rotten orange arranged so you could not see it was rotten, and two small bottles of water Why bother doing this if the fruit is rotten?\nDuring our stay, our room was overlooked with several necessities that should have been replaced daily One evening, I tried calling the front desk and the operator I tried for one half hour and still the phone was not answered (Given how nobody here answers the phone, it is laughable to have been asked about calling security earlier!) Exasperated, I called the bellman to report the problem He said he would take care of it and call me back in ten minutes to make sure the problem was handled You can guess where this is going--nobody ever handled the problem and he never called back I sat on the phone another half hour until the operator answered, and she wanted to put me on hold! I told her absolutely not, explained the problems, and asked to speak to a manager I was given the voice mail of the manager, who spoke very poor English (There is no manager on duty? Or an assistant? Why is there no extension for \"housekeeping?\") I clearly stated the problems and gave my email address, telling the voice mail that I expected to be contacted It has been about a week and the hotel has never bothered to contact me\nThere is no concierge at this hotel\nAdditionally, do not waste your money eating in this hotel if you stay here The food is poor and way overpriced T here is a very nice Ralph's grocery store right around the corner which has a delicious deli and bakery You can buy food and take it out\nIt seems that the Hilton chain is slightly tarnished and is certainly not what it once was The staff at the Hilton Universal leaves a lot to be desired and certainly could benefit from some customer service training They also need more staff members Apparently, Marriott, generally spekaing, is the superior of the big three \"better\" hotel chains", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 13}]}, "84522": {"reviews": [{"text": "I did not originally plan to stay at the Hotel Angeleno knowing that they were still renovating parts of the hotel, however my plans changed and I ended up staying there for two nights. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I really enjoyed staying there. As soon as you drive up to the hotel, valet opens your car door, gives you a warm and friendly greeting, then assists you with getting the luggage out of the car. I've traveled many places and have dealt with valet at numerous locations, but the friendly service that they have at this hotel starting the moment you drive up to the hotel is simply exceptional. \nI walked into the hotel expecting the lobby to still be under construction. I was wrong. I had previously stayed there on business when it was still the old Holiday Inn. Since then they have turned the lobby into a beautiful and welcoming area for hotel guests. When I came in they were also serving wine in this candle-lit lobby (partly to make up for the restaurant not being open yet, I'm sure). The front desk and bell staff were extremely helpful, courteous, and speedy during check-in. \nI got to the room tired after a long day of traveling to find myself in a small, but very beautifully remodeled room. The bed was very comfortable and there was a new plasma TV in the room. I went out on the balcony to a beautiful view of the city. It was a little noisy since I was also facing the freeway, but it was not bad at all once the balcony door was closed. \nThe next morning they offered breakfast in the lobby. It was really nothing spectacular as it was simply a small continental breakfast, but nonetheless it was still quick and good enough to start the day off with.\nThe run-down: The rest of my stay was wonderful. There was a little bit of construction noise in the morning, but it was tolerable. The hotel does not yet offer a restaurant since it is also under construction. This hotel only offers valet for parking at $18 per day however I've been in LA enough to know that is actually standard. Often times it can cost that much to self-park overnight in LA. Most importantly, however, is the quality service that the staff at this hotel provides. There were a few minor gliches here and there but I'm sure it was due to the fact that they did just open recently and are still working on getting everything up and running correctly. Either way, the staff did everything they could to make my stay comfortable. I was very pleased and will be returning on my next trip to LA. Another important note: this hotel is in a prime location between Beverly Hills and Santa Monica. I'm sure once they finish the renovations, this hotel will be top-notch!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "1516481": {"reviews": [{"text": "My wife and I came here for the weekend to celebrate her birthday and stayed at the Waldorf Astoria. Although the King Standard room was nice and spacious, we were a little disappointed in the lack of amenities provided to us as Hilton Honors Diamond members. This is the first Hilton location that we weren\u2019t even provided a bottle of water at check-in or in the room; or a complementary breakfast.\nI realize that I\u2019m a little spoiled with my hotels as I average about 150 nights per year (with work and vacation). I typically don\u2019t stay in hotels that are over $150 per night work\u2026and NEVER stay at hotels over $125 for vacation unless I use my \u201cvaluable\u201d Hilton Honors or Marriott Rewards points. I\u2019m not into status\u2026but I love perks! A FREE breakfast, Executive Lounge or a \u201ccheap\u201d bottle of wine for my wife\u2019s birthday go a long way with us!! Unfortunately, all we got for 70,000 points per night was a nice note from the hotel manager wishing my wife a Happy Birthday. (Please don\u2019t get me wrong\u2026we appreciated that gesture, but was hoping for something much more from the #1 Hotel in Chicago.)\nThe spa area was enjoyable with a large weight room, palates room and small pool. Each locker room has a Hot Tub, Steam Room and Sauna. The showers are clean and private with large, soft white towels. There is also a \u201cTV room\u201d in each locker room with comfortable chairs, cool water stations and small dried fruits and nuts.\nIf you love spending $450 per night at a hotel\u2026this is your place! If you\u2019d prefer access to a Concierge Level for free breakfast and snacks (with a savings of several hundred dollars), you might want to choose the Conrad or Hilton.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I would like to make this a home away from home place to go when we go to Chicago. We stayed for three nights with our family and we had a worthwhile experience. The fireplaces in the rooms did not work or were not available, nor was the DVR to pre tape any movies. We called the front desk and they sent someone up who could not make the DVR work either. My major concern was with the concierge Mark. He was so pompous. We are very relaxed so he treated us like we were impecunious. We asked him to make a dinner suggestion and reservation for a good vegetarian meal, and you would have thought that we were asking for something difficult. He made a big deal about it and sent us to a Middle Eastern restaurant that, when we showed up we were the only people there. It had poor quality and service and we had to travel quite a distance by cab to get there. The women that taught the pool exercise was great to offer many good restaurant choices, besides being a good instructor. Loved the pool and health club area.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "674283": {"reviews": [{"text": "Ours was a disappointing experience. Sure the rooms are large and the gym is great but that's about it.\nWe checked in on Sunday evening( 3 rooms). No one showed us to our rooms--\"\"heres the keys and use them to go up in the elevator\". Thats all. No one accompanied us as other writers have noted.\n The next morning problems began. There was inadequate water pressure and the water temperature was tepid. My sons, in their rooms, experienced the same. I, of course complained and was assured that it would be rectified. When we returned later, the bathroom was left a mess by the engineer. I was told it was fixed. \n The next day I discovered that the water pressure and the temperature was not fixed and I had to use the gym to have a hot shower. Now I was really upset. The hotel then sent 2 engineers who spent 2 hours sharing our room trying to fix it. Their 1st effort failed but eventually they got it right.\n The doormen were hit and miss--some times they opened the doors and other times. they didn't.\n The concierge desk usually, but not always, was manned. Although we were there for 3 nights, I only saw a \"clefs d'or\" once and then only for a brief period.\n The bar has a drink menu and prices. Yet, they charged more. When questioned, we were told the menu was wrong. When told they can't so that, the waitress threw down the bill. \n They also closed the bar early.\n Not once did I ever see a manager. Not once did anyone with any level of authority ask about our stay. I was told that the managers are on the 2d floor and therefore didn't interact with the guests. Compare this with a 4 Seasons etc where a management rep is always present.\n Now here is the height of chutzpah. The trump does not have a guest comment card in the room. Instead they sent me an e-mail form which was user unfriendly--I had to answer all questions although not relevant. Last but not least, the form asked how much money I make. What does this have to do with how Trump is operating his hotel\n In conclusion, this is a poorly managed hotel.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We recently stayed at the Trump hotel in June.\n I am originally from Chicago, and we wanted to visit our family who live further north, on Lake Shore Drive. We got a river view suite, and I think it was about $500.00 a night.\nI have to say the hotel is STUNNING!!!!!! Our initial room was great, but noisy (there is still ongoing construction). The front desk at the Trump obliged in giving us a new room, and it was breathtaking. Everything is very modern and new (and in keeping with the sleek modernity that you would see at hotels like the Mercer in NYC--sleek, but not overwhelming or intimidating). The room had the BEST Chicago view--Navy Pier and the Chicago River and it was mostly unobstructed and endless. And a real bonus was that the windows open just a bit--we are sticklers for fresh air. That allowed just enough air in without there being a hazard for those of you with small children.\nThe room (one bedroom apartment?) was clean, and roomy and had everything you could want (we had a suite that had two full baths with absolute top of the line fixtures--amenities like a television in the mirror (I want that for home!), marble showers AND separate baths. There was a full kitchen with top of the line appliances (Miele dishwasher, for example, and also free Nespresso), which would be a real bonus for families for children.\nSpeaking of children, when we notified the hotel that we would have a baby visiting us for the day, they immediately put not only a great crib in our room, but a high chair, a diaper genie and soap and lotion, etc. for the baby. We really appreciated that gesture.\nThe swimming pool is also great for kids, and they are very friendly there and will provide swimming noodles and amenities for those with small children. Adjacent to the swimming pool (btw with a breathtaking view), the Spa/Fitness room is absolutely top of the line--brand new and plentiful equipment, Pilates classes, and fresh water (fruit infused and bottled. The last day we were there they replaced the bottled water with Trump Ice water, which had a picture of Donald Trump on it. We thought it very funny!). It is so neat to exercise in a great location (high up overlooking all of Chicago).\nThe restaurant, however, is a work in progress. The staff was not yet fully trained, the water tasted like chlorine (and they kept trying to fill my glass with it, even though we had bottled water), and the menu was HORRIBLY expensive ($50.00 for an entree), but not inspired. We actually had a hard time trying to figure out what to order, because nothing sounded interesting enough to pay for. Before we were finished, it was clear they wanted us to leave, and started to fold linens in our vicinity, which seems strange when you are paying $400.00 for dinner. But the view is great.\nHowever, the fact that I liked the hotel as much as I did makes me sad to continue this review and end up only giving this hotel 3 stars. The first incident that blew our minds was what will be known in our family as the \"racist doorman incident\". On the early afternoon of Friday, June 20th, it began to rain, just as my family stopped by to pick us up for lunch. Earlier in the day, I had gone out and it had rained, and I asked for an umbrella at the first counter where the doorpersons are stationed. They happily obliged (one person was a nice older African American woman with braids). I returned the umbrella as we came in, and thought nothing of it.\nAt about 1p.m., however, when I asked for two umbrellas (we were now a motley group of 4 toddlers, and 6 adults without an umbrella amongst us), the same woman manning the door attempted to go behind the desk and retrieve them, but the man behind the counter, looked at us, stopped her, and said, \u201cWe are all out of umbrellas. If you need an umbrella, you will have to go up to your room to get one.\u201d \nFair enough. We understood that if it was raining, umbrellas may be in limited supply. My husband went upstairs to get an umbrella. \nBut in the meantime, the same man behind the counter took out all these new umbrellas and started unwrapping them! They were there all along!\nWhat was more HUMILIATING was that he came from behind the counter, and gave an umbrella each to two white women who hadn\u2019t even left the lobby, and HADN'T EVEN ASKED FOR THEM YET! I was shocked, but I was actually more humiliated. Both my 4 year old daughter and my 65 year old mother asked me why the man said there were no more umbrellas, when clearly there were. How could I tell my daughter there were no more umbrellas for people like us?! Did he not like us because we were the wrong color, or because he didn't think we were worthy of the hotel? I have my suspicions, but don't you think that was awful??!?\nAt least the African American co-worker, who was clearly embarrassed, then proceeded to go behind the counter and give us all umbrellas. But he really ruined my day and I felt really low. I thought about why he would do such a thing in front of my family all day.\nThat same day, at 8:30 I went down to ReBar, their signature bar (that they tout as serving exotic cocktails) for a quick cocktail with my sister. I felt we were both dressed well (she was in a summer dress and I was in a pucci dress). When we sat down, a waitress came to us and said, \"I'm sorry, but this table is bottle service only after 9:00pm). My sister responded that it was only 8:30. The waitress served us, but you could tell she wasn't happy about it. I can tell you that we looked like everyone else in the bar (the bar, btw, skews middle-aged and distinctly suburban; I definitely was one of the younger people there). My sister, who already had the \"umbrella\" incident, started talking about how she felt uncomfortable being there, and so as soon as the drink came, we took it upstairs. But the kicker is that my husband and myself came back an hour and half later, and guess what? The couple now sitting in the same seats we had earlier occupied was just drinking simple cocktails!!!! Where was the bottle service?!?!? Beats me.\nInitially, I was willing to believe that these two incidents were an aberration and that there is no pattern. No one wants to accuse a hotel of something like casual racism in this day and age. But after speaking with the manager, I am not so sure. They say all behaviors emanate from the top, and if this is the case, I have to say the manager could do a better job at dispelling my suspicions.\nWhen I wrote the manager about this, both he (T. Colm O\u2019Callaghan) and his assistant manager (Jerome) tried repeatedly to contact me. I assumed that they were contacting me to apologize, but what actually ended up happening is that Mr. O'Callaghan at first apologized, and then tried to intimate that I had misread the situation. He kept trying to tell me that what happened didn't happen!!!! He said they simply ran out of umbrellas! HELLO??!! I was there!!! They NEVER ran out of umbrellas, the guy just didn't want to give us the umbrellas he had! He kept trying to spin it as a misunderstanding, but this guy just didn't want to waste his dwindling resources (umbrellas) on the likes of us.\nAs for the bar incident, he said that certain areas have bottle service after a certain hour. But when I told him that hour hadn't been reached (she didn't want to serve us at 8:30pm because she said bottle service starts at 9), and when I came back an hour and half later, the people now sitting at the same seats were just having cocktails, he didn't want to talk about it. Weird. Instead of diffusing the situation, he made me feel as if he didn't want to hear what really happened, and that he thought I was a silly deluded person.\nSo in the end, this hotel gets 3 stars: 5 stars for the hotel, amenities (spa/swimming pool/fitness center), view and most of the staff, and one or none for the racist doorman, waitress (?), and pretty insensitive manager. The restaurant was also not so great.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Our stay at Trump Chicago started off as one of our favourite Chicago experiences. The room was fantastic and the front line staff exceptional. We were so pleased with the hotel and its facilities that after our second day, we decided we would like to make this our \"go to\" hotel in Chicago. This all changed on our third day. \nWhile getting ready for dinner, my wife realized that she could not find her new designer shoes that she brought along. She knew exactly where she had left them the night before, however, after a very thorough search, they failed to turn up. We contacted the front desk, and while at dinner, the room was checked again by hotel staff and security without success, and it was determined that her shoes were \"removed\" from the room while we were out earlier that day.\nAlthough you might think that this in itself was enough to turn us off the hotel, it was how the managment handled (or lack of) the situation. We were told that we would be contacted by the \"Director of Front Office\" the following morning and he was in a postion to resolve this matter. We waited most of the next morning to be contacted by Paul \"S\", and after leaving 3 messages for him we were informed by security that he was \"too busy to deal with this situation\". OK...lets get this straight - the Manager of a five star hotel is too busy to deal with the theft of a guests personal belongings from the room? Are you serious? Motel 6 offers better trained managers (I've never really stayed at Motel 6), and we have yet to hear from anyone regarding this matter.\nThe Trump Hotel offers guests a fantastic experience and its design and dedication of the front line staff need to be noted. The management however is an embarrasment to the Trump name and should get the \"YOUR FIRED!\"", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 17}]}, "84440": {"reviews": []}, "82686": {"reviews": []}, "84463": {"reviews": []}, "84561": {"reviews": []}, "119421": {"reviews": []}, "77827": {"reviews": []}, "78682": {"reviews": [{"text": "We stayed a week in the Beverly Garland Holiday Inn for a week in early June 2006 and we would thoroughly recommend the hotel. We stayed in the Eldorado building which was great. The rooms are spacious, modern and clean with a big bed, a big TV and a balcony. They are nicer than they look on the website. The Beverly Garland Holiday Inn is an excellent and safe location if you are staying or on holiday in Hollywood/LA. We hired a car and visited many places in and around LA. The hotel has a nice pool, a nice restaurant and a nice bar. All the staff are helpful, pleasant and friendly - especially the guy on reception and the girl in the shop. No sign of Beverly herself though.\nIf you are visiting LA for the first time (UK people!)) it is best to hire a car. For us this was the first time driving in the USA and we didn't have any problems. The ability to go where we wanted in LA at any time made our holiday. Driving in LA is a shock at first however after about 30 minutes you will see how much easier it is than the UK. Parking at the hotel is $9 a day but there are plenty of spaces and it has very easy access to the motorway. Make sure you take or hire a SatNav though. It would have been a whole different story without it. The hotel is about a 20 minute drive from LAX but you might not be up to it after a 14 hours of flight time from the UK.\nThere is an excellent Ralphs supermarket and mini shopping complex about a 3 minute walk for essentials and nibbles.\nA free shuttle bus takes you to and picks you up from Universal Studios/Universal City Walk several times a day. There is also a tube station close to Universal Studios/Universal City Walk which takes you to Hollywood Blvd and the Walk Of Fame.\nMake sure you visit Universal Studio's, Hollywood Blvd, Sunset Strip, Fishermans Village, Venice Beach, Farmers Market, Santa Monica, Long Beach and the Queen Mary.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "This is a great hotel and very close to universal studios. There is free scheduled shuttle daily that takes you to universal and picks you up, as well. There is a small gift shop right inside the lobby that sells shirts, souvenirs, postcards, and even stamps to mail your postcards. They also have maps and brochures of nearby attractions and also you can buy tour tickets right here in the lobby. Any additional items you may need may also be purchased at the gift shop (tampons, cigarettes, etc.) \nThe restaurant on-site serves wonderful food at decent prices. We had breakfast there, it was wonderful!! The price is $11.95 per person and that includes your OJ or whatever drink you prefer. The buffet consists of scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, ham, biscuits, and several other breads, fresh fruit, and even cereal!! It was well worth the price. Also, they have a great dinner menu. I got pot roast it was about $10.00 and came with carrots and mashed potatoes. We also bought a fruit cup to go it was $2.99 and had cantaloupe, pineapples, strawberries, and grapes in it\u2014yummie!!\nThe room are great and clean. Housekeeping always had it looking great when we came back from our long day out in Hollywood. The rooms all have balconies with 2 chairs outside. The rooms have coffee makers, irons, and hairdryers. The television is neat. It has nin64 games you can purchase time on. There is also pay-per-view movies and internet on you tv screen.\nThere is a nice heated pool, and a kiddie pool. There is also a sauna in the pool area. You have to use your hotel key to get in-so don\u2019t forget your key!!\n In the lobby, as you walk in, there is a couple of love seats right beside a flaming fireplace where you can sit and await your tour bus to pick you up.\ni highly recommend this hotel!! Please email me if you have any questions for me.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We spent four nights at Beverly Garland Holiday Inn from 11-15 to 11-19, 2005. We loved the location and Holiday Inn shuttle bus can take you to and from Universal Studio and Metro station. No need to rent a car for staying this hotel. we took metro bus and train to and from LA international airport(LAX), around two hours only if you are not in a hurry. Metro train can take you to Hollywood walk of fame and downtown LA or even Long Beach. \n Holiday Inn cleanliness is about average. Elavator inside pushbuttons are really dirty, no one seems to care. I was advised by previos tripavisors that requesting to stay at Eldorado building without freeway noise. We simly heeded the advice. \n Overall, you can not beat the location without paying a lot more than this Holiday Inn.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Recently stayed at the Beverley Garland which was very conveniently located for Universal Studios/Walk of Fame and tours.\nThe room was very comfortable and lots of space with a balcony and also very clean.\nThe staff were so helpful and one of the front desk staff must have spent about 30 minutes advising me where to go,directions etc.\nThe Restaurant staff and manager also bar staff were also very friendly and helpful.\nI enjoyed my stay so much and the room rates were a bargain!\nI cannont wait to go back!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We were attracted to the descriptions given on the internet for this hotel. Quote: \"Completely renovated in January 2003\" ... \"Praised as 'an affordable luxury hotel in the heart of Hollywood' by Bus Tour Magazine (April/May 2002)\" ... \"Scores of other Hollywood stars frequently visit the comfortable hotel...\"\nOur hearts sank with disappointment when we arrived at this hotel. We were very hardpressed to detect any of the \"renovations\". This hotel is dingy, depressing and outdated. We saw 5 rooms in two different wings, so we know they were all about the same. Room and hallway carpets were worn, blackened in some large areas, and not very clean. We requested a change of rooms because our rooms were roadside with very loud, noisy heavy traffic.\nWhen I first opened my eyes upon awakening the first morning, I blurted out, \"Man, what a depressing sight to wake up to!\" My daughter & husband agreed with me about the dingy, ugly walls and furnishings of our room.\nI wouldn't recommend this place to anyone. It's quite unattractive and not worth its close proximity to Universal Studios.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "1100791": {"reviews": []}, "81170": {"reviews": []}, "274223": {"reviews": [{"text": "We chose this Bed and Breakfast because we thought the description sounded fine, a quiet start, probably jet lagged, before quite a hectic trip. We were probably the first to have our room for some time, it was clean but very musty and unaired. Browns and greens of the old fashioned tones. The beds were of the type found in cheap motels in the 50's and 60's. Not too uncomfy if you like hard mattresses and lumpy pillows. The linen was changed after the first night. Bathroom modernised.\nNo tea/coffee maker. Please, in this day and age! A deserted and gloomy breakfast room with defrosted pastries and actually quite nice coffee.\nSorry, this was so disappointing. We were fortunately only a short walk from the Farmers Market for some proper food although the desk clerk didn't know that. \nWe should have gone to a proper hotel in the first place, because there is nothing worse than beginning a vacation wishing you had never gone away.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "I loved the Wilshire Crest Inn. I stayed there with my husband and 8 year son. During the day, you can rest outside on the patio under the trees on a peaceful street; at night, the place is lit up with lights and looks magnificant. Rooms are super big and the price is right at about $100 per night for two full size beds. The Continental Breakfast is substantial and the dining room is beautiful. The staff was wonderful; rooms were HUGE, clean and comfortable. The place is painted in blue and pink pastels. Close enough to restaurants; just up the street [relatively] from Beverly Hills; 1 block from The Petersen Classic Auto Museum; 6 blocks from The Grove - a wonderful giant Mall done in the Hollywood Way. It doesn't have a pool, or the Spa, or the Room Service ... but I didn't even notice because it was one of the best hotels I've ever stayed in.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 22}]}, "224168": {"reviews": []}, "595476": {"reviews": [{"text": "While I only spent about six hours at the LAX Courtyard hotel, I was impressed with the service, property and convenience.\nThe reason for my short stay was an early morning flight out of LAX. I arrived at the hotel and the valet immediately took my car. Valet parking is only $13.00 per day which is very reasonable for the LAX area.\nCheck in was fast and efficient. I received my preferred room type, a king non-smoking room. The only reason check-in took more that 60 seconds was that I wanted to prepay the four day parking charges.\nMy room was #526, facing the airport to the west. I was a little concerned that it might be noisy, but the rooms are very well insulated. It was a very quiet room. As expected from a Marriott property, the room was spotless and smelled fresh.\nThe room was excellent! It had a layout that I have never seen before. It was quite large with a wardrobe unit dividing the room into a work area and sleep area. The desk was excellent with a good office style chair, complimentary HS internet connection, and a good work light. The only thing missing was easy to reach electrical outlets (they were under the desk).\nThe bath vanity was well lit and had a granite top and a small refrigerator under it. The bathroom had a large tub-shower combination and a great and unique shower head. There were plenty of towels.\nThe king bed was comfortable, but was not one of the new super comfortable Marriott beds. There were five foam pillows in my room rather than the typical Courtyard mix of feather and foam pillows. The bedding was the new style that is changed with each guest. The entire wall next to the bed was windowed.\nAcross from the king bed was a sofa, the bureau, and TV. The TV had the expected cable channels as well as PPV movies. Lighting in the room was excellent. The only thing that I missed was easy to reach electrical outlets. I think this hotel was built just before Marriott started installing lamps and lighting fixtures with electrical outlets in them.\nI wanted some milk to drink before retiring for the night. I went down to the lobby bar and the when I asked the associate if he said he would be glad to get me either 2% or fat free. While waiting for my milk I noticed several people eating at the bar which makes me think that food is served around the clock at this hotel.\nAlso in the lobby area is a business center and The Market with snacks, soft drinks, beer, wine, and ice cream.\nI asked for a 4:00 AM wake up call and it came on-time. The bill for my stay had been slid under the door and was correct, including my prepaid parking. Exiting the hotel the valet asked if I needed a ride to the airport and he immediately brought the van around. I was through security at the American Airlines terminal 45 minutes after my wake up call. This is a great hotel if you have an early flight!\nEvery associate that I came in contact with at the Courtyard was very friendly and helpful. The hotel is very close to LAX and is easy to get in and out of. I can recommend it highly.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}]}, "77270": {"reviews": [{"text": "The suite was clean, large, and everything worked. Because the hotel is a converted apartment building, it had a lot of great things that you don't get in regular hotels, such four options of switches in the bathroom, fairly sound proof rooms, and windows that actually open. The bathtubs were equipped with those handy bars, for those of us getting older than we'd like. The beds were very comfortable (with new matresses!). \nThe staff was really helpful. The maintenance man even gave my family a tour of the suite and made doubly sure everything worked when we checked in.\nThe best thing was that the price was what was quoted, i.e. no add ons such as parking fees, spa fees, internet access, entertainment package fees...only the required bed tax (now 14%).\nIt was very quiet, and unbelieveably close to all the main Hollywood attractions. My kids begged me to stay here everytime we come to Los Angeles. I am only too happy to grant their request. What a great value for my money!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed at Hollywood Orchid at the end of August. The previous year we stayed at Hollywood Celebrity down the street and enjoyed that very much and highly recommend it. We thought we would try the Orchid since it is also highly rated here. We arrived late, almost at midnight and was so suprised when we opened the door to our 3rd floor room. It was HUGE! Two double beds, kitchenette equipped with sink, stove, fridge and coffee maker, kitchen table/chairs, 2 large comfy chairs, tables, 2 huge closets with a safety deposit box, air-conditioning, etc. The room was like an apartment. The only thing missing that would have made it perfect would be a microwave. Our Junior room was in the back on the 3rd floor and so quiet. We were quite happy about that and was actually expecting the same kind of noise as we had from Hollywood Celebrity down the street. The building is older so I was expecting thin walls and heavy walkers but it was completely quiet. The Orchid is closer to the mall and the Renaissance Hotel with their trucks but all that is at the front of the hotel so we heard none of it. Nice.\nThe lobby guy was absolutely great. He was always warm, smiling and engaging. That is a rare treat since a lot of hotels these days have pretty subdued, keep to themselves staff that barely grunt at you. Nope, the staff were all friendly and welcoming. \nThe hotel does not have many thrills but the price and location is great. Don't expect fancy hotel amenities. The furniture is older and worn but it is pleasant and clean. No free breakfast, no on-site coffee shop and no lobby stores. There is free and gated underground parking, guest laundry room, vending machines, swimming pool and free internet access in the lobby. We made use of all that. \nWe originally had ourselves booked for 2 nights and were planning to spend the last 6 days of our vacation in Anaheim in a 100% non-smoking hotel but after the first night, we extended our stay to cover the entire vacation even though the Orchid is not a smoke-free hotel. We had a non-smoking room which was great and it didn't smell smoky. Unfortunately the lobby area seemed to always smell smoky, particularly near the internet computer. The rooms near the computer allow smoking. That would be the only complaint about the hotel. If the Orchid was a smoke-free hotel, I'd give it a 5-star rating.\nI'd definitely recommend this hotel for anyone looking for a superb value, clean rooms, friendly atmosphere and a safe environment. Yes, there are much grander and much nicer hotels but they also come with a grander price tag.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed in a deluxe suite from 11th to 14th April 2006. It's an amazing find. The rates are great. The location is unbelievable. It's located in a cul de sac behind Highland and Hollywood Shopping Centre (there's a back door so it only takes a minute to get there) with a good range of shops and restaurants and also contains the Kodak Theatre where the Oscars are held and the subway is very near by, (which was very easy to use and one stop to Universal Studios). It's on the same block as the Chinese Theatre with the Walk of Fame running along it. It's also quite close the freeway which made it easy to find and despite the traffic straight forward to get to Disney to in just over an hour. The area felt very safe and the accomodation had a good level of security. There was free, underground, locked parking and always free spaces. The staff were extreamley helpful and let us keep are car there after check out. The property is very well maintained and very clean. Our apartment was very spacious and clean. The furniture is very comfortable and well maintained although it might be a bit dated for some peoples' tastes . We had a large open plan lounge with sofa bed, armchairs, dinning table and four chairs, kitchen including microwave and a breakfast bar area. We had a seperate bedroom with king bed and there was three large wardrobes. The bathroom had a shower. There were two televisions and a safe in the room. There's a laundrette and an outdoor swimming pool. We would not hesitate to recommend this to others and certainly would be willing to return ourselves as we were very impressed.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Our family, 2 adults and 2 children aged 9 and 11 stayed 3 nights at the Orchid Suites as our first stopping point in a US trip. The confidence in my entirely web based selection was boosted when the Taxi driver from LAX knew the hotel well and commented postively about it. It certainly lived up to all descriptions and expectations. Not the newest or most recently refurbished establishment around, but incredibly spacious rooms (we had a ground floor room opening directly from the lobby) with a full size, fully equipped kitchen (not just a microwave and bar fridge only here). The staff were helpful, the room was ready early on our arrival. The location is in a quiet dead-end street, super convenient to Hollywood attractions and a short walk to the subway station that is the key to easy and effecient travel around most of LA. If you want to stay in the Hollywood area (keeping in mind if you are a first time visitor that Hollywood and Beverly Hills do not share the same glamour!!), like to prepare your own meals and are not looking for multiple star luxury then this is absolutely the place for you. The clientele are perfectly OK, just everday holiday makers from all over the world.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}]}, "1049387": {"reviews": [{"text": "Check in was poor and should have been better as I had previously emailed and had two responses. Upgraded to a suite but it was at the front of the Hotel facing a 8 lane busy all night highway. Manny a manager called to see how we were after day one and I mentioned I slept badly. Within 15 minutes he has us moved to a room of the main road and it was perfect. \nThe breakfast is included and has all sorts of different things enough to satisfy most tastes. The hotel is very close to, just 5 minutes walk to Kodak theatre, walk of fame, Chinese Theatre a a reall hot and rocking Hard Rock Cafe. Excellent locality. Very nice rooms. Good bathrooms. \nOnly down side is it has no room service but there's plenty of restaurants within walking distance.\nThankyou Manny for your superb attention.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 20}]}, "1439222": {"reviews": [{"text": "I concur with all the favorable comments, but want to add this story. We were there 6 nights and had two rooms. We left the tip for the entire time the morning we left. It was OK but not extravagant. They called and told me we had left that amount of money in the room. I told them that was the tip for both rooms for our stay. That kind of integrity and attitude typified our experience. Hope to stay there again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "77157": {"reviews": []}, "2154898": {"reviews": []}, "1563899": {"reviews": []}, "77775": {"reviews": [{"text": "I stayed at the Palomar for two nights in August. The room was well appointed and clean. The front desk staff was friendly, and the free am coffee bar was a nice touch. The only negative was the valet parking. I left my car with the valet Friday evening around 10pm. When I received my car the next morning, I saw a McDonalds ketchup pack on the console on my vehicle(below the radio) and 1/8 tank less gas. I never eat at McDonalds. Basically, the valet took my car out for a joy ride to pick up some McDs and whatever else. What they did was horrible. I entrusted the hotel and the valet with my vehicle, and they took it off the premesis for their own personal use. They had no permission to do this. They used my car and my liability. For all I know, they could have committed traffic violations or who knows what. I spoke with the valet manager Danielle Saturday morning over the phone. She assured me that the valet's are reponsible individuals and would not take a guest's vehicle off the premesis. She said that she would investigate the incident and call me back. It's been three days, and I have yet to receive a call from Danielle. \nThis incident ruined my stay. In a sense, I felt violated. I think what they did was criminal. Maybe this happens all the time, but I expected better from this well reviewed hotel.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We reserved two rooms at the Hotel Palomar for a stay over New Year's. When we arrived at the hotel, we were informed by the front desk staff that my Prepaid reservation for two rooms was no longer available. After I presented my reservation confirmation page to the front desk staff, the manager (5 minutes later) came out to tell me that my reservation was not going to be honored. Instead, they had booked me at a \"similar\" property over 2 miles away (this hotel was not close to the quality of the Palomar). They did tell me that I could come back the next night to stay at the Palomar, the same hotel that sent me on my way with a prepaid reservation.\nI travel frequently for business, and I have never had this happen at any hotel. Needless to say, I will not be staying at any Hotel Palomar in the future as I generally like to ensure my room will be available after I have reserved it when I travel.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "76083": {"reviews": [{"text": "Stayed at the Sofitel for 7 nights and had no problems with the place (apart from once small incident with a false fire alarm waking us up!) but that aside the hotel itself was great. I agree with other reviews the bed was the most comfortable ever! The hotel accomodated us with a early check in which was great, plenty of toiletries and little extras in the excellent sized bathroom. Right across the road is the Beverly Centre with lots of shops and a cinema and a few restaraunts at the base as well as a food court on the top level. The turn down service in the evening provided free bottled water and sleeping masks also. Don't hesitate to stay at The Sofitel! I would certainly stay there again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I stayed at this hotel for a night for a rondevous with a friend. I booked it on priceline, so I didn't know what hotel I was getting. The service was excellent. For what I paid for the hotel, we got a room that was lavishly furnished and had a nice view of Los Angeles from the balcony. The hotel is smack in the middle of Beverly Hills for all of you star watchers and right across the street from the Beverly Center, a ritzy L.A. mall.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "My Husband and I stayed here for 4 nights in July 04. We loved every minute. \nI wouldnt normally bother to write a review, but it just occured to me to read about the hotel and see what the scoring was........and I'm totally flabbergasted at what some people have written here...so pen to paper and here's our review.......\nNot once did we get to open the front door, the doormen always beat us to it! The bed was brilliant. Having only been to the USA once before, and that being New York we assumed we didnt need to drive and could walk or get a taxi...WRONG, you can walk and walk and get NOWHERE, LA is ENORMOUS! We loved the sodas in Johnny Rockets across the road. Worth a try if you're not used to them, Hubby loved the root beer soda, whatever root beer is :-) \nDressed in our shorts and t-shirts, we didnt feel at all odd, although we may have looked it! \nThe hotel was good, the rooftop pool was small but ample, about 4 ft deep and not very big, when you swim like a brick as I do, its fine! I liked being able to see the bloomingdales sign from it!\nThe beverly Centre with about 140 shops, which include Bloomingdales, Macys, and lots of other good names, is literally across the road, all the roads are VERY wide, not like what we're used to in England. Hard Rock Cafe is across the road also.\nThe staff were wonderful, loved the turn down service and the free water! But beware when you wake up at 3am with jetlag, dont order a pot of coffee or it will take you about 2 more hours to drink it...it held over 6 cups full, then again we did ask for two jugs, in fairness to room service they did warn us they were big jugs, I know now they meant it!\nThe room was excellent my husband thought he was Lord Muck! it was spotless, and I find it incredible to believe what I have read in the other reviews, I cant believe they are referring to the same hotel!\nWe couldnt fault it on anything, nothing, and if I could afford it I think we would go back tomorrow.\nWe loved Rex in the bar. He was such entertainment, (Hi Rex)xx from Ozzie and Isy in England xx", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "This hotel carries a four or five star rating and is part of the Sofitel chain, which while not top class, should at least provide some assurance of quality.\nThe hotel rooms are dirty. I stayed in one and my colleague in another, in December 2004, and both rooms had bathrooms which made you afraid to enter. Grime covered the grouting and limescale remained in the bath and sink. The showerhead was broken.\nDirty rooms, that is a complete no-no for a four star hotel. I don't mean dusty, I mean engrained dirt, months if not years old.\nThe staff smile and are friendly, which is their way of telling you no. A request for shampoo was never fulfilled. Can I have a glass of ice brought to my room? Not really, it is too late (11.30 pm). Can I change rooms, since this one smells of cigarrettes? No. And so on. But very friendly refusals. \nThe internet access didn't work half the time (I do mean half). So for business people, this hotel is out of the question. The hotel had a lot of excuses, but I didn't pay for excuses, I paid for internet access.\nWorld brands like Sofitel are supposed to assure a certain level of, if nothing else, cleanliness, but this Sofitel should not even be 3 stars.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I staying here as we speak :) for work and a holiday for an entire three weeks. As I had pre-booked on expedia and paid the full non-refundable amount, I can't really move but I long to. So I don't have the benefit of hindsight, and I am currently in a stunned state about how bad this place is...(for the money of course, if it was two/three star rated and $80-$100 a night fine...for my room access it is $195+all the taxes).\nThe majority of the staff are very nice people, but there is a general no-can-do attitude. My first room had no broadband access but a beautiful view. My second room had broadband, but a whole load of other probs. Here are the negative things which have happened - so far!. (I am not a picky traveller, and if this was an under-developed country fair enough, but it's a hotel in LA!)\n1. I changed rooms twice and all three bath tubs had a layer of impregnated grime which couldn't be removed, and i had to buy myself some flipflops to stand in it. The tiles are chipped and dirty and the taps were rusty.\n2. The carpet is filthy and there are several large holes and cigarette burns in it (I am in a non-smoking room). I generally don't like touching things, and the maids have no idea about cleanliness.\n3. The hot chocolate comes in big pots for $10 (when you add charges), that made about 6 cups. When I said I wanted just a cup of hot chocloate one night (to be less wasteful but still paying the \u00a310 bucks) this could not be done!\n4. The room has high speed interent for which one has to pay a premium on the room plus extra for the access itself. This would have been fine, but 6 days out of my 2 weeks so far the internet has had problems and was down for hours at a time. As I am working this is a great inconvenience. This was \"Not our fault we have an unrealiable ISP\" - well get a new one!\n5. The food is merely edible. If you have low expectiations you would htink it is fine but nothing to write home about. \n6. The plugs in my room ,look like fire hazards. They spark, wobble and looked like they were on their last legs.\n7. The service is very efficient and quick, however as I said, ask for anything beyond what is in their rules and you will be struggling. Also the general atmosphere isn't particularly friendly...the staff although nice people don't look like they want to be here, and I don't blame them.\n8. I ordered cheescake a bit early and they said it was still frozen. \nI could go on but I already have, and you get the idea...a bit Fawlty Towers for all those who know the British comedy and for those who don't please don't come here expecting a four star hotel...or better still stay away!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "If you\u2019ve ever stayed at the Sofitel in Philly or Chicago then you know this is a nice hotel chain\u2026however, LA is lagging behind. The hotel is getting really dated. The drapes and the flooring appear very warn and dusty. The biggest shock was getting to my room and realizing there was no high-speed internet. The staff was very accommodating and moved me to a deluxe room that had high-speed; however, it was a smoking room and I am NOT a smoker. Unfortunately, only the deluxe rooms carry high-speed, which in this day and age is unacceptable. \nAgain, I do want to stress the staff is very nice and accommodating, but their kindness does not over shadow the run-down condition of the hotel. I was told the hotel is going thru a renovation so there is hope it will improve someday. Overall, an okay hotel, but I will not return again until the renovations are complete\u2026 not worth the $$$ right now.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "This is a gorgeous hotel, nicely decorated. But there was so much dust and dirt in each room on the air vent, lights and walls, I am amazed this hotel can be listed as \"clean.\" I stay in LA every month and I won't stay here again. A shame, as the rest of the hotel is immaculate.....", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I just returned from 5 days and 4 nights at the Hotel Sofitel in Los Angeles. The hotel has recently been given a 70 million dollar remodel. Every aspect of the hotel was awesome. I have travelled all over the world and this is one of the finest hotels I have ever stayed at. From the time I drove up to the time I left I was greeted with an extremely professional and friendly staff. Everybody from the valet to the housekeepers went out of their way to my our stay as comfortable as possible. \nI read on the reviews on Trip Advisor about the recent construction and I did not hear a single sound from any workers my entire stay. They have finished all major construction of the hotel.\nWe checked into our deluxe room which faced the West Hollywood Hills and the Hollywood Sign to the east. Some of the features of the room was a deliciously comfortable bed with feather duvet and pillows, brand new LG Digital Flat Screen High Definition TV with the latest movies to order. Very contemporary, NEW and comfortable furniture and a very sweet bathroom. The shower had a window which overlooked the bedroom, tv and windows out to the mountains and with the flick of a switch the window magically frosted over for complete privacy. There was a mini bar with great snacks and beverages. The hotel was more than happy to accommodate us with a fridge to store our own snacks, beer, etc. for the week. There were a lot more great touches to the room that made us enjoy just hanging out. We ordered room service several times which arrived hot, quickly and with a smile. The food was from their new restaurant in the hotel Simon/LA. When something was delivered to your room like room service or an extra pillow the staff did not bang on the door, they gently tapped. Small touches like this make a huge difference.\nThe new bar at the hotel was very chic. It was designed by Randy Gerber and is sure to be the new hang in LA. Very cool furniture, hip music, beautiful people and great drinks. Expensive drinks but it's to be expected at a trendy hot spot in LA. The outside of the bar has big comfy couches, a cool fire pit and fountains. We ate at the restaurant Simon/LA for breakfast and dinner and again the staff was very accommodating in our requests. I would highly suggest a meal there. I saw travellers eating there alone who seem to feel very comfortable.\nIf you are looking to stay at a great hotel in the West Hollywood, Beverly Hills area I would highly suggest the Sofitel. It feels new, it feels hip and cool but not ostentatious. It's a very comfortable place and oh did I mention the bed.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "249693": {"reviews": [{"text": "One thing about Trip Advisor reviews: when people like a place, they tend to heap excessive praise on it. This seems to be the case with The Brentwood Inn, a very nice place indeed, but not for everyone. \nThe Brentwood Inn is a very tidy little motor lodge nestled in the least likely of places - the tony Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles. The only reason the Inn still sits alone in this residential area is that it was grandfathered into the zoning laws, having predated them by a number of years. The Inn has been a motor lodge since the 1940's, and therein lies its charm and some of its drawbacks. Because of said zoning, the owners are not allowed to replace the original structures, they can only improve and update them. The result is a smallish classic motor inn with modern amenities.\nRooms are on the compact side, but clean white with neutral shading. Windows all have classic white wooden shutters. The original wooden peak ceiling is intact, with a skylight added. One wall is painted brick. There\u2019s a nice flatscreen TV with plenty of channels (no in-room movies), a comfortable bed with soft pillows, and a dresser/desk combo with free, no-hassle, wireless internet (and very good connectivity, I might add). Each room is equipped with a refrigerator, coffeemaker, iron and half-sized ironing board (why oh why?? Hotel owners should be forced to try ironing anything on one of these nightmares before equipping their rooms with them).\nThe bathroom - true to the Inn\u2019s vintage - is small but tidy, with white tiles and classic fixtures. There was no bath in my room, only a shower. One morning it took 15 minutes for the hot water to kick in, certainly not the most green-friendly of set-ups.\nEveryone - from the desk staff to the housekeeping - is friendly and helpful. The place is unquestionably cheery. Breakfast - cold cereal or pastries, juice and coffee - is free every morning, and you can enjoy it on their sunny little patio. \nWhy people think The Brentwood Inn is good for families is beyond me; rooms are small and there is absolutely nothing for children to do here except watch TV. \nAnother caveat: The Inn is adjacent to a firehouse. While I didn\u2019t find it intrusive, you WILL hear sirens, a few every day.\nAs for convenience, there\u2019s a lot to be said for having your car parked right outside your room: no valet, no waiting. But to clarify those who say the Inn is convenient to everything in L.A., you should know the following:\nPlaces you\u2019ll be near:\nThe O.J. Crime Scene\nThe 405\nThe Getty Center\nSanta Monica\nSanta Monica State Beach\nPacific Coast Highway (Malibu)\nUCLA\nWestwood\nPlaces you\u2019ll be adjacent to:\nBeverly Hills\nCulver City\nPlaces you\u2019ll be nowhere near:\nHollywood\nDodger Stadium\nUniversal City\ndowntown Los Angeles\nBurbank\nGlendale \nPasadena\nAll told, I liked The Brentwood Inn, a lot, and I\u2019d not hesitate to return there. That said, it\u2019s not for everyone. If you are used to hotel amenities - room service, movies, spa, store, in-house gym, etc. - you won\u2019t find them here. If you\u2019re intrepid, a careful driver (the parking lot is tiny!), without children, and in search of a comfortable room in a good location, this could very well be your home away from home in Los Angeles.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "Booked this hotel because of the rave reviews in Tripadvisor. What we got was somewhat disappointing. \nHotel (sorry Motel) was easy to find but difficult to get to as it's on the wrong side of road if you are comming from the freeway. Rooms were small and bathroom and shower are minute. We were located on the bottom level and you could hear the rooms above and the stairs outside. Breakfast was a muffin/fruit which you collected from reception. There were no seats there, so you had to take food back to your room. On the plus side the rooms are clean with fridge & coffee facilities and the reception staff are helpfull. It's also close to the Getty Museum (2 miles) and the restaurants in Barrington (1 mile). \nOK for a stop over but would not recommend for a longer stay. During our holiday we had better rooms for less price in Best Westerns.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "WE decided to go to this hotel because of the price, much more affordable than other hotels in the area and in Santa Monica. The location turned out to be perfect: close to the San Diego Freeway and Westwood and other attractions i.e. the new fantastic Paul Getty Museum. We liked the possibility to park the car in front of our room and be able to easily unload our luggage. The room and the bathroom were confortable and very clean. The only disappointment was the breakfast in the morning: they were doing some renovations so it was in the reception room, very ramped and no seats. Also the were only muffins and some staled pastries.\nOverall we think this hotel is an excellent value for your money.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I was pleasantly surprised by this tiny motor inn on the corner of Sunset and Kenter in Brentwood. Resident/owners JC & Kanuja Champaneri could not be any more devoted in terms of making sure guests are satisfied. Rooms are small, but they're clean and comfortable and have everything you need, including the aforementioned refrigerator (good-sized!), the free bottled water, complimentary high-speed internet, the Aveda goodies etc. I also loved being in Los Angeles and NOT having to pay $30 a day additional for valet parking (plus constant gratuities). Just pull right up and you're at your room. Loved that, and the convenience to nearby shops in the Village of Brentwood, including The Whole Foods. The only problem I encountered was an inability to work the remote for the heater/ac unit mounted high above. The bathroom is also very small, particularly the shower stall. I'm only 5'3\" and I don't weigh very much, and I didn't have much room in any direction. Also ladies -- since the bathroom has a pedestal-type sink, there is almost no counter space, other than a narrow shelf above the toilet. So laying out the make-up, the hair brush, the blow-dryer, the curling iron, etc. was a bit of a challenge. (There is however an old fashioned medicine cabinet). Also, I found the driveway entrance a bit difficult to navigate due to its awkward location. Don't even try to make a left from Sunset, just go around the block. But these are not complaints, just observations. All in all, for the price, the service (including free muffins and fruit in the a.m; cookies in the afternoon), and its in-town location, there probably is no better buy in LA.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I love the Brentwood Inn. (And I'm not fast to compliment things in general) And I only hesitate to write this review because The Brentwood Inn is a precious gem of a secret that I don't necessarily want to share.. but so much for being selfish.\nIf you care about things like being treated in an incredbly wonderful polite civilized endearing fashion... go to The Brentwood Inn.\nIf you enjoy a room and a bathroom that is exceptionally impecably clean and updated and perfect.. stay at The Brentwood Inn.\nIf you relish in lying in bedding and linens with multiple pillows that are of higher quality and standards ... stay at The Brentwood Inn.\nIf you like having modern lights and air conditioning and heating and a refridgerator always stocked with free bottles of water and a television and free internet access in your room that is completely modern and working with no problems... stay at the Brentwood Inn. \nIf you understand what free easy accessible parking is all about in LA... stay at the Brnetwood Inn.\nIf you want to be in the heart of LA and Beverly Hills and Santa Monica and the shopping and the promenade and the museums and the studios and the ocean and Venice Beach AND return to the comfort, peace and quiet of an exclusive residential neighborhood... stay at the Brentwood Inn.\nSimply.. if you want Politeness, Privacy, Parking and Perfection.. Stay at the Brentwood Inn.\nI am not related to the young sweet couple who own this Inn (although I feel like family) and I'm not their advertising person or anything.. BUT this is my third stay here within months (I'm a New Yorker) and I just wanted to note somewhere about this remarkable place. In a world where there are so many mistakes, it's refreshing to find that somebody got it right.\nThe place, the people, and the PRICE are all right on target. BULLSEYE!\nIf you want to be treated poorly and sleep on cardboard sheets and spend your time waiting for you car... there are plenty of other places you can stay at.\nBut if you want to have complimentary afternoon/evening aromatic flavored teas and incredible oatmeal and chocholate chip cookies... stay at THE BRENTWOOD INN!\nSincerely and warmly submitted by,\nDavid Floyd Nesenoff\nTRY Films", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "The Brentwood is one of those rare hidden gems that you stumble upon in the hospitality industry. Our company requires alot of travel and we put all of our people in this lovely, romantic, sophisticated hotel. \nThe rooms are very clean, they offer extras such as Aveda products in their bathrooms. There is ample parking (without extra charge!)\nThe staff is very accommodating -- they got up to check us in at 2:00 a.m. and were so kind.\nI can't speak highly enough about this wonderful property and the owners. I wish we had one of these in all the cities we do business in!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "The Brentwood Motor Hotel was clean, quiet and peaceful. It is a quick drive (pending traffic) from LAX and easy to find. The staff was excellent and went above and beyond the usual customer service I've experienced at other hotels. Large muffins and fruit were served during a continental breakfast and cookies/milk were available in the afternoon.\nA location bonus is their close proximity to the ocean and UCLA. I would highly recommend it for single travelers/couples who want to be close to attractions but want to be away from the tourist mahem.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "111751": {"reviews": [{"text": "Having stayed there many times, I was expecting great things from the Hotel Bel Air after the two year closure and was very disappointed to find that it had become a mishmash of trendy design and poor functionality. The new spa building and villa section overpower the intimate scale of the complex that was once there. The weird room decor seemed trendy and already dated and felt more like a W than the old Bel Air. The technology and features in the room like the lighting and showers were complicated and did not work well with the shower flooding the bathroom as well as getting me wet when I turned it on. The new lobby with the 70's fireplace is soulless. The restaurant is a tragedy. It feels like an airport lounge and has none of the sophistication the Hotel was always know for. I usually like Wolfgang Puck, but this was him trying to be a three star restaurant and the food, service and decor are not. There is much better food in LA for much less money. As with the restaurant, there are much better places to stay in LA, so I would not return.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I wanted to love the newly refurbished Hotel Bel Air as much as, or more than, I had in the past. The Bel Air tops my list of fabulous hotel experiences, with its lush grounds and superior service. Now, I like it...but the love is gone. \nHappily, the grounds are spectacular and the upkeep impeccable. Pink and white stucco abounds; its classically stunning pool shines and the scent of wood burning fireplaces still wafts through the crisp air. A luxurious updated suite (original section) offered contemporary touches of travertine floors, black lacquer pieces, iPads, tricked out lighting and a wonderfully sublime bathroom. Linens are plush, very comfy bed and a GREAT shower!\nYet, the place is missing some of its former je ne sais quoi. \nIt appears the design team dropped in from NY to deem the heart, or core, of the Hotel \"old school\". After all, management delegated restaurant and room service duties to Wolfgang Puck. This is probably seen as an uptick for future bookings.\nThe hugely transformed terrace/ restaurant (and lobby) has gone from relaxed CA garden elegance to sleek urban trendy. A lot of black elements are in jarring contrast to the charming California mission style architecture. The design feels over wrought and out of context, especially at day time. Flame towers, really? While the food is very good, it follows the Puck tradition of overpriced and under portioned. The restaurant service is amateurish. Unfortunately, the Terrace now features a generic computer podium check-in w/ \"hi guys\" hostesses. I'm guessing the highly seasoned restaurant staff of yesteryear found employment elsewhere. Room service staff was highly competent, yet the very pricey food seemed under portioned. \nSurely nostalgia has influenced my assessment, though I tried not to be crumudgeony about the changes. I guess sometimes a place is so very special, its memory so visceral, that there's no going back. The thing is, for me, The Hotel Bel Air was uniquely that place you COULD go back to and never,ever feel disappointed. This time, I just didn't feel that magic.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "On my only stay at Hotel Bel Air, I was extremely disappointed. I had written a hard copy letter to the general manager's attention, but I never received a response. \nMy first disappointment was that my room was in bad shape. It was old and in need of updating, and the heater was loud and did not work well. I spent my sleeping hours alternating between being too cold and entirely too warm. \nEach night before bed, I always eat ice cream. It's a dumb (and fattening) habit...but it's what I do! So I called room service to order some ice cream before bed and was told that the freezer was not working and therefore no ice cream could be delivered. Another disappiontment, but not a big deal in the whole scope of life.\nThe *biggest* disappointment was my check-out experience: I had agreed to meet an old friend for Sunday morning brunch in Malibu at 9:00 a.m. I figured that I would go to Malibu; meet my friend; then drive back to Hotel Bel Air and check out before catching my return flight to Washington, DC. In hindsight, it wasn't \"the best laid plan\"...but it was my plan for that particular morning.\nAs things happened, my friend was running late; our breakfast therefore ran late; and traffic from Malibu to the hotel was horrendous -- it was summertime, and everyone had gone to hang at the beach. So I called the front desk from my cell phone and explained my situation. I informed the person who answered that I was terribly sorry and would absolutely be checked out by 1:00 p.m. The person with whom I spoke said that was fine and thanked me for calling.\nWell, after battling some of the worst traffic I had ever seen, it was about 1:15 when I pulled into the hotel driveway. I felt very bad, as I am a man who prides himself on being punctual. I **literally** ran to my room; gathered my bags; and rushed to the front desk to check out.\nWhat happened next could have been a video on how *not* to treat a hotel guest:\nThe woman at the front desk, as I approached, informed me that I was \"checking out late.\" I told her that I was aware that I was checking out late, and added that I was very sorry.\nThe front desk person continued, informing me that the hotel was completely full the coming evening and that I had created a real problem for them. She then continued to tell me that she had every right to charge me a half-day room charge on top of what I had already paid. Her mouth continued to utter words, but -- at this point -- I was so angry that I honestly didn't hear what else she was saying.\nI am an exceedingly polite person who rarely gets angry. The Hotel Bel Air representative, and her attidude, pushed me over the edge. \nI raised my voice and told her, \"Look, I said I was sorry.\"\nShe looked stunned and said, \"There is no reason to raise your voice.\"\nI continued, \"I went to Malibu for brunch, which ran late. Traffic was terrible trying to get back here. I took the time to call from the car to say that I was running late. What else do you want?!\"\nAt that point, other guests in the lobby were now staring -- and, to be quite frank, I didn't care (and still don't). You see, I'm not accustomed to visiting 5-star hotels and being treated like a five year old.\nAt that point, the Hotel Bel Air employee admitted that she was unaware that I had called from the car to arrange the late check-out. But -- keep in mind I had apologized to her twice for my tardiness -- she never apologized to me for her error or behavior.\nI have since returned to Hotel Bel Air's restaurant for breakfast and lunch...but, to be sure, I will never - ever! - stay there again.\nI have written the general manager twice and never received the courtesy of a reply letter or phone call. In my opinion, that's unprofessional.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 28}, {"text": "my husband and i are nearly professional hotel guests, as both of us travel a great amount of the year for both work and holidays. my relationship with the bel air is intense; it is beautiful and lush, and the 12 acres are totally unique in l.a., but contradictoraily there is an unacceptable amount of noise within the rooms that seriously interferes with peace and quiet...and the cardinal sin, sleep. they have never done a renovation that is not merely cosmetic, therefore, noise from adjacent rooms within each building block is HUGE. for example, in suite 155 and in charming 160, there are stairs to the upstairs rooms RIGHT BEHIND THE HEADBOARDS OF THE BEDS. yup. up and down, up and down, other guests going to either 252/254, or 261/264, not to mention housekeeping when the guests are out. in the bedroom of suite 133 i could hear the guest in the adjacent bedroom open and close drawers! in the living room of 138, i lept up thinking someone had come into our room when the guests in 136 came home (although the bedroom of 138 is recessed, and quiet). 226 is little and perfectly proportioned, but i had to slip notes under the doors of every room below me, as the opening and closing of their doors reverberated through the walls of my room. 157 is at the fartherst end of the property, and the bedroom has bad street noise from the stop sign at stone canyond road. i could go on and on. also, room service pushes trolly tables around the grounds on paved walk ways; the noise in the second bedroom of suite 150 was like someone shaking tamborines in the bed. we literally have a comment like this about EVERY room i have even been in....and that is most rooms at the hotel. we've been at this for nearly 5 years.\nadditionally, the locks on the doors are barbaric. i don't understand why they don't get soft closing doors and locks. it's idiotic. at the four seasons, they put a little 'bra' on the doors while housekeeping services the rooms so that when they are being opened and closed a lot, they are prevented from slamming. at the bel air, they just slam, for housekeeping, guests, room service, you name it. it's beyond me, totally.\nit is an exasperating hotel. i keep going back because of the garden setting, which is so refreshing in a life of cities and travel. but i work hard and cautiously about room selection, and have no problem asking other guests to mind their doors, as i am most certainly devoted to being equally considerate of others.\nin terms of service, i find the bell staff and valet parkers totally charming. i try not to rely on the front desk and concierge too much. they get the job done, but i find them awkward. once, when checking in with my in laws, the desk staff who escorted us said, 'would you like me to show you the smaller room first?\", as we had booked two classes of rooms! tacky, tacky. thre was a fantastic woman at the front desk, and she couldn't take it...she left for the post ranch inn in big sur. the operators are really sweet. the food is good, although a little too high end if you're there a while. i like to order english muffins and peanut butter and other homier snacks! i live on the tortilla soup, guac and chips, and cobb salad.\nif you are interested in 148 or 146, ask first if there are events on the lawn, as those rooms overlook that popular area. middle of the week is safest, i would guess.\nit is going to take a gang of us to influence to hotel to finally address the noise problem. please join me! i care about the hotel and don't want to have to go back to the peninsula, which feels like a concrete palace comapared to the bel air's wonderful setting (even though the service at the penn. is so fantastic---but my husband hates that bar, it's so scummy....but that'sanother entry!) i enter the grounds of the bel air feeling comforted by all the green, the divinesmell of the wood burning fireplaces, then i head to our room knowing i will have to battle with the noise. best wishes, a fellow traveler", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 45}, {"text": "We loved our 5 night stay at the HBA. The staff was efficient and very friendly, securing last minute reservations without batting an eyelash and learning our names immediately. Housekeeping was invisible and fast, tidying up our room sometimes seemingly within 5 minutes of our leaving. We loved the location and the quiet it provided, and our room, while on the smaller side I believe, was prettily decorated and was not at all cramped after 5 days and provided ample closet space. We enjoyed a very good dinner and several breakfasts in the hotel dining room, and drinks in the very cozy bar. I would definitely rebook on my next trip to LA. Having stopped into other hotels on this trip for various reasons, I found them to be impersonal and corporate in comparison, as well as priced even higher.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "My husband and I have made an annual event out of going to the Bel Air Hotel. Yes, it's that good. We had to go to the Los Angeles area for business quite a few times over the past several years and each time we stayed at the Bel Air. The surroundings are lush and feel entirely removed from the hussle and traffic that I've known to be LA. While one of the Concierges and a front desk staff were a little snooty, it was more than made up for by the wonderful bellman, the delicous food, the amazing pool (the pool is a must-see) as well as our terrific massages. Well, let me qualify that by saying that the couple of massages we got were actually not that great, but then we discovered Sascha and Eida and we were hooked. Be sure to ask for them or you may be as disappointed as we were at first. Prices range as do the rooms, but there's something there for everyone. We've had a different room everytime and always were happy. I wouldn't stay near the pool unless you have kids though. Enjoy!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Absolutely beautiful grounds, well-maintained. Very classy (Nancy Reagan was lunching next to us one day) & the staff is very friendly, not snooty. The pool is on the small side and rarely is anyone there (which you may consider a plus or a minus, depending). A very quiet retreat. The air smells wonderful. Overall, however, I prefer the Hotel Bel Air's sister hotel, The Beverly Hills Hotel, by just a notch because of the decor of the rooms. The furniture in our room was a bit worn and not very attractive, and the room was small.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "I can't believe anyone would complain about the Bel Air - it is truly a peaceful and classy oasis in the middle of a busy city. We just got back from a family trip to both LA and Laguna Beach (3 young children - ages 8, 5, and 15 months). The hotel could not have been more welcoming. The concierge staff is excellent, as is the staff in general. The grounds are beautiful - fountains and courtyards everywhere - with lots of interesting nooks and crannies (the kids really enjoyed exploring). The rooms are understated and elegant - very much \"old Hollywood\" - nothing hip and trendy here - how refreshing! And surprisingly, the secluded location proved to be amazingly convenient to almost everything.\nI would go back in a heartbeat - wouldn't think of staying anywhere else.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Year after year I look forward to stays at the Hotel Bel-Air which remains a special serene oasis in the otherwise bustling LA area. This is a hotel for those looking for a discrete and refined small hotel with impecable facilities and service - but set well into a quiet residential area of West LA far off any main streets and highways. The pool is beautiful and heated year round with poolside service. During the spring and summer spectacular red flowers climb the walls around the pool. On several business visits I have been joined by wife and child and stayed in a beautiful pool-side suite. The small exercise facility is nicely equipped. Note, the beautiful suites and rooms vary tremendously in ammenities and setting, so I recommend calling the hotel directly and walking through the available options. I try a different room or suite each visit, and have never been disappointed. My favourites are adjacent to any of the many small courtyards and Spanish fountains with fireplaces and private patios. Although the general setting is informal but upscale and private - the dining and bar areas can be overly formal. Locally the drive to the Getty Center is very easy - and highly recommended. Rodeo Drive, UCLA, the Pacific and Westwood are minutes, yet worlds away! Downtown is a bit more difficult in rush hour. The drive to LAX is short and direct. This is an expensive but truly relaxing and unique stay for those on business or vacation in West LA seeking an intimate peaceful location in a superb quiet setting.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "My wife and I recently stayed for four days. This is the best hotel we have ever visited. The staff was the best I have encountered.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I can't imagine anyone complaining about the service at the Bel-air. We were treated like visiting royalty, despite our modest car and appearance. Front desk staff were outstanding, pool staff very helpful, restaurant on the heated patio was extremely romantic, as was our room witn private walled courtyard. Couldn't be a better choice for our anniversary. Quiet, secluded location makes you feel miles away from L.A., yet you're close to everything.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Horrible staff at Hotel Bel Air? I have stayed at HBA on more than one occasion and no I'm not super wealthy - I pull up to valet in a Toyota and they have treated me no different than other guests. I have always found the staff helpful and sincere in their desire to ensure my stay was nothing less than perfect. HBA provides a unique experience in a romantic and tranquil setting within the neighboorhood of Bel Air. This IS a five star hotel. Period.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "The Hotel Bel-Air is a terrible faux-pas in terms of a choice to stay in Los Angeles Area. There are many other places to choose from that would aggravate you less.\nDespite the owner of the Hotel being a Prince, \nPrincely service is not the norm. They check you out to see you're really rich or just rich. They expect an exhorbitant tip for carrying a bag 2 yards. \nThe hotel is just terrible. Staff re-education a must. They behave like snotty children of rich parents when they are just help. Atrocious!!!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "We stayed here for our wedding night and the next. I have tea at the hotel often and have always loved the grounds and heard it was a great place to stay. Checking in at midnight in full wedding gown and tux, my husband and I beamed to the front desk person - \" We are checking in!\" His reply, a curt \"obviously\". I said, \" We just got married!\" This time I got a sarcastic, \"You're joking\". The room was truly beautiful but I was very disapointed to find that the champagne and \"Bride & Groom\" embroidered pillowcases I had brought by earlier that week were not in the room as they had promised. They never turned up. The next morning there was a wedding right outside of our room and noise from the restaurant could be heard. when we checked out and mentioned the problems they couldn't have cared less. So, not wanting to have a bad feeling about our weekend, I paid the bill- almost $3,000 for two nights, and left. Getting the car, the valet asked, \"What kind of car do you drive?\" I replied a black BMW and he rudely said, \"Oh like that is going to help me here in LA\".", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "As far as I'm concerned, this is in a class by itself. First off, the grounds are amazing, romantic, and beautifully manicured, you almost feel like you're in a tropical jungle all your own. There are swans in the man made streams that add to the romance of the place. You wouldn't even know that you were ten mins. from gridlocked Los Angeles if you didn't know where you were. This place is very special for its impeccabley decorated and comfortable rooms, with the feeling of total privacy and the staff's attention to detail and eagerness to please. \nNearly every monarch has stayed here from Princess Grace to all the Scandinavian Princes and Princesses, and Queen Juliana of Holland as well. The grouds are perfect for weddings and the hotel is smart to only schedule one at a time; many hotels do not do this, so you have to compete with other wedding parties for any space. I have been coming here for nearly thirteen years now and always enjoy my stay and visits immensely. The food is great (the best hamburgers) and awesome drinks made by my fave bartender, Gus. If privacy, civility and pampering are what you have been yearning for, make a stay here a top of the list priority, you won't be disappointed. I prefer this to the Beverly Hills Hotel (also a \"10\") but with less feeling of privacy. A real gem!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "After staying at The Beverly Hills Hotel 4 months ago I could mostly only see shortcomings during my visit to the Hotel Bel Air.\nBoth hotels are owned be the Sultan of Brunai, so they are sister hotels.\nThe Hotel Bel Air has spectacular grounds, impeccable service and friendly staff. So does The Beverly Hills Hotel.\nThe Beverly Hills Hotel has a better pool and much better rooms. The rooms at Hotel Bel Air are on the small side, are more expensive, and furniture is older and more worn. Also, the style is more feminine, which I did not personally care for.\nHousekeeping was irregular at best. At The Beverly Hills Hotel they have mastered the art of cleaning your room almost by magic, when you aren't looking. At the Hotel Bel Air, one day I had to call housekeeping at 2:30 pm because the room had still not been made up. \nThat is a serious gaffe at a so-called 5-star hotel.\nWhen we had the heater on in the room (Junior Suite #195), there was a rattle which was distracting when trying to sleep.\nThe bathroom and in particular the shower is not nearly as good as at the Beverly Hills Hotel. The pool is quite small and there was rarely an attendant to ask for drinks or anything else. They would come around once every half hour or so but otherwise were nowhere to be found.\nThe Beverly Hills Hotel is equal or superior in every way to this hotel. I'm glad I gave the Hotel Bel Air a try but I won't go back. \nI'll be over in Beverly Hills where the pool is nicer, the rooms are bigger, the bathrooms are better, housekeeping is superior and value for money is much better.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}]}, "223041": {"reviews": [{"text": "So you're booking a trip through the internet? Suffering from information overload? Relax....your hotel in L.A. is sorted.\nThe Elan Hotel Modern is unique. Most importantly, it's outstanding value for money. Comfortable bedrooms with great touches like a turn down service where they leave you chocolates and switch on your radio to classical music. A better than adaquate continental breakfast. The most efficient valet parking in the world [well, my world anyway!]. And a great front desk [I booked an alarm call one morning, on returning late at night, they remembered and asked if I wanted to rebook for the following morning]. There is useful information about sight seeing and restaurants in the rooms. The weekday evening cheese and wine is great, as is the computer with free internet access.\nThere is a diner across the road, a 24 hour drug store and plenty of restaurants a short distance away. We felt very safe walking.\nLos Angeles is a large sprawling impersonal city. Come home each evening to a welcoming, friendly and well run oasis. Come home to the Elan Hotel Modern.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We have stayed at the Elan about 6 times during the last 2 years. Our daughter lives in the area and we have experimented with other properties close by (Sofitel and LeMeridien). When we found the Elan, we stayed with it! We like that it is NOT a chain. The service people are friendly and the ambience is a bit different from other places. It is small (about 50 rooms) and only two floors, consequently, no lines for elevators or to access our car.\nA straight shot from the airport (on LaCienega) it is convenient to get to and to get around to Beverly Hills, Hollywood, Miracle Mile, etc., without getting on an freeway. \nThere is a convenient buffet breakfast and access to the internet. I do not think this place is for heavy-duty business travelers nor does it seem to attract them. For those of us who are there for vacation, it's nice not to have those work-type intrusions.\nMy one criticism is that some of the rooms are looking a bit tired. I have heard that a refurbishing is planned, so you may want to check on that.\nI just came on the website to check about the Orlando which is another boutique hotel in the same area; however, given the cost of that hotel (~$100 more per night) and the guest reactions, I am staying with the Elan.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "On first impression this hotel looks like a store, it has large windows that look directly onto the four lane road and as it blends into the other buildings in the area it is easily missed.\nOnce inside you have an impression of a retro hotel of the 60's where the one main room doubles for a lounge/breakfast/buffet area. My one complaint regarding this room is that it has no blinds. This causes a problem in the morning when the sun shines directly into your eyes while you eat breakfast. \nIn the evening when they serve a brilliant free cheese and wine buffet you can still be viewed from the road. I found it a little too open for comfort.......consider blinds please!\nWe stayed there on two separate occassions, both times the rooms were clean and tidy, although if you are allocated room number 229 try not to sleep in the bed near the window, as the air condition via the vent is directed to the head. I had to sleep with a towel on my head to prevent it from freezing. (I did try to alter the airconditioning but it then became too hot).\nThe situation of this hotel is magnificent, it is in the centre of all the tourist haunts, and the hotel will arrange trips for you on request.\nThe General Manager Leon was brilliant and along with the other staff made our trip much more pleasurable.\nI would definately recommed this hotel to other tourists.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Hi everyone,\nWe stayed at the Elan for four nights early in January 2007, and for three nights in mid-December 2006. In between these stays, we were holidaying in other US locations. We were visiting the US for a vacation and are Australians. We've been to LA several times before so sightseeing in LA was not a priority. Rather, relaxing and having fun in Beverly Hills was our objective.\nThis hotel was therefore located well for us, being very close to the Beverly Center mall and close to the \"hip\" shopping streets of Beverly Hills - eg, Robertson Boulevard, and Melrose. A downside to the location is that Beverly Boulevard (in the direction away from the Beverly Center) is sometimes a little seedy: There were some suspicious characters hanging around in the street but they did not appear dangerous (but what do I know?).\nThere are plenty of good restaurants nearby. However, our favourite restaurant is, in fact, a diner (!!) right opposite the Elan. It is called Jan's coffee house. It has wonderful food and if you use Google you will find out quickly that it is a traditional US diner. The customers are locals and either baby boomers or older seniors. It is popular and noisy but in a fun way. The Elan delivers meals from Jan's if you request room service. A menu from Jan's is in each room.\nWe didn't take great advantage of the free Elan morning buffet (which was fine) as we liked the bigger breakfasts (many types of omelettes and other all day breakfast dishes) and coffee (which some on the internet rate as LA's best coffee!) at Jan's. However, my husband brought up coffee and fruit juice from the buffet to get us started, first thing each morning.\nAt the end of each day, the complimentary wine and cheese was a great wind down / wind up. The usual idiot talking loudly on his cell phone to all his great clients threatened to spoil one such occasion. What can you do? These idiots are everywhere nowadays (sigh).\nThe room and bathroom were spotlessly clean and comfortable, and all the electrical appliances worked well. Daily room service was unobtrusive and meticulous. Beds were comfy. Airconditioning was a little temperamental, but that may have been our lack of skill. The elevator was satisfactory but could use a clean. (If staff are reading this, I am sure they will immediately clean it!) We had a small balcony outside our room. We liked our room overlooking Beverly Boulevard as you feel part of the city and it really comes alive at dawn with traffic. (You can request a quieter room not overlooking the boulevard if you prefer. )\nWhat sets this hotel apart from others, however, is the superior service provided at the front desk. Eg: Every time we came close to entering the front glass doors, a man ran to open them for us and greeted us with a friendly smile. The staff were genuinely interested in where we were from, what we planned to do for the day, and any particular requests we had. Yet they did not once become nosy. They know exactly where to draw the line. Also, every complaint we made (and yes, we did have a few minor ones such as asking for a tradesman to stop cleaning a carpet in a nearby room with a noisy machine while we were in our room) was answered with an apology and immediate attention and resolution of our complaint. Eg: When we rejected a Beverly Hills cab that they had called because a horribly scruffy, dirty looking man alighted from the taxi (he was the driver!!!) they called us another cab immediately and apologised. They did not criticise us for not caring about a scruffy cab driver or refusing to accept the cab. When the scruffy cab driver came into the lobby to ask where the passengers were, I heard the desk clerk say, \"They (meaning us) changed their mind\". He was pretty smooth!\nOn our second stay in January we rented a car at the airport and the valet parking was perfect. We tipped every now and again and when we didn't tip (due to rushing) the man was still just as nice to us. The man who carried our bags to our room on arrival and from our room on departure was quick and attentive, and competent. Our bed was turned down each evening and the radio was on playing soothing music. There were small chocolates left on the bed for us each evening and a printed note relaying the next day's weather forecast. I had my laptop with me and so used the free wifi access which worked well. There was other internet access available for guests.\nThe front desk staff will go to any lengths to help the guests with requests or complaints. The staff seem to really enjoy being in the hospitality game.\nBoth my husband and I recommend this place highly for the superior front desk service and great location! We would definitely stay there again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "We stayed in the Elan Hotel Modern for two nights on September 24th & 25th based on the high rating in trip advisor and its convenient location. We were not to be disappointed. We tend to try and stay in places that are value for money but as close to the downtown area as possible and the Elan is definitely both. It represents good value by L.A. standards and it is a good central location between hollywood & beverly hills and therefore is convenient to any part of L.A. you might like to see.\nThe breakfast was simple but elegant. A constantly refreshed supply of bagels, pastries, cereals, coffee, juice, boiled eggs etc. It is taken in the lobby area which is very atmospheric with big windows and simple furniture. A nice touch was the computer room with free internet (one computer). \nThe staff were very helpful in a non-pushy way especially as our luggage arrived a day after us. The valet parking was handy and feel it was decent value and certainly we were clear up front on the cost. The valet himself was a very helpful guy.\nThe room we had was clean and had everything you would expect in a modern hotel room. I didn't find the area particularly noisey and there are definitly decent resaurant options within walking distance - in one we even spotted a genuine celebrity (Jason Alexander from Seinfeld).", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We stayed at the Elan Hotel Modern from July 15 through July 19.\nTo our surprise, we were upgraded to a king-size bed from our double bed on check-in. That saved us $34 a night, while allowing for room to sleep. The bed is a bit on the hard side, but still comfortable. Down comforters were included, which were a bonus.\nThe minibar in the room was fully stocked, as was our fridge. However, you will find that going to the Rexall Drug Store down the street will save you quite a bit on food and other items. The close proximity to the Beverly Center was a plus as well -- about a 5 minute walk. Beverly Center features a number of stores on four floors, and also quite a few fast foot restaurants on the top-most floor. \nThere's no DVD player in the room -- just a TV/VCR unit. However, they allow rental of a handful of movies from the front desk (didn't use). The room itself was very clean and to our surprise, classical music was playing each day we returned from our sightseeing adventures. The chocolates on the bed and the weather forecast for the next day were also a nice added touch.\nBreakfast was great with plenty of items to choose from -- bagels, cereal, milk, orange juice, pastries, coffee and toast. Free wireless and wired Internet usage was a bonus.\nThe staff at the Elan were very friendly, from greeting us to ensuring that our taxi service arrived on time (they yelled at them a couple times on our behalf). They offer a private, executive car to local attractions and the airport. Taxi service will be cheaper in almost all cases, unless you want the added foot room and luxury.\nRestaurants in the area: Jan's (good, cheap food) and Vegan Glory (good chinese vegan food).\nWill stay here again. A very, very good value relative to other similar hotels in the area. Perfect location as well.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I found this small hotel online and booked directly with the front desk. The staff is well-trained and very helpful. They provided excellent directions and were very knowledgeable about the best places for shopping and dining. The hotel is very clean and the sheets and towels were top quality. I need high speed Internet access and the Elan provides wired and wireless Internet at no charge. They also include a free continental breakfast and overall this is a great value in a very nice part of Los Angeles.\nMy wife likes to shop and she loved the location and felt very safe walking around the neighborhood. We checked several other hotels in this area and most were over $200 per night. I would recommend to business and leisure travelers. Not good for families with children.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed at the Hotel Elan Modern in mid-December after reading all of the previous TripAdvisor reviews and deciding we could deal with what seemed to be the one or two persistent negatives and the plethora of positives. After staying at the Hotel Elan for three days I can definitely say it's a great, clean, safe hotel that is a bargain if you can get it for under $100 a night. \nThe positives: the desk staff and cleaning staff are beyond helpful. They were 100% courteous and polite. Any time we had a question (even at 3a.m.) they found an answer quickly and professionally. There was not one time during our stay when they were less than completely professional and helpful. \nThe complimentary breakfast was good and included; cereal, yogurt, bagels, bananas, apples, muffins, hard-boiled eggs, coffee, juice, and milk. There was always plenty of food as there is a dedicated staff member who cleans up and keeps things stocked. \nThe room was clean, well-stocked, and in line with the 60's mod decor of the rest of the place. \nThe not-so-positives:\nParking - parking is something like $2 an hour with a maximum of $14 a day. There is NO PARKING around the hotel other than a few two-hour maximum meters. If you stay here and have a car, you have to do the valet thing. It's not that big of a pain but it's not exactly a huge positive. Basically you park your car in front of the hotel (for a maximum of 24 minutes) and one of the hotel staff takes the car and parks it in a garage. When you need your car you just call downstairs about 10 minutes prior to leaving and they'll have it waiting for you. They do not expect tips, although I did tip the guy who did most of the parking when we left. The first time I tried to tip he seemed like it surprised him to be given a tip, so I just didn't do it again until the last day, and only then because he had been so helpful in getting our car at weird hours and over and over again when we would come and go. \nThe rooms - the rooms are very clean, no problems with that, and they are a little small (not as small as some of the previous reviews made it seem), but you can see some wear-and-tear on things like the comforter and headboard on the bed. It's not a big deal but we just took the comforter off of the bed since there were ample blankets and sheets underneath it, all of which were spotlessly clean. The only real complaint I'd have about the room is you can seriously hear everything in the room next to you. There were two old ladies next to our room who talked on the phone a lot and you could clearly hear their conversation. You could also hear the tv when it was on, and I don't think in either case they were being loud, the walls are just thin. It didn't bother us, but I could see how someone would be bothered if the room neighbors were a loud bunch. \nLocation - there is a Taco Bell and Good Will across the street, a tire store next door, and a few restaurants within walking distance. The Beverly Center is within walking distance but there's not much else you would want to walk to. It's LA so you should have a car anyway, and most things were within a 10-15 minute drive. \nOverall, the Hotel Elan Modern is a nice place to stay with a courteous staff and clean rooms. The only things that might bug you are having to deal with the parking and the walls being pretty thin.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "The Elan was a great choice for our 3rd anniversary stay of 4 nights! We got a decent rate online, about $590. I goofed up and left my entire itinerary at home, but staying at Elan made our vacation a breeze. All of the employees were courteous and helpful. We were given a map upon check-in that we used thoughout our trip. The hotel is ideally located in Beverly Hills, close to Bev. Plaza, Rodeo Dr, Universal, Hollywood, the airport, etc. The ammenities were good for the price and very clean. Pay for the king bed...it's worth it! Parking is valet only and is $15/day. Continental breakfast was a good touch. We LOVED LA and will return and recommed Elan in the future (unless we upgrade to a luxury hotel). Next time we'll stay longer!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We stayed here for three days and would stay there again as well as recommend it to friends. The hotel was great in terms of location, staff friendliness and all of the amenities available. The complimentary breakfast had a wide variety of choices, not like some offered at other places. It surpassed my expectations.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "This hotel was nice and close to lots of shopping such as the Beverly Centre, it was a short walk to the Hard Rock Cafe, and also close to the famous 'Ivy Restaurant'.\nWe flew from Sydney to LA, hired a car which we could park in the hotel and then we drove all over LA. The hotel was in a great location in relation to the hot spots such as Sunset Blvd, Beverly Hills and it wasnt too bad getting to the beaches either (if you can skip the peak hour traffic)!\nI was extremely pleased with the location and service. The rooms were nice and clean and the most convenient part about the rooms was the internet access !!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "The Elan is in West Hollywood, a great location. It's a funky, modern hotel with reasonable rates. They have valet parking, but we were always able to find metered parking right out front of the hotel.\nLoved the free Internet access in the business center. The complimentary breakfast was more than I expected with cereal (they put out the GOOD ones!), hard-boiled eggs, various breads, and fresh fruits. While the complimentary wine and cheese in the evening did not offer a huge selection of wines (1 merlot, 1 chardonnay), it was a nice touch. \nOur room (a standard double) was clean and comfortable. Despite being on a main street, it was very quiet. The bathroom was very spacious with modern fixtures, and the shower was awesome! Great water pressure and temperature. Robes were available, and the bathroom gels and shampoos smelled really nice. The beds had soft duvets and comfy pillows - not too hard, not too soft. \nThe staff could not have been nicer. Rob, the concierge, was a big help with activities and restaurant reservations. This hotel is a great value. Would absolutely stay here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "The hotel is in a good location, with main routes through L.A. easily accessible and in a more commercial / residential area than a lot of hotels. The room was spacious (the bathroom was enormous) and both were clean. A buffet style breakfast is included in the room price and served in the lobby. If you bring a car with you, you'll need to pay the valet parking charge as there is nowhere in the vicinity to park your car on the road. The staff were courteous and efficient. I would definitely consider staying here again if I were to return to L.A.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "If you want to stay at a hotel where people treat you with kindness and respect and you have a nice, clean, cheery room with high ceilings and simple clean designs, the Elan Hotel Modern is for you. It is the ultimate in convenience - business center, free internet, free breakfast and afternoon snack, nice workout room, super quick valet service and fantastic location where you can actually walk to interesting things! The rates are very reasonable in a neighborhood that has some expensive hotels like Le Meridien and Sofitel. After many years of looking, I am so happy to finally have a home away from home in LALA land at the Elan Hotel Modern!! Thank you tripadvisor for pointing me to the perfect place!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Stayed here for 4 nights at the start of September. We spent ages trying to find a suitable hotel in LA. Every time we found one we liked most of the reviews weren't good. having read the reviews for this hotel we were initially unsure but it seemed to be in a good location for the things we wanted to do. We needn't have worried it was lovely staying here. We had a second floor room to the side of the hotel and it was perfect. You hear a slight noise from the traffic but nothing that bothered us. The room was clean and well presented. Each night we returned to the room the bed was turned down and the light and the radio were on. Also on each bed was a little note with a cartoon on it and telling us the weather forecast for the next day with 3 little chocolates. Nice touch. \nBreakfast was great. Cereal, rolls, bagels, bread, yoghurt, eggs, fruit, tea coffeeand orange juice. Just fine to start the day rather than going out searching for breakfast. The wine and cheese reception was all very informal and fine to have at the end of the day on returning to the hotel. However it is from 5 to 7pm and may be a bit early for some.\nThis was a perfect location for visiting Hollywood, Universal (only about 20min drive) and Santa Monica. The Beverly centre is just two blocks away. There is a 24 hr pharmacy nearby which sells a bit of everything. There are also several restaurants in the near vicinity.\nThe staff were all very helpful and Pablo one of the car valet staff was always so cheery. \nThe only negative thing I would like to mention was that the matress cover was loose and the bottom sheet on the bed was rather short and I had to remake the bed each night to make it comfortable.\nAll in all we fully reccommend this hotel.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I found this hotel after a whole lot of internet searching and checking up on places on TripAdvisor....and, it is wonderful and consistent with most of the reviews you'll find here with the exception of a few disgruntled guests. This hotel has no grounds, and, it is basically just a gray building on a corner. If you're into the \"outside\" of a hotel, there's nothing to see here. However, the lobby is gorgeous and sun-filled. Despite what other reviewers have written, the front desk staff ranges from very acceptable to most excellent. Nate, in particular, was very helpful and sweet to us, even when he was not being tipped. He and other staff printed directions for us, gave advice, and catered to our every want and need and never stuck their hand out. Now, on to the room. The room was smaller than it appeared in the online photos, but, I quickly got used to that. We had a king sized bed, and, that was the most wonderful part of the experience--gorgeous, white, sparkling clean, long-staple high thread count cotton sheets, a double-sheeted down comforter, four gorgeous down pillows. Once you were in the bed, you didn't care how big the room was. The furniture and the carpeting in my room was just fine and seemed relatively new, with three deep drawers for my stuff, as well as a full sized closet with some California-Closets-type shelving, and, a small safe that you set a four digit code to get in and out of, for your laptop, camera, extra cash or whatever. I thought the bathroom was much nicer than \"some couple's first apartment\" although it was not extravagant at all. Nice and clean, nice black marble sink counter, very acceptable amenities. Wolfgang Puck coffee was available in room and also in the lobby during breakfast, which was pretty good--cereals, bulk granola, milk and juice, fruit, pastries, bagels, coffee...in the gorgeous, well lit lobby which had a funky retro feeling without anything being old or run down. There were plenty of lovely white cotton towels, and, a nice white robe for use in the room. The television was very whatever, I confess I didn't watch it--why bother? You're in California! I was in a ground floor room on the back, and, I recommend that. It was quiet and nice. The sliding glass doors opened onto....nothing, just a wall....but, it was still a nice place to get a breeze and sit Indian style with a book and soak up a little morning sun with your coffee. The carpet was clean, the room was cleaned daily and the radio left on softly to nice classical music. I requested that my bed be made, but, my sheets NOT be changed....because it would have been wasteful. You can request that. Anyway, we had a wonderful time at the Elan, and, I'd move in there if I could.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "To paraphrase a prior review, you may very well indeed think \u201cuh-oh\u201d at first sight of the Elan. The hotel is pretty small, and although they\u2019ve updated the place to give it a hip vibe, it\u2019s still pretty easy to discern that the building itself is getting on in years. When we were greeted promptly at the curb by a friendly valet, however, and then by the professional front desk staff, our minds were soon put at ease.\nAlthough our deluxe king room was on the small side, it was quiet, clean, and comfortable. The somewhat overwrought d\u00e9cor of the hotel\u2019s public areas thankfully did not extend to the rooms which were still modern in design but more subdued. Even though our room was facing Beverly Boulevard, we were not kept awake by traffic noise save for an occasional siren (the hotel is a few blocks from Cedars Sinai Medical Center) which I doubt even the best soundproofing technology could have stifled. Linens were of high quality and soft; bed was firm. The closet comes with lots of shelf space which was so useful! Could hear some occasional chatter coming from an adjoining room but nothing too disrupting. Bathroom was small but adequate\u2014for some reason we seemed to have problems with water splashing up and pooling on the basin\u2019s countertop.\nThe lobby\u2019s retro-modern design came across as a bit cold and echoey; carpeting would have helped. The floor-to-ceiling windows were compelling but offered little more than a view of the Taco Bell across the street. The continental breakfast served in the lobby was akin to what you might get at a Hampton or Best Western which, for us, was preferable to gorging on pancakes and eggs every morning anyway. Free internet access in the small business center right off the lobby was handy for checking e-mail or printing boarding passes. The elevator was slow and a little crude. Hotel\u2019s hallways were a bit dark and narrow.\nThe location of the Elan is good. The hotel\u2019s small size makes stepping out of your room and going places a snap, unlike larger hotels which sometime require an act of Congress just to reunite you with your car again. Beverly Center shopping and restaurants are only a 2 or 3 block walk away. Several other decent restaurants were within walking distance. There is also a huge Rexall drug store a block away for all those items you forgot to bring with you on your trip. Beverly Hills, CBS studios, and all the Hollywood attractions are a 5-minute drive\u201410 minutes tops. My companion and I did manage to walk to West Hollywood from the hotel, which is quite a trek but manageable if you\u2019re up to it. (I suggest taking Beverly to Robertson rather than walking straight up La Cienega to Santa Monica Boulevard should you decide to walk it. It\u2019s a shorter and a much more pleasant stroll.)\nAll in all, once we got past the facility\u2019s age and some of the cheesy d\u00e9cor, we really liked the Elan. Service and amenities alone made our stay a good deal for the money. We\u2019d definitely do it again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 30}, {"text": "This was the first time I stayed at the Elan Hotel Modern. I went on business and was only there for two days. The hotel is located on the southern tip of Beverly Hills and near a huge shopping mall. It has valet service for your car and impeccable service throughout. The lobby is filled with sunshine and is a nice place to eat a complimentary breakfast (excellent, by the way), catch up on your voice mails, read the paper, or plan out your Los Angeles day. \nThe hotel is more suited for business travelers because it's not immediately close to touristy spots. But, if you have a car and a map, it's a great deal. The accommodations have a small conference room with complimentary computer and Internet access. When I was there, a group of business people had reserved the conference room for the morning and were conducting a meeting.\nThe rooms are very nice: clean, lovely linens and bedcovers, a soft robe, complimentary luxury shampoos and lotions, nice and new furniture, good bathroom lighting, a refrigerator with snacks you can pay for, and more. I was lucky -- I had a room toward the back of the hotel on the second floor, which was ultra quiet. \nI paid a few dollars less ($135.00/night) than the cheapest you could find online because I called the hotel directly to book, asking for the best rate available.\nIf I need to stay in L.A. again, this is where I will land.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "Normally, I stay at the Westin. This time since we were on vacation and staying 5 days (and on a budget)...I thought I would try out this place. The other reviews were not that bad, so I took a chance.\nI am so impressed!!! If you like great service, a good breakfast, wine in the evening and very nice rooms - all included in the price of your stay then this is the place for you!\nThe people are so nice, the beds are comfortable and the bathrooms are clean. It is cozy, centrally located and the valet is so fast:) Getting in and out of the hotel is just so easy.\nI recommend this place - this place can not dissapoint! I would come back everytime I come to L.A.!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "This is the second time I've stayed at the Elan, and once again I was very satisified. The staff is very helpful, but free parking would be nice (it's an additional $14.50). The hotel was nicely decorated and the location is great.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "As your taxi draws up outside the Elan Modern, you could be forgiven for thinking \"Uh oh!\". But behind the worst-of-the-sixties architecture lies a little gem of a hotel with a level of service and the kind of personal touches usually reserved for the most expensive upscale chains. The hotel plays subtly on that sixties look throughout its very 21st century operation: the reception staff are dressed in fawn suits and crew neck sweaters; the lobby is furnished in modern retro; even the name evokes the era of Englebert Humperdinck and Frankie Vaughn. The rooms are a real pleasure. There are only about 20 of them, on two floors, and they are furnished in relaxing creams and browns. Toiletries are top quality, and are presented pocketed in folded towels. A dressing gown hangs on the bathroom door. There's a minibar and a stock of snacks, but you're unlikely to go hungry, because the Elan Modern includes a buffet breakfast in the very reasonable price: cereals, eggs, bagels, muffins and yogurt without the usual $15 added to the bill. Now to what's not perfect. The rooms are centered around a little inner courtyard, and for inexplicable reasons, they leave a bright light on in the yard all night. This means your room is never dark, and in fact, I ended up hanging a bath towel over the top of the curtains to block out the glare. The obsession with bright light extends to the fitness room which is oppressively overlit; it's also pretty basic, but there's a proper gym just along the road if you want a more extensive selection of kit. Despite the irritations this hotel is hard to beat, whether you're a tourist or business traveller. The attractions of Beverley Hills - the shops of Rodeo Drive and the bars and restaurants of Santa Monica Boulevard - are just minutes away, and it's a short drive to the Hollywood hills and the film studios which are a must see for every tourist. You won't go wrong basing an LA visit here.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We never guessed how cool this place would be, especially considering the price and location. It's very comfortable, although the rooms are small, and the decor is very cool. 600-count egyptian cotton sheets to boot. Within walking distance to the Beverly Center, real nice spread for the continental breakfast, and extremely friendly staff. It doesn't look like a hotel from the outside, so we actually drove past it a couple of times before we found it. This is my hotel of choice when I stay in LA.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}]}, "77804": {"reviews": [{"text": "Very nice place. Good size room. The bed is fantastic, better than my own at home. I loved that there was a nice white down comforter on the bed...you know it must be fairly clean if it is bright white. Nice comfortable chair.\nThe restaurant, Noe, is extremely expensive. There is an italian restaraunt on the second level in the plaza that is lovely and much more reasonably priced. Room service prices were as expected and the quality was good. I recommend that everyone coming here first sign up with their preferred customer program on the hotel web site. Then when you check in let the desk clerk know and they will give you tickets to have coffee/tea and juice/milk along with a newspaper delivered to your room in the morning whenever you choose. Very nice touch. You also have the ability to add a muffin or crossant at a very reasonable price like 1.50, with no delivery charge.\nThe doormen were excellent and always there to open the door for you or get you a cab or whatever.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Our family of 4 enjoyed a great 3 nights stay at the superb Omni Los Angeles in July 2006. This hotel was one of the highlights of our short stay in L.A. \nAlthough Downtown L.A. is indeed quiet, we figured that besides Santa Monica, every other neighborhood in L.A. is probably not a place we would want to go out for a walk at night... so, downtown ended up to be fine and central to access our sightseeing by car. The hotel is part of California Plaza which has a few restaurants, beautiful fountains and a stage for night concerts. While we were there, there was a free jazz venue every night which created some life around the hotel. The hotel has a quaint but magnificient lobby filled with the scent of fresh flowers. Our room with 2 double beds was large enough, with a big bathroom. It looked like it had just been reburbished with beautiful furnishings. Our room overlooked California Plaza (we recommend you ask for that view). The pool, while small, was very clean, with complementary towels and comfortable lounge chairs. Breakfast (included in our package) was full and served in a beautiful cafe. Staff were always courteous, smiling and highly professional. If you are travelling with kids, check out specials on the hotel's web site (we got a reasonably priced family deal with included room, parking, breakfast and a pizza-movie night! for about $US 180 per night) \nWe would definitely go back and encourage you to check it out and to not rule out staying downtown in L.A..", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "I just got back from my trip to LA from Minnesota. I found a last minute deal for two round trip flight tickets and two days at the Omni for $650. Upon looking at reviews of the Omni here, I immediately booked my trip- and wasn't disappointed.\nSure, it's not on the beach or in Beverly Hills (30 minute drive to either) but it is everything you'd expect from a luxery hotel. I'll try to limit my comments to what I did not read in the other reviews.\nThe Good:\n1)I don't think enough has been said of how lavishly decorated these rooms are. Photos don't do them justice- especially the bathrooms. The bathrooms have marble flooring and a solid marble sink, there is also a seperate bath and shower. These are not things you typically see in a hotel bathroom because of the enormous cost. And of course there is the speaker where you can hear the TV from the bathroom. The TV stand is solid wood and well made, and the desk has a nice glass piece over the top. There are also several rather nice higher quality paintings hanging on the walls.\n2)The beds are extremely comfortable- the first bed I've ever slept on in a hotel that had a feather bed. And surprisingly the softness didn't hurt my back at all, which is used to a high quality firmer bed at home.\n3)The view was great from the window.\n4)The free town car that drove us to breakfast at The Pantry restaurant (recommended by hotel staff) in the morning and back.\n5)There is a free turn down service if you request it- you basically just get a free piece of chocolate and theyfold your blanket and sheets down. You also have a terry cloth robe if you want to use it.\n6)Location- everybody keeps saying it's a great location for downtown and now I know why. There is a mall right next to the hotel, with nice water fountains, shops, and restaurants throughout. I ate at a really nice outdoor italian restaurant next to a water fountain right outside the hotel, the low price and great food was incredible (ate here instead of the more pricey Noe's). And I didn't worry about my safety at all throughout the time I was there, which I don't think I could've said at other downtown locations.\n7)The quality of the exercise room and it's equipment really surprised me. It was definately one of the better exercise rooms I've seen in a hotel.\n8)The conceirge was really helpful in giving us directions to the beach, he even printed us off mapquest directions and gave us a disneyland brochure with a map that was helpful.\n9)Price- $100/night for a hotel like this in LA? wow.\nThe Bad\n1)Location- Being located in downtown I had to do a lot of driving to get to Rodeo Drive, the beach, and Disneyland as using Taxis this much is unaffordable there and LA roads aren't the kindest to strangers. Some have complained about downtown being dead on the weekends, but the lack of traffic on the weekends was really nice for me.\n2)No Whirlpool. There is no hot tub by the pool, or anywhere. And as much as they spent on the bathrooms, they easily could've dropped in a whirlpool bathtub instead of a regular tub. So I had to go without my favorite hotel amenity.\n3)Heated pool isn't really heated, at least not much. I was looking forward to a nice warm heated pool I could relax in when the day was over, and found chilly waters. It might be nice for those who want to get up in the morning and swim laps, but they already have a nice exercise room. I'd suggest warming it up to bathtub temperature for those who want to relax in it later in the day (especially when it gets chilly at night.) They could keep it cool in the morning and afternoon and warm it up after that.\n4)No balcony, though at 12 stories up I'm not sure I'd really want one\n5)Hidden Costs- this was by far the worst thing about this hotel, maybe they're trying to recuperate some of the costs for making the rooms so cheap. As others have said, the most frequently experienced ripoff is the $25/day valet parking when lots within a block or two all charge $5-$7/day on the weekends. And the worst ripoff of all is the minibar they give you. I've been in several rooms where they lay out some water or pop and charge you a few bucks if you drink it but this takes it to a whole new level. They've got maybe 10 different mini 2 ounce shot bottles of rum and whiskey, and the fine print says if you drink one they'll charge you anywhere from $60-$120 per minibottle. The best liquor in there was Johnny Walker Black (which would cost you $10 per mini bottle at most at the liquor store). Can you imagine taking 3 or 4 mini bottle shots without reading the fine print and owing $200-$400 extra or having some friends over and drinking all the mini bottles to a bill of around a thousand dollars without knowing it? It's so bad they give you keys to the small refridgerator that holds the mini bottles so they can verify it was you who drank it. There was also a plastic razor that would cost $6 to use and candy bars and stuff at exorbant prices sitting around.\nAll in all it for the price it was probably the best hotel I could've stayed at in LA (or maybe anywhere in the country). For the price it really was a steal of a deal, but it wasn't perfect. I could've used a whirlpool and don't like a hotel trying to rip me off with hidden costs.\nI'm adding photos of the view and just ouside the hotel as there are already photos of everything else available.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Pros:\n-Location: if you must spend time in downtown LA, this is a relatively pleasant block with good views. Proximity to the Grand Central Market (fun, cheap, indoor farmer's market) is key.\n-Cleanliness / service and comfort: immaculate. No problem with getting our tub re-cleaned after getting it all sandy after a trip to the beach. Excellent concierge service, which contacted me by email prior to my stay and was able to assist me with car rentals, restaurant reservations etc.\n-Club lounge(complimentary with club level rooms): Nice view, great cocktail snacks and breakfast. I have stayed at renaissance hotels which had a similar club rooms, and this one served much better food.\nCons:\n-price. We paid $279 a night (for a club level room) , and it wasn't THAT nice\n-lack of character- very business-y. Kind of sterile with no fun extras like spa products. Bathroom had a small tub and generally not as luxurious as other hotels I've stayed at in this price range, though it was certainly clean and fine.\n-Most good restaurants are a significant cab ride away\nRecommendations:\n-get a room overlooking the disney hall (an architectural wonder)\n- If you're not already an Omni select guest, go on line, join the select guest club (free) prior to your stay, book a standard room, then use your free omni select guest coupon to upgrade to club level-- this will get you a free, good breakfast buffet every morning", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Initial thoughts: Oh wow OMNI! I thought only rich people could stay at these types of hotels, but with my luck I came across a deal for only $99/night at this really nice hotel for NEW YEARS WEEKEND!. That's right, $99 rate for a weekend. \nThe Room and Hotel: When you pull up to the OMNI to park, you can only valet your car. Prices are pretty steep at $26 for a 24-hour period for hotel guests. Once again, I got lucky because valet was free for hotel guests for the new years weekend. So that saved me $50 alone. The bell boy's are very courteous when you enter the hotel. Check-in was a breeze, took about 5mins to get our room key. We stayed on the 8th floor and had a nice view of downtown LA. The room is very very clean. NO odors lingering around, jus freshness. When you walk in the room, the first thing you'll notice is the big king sized bed with so many extra throw down pillows, you can make another bed with em. Room came with standard TV in a cabinet deal. The OMNI also offers complimentary free internet access to its guests in the rooms, so that was a plus. The bathroom is very big with a seperate tub and stand up shower stall. What surprised me with this bathroom is that it came with a built in speaker in the wall next to the toilet so you can listen to the TV while your in the shower or doing #2. Noise from the other rooms was nearly non existent. This is one of the most comfy beds I've been in, so I really got good sleep.\nThe Grounds: The hotel is very well kept. I wouldn't linger around the downtown area at night because of the homeless population just 4 blocks down. But at the hotel itself, it was very pleasant and relaxing.\nThe Service: Excellent. Staff was very accomodating. They made you feel right at home. Service with a smile everytime.\nThe Price: I scored $99/night for this baby! Regular prices will run you up over $200/night. Look around for internet deals, the pop up once in awhile. Also with that $99 rate, it included 2 days worth of FREE BREAKFAST BUFFET VOUCHERS! The breakfast was really good.\nThe Wrap Up: Overall, my stay at OMNI HOTEL LOS ANGELES was a very nice one. I wouldn't mind staying at this hotel again only for a cheap rate that I got lucky in finding. But staying at this hotel, made me wanna check out the other OMNI'S in other cities such as SAN FRANCISO and SAN DIEGO.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "Wasn't sure what to expect from the sprawling metropolis of LA after reading various reviews so I picked a fairly central hotel in Downtown. The Omni is primarily a business hotel but it was perfect for us road weary road trippers too. Beautifully set out with very helpful staff - the concierge was particularly helpful in answering our queries regarding transport & attractions. This hotel is in a great location for exploring LA, particularly if you don't have a car. As it's in the business district there's not many shops nearby but the underground to all the prime sights is a 5 minute walk away and the area felt a lot safer than much of the city.\nBedrooms were expansive and comfy with big roomy bathrooms. Lots of drinks and sweets available from the mini bar - though at a price too rich for us! Morning buffet breakfast (not included in price) was also a treat, fresh made-to-order omlettes and and fuevos rancheros. All in all this felt like a real luxury hotel experience and a great way to finish our California trip.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Room was clean and comfortable however, the lack of amenities was disappointing. The pool area was a mess and the gym was being renovated. For the price they could have thrown in a complimentary breakfast as many other hotels/inns do. \nWatch out for the overpriced snacks and water in the room. Water was 4.75 per bottle plus 15% restocking fee plus tax. \nThe doormen were the only staff who were helpful. Once we signed in the desk staff couldn't have cared less.\nParking Alert: If you are staying a weekend you will save lots of money by parking in the public garage next door (where museum attendees park). 8.80 per day compared to 24 at the Omni.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "I'm an Omni select guest, but still everyone once in a while get talked into trying another downtown L/A hotel. Believe me, it's always a mistake when I do. There isn't a single thing about the Omni at Cal Plaza that I would change. Takes the sting out of business trips, even short ones. Never had a bad experience there.. and I've stayed there easily 100 times. Enjoy!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I stayed here for one night and was very impressed with the room and the service. My room, which I understand was a standard (i.e., the least expensive class), was tastefully decorated, very roomy, clean and comfortable. The soundproofing was good and I heard no noise from the hallway or other rooms. The in-room climate control system is one of the better ones that I've encountered in a hotel. Usually, you're either roasting or freezing, but the controls in my room allowed me to fine tune the temperature. The bed was comfortable and the bathroom was exceptionally large and well-appointed, with a separate shower and bathtub.\nThe buffet breakfast in the hotel's restaurant was delicious and offered a tremendous variety of dishes (fresh fruit, croissants and other pastries, omelets and pancakes cooked to order, bacon, sausage, yogurt, cereal, etc.).\nOverall, an excellent experience.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "If for no other reason, you should stay here for the insane water pressure. Most hotel showers have limited water pressure but this place is insane -- if you're on the skinny side you might want to hold on to something. Shower aside, the Omni is a wonderful place to stay if you have to stay downtown. The staff is quite accomodating and the amenities, while not particularly unique or mind-blowing, are more than sufficient and exactly what one would expect from this sort of establishment. I think there are far better places to stay throughout Los Angeles but if you have to stay in the downtown area this would be a good place. Also, if you're not familiar with LA or this is your first visit, the Omni would be ideally located. It's not within walking distance of anywhere (nothing in LA is within walking distance) and you probably don't want to walk around the area at night but you're a short drive away from just about anything you'd want to see.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Very convienent downtown location. Staff was very helpful and very friendly. Beds and pillows were extremely comfortable and the rooms and bathroom were very spacious. Valet parking was a bit spendy, but all of downtown LA parking is that way. The only thing that would of made it excellent for us would of been a whirlpool/jacuzzi. Otherwise, we were very happy with our stay.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "While there are a lot of positives about this hotel, a few things stood out as quirky. First, the window blinds are such that they can't be fully closed at night, so a tremendous amount of light comes in. If your top priority in staying at a hotel is to get a good night's sleep, this is certainly a strange disincentive. Second, the Angel's Flight lounge is rather hard to find and, if I remember right, it closes relatively early (although not as early as the restaurants and lounge at the Biltmore down the hill). Third, there's not much \"life\" in the hotel, the lobby seems to be relatively deserted at all hours except for the occasional tourist trying to rent a car. I stayed there three nights, and there was never a point where the hotel seemed to be either crowded or busy. On the positive side, the rooms are a nice size with large bathrooms, extremely clean and well maintained, and there's not much traffic noise from the street below (this hotel is built on top of a downtown hill). I would rather stay here then at the Bonaventure, Hyatt Regency, Biltmore or the New Otani downtown, and I hope to stay there again on a future business trip. However, if you want a quotient of fun in your stay, this may not be the best choice. All in all, this is an above average utilitarian hotel - a trait it seems to share with the Bonaventure and the Otani - which may not be everyone's perfect cup of tea.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "This is oerhaps the beat hotel I have visitied in the United States. 1st class serice from the moment of my arrival until the moment I left.\nI arrived on Oscar weekend. I thought the hotel would be packed, but there seemed to be plenty of romms available. I booked my room on priceline for $55.00 per night (plus I had a free upgrade coupon to the club floor). There was no mention of my \"third party\" reservation.\nA Metro stop is a block away, which will take you to various area of Los Angeles. Downtown nightlife wasn't important, as I was taking the metro into Hollywood for the Oscar events; plus, it was nice to get away from the insanity of Hollywood.\nThe rooms are well appointed and spacious. The bathrooms were larger than expected and the walk-in shower was wonderful.\nNot many places to eat, but there is a great market a block away. I think the name was Central Market. I had the BEST Mexican food I have ever eaten - very inexpensive!\nI highly recommend the hotel, especially at the priceline rate of $55.00 per night (+ tax and fees). If you want an upgrade room, join the Guest Select program, and you will be sent a coupon for a free room upgrade coupon. after making the reservation, call the hotel and advise you have an upgrade coupon. The upgrade will allow access to free Continental Breakfast and afternoon cocktails.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "My first foray into Internet dating ended in a decision to meet a CPA from San Francisco for dinner, beginning at the lobby of The Omni. I'm a low-key single mom who hardly ever goes out. So I pulled out my Audrey Hepburn black dress, some black shoes and pearls. No stockings or make-up; not my thing. Think near-prim.\nI get there and can't find my would-be beau. So I ask at the front desk. No luck. I proceed to the restaurant, the bar, the VIP lounge and back to the front desk. Then I try to reach the fellow via cellphone from a payphone. While I'm struggling to connect to him, the short guard escorts me from the premises as I was \"not a paying guest\", off to my beat up blue Volvo stationwagon with a carseat in the back -- the obvious conclusion being that I was an, er, working girl. \nFriends, I've travelled in Europe and up and down the East Coast and have NEVER experienced such a bizarre thing. \nThe atmosphere over there is somewhere between icy and outright nasty and the mentality is of a fort under siege. I can think of no more unpleasant way to get introduced to the city of Los Angeles!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I was in L.A. in March 2005 for a one-week convention and stayed at the Omni.\nReservation and check-in: Booked the room through AAA, $85 per night. Because of flight delays I arrived at 3 a.m. in the morning. Prompt check-in. Don't forget to pick up an apple at the front desk every day!\nRoom description: End of the hall on the 10th floor. Large floor-to-ceiling window, could be opened for fresh air; overlooked the front of the hotel and Olive Street. The room had king-size bed, small desk with lamp, TV, minibar fridge, coffee maker. Bathroom had tub only (my colleague's room had a bathroom with both tub and shower stall), well stocked with towels and a bathrobe, a swivelling make-up/shaving mirror was mounted on the wall, which was nice to have. Hair blow dryer provided. Telephones on nightstand and in bathroom. Iron and ironing board in closet. Signal for the complementary wireless connection was very good, but the DNS server was spotty and could have rendered the wireless service useless for a layperson. I had to bypass the hotel's DNS server and use the one at my university so that I could use the Internet normally. Housekeeping provided turndown service (pillow fluffing, next day's forecast, ice, and chocolates) around 6:30 p.m. Couldn't find a telephone book in the room. Bottled water provided, but costs $6.75 plus restocking fee per pop. L.A. Times and USA Today delivered to room in the morning.\nDining: Had breakfast only once at the hotel's cafe on the third floor. Price is a bit expensive ($17 for full breakfast buffet, I had a big omlette for about $12, I think). Did not eat at the hotel's Noe Restaurant. There are other places to eat nearby the hotel, but most are closed by the evening except the California Pizza Kitchen in the Wells Fargo Center on Grand Ave between 3rd St and 4th St behind the hotel, which stays open until 9 or 10 at night. Another option for dining is the Westin Bonaventure, which is three to four blocks away and has a greater selection of restaurants and fastfood outlets--just don't get lost in the Westin.\nTransportation: I did not have a car, so can't say anything about the parking. Took the DASH bus on Grand Ave, south bound with one transfer at 5th St to go to the Convention Center; bus fare is only 25 cents! The DASH buses run only during the day, and service north to Little Tokyo, Chinatown, and south to Exposition Park (USC, Olympic Colesium, Science Center, Rose Garden). Walking from the Omni to the Convention Center West Hall/Staples Center took me 30 minutes; taxi ride for the same costs $8. I did not make use of the hotel's Town Car service. On the evening that I left, I asked the front desk to make a reservation for me with SuperShuttle (independent of Omni) to go to LAX. The shuttle was 30 minutes late, and the front desk staff called their dispatcher on my behalf to find out where the driver was.\nAround the hotel: Felt safe walking in the vicinity of the hotel at night. The Watercourt plaza next to the hotel offers a variety of restaurants and businesses, including the postal service. There is a graphics shop just around the corner of the hotel (printing, binding, etc.), saving a trip to Kinko's seven blocks away. The hotel's business center offers only basic laser printing and fax services, and a fee is charged for these. Museum of Contemporary Art is right next door to the hotel (regrettably I could not understand or appreciate the artwork that was on display).\nCelebrity sighting: Eric Morlon Bishop, aka Jamie Foxx.\nOverall I had a great stay at the Omni Los Angeles, and would return again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Booked a 4 star hotel on hotwire and got the OMNI Hotel in the California Plaza (one of two 4* downtown LAX hotels - the other is Hilton Checkers which is excellent too) at a fantastically low rate of under $80/night for the weekend!!! But it turned out my reservation was accidentally booked for March (same days and dates as Feb). At check-in I had basically no reservation but the manager and front desk agent went out of their way to call hotwire and change the dates. Amazingly my reservation was switched with no problem and surcharge at all. The service rendered and received was without question above and beyond what I'd expected esp. with the discounted rate I'd booked the room. \nIn fact the day manager and Lara the front desk agent made me feel very at home and at ease by suggesting that if I was hungry that I could go for lunch in the California Plaza while she was on hold. I was treated with the utmost respect and courtesy while my problem was being resolved.\nRoom 920 was designed for the physically challenged and therefore quite spacious - large door openings and plenty of room to move about. Room very well appointed; large tv; fully stocked mini bar and snacks if you woke up hungry; bathroom very clean with bathsheet towels and the king size bed VERY VERY comfortable!\nUsed the 49 cents/minute computer in the business center to print boarding passes but the very slow connection kept timing out and ended up wasting 11 minutes. But this inconvenience would not deter me from staying at the OMNI again.\nI love the location as it is close to the Music Center (Dorothy Chandler, Ahmanson and Mark Taper Forum theatres) - the reason for my visit and requirement for a downtown hotel, the Walt Disney Concert Hall, many museums; and very close to Little Tokyo for great authentic and busy Japanese restaurants.\nHowever during the nights this business district becomes quite deserted and the homeless aspect is quite prevalent. A complimentary car service is provided within a 3 mile radius which I would have used if I had not already bought a day bus pass.\nOverall I was more than impressed with the OMNI - superior customer service and a thoroughly pleasant 2 night stay!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "I stay in LA often on weekend trips. At the last minute I was able to obtain a room through Priceline at the Omni in downtown Los Angeles. What a terrific hotel. Very friendly staff, great location, extremely comfortable bed with a great view of the Disney Concert Hall. I stay at Hilton, Hyatt, and Sheraton often for work and must say the service and ambience at Omni hotels is far superior. The complimentary coffee and newspaper service each morning is a treat. They also have free wireless internet which other high-end chains still charge for. I parked on the street (which on the weekend isn't too difficult if you park on Grand Ave) and avoided the valet wait. What a relaxing and pleasant experience!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "I was looking forward to staying here after hearing such great reviews, but it was even better than expected. The hotel was beautiful and smelled of fresh flowers that were placed throughout the lobby. Staying on the Club level is definitely worth it with beautiful views, oversized rooms and an evening cocktail hour as well as morning breakfast. The service was excellent as the hotel promptly responded to any request I had. When I was craving a chicken sandwich at 1AM, but it wasn't on their Night Owl menu, the chef said it would be no problem to make it. I definitely recommend the Omni!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "112052": {"reviews": [{"text": "First the good points. The location is great for museums, art galleries, walking in central park and driving down 5th avenue in a cab. The rooms are large for ny standards. The bathroom was excellent and the hotel was clean too. While the staff were generally fine, we had a bad experience. My husband and I when together were always greeted pleasantly by the staff. However the one time my husband - who is Ethiopian - came into the hotel on his own (about 8.45 pm in the evening) he was asked by the door staff if he was there to make a delivery to a guest. He was not even asked if he was a guest. This was after staying 7 days at the hotel. Contrast this to the fact that as I was going out one morning, the doorstaff held the door open for a Caucasian guy coming in with a whole load of Starbucks breakfast things and greeted him with a cheery good morning. This hotel really needs to change its line of questioning to its guests and train up its staff not to be so prejudiced if it wants to avoid seeming at best judgmental and at worst racist and if it wants repeat business. It certainly will not be getting mine and I will certainly warn my friends and colleagues about this incident which smacks of deep seated prejudice and poor diversity training.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 19}]}, "84502": {"reviews": [{"text": "Summary:\nThe Magic Castle \u2013 great location and superior customer service as an alternative to the chain gang. \nWhen and why we stayed:\nWe stayed here for 5 nights in December 2007 during a holiday in LA and Las Vegas.\nCost:\nWe paid \u00a390 per night for the room plus breakfast. We booked the room via Expedia.\nRoom:\nWe stayed in Room 219 which was actually an apartment with separate bedroom, bathroom, kitchen & lounge/dining room. The bedroom contained a king-sized bed, television, drawers and vast wardrobe space with no shortage of hangers (a pet hotel peeve of mine is that most provide a dearth of hangers!) The lounge/dining room was family sized and contained a sofa; desk and chair; television; DVD player; CD player, as well as dining table and chairs. The kitchen contained a fridge, microwave, oven, hob and a life-saver - a coffee maker! The bathroom was clean, and included a smallish tub and shower. Complimentary toiletries were supplied each day. \nThe Hotel: \nThe Magic Castle may not be the most modern or grandest hotel that we have stayed in but more importantly for us the customer service provided was superb and the staff were very helpful, something you can\u2019t always state after a stay in a chain hotel. It was the nothing-is-too-much trouble approach that we appreciated, for example, the hotel posted our cards for us for no charge \u2013 and they all arrived!\nThe Magic Castle provides some wonderful extras like a complimentary Mini Bar (from Reception). The Menu includes Coke, Doritos, Kit Kat and Popcorn. The in-room replenished daily Wolfgang Puck coffee was super!\nBreakfast cereals, juices, scones and croissants are left in reception from 7AM each morning. Breakfast can be eaten at tables besides the pool or in your room (trays are supplied).\nThere is parking outside the hotel or in an underground parking area (access obtained via your room key). A $10 per day charge is levied. \nIf you have mobility issues ask for a ground floor room as there is no lift to the Upper Floor. \nLocation: \nThe Magic Castle is in a great location \u2013 it really is only 5 minutes (safe including at night) walk from Hollywood Boulevard and the Hollywood & Highland Mall (where the Oscars are held in the Kodak Theatre); Grauman's Chinese Theatre and the Walk of Fame.\nThe city:\nLA is a fantastic, cosmopolitan, real, living city. This was my second visit and my wife\u2019s first, so I could guide her to the highlights. We visited: Hollywood Forever cemetery; the Capitol Tower; Hollywood Farmers Market (excellent); The Grove Mall (A Mall!); Santa Monica (The Pier isn\u2019t as good as Brighton\u2019s) and Venice Beach; Pasadena; The Getty Art Gallery; The Getty Villa in Malibu (it was cool to drive on the Pacific Highway to get there); and Beverley Hills which is such a clich\u00e9 but I strangely enjoyed none the less.\nDriving in LA was nowhere near as bad as I had expected. Although in the words of the Dionne Warwick song: \u201cLA is a great big freeway\u201d. Having GPS in the car really helped and I would suggest essential equipment for any visitor to LA.\n Feel free to E mail me if you require further information.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Decided to write a review of magic castle to express my anger at the continued applauding of this hotel.......Hello, No. 2 hotel in los angeles, it is absolutely crazy that this noisy, basic, grotty hotel is given this status. It is interesting if you look back at the reviews that all the bad ones express the same problems and believe me they are true. \nThe only thing this hotel (more like a motel) has going for it is that it is near hollywood boulevard. Bedroom/apt was a short walk from main motel.It was beside other residential apts.\nNot very good first impression, very un hotel like. Room had light door with paper thin walls. No dvd player even though all rooms were supposed to have one. \nLeft a do not disturb sign on door when we went for dinner, but came back to see a maid had entered and left two chocolates on our pillows\nbut stole a bottle of piper champagne out of our luggage. I am being totally truthful & sincere when I say this. Hotel will probably write\na response to this denying it but I am not a fool. I know when I am fleeced. It is also very interesting if you look at other bad reviews\nof this motel, that I was not the only one who was stolen from. There\nwas noise all night long from cars zooming right outside our bedroom window and cars pulling in to car park just outside our front door with partying yobs etc.\nAny reply from Magic Castle in my view is a desperate cry from a desperate motel. Very, very, very dissappointed with this accomodation.\nIt was not exactly cheap either at $300 a night. Do not stay here! Would you like me to say it again!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We booked this hotel following all the \"wonderful\" reviews that we had seen placed on trip advisor. After a 12hr flight from New Zealand we looked forward to booking in.\nStaff on the front desk where very helpful when checking in and gave us the key to our room.\nUpon arriving at the front door we wanted to leave, the carpets were filthy, plaster was pealing off the walls and when we opened the door we could have cried.\nThe room was terrible. The furniture looked extremely dated and the shower area was disgusting. All we wanted to do was get some sleep but in all honesty we couldn\u2019t have slept given the conditions.\nWent down to the front desk and asked if we could change rooms, the new room was even worse. With this in mind we checked out and booked into the Marriot across the road.\nThis was a real let down given all the great reviews that have been wrote previously.\nIn all honesty this was the worst hotel that we have ever stayed in (albeit very short)", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I've been to the Magic Castle twice now and really enjoyed both stays. The location is perfect - a 5-minute walk to the Hollywood & Highland area, but far enough away from Hollywood Blvd to be quiet. Also very easy to get on the route to other tourist areas, eg Santa Monica.\nThe hotel has obviously had some refurbishment in the last couple of years, but - as others have posted here - the decor still needs to be updated in some areas. The bathroom in particular looked very old. But in terms of getting the exotic 'old-style Hollywood Motel' feel, it's right on the money. \nDespite the old bathroom, I would certainly stay here again and would recommend the hotel to other travellers.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I can't say enough great things about the Magic Castle Hotel and its incredible staff. The experience was great from the moment we arrived and all the way through check out. At check in, we were provided with sparkling italian sodas (an unexpected treat on such a warm day). The rooms were tastefully appointed. And they even had complimentary breakfast and free wireless service. The best part of our stay is when we went into our room. There was a chocolate cake and a card signed by the staff. I'm not sure how they even knew it was my birthday. I highly recommend staying at the Magic Castle. You won't be disappointed.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I stayed at this hotel after browsing through this website and expedia and the like. Some of the pictures showed the motel with very contemporary rooms. However, when I arrived at the hotel I was less than impressed.\nIt must be said that there are two sides to this hotel. On the one side, you have what are called \"one/two bedroom suites\". These are the the rooms you are going to see in the pictures when you are booking. However, the room I got was a \"deluxe queen\" I believe. These rooms it seems are not yet renovated, and not at all up to the standards of what you pay for. My girlfriend and I checked in to what looked like a rennovated apartment building next to the magic castle. Not met by sparkling cider and not shown to our room as the other guests were when checking in. The first room we went to had a broken lock to its connecting room which made it free for me or my neighbors to open up our doors and enter each others rooms. So, the hotel decided to place a small table in front of the door to make all well. Beyond that, the room was sitting well in the 90 degree range. So...we asked for another room. \nNo problem there...and we were given another unimpressive, unrennovated room. The room was steaming again and until we left we had to run the air conditioning unit on high to stay at all comfortable. After complaining about our first room and expressing our concern that we didnt get what we paid for, nick at the front desk said he would try and get us in to a nicer room the following day. \nNext day....back down to the front desk to ask about a new room (and to ask why the wireless internet wasnt working, which we were directed to a 1-800 number for tech support). We were told by one of the ladies that since we didnt come to the front desk by 11am someone was already booked in the nicer room. So were they willing to give us some kind of discount or do anything for us? Nope. She said she tried to contact us, even though our phone never rang and we were only about 30 feet away for her to walk and knock on our door. So following that...we decided to check out early. We had already walked along the strip the previous day and didnt mind moving a little bit further away. \nDuring our complaining and early departure, not once did we talk to Mike, the front end manager who sat just behind the glass at the front desk, or did we talk to darren, the hotel manager who was onsite as well and who also knew of the situation.\nOn the positive, this motel is extremely close to the Chinese theater and if you get a rennovated room, your stay will probably be quite nice. However, while I stood at the front desk to check out I called Comfort Inn and Suites and got an exceptionally nicer room for about $40+ cheaper, but it was just a little futher off the strip. \nBasically, only stay here if your going to pay the extra for the larger rooms, and that is if you really want to pay that much. If your just looking for a room close to the strip, there are more than enough close to hollywood blvd or sunset that are quite cheaper and much nicer.\nOn a side note of the staff at the Magic Castle, Nick was professional and nice enough as was one of the other gentleman we were helped by on our first day there. However, the two ladies we ran in two at the front desk on the next day seemed to possess little knowledge and even less tact. But, most of all the management was not at all up to calibur. Providing no contact giving us no explanation and no apology. We got the sense that this was not the first time the motel has had to deal with people in our position.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "Have been at the Magic Castle Hotel for 6 nights. Got a non-renovated room for the first night, a bit wore-down. Complaint. Got a renovated, perfect room the next day just like in the advertised pictures and bottle of redwine for the inconvinience. Was totally satisfied. Breakfast was far beyond average, milk, coffee, tee, muffins, cookies, toast, oranges, apples, croissants. Could even take it with me to my room. Complimentary newspaper every morning. Roomservice was excellent, everything clean. Staff at the reception was polite and very helpful. And the location is perfect for everything.\nIf I\u00b4m looking for somethimg to complain, the only thing was the not so excellent TV reception in my room ( 109 ). But who is in L.A. to watch T.V. anyway?\nSo, over all, if your looking for a not-so-expensive-hotel with a first-class-service you are definitly right wit this hotel.\nAnd if you are lucky, you meet Tom Cruise on your last day in L.A. just right around the corner like i did...", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed here for 6 nights during Thanksgiving week. The rooms are HUGE. (I think they were apartments previously ). Full kitchen, 2 TVS, DVD player. The bed was super comfotable - the best of any hotel I have ever stayed in. Plenty of storage space, lots or room for a family. Delicious continental breakfast (try the scones). The staff was very friendly and welcoming. This was our third stay in the Hollywood area - we would not stay anywhere else again. We found it to be very quiet at night.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My family spent 3 nights in a Magic Castle self-contained suite in October 2005. From the moment we got there the staff were incredibly friendly, helpful, intelligent and funny, and this made our stay there an absolute delight. I chose this place for the price and because of the comments made on this website by other travellers who were so impressed with the service. The 2-bedroom suite more than met our needs (including 3 TV's, which set the kids in raptures!). The suites look out over the pool - most of the suites have balconies as well - and it was just a lovely cosy atmosphere. While we were loafing around the pool we were offered towels, free bottled water and even icy-poles! Breakfast is included in the price and consists of a good selection of cereals and juices, together with great coffee and fresh cakes and pastries. You can eat by the pool or take it back to your room while you read the complementary paper. As well as being terrific value for money, the location is excellent; one block from Hollywood Boulevard and one metro stop from Universal Studios. All the hotel staff were friendly and helpful, always. I have never stayed in a hotel where everybody was so good-humoured. On our last day we left our bags at reception before flying out later that day, and I was wondering what to do with a pair of Mickey Mouse ears that would probably get scrunched in transit. When we came back to collect our bags, Gretchen (front desk) had packed them in a separate box, with 2 polaroid photos of her and the office manager Mike modelling the ears. How cool is that!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We stayed here for over a week in Oct/Nov 2005. We were in town for a child's surgery so we actually spent a LOT of time in our room recovering. Our one bedroom suite held my wife and me, two boys (one and three) and two grandparents, with a roll away bed.\nThe bedroom was very spacious: big bedroom with a king size bed, great bedding, huge closets, big dresser, tv and room for our pack n play (traveling kids bed/playpen). The living room had a nice couch/bed, two chairs, footstools/coffee table, nice desk, armoire with tv, dvd player and lots of storage and plenty of room for the roll away bed. The kitchen was small but perfect with a fridge, microwave, oven and a nice dining table. The bathroom was big enough to give two toddlers baths(nuf said) and had nice towels. There was much more closet space in the entry and the hallway. We had a nice little porch that looked out onto Franklin Street and everything on Hollywood Blvd (Hollywood Walk of Fame, Manns Chinese Theatre, Kodak Theatre, El Capitan Theatre, Egyptian Theatre, Hollywood and Highland shopping). There were plenty of windows so the room was nice and light.\nThe staff is the reason we are coming back for the next surgery. They were friendly and helpful. They recommended grocery stores and restaurants. Any problem we had, they took care of (the complimentary wireless internet went goofy for a while). When we got back from surgery, they remembered our boy's name and talked to him and asked him how he was doing (he was up and about just hours after surgery).\nSome on this site have nit-picked about the rooms. The nit-pickers may have been much happier at Howard Johnsons where all the rooms are exactly what you expect before you even step in. This place has character. The furniture is very IKEA. We had to do alot of child proofing. It's a little loud (it's in the middle of Hollywood, did you really think it was going to be dead silent?). We LOVED our room (#103 I think).\nParking was great. It's relatively cheap and we parked right in front of the door almost every time, all hours of the day and night. The parking garage is tight but works just fine if you can drive your car.\nTurn down service is great. Breakfast is great. Laundry worked great. Pool looked great (didn't actually use it). Location is great. Staff is amazing.\nIf you go to LA to eat at TGIFriday's, don't stay here. If you go to LA to see LA, people watch, travel with family or just have fun, I can't recommend this place enough. It aint perfect but it's our LA home.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "I have to admit, I was a bit weary when booking my room at the Magic Castle Hotel. I have read the reviews and made my decision based on them. I have checked out other hotels reviews, and decided that I liked the Magic Castle Hotel. I was glad I stayed there! From the first minute I checked in, I was treated like royalty. The manager was there to open the door for me, the lovely girl at the front desk offered me a complimentary bottled water at check in, and then they whisked me away to my room. On the way to the room, they told me about the hotel, informed me that the pool was open 24 hours. I have never heard of a hotel that has a 24 hour pool. I sure did enjoy those late night swims! The next morning I woke up and went to the lobby area to enjoy a wonderful continental breakfast. This is not your typical hotel breakfast. They served Wolfgang Puck coffee, fresh fruit, juices and cereal. You must try the scones and the criossants! Excellent! They even came to my table to refill my coffee! Later that day I approached the front desk on advice on what to do. They have tons of information on area attractions. Did I mention that they are one block from the world famous Chinese Theater and the new Kodak Theater? I was given information on local places to eat, museums and great tourist maps! So I went on a great walking tour of the city. It was nice! After a long day of walking and sightseeing, I came back to the hotel to find my bed turned down with a small chocolate kiss on my pillow. Of course, I went for my late night swim and called it a night! I often travel to LA for business and was happy to see that the hotel offers free high speed wireless. Its great to be able to work from my room or sit around the pool area. It was pretty warm when I visited, so I was offered popsicles! I thought this was playful and friendly! Every single staff member I came in contact with was ever so friendly. Always smiling and willing to help! They even remembered my name!! The room I got was spacious and lovely. Apparantly it wasn't one of the newly remodeled rooms, but I still loved it. New furnishings and a great bed! My room had a balcony that overlooked the pool. I suggest you make that request when you are making your reservations! I can go on and on about this wonderful hotel! I have read some of the negative comments from other guests, but I didn't see any of that happening. Yes the hotel is on a busy street, but the noise isn't that bad. I did hear the people next to me, but it wasn't a major deal to me. I can't wait to go back! I feel like family there! Keep up the good work! A big thanks to Ashley and Mike who gave me great directions and information on things to do. To all of you reading this post, book your room here! You won't be dissatisfied!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "The mixed reviews on this hotel are confusing but completely understandable if you have actually stayed at the Magic Castle. \nI think part of this might depend on which room you stay in, having booked this hotel some time ago I was surprised to read today that some of the rooms have been refurbished and redecorated as ours wasn't. A new kitchen and bathroom probably would have increased my impressions considerably, unfortunately knowing this was one of our 'budget' choices we didn't think to request another room \nThe breakfast is different and very good, unless you are like my husband who insists on meat at every meal! \nWe had a one-bedroom suite and this was very large and well-equipped although I wouldn't have enjoyed cooking as the kitchen was just too old. It is also as everyone has said very noisy.\nI have to say this as well, although I have tried not to judge the hotel as its location is good for Universal and the Chinese Theater. However I would not recommend Hollywood for LA virgins its just not a nice area, and as this hotel seems to be recommended for families I can only presume that they would be driving everywhere during their stay. We were recommended to stay closer to the beaches and if we go to LA again this is what we will do.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed at the Magic Castle hotel for five nights in October 2005.\nBeing a family of five, we were given a nice suite \u2013but unfortunately with a roll out bed which wasn\u2019t too good for our boys of 11 and 14. We asked in the reception if they had an extra mattress or any thing to make it more comfortable - and they immediately upgraded us to another and bigger suite, one with two bedrooms. \nThis is a very nice hotel \u2013 it is not big \u2013 you get the personal touch, you are remembered by name,- and the staff are extremely friendly. We were always given maps, good advices and help whenever we asked. Our favorite staff member, Gretchen \u2013even lent us her own book to bring with us down-town! Relaxing at the pool one of the staff member came and offered complimentary ice cream or a relaxing towel for your face\u2026\u2026 these small tings that make you remember your stay at this hotel! \nAnother great thing is the breakfast with smiling ladies who keeps bringing fresh croissant and juice \u2026and of course; the complementary videos!\nWhen reading about different hotels at www.tripadvisor.com I always look for the cleanliness \u2013 and YES \u2013 the magic castle hotel IS clean! The suit had a kitchen and I get a bit suspicious about \u201cliving creatures\u201d in these arrangements\u2026 but no \u2013 everything was nice and clean.\nWe would without hesitation recommend all our friends to stay at the magic castle hotel\nA very lovely hotel \u2013 and for the location; it couldn\u2019t be better!!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My wife and I stayed at the Magic Castle Hotel for 7 days as the last stop on a two month \"round the world\" trip. Our itinerary included a number of hotels in the $US150-$200 range across the globe and we would have to say that the Magic Castle was by far our best hotel experience. The friendliness of the staff is exceptional and extends way beyond the shallow \"have a nice day\" that often passes for good service in the US. The staff and management appeared genuinely eager to assist in any way to make our stay as enjoyable as possible - (well done guys!).\nThe hotel itself is ideally located in the heart of the resurgent Hollywood district and for a tourist has that quintessential \"Hollywood feel\". This was aided by the hotel's apparent appeal to out-of-town creative types who stay there for a day or two to pitch their film scripts - so wireless laptops and movie talk by the pool. \nThe hotel is actually split in two, with the main building down the bottom of the hill and another one up the top. We initially booked a room up the hill and although the LA views are good, these rooms had not been renovated (Jan 2005) and were rundown. Guests are also required to walk up and down the hill for breakfast and any other concierge needs. After a couple of days, we decided to move into the main building and were put in a much nicer, larger and newly renovated room that was surprisingly at a lower price. \nThe Magic Castle is not an international luxury business hotel (and hence lacks some of the trimmings), but is excellent value for those seeking an LA experience at a reasonable price. (Note we have also stayed at the similarly priced LAX Airport Sheraton, which is a good hotel too, but has no atmosphere)\nSome tips:\nTo avoid disappointment, we suggest that you ask for an upstairs renovated room in the main building that faces the pool and is not on the main road.\nGuests at the Magic Castle Hotel are given the privilege of being able to visit the Magic Castle club next door to watch some of the top magicians in the world perform in a range of atmospheric theatres in a big Victorian house. Even if you stay for one night at the hotel, definitely take up this offer (and book ahead) as it is a genuinely unique LA experience that is not open to the general public. \nVisit the Japanese restaurant at the top of the hill (behind the hotel) for either dinner or a late night drink as it has some of the best views in LA. We were lucky enough to be there after heavy rain and the views were exceptional.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Stayed at the Magic castle recently. I was somewhat sceptical with a name like this but because I was travelling with My wife, daughter and our 2 mums I really needed good value clean accomodations. Well we were pleseantly surprised when we arrived. Magnificent room with 2 double beds, large living area and great kitchen with all facilities. We immediately headed off for a walk and found that we were within 400 metres of Manns chinese theatre and Hollywood Boulevavrd. Staff were extremely friendly and helpful. You get a basic breakfast which you cna eat on the patio or in your room. The only worry was that if you dont have a ground floor room you have a lot of stairs to climb, I had 6 Suitcases to deal with and was exhausted bringing them in (there is no lift). Overall highly recommended and fantastic for a family, location perfect and you can walk to a lot of major attractions from here. Go and Enjoy LA...", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I found this property courtesy of Trip Advisor and I feel it is my duty to report that the majority of the write-ups are true. This place is great! It was very easy to find and close to the Chinese Theatre etc.... The complementary breakfast was more than delicious and fed my family of 4 with no problem. The baked goods were awesome as was the coffee! Make sure you get to breakfast right when they start serving so you can get the best scones! Parking for this hotel is in an enclosed garage underneath the structure. It is gated and secure. We stayed in one of the rooms that has yet to be renovated and it was more than comfortable. My wife got a peek at one of their newly renovated rooms however, and has informed me that the next time we are in Hollywood we WILL be statying in one of those instead.\n(Helpful tip: Parking charge at this hotel is $8 per day)\nThis hotel would mak a great homebase if you are planning on exploring the Hollywood, Beverly Hills areas of Los Angeles. We would most definitely staty there again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We found this hotel on trip advisor while we were looking for reviews of the Holiday Inn, the original hotel we were going to stay at. We decided to try 'The Magic' because of the reviews, its link with the adjoing magic club and were attracted by its general quirkiness.\nIt is ideally situated for Hollywood boulevard, being less than 5 minutes walk away. We had a car (which we kept in the secure underground car park overnight for $8 a night) and drove to Disneyland which took around an hour and Universal studios which took about 10 minutes.\nThe accomodation was ideal for a family, a double room and a bed setee in the lounge, basic kitchen facilities and seperate bathroom. \nThe FREE buffet breakfast was well received by the children (cereal and croissants being much closer to their normal fayre than the heavy cooked buffets offerred elsewhere). Echoing previous reviews though, the hotel does need to invest in some more tables and chairs in that area.\nThe staff are the one single differentiator from any of the other hotels we visited during our 2 weeks in the states. Without exception, they all try and make a difference to your stay. Really first class hospitality. Special mention to Gretchen and Jason.\nWould I stay again- definitely.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "From the moment I called the Magic Castle Hotel to make our reservations I encounter a friendly and caring of staff. I told the person at the other end of the line, my husband and I were celebrating our 40th Wedding Anniversary! That's FOUR DECADES, yikes! The young woman chuckled at my comment. I explained my husband is legally blind, and I am anticipating knee surgery within the near future. She said, \"No, problem. We have the perfect room for you.\" She was right! I asked her to please tell about the hotel ... describe it. She said the courtyard looks like a scene from the television program a few years ago called 'Melrose Place.' And that's exactly what we found ... we felt like we had walked into a movie set. The desk assistant that checked us in greeted us with a huge smile, helped me with our bags, explained some of the surround sites, and told us about the continental breakfast offered each morning. Our room was lovely. You could tell it was an older hotel that had been refurbished. But with great attention to detail! It was so clean. The bed was comfortable with a wonderful soft duvet. There was a refrigerator, a coffee maker, blow dryer, huge remote control television, makeup mirror, delicious smelling tangerine smelling soap, shampoo and cream rinse and abundance of wonderful fluffy towels. The staff surprised us with a small Anniversary cake and a card signed by each member of the staff. It was like having family help us celebrate! Additionally, the individual who made our hotel reservations, went one step further, and offered to make our dinner reservations at the Magic Castle Club for us as well. At the Club we received VIP treatment. If you are in the Hollywood area ... stay at the Magic Castle Hotel. We highly recommend it! Your stay will be magical!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "The rates are super great,the experience I had was more than anyone could expect. The rooms were manificent the veiw was out of this world. When you go ask for a room on the \"HILLTOP\",4th or 5th floor,there is also a swimming pool on top . This MAGIC CASTLE hotel is super quiet and secure, If you simply wanted to get away and write, read or relax this is the place to go. Trust me,I shop around alot and always read reviews, the is the first one I have ever written.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 67}, {"text": "We have been traveling for over twenty years. Never have we encountered a staff like the crew employed by the Magic Castle Hotel. These young people go the extra mile to make your stay in Hollywood memorable. We returned from a month-long vacation of the West Coast having stayed in 22 hotels and the Magic Castle was without a doubt the best experience. I was leery booking a hotel for a week which AAA rated only two diamonds but after reading the reviews by the \"folks\" on Trip Advisor, I decided to ignore the pros. Wise choice. The hotel is in an excellent location for tourist yet quiet. We did not want to rent a car as my husband had already driven 1,200 miles on the first leg of the trip. This hotel is close to all forms of public transportation and sightseeing venues. We arrived three hours before check-in time in hopes of storing our luggage. To our shock, the staff said our room was ready and we had been given a complimentary upgrade to a suite!!! The suite was immaculate. The staff recommended which tours were worthwhile, what to see on our own and how to get there and advised us what we should NOT do via public transportation. I had wanted to take the transit system to Long Beach to tour the Queen Mary. They were adamant it would not be safe to do so. Only my mother has ever been this concerned for my well-being. The staff even went so far as to call taxi services on my behalf (without my asking) to check rates to Long Beach. They advised public transportation to The Reagan Library in one day was not do-able either....too many stops thus not enough time to tour the Library. The staff booked tours for us, which when we tried to book ourselves, were told there were no openings....hence the name Magic! The heated outdoor pool in the courtyard is open 24/7. They just ask you keep the noise level reasonable after 9pm. The on-site laundry facility is suppose to close at 9pm but when I was doing laundry after that hour, they said \"no problem\". When I inquired as to why AAA only rated the hotel two diamonds, they explained that several factors are considered by AAA in their assessment which they don't tell the reader. 1. There is no bathroom in the lobby. This is silly as all 39 guestrooms are a short walk from the lobby. 2. There is no elevator. Another stupidity as there are only two floors. 3. No restaurant on site. Another no-brainer......there are two very classy restaurants right next door. The AAA rating of two diamonds is a terrible injustice to this wonderful hotel and their employees. To Ashley, Gretchen, Jason, Nick, Shawn and everyone else we came in contact with during the week......thank you.....you are all five stars in our book!!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Our family of four recently stayed at this glorious place in West Hollywood. Although the builing is a little older and it does show in places, it is definitely worth the stay. The facilities are clean, safe and exceptionally located. The staff is fabulous, very polite, helpful! The bedding is exquisite, feather duvets, luxurious robes, great towels, etc. Chocolate on the bed tables every night and locked parking. I was lovely eating the continental breakfast on our private balcony overlooking the pool every morning...the pastries were gourmet and plentiful, in addition to fresh fruit, cereal, juices, milks (all kinds) and coffee. Free wireless internet access everywhere on the property, two televisions in the suite (one for kids and one for us), free CD library at the front desk, great soaps and shampoos....and I could go on and on.\nThis hotel is fabulous and is worth a try...you will not be dissappointed!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "1858565": {"reviews": [{"text": "My Grandfather use to say, \u201cThere\u2019s many a slip between the cup and the lip.\u201d It means I think, just when you think you\u2019ve sealed the deal something goes wrong to upset it. The Redbury Hotel on Hollywood and Vine at the moment falls under this truism. \nMy wife and I spent 10 nights at the Redbury over the Christmas/New Year holiday. We chose the hotel based solely on the reviews we read on Trip Advisor. We read with anticipation about the \u201cexciting and eclectic d\u00e9cor.\u201d The \u201chip and funky beat of the place\u201d all of which to a greater or lesser extent (depending on your point of view) are true. But after your eyes adjust to the soupy cool darkness of the room you begin to notice the first of many slips \u201cbetween cup and lip.\u201d\nThe room we had was on the 5th floor and can best be described as New York loft meets LA bravado. On the wall is a clock last seen in one of two locations either around the neck of \u201cFlavour Flav\u201d or tucked uncomfortably into the breast pocket of The Mad Hatter. Right away you know that this place is trying hard to be something different. But what is it trying to be that is the question? Is it a hotel? Well no, not yet. Not a 5-star one.\nMost people after they have dropped their bags in the room, had a look at the bathroom, switched on the TV and bounced up and down on the bed a few times (purely as a means of testing comfort level) then turn their attention to information. Information on the hotel, the location, hotel restaurants, hotel breakfast facilities, important telephones numbers (ie how to contact housekeeping) and the like. There is not a single scrap of information in the room that pertains to any of this. And when you ask why this is, the answer you are given is quote \u201cWe are working on an I-Pad that guests can hire in the future that will have that information on it\u201d. Most 5-star properties have already beaten Apple founder Steve Jobs to this technical issue with old fashioned \"I-Paper\" in booklet form with the information written in it (Slip number 1)\nSlip number 2: (and the most important as far as my wife is concerned). When you ask the question after 4 days, \u201cHow often is the bed linen changed?\u201d You are told matter of factually \u201cevery 5 days\u201d \u201cOh, but it can be changed sooner if you ask\u201d Ask? Why should I have to ask? Again, most 5-star have this one sorted too. If you want your bed changed on a particular day, you place a little card on the bed. If you don\u2019t, then you simply leave the card off. Every 5 days is not what I would consider the definition of a 5-star hotel! A serviced apartment yes. A 5 star no. If the Redbury wish to pitch themselves in the serviced apartment market that\u2019s fine (but I doubt it), and if it is, let perspective guests know. Also, as stated above, hotel information guide in the room would inform you of this.\nSlip number 3: De-cafe coffee. I know that LA see itself as the health and body beautiful capital of the world. You only have to listen to the ads for huge burgers paradoxically followed by laxative commercials on TV to know how serious they are about it. However, despite repeated requests to reception for some real coffee, every time we returned to our room there they were. Like a scene from Alfred Hitchcock\u2019s \u201cThe Birds\u201d. De-cafe coffee pods multiplying at an alarming and malevolent rate. Eventually a note to housekeeping written in blood did the trick.\nSlip number 4: The House Car: We were told that the house car was available to take us on short local trips to say The Farmers Market or Beverly Centre et-al. In the 10 days of our stay the house car wasn\u2019t available once (no matter what time we asked). It was either \u201cout\u201d, \u201cnot sure what time it was due back\u201d or towards the end of our stay (and my favourite) \u201cin for service.\u201d If you are going to offer this \u201cservice\u201d to guests and one car isn\u2019t sufficient to meet demand- buy a second one.\nSlip number 5: A General Air of Detachment from Guests. Now this is only a personal opinion, my take on the ambience of the place. Nobody was rude. Nobody was offensive. Our questions were answered in an efficient and professional manner. But there was no warmth. The place is new, hip, funky (do people still say funky?) and \u201cmoody\u201d in a d\u00e9cor sense. As are the staff. There isn\u2019t yet the maturity of hospitality service that we found in a place like the Langham of New Zealand (where we also stayed on this trip). I\u2019m sure however with time that will come. \nWhere the hotel is in a class of its own is its restaurant Cleo\u2019s!!\nMy wife and I dined there twice during our stay and it was outstanding. I can think of no more daunting a task then opening a restaurant in LA. All those jaded pallets, always wanting something new. Before moving on in bovine boredom to the next \u201cbig thing.\u201d Jenny and the rest of the staff in there do an outstanding job! If in a relationship one partner is stronger than the other, then in the marriage between The Redbury and Cleo\u2019s, its Cleo\u2019s that wear the pants in this union. The food is some of the best of its type we have ever tasted. The beef cheeks, the lamb shank, and the pork belly (make sure you try that) coupled with the hot breads from the wood oven all signify a team of men and women at the top of their game. It an orgy of flavours for the mouth and frankly put, the most fun someone can have with their clothes on. \nSo where does that leave us when summing up the Redbury? Many have reported here how dark the rooms are. So what the Redbury need do is turn on some more light not only in the rooms but in themselves and try and illuminate what they are trying to be. Are they a hotel or a serviced apartment? Perhaps they should have a few more business meetings over dinner in Cleo\u2019s and see how it\u2019s really done. \nAt the moment the Redbury is a concept in search of direction. \nAs you leave Cleo\u2019s and press the lift to the 5th floor, upon alighting, on the wall is a photo of Marlene \u201cThe Blue Angel\u201d Dietrich at her most melancholy. You turn to your room and immediately know the reason for the sad face, you open the door and there they are, more de-cafe pods.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "1485961": {"reviews": []}, "1746459": {"reviews": []}, "224214": {"reviews": [{"text": "I stayed here for 2 nights in Feb 13. I am usually hard to please, but the details impressed me. I booked a deluxe room 1604, one step up from their standard room. I was a little small, but perfect for myself here on business. It may not be worth it to pay the money for the upgrade. I found a good deal on ---- and got the deluxe for cheaper than the standard rate. \nI'll tell you about the things I loved first:\n-the bathroom was beautiful! a wonderfully powerful rainfall showerhead with independent handheld showerhead. long bath tub and beautiful sink. and the bathroom was about the same size as the bedroom area minus the closet and entry. robes, slippers, and superlong bath towels were a plus. i'm picky about details, so I was pleased to find that the next day the bathroom was completely spotless and there weren't even water marks on the faucet knobs or spouts.\n-The room decor was modern and simple. the pillows are the best! better than at the venetian - and that's pretty good. flatscreen tv was nice. You'll want to use the sound machine in the room since sometimes the honking becomes a bit much. \n-if you get room service at midnight, the turkey club is one of the best i've had ( and i'm not saying that because it's the only thing substantial to eat on the 6-item-menu at midnight) \n-Trendy magazines in your room for your leisure: gotham, vantity fair, vogue. sweet! even some office supplies on the desk: highlighter, binder clips.\ni was pretty pleased with the whole experience, but somethings they could improve were:\n-the sound from the hallway was louder than I and hoped, although it didn't seem like I could hear my neighbors through the wall.\n-the elevators are small and can barely accomodate 3 ppl + luggage\n-the noise from the street is kinda unavoidable.\n-they charged me for a $6 bottle of sparkling water that I didn't order. (but i didn't notice until i was on the plane home)\noverall, i was pretty impressed and would stay again if the price was decent.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 29}, {"text": "We stayed at the Bryant Park Hotel and loved it. The front desk was so helpful and the room was large, clean with a wonderful large bathroom and shower. We had a balcony with spectacular views. Location, location..... the hotel was a quick walk to Times Sq./ Grand Central and MOMA. We would definately stay again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "We really loved our experience here!\n1) We took a red-eye flight and arrived into NY around 5:30am, the hotel allowed us to check-in (eventhough their official check-in time is 3:00pm).\n2) The room was fairly large for NY, large soaking tub, cashmere blanket, plasma tv, cd's w/ bose stereo, closet, nice modern design...clean and comfortable.\n3) The front desk staff was ALWAYS helpful and never snooty, even at 6:00am.\n4) Koi Restaurant (in the hotel) - very trendy, very delicious \n5) Great location, walking distance to the Broadway Theatre, where we saw \"The Color Purple\"\nBottom line, great modern hotel, great service, hip crowd, no attitude. Probably wouldn't pick this hotel if I had three kids or grandma was with us...", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 24}, {"text": "We were at the Bryant Park for a full week in the Raymond Hood Suite - so here is the real truth.\n1. The room was NYC big. A nice layout with two balconies and two - yes two flat panel televisions. Our room had a Bose player for my I-Pod and every type of stereo I could ask for.\n2. The Bathroom was excellent - but needs a little more storage. Ours had a steam shower which was a suprise since I never saw it mentioned anywhere. I wish it had a seat but it was very relaxing.\n3. The view of the Empire State Building was awsome - fills the bedroom window. Ask for the side that face the ESB. \n4. The hard wood floors are well worn and make the rooms seem a bit older than I think they really are. The same as the throw rugs and the lack of art. The room decor is fashinable but it needs a bit more life.\n5. The bed was soft and the sheets very correct. I slept well every night.\n6. Room service was inflexible - they could not make even the slightest changes and you can't get food from the very good returant Koi - except what they allow. \n7. The location is perfect - you can walk to it all - the subway is right there.\n8. Free wireless in Bryant Park - I walked down every day to get my mail. \n9. The Staff was very helpful - but you do need to ask for the help. Be specific and they respond with specifics but they are young and have a young persons focus.\n10. The building is nice and the feel is hip but the touch of it all lacks the flair and sophistication of a Ritz or a Four Seasons - but then again for the same price as a base room in the Ritz I got all of the above.\nIn the end it is a good hotel - not great - but solid. I recommend the Bryant Park - but with one last BIG problem. We could hear everything that the people in the next room were saying - lucky us it was empty for 6 of our 7 days - if it had not been, no matter how much I liked it I would have probably moved.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "I have never encountered a more incompetent staff and management than I have at this hotel. I am a hotel manager myself and because of this, I am very forgiving as I understand that mistakes can happen. However, they went too far on this one. \nThe hotel property itself is interesting, if you like your hotel to feel like a night club. This did not bother me as I was looking for something with unique character. \nThe rooms are very modern, but bland. Housekeeping is fine, but not great. But the thing that makes a difference in a property is service. And the service is aweful!!\nThis stay was to be charged to a third person credit card as we were in NY on business and pleasure and we were charging this back to a business account. All of the paperwork was taken care of prior to our arrival and this was confirmed when we checked in. \nWe were entertaining clients on the first evening, so we purchased 2 junior suites. There was to be a king bed in one and two queens in another. We arrived and they had us in two rooms with double beds. They showed us another option for the king, which we took, but it was much smaller and I don't believe it was in fact a junior suite.\nThat first night, we ordered champagne with the clients (about $2K). The room service attendant was very nice. \nWhen I got up the next morning, I had scheduled 2 massages in my guest room for myself and my girlfriend. The massage therapists were 20 minutes late and then the concierge called to inform me that the hotel does not permit charges of massages to a guest account--HE TOLD ME THIS WHEN THE THERAPISTS WERE KNOCKING ON MY DOOR!!\nWe had the treatment and then I offered the therapists my credit card; they said they could not take the credit card, but they always were able to charge it to the room. So this is what I did and called down stairs to inform them of this. \nI was called 5 minutes later by the concierge who told me I must get up (after a relaxing massage) and go 2 blocks to the ATM as I had to give the therapists cash-- I did not have $400 in cash on me. I did this and then apologized to the therapists who were kept waiting. I told them that I had not been informed of the hotel policy and was frankly rather surprised. The concierge WINKED at me and made a dismissive gesture. I told him I would bring this up with his manager which he invited me to do. Then I found out why.\nI got up to my room and there was a message from the front office manager who told me that I must bring a credit card to the front desk as they were not able to do third party billing. One might ask-- why do you have a credit card authorization form if you do not accept third party billing. And why would you confirm that everything was in good order upon check in. To this, I got many responses. \n1. Credit Card was declined (I verified that this was not the case)\n2. Third party billing is never allowed (contrary to what we were told when booking)\n3. Third party billing was only permitted for $100.\nI brought down my own card and this is what we used to settle the charges. I asked for the Front Office Manager's card as I was not ever able to connect with her when I was at the property. I told her of my experience via email and she did not reply. It was not until after I emailed the director of sales that I heard back from the manager I tried to contact. She made no effort of an apology and removed $200 from the final bill. I told her that frankly, this was a disaster and that I wanted a damn good explination for why it happened. Again, my emails were not returned, and the answer to the question about third party billing is still a mystery-- Particularly in light of the fact that an additional $200 showed up on the third party billing card after they told me this was not possible. They say this was minibar, but as we took no more than $50 from the minibar, I am sure they were just making up for the previous adjustment.\nWith so many better places to stay, please do not even consider this one. New York has too much to offer.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Terrible, terrible hotel. Service unbelievably bad. Check-in was chaotic. Everything you ask the staff to do is too much trouble, they seem to think that they are far to cool to be dealing with anything. On the third night of our stay we returned to the room to a very rude message saying that if we hadn't checked out of the room by 12 we would be charged for an extra night. When I pointed out to the staff we were staying a further two nights they said we know you are, as if this was perfectly normal. I would have let this go, it they hadn't done exactly the same thing the next day!! Worse still they then charged my credit card for the late checkouts on the two nights, even though I was already paying to stay there!! This took over four months to sort out - and at no point did I ever get an apology. \nThe bar is great here - but if you are looking for a hotel please, please think again.\nI won't ever be returning.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Stayed in the Bryant Park Hotel for 5 nights in late March and had a \ngreat time. Have stayed in numerous other hotels but this was the best \nso far. We arrived early and checked out late, none of which was a \nproblem. Hotel is on 40th between 5th and 6th. its a block down and two \nacross from Times Square and about 6 blocks east of Macys. Location was \ngreat and the hotel overlooks a small park so noise is not a problem \neven on the busiest of nights. We had a deluxw queen room on a corner \nof the building which was at least 350 if not 400 sq ft, big by NY \nstandards. Bathroom was huge with a double bath and separate walk in \nshower. Hotel lobby and elevators are all covered in red leather and \ndecor is quite modern without being too minimalistic. Cashmere bed \nthrows are a nice touch. Free cocktails upon arrrival and a great \nrestauarant in Ilo. Stay there or drop in for a rasmopolitian !", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 29}]}, "1503474": {"reviews": [{"text": "Booked this hotel based on the reviews and the reasonable pricing. Should have gone elsewhere.\nWhile the rooms are new and the facilities are in working order, it should be noted that the rooms are tiny. Even if staying, as in my case, in one of the larger king size bed ones. Barely enough room with the crib to move around and definitively no closet space (to the minimum or maximum of 3 shirts, one skirt).\nService, as in room service is not only delayed but also extremely limited in selection and availability. Meaning operating hours are certainly not 24.\nLocation is a downside. Not only because of the neighborhood (you are literally steps away from a Parole Office) but also because you are across the street from the bus depot and the noise starts before 6AM and ends after Midnight. And the noise will be overwhelming if you have a room as we did, facing the bus station.\nLook elsewhere, I will.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 16}]}, "1572980": {"reviews": []}, "1888977": {"reviews": [{"text": "My girlfriend stayed at this hotel on a 3-day business trip. She booked the trip with my credit card online. When she checked into the hotel, they asked for a credit card just to hold. Obviously she didn't have my card, so she gave them hers. They charged my girlfriend at that very moment with her credit card AND AGAIN upon check out. Two charges for $1150 each for a total of $2,300!! My girlfriend's bank account is in the negatives, it's the holiday season, and the hotel claims they can't see the second charge. We have proof of both transactions! I can't believe this is happening. Still on the phone waiting for sone kind of refund! Uggghh", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 13}]}, "1415127": {"reviews": []}, "1456416": {"reviews": [{"text": "After 3 hours delay and 8 hours flight from Spain i arrive with my family and a 9 month baby to the Soho Trumph Hotel at 11pm. We had late arrival so we should have the rooms and everything was paid, what was our surprise when we arrived to the reception desk and they sold our rooms... AMAZING! nothing to say, nothing to do, just shut up and move to other Hotel at 1am.\nWe had travelled around the world in every kind of hotels from 6stars to hostels and this first time ever happens, and in a place called Trump SoHo NY even worst.\nIf you plan to visit NY and you had book in this Hotel, make sure they have your rooms and they don\u00b4t sell it to other client... Good luck and take care.\nJuan Segui\nBeen in Trumph Soho Hotel 18th, 19th and 20th of May 2012\nAfter the inconvenience we move to the Palace until the 27th and we had a great time in NYC", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We arrived the day after Christmas all excited for the stay. We get to the room on the 20th floor and the traffic noise is very loud. We call she says no other 1 bdrm suites on higher floors. I said excuse me but we are paying for a DELUXE 1 bdrm. She checks says you are right we will move you room not ready. After 2 hrs we get moved! At dinner no prices on the kids menu$30 for 2 bowls of pasta with butter! Turn down opens the door @ 9:40pm without knocking and do not disturb is on door! Next morning house keeping walks in at8:34 with do not disturb still on door. We call housekeeping and say come in 1 hour. We leave for the day come back soaking wet from rain and taxi shortage. Room key doesn't work anymore! Finally get into room and it was NEVER cleaned!! Housekeeping comes up and now All wet and tired from rain and walking we have to leave room for 45 minutes! We get completely tasteless and expensive room service. Order gluten free salads and they send up a plate of cookies with gluten and card to apologize!! Decide to leave a day early too unpleasant to deal with aggravavation like that for several hundred $$ a night and they have another guests luggage loaded into our car!!! Absolutely pitiful!!!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Below is a letter I wrote to a staff member regrading my stay....it says it all.\nSara,\nThank you for contacting me. I am saddened as well and was extremely disappointed in our stay from start to finish. First let me explain and describe all the shortcomings and disappointments of your hotel. I called several times before our stay to ensure that the spa suite that I had booked was what we wanted and was as described on your site. I was also in contact with the Spa several times to ensure that our treatments were booked appropriately. I was assured each and every time that it was a suite with an adjacent treatment room where we could get our treatments and the rate included a $200 spa credit. This was an event I planned for 6 women for some time for a very close friend that is getting married this weekend and was supposed to be a fun and relaxing day. \nRight after check in we went up to the first room the front desk had assigned to us to find that there was no adjacent treatment room and were told we would have to go to the spa for our treatments. Quite frankly why would I bother booking a \"spa\" suite and pay the extra money to have to go to the spa just as I would have done if I booked a regular room. So, unhappy with the arrangements I called the front desk. I had to call a minimum of 3 times and in each case I was told someone would call me right back. 15-20 minutes later we got a call back and were told there had been a misunderstanding and we were moved to a new room. \nAfter moving to the new room we were told we would have access to the spa tub and showers for our entire stay and that our treatment room was a shared treatment room with the room next to us. Fine, I can handle a shared treatment room although no one ever told me that was the case the several times I called. Time for our first set of appointments, which were supposed to begin at 2:15. The massage therapists were late to get us and when they did come to get us we were informed that we would have to go to the spa to get our treatments since the guests in the room next to us were running behind in their treatments. Again, why would I pay for a spa suite if I had to go to the actual spa...I could have just booked a normal room. Again time for our second set of treatments this time the massage therapists were late once again. We called the spa since we were concerned about dinner reservations and having all 6 of the treatments completed on time we were told they were waiting for the second set of ladies for their services at the spa....again why would I book a spa suite if we had to go to the spa. Needless to say our massages ran very late, we missed our dinner reservation and luckily the restaurant was able to accommodate us at a later time.\nWhen we returned to the hotel later that evening I wanted to take a nice hot bath in the hot tub in the adjacent room that we were told we would have access to throughout our entire stay. When I tried to get in my key didn't work. I immediately called the front desk and they sent someone who I believe was a manager up to our room. I explained the chain of events throughout the day and how I was completely disappointed in our stay. I explained that I expected to be compensated and he agreed. At the very least I feel like I should have only been charged the rate of a regular room since in reality we were not able to use the adjacent treatment room for our services.\nTo add insult to injury I just checked the charge to my credit card and I find that along with my room charge is the spa charge. I had already paid the spa directly for my spa treatment yet they continued to charge it to the room. Please give me a call at (xxx) xxx-xxxx in order to discuss how we can remedy this situation. I was completely disgusted in the chain of events during our stay and it was definitely not what I expected from a Trump property. I will be disputing the charge on my American Express if I do not hear from someone within the next 24 hours.\nThank you for your time and your prompt attention to this matter.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 14}]}, "1028569": {"reviews": []}, "80092": {"reviews": [{"text": "It all sounded great on tripadviser. We arrived and were greeted by a pleasant elderly lady. We carried our suitcases up to the the first floor, because the alternative was to wait 15 minutes for someone(?) to come and help us. We asked for a rough idea how long it would take to get to Ellis Island and were kindly told to wait for that information until the night shift came on or even better ask the cleaning lady the next day!!! It was downhill from then onwards. The bedroom was stuffed with \"quirky\" items and left no space for or own; the breakfast table sported a quilted cover, a heavy crochet cloth, two tablemats (for each setting) and a serviette on top of that. To add atmosphere we had candles all over the place, unfortunately battery operated. W could only read in the bathroom sitting in the dental chair or on the garden chair, because the light in the bedroom was so dim. How quirky is that! Breakfast set off well, as we were left freshly pressed orange juice, milk, jam, cheese, fresh fruit, cake, bagels and plenty of coffee and tea. Sweets were scattered around our rooms and snacks and a bottle of wine were left for us. On day 4 we indulged in canned juice, teabags were not replaced, fruit managed to be mouldy (!) and we shared one bagel. Not even the jacuzzi and the endless choice of books (best spas 1989) could make up for it. A lot of money to pay for very little in return. This place is a good idea badly executed.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "I stayed in the Spa suite with my wife, and was extremely disappointed to find stains on the sheets. We arrived late and didn't want the hassle of having them changed, so we decided to just grin and bear it.\n The following morning, we waited until 11am to use the jacuzzi (as per the regulations of the hotel), only to have luke-warm bath. After inquiring, we learned that this was normal and we just had to wait for the hot water to return. After waiting an hour or so, the water failed to remain hot, and the resulting bath was once again luke-warm.\n We decided to leave, and checked out around noon after staying 1 of 2 planned nights. We were once again disappointed when the owner informed us that we would not be refunded any of the money we spent, even though the room was not up to par. \n When paying $600 a night, we expect clean sheets and hot water in the \"Spa\". Also, we expect the staff to be a little more professional and courteous.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "My mom and I were in New York for 5 nights (4 of them at the Inn New York City) for the US Open. We started the weekend before the Open doing tourist things around Manhattan and then spent the last 3 days going out to Flushing Meadows. This place was perfectly suited for both functions.\nI read all the reviews of this place before I booked and wondered if it could be as perfect as all these reviewers say. The answer is yes and no. My first reaction was that it didn\u2019t quite live up to the reviews, but by the time I left, I had changed my mind. No place is perfect, but the positives of this place so far outweighed the negatives that it still deserves the 5 rating that I\u2019ve given it. \nReviews up to this point have few details. I\u2019ll probably give too many! I\u2019ll break it down into sections: location, problems, and amenities. \nLOCATION - I don\u2019t think you can get any better than this!\n\u2022The location is on 71st almost at West End. It dead ends at the beginning of Riverside Park. You get a great view of the Hudson at the end of the street. Because of the dead end, you don\u2019t get much street traffic. \n\u2022It\u2019s a block to the 72nd subway where you can pick up a 1 local or a 2 or 3 express. Using the 2 or 3 trains gets you to midtown in minutes. We used it the express trains get to the 42nd street station and Penn Station with ease. \n\u2022The subway station is at the junction of Amsterdam and Broadway which is really a thriving place \u2013 banks, shops, and fast food restaurants galore. It just seems so unreal to be in the middle of all of the hustle there and step onto 71st.\n\u202271st is absolutely gorgeous. It\u2019s shaded by the buildings with lots of trees and little gardens and flower boxes by the residents. I didn\u2019t realize how shaded it was until I walked over to 72nd which is much wider and sunnier.\n\u2022There\u2019s a 24-hour Duane Read a block away on 72nd.\n\u2022Fairway Market is 3 blocks away. With the kitchen and accessories this place has, this is a real bonus and a significant way to cut down expenses. You feel like a local between shopping at Fairway and then preparing it in your brownstone kitchen.\n\u2022Buttercup Bake Shop is a couple of blocks away if you are craving cupcakes. The vanilla butter cream were great; the red velvet not so great.\n\u2022We picked up the M5 bus uptown at West End and 72nd and, man, was that an incredible drive. You have Riverside Park to the west with the Hudson and gorgeous brownstones on the east for over 30 blocks. This was one of the highlights of our trip.\nPROBLEMS\n\u2022The toilet paper is really thin. I know this sounds picky, but you would expect something nicer at a place like this so concerned with the details.\n\u2022The towels were so worn they were threadbare. They were huge, though, so you can tell that there was care made in the decision to use them. They just need to be replaced.\n\u2022You can hear the guests walk around upstairs. There\u2019s no creaking of the floors (that will drive me away from a place), so it wasn\u2019t that bad.\n\u2022The shower head is pretty but not very functional. On the positive side, the hot water comes out instantly and is plentiful.\n\u2022The bed is lumpy, but I don\u2019t see how they could replace it. You couldn\u2019t get a mattress down the staircase without taking the staircase out. My mom suggested maybe a foam mattress cover would even out the bumps.\nAMENITIES\n\u2022TV with the full selection (through 300 something) of digital channels including HBO\n\u20222 distinct living areas in the Vermont Suite which can become 2 bedrooms: bedroom with queen bed and bath downstairs and living room with sofa bed and kitchen upstairs.\n\u2022No street noise\n\u2022Soft feather pillows even with the sofa bed\n\u2022The owner is wonderful. She is there as much or as little as you need her. \n\u2022Fresh flowers both upstairs and downstairs\n\u2022Phone with a direct number, free local calls, and voicemail\n\u2022There is wood every where! The antiques in this place give it such a beautiful touch.\n\u2022You really feel like you are coming home every night. We came in one night at the same time as the guy at the same level next door. \n\u2022The a/c is in a window, but it\u2019s strong! You can move the airflow where ever you want it.\n\u2022The sheets are so soft both on the queen bed and the sofa bed.\n\u2022There are lamps and lights every where. You can tell that it\u2019s intentionally set up for many reading spaces.\n\u2022The amount of food included every day is amazing. I tried making a list of all the different choices and stopped at 20 leaving out plenty. We made breakfast every day out of it plus the occasional lunch, part of dinner, and dessert. It cut our expenses down significantly which helped with the price of the room.\n\u2022We awoke daily to that day\u2019s New York Times.\n\u2022The kitchen was smaller than I expected, but it is so well planned. We made a few meals actual meals in it boiling corn, eggs, etc. My mom is on a strict low sodium diet, so we cooked in as many meals as we could to control her sodium intake. I know NYC is famous for its restaurants, but there is something so pleasing to come home and enjoy a leisurely dinner bonding over the day\u2019s events. This kitchen and the beautiful drop-leaf table really allow you to do that.\n\u2022The sofa bed was really comfortable \u2013 almost to the point of being like a real bed.\nThis place is truly like having your own beautifully furnished apartment with so many extras in an incredible location. I know I\u2019m forgetting so many things because it seemed like every where we turned there was yet another wow! reaction. I\u2019ve decided that I want to come back next year and have already started looking for another perfect place. Since I started searching so late this time, I thought I could find a better place that was booked at the time. I have not been able to find anything that can equal the combination of the amenities at the Inn, the beauty and accessibility of the UWS location, and the reasonable price.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Ruth and her team made our stay a wonderful experience. The attention to detail, the service provided, the helpfulness of all the staff surpassed our expectations by a long way. This little Gem comes Highly Recommended. My Family, Friends and i stayed in the three available suites. So i had the fortune of viewing all 3. Each one offers something a little different, whichever you choose you won't be disappointed. Perfect retreat after a days hard walking around New York. Close to Central Park and therefore wonderfully located. Thank you very Much", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "After extensive research, my partner and I booked into the Inn New York City for a 5 day trip in Sep 2006. If you have already spent many hours looking for somewhere good to stay then stop looking - you need to stay here.\nWe arrived early (flying in from UK) c 1pm, so dropped our luggage and went for lunch while they finished the room. (Check-in is stated as 2pm so this was fine). We got back at 2pm, and all our luggage was already in the room, a complimentary bottle of fine, fresh cakes/pies, etc.\nThis is a wonderful place to enjoy the diversity of New York. Stayed in the Library Suite - which stretches the whole length of the building - has plenty of space for two and was very reasonable, given the prices quoted by most 4/5 star hotel chains. In a sense, this is like having your own apartment rather than a hotel room - very intimate, homely and wonderful facilities. You can tell the owner was an interior decorator - it all added to the cosy feel.\nThe kitchenette works well, and complimentary items and continental breakfast was a nice touch. You could easily buy food locally, prepare and eat-in every night if you wanted.\nThe hotel is a short walk from the 72/Broadway Subway which takes you anywhere you need to go. There is a fine deli/pharmacy nearby. We walked to the Lincoln Center and Central Park in a few minutes.\nObviously, the hustle and bustle of NY is great fun - but we found it great after a hard day's walking/sight-seeing to come \"home\" kick off our shoes and enjoy a refreshing cup of tea before we headed back out for the evening.\nI would recommend this hotel very highly - and we'll be defintiely making this our first choice location when in New York City. This place has real class.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 27}, {"text": "My husband and I have stayed at Inn New York City several times and wouldn't stay anywhere else. We used to stay at various hotels in midtown Manhattan and the Upper West Side and will never go back! \nI'll just say \"ditto\" to the other reviews extoling all the fabulous aspects of this property and the owners Elyn and Ruth. With the subway close by, you can explore the busier parts of the city, but is always a relief/joy to return to the tree lined streets of the UWS. \nCentral Park is a short walk away, and a very enjoyable day is to walk across the park and visit the Met or the Guggenhiem.\nThe neighborhood has lots of nice restuarants, but one of the joys of staying here is the kitchen. While I don't want to cook elaborate meals while on vacation, it's so nice to be able to pick up some salads or take-out from the nearby fine-foods grocer Citarella after a day of sightseeing and settle into \"our apartment\" for a relaxing dinner.\nRooms have cable, wireless internet service and complimentary NY Times.\nLove it, love it, love it!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "A friend and I stayed in the Vermont Suite and we would never consider staying anywhere else now for future visits. The Vermont Suite has its own entrance and is located on the main level (living room and kitchen) and one level below (bedroom with large closet and bathroom). Being below ground is great for sleeping in terms of noise and temperature.\nThe suite is filled with antique treasures and I would definitely classify it as romantic and somewhat feminine. While it is a bit dark and the spiral staircase would not be suitable for small children or anyone with a handicap, those are the ONLY POSSIBLE negative things I can say about it.\nThere is a fold-out sofa upstairs and the living room makes a great place to sit and read your complimentary NY Times and fuel up for your day. Also a great place to relax in the evenings. Downstair is a super-comfortable queen bed and lots of closet and dresser drawer space. The bathroom is average in size, but everything you need (including bathrobes!) It really feels like \"coming home\" vs. heading back to a hotel. Only a 10 minute walk from H & H bagels and Zabars for any additional treats you might like. And only 1 1/2 blocks from the subway stop (72nd St is an express stop, which is great).\nThe hosts/owners are so gracious and do a fabulous job of stocking the apartment with great snacks, treats, juice, granola bars, etc. And the kitchen and entire suite is immaculate with daily housekeeping. As I said, I can't recommend it strongly enough if you're looking for a little escape in the city, want to get a taste of what it's like to live in NYC and have a REAL home away from home that's full of character. 5 STARS!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "My wife and I visited for our 10th Anniversary. We have visited NYC several times and stayed in mid-range hotels in Mid-town but they don't compare to this inn. We totally felt like city residents with our own private entrance, a full kitchen stocked with gourmet goodies, and space to move around that you just can't get in a hotel room. The Inn itself has a great location on the upper west side, very close to 72nd/Broadway subway stop and a quick walk to Central Park. Relatively quiet, safe neighborhood. We stayed in the Vermont Suite for the first half of our visit and then moved to the Spa Suite as a treat. Both were very spacious, furnished with lovely, interesting antiques and well appointed with every item one could possibly need. Vermont was very quiet and private. Spa suite was more luxurious and spacious but not as quiet. Service was very discreet and, although there were other guests, we never saw or heard them. With the free goodies and lack of add-ons, the cost is very comparable with midrange hotels like the Sheraton we stayed at on our last visit and we got so much more for the money. Can't imagine we would stay anywhere else on our next visit!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "A friend and I stayed here in the Vermont Suite - it was great; much better than staying in a modern hotel. Spotlessly clean. The sofa bed is perfectly comfortable & all the kitchen provisions are brilliant. Only one drawback - it is a little dark; very atmospheric & nice in the evening but no good for putting make up on in the morning, but otherwise, really lovely. (This suite has a steep spiral staircase down to the bedroom & bathroom which was no problem for us but might be tricky for others.)", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 26}, {"text": "Stayed in the Vermont Suite which is GREAT. You have your own entrance and a small patio area where you can sit during nice weather. The suite is actually two floors and very much like a nice cozy apartment. You have your own kitchen which is a godsend as you dont need to pay outrageous prices for snacks and mini bar drinks. Cant say enough about it. A wonderful value.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Throughout the world, hotels rooms are criticized for being too small...or furnished with tacky and worn furniture. New York has no shortage of complaints such as these. But this review is of a different place...one that needs no help from me...but is so special, I needed to write something about it.\nIf you are a traveler of discerning taste, one who appreciates fresh flowers, a leather couch, oriental carpets, possibly a Piano, and the quiet feeling of being in your perfectly appointed private pied-a-terre, Inn New York City is your home away from home. \nThe Inn is a renovated brownstone comprised of 4 spectacular suites. The Upper West Side establishment is entirely discrete. No signs point out the property. Upon arrival, we were greeted warmly by the owner, Ruth Mensch, who happily poured us a glass of sherry while processing our payment. \nOur suite, The Vermont, was unbelievable...Antique appointments and a kitchen Julia Child would have happily cooked in...A spiral staircase heads to the lower level bedroom, a quiet and dark hideaway in a bustling city. The high quality linens are changed daily...even the bedspread and the way the bed was set changed every day. All was as should be...great water pressure, high end bath products, fluffy towels and very nice robes.\nThe suite's bookshelves are stocked with plenty of diverse reading material, from light to weighty...tour guides to classic tomes. Current magazines are also included, as well as brochures for just about every tourist attraction in the city. Delivery menus for many of the area restaurants are also there.\nYou get a basic supply of edibles included in your costs...a bowl of fresh fruit, bottled water, OJ, coffee, Boylan sodas, pastries, milk, cream cheese...replenished daily. \nValidated parking is $13 a night at a garage 2 blocks away. \nInn New York City isn't a Hotel or an Inn in any normal sense of the words. It far surpasses the ideas normally considered when using those terms.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "WOW!! What an amazing boutique hotel. We spent 9 days in the Opera Suite in June 2004. The owners and everyone that works there really care about the place... And everything is done with a little bit of love! From the wonderful complementary goodies packed into the fridge each day, to the useful books and magazines scattered around the place... It's like staying in your own luxury home, but with all the pampering and service of a top class hotel! This is a truly unique place, and it really has to be the most luxurious place to stay in New York!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "What a wonderful cozy place. We stayed in the Spa suite for 5 nights and it was an absolute delight. The King size bed was exceptionally comfortable, the kitchen was fully stocked with wonderful goodies and the huge jacuzzi tub was perfect for relaxing in after a long day walking through the streets of the city. The ladies who run the Inn are lovely and will assist you with any inquiry. The hotel is conveniently located just off Broadway and just a few blocks from Central Park. This is absolutely the perfect place for a romantic tryst with the one you love.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "1510002": {"reviews": []}, "1479774": {"reviews": []}, "112136": {"reviews": [{"text": "I did alot of research on hotels in Philadelphia, and ended up staying here for four nights while there for a conference, mostly based on the reviews on this site. Unfortunately, I was really diappointed by both the rooms and by the service.\nThe room I was given on the 2nd Floor was pretty, but looked out onto a busy car park and a pedestrian walkway. As I looked out, one passerby waved to me - he was that close! I asked reception if I could move to a room with a nicer view (I had asked for a decent view when I booked several weeks before), but was told no, they were full. Internally, the room was also opposite several hotel conference rooms, so was very noisy from both directions. The hairdryer didn't work, and I had to ask for a replacement. The rooms have no coffee machine, no mini bar, and even local calls are charged at long distance rates. The curtains didn't cover all of the windows, and the neon light heralding \"Market Street\" flooded the room.\nOn the second day of my stay, I asked again if they would be able to move me, as the noise from the street and the car park had kept me awake at night, and the noise from conference preparation/cleaning had woken me up very early in the norning! I was told they might be able to change my room, but I would have to go back there after noon. I did that, and was given a room on the 4th floor that looked inwards to an internal space and 2 other rooms! It wasn't as pretty, but was much quieter, though not at all what I expected for $170 a night.\nThings were OK then until the last day. The limo number listed by the hotel was no longer working, so before breakfast I called down to ask for a good phone number. The owner said I should speak to him when I went down for breakfast and he would call for me. When I went down, there were 3 people waiting to check out, and the owner was on the phone. I went into the breakfast room where there was a real scrum at the small buffet area - it was really chaotic and hard to handle without coffee. A Catch 22 situation! No egg timer for the eggs, the coffee had run out, the milk had run out. There was only one woman looking after breakfast and I felt sorry for her, with so many people trying to serve themselves at once. \nSeveral times, I went out to see the owner and try and organize my airport pick-up, and each time he was on the phone with people waiting to check out. Eventually I went back to the room and called from there - several times he didn't pick up. Eventually he did, and he gave me a phone number and explained that he was very busy with his restaurant bookings. Well that is all well and good, but he should get extra help if he can't deal with his guests enquiries. By this time, I was too late to book an airport shuttle, and had to take a taxi to the airport, at an extra cost of $18 to myself. Very annoying.\nAll in all I did not feel well looked after at Penn's View. I even wondered if this lacksadaisical treatment was because I was a woman travelling alone. Well I definitely won't be staying at Penn's View again, and would recommend finding another hotel if you are going to Philly and have $170 a night plus taxes to spend.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed here 4 nights in Sept. '05 and enjoyed it very much. Our room was clean and comfortable, nice well-appointed bathroom, and we appreciated the iron in the room. My companion was a bit bothered by street noise, but I never noticed it; it is near the highway but not unusually noisy for an in-city location. Might be good to ask for a room on the back side of the building if you want the least noise. \nThe location is great for sightseeing, and the wine bar in the adjoining restaurant is fantastic. We also got good restaurant and sightseeing tips from the staff. (For something a bit unusual, don't miss Swanky Bubbles a block away on Front Street - interesting menu and champagnes/wines by the glass.) The only complaint I had, and it was minor, was that the continental breakfast was not adequately replenished throughout the posted service time - if you don't get there at least an hour before the end of breakfast (9:30 or 10:30, depending on the day), you'll find slim pickings - I never saw them replenish the one fresh fruit tray, or much of anything else.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I live in suburban Philadephia, and wanted to celebrate my boyfriend's birthday with a romantic night in the city. Last year we had stayed at the Sofitel, which has many things to recommend it (great location, luxe rooms and bath). This year I chose the Penn's View mostly because of its proximity to Old City, and the associated restaurant Panorama. I had booked a regular queen room, but decided to look at other rooms when I arrived. I'm glad I did, because I decided on a king room with fireplace and jacuzzi, with a view of the river. Gorgeous, gorgeous room, with hardwood floors, fine rug, silky linens, and a beautiful bathroom with raised relief tiling, and orangey-gold wallpaper with white Pegasus horses flying on the walls. If you might be bothered by traffic noise, book a room further back from Front St. The jacuzzi and gas fireplace were so pleasing on this winter evening we almost decided to order room service, but stayed with our plans to enjoy a flight of wine at Panorama, followed by dinner on the Mosholu, the tall ship on the Delaware River, not far from the restaurant. Please don't imaging that the Mosholu is a tourist trap -- not only was the river view wonderful, the food was fantastic. A slightly smoky lobster bisque will bring me back. All in all, it was a wonderful evening, and I highly recommend the Penn's View Inn for unusually luxurious rooms, and a fine location.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}]}, "122343": {"reviews": [{"text": "Sofitel Phiadelphia is a great place for a weekend getaway. The location is perfect: a few blocks from Amtrak and the Avenue of the Arts. Rooms are a nice size with modern furnishings and amenities. Staff is friendly and responsive. We have stayed there five or six times and are never disappointed.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "2 day stay,staff and hotel excellent,got made guests of the day,made our stay as this was an anniversary stay over.,location was brill.loved the city,what a stay thank you to all at sofitel Philly", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Very nice hotel, great location,very helpful staff, clean and quiet and safe(you had to use your room key in the elevator to access your room floor). It even had a coffee maker which is unusual for Sofitels. Nice room amenities and clean modern bathroom. Highly recommended.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Last month I wrote a very positive review about my recent stay at the Sofitel. I thought it might become my regular hotel for my frequent business trips to Philly. However, my recent experience with the hotel has left me completely dissatisfied.\nLast November when I tried to make a reservation on the hotel's website I experienced an error when I tried to submit my reservation. After I entered all of my information and submitted the reservation I got an error message. So I had to call the reservation line and make the reservation over the phone. I was upset that I had to waste all that time, but I chalked it up as just one of those technical glitches and I ended up enjoying my stay at the hotel in December.\nHowever, I experienced a similar problem on the hotel's website today. I entered my check-in and check-out dates and the website displayed a list of possible room options for my travel dates, including a Junior Suite King Bed for a decent rate under the heading \"Hot deals - no change, no cancellation.\" So I hit the \"Reserve\" link for this option, and on the next screen I entered all of my reservation information, including my credit card information. When I hit the \"Confirm your reservation\" button I got an error message. This concerned me for several reasons. First, I was not sure if my reservation got submitted or not; Second, I wasn't sure if I was being charged on my credit card. I have had experiences in the past on other websites where I have submitted information on a website and received an error message, yet the information still went through. So it was reasonable for me to be concerned about this, especially since this was a reservation that didn't allow cancellations or changes.\nSo I called the hotel directly. After being put on hold for 20 minutes, I finally spoke with a reservationist and explained my situation to her. \"Did you get a confirmation number?\" she asked coldly. When I told her I did not, she said that meant that the reservation didn't go through, and said it in a sarcastic tone as if that should have been obvious to me. She then asked for the type of room I was trying to reserve and the rate, which I gave her, and she told me that the hotel didn't have a Junior Suite King Bed for that rate. She gave me a rate about $100 higher, with a \"take it or leave it\" tone. I told her I didn't want that rate, I wanted the rate promised on their website, but she was completely unsympathetic to my situation.\nI was complete turned off by this experience. The hotel is offering rates on its website that it is not honoring, so be forewarned. The hotel's website clearly has some problems, so make reservations with extreme caution. And the hotel's reservation staff clearly don't understand good customer service. The reservationist acted like the website problem was my fault, and was rude and cold and acted like she was doing me a favor. She never apologized for the problem I experienced and didn't even apologize for the fact that I was on hold for 20 minutes. \nBased on this bad experience I am definitely not staying at the Sofitel again. It is a nice hotel, but I don't need this hassle when trying to make a reservation. There are plenty of other hotels that are happy to take my business and are willing to offer a simple apology to their customers when they make mistakes.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "This was a very nice hotel with very large rooms. I originally got a suite which was great but I changed because suites only come with 1 king bed and I was traveling with my mother so I needed 2 doubles. Both rooms were nice and decorated very simply and elegantly. The bathrooms were wonderful with very nice toiletries and the beds were the most comfortable hotel beds I have stayed in.\nI have also stayed at the Philadelphia Ritz Carlton and this is a much better value for your money. In fact, even if the price were the same, I would choose Sofitel over the Ritz because of the service, room size, cleanliness, and decor.\nThere were two negatives for me:\n1. The lighting was very bad. Both rooms that I had were very dim and even in the bathroom, there was not enough light to do my makeup well.\n2. The menu for lunch and dinner was not vegetarian friendly. In a big city, I think every hotel should offer at least one decent vegetarian option on the menu. \nI would stay here again, but I might shop around and try another fine Philadelphia hotel.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "By luck I got a good deal at Sofitel through Priceline. The room was a very good size, the bathroom was fantastic with a walk in shower and bath and luxury products, bathrobes etc. Staff friendly and it was a very quiet hotel given how central and convenient it was.\nHotel Parking very expensive so I suggest using the car park on the street that is first right after the hotel entrance.\nVery convenient for most things. Only problem was our shuttle bus didn't turn up for our city tour but the concierge phoned them and insisted they pay for our taxi to get there - which they did!\nAll made for a memorable stay in Philadelphia.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Sofitel is a beautiful hotel. It has everything we were looking for - great central location, very comfortable beds with quality linens, and great decor in the rooms. The bathrooms were beautiful too! Staff was very attentive. The Sofitel is just one block from Walnut Street which has great shopping and even better restaurants. It is a quick taxi (or bus) from Old City, which is where historic philly sites are, in addition to great nightlife. I highly recommend Sofitel and a trip to Philly!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Had not visited the city in many years but thanks to TA, this was a wonderful choice. We enjoyed the atmosphere and food of the bar, except for the one evening when there was a cigar smoker. Cigarettes are bad enough but I think cigars should be outlawed in a hotel bar. Liked Colette, especially for breakfast. The coffee was a bit weak for French coffee. Speaking of that, we could even get TV Monde 5 - a real treat in a hotel. Air France crews stay here. The room and bathroom were spacious and beautiful. The personnel was polite and friendly. The hotel was super convenient for all the sights - very near a Plash bus stop .When packing to leave, just be very sure not to leave anything behind.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We stayed at Sofitel Philadelphia recently. We had a wonderful stay. The rooms were clean and well appointed. I was especially impressed with a spacious bathroom. The members of the staff were very helpful.\nThis hotel is in a very good location...close to everything. I used to live in Philadelphia, in fact very close to this hotel. Only minor problem with this hotel is the fact that parking is off site, and the driveway in front of the hotel is tiny, which causes the entire front of the hotel to look a bit chaotic. However, I believe this is not anything differrent from any other metropolitan hotel in a prime location.\nI would highly recommend this hotel to people visiting Philadelphia.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I'd stayed here before, once with a great experience, once with a not-so-good. This time, the Sofitel was definitely back on form.\nMy only complaint about my stay was everybody else's--those doors make a lot of noise!!! At first I thought it was people being really rude, and slamming them, but I did an experiment, and if you just let the doors close by themselves, that's the kind of racket you get. It is nice to know you're behind a heavy door, but it would also be nice to not have them making so much noise that it's hard to sleep, especially if you're a light sleeper like me. And face it, people aren't going to be standing by a door to pull it shut--we're just walking out and trusting the door to shut itself. Believe me, it does. Loudly.\nThe hotel is in a great location, and if you're a walker, as I am, you'll find it located convenient to just about everything. If walking isn't a problem, it's a nice walk to museums, but you'll need to take a cab if you're not accustomed to walking a lot. \nI have been in the Four Seasons, and was in one of their rooms, although I didn't stay there. I found the Sofitel's room and bathroom to be comparable. You could tell the Four Seasons definitely had more expensive furniture, but I am not in Philadelphia to sit in an expensive chair; I am there to get out and see the city. And the Four Seasons is a lot more expensive. The Four Seasons does have a very nice spa, which I didn't use, and the Sofitel definitely doesn't have a spa. The Sofitel does have a nice gym, as does the Four Seasons. The Four Seasons is a great hotel, but I really don't see how it is worth the extra money unless you're spending more time in the hotel than out of it.\nThe Sofitel is very clean, and yes, the bed is heaven, but if you run around as much as I do while you're in the city, anything that isn't the floor is going to feel good. However, it makes it harder to get up in the morning when you're that comfortable. The shower is also great. I enjoy a hot shower, not a warm one, and the water coming out of mine was so hot, I actually had to turn the temperature down. Often when I stay at a hotel, they seem to be afraid someone is going to sue from getting scalded by the shower, so they keep the temperature lukewarm at best. The shower head was also a good quality, although I didn't get full benefit of it because it aimed high and I am short. I was too darn tired at the end of the day to bother trying to adjust it to hit my lower back. I enjoy having the bathtub separate from the shower, which it is not at the Four Seasons.\nOne new thing since my last stay is that you now have to insert your room key in the elevator if you want to go above the conference room floors. This can take a second to find your key if you're used to just getting on and pushing your floor, but it is worth the extra effort to have that security.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "If you are looking to stay at hotel that is in the heart of the city that offers good value, excellent service, exceptionally appointed rooms, with incredibly comfortable beds this is your place. Everything at this hotel was flawless. You can search all you want and, but you won't find a better place to stay in Philly (especially at this price, and some for twice this price).", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I stayed at this hotel three times in the last two months: (November - one night during the week, December - two nights over a weekend, January - two nights - Thursday - Saturday).\nMy first stay (all twelve hours of it) was perfect. I am a refuge from the Philadelphia Ritz Carlton - their awful service in the dining room, bar and front desk drove me away. During the first stay I checked in, went to bed, and left early the next morning - no food, bar, or chance to interact with the staff.\nMy second stay was less than perfect. The breakfast in the dining room was cold and disappointing. The bed was not as expertly made and the linens kind of fell apart, I called to request turndown and never got it (am I nit-picking)? There were several other small problems but I would have rated this hotel a 4 of 5. I filled out an on-line review of the hotel and was promptly contacted by the heads of several departments seeking additional information - clearly they seemed to care about delivering a good product. \nMy third stay this past weekend was further from ideal. I tried to reserve with my corporate rate but my company did not renew with the hotel and the hotel would only offer me their rack rate. So I reserved a room ($185) from the Sofitel website - on checkin I was told that when you reserve on the internet you can not reserve a non-smoking room (even though the preference was in my profile). After a rather long wait where my reservation was apparently discussed in a backroom (or maybe not) I was given a no smoking room on the first floor of rooms next to the gym (where the TV blasted). The shower drain was so clogged that the water flowed out of the shower. I called the front desk, told them I was leaving and had to get dressed but could they please send someone up later to fix it. Instead - the engineer came right away (no thanks) MOD called offered to move me that night (upgraded to a suite) and offered to \"fix me up with something or a free dinner\". I told him I was going out for the evening but thank you. I was not \"fixed up\" with anything. Next day our room was not made up when we returned at 3pm. When the housekeeper did arrive she told me she had the whole floor to clean. I inquired at the front desk where the ice machine was - they told me - I went there - and it was out of order. Went to get the car from valet and valet couldn't find our keys (failed to tell us as we stood there for twenty minutes). Returning later that day and our keys didn't work. Finally I voiced my frustation at the front desk and they did comp us for breakfast (which was very good). \nI still think this is one of the better hotels in Philadelphia but the bloom is off the rose.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I stayed there for three nights, beginning the 23rd of December.\nI was given a room in a quiet area of the hotel, which I was grateful for. And the front desk was very helpful and pleasant, as with my last stay there. \nMy room was very clean, as it was the last time around, and I have very high standards of cleanliness. No complaints there.\nHowever, on Friday, I had been out all day and put 9.53 miles on my pedometer, and was ready for a hot shower. I jumped in the shower, and stood there miserable for about three minutes in cold water that refused to get any warmer. Nothing like an ice-cold shower to Grinch me out in no time. Shivering, I put on my fluffy Sofitel bathrobe, which I was very grateful for, considering how cold I was from my shower, and dripped over to the phone to call the front desk. I was told, very offhandedly, that the water pressure was bad, and to let the water run about \"20 minutes\" to let it warm up. Oh, thanks for telling me now, instead of at the front desk when I checked in. And a great way to waste water, too! I finally got the water to warm up, and had a hot shower, but it did have an effect on my mood, considering how blithely the guy at the front desk told me this. When I mentioned it the next day to the front desk, they told me that they'd gotten a lot of calls about it (geez, surprise!), and that they'd bled the radiators that day, which is what caused it. Fine. Bleed the radiators, but warn guests that they may have a rude awakening on the day you do it so we know not to go jumping into what we think is going to be a nice hot shower, based upon our last stay there, only to emerge looking like something out of March of the Penguins. And the guy's attitude was the worst of all. He couldn't wait to get me off of the phone when I called down there.\nAlso on Friday night, I wanted to check my email for about two minutes to see if someone had left me a message with their phone number about getting together the next day. I was told I could use the business center's computer. When I went to the business center, there was a whopping $10.73 charge to just connect, and an additional .55/minute to connect to the Internet. I left the hotel to find a free Internet cafe they'd told me about at the front desk, but it was closed for the evening, so I was basically out of luck, and wound up paying over $11 for three minutes' worth of Internet access. This is ridiculous. At cheaper hotels, such as Hampton Inns, they have a free Internet access computer in the lobby so people can check maps, etc. And the Sofitel is not a cheap hotel. When I told the guy at the front desk (same guy who gave me the bum's rush when I called about the ice-cold shower) that it was a ripoff, he got very indignant with me and said that the cost of the computer was displayed for me to see before I used the computer. Yeah, I know that, I am not blind, but still, it's a ripoff. (I did mention him by name in the comment card I left at the front desk, which I filled out from top to bottom.) \nOtherwise, my stay was fine. I am a low-maintenance guest, and smile at people and say hello and call the staff by their names. I clean up the room before the maids come to clean and don't meow about the little things. But a hot shower is a necessity, and the guy's attitude was what got me peeved. I didn't cop an attitude with him as it only would have gotten nasty as he obviously didn't care, but with the prices of a Sofitel hotel, people such as him shouldn't be working there. Everyone else from housekeeping to the other front desk staff were very nice and pleasant and enjoyable to deal with.\nOh, and don't even get me started on why I should have to call room service to get some hot water because there is no coffee maker in the room. Once again, the cheaper hotels have this standard, and the Sofitel wants extra money. I am a do-it-yourselfer and do not like to use room service. I wound up going to the bar and asking the bartender for some hot water. I take something that needs to be mixed with hot water and the water has to be hot so I can't get it out of a faucet. Not that I could have anyway the first couple of days with that whole radiator thing going on. \nThe Sofitel is in a great location, and there are many things I liked about my stay. But, I was pretty peeved with the guy's attitude, and a hot shower is a necessity and should be expected, and that whole $11 for three minutes of Internet access really got my goat. I call the staff by their first names, say hello to people and clean up before the maid comes to make her job as easy as possible, so I am not a demanding hotel guest at all. But I really wonder about staying there again. I left my email address and telephone number on the comment card and wrote that the general manager or whomever reads it was welcome to call me if he/she wanted to, and I will see if I get any kind of feedback at all. I am going to NYC and DC in the near future, which also has Sofitel hotels, but I hesitate now to use them as well.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 26}, {"text": "I made a reservation for my family to stay at the Sofitel in Philadelphia. The reservation was made through their central reservation center. Apparently, central reservations has no idea what their Philadelphia hotel looks like. I was promised that the two rooms I reserved would be adjoining. I was traveling with my young children and we require adjoining rooms to accomodate us. I reserved adjoining rooms with 2 double beds for the kids and the other room would have a king. I secured the adjoining rooms with a credit card. When we arrived at the hotel, I was told that the hotel does not have adjoining rooms! I was told that the rooms that were available were separated by a hallway. I told them this was unacceptable because my young children were not of an age that we could leave them in a separate room. I wanted my credit card refunded. They refused! This hotel left us out in the cold. I had to drive 2 hours to get my children home to bed and this hotel had the audacity to charge my credit card! I will never set foot in this hotel again. Reserve here at your own risk!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 29}, {"text": "We stayed at the Sofitel for two nights. The actual hotel is very nice. It's clean, sleek, and has probably the most comfortable bed I have ever stayed in. The rooms are spacious and have a very large bathroom (seperate shower and tub). Plus, it's right in the heart of Center City, so you're in the heart of it all. \nWith that said, the service for such a nice hotel was a dissapointment. On two occassions we had to wait for over an hour for room service (and one time it was only for wine glasses, not even food!...and the other time the delivery time had been arranged the evening before). The breakfast we ordered from Room Service arrived cold and was missing things. Housekeeping showed a little improvement over room service, but forgot to turn down our bed one evening (after we had requested it). Additionally, they kept removing the two frete robes in our room, and would not replace them until we called for a new one (it got a little annoying). Another frustrating thing was that whenever a department got busy, and you tried to call, you got a voicemail, that was never returned.\nBy no means was our stay a flop, and there were some bright spots. Vanessa the Conceirge, is fantastic, and was willing to assist with anything. We also had a wonderful breakfast at Chez Colette, and experienced attentive service as well.\nFor the price, I think the Sofitel is worth the stay. However, just realize that it's not the Ritz or Four Seasons. If you do this, you'll enjoy you're stay, and won't be bothered by the hotel's service flaws.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "The hotel room was spotless. We stayed in one of their upgraded rooms which was very comfortable (nice enough to live in). The bathrooms were really nice and CLEAN! The only annoying thing was the sound in the elevator. Also, we room serviced an order of french toast and the hotel was completely out of syrup. (Must be a \"French\" thing). I returned the dish and they charged me anyway. The problem was rectified when we got home; very painless. As a person who is EXTREMELY PICKY, I would definitely stay here again!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}]}, "74363": {"reviews": [{"text": "I recently stayed at the Best Western Independance Park Hotel in center city Philadelphia right down the street from Penns Landing. The hotel is a historical hotel with large hotel rooms and a great continental breakfest featuring Belguim Waffles you make yourself including a hot strawberry sauce to top it off, also hardboiled eggs, cereal, breads and pastries. They also have a afternoon tea every day with tea and cookies. I have stayed at this hotel many times because it is in walking distance of South Street, Italian market district, antique row, many great restuarants and the center city business district. My favorite way to travel to Philadelphia is by Amtrak train and once at the train station is very easy to get to the hotel by taxi of subway. The hotel address is 235 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa zip 19106. I know you will enjoy your stay there..", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "112124": {"reviews": [{"text": "My wife and I stayed at the Four Seasons in January. She called to make a reservation and the person helping her said that they have a government rate. I am a member of the NYPD and get the government rate at other hotels. When we came in January, there was no problem. We returned for the second time with our children in April and we were staying for two nights. When I gave the hotel receptionist, Liz, my identification, she walked into the back. She came out and said that this time, they would honor the government rate but it was meant for Federal Employees on business. Even though they honored it, I was made to feel like we were trying to get away with something. I felt embarassed and the \"friendly treatment\" they give to kids was not given to our kids. No children's book upon arrival, no treats in our rooms, no child sized bathrobes. We will go elsewhere next time. Somewhere where our money is appreciated and members of the NYPD are appreciated as well. It baffles me that corporations like this, give corporate discounts all the time but there are no discounts for men and women who risk their lives each and every day. What is even crazier is that we never asked for a discount, it was offered to us and once we got there we were made to feel ashamed. Keep your room Four Seasons, there are plenty of other beautiful hotels in Philadelphia.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "After staying at the Miami and Chicago Four Seasons hotels, I checked in to the Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia with my kids with high expectations. We came in for the Red Sox/Phillies games on May 19-21. This hotel did not dissapoint me. Here are the main highlights of the hotel. \nLobby, Public Areas, etc.- The lobby was beautiful with all marble flooring and luxurious furniture. It was lively and festive, but not too crazy. The elevators, hallways in the hotel, and common areas were very clean and also very luxuriously appointed.\nRooms- The rooms and suites in the hotel were just renovated, and are very luxurious with marble bathrooms (jsut like any other Four Seasons), out of this world beds (i mean amazingly comfortable), a cd clock radio with soft jazz playing when we entered the room, and again luxurious appointments and furniture. \nService- Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts have the best service in the entire world, because no is just not in their vocabulary. They will always help you with a request and assist you (especially the concierge). It makes your stay so much more enjoyable.\nPool/Spa- I can not comment on a massage treatment, but the indoor pool and large whirpool were very clean and the area was surprisingly quiet. Lounge chairs were comfortable with towels already on them. The sauna and lcoekr rooms were very nice along with the spa lounge with cranberry and lemon waters and evian spritzers.\nRestaurant/Lounge- Swann Lounge was awesome with great after dinner drinks, desserts, and cigars. We went there twice after the games and there was live music and it was very lively in there. Do not eat there for Sunday brunchas it is $63 per person! Fountain Restaurant was very nice with a great breakfast and relatively reasonably priced. You could see Swann Fountain from your table and the service was exceptional.\nI would take the Four Seasons Philly over the ritz-carlton philly any day and this goes for any four seasons! I had a great stay!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Once again 3 1/2 hours elapsed between the time when I checked in and the time when I received my key, which I might not have minded so much had I not been told it would be two hours when I checked in, then 20 minutes when I checked back two hours later, and so on; plus I was given several different stories at different times, not all of which could possibly have been true. For example, the 20 minutes were related to the need for someone to \"inspect\" my room which had already been prepared -- but it still took about an hour to get the key. I was also told by different people that the previous guest either had or had not checked out -- they really just seemed to be making it up as they went along.\nThis otherwise OK hotel really does need to address the front desk problem, which I see has been commented on in other reviews.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Nice lobby, comfortable rooms. Not sure it's the best hotel, but definitely nice. In the winter they had warm cranberry cider in the lobby which was an excellent touch on a cold winter's night.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I, like a prior reviewer, was unable to access my room until 4:30 p.m. despite a stated check-in time of 3:00 p.m. and repeated inquiries. No explanation was provided to me, but I would presume they are understaffed. The staff at the front desk were not particularly helpful or apologetic. Also, no effort was made to assist me with my luggage upon arrival at the hotel. Once I was able to access the room, the rest of the stay went well. The facilities are what you would expect, and the other staff were pleasant and helpful.\nFirst impressions mean a lot, and a five star hotel should function better in this regard.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "My husband and I recently spent a weekend at the Four Seasons in Philadelphia. Having previously stayed at The Rittenhouse (couldn't get a reservation there) we expected a similar level of quality and sevice. It was not the case. We were kindly upgraded to a suite which was nice but not spectacular. We had dinner in The Fountain Restaurant which was very good but extremely expensive. The room service menu is limited and also extremely expensive (I stay in alot of first class hotels and the prices here are high). Took advantage of their spa twice and it was fine although nothing too special. Overall, it is a nice hotel but not the quality you would expect for a 4-Seasons.I wouldn't stay there again, there are a lot of excellent options in Philadelphia.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Just came back from a quick getaway at the Four Season's in Philadelphia. The one thing that stuck out in my whole experience there was the friendliness and attentivness of ALL staff. From the front desk person coming out from behind the desk to show us where the elevator and restaurants were to the housekeeping staff giving us a big smile and \"good morning\" to the staff on the phone asking if there was anything else they could do for you when we had a question, it was top notch!! Good Job Four Seasons.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We stayed at the hotel over the President;s day weekend. The check in was easy and the staff was very helpful. The rooms were comfortable and quiet with great beds.\nThe brunch was pricey but, the food, swevice and backgroud music made for a very nice experience. \nHowever, the spa pool had a lot of kids many of which were not supervised properly. Young children using the hot tub as a kitty pool. It seems to me that some adult time at the pool would work well for all hotel guests.\nI would stay again at the property but, would think twice if I planned on relaxing at pool side.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I live on the Phila. Main Line, and for my daughter's birthday on New year's decided to splurge for the Four Seasons instead of the Sofitel where we had stayed the year prior during the summer. What a mistake. Although I had eaten at the Four Seasons many times, I had never stayed there. When I checked in using my debit card, I asked if they were taking any kind of hold on the card, as I had experienced minimal holds at several locations. I was shocked when I was told that not only would they take out the bill for the entire stay, but an additional $100.00, AND that this would not be applied to my bill at check-out. Rather, I would have to pay the whole bill anew and in perhaps 5-7 days the initial amount taken from the Debit card would be reinstated in my account! This was and is outrageous. It almost ruined our New Yr's plans- luckily Bookbinder's, where we had New Yr's Eve dinner, used another charge for dinner . (Highly recommend the restaurant- we have eaten there many times and it is wonderful). Meanwhile, the Front Desk at the Four Seasons could not have cared less about my problem. (Guess I was not pretentious enough for them...) \n To add insult to injury, they were well aware I was furious. I told them this had not happened at the Sofitel (and have since confirmed again with the Sofitel they charge a Debit card first nite and an additional $100 but apply that to the stay), In addition, they knew it was my daughter's birthday and could have at least sent up a plate of cookies. Nothing. ( And, there was no wireless access for my teen's computer)\n If you are looking for a top notch place to stay in Philly, go to the Sofitel. They were great- even comped us for breakfast when we stayed there. The Four Seasons is overrated and pompous. ( And watch if you take a taxi from there- we're local so we know the area but the driver tried to take a longer rte. to Bookbinders. Figures...)\n Only positive- the staff- housekeeping, maintenance (our sink was clogged- fixed immediately), room service were very courteous, prompt, and competent. They deserve better than the current Philadelphia Four Seasons.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I recently stayed in a Suite with my wife and 2 kids. I'd say that this is probably the best Philly has to offer, although I was at the Sofitel this summer and was very impressed - if I was not with the kids, that is where I would have stayed - slightly better location, comparable service, and half the price. In general, there is not much with which to find fault. There are little things here and there that prevent this from being quite as top notch as other Four Seasons and from what I expect. This is almost a typical FS so I won't praise all the good stuff because you expect that and you get it. The one area for praise is how warmly and nicely they treat the kids - they go out of their way to talk with them, toys upon check-in, greeting them by name at check-in and throughout the stay, cookies and milk or popcorn at turndown the first night - this made a big difference - no stares or requests to keep quiet. Here is where I think they fall down. 1) One of the reasons we stayed here is the pool for the kids. It was closed the first day and freezing the second. They should have advised when making the reservation and/or upon check-in. My kids were upset when they could not use it. 2) Most employees are reasonably polite and say the right things but just are not 100% really delivering. For example, valet parking always seemed chaotic (could not locate keys, parking lot crowded, lots of people walking around but no one really sure who does what. Bellman took more than 20 minutes to get the bags upon check-out 3) Breakfast at the Fountain - food great, service horrible. The meal took more than 90 minutes - tough with little kids. After about 45 minutes they brought some berries for the kids - how long does it take to scramble an egg or toast a piece of bread? Kids menu was great and I did not feel like they were unwelcome but I constantly had to ask for water, coffee, the food, for the waiter. 4) Housekeeping - place was clean except if they knew I had two kids, why was the sofa bed never made up at night, there was not a blanket or a pillow for it either. 5) the rooms and especially the hallways smelled just like the restaurant in the hotel - sort of like living above a diner- not very nice. I think the difference between this being a really good hotel and a great hotel is that the staff needs to be managed and trained a little better - need more substance along with the smiles and pleasantries. Unfortunately for this hotel, it is the FS and people expect the best. What I saw would be outstanding for every other hotel chain and so they are simply victims of who they are and their reputation. Don't get me wrong - I would stay here again. They made it very comfortable for the kids and the location to the museums is great and it still may be the best the city has to offer.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I took my husband to the Four Seasons, Philadelphia for a birthday celebration. I wanted to surprise him with luxury and a weekend trip to Philadelphia, a city he had never visited. I made the reservations in the summer for a Jan. trip and told them that we would be bringing our dog and that the trip was for my husband's birthday. After reading these reviews, I sort of expected notes to be taken and for them to at least wish my husband a happy birthday upon check-in and for the doggy amenities (food, water bowls) to be present in the room. None of this happened, but of course, I was disappointed, but the husband and the dog didn't know. We were shown to a room that had an adjoing door and within the first half and hour in the room, we heard the people next door (full conversations) and their crying baby. A few other things happened that made us call down to the front desk and complain. They graciously changed our rooms to a non-adjoining quieter room on a higher floor. This room was much better!\nWe had brunch on Sunday for my husband's birthday and that was marvelous! Great service and amazing food. And we enjoyed all the sights in Philadelphia.\nMy husband and I are in our twenties and married just over a year and have never stayed in a Four Seasons before. I was hoping to bowl him over with the quality and luxuriousness, but this did not happen. We are not necessarily wealthy folk, just hard workers who like to enjoy our down time. In general, I expected more- perhaps my expectations were too high. If I didn't want something special, we would have stayed at a more mediocre hotel.\nI filled out a survey card upon checkout and was promptly contacted by hotel management to discuss my complaints. They assured me that they have changed things based upon my feedback and they'd like us to visit again to show that things have been fixed. This response is what I would expect of the Four Seasons. Since we live in NYC, it is likely that we will try the hotel again in the future.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "483277": {"reviews": [{"text": "We were visiting with our son on a college trip and this hotel was perfect. It is only one year old and the rooms were spacious and clean. It is attached by a walkway to the Hilton so we could enjoy the Starbucks coffee stand in their gift shop. The best part was the staff was all exceptionally friendly and welcoming. During the week the price included breakfast and to our surprise dinner as well. The food was exceptional - breakfast had eggs, bacon and waffles plus a fruit bar. Dinners had a good salad bar and delicious hot entree plus beer and wine! In fact the food was so good we asked and were told they take advantage of the fact they share the kitchen with the Hilton and try to go above and beyond the typical fare. The location is right on City Line in a nice area so it was easy to drive without dealing with the traffic in the heart of the city. We would definitely return and highly recommend it.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "This hotel is new and sits right behind the Hilton. Our King Bed Suite was well appointed and very spacious. It had a full service kitchen with a 2 burning electric stove. The kitchen also had all the dishes and supplies needed. There are 13 floors and each floor is warmly decorated as with the lobby and area where you can eat the daily free breakfast that is served. The breakfast isn't all that good, but it's worth it if you have no plans on eating out and spending $$. I would recommend if you plan on eating arrive early to get food, because once it's gone it's gone. All in all I would stay again at the Homewood Suites.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}]}, "112134": {"reviews": [{"text": "Personally, this was my favourite hotel during our trip to the US. Located right on Independece Park (as the name suggests) in the historic part of Philadelphia, the staff and ambience of the hotel was fantastic from the moment we arrived.\nThe rooms were huge and beautifully appointed with antique touches but without the run-down feel of many hotels which try the same approach. \nThe staff were great; the front desk, the porters, restaurant staff and doorman. They were very helpful with directions and suggestions.\nBreakfast was also great (it was included in our rate so we ate at the hotel for a change).\nLoved the place.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "This hotel is a real find in a central visitors' area of Philadelphia. From the moment you enter the immaculate, flower-filled lobby, you are in well-maintained, elegant surroundings. The staff is professional and attentive without being obsequious. Our king-bedded room was attractively furnished and a good size and we had a lovely view. The bathroom was large and well-appointed. We had a good brunch in the hotel's pretty restaurant, Azalea. There is a nice indoor lap pool and an Aveda spa. We booked the Moonlight and Mimosa package which, at $299 plus tax, was an excellent value that included a king room, valet parking and brunch for two. We will definitely return for another pleasant stay.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husband & I stayed here for one night. Hotel's location is perfect. Within walking distance to historic Independence Mall & just a couple blocks from Old City and several bars & restaurants; including the Cosmopolitan and the Blue Martini. Fun,Fun,Fun. The room was spacious, clean the decor was updated. We had a king size bed that was super comfortable. I booked the room online on Omni's website for $150 - $160 which is typical for a nice hotel in Philly. It also included a delicious breakfast in the Azalea restaurant. I would recommend staying here if you like to drink and walk to your room or if you like the historic thing. It's all right here at your finger tips. \nA little advice** Park in the garage 2 blocks down from the hotel. $19 day vs. $30.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "The location and public areas of this hotel can hardly be beaten, especially if one is in town to see the historical sites. Our room, however, was somewhat of a disappointment, given its four-star rating: no room service menu/property book, bathroom sink stopper not working, hot water faucet leaking, bathroom facilities and electrical outlets in need of upgrade. This was a smoking room, which are often the last upgraded in any hotel, so these findings were neither a surprise, nor did they ruin the trip. But since all rooms of a given class are the same price, it's expected that all will meet certain standards. This one didn't. I'd stay there again, but never at the rack rate.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Followed the advice given by reviewers on this site and requested corner room. As reported, rooms on the corner (those ending in 11) are very large and have lots of windows with wonderful view of Independence Hall. Hotel staff was very helpful...had light rain on day we planned to tour, and were accommodated with second umbrella (one was already in the room). Also, clerk was prepared with nice gift bag for my 7-year old daughter when we arrived, which was special and unexpected treat for her! We took advantage of the Bourse food court (around the corner) for breakfast one day, but enjoyed delicious Omni room service food for dinner each night of our stay. Nice to dine privately with such a wonderful view of the city! Without a doubt, staying at the Omni really made our trip to Philly much more enjoyable.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We went to the Omni for two nights, while in town to see the Rolling Stones. We stay at a lot of upscale center city hotels, and found this to be superb! The customer service was exceptional, consistently! Staff went out of their way, at all times, to help us. It was almost bordering on shocking, they were so nice! Some examples: 1.Kim in Room Service called us back, just after we ordered a quick sandwich before leaving for the show, to confirm the kinds of meats in a sandwich I had asked about! 2.When the front desk was busy, a waiter from the restaurant gave us wonderful directions, and 3. when I dropped a glass bottle of juice out front, the door man came rushing out to clean it up, and help me so I wouldn't get cut. Small things like this, consisently! Wow!! The corner room was great, nice bed, large pull-out sofa, mini-bar, nice bath. The turn down service did turn down the sofa bed, which was strange -- but, next night I left a note not to do so, and they left some candies on the sofa as a little gift! Room service was awesome, wonderful food, and very fast, always right on time. We did order breakfast, and sandwiches around 5 pm. ****I would recommend for $$ saving money, a small diner, 1/2 block from the hotel, that does DELIVERIES of breakfast with a very extensive menu-- and it is excellent food, and inexpensive. The location of the hotel was fabulous..... We had a direct view of Independence park across the street. Within 2 blocks to market street, with many hip and very nice restaurants, bars, a grocery store, shopping, etc.... Also, just a short few blocks to a subway station. The valet let us know about this, as we were planning to drive to the Wachovia Center.. not realizing the subway would take us directly there and back. He took the car back, gave us directions to the subway, and off we went! This is VERY convenient, and VERY Easy. Boy were we glad not to have to drive to the Wachovia Center on a dark rainy night. This hotel is very convenient to the historic district (I don't think it's possible to GET any closer) and also to the subway, and events at the Wachovia Center. We also used the lap pool, spa, and dry sauna, which were all great. Conveniently located just off the elevator in lower floor -- no akward walking through the lobby all wet from swimming! There were comfortable chairs surrounding the pool (not lounge, but, to sit) and neatly folded fluffy and clean swim towels, very well kept!!! The pool is a long narrow lap style pool, but, we were able to just free swim (no lanes) as it was uncrowded. The bar just off the lobby is filled with overstuffed chairs, very very formal bar. They do have a bar menu of sandwiches with burgers and the like -- many options for about $13.95 (Same prices as room service \"light menu\")", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "We, extended family and friends, had reserved a block of rooms for my brother's wedding at the Omni. Close enough to historic sites and the reception to be available and accessible to all guests. The problems began at check-in, my husband and I had reserved two rooms with queen size beds. (Our children are over 6 feet tall). Upon arrival we were told \"first come, first choice\" so had to have rooms with double beds only, as our plane had not landed until 4:00pm we could not have arrived any earlier. When we showed the confirmation number and the credit card statement for reserving two rooms with queen size beds we were told that was the Omni's policy and we had no choice, but the desk clerk was \"sorry\". Not as sorry as we were! When our next son and his wife arrived they found 6 pills of a neurologic affecting drug made up into their bed, I am a nurse in a neuro setting so recognized them immediately. After making an appointment to see the manager to return the pills I waited for three hours in the lobby, he was \"too busy\" to see me. I tried for three days to see the manager, \"meetings\" and \"too busy\" were what the desk clerk kept telling us. I was never accorded the courtesy of a phone call or an apology. When the next family members arrived they were given a room with no air conditioning and no screens on the open windows. All three of their young children sleep walk, their room was on the third floor and it was hot and muggy outside. Their mother stayed awake all night to make sure her children did not fall out the window. Each and every point was brought to the attention of Omni headquarters who offered apologies but nothing else. Will we stay there again? Not in my lifetime! And not in any other family members' lifetime!", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "224280": {"reviews": [{"text": "My wife and I stayed at the hotel for three nights during the Easter break and had a most enjojable time.\nThe hotel is in a great location within the Penn campus with ample local facilities (Starbucks is one block away!).\nOur room was very spacious and finished to a high standard - and very clean. We ate at the Penne restaurant on the first evening and although we enjoyed the meal, the menu was rather limited and quite expensive. Breakfast was provided on a hot and cold buffet arrangement, and of a reasonable standard.\nWe hired a car for the first couple of days to tour the local Amish communities - highly recommended - and visit a local shopping mall. The valet car parking service cost $25.00 per day with unlimited access and proved very convenient. Driving in the Philadelphia area was reasonably easy to negotiate, although parking in the city is rather limited.\nOn the whole we very much enjoyed our stay and would not hesitate to return to the hotel - it offered the small hotel personal appeal with the facitilies expected of a larger hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We chose this Hilton for the points (we're Diamond members and want to stay that way), and for its proximity to U. Penn. Speaking to the latter issue:if you're college visiting, this is in the very middle of the action. You couldn't get closer.\nWe had two rooms. We booked one but discovered at the last minute that no pull-in beds were allowed in. So management kindly put me upstairs in the conference room which has its own bed and bathroom. Great.\nThe regular room was a good size with a great moveable business desk which we used to eat on. The beds were comfortable, the bathroom acceptable. Negatives were few; paying for a wired internet connection (not even wireless by gum !) ios the first one that comes to mind.\nThe public areas have a traditional, old fashioned look, which is very handsome. We liked the breakfast at the University Club (owned by U. Penn apparently) on the second floor. Great selection of foods, a chef to cook up an omelette and big tables with lots of room and very few other people around. Staff were helpful and charming.\nSpeaking of the employees again :when we arrived at five to eleven at night, the kitchen staff (who go home at 11 p.m.) didn't make a fuss and brought us our meal with a smile and a joke. Likewise, the valet parking and bell staff were very positive and helpful, including with directions.\nWe were only here two nights, and out college-viewing most of the time, so we can't speak to all the amenities, but overall this is a well situated (for U Penn anyway), comfortable hotel with a traditional feel. The construction work underway was barely noticeable. We'd go back if U. Penn was in our future, and build our day around breakfast.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I was expecting a run down, slightly seedy hotel, much like some of the Hiltons which were recently converted to Hilton Garden Inns. I really wasn't expecting much given some of the reviews on this site but booked the hotel anyway because of its proximity to the campus. I was stunned. This was nothing like any Hilton I've ever stayed in. The Ritz-Carlton is my standard for comfort and service - this hotel was comparable.\nThe hotel is still undergoing renovations, but it's gorgeous. Our room was beautifully decorated, very Frank Lloyd Wright. The bedding is in the current style (tons of pillows, comforters, etc.) and the bed was very comfortable. The fitness room had all new equipment.\nService was also very good. Valet parking, bellmen, front desk staff - all were excellent. \nThe location absolutely can't be matched. It's almost on the Penn campus. The college bookstore is downstairs. We didn't have to drive anywhere.\nMy only complaint was the nickel & diming on the internet charge - an additional $10.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "I stay here at least 3-5 times a year due to business travel as it's close to company headquarters. I still can't understand why it's rated 4 stars.\nRooms are nicely appointed but not in 4 star category. I'm HH Gold and yet to have ever been offered upgrade here. Front desk staff is consistently not all that friendly. Bell staff is helpful. I've called room service before and been put on hold for 10 minutes. Special requests such as french fries instead of salad are treated as if I've asked too much.\nI've paid between $199-269 a night which gives me the impression I could have better value for the money. Granted, if you are doing business at Penn it's a great location. I just don't see how it's 4-star compared to other hotels I've stayed in this past year (Royal Palms in Scottsdale, Fairmont Orchid, etc.).", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 14}]}, "1091941": {"reviews": []}, "499019": {"reviews": [{"text": "We were part of three couples who took a weekend getaway in Philadelphia. The couple who paid the most for an \"Extended Suite\" ended up in a building next to the historic mansion rather than in it and to add insult to injury, the suite was not that big (extended refers to length of stay) and was decorated in retro 50's decor. Yuck! Do the owners really think that anyone wants to come to the historic district of Philadelphia and book themselves into a historic inn so that they can stay in a 50's room? The other two couples had very nice rooms in the main house although our room faced 8th Street and twice during the middle of the night, someone pounded on the external door and woke us up. Add a continental instead of full breakfast offered at such a pricey place and I'm afraid I can't endorse The Morris House to anyone.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Beautiful restored home. Perfect place to stay to retain the historical ambience after exploring the Historical area, which is only blocks away. Pop into the library to peruse a hundred year old book, unwind with a drink in the garden, enjoy the continental breakfast, including fresh fruit, in the formal dining room. The staff was friendly, particularly for a large city. We stayed in Suite 203, consisting of a sitting room with pull-out loveseat and a seperate master bedroom with bath. At $150. per night, it was worth it. Yes, the subway occasionally shook things slightly. The city could be heard in the garden but the room was quite.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "At the risk of alerting others to a great find and ruining those things I liked about the place, I'll proceed anyway. \n This is a jewel of a place just blocks from the Liberty Bell. As its website notes, room 201 is its most requested room, and, with its high ceiling, paneled walls, four-poster bed, and views of both 8th Street and the courtyard, it's easy to understand why that's true. \n Within minutes of arriving, we decided to stay an extra night, and moved across the hall for our second night to room 202. One caveat about room 202: With a glass door (that's transparent, not translucent) separating bedroom from bathroom, this room seems suited to the individual traveler or the very close couple. Otherwise, you'll find yourself making frequent announcements of your intention to use the toilet to warn your companion. \n Quiet location. While there is a mention elsewhere of the passing subway, it seemed infrequent and only a faint rumble, almost imperceptible. There's a Starbucks a half-block away, and Reading Terminal maybe six blocks away. \n The Inn was spotless. The hardwood floors throughout the Inn were clean as a whistle. Bath towels were HUGE. I returned to the Inn one morning after a bike ride to find the staff sweeping away leaves and hosing down the courtyard that surrounds the entrance.\n The staff was extremely courteous and friendly, greeting us each time we returned to the Inn. We skipped out on the breakfast each morning. The smallish dining area makes morning chit-chat with strangers almost compulsory, so we opted for breakfast at Reading Terminal instead.\n For its charm, atmosphere, and location, this place is a bargain. Like other places we've stayed, mention the lowest online rate you find in order to get the best price.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We really enjoyed our stay here. It is very convenient to all of the Old City attractions in Philadelphia. Great restoration on the house itself--really more of a B&B. Staff does serve you breakfast as a group with other guests. The noise from the subway nearby really isn't that bad....just a little rumble. No elevator, so plan on bringing smaller bags to lug up the narrow staircases. Luxurious towels and sheets...great for the price!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "122315": {"reviews": [{"text": "We were disappointed with the Inn for several reasons. There were problems with the room itself and also how problems were handled. The room wasn't as clean as we would have liked. The shower curtain was filled with mildew, and if you are allergic to dust, this is not the place for you. My partner was up most of the night not only due to allergies kicking up, but also because there was noise on the streets until around 3 am. One night, we heard a girl screaming profanities on the street for at least an hour . Needless to say, we did not get any rest at this Inn. To top things off, the elevator broke late afternoon, and wasn't fixed until around 17 hours later (the next morning) and that left guests having to climb 7 flights down the stairs and 7 flights up to their rooms if one was on the top floor. This is totally unacceptable and unsafe practice. On check out, no-one helped us lug our bags down over 7 flights and my partner hurt their back and knees doing this. When asked for some kind of compensation for the lack of elevator services for such a long period of time, we were told \"its out of our control,\" and some of the front desk help were rude and not helpful at all. We would never stay here again and would never recommend this Inn to anyone else. It was the worst experience we ever had staying at an Inn.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "In May I stayed at the Alexander Inn for the third time. I have made two more reservations for June and July.\nThe Alexander Inn is NOT a chain hotel. In fact, it is more like a 40 room bed and breakfast. Don't get me wrong, it has everything that you might want in a hotel: A/C, private bath, free wireless internet, free computer room, fitness center and breakfast. But it does not have the inexhaustible resources (or huge staff) that you might find at a corporate hotel. It is a darling place, nicely appointed with a very friendly staff.\nOn the subject of cleanliness: generally, I have found the Alex Inn to be as clean as any other hotel. The sheets are supposed to be off-white, for God's sake.... they're not dirty sheets. And I've never once in my 3 stays (total of 15 days) had a problem with smokers.\nI have noticed cigarette burns in the carpet in one of the rooms I stayed in, but the room did not smell of smoke. I don't suppose the Inn can police their patrons if they break the rules. No smoking signs are posted EVERYWHERE and I've never experienced anything other than no smoke.\nThere is a sense in the Alexander Inn that it is a bit of a moms-and-pops operation--but this is part of its charm. Moms-and-pops doesn't mean that anything lacks in quality, it just means that it is sometimes clear that the owners are not dripping in money and so there are signs of \"economical\" rather than \"opulent\" solutions to hotel issues. But let's face it, you're paying $100/night to stay IN THE MIDDLE of everything. This is not the Ritz. More like a charming version of a Holiday Inn.\nFinally. The Alexander Inn is a gay owned and operated business. Many of the staff members are gay and many of the patrons of the hotel are gay. There are just as many families and straight couples staying the inn, but there is no mistaking that you are in the middle of the gayborhood. I wonder if some of the negative comments of the hotel have to do with people being uncomfortable with gay people rather than there actually being something wrong with the hotel. To be sure, this is not the place to stay if you are homophobic. The Inn is a perfectly comfortable place for well-adjusted people (whether straight or gay) and it is very family friendly.\nStay at the Alexander Inn if you want a comfortable and affordable place to stay in a fantastic location. Stay at the Ritz if you want luxury. Stay at the Alex Inn whether you are gay or whether you are straight. Stay away from the Alex Inn if you have a phobia for gay people or gay culture.\nMy final assessment is that the Alex Inn is a lovely place. I've recommended it to family and friends. They've stayed there and loved it, too. Even my arch-conservative relatives have gotten along just fine with the gay staff. Give it a try, you won\u2019t be disappointed.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "In reviewing the previous reviews for the Alexander Inn, I was slightly nervous about my stay. I lived in Philadelphia for 6 years and knew the location was the most ideal in the city given the central location to the waterfront, museums, arts/theatre, shopping, dining and all else that is beloved in Philly. I was aware the Inn was in the gay district and despite the fact that I am heterosexual and traveled with my fiance'....in my opinion the gay district is one of the nicest area's with the nicest people in the city.\nWe stayed for 4 nights in the largest room at the Inn. The price was great given the quality of the Inn and the service. It is difficult to find a bearable place in the city for this cost much less a treasure like the Alexander Inn. Upon arrival, we were greeted by one of the friendliest and most professional staff I have encountered in my many travels. The room was great (clean and conservative with lovely decor) and a breath taking view of the city lights at night. My fiance said it perfectly when he said \"They thought of everything\" with respect to the little details they added to make the stay so comfortable and pleasant. Some of these include a delicious and well balanced continental breakfast (cereal, fruit, yogurt, bagels, pastries, several juices and good coffee), free internet service at the guest computer area, fresh flowers, staff happy to inform you on any of the local atractions or to help you make dinner reservations or anything else you may need during your stay and my favorite -- darling business cards with my name and the contact information for the Inn should I need to be contacted by an affilate in Philadelphia. Back to the breakfast, the staff member monitoring the breakfast works hard and is on the run to ensure the breakfast bar is clean, full and the tables in the dining area attractive. I found myself marveling on several occasions at the clever and thoughtful details the Inn offers to ensure guests comfort.\nYou will do yourself a favor to make your next stay in Philly at the Alexander Inn unless you enjoy paying 2-3x the cost per room to live in a cookie cutter chain room rather than this unique boutique.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Found the Alexander Inn through TripAdvisor and was not disappointed -- the hotel was wonderful! My wife and I went to Philadelphia for a long weekend away and found the Alexander Inn to be everything we wanted -- reasonably priced, nicely appointed and decorated, and within walking distance of everything we wanted to see. It was a terrific weekend, and if we ever return to Philadelphia, we'll return to the Alexander Inn without hesitation.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I was very pleased to find this classic jewel at such a reasonable rate. I was not sure where I wanted to stay, but knew I didn't want a room where the rate could double each day for the three days I would be there. I found the Alexander Inn to be the only hotel in Philly with fixed low rate all year. The hotel has a friendly staff, clean decorated rooms, lots of free extras, including room safes, free e-mail, a comp breakfast buffet,24 hour comp snacks and lots more. I wish we had such a hotel in my own city with rates as low as $99.00 single. A best Buy for any traveler.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We stayed at the Alexander Inn in early February as a result of the wonderful reviews we read on Tripadvisor. We were not disappointed.\nAlexander Inn is a quaint, artsy hotel perfectly located in Center City, Philadelphia. It is in walking distance from the Art & Historical Districts and close to the Broad Street subway line.\nThe staff is extremely helpful and friendly. We were attending a Flyers game at the Wachovia center and asked for advice about the best way to get there. Not only did the concierge draw us a detailed map, but later tracked us down in a friend's hotel room to clarify some information.\nOne of the best perks of this wonderful hotel is the complimentary breakfast they serve guests each morning. The dining room is vivid and colorful and the spread is great. They serve bagels, danishes, toast, cereals, yogurts, fruits and all sorts of condiments (jellies, cream cheese, butter etc). The buffet also boasts OJ, milk, coffee, water - its a perfect start to the day.\nThe one con to the entire experience is that the rooms are pretty damn small. However, if you don't plan on spending your time in the room, this shouldn't be a problem.\nWe loved Alexander Inn (so did our friends who booked there on our suggestion too)! There is no doubt in my mind we will stay there next time we are in Philly.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Ohhh yes! If you are one of the last remaining members of the famed Wizard of Oz \"Lollypop Guild\" (or the \"Lullabye Lees\" for that matter) the Alexander Inn IS FOR YOU! \n\"But why?\" you may ask in your funny little voice. Well if you are a member of the venerated Munchkin Land troupe you are no doubt short and because of your considerable age probably hard of hearing. \nNow, the twin beds MUCH too small for this ginormous 5'5'' AMAZON will be perfect for you little people. My feet hung way off the end and that's with my head butted right up against the lovely vynil padded headboard. (Foolish me for assuming The Alexander Inn would provide a bed that would actually FIT their guests.) \nBecause of your age-related hearing issues the PAPER THIN WALLS at the Alexander Inn where you can hear every conversation, every door opening and closing, every television,every everything will not affect your sleep. It's gonna be a great place for you guys. I was thinking of you ALL NIGHT LONG!\nNow, when you arrive at the Inn, be sure you brought along a flying monkey or two, because NO ONE HELPS YOU WITH YOUR BAGS. You are offered a DOLLY - not even a proper bellhop cart - a DOLLY, to haul your luggage up one, two, three, four stairs and through two doorways to get into the lobby. Two desk staff watched us struggle and strain with our luggage without once offering to help. If they only had a brain. \nOh and one more thing, bring along that big bucket of water that Dorothy had at the ready 'cause you're gonna need it for the bathrooms. That's right, DIRTY! And dirty the NEXT DAY TOO. My little prettys, it wasn't so pretty to see the previous Scarecrow's straw still in the tub when we arrived.\nNeedless to say, there's no place like home.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Love the Alexander for many things: gorgeous old building, reasonably priced, great location close to beatiful neighborhoods and restaurants, nicely done rooms, and a more than adequate breakfast is included. My only complaint is the hardness of the beds. My husband and I love to stay there but after numerous stays this winter, we are really having a problem with the hard beds. The Alexander would become our home away from home in the city if they would just put a softer and more plush pad under the sheet Sounds like a small thing but after all, sleeping is a key factor in our stays.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Just got back from a great weekend in Philadelphia thanks to a charming little hotel on 12th street.The Alexander Inn is a amall, reasonably priced botique hotel. Rooms vary in size,with even the smallest nicely decorated. The staff could not have been more helpful. They made great recommendations about restaurants and were knowledgeable about cultural events around the city .This is a staff that really knows how to make their guests feel welcome.I'm looking forward to my next visit to Philly and my next stay at the Alexander Inn.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My bf and I stayed here for one night but would definitely come back to this inn whenever we return. If you love to stay in cozy and unique hotels rather than a large chain hotel; this is the place for you. I found everyone to be extremely helpful in answering our questions and welcoming us to the inn. We stayed in one of their larger king rooms and this was lovely. Our room had bay windows and a very comfortable bed. We loved the fact that we could open windows in the bedroom as well as the bathroom in order to enjoy the cool evening. The soap supplied by the inn smells wonderful! Breakfast is nice too and is served in a small room with cozy tables and sofas. The decor is wonderful and I loved the inn's ambiance. I highly recommend a stay here! Parking was off site and just meant we enjoyed a nice one block walk to the garage in the morning.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Way, way better than a chain hotel. Nice rooms (if cozy), nice bed, nice decor, the comp. breakfast is as good as others (excepting the embassy suites breakfast). Good location, friendly and competent staff. The parking was indeed a bit of a hassle but not excessively so. Overall, very very good and we would definitely stay there again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Good location except parking is off site - down the block. Room was OK but very small, asked for non-smoking was given what appeared to be asmoking room from the smell but nothing said at the desk. Too late for me to look elesewhere. Staff was very unfriendly, not helpful and almost to the point of rude - they sould not be iin front line postions. Breakfast was very good.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We came to Philadelphia for a conference in March this year. I chose the hotel on the web, then several of my colleagues decided what was good for me was good for them and also booked -- so I was relieved that the hotel met my expectations! A good location, very welcoming and helpful staff, comfortable rooms, and tasteful design -- far better than the anonymous 1000+ room hotels! And an excellent breakfast (regularly replenished) which set us off to a good start every day. I'll be back!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I reviewed many hotels in the Phildelphia area before I chose the Alexander Inn and I am very, very pleased with my final decision. I arrived at the hotel on July 27th and stayed for two nights (I tried to add another night but waited too late, but they did try to accomodate me). From the moment I stepped through the doors I was impressed with both the historic charm and art deco decor of the hotel. I was greeted warmly by the front desk and they even took the time to showcase dining and entertainment options of interest to me. They are also very careful to inquire as to where your interest may lay so as not to insult the wrong person. Extremely professional and courteous. For me they pointed out some of finer gay bars and restaurants in the neighborhood.\nI have stayed in may 4 & 5 star hotels and the Alexander ranks among the finest. The hotel is very well kept and my room was great with a lot of room, especially for one person, a large bay window, comfortable bed and linens, and a very well laid out bathroom that contained all the amenities one would want or need.\nThe most important thing when visiting an area is to find the right location, and the Alexander offers it. Any visitor to the city can easily reach the historic, arts, and shopping areas with extreme ease. Another important thing to note is the staffs discretion and the feeling of safety both in the hotel and the surrrounding area. The only service I did not use was the parking; you really don't need a car when staying in center city Philadelphia. I plan on returning to Philly soon and the Alenxander is the place I plan on staying at, without a doubt.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "The Alexander Inn, located nearby to Philadelphia's antique district, is a century old treasure in itself, yet astoundingly, the only hotel I could find less expensive in downtown Philly was Travel Lodge. Recently modernized and remodeled in art deco motif, the hotel's original tiled floors, wood paneling, and leaded glass windows have been maintained to create a charming residence that makes you feel like you are living in old town Philly. The original artwork throughout the hotel is a mix of modern and contemporary. The rooms are small, but efficient, cleverly designed with art deco furnishings and put together in a way that makes you feel you are at home not in a hotel. Even the sheets are beige and most rooms have bay windows! (Our window had wide wooden venetian blinds - how cool is that!). Most importantly, the place is immaculate and there is no stale institutional odor emanating from the bed spreads, carpets and curtains. The staff is very friendly and helpful. When I checked in, I was given my own packet of personalized \"in residence\" cards with my name and the hotel's address and telephone number. They made a set of cards for my 85 mom too (she's the lady in the pictures).\nThe continental breakfast is served in a lovely sitting room. Breakfast is a choice of cold cereals, yogurt, coffee, juices, teas, pastry, bagels, waffles, breads and spreads. We dined comfortably seated on cozy sofas and chairs surrounded by vases of fresh flowers, paintings and leaded glass windows which made us feel like we had traveled back in time to a more civil and gentle era. The fruit and pastry is out all day, but, after breakfast hours no beverages are served.\nIt's about 3/4 of a mile walk from the Alexander Inn to the historic sites in Old City, but there are many means of transportation to get there and tourist buses available that will take you wherever you wish to go. The staff will have suggestions to help you with your touring plans.\nDown in the basement is a cute work out room (small but with great equipment), a computer alcove where guests have access to two computers with free internet service, and there are vending machines for snacks, drinks and necessities. If you have a car, the hotel will make arrangements for you to park in a nearby lot for a nominal daily fee. Ice is available on the lobby level. Presently, only larger rooms have refrigerators, but the hotel is upgrading the other rooms as well. Some rooms have showers and tubs (albeit small) and some rooms have showers only. The bathrooms are tiled and very modern. \nIf I had my wish the continental breakfast would include protein such as hard boiled eggs and/or hard cheeses. Presently it is all carbs.\nNote, if you are considering the Alexander Inn you should be aware that this is a gay friendly hotel which means some of the staff could be homosexual and the hotel, although centrally located, is on the outskirts of a \"gay\" neighborhood. The clientele appeared to me to be diverse and there were several families with children. \nI would definately stay at this hotel again and highly recommend it to my family and friends.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 30}, {"text": "My daughter and I stayed here before and after the Live 8 concert (not the reason we were in Philly) and we were very pleased with the location of the hotel and the over-all feel of the place. Small boutique with personality. Our room was on the second floor and easily reached by the stairs. We opted for a room with two twin beds and didn't feel like it was too small as some people have mentioned. The bathroom was small but who cares? How much time do you spend in a hotel bathroom anyway? Everything we needed was there -- nearby restaurants, a grocery store down the block, breakfast in the a.m. (cereal, pastries nothing to Wow about but I'd rather save the calories for lunch and dinner anyway), Internet access, fitness center (but we walked more than 10 miles most days so didn't care about that). If my daughter wasn't planning on moving to Philly, I'd stay here again in a mintue but instead, for the near future, I'll be mooching off her for a change! \nRecommend this hotel highly. Better than a mega-hotel any day.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I found this place at the last minute, as my computer died and I was limited to using a map of Philadelphia I'd had and choosing from some places that were listed on it. I walked around a bit and eventually found it, asked if they had any rooms available. I was searching out of desperation for somewhere to stay so it didn't matter much, as long as it was clean. The man at the desk was friendly but warned me, \"The room is small.\" Hearing this I wasn't expecting much, but it was only $100 which is less than other places and I needed to find a room soon so I said, \"That's fine,\" and walked to my room. However, when I opened the door, I was pleasantly surprised! The room was not as small as he made it sound, it was nice and compact and clean.. I opened the door to the bathroom which was very nice, soap and everything was provided (which smelled really good too, btw!). It was very clean, and when I was looking up from the bed I noticed there was a tv! For some reason I didn't expect there to be much of anything, including a tv, but there was one, with more channels than the tv in the NYC hotel I just spent $140 on. Maybe I'm overrating this place but comparing to what I expected it was great, I really can't complain.. decent price, close to everything, friendly staff, clean, oh yeah, and free internet use inside the gym! I highly recommend staying here.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Enjoyed our 2 night weekend stay at Alexander Inn. The Inn is in a good location for exploring Philadelphia on foot. The front desk staff was very helpful, the room was clean and the bed though firm was comfortable, resulting in a good nights sleep. Our room had a nice sitting area with two easy chairs. The bathroom was small but functional. We were on the 2nd floor in the front of the building and did not encounter any significant noise problem from the street or from within the hotel. The breakfast room -Parlor next to the lobby - has good lighting and some easy chairs. It is a good place to meet with friends, read books or newspapers or enjoy a conversation in the evening. Had a great dinner at Valanni Restaurant around the corner on Spruce St.\nThe continental breakfast included in the rate is OK if you like sugar for breakfast. They provided an assortment of warehouse club type pastries, sugar coated cereal and a choice of bagels or reg english muffin along with apples, banannas, and the usual beverages . People looking for fiber and whole grain choices will be disappointed. The server kept the food and beverages well stocked and did a nice job of cleaning up the dirty dishes.\nThe Inn has an arrangement with an automated parking garage (no attendants - pay at machines) about 2 blocks away. As indicated in other reviews, the rate is $10 max per 24 hour period as compared to the $18 regular rate with no in-out privileges. If requested by the guest, the Inn puts $10 per night for parking on the hotel bill and provides one discount ticket per night to insert in the payment machine to exit the garage. There is no attendant at the exits. Note that the first floor payment machines will not accept more than one discount ticket at a time so if you pay for more than one night, when exiting you will pay the full $18 in addition to the $10 you paid the hotel for the second night. If you exit the garage daily you should have no problem. If you are paying for more than one 24hr period, to get the discounted rate, do not use the first floor payment machines. Locate the security guard who may not be in the security office on the second floor of the garage as was the case when we were ready to leave. A passerby in the garage provided the solution, call the guard using the help button on one of the exit machines at the exit gate near the security office. The guard promptly came and used a computer in the security office to give us the discount. An inconvenience, but it did work.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "The Alexander Inn was a pleasant surprise. I had actually booked it as a last resort because my first choice hotel was booked solid. The room was adorable and clean. The art deco decor and original artwork (all by original Philadelphia artists) made for a charming ambiance. The attention paid to service was above average. A continental breakfast buffet hit the spot with fresh pastries, bagels, fruit, yogurt, etc. All in all a lovely place to stay.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "This is one of the best places to stay in Philadelphia for the value. The rooms are clean although small. The staff is extremely friendly and helpful. There are many choices for breakfast and the room is large enough to fit many people.\nThe Inn is located next to many nice restaurants and is close to the Forrest Theater. Be prepared to pay street parking (if you can find it) or garage parking which is a flat $10 per day with no re-entry. If you leave after 1 hour or 24 hours, it's $10.\nI would warn anyone who needs to spend alot of time in the room that it can get a bit tight. The breakfast area is open all the time, and provides a nice sitting area with tables if you do need to be there for any length of time.\nThere is a gym available and the computer with internet connection is in the same room.\nAll in all, I agree with the other reviews in recommending it to anyone visiting Philadelphia.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I stayed here several times last fall when I was commuting to Philly for business. The location is great, a quick and pleasant walk from downtown--under 15 minutes, even at a leisurely pace. The first time, my room was on a low floor by the stairs--well, I'm a light sleeper to begin with, and it was definitely not the quietest room in the house. But they were quick to note that in my file and made sure I got I got a room both on a high floor and away from the stairs on subsequent visits.\nThe inn is extremely clean and comfortable; my rooms, though small, were far from claustrophobic and easily accommodated both me and my husband when he came down to join me.\nThe staff is superb. Friendly, accommodating--no request was too large (or small) and they really looked out for me. Their rates can't be beat, either.\nThose who give the Alexander Inn a bad review because of its location (in a gay-friendly neighborhood) don't deserve to stay here. There were plenty of business travelers and tourists of all stripes during my stays; one would have to be pretty narrow-minded to even notice the orientation of the other guests. The Alexander Inn is like a breath of fresh air; a veritable welcome mat in Philly. \nThough my business in Philly has long since been completed, I will definitely go back to the Alexander Inn!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "So many disheartening problems with this hotel that I'll just list them:\n1. Our reservation for a queen-bedded room @ $109./night turned out to be a room without a bath - just a shower. Hotel now wanted $139. for a room with a bathtub. Only king-bedded rooms have bathtubs but hotel does not tell you this unless you ask. It was hard work on our part to convince the hotel to give us a \"bathtubbed room\" for the advertised price of $109. Finally, they gave it to us @ $109. but only for one night of the four nights we'd booked. This king-bedded room was very pretty but its bathtub was a half-bathtub (a.k.a. 'hip bath'). You can only sit upright in it, knees in the air, but you cannot stretch out.\n2. On day #2, @$139., we came back at the end of the day to a completely unmade room. The desk guy belligerently barked at me, \"I DON\"T make beds!\" twice, and then \"I don't know HOW to make beds!\" and \"What do you EXPECT me to do?!\" when I told him the problem. We despaired and asked for clean towels. He didn't want to take away the dirty ones and sighed at this. He stomped and pouted in time while emptying the bins. The next morning he told me I was very rude for TELLING him after the housekeeping staff had gone, that we expected our room to be cleaned. Neither he or the management ever said 'Sorry\".\n3. On day #3, we still hadn't been given a single bar of soap. Today there was no Kleenex or toilet paper. We had to go get it ourselves.\n4. On day #4, we arrived back at night to discover the toilet had not been cleaned. And it nearly overflowed when we flushed it. I called the desk about this immediately. Back came the emphatically pained response of \"Oh nooooo\". No 'thank you' whatsoever.\nThe beds are comfortable, the elevator rickety and its whirring sounds audible in nearby rooms. The rooms are peaceful-looking. The decor is more late 40's suburban than art deco; the lobby is more authentic. If it weren't for employees who delight in offering non-service, and housekeeping staff who don't care about their jobs, the place would have been kinda pleasant. The only Philadelphians who weren't nice seemed to all have jobs at this hotel!\nOn check-out, the manager gave us one free night in compensation for poor service. But I'm still wondering, \"Why does this hotel in Philadelphia cost $15./night more than our room in a 17th. century townhouse in the Marais in Paris with a balcony, authentic furnishings, French-milled soaps, chandelier, and impeccable service, even free umbrellas for sudden rainfall?\" Next time in Philly, I will curb my expectation of style, my penchant for independent hotels. I'll book the Holiday Express on Walnut Street instead.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "To say that the Alexander Inn lacks customer service is an understatement.\nI had reserved a room for a friend from out of town to stay at the Inn. Upon my reserving the room I inquired about the adjacent private breakfast area since my guest was coming into town as part of a birthday celebration for his cousin. On thier website the Alexander Inn boasts that the complimentary breakfast room is also available for all guests to use with prior arrangement. \"Available for small gatherings by our guests, with prior arrangement, it can accommodate 25 to 35 people with privacy,\" says thier website.\nThe front desk person booked the room for me and said the room is no problem. \nI was surprised and willing to offer a fee for the room but again I was told \"no problem\".\nSince this establishment is in my neighborhood I was both eager and joyful that I could find such a perfect setting for an after dinner gathering, plus I knew more guests would arrive and I recommended they book the Alexander Inn. My guests we were to have dinner then about 15 people would come over to the Alexander Inn to toast the guest of honor for his birthday, have some cake, then disperse. \nI had often passed the Inn on my way through town and decided to venture into the establishment last Saturday with a friend. We walked through the small lobby area and then into the breakfast room. As we were speaking about the room an older man dressed in work clothes asked abrubtly why we were in this room. I told him I had booked a friend and we were going to have an after dinner gathering with cake for about an hour in the private room. He snapped back \" this is MY HOTEL\" and I do not approve of such a thing\". Then he began to chastise us saying \" are you going to have booze?\", why don't you take this to the Doubletree? \". I was absolutely appalled! He was so rude! He treated us like we were some college kids planning a keg party! I spoke with the General Manager later in the day and told him of this rude man, still in disbelief that he was the owner. I found out that indeed he was, \nhis name is Mel. I was told by the GM that I would hear back from the Alexander Inn in several days regarding this dilemna but I never received a call from anyone. I cancelled my reservation today!\n Mel you're not the only game in town. I booked a lovely suite up the street from you and the owner was more than cordial and generous. You lost my business and also the potential for more. What a dissapointment you are.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 19}]}, "122020": {"reviews": [{"text": "We woke up with bites all over our bodies. The manager denied there was a problem, but after he processed a refund for the remaining nights we had prepaid, I went back up to the room and saw that they had stripped the sheets off the bed, the room smelled of pesticide, and there were two cans of bedbug spray on the floor. At that point it dawned on me that we had bedbug bites and that the hotel knew the room had bedbugs. We lost a good part of a day finding a same day reservation on the Saturday of the US Open and moving to our new hotel. After seeing a complaint on bedbugregistry.com for the room next to ours, I returned a couple days later and spoke to the owner, who had been on vacation. He refunded our money for our stay but did not take responsibility and denied that he knew of the previous complaint, even though the person who made it said they had spoken to the manager. \nBedbugs aside, this is the first time tripadvisor led me astray. I can\u2019t understand the rave reviews. This hotel is one step away from a dump. The room was simply depressing. It was so small we had to climb over the bed to get to the window, which did not open. The bed was so short that our feet were hanging off the end and touching the wall. The sheets had stains on them, the mattress sagged, and the carpet and the furniture were old. The movie posters were yellowed and the walls were badly in need of paint. We asked them to replace a burned out bulb but they didn\u2019t. They did replace the broken ironing board. The bathroom, which is a cave-like low-ceilinged room built into the room, was remodeled, but the shower floor was stained because it is not being properly cleaned and the toilet clogged up easily. The room was on the fourth floor, there is no elevator, and the stairs are steep. They make you prepay your entire stay as soon as you arrive. The staff was indifferent. The 14th Street location is a busy thoroughfare. You can do a lot better for the money, as we ultimately did .", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Oh dear, it pains me to write this because the owner is such a lovely guy. But matching your glasses to each of your outfits can only get you so far. This place is a dive. We nearly turned on our heels and risked the streets but it was late and we were jetlagged. They moved us from next to the kitchen (we'd asked for a quiet room) to the top at our request, and then again to a half-decent room so thanks for that. And most of the staff were nice enough and the dedication of each room to a star(let) was cute in a camp kind of way. But the bedlinen looks like it was bought in a yard sale, the carpet hasn't been changed for at least twenty years and everything is tired and dark. Spend some money on this folks and you'll reap the rewards. Until they've done that I'd recommend elsewhere. Sorry Larry. great location!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I was planning a stay in New York with my wife and newborn baby. I read the wonderful reviews at the reasonably prices hotel. However, when I called I was told the hotel \"was not suitable\" for children or infants under 16 years old. I did not quite understand so I asked and was told that the \"hallways were not very wide, the bathrooms were small, and the building did not have an elevator.\" WOW, I did not know that newborns needed these amenities. ONLY IN NYC!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "This hotel was great.\nMy friend and I wanted a place that was clean, tidy and 'worked' so we could to sleep, wash and get changed. This place fitted the bill perfectly.\nBecause it is a relatively small hotel there is greater attention to detail than in the bigger super hotels, therefore if you have a problem or query you are dealt with sincerely.\nThe staff were friendly, the rooms clean, stairwells tidy and it had a nice atmosphere. The themed rooms (female Hollywood gay icons?) were a great touch, and not imposing. They really gave the place some charachter.\nI think it had just been refurbished (apr/May '07) and therefore looked nice and tidy. \nGreat transport links (14th Street Subway is 50m from the door), enable you to get anywhere quickly. The trendy areas (Chelsea, East Village, Soho, Grenwich) are all within 10 or 15 mins walk.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "A crime that anyone can charge money to stay in this place! I've traveled all over the world, and this is the filthiest place I've ever stayed in. Radiators coated with 1/4 inch of dust, dirty sheets, someone else's clothes in the room when I checked in -- you get the picture. Looks like they haven't employed a handyman in three decades. Staff at reception desk smoked and were generally unhelpful. Do yourself a favor and avoid this flea bag.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I was In New York last week with a Friend, We Booked in to the Chelsea Pines Inn And All I can say is what a dump! the room That we were given was well lets say not the best. We had to share the toilet with the other floors, not good at all, and to top it all Me and My Friend had to share a Bed After we booked a twin 3 weeks before this, all I can say is if your going to book the Chelsea Pines Inn just to you let you know its a bad B&B", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 14}]}, "96735": {"reviews": [{"text": "I was accompanying the author Angela Nissel on her book tour and we stayed in many excellent hotels in several cities, but The Rittenhouse outperformed all of the other hotels on every level. The room was huge and everything was clean and comfortable. My room had two padded *rocking* Lay-z-boy type chairs, two desks, and one of the most comfortable beds I have ever slept in. The bathroom had a shower as well as a tub - there was also a vanity area outside of the bathroom. The shampoo and soap were all Aveda products. Small things that mae a big difference like a TV and heat lamp in the bathroom, an ethernet cord that stretched beyond the desk. Ordered room service 5x - each time it came within 20 minutes. Valet service was prompt as well. If you don't have a car, they provide towncar service within Center City. The windows were large, giving you a great view of Rittenhouse Square. \nConvenient to everything, within walking distance of the best shops, restaurants and City Hall. The \"do not disturb\" sign was always honored - no annoying \"housekeeping!\" knocks even if you left the sign on for the entire day. The staff was helpful, but not smothering. About an hour after checkin, a free plate of chocolates and spring water with an edible personalized greeting was delivered to the everyone's suite (see photo). \nChatted with several employees and they all were helpful and courteous - not a bad apple in the bunch. If more hotels were like the Rittenhouse, being on the road would be a breeze. It's nice to know some places still believe in customer service.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "we've been to many fine hotels in Phillly. (4 seasons, park hyatt, omni). this has the best location to walnut st./chesnut st. shopping /dining. all 5 min away. great views of rittenhouse square. rooms larger than 4 seasons. luxurious ameneties. lacroix rest. fine service. excellent prix fix menu with large portions/included dessert. service was very personal. will definitely stay here again. very comparitable to 4 seasons. 4 seasons/logan square is in closer to proximity to museums than the rittenhouse. 1st time reservations recieve $5o credit towards room or meals.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed in their standard room over the Thanksgiving weekend. The room was very spacious for a standard room. The room had a hallway that lead to a roomy marble bathroom, a vanity area, then a junior suite set up (king bed, couch, coffee table, tv armoir). Our room faced the park which gave the hotel a nice residential feel.\nThe location is what attracted us to this hotel. We were able to walk a few blocks to Philly's \"Splash\" Trolley. For a dollar, this trolley ran every 15 minutes and took you to all the city's highlights (musuems, terminal market, liberty bell, seaport). We also were able to walk to the symphony one night (about 8 city blocks). \nWe skipped La Croix and opted for Smith & Wollensky for dinner, which is also in the hotel. The food and the service was exceptional. The hotel also has a spa and an indoor pool which we did not get a chance to experience. The concierge was helpful in getting us a rental car, otherwise there was not much contact with hotel staff.\nAll in all, it was a pleasant couple days, no complaints, and would definitely return.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husband and I just returned from a President's Day weekend at The Rittenhouse; a much needed two day break from our kids.\nThe upgraded (as a first time customer) King room was spacious, but as a review below commented, absolutely too cold. With both heaters on full blast it only became comfortable upon check-out. It was a freezing weekend, but that is no excuse.\nThe room was fine in every way, decor-wise, color scheme wise, square footage-wise, but something was \"off\" or not pleasing. My husband thought it was a Feng Shui thing. The rooms have a very peculiar shape which enables every room to achieve a \"corner view\", but is somehow displeasing. Our large room was \"Y\" shaped, if you can imagine.\nThe service was friendly and everyone was trying, but was somewhat amateurish. Housemade chocolates, cookies, and champagne are available upon weekend check-in, but they don't let you know! You have to awkwardly stumble upon it.\nThe spa was fine.\nWhat was really an unexpected knockout was the Sunday Brunch. Wow! For $50 one can have unlimited caviar (4 types), plump, fresh and well shucked oysters, wild boar, duck, fabulous Beef Wellington, and 100 other dishes. We were blown away! The service was professional and extremely friendly, the room is lovely, and the dishes are beautifully presented and very well prepared.\nWe have eaten (well) throughout the world and have never experienced such an elaborate and fantastic brunch as this one. And the desserts! Imagine being able to sample dozens of tiny desserts, with a chocolate fountain awaiting you in the kitchen, where you are welcomed by the chefs... The brunch in and of itself is worth a visit to the Rittenhouse!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "The Rittenhouse exudes of the things that could make an incredible 50th birthday weekend for my wife. The Lacroix Restaurant [on-site] was exquisite. Their spa was an oasis. Roses,& chocolates [handmade onsite], worthy of a review of their own. \nWhy complain? the suites are overused [read tired] and overpriced. My room [920] $535 was used by a smoker and smelled like a cigar parlor. The window was stuck shut. Handles were broken The marble tub is so small my 120 lb. wife couldn't fully immerse. They offered to spray the room. When I requested the suite [1310] we used 2 years ago,I was told there would be a charge of $500 more than I paid then, or move to a similar style suite. Suite 520 offered a colder experience than my wife could handle with out a coat. The leaky windows had shutters to stem the cold, they were just laying against the windows. The heat turned up full couldn't keep up. My wife couldn't wait to get out of either of the rooms. The Front Desk cared less for our needs than their bottom line and were not bashfull to state it, however professionally it was delivered. DRM 12/10-12/12/05", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "My husband and I were married here last September and returned this Labor Day weekend for a weekend/anniversary getaway. We had stayed at the Rittenhouse before and had always been pleased by the wonderfully comfortable and large rooms, beautiful public spaces, great restaurants and spa. However, this time around, we were even more pleased by the upgrading that it is apparent the hotel has done with regard to service. Everyone was more than helpful. No detail was missed. We had an expensive park view suite that was worth every penny. The first night, the hotel manager called to see if we needed anything and sent up a complementary fruit plate. At night we would have our Do Not Disturb sign on the door and housekeeping would slide a card under telling us they were ready to turn down the room whenever we were. Turndown was great with chocolates, breakfast menu, classical music playing on the radio, warm robes displayed on the bed and many other nice touches.\nRoom service, which we ordered at least 5 times, was absolutely flawless. Easy ordering, quick delivery, great set up and perfect every time. There are few hotels that I can say this about. Likewise the concierge and valet were more than accomodating. House keeping was also impeccable.\nWe also happened to have absolutely perfect weather for the weekend, 80-85 and sunny everyday which made the stay even more enjoyable. We greatly enjoyed venturing out into Rittenhouse Square in the morning to read the paper and watch city life go by. Many high end cafes, restaurants, bars and shops surrounding the square make it simple to find as much or as little entertainment as you want.\nI will say that our bill at the end of the weekend was pretty steep, but then again, we weren't going for a budget weekend. We wanted to pamper ourselves and that's exactly what we did. \nTry the Rittenhouse the next you're in town. I guarantee you'll be pleased.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "As a tough as nails travel writer, it's rare that I don't have a complaint about a hotel, even some of the 'best' in the world, but the Rittenhouse was a faultless stay.\nI was very impressed by the friendly staff, size of the room, turndown service and its proximity to shops, restaurants and attractions. I was also thrilled at the quality of the spa and salon. I had the best haircut and facial since moving to the US a year ago. Bravo Rittenhouse, I'll be back for more.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My wife and I just stayed at the Rittenhouse for our anniversary. We are residents of Philadelphia which has some very nice hotels, indeed. The Rittenhouse probably used to be one of them. If it was, it no longer is. Although LaCroix is certainly among the best restaurants in the country (let alone Philadelphia), the hotel itself is tired, outdated, and shockingly overpriced. The now-faded deep blue of the in-room carpeting and upholstery and the gold foil lining of the lampshades scream late-1980s. For $200 or even $250 (given the unbeatable view of Rittenhouse Square) I probably wouldn't quibble, but for $340 it borders on an outrage. Try the Sofitel, the Rittenhouse B&B (where we stayed on our wedding night), and of course the Four Seasons. There were other problems as well, notably the failure to honor both a promotional rate and the \"free room upgrade for first time guests\" promotion, both of which we obtained by reserving directly on the Rittennouse's web site and which appeared, in writing, on the e-mail confirmation of our reservation. I was not going to do battle over these things, but they color my impression of the Rittenhouse so I mention them. Dirty silverware at our in-room breakfast the following morning capped the experience.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 20}]}, "226730": {"reviews": [{"text": "We stayed at the B&B for Thanksgiving weekend. The location is a block from Rittenhouse... so close but not actually on the Square. There are no good views from the B&B.\nThe place is extremely expensive. For your money, you get a perfectly clean room with no special character. Service was excellent. Other guests made use of the staff as a concierge service and they were more than accomodating. We didn't need much help and didn't benefit from the level of service.\nWine in the evenings consisted of a bottle of Yellow Tail Chardonnay with a bowl of munchies. It wasn't even anything special... just the sort of wine you'd get at a grocery store. The ambience of the lobby where the wine hour is located is not conducive to relaxation or enjoyment of wine.\nBreakfast was by far the most dissappointing of the three B&B's we've been to. It consisted of very good croissants, mediocre cheese, good jams, mediocre fruit salad, cereal. No homemade granola, no special breakfast creations, no waffles, no homemade sausage. Not the place for someone who enjoys a good breakfast. \nWould never stay there again for that price.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Anytime I use hotels--- for a room at the last minute I never expect to get much for my money. Boy was I wrong this time. My fiance and I were going to see the Salvador Dali art exhibit at the Museum of Art in Philly one recent Friday. We didn't really want to drive down from Manhattan on Friday morning because we had 11am tickets and well, we're just not morning people. We kept looking for a good deal but weren't finding any in the days leading up to the trip. But that changed the Tuesday before the planned trip when we went to hotels---- and saw a deal for the Rittenhouse B&B for about $149/night. Still a little pricey for basically a place to sleep for the night, it was less than any other hotel offers we saw. And given its #1 rating on TripAdvisor, we were pretty psyched. So we hopped an Amtrak train for $50 a person and got down there at about midnight. We were greeted by an extremely pleasant young kid who walked us to our room, carried up our bags and saw that we had everything we needed. The room and the building itself was absolutely adorable. I felt like I was staying in someone's home. And yes, I know that's the point of a B&B. But I'm not a B&B guy and was so happy to find that it was run much more like a hotel than an actual B&B where you have to mingle with other guests and chat with the old couple who runs the place. My fiance and I snuggled into bed in a beautifully appointed room and were not bothered the entire time we were there. The only two things keeping me from giving it a 5-star review was that there was no individual temperature control for the room, which was warmer than I would have liked even with the window open; also, the bed was as hard as a rock, which made it a little uncomfortable for sleeping. But those are complaints that are very personal in nature, so don't hold them against the Rittenhouse unless you have the same quirks I do. The next morning it was pouring and the Rittenhouse saw that we were equipped with umbrellas for the day, and held on to our bags so we didn't have to carry them around. All in all, it was a great experience and I would certainly go back if the price was comparable to other properties in the area. (And no, we didn't get up in time for the breakfast so you'll have to trust the other reviewers for that!)", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "A colleague and I booked rooms for two nights last week at the Rittenhouse 1715 (formerly Rittenhouse B&B), and confirmed the reservation after we made it, and had it e-mailed to us to be certain. When we arrived at the hotel, we were informed that only one room had been held - despite the fact that in the hotel's computer, the reservation was clearly for two rooms. Of course, the hotel was fully booked, so I had nowhere to stay.\nUnfortunately, it was pouring rain, the hotel's internet connection was down, and there was some sort of big convention in town - and it took the hotel's staff a half-hour to find alternative accomodations. The hotel's GM was not present at this time but was consulted via the phone, and was responsible for eventually securing a room for me at the Korman Suites, a nearby extended-stay business hotel. I was informed that the price was higher than the rate I had at the Rittenhouse, but that they would make up the difference.\nI offered to walk to the Korman but the hotel's staff insisted on taking me in a taxi - unfortunately, the traffic was miserable and they had the address wrong. We spent about fifteen minutes getting to where they thought it was, at which point we got out of the cab into the pouring rain and wandered aimlessly up Locust St., and then stood on a street corner in the rain while the hotel staff member called the hotel (on my cellphone) to try and figure out where the hotel was. She had gotten the address wrong - I had asked multiple times if she was sure she had it right - and we eventually got to the proper location, about 90 minutes after I had originally arrived at the Rittenhouse, with my luggage quite wet.\n(The room I eventually stayed in at the Korman Suites was so-so at best - a full one bedroom apartment with a kitchen, which would have been nice if I were staying for two weeks but was pointless for a 36 hour stay. It also lacked the two things I really would want for such a short stay - a really good bed, and a nice bathroom.)\nNow, to be fair, the Rittenhouse's staff did try very hard, once they realized that I was stuck there with nowhere to stay, to find me a place. At some point the GM was consulted and she pulled some strings to call and find me a room. The insistence that they escort me in a taxi, while ultimately resulting in us wandering up and down the street in the rain, was done out of concern.\nOn the other hand - it was extremely poorly executed and resulted in my staying in a not-so-great place while in Philadelphia. The General Manager never spoke with me or with my colleague (who did stay at her hotel for two nights) to express any regret for what had happened. The offer to cover the difference between the room I stayed in and the one I booked at the Rittenhouse, while marginally polite, was hardly a grand gesture - after all, I had a confirmed reservation at their hotel, it was hardly my fault that they screwed it up and there were no comparably priced accomodations in the area.\nIn short, this was profoundly disappointing - the hotel's staff really did try hard to fix the problem, but the harder they tried, the worse they made it, and the General Manager, as far as I can tell, did the absolute minimum necessary. Given that I cannot honestly say that my experience was anything but terrible.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "224221": {"reviews": [{"text": "I travel a few times a year to NYC and have stayed at many great hotels. I wanted to try something new and decided to try the library hotel based on the many wonderful reviews on trip advisor. I reserved a junior king suite. After a long trip I arrived with my friend only to be told our room was not available as someone decided to extend their stay. We were downgraded to a queen deluxe. $100 would be taken off my rate making the room $419. While breakfast and the wine & cheese hour were a nice touch I would have much rather stayed a the W or a Kimpton and paid for the extras to actually have the room I booked and paid for. I have never been downgraded before usually the opposite. This trip was planned well in advance and a lot of thought went into choosing our hotel. I am sad because I was hoping this was going to be my new favorite hotel to stay in NYC, it was not.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "First off I'll say that this is a nice hotel in a good location with mostly pleasant staff. However based on the rave reviews here on Trip Advisor I really expected more - something memorable and special.\nI read numerous stories here of people being upgraded randomly to nicer rooms and stories of the hotel somehow having a special dessert delivered from themselves when a couple was out at a restaurant. It sounded pretty good to me and seeing as we were staying there as part of our honeymoon (which they were aware of) I thought we might stand a chance of some special treatment? \nI was wrong. They didn't even congratulate us at all or even mention it the entire time we stayed with them!!! I was really disappointed. People wait their whole lives for the one-off experience and the perks of a honeymoon, even if just for the friendly congratulations you usually get. I have stayed in a lot of nice hotels and even in some less pricey hotels around the world and most of those hotels made some effort even if it was just one of our birthdays. At the Library Hotel our honeymoon was completely ignored. I even mentioned on the sign in form where it asks what was the purpose of your stay and the guy at the desk checking us in did not even mention it. It just seemed very cold and impersonal. I felt embarrassed that I had booked this place as I really talked the place up to my husband beforehand and yet it was nothing really special.\nI booked the hotel months in advance and had made a simple request for a quiet room on a high floor. We were just given the 4th floor (out of 14 floors) so I asked if there was any possibility to move to a higher floor. Eventually the guy at the desk said there was one other room (on the 6th floor) we could move to because the couple it was allocated for had not checked in yet and had made no special room requests. This really annoyed me as it meant that this room was available and they just chose not to give it to us even though we had made a special request months in advance. I'll note here by the way that we are a very friendly couple and are not abrasive in any way so there's no way we would have rubbed them the wrong way.\nAlso I could not believe it but no one even offered to help us with taking our luggage up to our room!!! We had just arrived off a very long flight and were wrecked but they just watched us haul everything ourselves as they chatted at the front desk!!! It was really awkward and once again I was embarrassed for booking this place. \nAnyway we ended up on the 6th floor. The room was ok but quite small. The roof garden on the 14th floor was really nice but on all 3 occasions that we tried to go up and enjoy it we could not as it was booked for private functions!!! That was disappointing also.\nAs well, we made a call to the front desk on the day we were checking out to ask to borrow a scale as we needed to weigh and balance our luggage ahead of our flight. I was surprised that they did not have one at all anywhere in the hotel.\nAnyway, that's it. I still feel let down by the experience. The hotel has its good points certainly but having a personal touch and some feeling of caring are also key and they did not have this at all. I wish I had booked somewhere else as I found better deals online at nice hotels in NYC after I booked initially but I didn't switch based on all the rave reviews. Think twice about what you're looking for before you book.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I booked this hotel based on the great reviews here at trip advisor. This would be mine and my partner's third christmas in New York. We planned to stay seven nights. After our five hour flight, we checked into the hotel (Room 1201) and wanted to take a nap before enjoying the city. The room was tiny as mentioned in previous reviews (even smaller than other places you can stay in NYC) but overall adequate. However, we found the bed to be unbearably stiff and uncomfortable. The pillows also were flimsy and not nice. We realized that we would not enjoy our trip if we had to spend so many nights on such an uncomfortable bed. I have traveled all over the world and stayed in hotels from Europe, US and Australia. This ranks as one of the worst if not worst bed I have found. We decided to go over to the W Tuscany, which was much better. King size bed, heavenly bed, 31\" LCD and room three times the size.\nThe real disappointment came when dealing with the management. I didn't feel it was fair to pay the \"early departure fee.\" I can understand if we had not shown up or left early for no reason but we immediately told the front desk we did not like the bed. Well, after calling several times, and no one calling me back, Peter the general manager finally called me. He pretty much told me that he would not remove the charge, would talk to the owner and would call me back. I'm still waiting for that phone call. This should be a warning that if you don't enjoy your stay and want to leave, you will be charged and management won't care.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I booked the Library based on the many positive TripAdvisor reviews, and stayed for 6 nights in the \u201csuite\u201d in November 2007 for our honeymoon.\nThe hotel had informed me per mail that our favoured, romantic, suite was probably occupied, but they would keep an eye open and keep me informed. At arrival, we were given another suite, and no word was said concerning my numerous requests. In our room, nothing honeymoon-like had been prepared, and I couldn\u2019t help but feel that all previous correspondence had been a total waste of time. Very \u201csure, we\u2019ll do our best\u201d but absolutely nothing done for real. Very disappointing. Remember, in total these rooms cost nearly $700 per night\u2026\nThe suite as such was what all other cities in the world would call a double. Adequate size, but nothing more. The bathroom has shower only, no proper bath, and this must be unique for any suite in the world. One basin only.\nThe bed was comfortable, however we had ripped sheets for 2 nights. Not acceptable at these prices. \nWe were on the 8th floor, but still found it too loud. The windows are not state of the art, and not sound-proof. There are no drapes/curtains to fully darken the room. Only roller blinds cover the windows, and this lets in light.\nThe reading room on the 2nd floor is nice and comfortable. Adequate newspapers and magazines, cosy atmosphere. Breakfast is ample, seating can get cramped if too many guests arrive at the same time. Cheese and wine each afternoon is a nice gesture. The quality of wine and cheese however left most European guests unimpressed, and they, like us, gave it a miss. Many reviews raved about the front desk. We hardly used it, but the front staff seemed friendly enough. If this is important to you, then definitely a plus. \nLocation was good. Close to numerous subways, walking distance from Time Square, very central. \nFurther, smaller, issues: loud a/c, no HBO. \nAll in all an OK stay. Considering the price, too many negatives if you are a seasoned traveller and experienced to 5-star prices/quality. Then again, this is New York where all hotels are overpriced considering the service they provide.\nFinally, beware the .004 rooms, as these are directly located at the elevators (3 feet opposite).", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We booked this hotel after reading the reviews on this site and people weren't wrong when they said it was fantastic. It isn't opulent luxury but it is amazingly cosy and welcoming for NY. If you know NY hotels you know nothing comes for free however, here you do get those little extras which makes all the difference. We booked here at the last minute and all that was left was a petite room. We were a bit apprehensive about this as reviews had said it was just big enough for 1 person but when we got there it was just right for the 2 of us. Admittedly it wasn't large but it was so comfortable and cosy and more importantly extremely clean. There were books in the room, bottled water, and all the other usuals plus if you fancy staying in there are DVDs to borrow and play on your DVD player. Another thing rare for NY is the fact that breakfast is served and more to the point it is actually quite good. It is served overlooking Madison Ave and you are sat in large leather chairs with a selection of papers and books should you want them.\nThe staff were very friendly and willing to help in any way they could.\nI would definitely recommend this hotel for a stay in NY - its a real find!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "the library hotel has it all\ngreat location, value for money - breakfast, 24 hour coffee and pastries, wine and cheese at 5pm - all included in the tariff , which is moderate\nrooms are comfortable and have all amenities\nstaff concerned and obliging\nroof top bar a treat\ntheme of hotel is clever and well executed - giving that special point of difference - book lovers take note\ntrip advisor member- australia", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I chose to stay at the Library on my 1st trip to New York after reading the reviews on this website as well as strong recommendations from a friend who had stayed there before. It turned out to be a great choice. Location wise it could hardly be faulted; being located so close to Central station meant that airport transfers using the New York Airport service was practically door to door. The subway station (Central station) was therefore also very close by with exellent links, with shuttle train to bring you to TIme Square. \nDo not expect a great big lobby when you get here. This is very much a boutique hotel where understated elegance and discretion set the tone. Service was excellent and more than courteous, and one would be hard pressed to find more cheerful concierges. Being on my own I asked for the Petite room and was pleased that I didn't have to wait till 3pm to check in and that my room was located on the 12th floor. OK the room was small but very well appointed. The TV was small and the channel selection could be more generous. Bottled water was complementary. Bathroom was great, modern and very clean. I was however not that impressed with the Natura bathroom toiletries.\nI loved the breakfast/wine and cheese room on level 2. It very much had the feel of an exclusive club and provided a much needed respite \"from the madding crowd\" (I would not like to stay around TIme Square). Well stocked with current newspapers, magazines and books (of course!), one could avail oneself to the ready buffet of muffins and beverages. The wine selection was OK but I was more impressed with the cheese; I liked the blue cheese (I think it was Bleu d'Auvergne) in particular. Breakfast was also pretty substantial: bagels, bread, muffins, jams, confitures, fruit, strawberries, blueberries, cereals, hot chocolate, coffee, tea (and yes they provide take away cups - so handy especially when about to go out, saves you having to go to Starbucks). I found that I was still pretty full at lunch time.\nThe bed was fabulous but I would caution that ti is very much for 1 person only. THe in-house DVD library selection was not extensive though. The other (minor) annoyance is that at the time of my stay there was some construction noise from the streets which woke me up in the wee hours of the morning, but this would probably be a temporary inconvenince.\nThere isn't an in house gym but you get free access to 2 gyms close by. There is an italian restaurant next door which I did not patronise. On a Sunday night I found that the dining options in the immediate vicinity were limited as many were shut including the italian restaurant (even the Oyster Bar at Central station!).\nAt US$335 per night I wouldn't say it was cheap but given current hotel rates in NY and the great service and what you get I think it is good value for money (comparatively speaking). Would I stay again? You bet!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "After weeks of research on this great site I booked The Library online direct with the hotel, based on the reviews read here, as part of a surprise trip for my partners' 40th. I suspect there were better deals to be had if we had booked earlier but we paid the standard online rate of $445 p/n exc. taxes for a Deluxe Room Queen Bed, so no choice of room theme. Our flight from Heathrow was delayed so we arrived at the hotel about 10pm on Saturday night. The staff at check-in were very cheery and welcoming (can't remember his name, but the chap with the red hair was great fun and very informative). Our room (I think it was 502 on the 5th floor) was on the smallish side but we were only there for the weekend (before moving onto the Four Seasons) so it suited us fine. Room and bathroom design is quite modern with browns & creams which make it feel less cluttered. The bellboy who brought our bags up also gave plenty of info (this is the closet, this is the bathroom etc!) but did then offer to go get us a glass of wine each and a bucket of ice for the complimentary bottles of water left on the dresser, which was very welcome by 10.30pm! We decided to leave our glasses of wine in our room for later and headed straight up to the 14th floor conservatory and bar. The bar is also open to the public so you are met when you exit the elevator and taken to a table. We had a look around then opted to sit outside with a couple of cocktails and take in the night views of Madison Ave & Manhattan. A wonderful intro to New York! The beds were quite comfortable so after a good sleep we rose about 6am NY time (11am for our UK body clocks!), had a shower (good constant temperature and reasonable pressure) and headed to the 2nd floor for breakfast. We had a nice table by the window where the sun was peaking through in shards through the gaps in the tower blocks (very pretty) and helped ourselves to bowls of fresh sliced fruit, bagels, pastries and tea and coffee. There are flasks of tea and coffee and also a coffee machine so you can have latte\u2019s, cappuccino\u2019s etc throughout the day. There are also boiled eggs that you just peel and eat on your plate, which was a new idea on us... \nThe front desk was very helpful providing maps and directions so we took to the streets for a Sunday of wandering and site seeing. The hotel is very well located on Madison for getting your bearings heading in one direction towards the Empire State Building and the other towards Central Park. We got back to the hotel in the evening and went back to the 2nd floor to help ourselves to cheese and wine and a flick through Time Out NY which is available on the window shelf, along with plenty of bookshelves, for you to spend a while relaxing and reading. We took our wine up to the roof bar again \u2013 the 14th floor isn\u2019t staffed on Sundays but hotel guests still have access to the areas, so you can bring your wine of coffee up there and enjoy the space. \nOn Monday morning we got to breakfast about 8am and all the tables on the 2nd floor were taken so we took our plates and coffee\u2019s up to the roof again. On that occasion it was good there was that extra space for guests as backup as there really wasn\u2019t space to eat in your room unless you wanted to sit facing the mirror on your dresser\u2026\nThere is a very calm and relaxing atmosphere at this hotel and could imagine myself staying there alone quite comfortably so could be a good option for women travelling alone. We came across a mixture of European and American guests during our stay, which included couples and singles. Overall a pleasant place for short stays, especially if your not spending much time in your room and we would visit the roof bar again, even if we were staying elsewhere. \nOur only real downside to the stay was when we returned from sightseeing on Sunday night and the front desk called us over to inform me there was a problem with my credit card. The gent on the desk assured us he thought there was probably just a glitch and wasn\u2019t worried but unfortunately the Russian man who was working the desk before he came on duty wasn\u2019t so sure and had changed the access key\u2019s to our room! The man on the desk called the number on the back of my credit card and after a bit of waiting got through and got authorisation for the charges. It turned out my card company (Lloyds) had put a block on the charges as a security precaution which just needed clearing. But beware, if your use your UK card make sure you have arranged clearance as a mobile phone call to them, which I later also did to my debit card, is time consuming and expensive. Checkout the next morning went smoothly.\nAlso worth mentioning is that you may want to make advance arrangement for your transport and not rely on getting a taxi. We checked out at 12pm on Monday and the doorman found it very difficult to hail a cab. We waited 20 minutes when he came in and told the front desk it wasn\u2019t happening. The front desk sent him back out to try again and after about another 10 mins he did manage to find one, but if you were relying on hailing a cab to get to the airport you could be in trouble.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed at the Library Hotel in Manhattan and loved every last detail. The rooms are arranged by Dewey Decimal System subject, and each room has a floor-to-ceiling shelf of books on its \"theme.\" That said, the theme idea is tastefully done and not overwhelming.\nWe were on the 3rd floor in \"Money.\" Our layout was not roomy, but neither was it cramped. Totally fine for two. The bedding is great, and the bathroom design is gorgeous. I took a soak in the large tub, which is really rare for NYC! My ONLY complaint about the entire place is that our bathroom had no visible means of ventilation, so it got really steamy in there when we showered.\nThe best things about the Library Hotel are the public areas. On the 2nd floor, the Reading Room had snacks, coffee, tea and espresso at all hours of the day. The wine and cheese in the afternoon were great (Prosecco too!). Up top, the rooftop bar area gives a great \"metropolitan\" experience and was pretty as it turned dark and all the skyscrapers lit up.\nThis hotel is perfect for any traveler who likes a comfortable luxury feel. It's very do-it-yourself, but the amenities were top notch. I loved it.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "ONLY KIDDING! - it is fantastic - just don't want to tell everyone as it will be so hard to get a room in the future if everyone knows!!!\nHotel booked based on the reviews for TA.\nWe arrived on 14th Sept for our 6 night stay at about 3.30pm - no problem checking in (booked through Venere.com and double checked with hotel by email that they had got us booked in - been caught out before with third party bookings so always best to check!) Reception staff were really nice and we got allocated 1004 which is the Museum room on the General Knowledge floor (10th). They asked (and didn't presume - which is nice) if we needed the bellman to take our cases up - we didn't as we had one each but the bellman was really helpful getting our cases out of the car when we arrived and all 3 of the bellman that we met throughout our visit were so nice - never in your face as some can be. \nWe got to our room (petite double) and we had expected it to be small (thanks to reviews on here) but to be honest we were actually quite relieved( we did so much walking on our trip that to only walk a few steps at night and in the morning from bathroom to bed and back again was a bit of a relief!) Who needs a big room anyway? We put our cases on top of the wardrobes (had to stand on chair to do this) but they were out of the way up there so left room to walk about.\nFacilities in room \nSafe in room - the type where you programme your own 4 digit code so very secure.\nNatura toileteries - shampoo, conditioner (took shampoo and conditioner in one but needed this too as water is very hard) shower gel, bar of exfoliating soap, ordinary soap and body lotion. Replenished every day if used. Shower cap, shoe polish, sewing kit, cotton buds and cotton wool balls. Hairdryer (took my 1400w travel one so didn't test the one in room) \nTV, DVD and CD (radio/alarm) - don't try and put the remote on top of the tv! I did this and it slips right down to the back of the mini bar fridge underneath!) I wasn't the only one to have done this (I later found out!) but sheepishly had to confess to it in the morning. A new one was brought up to us right away!\nMini bar - not a complete rip off like they are in this country but beware - if you move it from it's little stand it will register as a purchase even if you put it back! I did this and had to let reception know that I hadn't actually eaten any of it - just had a look (it wasn't the stuff in the fridge but the peanuts etc above that I got caught out by!) \nBed - Wow what a nice set up! There is what I would call a feather 'topper' on the mattress which is like sleeping on a feather duvet on top of the mattress - it has a sheet on top and you sink in to it. Then you have a feather duvet (covered) on top and I note a review before this which complained about the pillows being too hard. Just ask for a feather one (hopefully you are not allergic in which case you have to let them know in advance I would guess - about the whole bedding setup) There were only 3 pillows when we arrived - two on the bed and one in the cupbord. I just left a message for the housekeeper the next morning asking for an extra soft one and another one was duly supplied. \nBathrobe - there was only one but if you needed another one then I am sure you would just need to ask - we didn't bother.\nAir Con - on demand - a bit noisy - it probably isn't noisy but when you don't have it in your own home it is more of an unfamiliar noise. We soon got used to it and we needed it!\nElevator noise - none - it was right opposite our room door but on the rare occasion it 'pinged' when it got to our floor it was barely audible so not at all a bother.\nNoise from other rooms - none whatsoever!\nNoise from the street - some but not enough to make any impact on sleep.\nHotel -\nStaff - so nice and friendly in a genuine way - always said hello.\nBreakfast (second floor) - help yourself style - coffee, tea (water was hot enough to make a decent cup - us Brits love our tea in the morning so it is nice to get a good one to set you up for the day) Juice, cereal, whole and fat free milk, croissants, pastries, muffins, bagels, bread, butter, cream cheese, jams, peanut butter, hard boiled eggs, fresh fruit and fat free yoghurts. It was fab and really started the day off well - on most days we didn't eat again until mid - afternoon!\nWine and Cheese (second floor) - this was such a lovely touch. There was red, white and demi-sec sparkling plus bread, biscuits, cheese, mixed nuts etc. \nThere is fresh fruit, cookies, buns and hot and cold beverages throughout the day as well as newspapers to read.\nFree Internet - in the little office on the second floor- I used this most days to check/send emails and then to check in on our flight home - you can print your boarding passes out.\nRooftop bar (Bookmark) - we only made this on our last night and we both had a 'Bookmark' cocktail (yummy) at $15 each which I don't think is too bad - you also get a bowl of nibbles. Around $7 for a beer and not bad for wine (sorry I cannot remember price but remember not being shocked!). If you compare these hotel drink prices with those at home it is very reasonable I think. This bar is very popular at weekends with the public and appears to be an 'in place'.\nWe felt the location was perfect as it is a stones throw from Grand Central Terminal and various other places and when having a drink in the evening (second floor) you can marvel at the madness on Madison Avenue (couldn't say that after a few glasses of wine!)\nAll in all a fantastic hotel, no gripes about anything (and I am a fussy so and so - forgot to mention the hotel is so clean and tidy!) It wasn't cheap (about \u00a3200 per night) but you expect to pay that in NYC and we got our monies worth I would say especially with the breakfast and wine and cheese thrown in. \nWe loved this hotel (oasis!) and we would definately stay again or if we couldn't get in we would stay in one of the other hotels in the group - Hotel Elysee (look on website for special offers for Xmas - would have gone this year but hubby cannot get time off!!), Hotel Giraffe or Hotel Casablanca.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "This was an awesome experience. Staff couldn't do enough for you and chocolates were left for you every day, as well as complimentary bottles of water. After travelling through South America, this is just the little bit of pampering we needed :) Perfectly located, close to everywhere. Nice end of town (midtown I believe - you get used to the lingo when you are there). Food really great. Really exceptional cheeses and my husband said the wine was pretty great too. Perfect to have snacks to get you through between lunch and dinner. Just loved this place. Bought a mug to remember our time there. Thank you to the staff for making this NY trip one to remember. We will be back! Just be aware that although the prices are on the \"upper\" end, most NY hotels are expensive even if they are not so classy.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Our first stay at the Library Hotel, and my wife and I couldn't have been more pleased. The staff and accomodations were exceptional , the location was extremely convenient to all we had planned, and the 2nd floor reading room was a superb spot to enyoy wine and cheese in the evening before dinner and a continental breakfast the next morning. Our only regret was that we couldn't stay longer. We will definitely return.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 26}, {"text": "We loved the Library Hotel. After debating long and hard about our choice of hotel in New York, my 10 year old daughter made the final selection of the Library hotel (purely based on the fact she is an avid reader and loves books!)\nThe hotel is in an excellent location; really close to Grand Central, Empire State, Time Square, etc. Cabs are abundant on Madison Avenue for those destinations you don't want to walk to. The bellhop will hail one for you if you ask.\nThe decor and layout are nice, particularly the 2nd floor reading room which offers complimentary snacks and drinks 24/7. Wine and cheese are offered in the afternoon, which is a real bonus. It is worth mentioning, however, that tea/coffee etc are not offered by room service or available in your room. This means that if you fancy a hot drink at bedtime or first thing you have to go and get it yourself. (Not a major problem, but I would have preferred room service for my early morning tea.)\nOur room was fairly small but well appointed. There was both a CD and DVD player (you can borrow films from reception), mini bar, safe and robes. The bathroom was lovely.\nWe liked the idea of the themed rooms. I did request something with a fairly \"childish\" theme for my daughter. We were a little disappointed when we checked in to find our room's theme was \"African Religion\". However, everything else about the hotel was so great it really didn't matter in the grand scheme of things.\nIn summary, the Library Hotel has got everything. Style, location and the service really is second to none.\nThank you to everyone at the Library Hotel for making our stay such an enjoyable one.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "We decided to go with the Library Hotel because we'd read about it in a guide book and it sounded interesting, Besides it had all these great reviews here going for it. We were not disappointed. The staff were extremely helpful overall, but especially with local directions and suggestions. We did have a minor plumbing problem right after we checked in around 1am, but they had someone come up and fix it immediately. The reading room with its breakfast, free NY Times, wine and cheese and 24 hour cookies was a great extra touch. So was the free internet access. We went with a standard size room which was quite nice and while not big was certainly adequate in size. The hotel's location near Grand Central Station, 5th Ave, the NY Library (interesting tour by the way) is great as well. The books are both a fun theme and quite useful. My wife read a couple from the hotel's shelves while we were there. The Library Hotel is fairly pricey, but then so are so many NY hotels. If you're on a budget it's probably a poor choice, but if you want to indulge a bit the service and extras are worthy of a far more expensive hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 27}, {"text": "My husband and I just got back from a weekend anniversary trip to NYC with a stay at the Library Hotel. We had a wonderful time! We read many reviews here on tripadvisor and decided to go for it. We were looking for something a little different and we were very happy! We checked in to the hotel late, at about 10:00 p.m. on Friday night. The desk staff was friendly and helpful. They had glasses of wine sent up to our room shortly after our check-in. (They did that for the couple that checked in right before us, too.) \n Our room, the Mathematics room, was tidy, comfortable and, as mentioned by many reviewers, small. But not uncomfortably small- after all, how much space do you need in a hotel room? For what? =) There was a full-sized bed, a built-in dresser/vanity/tv cabinet, two nightstands, a chair and a small bookcase. There was enough room for the two of us to move around, as needed. The bed was good and comfy (with a feather-top and a down comforter), though the pillows left a little to be desired...\nThe bathroom was a good size, clean and comfortable with a nice shower and a jar of cotton balls and cotton swabs! (I thought that was a cute touch.)\n In our brief time in NY we partook of the complimentary breakfast (a wonderful way to start the day) with bagels, cereal, fruit salad, pastries, coffees, teas and juices. We also enjoyed the 5-8pm wine and cheese- a great way to relax before dinner!! After our dinner we returned and sat out for a drink on the roof-top lounge. The weather was perfect and the view a lot of fun!! (The drinks were a little pricey, but I guess average for NY prices? $12 for a cocktail, $12+ for a glass of wine) But it was worth sitting out there and enjoying the evening!\nThe location is nice- very close to grand central station and within NY walking distance to Times Square, Central Park and other \"must sees.\" We didn't have much planned but had a nice time walking around in fabulous weather!\nThere's also a computer room with two computers and a printer which you can use for free (and we did- to print out our boarding passes and find a restaurant). And there's wireless in the rooms, if you bring your laptop, which we didn't.\nEveryone was very attentive to our needs and questions! \nWe thought this was an excellent place to stay because of all those little added features that made it comfortable and functional- for the price you'd pay at a bigger hotel without any of those amenities or the personal attention!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 28}, {"text": "My girlfriend and I stayed in this hotel in January this year. It was our first visit to New York and it most definitely would not have been the same if we stayed anywhere else. From the staff who would hand you an umbrella if you were going outside and it was raining and organising a car to bring us to the airport to the DVD selection in the lobby you could watch in your room. Wine and cheese in the evenings were brilliant too. Yes, the rooms are very small but the hotel will store your suitcase after you unpack and the 'smallness' adds to the unique atmosphere that comes with the hotel.\nWhen I'm going back it's a definite stay for me!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "I lived in New York for a time, and travel back twice a year to visit friends and enjoy the city that I love so much.\nI try to stay in a different hotel each time, but I won't continue doing that because I found the perfect hotel in The Library.\nEverything was terrific from start to finish. I was travelling with my 5 \nyr old daughter this trip, and we were both treated like royalty at The Library.\nThe complimentary bottled water, wine and cheese, cookies, lemonade, and breakfasts were wonderful.\nWe did venture out to breakfast occasionally to find my daughter pancakes, and the wonderful Pershing Square restaurant fit the bill nicely, only one block from the hotel.\nWe even received a free upgrade without asking to a beautiful large room on the 12th floor....Ancient Religions room after initially checking in to the pretty Fairy Stories room on the 8th floor. Both the smaller and larger rooms were equally as inviting and comfortable.\nThe bedding is wonderful. Views were terrific. Service great.\nWe ordered late night room service one evening for my little girl, and her grilled cheese and fries arrived from a nearby deli in under 30 minutes, hot, and reasonably priced.\nThis hotel was marvelous. Just marvelous. I will not stay anywhere else.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My wife and I stayed here 4 nights in early May, and it was the best location (btw - I highly recommned Springtime in NY). I've been to NYC several times on business, but none as a tourist, and it was my wife's first trip here. The rooms were clean and nice - the hotel makes the best use of the limited space in this 14 story building. I read much about the small rooms, but they weren't that small, and we were either taking a nap or sleeping after a long day walking around town. The central location was perfect for walking all around mid-town. The best part of the hotel was the second floor - it was quiet (great after a day or two of non-stop city activity) and you could snack all day long. Because of the central location, we would walk down to the Empire State bldg, then to Grand Central terminal and the area for 2 or 3 hours, then swing by the room (and 2nd floor) for a quick break, some lemonade and a snack, then head out to Times Square. The staff always recognized us when we walked through the lobby (you wouldn't get this in a mega hotel). I can't imagine staying somewhere else the next time I head to midtown.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "We just returned from a four night stay at the Library Hotel. We had a wonderful time\nand loved the hotel. We stayed in a queen room on the 11th floor(at the end of the hall).\nThe room was small, but not as small as I expected from the reviews. The bed was\nvery comfortable and we didn't hear much street noise or noise in the hotel itself.\nWe really enjoyed the morning breakfast and afternoon wine and cheese. There\nwere snacks, coffee and tea available all day and that was a nice treat after a day\nof sightseeing.\nThe staff was great and very helpful with restaurant suggestions and directions.\nIf we go to New York again, we will stay here and I will recommend it to all my friends.\nThe location was also great. We could walk everywhere we wanted to go. We\nwalked to Central Park, The Today Show, all along Fifth Ave., Time Square,\nthe UN Building, Empire State Building and Top of the Rock, and Grand Central Station.\nThe subway stop was very close to go downtown to the Staten Island Ferry, Twin\nTowers site and the Brooklyn Bridge.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Yes, the rooms are small, but look at the building from the outside, and it's clear that they had no choice. The downstairs lobby is nice, but nothing special. \nThe second floor library area provides a \"heavy continental\" breakfast that's perfect for a few nights' stay, and has snacks all day, which is nice for when youjust came in from the day sightseeing, are doing a little R&R before the evening, and just don't feel like going back out for something. \nWe had a queen room, and it was big enough for the two of us, with a very nice bathroom. From looking at the drawings, and how the building is laid out, a petite room would definitely be a one person proposition. Don't sweat the theme of the room, as there are too few books in each room for it to make much difference. \nThe rooftop bar has 5 small areas. One is the bar itself, which is essentially the elevator landing. To the left is a den type area, with a very cool curved glass topped sunroom space. To the right off of the elevator is a more traditional sunroom type area which leads to the rooftop deck. Yes, it's loud out there, but you're in NYC. the view is nice, and it's a very comfortable space.\nThe staff was very helpful and efficient, and of all things to notice, the music in common spaces is wonderful. All in all, a great hotel that I would highly recommend.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "A wonderful hotel and an excellent location - close to grand central station, times square, 5th avenue, Empire State etc...\nOn arrival after a long flight we arrived too late for the complimentary wine and cheese (which is a very nice idea!) so were asked if we wanted a glass of wine brought up to our room. We asked for a glass of red and a glass of white, only to be brought a bottle of each with a lovely selection of cheeses! \nRooms, although slightly small (which didn't really matter as we were not planning on spending lots of time there) were comfortable and clean. Good view onto maddison avenue. \nStaff were friendly and made you feel welcome, breakfast was adequate but not much of a selection (apart from the coffee's)\nLots of books everywhere (i suppose it is the library hotel!) having spotted other hotels in NY we are very happy to have choosen the library - and would stay again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "What a great find in a city of many hotels. The rooms were new, nicely furnished and they all had a theme. The staff was outstanding, to the point of feeling like we were at Cheers Bar \"where everybody knows your name\". I visit NY 4-6 times per year, and have stayed in most of the named hotels however, those days are over. This will be my hotel of choice from now on, clean, friendly, great water pressure and very comfortable.\nWhen you go try the junior suites and their breathtaking view of Madison Avenue.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I wish I had something negative to say about this hotel, but draw a blank. After 2 months of reading online traveler reviews and a few travel books, we decided to stay at the Library Hotel. After an overnight flight, and arriving half dead to The Library, we were warmly welcomed and were promptly checked in. Although a room was not ready for us at 7am, they stored our bags for us and offered us the use of the 2nd floor lounge to rest and get a bite to eat from the complimentary breakfast. Tired and a little jet lagged, we headed upstairs and were pleasantly suprised to find all kinds of pastries (chocolate filled croissants my personal fave!), fresh fruit, juice, cereal, etc. We rested for a bit and filled our tummies and then it was off for the day. When we returned about 2pm, we grabbed our key from the front desk and headed to room 800.004. The room was very nice and clean, updated too. Traveling with my sister, we didn't find the petite room or the full size bed too small. We enjoyed the duvet on the bed, a desk for catching up on correspondence from the day, and the bottled water (at no charge! go figure) Unfortunately, we hit the first couple of days of non stop rain, and were always asked by the bellman if we would like to borrow one of the hotels umbrellas for the day. On our last day, the hotel was happy to store our bags until our flight later that evening, and also checked us out over the phone while we were trying to get in some last minute shopping and sightseeing. Overall, we found the staff and accommodations way above and beyond our expectations. We are definately fans of this hotel, and will stay here on all of our trips to the Big Apple! Thanks Library, you're no. 1!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We wanted a boutique hotel and chose the Library Hotel because of its great location and cute theme. The one complaint we noticed here was the size of the standard room so we booked a junior suite. The size was very ample with a king bed, table, couch, arm chair and blanket box at the end of the bed. The bathroom was not large but had plenty of shelf space and was very well lighted and clean. \nThe hotel has lots of extras including an extensive continental breakfast and wine and cheese in the afternoons.\nStaff was very friendly, helpful and quickly got to know us, which is one of the advantages of a boutique.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My husband and I spent a week at the Library Hotel in late August. I discovered it through this site, and thought it sounded lovely (the fact that I'm a die-hard book/library fan helped make the sale!). It was everything I had hoped for and more. I've stayed at many different hotels all over NY, and this is by far my favorite. The room was small but very well designed, so it didn't feel cramped. Also, there are so many wonderful places to hang out, particularly the spacious 2nd floor lounge area, which offers free breakfast, wine & cheese Mon-Sat evenings, and coffee/tea/cookies throughout the day. There's a Starbucks across the street, but you won't need it, since there is also an espresso machine that makes a yummy cappucino! The free business center with computer/printer was also welcome, so I could check my e-mail every day without having to track down an internet cafe. (I never bring a laptop with me when I'm on vacation, but I do like being able to stay connected at least a little bit!) I also appreciated the fact that there are only 6 rooms per floor, so it's MUCH more quiet than larger hotels, where people are coming and going at all hours. I never heard a peep from outside our room. Times Square is an easy 10-minute walk away, and with Grand Central practically right next door, it's always easy to find a cab or take the subway. Highly recommended. I definitely plan to return to the Library Hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Though many reviewers have noted the delicious or tasty treats that are available throughout the day, I want to mention the variety and abundance which are available to guests at no charge. Thirsty? Grab a bottle of water from your room or the 14th floor. Need a sugar fix in the afternoon? Choose from a nice variety of cookies or healthy fruits on the 2nd floor. Looking for a little something to tide you over until dinner? Have some cheese, bread and wine before heading out to a late dinner. This extra touch not only saves you a bunch of odds and ends money, but the convenience makes life that much easier.\nThe rooms at this hotel, though on the smaller side, have all the fine touches, and from my experience, there is no way that you will find this high of quality as well as a large size for the rates offerred by the hotel. \nA few extra comments . . . Wireless internt is offered on the 2nd floor, but I was able to get a weak signal in my room. The staff recommended a wonderful, out of the way place for dinner, and overall they were very, very accomodating. \nWe will definitely be back!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "As soon as I stepped from the sidewalk , I felt instantly relaxed. The staff are polite , friendly and knowledgeable , and the small size of the hotel gives it a personal touch that I haven't experienced before.\n Unlike other reviewers , I did not find the room to be small (we had a suite which worked out about \u00a3200 more for 6 nights) , and even though the sounds of the city were still evident , I slept like a log in one of the most comfortable hotel beds I've ever been in.\n The buffet breakfast is made up of pastries,bread,cereal and yoghurts with a wide selection of drinks , many of which are available throughout the day. Wine and cheese is served in the evening , the atmosphere is laid-back and its easy to forget where you are as you relax.\n The location is very central , about a 10 minute walk to Macys, 15 to Bloomingdales/Central park , and the Grand Central subway station in 5 minutes away.\n I would certainly return , and have no hesitation in recommending The Library to anyone.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "What a wonderful hotel. The rooms are small, but the rest of the hotel makes it all worth it! The second floor big library with piano and wine and appetizers and the extensive breakfast array of scones, breads, fruits, and cereals is just fabulous and so relaxing. Even cappucino and expresso all day--complimentary, too. Close to theaters, subway, and all fun things in NYC. Staff was very helpful and polite. Rate was better than many much lesser quality hotels.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed three nights here -- our overall feeling is that it is a very nice, quiet, intimate place to stay, but do not expect great luxury, pampering or 5 star service. This is a small boutique hotel, with many good things to offer: wonderful location at 41st and Madison, very nice, accomodating staff, spotless rooms and bathrooms (styled in a upscale clean\"Armani\" type minimalist decor), a 2nd floor reading lounge with 24 hour coffee and snacks, as well as a daily wine and cheese \"high tea\" time, a lovely complementary breakfast, and complementary use of 2nd floor computers and internet.\nHowever, be aware that this is a converted office building--Our room was very small (we had a jr. suite) --the king bed consumed most of the room space --the bathroom was miniscule -- could accomodate only one person at a time. The hallway outside our room and at the elevator was no more that 4-5 feet wide and the elevators were tiny, though nicely updated--While it is to the owner's credit that he was able to turn a warren of tiny offices into livable space, the the overall feeling from the moment you walk into the lobby is very claustrophobic.\nIf you are looking for a feeling of luxury, space, romance, pampering, this isn't the hotel for you. However, this hotel is very nice for what it is --if you are looking for the intimacy of a basic upscale boutique hotel, this is a great choice.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We just returned from a 4 night stay at the Library Hotel. We were in room 400.002 and it was perfect. Yes the rooms are on the small side, but my husband and I had no problem storing our luggage, clothes, etc. The bed was very comfortable, loved the down pillows and comforter cover, the bathroom was clean and well kept. The neutral colors in the room and the contemporary lines made for a beautiful and well laid out room. What truly makes the hotel is the 2nd floor lounge. From the breakfast to the late night snacks, it was a great place to unwind or prepare for the day. The staff were very helpful with dinner recommendations and directions. The hotel location was a 15 minute walk to the Theatre district or 5-7 minutes to Grand Central Terminal. We have stayed in quite a few hotels in NYC and this is by far our most favorite among the boutique type hotels. If you want impersonal, larger rooms and lots of people, then try one of the chain hotels near Time Square. Otherwise, give the Library a try...I doubt you will be disappointed.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Just spent two nights at The Library (8th and 9th April). What a wonderful hotel. We loved it, and NY just blew me away.\nIt's a small, intimate, quiet and smart hotel in a fantastic location. We had a petite room which was small (I had a read a review bemoaning the size) but for two of us it was more than adequate. \nIf you want a football pitch for a room go elsewhere! If you want swarms of uniformed staff carrying your bags go elsewhere. If you want 5 bars and 2 restaurants in your hotel go elsewhere. If you want opulence go elsewhere.\nIf you want a stylish, smart, friendly, cool, themed hotel less than 10 mins walk from Central Park, 5th Ave, 2 mins from Grand Central etc. with staff who are incredibly friendly, polite, very courteous and very helpful without being intrusive, then this is for you! \nThe staff gave us v. good advice and help when we needed it. The rooms and decor, and garden terrace are a delight. The continental breakfast very good and the location fantastic. If you want to collapse in a cool hotel at the end of a long day seeing one of the most amazing cities in the world. Stay here!! \nStart spreading the news!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My husband and I spent our first Christmas married in New York City. It was wonderful. Since I am the daughter of a flight attendant and have grown up traveling I was in charge of planning the trip. I researced for a while and found the Library Hotel. I was so excited about it. I read wonderful reviews and since I teach high school English I was really thrilled about the theme of the hotel. \nThe website for the library hotel put up pictures that were true. When we arrived and explored the hotel it was just as beautiful as we expected it to be.\nThe staff was wonderful, the breakfast was great, the rooms were clean and the decor was truly liveable yet lovely. We looked forward to returning to our hotel at the end of each day. We highly recommend this hotel and we look forward to returning soon.\nGood luck with your trip plans! \nA traveling couple from Atlanta.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "The room looked great but: the worst service ever and construction noise 24h every day. We got a special package that offered bubbly wine when we arrived; we never got that. We asked for wake-up calls but didn't receive them. Sheets were dirty (they said they had problems with the washing machines!). Shampoo, condidtioner bottles and toilet paper were not renewed!! we had to ask for them!!! And inquire if the construction noise has stopped before booking if you are still willing to risk it. We couldn't sleep for 4 nights.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We have just returned home from the most fabulous stay at The Library Hotel, having done all the research beforehand, I am very pleased to report that the Hotel far exceeded our expectations. From the moment we entered, we were made to feel part of the family, I took my two young daughters Lucy 10 and Emily 8 for a special weekend treat for my Birthday and they were made to feel so welcome and soon made themselves at home. Frank Danek the Hotel's Manager, is a lovely Man and nothing is ever too much trouble for him or any of the staff. We stayed in 'Modern Fiction' which was a beautifully appointed junior suite with amazing views across to the Library in one direction and down Madison Avenue to the other. The bathroom was spacious and again beautifully appointed, The lovely breakfasts each morning and complimentary Wine & Cheese in the evenings were delicious and also were a good way of meeting the other guests and striking up conversations. The Hotel has many unusual features, the Poetry Garden and adjoining Writers Den are a real find and the Branzini Brasserie serves lovely food (a real treat to enjoy in your room when you are too tired to hit the town) We cannot wait to return to without doubt the best kept secret in the City (even the Cab Drivers can't find it...)", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}]}, "99762": {"reviews": [{"text": "In 2006, paid ~$400/night. \nVery nice bathroom and nice bed. Smallish room but comfortable: not yet worn out.\nLocated adjacent to busy street - try for upper floor facing side street.\nFree computer in lobby, though it was oddly just a laptop set on a bar table.\nGreat location near shopping.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "What a fantastic Hotel !\nThe rooms were superb, the staff were friendly and the location of this wonderful hotel is excellent!\nI would recommend this hotel to anyone staying in New York.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "I have just returned from a business trip to NY and stayed at the hotel Giraffe. Staff were very polite and accomodating for my entire weeks stay. \nValue for money? Well i'm not too sure, the travel company we use secured a rate of over $400 a night, which apparently was a special for our company for a standard room. If it was me booking this, i'd certainly shop around as it was not worth over $400 a night!\nThe room I had was a decent size, had a small balcony, as do most of the other rooms (I think). If you're looking for a hotel where you can open the windows, this one should suit you down to the ground.\nIf you're a light sleeper, beware, it can get quite noisy. Again the staff were very accomodating and relocated me to a higher floor. so to summarise - not good value for money, service excellent, friendly staff. As long as you can cope with the noise, and have deep pockets you'll enjoy!", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Just returned from first visit to America - New York is a fantastic city to visit and our stay was made even better by this great hotel. Accommodation is as featured on the website and the staff were efficient and friendly. The breakfast is great to set you up before a day of sightseeing and the complementary glass of wine rounds the day off nicely. Would have no hesitation in recommending this hotel", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed here for a long weekend recently. What this hotel does, it does well. The basics are all there and in working order - free WiFi, breakfast included, friendly staff, well appointed rooms etc. The location is right too, within walking distance of most things. Only reasons it didn't get five stars from us were the occasional long wait for a lift and the not so helpful concierge on restaurant recommendations (though we found later there are some in the room). We would certainly stay here again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "This is by far, the best bargain in the city. We frequently stay in Manhattan for long weekends, and this is by far the nicest hotel for the money. It is not a luxury hotel, no spa, no pool, no restaurant, no concierge, but it is a beautiful, NEW, very CLEAN, stylish boutique 12 story hotel. We had a suite, with a balcony that looked out on very noisy Park Ave. South. Great location, close to Chelsea, Union Square, the Flatiron District, the Meat Packing District and a nice walk down or uptown. 2 subway stops within one block and great restaurants surrounding. Our rate of $379. per night beats any other hotel in Manhattan for what the hotel includes. We had a 2 room suite, 2 televisions, one flat screen, complimentary bottles of water, umbrella, iron, safe, plush robes and slippers, complimentary wine and cheese in the early evening served in the lovely lobby w/ beautiful floral arrangements, and a free Continental breakfast, bagels, croissants, cereal, fruit, coffee, etc. Most hotels in the city are double that price. The service was young and efficient. We will stay at the Hotel Giraffe when we come into Manhattan for a weekend or extended stay! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Overall a great, very comfortable, relatively quiet boutique hotel. Not a \"scene\" place, not uber modern, not super chic, or extremely formal. Not right in the heart of any particular tourist area (as far as I can tell) but fairly convenient to just about everything if you don't mind walking 2 blocks and jumping on the subway.\nI stayed two nights at Hotel Giraffe and found it very pleasant. The lobby is light, comfortable and welcoming, with a small bar, various seating areas, tables and chairs, fresh flowers, live piano in the evening. A complimentary continental breakfast is served there until 10 am (croissants, muffins, bagels, cream cheese, fruit, yogurt, hard boiled eggs, coffee, espresso etc. It's fine, nothing amazing). From 5 to 8 pm there are complimentary wine/cheese/crackers served there as well. It is a nice place to have coffee, read the paper, get online, take a break from the New York hubbub, enjoy a free glass of wine, wait for a friend etc. \nThere is also a nice rooftop bar that is more lively - it was full, but not packed, 8:00 Friday evening. There is a club of some kind below the hotel that I did not see, although I noticed a line to get in late one night.\nI made reservations directly with the hotel at the last minute and got a suite for $369 for Thursday and $349 for Friday with a late checkout at 3:00pm on Saturday. I haven't stayed in many Manhattan hotels but I felt it was a good value considering typical prices. I didn't need a suite (but it was the last available room), so I didn't really use, or pay much attention to the ensuite room, although it seemed dark. Big window in bedroom with good natural light, good bed, nice linens/pillows, desk and chair. Good closet/drawer space, high ceilings. Not a huge room but not the smallest I've seen either. Nice size bathroom, one sink basin, lots of counter space. Very comfortable. Very quiet except for a little a.m. traffic noise. Shower water pressure was somewhat inconsistent. I liked it much better than the more expensive and smaller standard room I had at the Soho Grand last year. \nThe location was a minor drawback for me (I wanted to stay in the Meatpacking district/Greenwich Village area, but no availability at the last minute). However two different subway lines 2 and 3 blocks away from Hotel Giraffe make it easy to get both uptown and downtown, without dealing with taxis. \nStaff was friendly and professional. After checkout they held my bags for me until I picked them up around midnight.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I had a wonderful experience at Hotel Giraffe. The staff were friendly and professional and accomodated all my requests no problem. \nI booked a room for a girls weekend with my sister. Upon arrival we were shown a dark, back room facing street construction. I asked to be moved and we were immediately switched to a room with a better view. \nThe breakfast was a continental breakfast +. It's served in the lobby - it's a charming space to relax.\nThe movie selection is pretty bad. Don't depend on their movie libarary. Bring your own.\nThe hotel is expensive. But it's New York. At least the service lives up to the price. The location is great. Not as touristy as times square or midtown, but clean, safe and interesting.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 30}, {"text": "Just got back from a great 4 day trip with my husband and a wonderful stay at this hotel.\nAs stated in other reviews, the location is great - perfect for walking to Soho, Greenwich, Union Square and Uptown.\nStaff were friendly and courteous and extremmely obliging, not like other boutique hotels that I have stayed in. No attitute here, they are here to make your stay enjoyable, like staff should do. Our flight got in early, so we arrived at 11am and they had a room ready for us which was great.\nThe rooms are beautiful, good size for New York, and well appointed. I loved the french doors and balcony. My one and only complaint - the toilet paper!!! It was pretty much the cheapest grade of toilet paper I've ever experienced. For a hotel of this calibre and standard, I was a little surprised. However, if that's the worst thing I have to say, then I suppose that's not too bad.\nGood breakfast, great wine reception - we loved coming back from a busy day and just unwinding in the lobby with a glass of wine, before heading up to our room. I will definitely be back and would highly recommend this hotel to anyone.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 24}, {"text": "My second stay at the Hotel Giraffe occurred 7/1 through 7/6. It was a business trip so I needed to concentrate on work as well as trying to play tourist in between meetings and calls. \nAlthough I arrived extremely early on Saturday and was willing to store my bags until check-in, the front desk staff was able to have a room cleaned so I could take a conference call in my own room. Use your cellphone as there is a $1.00 surcharge for all calls (even 1.800) but that is more than offset by the complimentary wireless access throughout the hotel (extremely rare these days). They even have a laptop in the lobby connected to a printer so you can print your boarding pass prior to leaving for the airport.\nThe front desk was also able to supply me with maps and point me in the direction of where I wanted to go. They also have a huge notebook filled with menus that you can peruse if you want delivery or just to review a menu prior to trying out a restaurant. Room service was prompt and a step up from the average room service fare. However, they did make a mistep by placing a new room service menu in the room several days before it was actually available. \nI loved having the little balcony and the ability to open the doors, pull up a chair and watch the people on Park Avenue South. Then you close the doors and shut the room darkening blinds to close out the sounds of the city... Turndown service complete with chocolates at my bedside; A little 'Welcome back' treat and note from the hotel manager even though my last visit was over a year ago; Two complimentary bottles of water in my room at check-in... all combine to make Hotel Giraffe my oasis in such a large, loud city.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 27}, {"text": "I visited New York mid June with my husband for 5 days and we stayed at the Giraffe Hotel near Madison Square. It is in a good location with easy access to subway to get Uptown. \nExcellent modern deco - room a good size with a very comfortable bed. We had a Superior King with french windows and a mini balcony. Some traffic noise but it didn't prevent us sleeping - probably we because we were tired out after sightseeing marathons each day - so much to see!\nComplimentary breakfast was mostly good throughout the 5 days but it did depend which member of staff was looking after the buffet how often the selections got filled up. However, the selections were generally fresh and plentiful - fresh fruit salad, boiled eggs, different breads, danish pastries & muffins. I know that lots of people go out for breakfast in New York but breakfasting in the hotel was a nice start to what was normally a busy sightseeing day! Complimentary wine & cheese in the evenings was a nice touch. Piano player was talented but played rather \"heavy\" slow jazz tunes - not to my taste. Staff were generally very helpful, particularly reception and portering staff. \nTwo restaurants in the area that I would recommend are Dos Caminos (Mexican) next door and Tabla (Fusion/Asian) on Madison Square one block away. Tabla was so good we went there twice. \nThis was our first visit to New York and we both loved it and want to return. When we do will definitely book into the Giraffe again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "My husband and I recently had a very pleasant stay at the Hotel Giraffe. We arrived around 11 a.m. They suggested that they hold our bags and deliver them to the room while we were out. Check-in is a very reasonable 3 p.m. When we returned around 4:30 our bags were in our room. Much to our surprise we had been upgraded to a suite.\nA very nice wine, fruit and cheese display was offered around 5 p.m. In addition, breakfast was offered in the morning in the lobby. For five dollars, they will bring it to your room at your requested time. \nThere is a lovely rooftop bar too. All and all I can't think of a single want that was neglected. The staff was very helpful and courteous.\nOur prior favorite hotel in the city had been the SoHo Grand but we will return here next time.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "My wife and I used the Hotel Giraffe as our base camp for our trip to NYC to see the U.S. Open and do some shopping. The room was decent sized for New York, with a balcony that we just loved. The room was stylish and the bathroom a good size for two adults. We liked the continental breakfasts and the happy hours with cheese and crackers and wine and champagne. The location was very convenient, just sixteen blocks south of Grand Central, and a seven dollar cab ride to Soho and the Village. With rooms going for the upper twos and mid threes, we could have found a cheaper place to stay, but we loved the balcony and the decor and the location, so we were happy to pay the price.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I have been staying at Morgan's for years, but I was reading TripAdvisor recently and saw some nice comments about this hotel so I thought I would give it a try. \nFor a week in May, I stayed in a room with a balcony and was absolutely delighted with the place. The staff was young, friendly, and very helpful. They actually seemed to like working there. The attitude factor was zero. The nicest aspect of the rooms were the huge balcony doors. What a treat it was on a warm may evening to open up those doors, pull a chair around, and sit with my feet up on the balcony railing looking down Park Avenue. \nForget dark, dreary, attitude-ridden Morgans. Giraffe is a stupid name, but a terrific hotel. From now on, I'm staying there whenever I'm in New York.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I'm speechless. I cannot even begin to express how shocked I am that TripAdvisor gave this hotel a 3 star class. From a straphanger who has stayed at some of the BEST hotels in the WORLD, the Hotel Giraffe is FOUR STARS. In New York, I have stayed at Le Parker Meridien and the New York Palace, two five star hotels that are without argument two of the best hotels in the city. Other hotels I've stayed at include the Westin Rio Mar in Puerto Rico, the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, and the Atlantis in the Bahamas.\nI am ashamed that TripAdvisor gave this hotel 3 stars just because it is a very small, boutique style hotel and does not have all these bling features that are overhyped and overrated anyway.\nI'll start with the location. Some might criticize the location because it is not close to anything. WRONG! Union Square is less than a mile south. Amazing shopping on Madison is one block east, 5th Av is two blocks. And best of all, the Subway is two blocks north! TWO BLOCKS! And these are two short blocks, too, the ones that go north/south. It's also a very convenient and frequent subway. The (6) local train is very reliable, and it serves many important places. Want to go to Union Square? Two stops downtown. Want to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge? Seven stops downtown. Have some relatives in Brooklyn? Two stops to Union Square, then walk across the platform to the (4) express train to Brooklyn. Have Yankees tickets? Two stops uptown to Grand Central, then walk across the platform to the (4) express train to Yankee Stadium. Oh wait, am I forgetting something? Ah, yes, Times Square/Broadway: Two stops uptown to Grand Central, then transfer to the (7) or (S) to Times Square! How easy is that?\nBut the location is just the start. I'll move on to the lobby. The Grande Lobby is nothing short of just that...grand. It is a wonderful lobby. Check in is easy and once your done just walk two steps and you're on your elevator to your room. So what if its not bustling? Is that a bad thing? Does this hotel get 3 stars just because it has a small, quiet, charming lobby? Plus, there's often a piano player, and there's free breakfast every morning with muffins and fresh fruit and refreshing coffee. If you think a lobby has to be packed and bustling, stay at one of those overpriced, small room Midtown tourist trap hotels where all the tourists ram into each other's rear ends, where all the true New Yorkers avoid, where you spend your entire trip waiting for an ELEVATOR. The Hotel Giraffe is so pleasant, elegant, and charming and even if you don't stay there, it is a wonderful place to relax and hang out after a long, exciting day in the city.\nFinally, the ROOMS. I can't say enough about the beds. These beds are SO COMFORTABLE. You tuck yourself under the sheets and an angel is waiting to greet you. And the rooms, while not big, are not so small that one can't easily make his way around the room and move from one side of the room to the other without touching the bed, regardless of how much he/she weighs. And if you pay a wee bit extra for a deluxe room, you get your own private balcony, which, if it is a nice, sunny day, is quite a privilege.\nAnd you get ALL THIS for LESS THAN $300! No, you're not seeing things. Less than $300. Talk about a bargain. This hotel should be charging in the mid $300 range, but hey, I'm not complaining.\nSo if you're looking for a peaceful, charming boutique FOUR STAR hotel with a relatively large room with a bed from Heaven and possibly a private balcony and a lobby with free breakfast and music on any given day at any given time, all located two short blocks from a Subway station in a quiet, safe neighborhood at a bargain price, the Hotel Giraffe is for YOU!\nTripAdvisor, I request that you change the hotel class for the Hotel Giraffe from 3 stars to what it deserves i.e. 4 stars.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "Having read a lot of reviews on tripadvisor we settled on this hotel for a 4 night stay over New Years 2005. We were delighted with our choice. Rooms are a very good size for NYC and the complimentary breakfast a nice addition. The complimentary wine and cheese each evening was a great way of starting a night out. All the staff we encountered along the way were very helpful and friendly and helped to create a very relaxed vibe in the hotel.\nProbably the best aspect of the hotel for my wife and I was its location - very close to Union Square and a range of amazing restaurants. We had booked the Union Square Cafe for New Years itself and had an excellant meal there and best of all had an easy 10 minute stroll back to the hotel afterwards - a nice change from the usual mania of trying to get a taxi!!\nOverall this was a great hotel and is very well located for \"foodies\" - as well as the Union Square Cafe we ate in Gramercy Tavern, Sushi Samba and Tabla which were all great meals and all within a few minutes walk of the Giraffe. A very memorable trip.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We found the Giraffe to be excellent. The room was very stylish and spacious. Continental breakfast each morning was nice with a good selection to choose from. Location was also great - walking distance to midtown, close to the subway and only a 20 min walk to Greenwich Village. The staff - front desk, bar area, turn down and doorman - were very helpful and courteous (which was not the case in another larger hotel we stayed at prior to arriving at the Giraffe, where the service was disdainful). The Mexican restaurant next door to the Giraffe, Dos Caminos, was also fabulous.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed at the Hotel Giraffe the weekend of Feb 10th. We were very pleased. We had a one bedroom suite that was at the end of the hall and very quiet, the number one criteria for a hotel stay for us. The rooms were VERY clean, the beds extremely comfy, the pillows just right, the quilt was down and encased in sheets so you don't have to have someone else's germs in your face all night.\nThe complimentary breakfast and cocktails were very nice as well. Parking was reasonable - $28/night. (I've been to hotels that charge $40). The neighborhood is vibrant, without being obnoxious, (Flatiron district) with lots of restaurants to chose from.\nIt was one of our few total success hotels stays in NY.\nMy only suggestion to the management is that they increase the wattage in their light bulbs. The rooms are painted brown, and with the limited sunlight, due to the buildings being right next door, they need to put in stronger bulbs. I mentioned this to the woman at the desk and she said all I had to do was ask...some customers do that. Well, asking for brighter light bulbs is not something I would think of doing, nor do I think I should HAVE to do. PUt them in the lamps in the first place.\nBut next time I'll ask, and we will be back.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husband and I spent a weekend in NYC at the Hotel Giraffe. We lived in NYC for many years, and wanted to find a charming, small hotel instead of one of the big midtown chains. We were both very happy with the Hotel Giraffe. \n The valet parking was quick, and the bellman and desk people were very polite and sweet. Coffee, tea, capuccino etc. were offered throughout the day in the lobby. There was wine and cheese at night, and a continental breakfast in the AM. \n We had a corner suite on the 7th floor with nice views down Park Avenue. What is referred to as a \"balcony\" is about 2 feet deep and more like a platform to stand out and get some fresh air. The suite itself was nice, and fairly spacious. It was decorated in subdued, neutal tones. I would recommend the Hotel Giraffe for someone who is looking for a small, charming hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husband and I regularly stay at the Giraffe both for business and pleasure. It is a convenient location to get around the city (just across the street from a train stop) and the hotel itself is quite comfortable. \nOn our last trip we brought along our 3-year old and they went all out to make his stay fun. The front desk always knew his name, calling him \"Mr. Alex\", which he got quite a kick out of. The concierge helped to secure a babysitter for a couple of evenings, which was a nice way to detour from children's activities to a broadway show.\nThe complimentary buffet breakfasts in the lobby are done quite elegantly, with various cereals, breads, cheeses, fruits, etc. Plus an espresso machine makes a variety of caffeine-loaded drinks that is much needed for navigating your way around the city (there is also a nice selection of teas). In the evening they serve wine and cheese, the ideal way to wind down after a busy day. \nThe rooms are fairly big by NYC standards. We booked a junior suite which had a good size living room and a bedroom. Good closet space (so many rooms in NYC don't have that so when I come across a hotel that does I am thrilled) and a very pleasant and helpful staff. We had to extend our stay 2 days because our son became ill and they accommodated us with no problems. \nAlso, if you are traveling with kids, there is a great playground 1 block away where the kids can mess around and tire themselves out!\nA highly recommended hotel for everyone.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We tried the Giraffe based on the reviews here...which are always helpful,pro or con...the room was relatively small and we found the bed uncomfortable given the trend toward \"heavenly beds\" with alot of padding and really soft sheets and pillows. We agree with an earlier reviewer that the front desk and bell staff seemed really casual and inexperienced but pleasant. Breakfast was great. Most of the time the internet access in the lobby was not functional. Subway access good and alot of great local restaurants and bars! Not anxious to reurn, in general, there are better places for the price.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I've stayed at Hotel Giraffe twice - once for 3 nights over Labor day weekend 2004 and the other for 3 nights around Christmas 2004. I had an extremely pleasant and warm experience both times. \nLocation: As I can't stand the tourist trap that is Times Square, I loved the hotel's midtown location on Park ave. About a 10 minute walk to Grand central (about 12 blocks). Location is close enough by foot, cab, or subway to everything, but enough removed from everything that it wasn't cramped or overly crowded when you walk out the front door.\nStaff: I found the staff to be extremely warm, polite, and friendly without any air of pretention. They are attentive and helpful, and make you feel welcome while you're there. For example, one night before going to bed, I was in the mood for a glass of wine (at 1 am). Their room service is not 24 hours, but I called downstairs just to ask, and a gentleman was at my door within 5 minutes with it. The fact that the hotel is small and doesn't have many rooms allows for such personalized service. The minibar fridge does have electronic sensors for detecting purchases, so if you move stuff around to put something of your own in there, don't be alarmed if you see a few minibar charges on your bill. These charges were quickly removed without problem when I questioned them at check out. Check in/check out is very fast and smooth. We parked a car one of our stays and it was brought out to us in about 5 mins. On both stays, I stored luggage for a few hours upon check-out, which worked well. Hardly any wait to store/retrieve bags. Staff went out of their way to hail cabs to the airport for us on both stays (once the guy walked up about a block and a half or two from the hotel to hail a cab!).\nRooms: My first stay was in a one bedroom suite and second stay was in a deluxe double. I found both to be very comfortable. Soothing, earthy colors and well appointed. Not super modern or hip design, not a totally generic holiday-inny feel, but just nice. Room was clean and maid service was great. We received turndown service most nights with chocolates. Complimentary water bottles in the room. The bathroom does have sort of a frosted door, so if you're not comfortable with that, then be forewarned. Bath products are Natura brand and very pleasant. Sink area has a big marble countertop which allows you to spread out your toiletries nicely. TV is not too new, but does its job, and there's a VCR (but no DVD). Completely fine with me as all I wanted was to check the weather and news on tv. Balcony is a wonderful touch. Although small, allows you to peer out from above to the outside (especially cool if you're on the Park ave side and look at the traffic lights changing sequentially to red or green for a distance of about a half mile or so). Balcony is also great if you're a smoker but don't want a smoking room and don't want to have to go all the way downstairs and outside. Also, there is free wireless high speed throughout the hotel.\nLobby: The lobby is well designed, with nearly ceiling to floor windows, which keeps it bright. There is comfortable seating (chairs and sofas). One of the brighest spots about Giraffe has to be the food counter area in the lobby: this is where they serve complimentary continental breakfast (coffee, juice, cappucino, breads, pastries, bagels, hard boiled eggs, cereal, bagels, etc.) in the morning and where they have complimentary wine and cheese on weekday evenings. Although not huge, the breakfast is definitely enough to get you going in the morning. The other wonderful thing here is that 24 hours a day, guests can get complimentary bottled water (as opposed to paying $5-$10 for a bottle of water at other hotels), coffee, tea, and cookies. It's great to be headed out for the day and grab a bottle of water or two, or headed in for the night and grab a bottle of water or two, for free!\nI did briefly visit the rooftop garden area on my labor day stay - it is small but charming. A very cool giraffe statue there. A few patio tables and chairs for lounging.\nThe hotel is in the 'Curry Hill' area of town, so there are a number of Indian restaurants within a block or two of the hotel (toward Lexington), of which several are South Indian - which is great if you're a vegetarian. Also, Vatan restaurant (Gujurati vegetarian) is about a 10 minute walk from Giraffe and is absolutely awesome if you're vegetarian.\nBottom line: This is indeed a small, botique hall. Do not stay here if you want a huge, expansive atrium lobby or are looking for sutffy, old world rooms and service. Also do not stay here if you can't do without the \"hip\"ness of places like the W hotels and other botique hotels. But do stay here if you want a very pleasant experience, clean, comfortable rooms, warm and friendly staff, and a great location. If you are worried about having a subpar hotel experience during your NYC stay, stay here and put your anxiety at ease. \nThe only slightly minor negative is that prices can be a bit on the higher side if you are from out of town, although overall they're not bad for NYC hotel room prices in general. But your money is definitely well spent here which cannot be said for all pricey NYC hotels. I've stayed at about 4 different hotels in NYC and this was by far the best hotel, in terms of comfort, convenience, and overall experience. If you read the reviews on tripadvisor, it is one of the few hotels in NYC that only has a few aberrent negative reviews. Most reviews are very positive and very accurate. I saw that many other 4 or 5 star NYC hotels have such mixed reviews on tripadvisor, that you don't know what you're going to get. But stay here and you will be pleased - Giraffe is gold every time.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 26}, {"text": "Just returned from a three-day stay over the July 4th Holiday. I usually stay at a Starwood property like the W when in NYC, but this time I decided to go for a more personal experience. I went back and forth between the Giraffe and The Muse, finally deciding on Giraffe just a few days before my trip. I definitely was not disappointed.\nThere were three of us travelling together, my parents (who were making their first trip to NYC) and me. I booked a Deluxe Double Room. The room was absolutely perfect. The color pallette in the room was very soothing- soft earth tones, beige, brown, merlot. The room had two double beds with lovely bedspreads, nice sheets and great pillows. The room had a small balcony overlooking Park Avenue South and 26th Street. Being out on the balcony made me forget a bit that I was in NYC. The bathroom was a nice size and had great amenities. There was a spacious closet and two comfortable bathrobes. There was also a small bar area with a minibar underneath. The hotel gives you two complimentary bottles of water in your room. A very nice touch indeed. The housecleaning staff was very attentive and always turned down the room before we got back in the evenings. As previously reported, they do provide you with dark chocolate at turndown. \nThe hotel itself is very nicely designed as well. The lobby has walls of windows so it is always very bright and airy. Every employee we encountered at the hotel was very friendly and helpful. Check in was very smooth and fast, and they gave me exactly the room I had requested. Personally, I feel the best service the hotel provides is its complimentary meal and snack service throughout the day. In the mornings, there is a complimentary continental breakfast set up in te lobby. While it is not a full breakfast buffett, it sure is a nice to have something in your stomach before leaving the hotel. The spread included bagels, muffins, croissants, danishes, hardboiled eggs, fruit, cereal, milk, assorted juices and fresh coffee. During the rest of the day, you can also get complimentary water, coffee, tea, milk and cookies in the same area of the lobby. And, finally, on weekdays between 5 and 8 p.m. they serve complimentary wine and cheese accompanied by piano music. Even after returning at 11 p.m. from a full day of sightseeing, you can walk over to the bar in the lobby and grab some complimentary water bottles. For NYC, this was truly an exceptional touch to our stay. \nThe hotel is two blocks from the 6 line subway stop on 28th Street.\nThis hotel truly exceeded my high expections given the reviews on here. I will definitely be returning here next time I am in NYC.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "This review is a bit late but none the less I must say something about my stay at the Giraffe, Christmas 2004. This was a first time visit to NYC for my wife and myself and I chose the Giraffe because of the rave reviews from Tripadvisor.com. I was not disappointed right from the start. The folks at the front desk took good care of us and we were given a room that faced Park Avenue one floor from the top level. Room was clean and nicely decorated though the television seemed small/old for such a nice room. Room was fairly quiet as traffic from Park Avenue didn't seem too loud though if guests made noise in the hallway you could hear everything. Because of its location the hotel worked out great as a base of operations for our tour of NYC. Subway entrances are only a short walk away, there are a number of restaurants nearby (excellent Indian restaurant off Madison Ave at Madison Square Park) and decent small grocery stores/deli's near the FlatIron Building). As we ventured farther north I noted that most areas are busy and crowded with people. The location of the Giraffe was quiet and non-crowded which is something I preferred over the hustle and bustle of hotel areas around Time Square, etc. Breakfasts at the hotel were more than sufficient with bagels, juice, etc., in the hotel lobby and the cheese and wine in the late afternoon/early evening was perfect after a day of running around NYC. We were treated nicely by the hotel staff as they were always friendly and courteous. After spending four days in NYC and knowing what I know about the area I would most certainly stay at the Hotel Giraffe again, it was a wonderful Christmas time experience my wife and I will never forget. Much thanks to the hotel staff for taking such good care of us.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "Just concluded a 5 night stay at the Giraffe. The location is perfect - still has the Manhattan feel, but quieter than Uptown or Downtown locations.\nStay away from rooms on the 12th floor. There is a bar, but good sound proofing makes the bar itself no problem. The real issue is that the crowd uses the hallyway as the cell phone call area - which means folks are standing by your room door making their calls. To make matters worse, the same area and an adjoining suite are used for business meetings in the morning, so the hallway again becomes a cell phone haven again when you are waking.\nWe were warned about the bar by the staff before we took the room, but we did not realize that the real problem was the hallway itself. The staff was eager to fix the situation and moved us to another room with an upgrade.\nI'd have no problems staying here again and recommend it without hesitation.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "Just returned from a weekend in New York with my husband. We loved the Giraffe! Great little terrace off our room with view of Park Avenue, loved the rooftop bar for afternoon cocktails. Friendly staff. Walking distance to Madison Square Park, Union Square Park, Washington Square Park. If you want to be in the middle of the scene or in the lap of luxury, this is not the place, but it was perfect for us for a reasonably priced weekend getaway. Charming and quaint, quick cab ride to anywhere in the city. Check out the Jazz Standard around the corner for great jazz.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I stayed in this hotel several times this year. It's a very nice boutique-type hotel. Good customer service. Clean rooms. Good location. Nice touches with wine and cheese and breakfast included. A little expensive, but look hard for a good price online. I would certainly stay here again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I stayed there by myself during spring 2004, and was amazed at the great service, CLEAN rooms, relaxed atmosphere, and wonderful amenities. My suite overlooked Park Avenue, and had a lovely view, unlike many hotels where you look out onto a lovely airshaft.\nThe rooms with a Juliet balcony are awesome! I returned with my husband during summer 2004, and it was wonderful having the balcony, drinking champagne and watching all the activity!\nI have a business trip in March 2005, and I originally booked at the Michelangelo because that's where my meetings are, but they were so rude on the phone, keeping me on hold, interrupting my questions, I decided to cancel and re-book at the Hotel Giraffe, even though it's more expensive.\nIf you're looking for a cheap deal, look elsewhere. If you're looking for a great suite, great service, immaculate room, and a beautiful view, book with confidence at the Hotel Giraffe.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}]}, "93340": {"reviews": [{"text": "This is a very cute boutique hotel in a great location. It is within walking distance to the theater district, and to all east-side shopping. We were there New Year's weekend. The staff is extremely nice. We had a lovely room that was a good size. It was very clean with a comfortable bed. The bathroom, however, left much to be desired. It was tiny and cramped. We had to push a table out of the way to use the toilet. The shower was so-so. There was trouble with the hot water pressure and, sure enough, the morning of our check-out the hot water failed altogether. Fortunately, we were able to finish showering between the shower's fits and starts. When we checked out I complained to the front desk. All they did was offer me an upgrade next time we stayed. But what good will that do? We stayed in a better room this trip. An adjustment on the bill was what was appropriate. The Club Room, where breakfast is served in the morning and wine and tea in the afternoon, is nice if you like that kind of thing. But it really is uncomfortable for eating. Most of the guests seemed to be enjoying themselves, however. There was coffee, tea, juice, cereals, hard-boiled eggs, bagels, cream cheese, and at least 4 out-of-control children whose parents apparently thought everyone else found their brats to be as adorable as they did. I prefer room service to bring me my morning coffee. Were it not for the bathroom, I would have rated this hotel higher. And the food amenities provided, although of no value to me, I know appeal to most so I'd have to say that it offers good value.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "After an exhaustive search using Trip Advisor, Expedia and countless other avenues for seeking out accommodations, we decided on Hotel Elysee. And we are so happy we did.\nTo us, cleanliness, service, value and location are imperative and the Elysee offers all that;\n- Immaculate was how we found our fair size room at the end of every long day adventuring. Yes the room (145) was a little worn, but the king size bed, marble bathroom, spectacular view, turn down service more than made up for it.\n- Service is what we expect. And we received it from the entire staff. The doormen are great, the front desk staff are quick and everyone @ the Monkey Bar(great place) knows how to make a Martini\n- Value is key. $275.00 during the week and $245.00 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday in February. Breakfast was excellent, cookies and tea in the afternoon was a nice snack. Decent wine, champagne, cheese and crackers in the evening was always a great way to start the night.\n- Location \u2013 within a few minutes walk we were at Central Park, Bloomingdales, Louie Vuitton, Radio City Music Hall, a Subway Station, Rockefeller Centre, Times Square and more decent restaurants than I can count. \nNew York is a great city to visit, a great place to create a lifetime of memories and the Hotel Elysee is a great place to start", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We chose the hotel because of all of the good reviews on Tripadvisor. It is true that the location is excellent and that the staff is quite nice. And, there is a certain quaintness staying in a 99 room hotel in NY. But, for $425 per night for a basic room, the value is not there. Let me explain.\nNo disrespect to our European friends who review on this site, but American expectations for a proper hotel room are quite different: The room must be quiet, the bed superb, and the room spacious. \nFirst, why not a coffee maker in the room? The continental breakfast is free in the library, so it's not as if they are trying to force you to pay for the product. It is so darn inconvenient to have to get dressed, go down to the library and fill up a cup and hoof it back to your room with cup in hand.\nWhatever happened to a free morning paper at your door? Is 50 cents too much for the hotel to spend for a NY times? Or am I one of the last dinosaurs that likes to read a paper in the morning?\nBecause the hotel is old, you will have to listen to the air conditioning unit under the window starting up and shutting down all night long (just like at a Motel 6). (Up to date hotels have units that are vented into the rooms overhead and the compressors are located elsewhere.)\nOur room was in the back, overlooking an air shaft. I was not interested in a view, just quiet. However, there was a 24 hour low roar from some rooftop mechanical units below us. If the windows had been proper, double-glaze soundproof windows, this would not have been a problem. But, they were not.\nOur room 92 had no full length mirror (my wife likes that kind if thing), no peephole in the door (to see who is buzzing outside), and, no counter space in the bathroom. If I had stayed at a hotel like this in Europe, I would have thought, \"how charming\". But at $425 per night in one of the most competitive hotel markets in the world, it just doesn't meet New York standards for that price level.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Great hotel! Large rooms for NY. Good A/C. Quiet. Marble bath, hallway and wet bar. Spotless. Maids did not disturb when sign was on the door. I didn't eat breakfast but hubby said it was great. Great location. Fine linens, good amenites, firm comfy bed. I liked it better than the Casablanca, the Michelangelo, the Algonquin (tiny rooms), the Lucerne and all the others I've stayed at with the exception of the St. Regis which is twice the price and maybe the Lowell (also twice the price) Will definitely stay there again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We love small European hotels and rarely see anything similar in the United States. We could have sworn we were in Paris but we were in the middle of New York. The hotel oozes charm, the breakfast is incredible, the stafff very friendly and helpful and the price is right!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "just returned from a 3 night stay at the hotel elysee.. what a fabulous hotel!! the hotel is gorgoeus, the rooms are charming .. the marble bathroom just right.. i thought i was back in paris!!\nthe hotel staff was uniformly pleasant and helpfull ...always had a cheerful attitude.. i travel alone and am a \"more mature \" lady so really appreciate this!! and what a treat to have breakfast and \"wine and cheese\" in such a deligtful atmosphere!!\n to sum up, this is the only hotel in new york for me now!! i just hesitate to tell everyone about this gem.. i'd rather keep it a secret!!!!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Just back from this hotel after staying there for a week. Hotel, rooms and bathrooms were absoutely spotless. Room had a mini refridgerator and mini bar and the beds were so comfortable and big. Breakfast was very filling and it's included in the room rate. Afternoons were also nice to meet up and chat while having complimentary cheese & wine. Staff were friendly. Only problem was the elevator was slow but we got over it. \nLocation for this hotel was brillant, 2 blocks from 5th Ave and all it's glory and a few streets from Central Park. Restaurant in hotel was excellent, great steaks and The Monkey Bar was lively every night. \nWould defiantely stay in Hotel Elysee when I return next.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "We booked our stay for two nights based on previous positive reviews of Hotel Elysee. We were not disappointed. I loved the 'marshmallow creme' comfortable bed and slept great. It was nice to have a small frig in the room and thought the size of the sleeping area and bathroom was fine. I liked having a good size soap for the shower, Gilchrist & Soames brand was nice. I thought the front desk staff to be extremely reserved, I really didn't approach them for info (restaurant recommendation, etc.) as they didn't seem very open. \nI really liked the continental breakfast - they had a huge bowl of delicious cut up fruits which really jazzed up the pastry, cereal etc. choices. If you want your bagel toasted, ask one of the staff, also, one morning we were offered a cappucino which was a nice touch. \nThis is a lovely quiet hotel in a great location.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "It was so hot in NYC that when I opened the car door, it felt like I was standing in front of a blast furnace, so when the cool air of this hotel's lobby wrapped its comforting arms around me, I just started to smile. This hotel is great, because it combines the old world elegance I expect to find in NYC, with the extra values that other upscale hotels just soak you for. Here parking for 24 hrs is $25.00 not $45.00, wireless internet is free not $10.00 per day, a wonderful continental breakfast which includes: fresh fruit, bagels and baked goods, cereal, hard boiled eggs, coffee, fresh juice, and tea. The bathrooms are marble, the room furnishings elegant topped off with a crystal chandlier. The elevator is a tad slow, but hey nothing is perfect, nor should it be. I had only one problem which was that drain in the shower didn't work well, it was fixed promptly. The chamber maids to the front desk staff were all considerate, and helpful. The location is wonderful, two blocks from 5th Ave, several incredible restaurants, 2 blocks from the \"6\" train, and 3 blocks from the new MOMA. A hotel is simply a building, but it is people with the right management who make it work, and this hotel has got the right stuff.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "From the moment we stepped through the vestibule of this utterly charming Europeran style boutique hotel, we knew we had made the perfect decision. All of our usual hotels were completely full, and we were thus forced to try something new. After much research, and a little apprehension, we settled on the 'unknown to us' Hotel Elysee. I can't begin to tell you how very, very happy we were with the outcome of this decision. The Hotel Elysee is now our FIRST CHOICE destination when visiting New York. From the pleasingly congenial and intelligent front desk staff, to the elegant yet understated and tasteful decor, to the wonderfully comfortable beds and luxurious pillows, to our room's rejuvinating sitting area and fireplace, to the kind and accomodating housekeeping personnel-- this hotel delivers everything a guest could wish for. I shouldn't forget to mention the two complimentary bottles of water and delicious chocolate bar that was waiting for us when we entered our spacious and well appointed room, OR the savory and thoroughly satisfying complimentary wine, cheese, crackers, and fruit that was provided in the evenings, OR the tasty 'gratis' European breakfast that was served every morning, OR the unlimited provision of coffee, tea, fruit and cookies that was made readily availablle at all times in a beautiful sitting area. Perhaps most importantly, we were treated with the highest level of care by the friendliest and most efficient staff I have ever experienced in NYC. This hotel is a gem in every way! An unforgettable home away from home!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "As a securities industry professional, I have been traveling to NYC for over thirty years. Fortunately, ten years ago, I discovered the Hotel Elysee. It is remarkable how a warm, inviting \"home away from home\" can significantly alter an individual's travel disposition. Others have written about the great location, charming parlour on the second floor, complementary breakfast, nicely appointed and clean rooms, no charge in room wireless, intimate ambiance and overall outstanding value of the Elysee etc.--all of which are true, but what sets the hotel apart is the friendly professionalism of the staff...starting with the Hotel Manager John Avina. John \"gets\" customer service and he has imparted his philosophy very effectively on the entire Elysee team. I will not stay at another hotel in Manhattan even if I am attending a conference in a different hotel or if the entirety of my business is centered downtown. My family has joined the Elysee fan club and always looks forward to arriving at our New York home. Quite simply, the Elysee experience softens the intimidation factor associated with New York and gives it a neighborhood feel. Finally, for those who find exercise important, the Elysee has a relationship with a first class health club chain a few blocks away. The facilities dwarf even the best hotel fitness centers in terms of variety and state of the art relevance...and, once again, for no additional charge. The Elysee is many things... but most importantly, it is a wonderful hotel and my family's home away from home!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We were prepared to love the Elysee after reading the other reviews, but unfortunately our experience wasn't quite as good. The pros: the location is great, the room was very nice (and very large compared to others that we've been in in New York), the shower was great and the breakfast and free internet were definitely appreciated. The major con: the elevator, which several times took so long to reach us and then was full when it finally did, that we were forced to walk the stairs many times - not a hassle normally but definitely a hassle with a 5-month-old baby and a stroller. Beyond that, our problem with the hotel was that the staff always seemed to do the bare minimum and never go beyond. One example of many: when we checked in, the bellman had trouble with one of our room keys. He got the other to work though, and we forgot all about this until two days later when we accidentally grabbed the bad keycard when going to breakfast and subsequently got locked out of the room. It would have been nice if he had followed up immediately and replaced the bad key. \nWe also got the all-time worst restaurant recommendation from the front desk. We love discovering new restaurants in different parts of town and rely on the hotel for guidance. Most of the time this turns out great. However, our request of the Elysee was a nearby restaurant with the best food (didn't matter if it was 5-star or a hole in the wall) and someplace appropriate for a 5-month-old. They sent us to the Brasserie on 53rd. Bad, bad, bad! It was not stroller-friendly, the food was all presentation over substance, and worst of all it took over an hour to get our food - about 15 minutes longer than our very good baby was willing to remain quiet. $140 for a mediocre meal with very bad service, and we were actually still hungry when we left. \nWe will probably stay at the Elysee again next time, since we would love to finally settle on a favorite NYC hotel and it has a lot going for it. However, we would hope for better (and more personalized) customer service next time. The past month we've paid roughly the same $325/night at the Loews Vanderbilt in Nashville and the Mauna Lani in Hawaii, and both of those had such amazing staffs that the Elysee really paled by comparison (maybe not fair to compare, but for that much money we expected more).", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "hotel elysee has all the comforts of home . My wife and I have stayed there many times. every room is unique and very comfortable. the second floor lounge is great, especially at breakfast and evening. you cannot find a better hotel anywhere. The staff is the best!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We were warmly welcomed at the elegant Hotel Elysee, conveniently located on 54th and Park. The Elysee could not have made a better base from which to see the sites being minutes from Central Park, MOMA and a host of NY attractions. The staff were so friendly and helpful (they offered to and indeed made dinner reservations for us, for example), the accommodation so pleasant and capacious (we had a dressing chamber in our reasonably priced room) that staying at \"home\" was almost as enjoyable as venturing into this fabulous playground metropolis. The hotel boasts a nice candle-lit bar frequented by nearby office workers and an uninspiring but entirely adequate restaurant.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Great location. Very nice staff. The fact that there is a complimentary breakfast is a strong point of this hotel since in most places it's around 20$ per person. Complimentary cookies and tea/coffee available all day and wine/cheese/crackers from 5 pm to 8 pm every week day. Beautiful breakfast-tea room. There's a computer with internet access there and also wifi access in each room (free). The room and the bathroom were very nice (see pictures from our room, number 77), very clean. Only problem was with the mattress which was not firm at all and in need of a replacement. Despite New York's noisy reputation we were not disturbed at night ( 7th floor).", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "I loved the Hotel Elysee. We were on a red eye flight so we got to NYC bright and early. The front desk offered to store our luggage for us and asked us to go to the 2nd floor to have breakfast. Breakfast was great...they had bagels, muffins, scones, various teas and coffee to choose from. \nThis hotel is small compared to the typical hotel chains but that is what I found great about it. It is elegant and reminds me of the nice English hotels with its feel and decor. The bathroom is clean and is updated with modern facilities as one would expect. The marble floors was great, the shower was easy to use and navigate, and the water pressure was awesome. \nOn our second day, we didn't realize when the hotel stopped serving breakfast so we went anyway only to find a very nice and accommodating woman cleaning up. She offered to make a tray for us to have it on our room and so we had some bagels, fruit, muffins etc. It was truly amazing service and consideration. \nDuring our afternoon downtime, the hotel offers biscuits and crackers and fruit with coffee and tea. At certain time, there's wine served with various cheese and bread/crackers. It is truly a great value for the money spent here in this hotel. \nThe location is great. It is walking distance to a lot of places when cabs are so hard to find in NYC. We walked to our nice dinner, we walked to the theater, we walked to catch the subway. \nI would definitely stay here again when I visit NYC.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "We booked an anniversary weekend at the Hotel Elysee based on the reviews we read on TripAdvisor. We were extremely pleased with the service, rooms, ambience, and amenities. Everything about this hotel was wonderful--the room we had was large and comfortable; the continental breakfast (included with the room rate) was excellent, and the appetizers and wine in the afternoon was also a real treat.\nThe location was convenient to lots of places we wanted to visit and we walked all over. This is a gem of a hotel, and reasonably priced for what you get. I highly recommend it.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My wife and I spent a fabulously romantic weekend here right before Christmas and we were treated wonderfully. The Elysee has the feel of a hotel in the 1950s, but everything feels new and well maintained at the same time. Be sure to take part in the continental breakfast on the second floor, with comfortable couches and chairs, delicious eats and plenty of newspapers and books. If you're going to a Broadway play, it's very convenient and just the right walking distance. and have dinner at the Monkey Bar -- with its retro decor, you half expect Frank and Ava to walk in arm in arm. And have a drink at the old-school tavern Bill's 90s Piano Bar right across the street. Highly recommended!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I will never stay anywhere else when going to New York City!!\nYes, it was our first time in the city that never sleeps and I am thrilled we managed to choose to stay in this fabulous hotel. Every single member of staff was always and at all times attentive, forthcoming and helpful. Their whole attitude is the best selling point for this hotel!\nOur room was of a good size, which was important since we stayed there for 10 nights over the holiday season (Xmas 2005 until Jan. 2006). Furniture of high quality and very stylish. Bathroom of adequate size, nicely smelling soaps and toiletries, bathrobes of soft Turkish cotton. Really good.\nOur room looked out on the street and yes, weekdays you get some noise. But, since we come from a city it didn't bother us. However, I would recommend asking a room at the back of the building if you are not used to some level of street noise.\nThe complimentary breakfast had a much larger selection of offerings than I would have expected and it could keep you going through most of the day. Coffee and teas remain available for the whole day and as from 5pm they also offer a selection of cheeses and wine (and champagne while we were there). It is a very nice touch, in a cozy and comfortable room, but we didn't run back to the hotel every day 'to take advantage' of this.\nPersonally I would try at all times to stay at this little gem, but by comparing prices! It doesn't exactly come cheap, but you get much more than just 'good value' for what you pay.\nThe only downside in my opinion, is that you need to leave the area for a fair choice of restaurants. There are some places around the hotel but not so inspired in my opinion. Catch a metro and head down to the village of restaurants' row and choices are much better. It's still close enough, but not necessarily 'walkable'.\nAnyway, DO NOT MISS STAYING HERE!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I use Trip Advisor faithfully to plan all our vacations but I would have to say the several days we spent in NYC for the first leg of our honeymoon was the most research I've done for a trip. The NYC forum on Trip Advisor is amazing and all the local experts are so helpful.\nBy the recommendation of a local expert we chose the Hotel Elysee as the location for our honeymoon stay. It's in a perfect location in East Midtown (54th between park and madison) and is a quaint boutique style hotel. It was what we were looking for.\nThe rooms were adequate in size, the bathroom small but OK for two people. We were on the 15th floor far away from any street noise, but 54th is typically a smaller, quieter street than some of the others around. We like historical locations and a homey room feel which the Elysee rooms had. We took advantage of the extra mini refridgerator in the room and stocked up on soda, water and snacks from the convenient deli/store across the street.\nWe LOVED the staff. They were all so wonderful and helpful especially Kevin and Will. The extra ammenity of continental breakfasts and wine cheese evenings was great in a very comfortable, cozy room. We also liked the use of the internet to contact our kids while we were gone. \nThe convenience to walk to cental park, 5th avenue, Time Square and the Theatre district can not be beat. We will definitely make a trip back to the Elysee. We loved it and highly recommend the hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "I am a frequent traveler to New York, both business and pleasure. Over the years, I tried a new hotel with every visit; I generally had a pleasant experience. And then, a friend told me about Hotel Elysee and now it is my \"home away from home.\" This small hotel treats me like an\"important\" member of its \"family.\"\nWhen I checked into the hotel the first time, the expert staff called me by name and made me feel that they were so happy to meet me; it was as if they had been waiting all afternoon for my arrival. when I returned in the evening, they inquired about my day. No need for an appointed concierge --each front desk person is trained to provide full concierge services.\nThe hotel itself is understated elegance. (It's been voted \"most romantic\" several times.) Artistic floral bouquets provide a sweet fragrance throughout the gracious lobby. The rooms, by New York standards, are large, well-appointed including marble bathrooms.\nAnd what could be better than your morning starting with a complete continental breakfast available (juices, fresh fruit, Danish, bagels, good coffees and tea); followed with wine (respectable vineyards), cheeses, fruit, fresh breads and crackers between 5:00 and 8:00 pm; and coffee, tea and cookies available until midnight. In fact, I have often met friends for wine and cheese and then gone out on the town.\nWhen I ride the elevator, I often ask other guests about their experiences at Hotel Elysee. To date, they all have responded either that they \"love the hotel and always stay there\" or this is their first time and they \"will be back.\" In fact, during my last stay, as I was riding the elevator down to check out on Sunday, a young couple carrying a wedding dress and bridal bouquet got on. They were married the previous day and that night -- Saturday -- was their first time at Hotel Elysee. With stars in their eyes, they told me they would be back! I smiled and thought, \"I'll be back too.\"", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We got married in New York and stayed at the Hotel Elysee as our 'luxury' option. They upgraded us to a suite , they didn't even mention it at check in - we just arrived in the room and were blown away - which was utterly fabulous. But even the standard rooms are gorgeous. Really quirkly hotel - great restaurant and the Monkey Bar is a New York Institution - it was featured in Sex and the City - Carrie and Big went there. Where else has bar stools in the shape of pimento olives!!! Small enough for total personal service (great staff) but big enough to have everything you could ask for in a hotel. THey even opened the bar early for us on the morning of our wedding so the wedding party could gather there while we waited on the limo to pick us up. The buffet breakfast is fab and there is even wine and cheese in the afternoon. We chose this hotel for a little taste of luxury and stayed in the Belvedere for a fews days before the wedding as a cheaper option - however - when you add up the extra cost for breakfast at the Belvedere - it was actually cheaper to stay at the Elysee -(we selected both hotels via this website) and you can't beat the wine and cheese after an afternoons shopping in Henri Bendels (just around the corner). Perfect location for shopping and visiting cental park. A great base for Manhattan in general. We'll be back!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Just returned from a 3-night stay at the Hotel Elysee...the room was beautiful with a spacious (as far as NYC hotel bathrooms go), recently renovated bathroom. Loved having the two big windows facing the street UNTIL I was trying to get to sleep. Unbelievably noisy! I couldn't believe how many times dumpsters needed to be emptied in the middle of the night. Plus there were often loud patrons leaving The Monkey Bar (adjacent to the hotel) and Bill's across the street. I should have asked to be moved after the first night but didn't want to bother. On the plus side, the location is ideal--in the heart of midtown and steps from the best shopping in the world. The club room on the second floor is a wonderful haven, like having a big living room as an extension of your hotel room. Great place to meet up with friends or business colleagues or just to unwind if you're traveling alone and don't feel like holing up in your room. The evening cheese and wine, vegetables, cookies, tea and coffee can easily substitute for a dinner out if you've had a big lunch. The continental breakfast serves up some of the best bagels you've eaten, fresh fruit, pastries, cereals, even hard-boiled eggs. Piles of newspapers are available, and there is even a computer with online access you can use for free, plus a nicely-stocked library. It is truly a home away from home (just get a room in the back that doesn't face the street!) Plus it's the BEST VALUE you will find in Manhattan, especially when you factor in what you can save on food. I made some phone calls and was pleased I wasn't gouged! And if you need an umbrella the bellhop will offer you one. Everyone was gracious and friendly and willing to go the extra mile. Across the street is one of the city's top seafood restaurants--Oceana--not to be missed as well!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}]}, "570285": {"reviews": [{"text": "The staff - from the valet to the doorman to the concierge - were all very friendly and helpful. The room was large, decorated beautifully and when you're in the bedroom area it could be considered nearly soundproof. If you're in the front of the suite any noise in the hall can be heard through the door which is really not different than most hotels.\nThe Hotel Contessa allows pets, at least I believe they do since we could hear the dog next door barking. This is probably a big plus for some and a negative for others. We heard the dog only once and it was well after we had gotten up in the morning but I can imagine if someone's dog was not as well behaved - or if your neighbors have rowdy kids - it could easily be heard through the walls.\nThe best thing(s) about The Hotel Contessa:\n1. Located directly on the Riverwalk \n2. Spacious, well decorated rooms\n3. Friendly, helpful staff (everyone I ever encountered greeted me with at least a \"hello\" and a smile)\n4. Were able to get a great price on Priceline", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Great because - staff really friendly/helpful which felt very different from your ususal hotel service. Restaurant is on the river so nice ambience. Convenient 2 block walk to the Convention Centre. Roof top pool /spa and gym also good. Express bus to La Canterra Shopping mall (which is awesome) just a block away from hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Very spacious room. Nice Decoration and design. very quiet even in the downtown area.\nThe location is the best in the river walk area, close to everything, some really nice restaurants around without all the crowd and noises.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "This was my first time staying in Hotel Contessa, but I will be staying again each and every time I come to San Antonio. The staff is wonderful and knowledgeable of the area, and can recommend wonderful places that are not just on the riverwalk.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I've stayed in Hotel Contessa twice and had a wonderful stay both times. The location is great, rooms are HUGE with a separate living room and huge bath, and staff very friendly. Bed was very comfortable. I ate at the bar with half price tapas during happy hour. The bartender was very friendly and the caramelized brussel sprouts with pancetta delicious!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed at this hotel during a recent trip to San Antonio. We chose it because we didn't want to stay at a chain such as Hilton or Holiday Inn because we wanted something original. Luckily it worked out because this hotel was amazing. The curb appeal was fantastic and the location on the river walk was perfect. Our room was bigger than expected and the decor wasn't the typical 'hotel' style as you always see. \nThe staff and management were very helpful and the concierge knew everything about the city. She gave us great advice on what attractions to visit and which ones to skip. \nAll and all we didn't have ANY complaints about this hotel. We will definitely return the next time we are in San Antonio!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My wife and I utilized the Hotel Contessa for a three day reunion of 216 Vietnam veterans and their loved ones. Everything about the hotel from the doormen, desk staff, room and service was five star and we were treated like royalty. The location was ideal to visit many attractions in San Antonio simply by walking or utilizing the fantastic riverboats. Many of us had not seen each other in over 40 years so the Hotel Contessa provided the homecoming we never received after the war. We were honored to be among those warriors and would definitely recommend this beautiful hotel to others.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "This is our fifth time to stay here. The service is always outstanding.The room is always great and so is housekeeping.We always eat breakfast in the restaurant and it is great. This stay was for our 25th anniversary.The whole hotel is top notch.Will always stay here if available.Try it and you will come back.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed a few nights here. Great location, right on the riverwalk. The rooms were large and spacious, VERY comfortable! The restaurant downstairs was fantastic as well. The front desk was also quite helpful with tips on what to do in San Antonio. Would DEFINITELY stay here again!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Wonderful accommodations, superb staff and great tapas. Half price happy hour two times every day. John, Jose, Michelle, Theresa & Chelsea, all in the dining room area, were wonderful, friendly and attentive. Aarron, Stephen and Eddie, from the front desk and bell desk, we're very courteous and helpful. This is an all suite hotel with large comfortable rooms, nicely appointed. For military, active or retired, there is a nice discount.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "By far the best hotel in San Antonio! We live in San Antonio and often stay downtown for a get away and everytime we stay our visit has been amazing! The pool is amazing, but even more important is the attentive staff! I would highly recommend this hotel!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "The hotel is beautiful and the rooms are spacious. We got a room that overlooked a part of the riverwalk and had a nice view of Tower of the Americas. It was quiet for us. The day we checked in was our anniversary and ten minutes after we got in to our room we were presented with a beautiful, delicious plate of chocolate-covered strawberries--sweet touch. \nI liked the location, it was a five minute stroll to the busier part of the riverwalk. We got a package that included a buffet breakfast and it was nice to be able to come down from the room, eat a nice breakfast without having to drive out or wait a long time. The selection was small, but satisfying--there was fresh fruit, an omelette station, bread station, hot foods station... The servers were very attentive and friendly.\nOverall a very nice stay.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I stayed at this hotel while in San Antonio for a recent weekend trip. I was excited about the hotel after reading reviews (they were good at the time) and because the hotel was new. The building is beautiful but...although at the time I assumed some of my issues were just my bad luck, now I'm reading similar issues from other reviewers. \nI arrived early at the hotel and was told that I could leave my luggage there, I would have first priority for a room and they would call me as soon as it was ready. After about 4 hours I returned back to the hotel to find about that my room was on the bottom of a STACK of rooms that were ready and I had not been called.\nThe biggest reason I probably wouldn't stay there again, however is just that setup of the room. You walk into the living room area which was a nice size room but it is very dark with no windows, then you walk through the hallway into a small bedroom with lovely windows. The trouble is that I don't want to spend my vacation in a windowless room so I never used the living room and spend the whole time, sitting on my bed. \nAnother reviewer made the comment that she asked where to purchase a pop and was told that they had to go the restaurant. The same thing happened to me although later, I found out that they do sell pop in the gift shop. I was desperate and had one from the mini-bar which cost $3.00 + service charges that came to almost $4.00 for a CAN! It is definitely one of those hotels that adds charges on charges on charges on delivery charges. Make sure you know what all the charges are before you purchase or order anything.\nAnyway, there have been many comments about noise. The noise from the street did not bother me but, the noise from the band that plays in the hotel courtyard/lobby/bar on certain nights goes on and on. Every room borders the courtyard.\nOne of the things I hate the worst at hotels is when you leave your room for the entire day and return back to find that your room has not been cleaned. I was out from 9:30 am to almost 4:00 and my room was not cleaned. When I called I got the standard, we'll send someone right up. I just wanted to have a nap so I waited in the hallway to make sure someone came soon and heard a fellow call on the radio and ask which room should be cleaned first, mine or my neighbors. He was told to have the neighbors cleaned first. When I spoke to him, he was VERY nice and agreed to have mine cleaned first. When the maid arrived she was very apoligetic and explained that my room did not get cleaned because people wanted to check in early and the empty rooms needed to be cleaned. This, of course, just upset me more. I just seemed to be a low priority for them throughout my stay.\nAnyway, the best part of the hotel is that it is beside the Westin which is just a few steps on the riverwalk and they have a great little coffee shop where you can pickup a starbuck and crousant for breakfast without spending $20 in the hotel restaurant.\nHope this helps!", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed one night in a top-floor suite (1225). The hotel location is great, the architectural design very chic. Still, there were several unexpected issues. The first: The heating system did not work. When it was switched on, it only blew ice-cold air. When we turned it off, it continued to blow cold air. The result: The living room part and the bathroom of the suite were pretty much unusable due to arctic temperatures. The front desk sent up a technician very fast who then told us the problem was not solvable and would only be present in the top floor rooms due to large ventilation system above. So try to avoid those rooms at all costs.\nSecond, the rooms lack noise insulation. Our bedroom was facing a street where a bus line was running until midnight and then starting around 5 am. Even on the 12. floor the noise of accelerating buses was a major nuisance. Also, noise from the atrium bar tends to travel up to all floors. \nThird, the breakfast selection was only mediocre and no more than a three star Holiday Inn quality. No cheese, no cold meats, no omelette station. No hot cholocate. And we had to chase down the hostess to get a table.\nFinally, several attempts to call valet service were unsuccessful. We had to use the operator to get our car. \nUpon check out, the front desk staff willing credited part of our room charge back to us due to the numerous complaints. We really appreciated the way they handled this matter.\nWould we return? Not sure yet. They need to work out the start-up kinks first, and there are quite a few.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed at Hotel Contessa December 2nd-7th while he attended the AARC(respiratory) conference at the convention center in San Antonio. The Hotel Contessa has only been open two weeks. Everything is nice and smells new. The rooms are spacious, as are the bathrooms. The rooms are decorated with a modernized Spanish flare; much more welcoming and appealing than staying in your usual chain hotels. The beds and pillows are very comfortable! All staff members were very friendly and helpful. Just wish the spa had been completed that is to open soon. You must try-out the hot tub on the roof. Really neat with a beautiful view of the city at night. Take a taxi to and from the airport/hotel; actually cheaper than the airport shuttle service and much quicker than waiting for the shuttle to show-up(after waiting 40min. we got a refund and took the taxi...smart move). Hotel Contessa is very conveniently located. Step out the back door to the Riverwalk or walk to the Alamo. The largest Mexican market outside Mexico, \"El Mercado\" is also just an $0.80pp bus ride away(walk if you want, but I suggest the bus) and you can haggle for a better prices on unique gift items there. This was our first trip to San Antonio and we enjoyed it very much! Don't forget to tip your maid and bell boy. They all provide excellent service!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "We stayed at the Hotel Contessa the first weekend in December. It is ideally located at a quieter section of the riverwalk right next door to the Westin. This beautifully designed hotel has a wonderful patio area along side the river. We enjoyed cocktails after dinner and listened to the Spanish influenced guitarist performing in the Cork lounge. Enjoy this hotel now, because when word gets out, it is going to be the most popular hotel along the river.The rooms are large and nicely decorated.The hotel staff was well trained and very attentive. My only word of caution: If you like to turn in before 11:00pm make sure you tell the desk that you don't want a room facing the atrium/bar area. The music travels and it could be quite loud in your room.If they want to be a 5 star hotel, they need to offer guests airport transportation. \n Overall, I would say this is probably the best hotel on the riverwalk.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "we loved it! We've stayed at several hotels on the riverwalk and this is at the top of our list. It's at the quiter end of the riverwalk but w/ in walking distance to all nearby attractions. It's a beautiful & chic hotel, huge suites & bathrooms, comfy beds, and unique decor. It has a nice comforting feel unlike, the larger hotel chains. Hotel Contessa has only been open for about 2 weeks and things seem to be running smoothly already!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "We spent two nights at the Hotel Contessa over Thanksgiving and it was a GREAT experience. It\u2019s brand new - just opened 2 weeks ago - and is right on the Riverwalk. Its located next door to the Westin and there are no noisy restaurants in front of or below you. The room was exceptionally comfortable - we watched the Christmas lights parade from our room - the windows run from ceiling to floor and the d\u00e9cor is warm with lots of mirrors and wood. Ask for a room ending in \u201c3\u201d \u2013 \u2018403\u2019, \u2018503\u2019, \u2018603\u2019 etc. and you get an extra room window with a different view of the river.\nThe architecture of the place is interesting - its a lot smaller than big hotels like the Marriott or Westin) and has a more home-like feel. The bar in the atrium serves tapas and cocktails, and night they had live Spanish guitar music. The gym and pool are on the roof and surrounded by ceiling to floor windows \u2013 great view of the city. A spa is still under construction and should open a couple of months. \nThe staff was exceptionally nice and all seemed to have experience working with other Riverwalk properties. Definitely one of my all time favorite hotels!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 25}]}, "99455": {"reviews": [{"text": "I made reservations for 2 King non-smoking rooms on December 1, 2005 for 3 nights starting December 30th. I used the SAVEWS code and got a rate of $99.00 per room per night.\nWhen we arrived on December 30th, the hotel refused to honor the rate even though I had the confirmation email I had received from Hyatt.com after making my reservation. We spoke to the man working as the supervisor at the front desk when we arrived. We were kept standing at the front desk for about 45 minutes while he went back and forth to the area behind the front desk time after time. At first he told me that there was no such rate as SAVEWS. Finally on one of his trips he admitted that the SAVEWS rate did exhist, but told us the reservation supervisor told him that it was never available for that weekend. The amazing thing was that I had checked the website earlier that same day, December 30, 2005, for a friend who was thinking about joining us in San Antonio and the $99.00 per night rate was still available. I have a printed copy of that too!\nIt was both my birthday/New Year's weekend and we had our daughter and son-in-law with us from Scottsdale. It was late in the afternoon and we were forced to take the higher rate to avoid further embarrassment and the hassle of trying to find another room. In fact we were told by that same supervisor, that since the 48 hour cancellation had passed, we were going to be charged for the rooms regardless.\nWhen my husband called customer service to complain, they called the hotel and were told by the man working as the afternoon supervisor when we checked in that we had forged the confirmation at that rate.\nI really had to fight them for king rooms instead of double beds also. When I told them my reservations were for king rooms, they said that there is no guarantee that you will get the room you want. Eventually they gave me king rooms, but I promise you that one of the rooms had to be the worst location ever.\nWe were treated in a shameful manner by everyone working in reservations and especially the front desk. When I spoke to the woman who was supposedly the \"front desk supervisor\" the day after we checked in and told her about my problem, she again repeated the tale about the reservation supervisor telling her that the SAVEWS rate was never available for that weekend. \nWe were NOT the people who could not or would not tell the truth!!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "At first, we had a great experience there over Thanksgiving weekend. I had to use valet parking when I arrived at the hotel because of all the spaces being filled due to the parade downtown. My car sat in Valet parking all weekend until we checked out on Sunday.\nWhen they brought my car back, my new $400 iPod was simply gone! They even took the audio dock connector/charger and they also tried to take the cradle it was sitting in, but it was bolted into my dash. There were ZERO signs of the car being broken into, so it was definitely the valet who took the items.\nSo, what do I get after its all over? Nothing. No reimbursement of any kind after filling out a so called \"claim\" with them. Because they make it known that the motel is not responsible for lost or stolen items in your car. So basically, that means that their hoodlum parking attendants can take whatever they want from your car and never be at fault for it. What a bunch of BS.\nSo, I wouldnt recommend this place to anyone who values their personal possessions, because the people here are a bunch of crooks in disguise.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We stayed on a Friday and Saturday night and had a wonderful room. Got a great rate by using the promo code a previous reviewer mentioned --- SAVEWS -- we input this on the Hyatt website and got a rate of $99 per night for two doubles -- the rate was better than AAA.\nOur room was beautifully decorated... I was really impressed. Wonderful down comforters on the beds; each bed had four huge pillows. Very attractive furniture. Two complaints: the room refrigerator isn't usuable for your own items -- it's a minibar with electronic sensors.. you touch it, you bought it. Also, parking is extremely expensive -- about $24 for valet parking. Self parking is about $16 -- there's a lot right across the street -- however, with self parking you don't get in/out privledges, so if you're not staying put on the Riverwalk you may want to go the valet route.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "This is a nice hotel with a beautiful lobby. All the staff were extremely friendly, rooms clean and comfortable. The only problem I had with this particular Hyatt were the food prices. I have stayed in Hyatts all over the country, and never have i paid over $15 for one bagel and coffee. Unbelievable to have to break your pocket for something so small as a bagel. \n If you have no problems over paying for less than low grade food, this is a good place to stay. The hotel itself has a great view of the riverwalk, and is convienently located.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We got lucky and found a code ( on trip advisor) for a cheap rate at The Hyatt on The Riverwalk...we had a great location for doing the tourist things in that particular area. King Riverview Room at 189.00 per night\nThe hotel was very nice and the friendliest staff we have encountered anywhere.\nThe Chaps restaurant in the hotel has pretty good food but the prices are not \"inexpensive\".\nWe had dinner one night at The Little Rhein Steak House and the food was very good. ..expensive.\nThe Jazz at The Landing is wonderful...right inside The Hyatt\nthe restaurants on The Riverwalk were all very busy after 7:30PM so get there early or expect to wait. The steak house took a reservation for our group(5)\nThe barge ride was a nice way to see the riverwalk and then have some idea of what you'd like to see further\nThe LaVillita area is quaint but not very spectacular\nThe Alamo is a must see and try to watch the free movie...history lesson...\nThe shops around The Alamo are nice and The RiverCenter Mall is in a nice setting but it is after all \"only another mall\".\nAll in all we enjoyed our stay in San Antonio and will return...\nOne major thought: if you have any walking limitations this Riverwalk area may not be for you...the surfaces are very uneven, the pathway is narrow and the amount of steps and stairs is something to consider.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Just recently visited San Antonio and had a BLAST! I checked other reviews and found a discount code-SAVEWS. The room price went from $169 per night to $99 per night. \nThis is a very nice hotel that's centrally located. Everything is in walking distance including the Alamo, Rivercenter Mall, the Riverwalk and gift shops. You have no need for a car, so save gas by walking.\nI have checked the site since returning and the above mentioned code is now listed as $139 per night which is still better than $169.\nCheck in and check out was slow, but manageable. Valets were extra busy and we had to wait for our vehicle as it was on a first come first serve check out basis. The elevators were slow, but I think it was mainly because a lot of people were checking out at the same time.\nNo other problems. Rooms/bathrooms were clean. Be sure not to touch the mini bar as it is sensored and will charge you if you move anything. It doesnt matter if its eaten or not, so hands off to avoid the charge. CASA RIO's is a good place for authentic mexican food, but make reservations because they fill up quickly. Enjoy your trip!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}]}, "218770": {"reviews": [{"text": "Due to our bussy schedules I booked a quick one day getaway to the Rancho bernardo Inn. I really wanted this to be an especial day out for my wife and our five month old baby.We booked a \"Stay and Play\" package. It included our room, two personal massages and the dinner and breakfast for $100 extra. A total of $445 for the night. As you first arrive to the property you feel as if two years have been lifted off your back. The tall trees and the quaintness of the Inn itself are welcoming to the eyes. But everything changes as soon as you walk in through the front door. The first impression is that of a charming period quaintiness but soon you realize that the place is just plain old and in major need or rejuvenating. The staff knew that we were bringing our baby along and was kind enough to check us in around noon (usual check in is 4pm). We were given, as requested a room with a king size bed. However, unbeknown to us, the room was located in the upstairs portion of a building with no elevator. Now, with a baby, the obligatory baby gear and more importantly a stroller, the room was definitelly not a good fit. Our window was also looking straight into an overhead walkway that connected our building to the next so anyone walking by had a straight line of sight into our room. Out went the feeling of privacy usually associated with a romantic getaway. Our room was very average if not old and the bathroom had no personality whatsoever. Walking around the property, after a lot of embarrasing maneuvering to get the stroller down the stairs, we found it extremely over built. There was no place you could go where you felt like you were away on a vacation. The concrete walkways were covered with leaves and dust that no one cared to swip during our stay. Because we were looking forward to taking our baby for her first day at a pool I made a point out of asking if there was a heated pool before I reserved. I was informed that not only they had two heated pools but one of them was a child pool and had a side jacuzzi as well. Once there, we painfully found out that the kid's pool's heating was off and the water too cold so we couldn't use it. On the other hand, the jacuzzi was extremely hot, even for the adults. I left a message with engineering to let them know but never got a return call. Dinner was the best part of our trip. \nWe very much enjoyed our time at El Bizcocho, the inn's fine restaurant with a couple of caviats. The restaurant is a Jacket-required venue, a little fact that was not indicate to at the time of reservation. They do have jackets available for sorry patrons like myself who must endure two uncomfortable hours of wearing someone else's clothing; another completely unromantic situation that was agravated by the fact that it was hot in the room to start with. the second problem came with the bill. Supposedly the way the package works is, and this is where I found out, that you pay the additional $100 dollars at reservation and your food is free but you must still pay for your alcohol at the time of dinner (expected) plus all taxes including the foods. Well, since I also paid for the taxes on the initial $100 for the dinner plan it seems that I have been charged all my food taxes twice, doesn't it? The spa was fine, except that it was too small and it had a poorly thought out retail section at the reception area. As I was escorted from one treatment to the next walking through it in my robe I felt as if I was walking half-naked through the sportswear section at a K-mart. Again, not your most relaxing or romantic experience. The following morning we had breakfast at the Veranda restaurant, a too cool name for an average breakfast room. Looking out the window we had a glorious view of, you guess it, a construction site. Yet another bit of information that the reservations agent curiously left out a couple of days earlier. It was dusty, dumpy and very dificult to navigate with a stroller. All said and told, the stay was a complete disaster. By the time we left the Inn our bill had nearly doubled to the mid eight hundreds and I was just as rested, read tired, as when I arrived. Thankfully, the baby is too young to ever remember and hold this against me and my wife is too nice to say she didn't like it. I won't tell you what to do but I am surely never going back.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "What a lovely surprise! This tranquil retreat is beautifully laid out, the grounds are just lovely with fountains, large balconies for the rooms, hills, wood benches throughout and of course the golf view. The fancier of the two on-site restaurants, El Bizcocho, is I think the most beautifully laid out that I have seen in Southern California, where I live. It is also an incredible value: I had a 4-course menu for $55 and everything was outstanding! The crowd is mature, the service is perfect. I go to many 4-5 star resorts but this one has a special soul, particularly enhanced by the interesting collection of objects and statues in the expansive lobby. My 2-year ld daughter loved the rabbits that run around. There were one bridal shower, one wedding and one anniversary being celebrated while we were there, which told me others felt this is a special place too.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}]}, "482154": {"reviews": [{"text": "This property is owned by the Kimpton Brand of hotels. Unfortunately, a far cry from the other properties in its chain.\nThe pluses: It's definitely a \"boutique\" hotel that offers decent amenities and has a certain feel that appeals to a younger clientel if that's what you look for in a hotel. Every evening from 5-6pm they have a complementary wine social in the lobby. Pretty nice to unwind and relax after a long day. Also, their upstairs pool bar has a nice vibe and very comforting. I stayed at this hotel in January, and I can only assume during the warmer months, this pool bar is busy and packed with the coolest of San Diegoans. The rooms are clean and very comfortable. The bathrooms are stocked with Aveda products and the complementary morning paper greets you at the door. The hotel does have a workout room that offers a few treadmills with cable tv monitors attached, but it is small. If there is more than five people in the room it's packed.\nSo here's why I wasn't so pleased with this hotel. When I checked in, there was nobody at the front desk. Granted, it was 9pm on a Sunday..But I feel this is the second opportunity for your hotel to make a first impression. (The first opportunity is valet, but when my cab pulled up..The valet attended looked at the cab and casually walked back in the hotel.)\nAt the front desk, I waited about three minutes for someone to show. When they finally did, they didn't apologize for the wait nor welcome me to the hotel.\nThe second day, I was supposed to receive a UPS Package. UPS records showed it was delivered, the hotel showed they received it, but the package was \"misplaced\". It was an important package I needed for a tradeshow the next day. Although the package was never found, the hotel manager did send one of his employees out to purchase a similar item for replacement. \nOne morning, my co-workers and I sat down for breakfast. We were given coffee with our menus. It took about 20 minutes for the waiter to return. When he served our order it was wrong. He was very apologetic and comped the meal, mentioning they were short staffed that morning.\nIt seems as if the hotel staff can make up for their shortgivings, however if you are paying $300+ a night, you shouldn't have to endure a negative experience. I've been very pleased with the Kimpton brand (Hotel Monaco in Denver and Washington, D.C.)so I expected the same level of service at this property. In their defense, it is a fairly new property. However, the hotel business isn't new. If a guest pulls up in a cab, don't walk inside. If a guest is standing at the counter for a few minutes, apologize and welcome them to the hotel. If a guest has a package sent to the hotel, don't lose it.\nIt seems like they need to pay attention to the small details in order to make this a property worth coming back to. Since it's right in the Gaslamp District, there are many others to chose from. I doubt I would stay here again. They had an Omni attached to the ball park, so I may give that a try next time I'm in SD.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "80668": {"reviews": [{"text": "First, let me say that my Husband and I have stayed here before and had a wonderful time but sadly I have to write this review... \n We are Starwood members and booked in advance for a deluxe room for our Wedding Anniversary. I am very un-happy and rather troubled by the way things turned out especially since we are Starwood members, it was our Anniversary and we were return guests ! Upon pulling up to the valet the guys took a few minutes to even acknowledge we were there (that's never happened before) but once they acknowledged us they were nice and courteous as always. Check-in with Sergio went well and he even noted or Starwood member number and told us Happy Anniversary so I figure we'd get upgraded for sure. Then our Bellman Anthony came over and he was very nice, he took us up to our room (910) and upon entering I was a little disappointed as it was not upgraded and did not even have the full length standing mirror that deluxe rooms have, and to be quite honest the other Superior rooms we've stayed in here were better and even had more windows. Then while the bellman was bringing in our luggage he told us our room was actually joined with the Presidential Suite and that's when I heard all the noise actually coming from the other room (originally when I walked in, I thought the noise was from the \"dream machine\" that was playing) but I figured it was just a tour of the Presidential suite being given and I didn't think about it because that room is $3,500 a night and didn't think anyone would be staying there (so wrong). So when our bellman left he ask what time we'd like our turn down service, I said 8:30pm and would also like our champagne to be put on ice, he wrote it down on a piece of paper and said no problem. After he left I could still hear the people in the Pres. Suite talking and then all of a sudden the joining door was swinging back and forth and I went up to it and started talking to the other guy through the door and he said they were staying in there that night and we should call up security to have them come lock the deadbolt, so I called them up and they locked that door and said 'sorry'. \n At about 5:30pm my Husband decided to go look around the Horton Plaza while I take a shower and get ready for our night out and when I got out of the shower I noticed that housekeeping had been in our room while I was in the shower !!! They attempted to do a turndown service but instead of leaving when hearing the shower running they just did a BAD and quick job at turndown; no slippers out, no robes, no ice for the champagne and my high heels that were set out were trampled into the hallway. I couldn't believe they entered while I was in the shower after I asked for turndown at 8:30, not to mention the bathroom door didn't even lock and I had my purse out on the bed and my jewelery on the bed too ! After we went out and came back to the hotel I noticed that they still didn't come back to finish the room, they left it with a crappy turndown, but I still forgave it and continued on with the night.\n That is until 12:30am.... that's when the party in the joining Presidential Suite started, it was awful, I can't even explain how bad it was, yelling, cussing, annoying woman cackling, loud rap music, it was like we were in the room partying with them, it was SO loud ! We let it go on a little bit in hopes they would stop but at 1:30am my Husband went to the lobby and he was told \"there are no more king beds, but we will send up security\", I was pissed because I couldn't believe they just said they had no more king beds, I didn't care what kind of bed it was I just wanted to enjoy my Anniversary night in peace! So by 2:30am the party is still going strong and my head is throbbing with a migraine and I'm in tears because this experience was ruined, our romantic night together turned into a keg party we weren't even invited to, so my Husband called down to the lobby again and they said they would send up some keys for a new room but that we \"could only sleep in there\"... WHAT !?!?! We weren't allowed to shower and get ready we would have to come back to our original room to get ready, I have never heard of that before ! even a motel 6 wouldn't have done that. So I was not about to be okay with that, I just couldn't believe it. So about 10 mins later a guy brought up the new room keys and my Husband asked him again \"so we can only sleep in there\" and he said \"yes\" and that's when I lost it, I was crying and saying it was unacceptable and no other hotel would do this and then the guy said \"on behalf of the hotel we would like to apologize and offer you a comp breakfast from the Grant Grill\". We didn't end up changing rooms because that was ridiculous, what woman is going to want to change floors and rooms at 3am and then again at 7am to get ready !?!? So we just waited for the party next door to end, and at about 4am we were finally able to sleep. The breakfast in the morning was great but hardly worth the trouble, the tears and our Anniversary night to be ruined. I am so disappointed that our favorite hotel, the US Grant did this to us. I don't know if I can ever come back. How could they book a Starwood couple spending a romantic Anniversary night next to a loud party in the joining room !?!?!? I have videos of how loud it was in our room, please listen to how awful it was.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I generally enjoyed my stay at the U.S. Grant in San Diego. The hotel is well located in the central downtown area directly across the street from Horton Plaza, a nice semi-outdoor shopping complex that includes a Nordstroms and Macys. I was in San Diego for a meeting and was able to walk to the convention center in about 15 minutes.\nThe hotel is quite impressive from the outside. It is a classic design and has the presence of an established landmark. The inside is equally impressive with an expansive lobby. Check in was smooth and efficient. \nMy room was visually appealing with a nice king size bed, a side table with CD clock radio, a 32 inch LCD, etc. The bathroom was somewhat modern with a great basin although there was only a shower and no tub available in my room.\nThe Grant Grill is their only restaurant. I enjoyed the food there and everything seemed well-prepared. There are many nearby alternatives not only at Horton Plaza but all along the Gas Light District as well as near the convention center. I was able to easily find a Mortons, a Flemings, a Rock Bottom, and many local establishments.\nThe health club is fairly nice although small. The equipment appears quite new and includes built-in television feeds.\na\nJust for reference, there are a few issues that should be noted. Although I find the nearby areas interesting, there are quite a large number of homeless people even directly across the street. One morning, I counted at least 30 homeless types (sleeping bags + carts) well within 50 yards of the hotel\u2019s front entrance. I was never bothered by anyone, but if you have anxiety after dark in those situations, you might just want to be aware of it. In addition, there was an error on my bill that developed because the minibr fridge automatically charges you when the items in the fridge are moved. I told them I was just seeing what was in there, but it would be nice for them to confirm the use before charging since the sensor seems quite sensitive. \nOverall, I enjoyed my stay. I would likely consider staying again although I might opt for the $100 suite upgrade that was offered to me when I made my reservation. Since I was there by myself, I declined. However, with more than one person in the room, the extra space would be nice.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "80255": {"reviews": [{"text": "I have just returned to the UK after two one-night stays at the Old Town Inn. Before I went I looked at their web-site and their price and expected to find a shabby but respectable cheap motel. How wrong I was. It was a great little place! Our rooms were quiet and well appointed, I only had their cheapest room but it was definitely roomy with a fridge and microwave. The breakfast was super and the staff were friendly and exceedingly helpful. The location is superb! It is a mere 2 minute walk to the Old Town with lots of life and good eating places as well as only a one minute walk to the Transit Centre where buses and trolleys go everywhere from La Jolla to Downtown and the border. The Inn is only a 15$ taxi ride away from the airport and so is an excellent base for visitors flying in. The pool area is clean and beautifully planted up with hummingbirds visiting the flowers. I would definitely return and would be happy to use it as a base for a car-less holiday in beautiful San Diego.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I stayed at the Old Town Inn based on the many good reviews I read on TripAdvisor and I couldn't have been more happy! Convenient location, nice clean rooms, good housekeeping, friendly staff, nice breakfast, and best of all GREAT RATES (they give a 10% AAA discount too). The ONLY negatives at all (and it really didn't bother me) is that the hotel is located in a somewhat \"industrial-looking\" area. It wasn't noisy or anything and when you were on the hotel grounds you would never know it.. the way the buildings are laid out you really can't see much beyond the hotel when you are there. \nAs others have said, getting around from here was easy and there are many restaurants and store close by. Our first two nights we stayed at a \"chain\" hotel just a few blocks away. It cost $45.00 more per night and it wasn't as nice as the Old Town Inn. I will tell all my friends about it. I would definitely stay there again!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "The trip advisor board led us here,a good choice.Stayed here Jan.5-8 and again Jan 19-21. Both times in the older sections for $58 to $65 ,depending on room and day of week. \n Nicely landscaped gardens and pool area(heated),good expanded continental brkfst.cereal,rolls,muffins,toast,bagels,waffles,h-boiled eggs,coffee,juice,hot choc,tea,milk. Didnt have my computer,so dont remember if all rooms have internet access,but there is a computer in the lobby for guest use which worked out fine.\n Great staff,especially,Mary and Maria,who seemed to be working most often when we were in the lobby,also always someone outside sweeping,cleaning pool,trimming,just keeping the place nice. Rooms very clean and pillow top beds comfy for hotel beds.Laundry available.\n Walk 2 blocks to Old Town or couple more blocks to the left for plenty of dining ,shopping options. (Guadalajara in OT or theres Sizzler on Rosecrantz that are decent choices.Dont forget a fish taco from Rubios while you're there)Driving easy also,but may have to cruise the parking lots in old town for a spot at certain times of the day. Desk has printed directions for both walking locally,or driving to most anything in San Diego. Commuter train,trolley,busses also right there at entrance to old town.Entry to I-8/I-5 or downtown on Pacific Hwy all convenient .Found driving SD quite easy from here.\n There is factory looking military (SpacWar) spacewar? complex across the street,but no noise or traffic problems resulted.\n Overall great place to stay", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We visited San Diego in July 2006 to attend the Comic-Con annual convention. This is the largest event of it's kind hosted in San Diego and all the rooms in the city get booked well in advance (approximately 100,000 visitors over 5 days). If you are planning a trip to the city in late July, be advised to secure a room well in advance!! We phoned the property directly to reserve a room and the friendly desk clerk described the accommodations to me and quoted a $76 rate but suggested we upgrade to a larger room for $110 a night. I have just returned and read that we probably were given a regular sized room as we had no cooking facilities as described in a review below... \nLive and learn.\nIn any event, most reviews on TA are accurate. This is a motel facility on a busy 6 lane highway facing a munitions plant. That said, it was not noisy at all in our room which was not far from the street. We had a king-sized bed, a small desk, a sofa facing an armoire holding a television with basic cable channels. The room was well maintained and the bathroom and dressing area were very tidy. One gripe about most motels, the industrial carpet was not clean - so it's a good idea to bring slippers. The motel makes a great effort to create a pleasant atmosphere in an industrial area. Travel time to the airport is only 5 minutes but we heard no air traffic!\nThe staff are all very friendly. The desk had ample help to facilitate check in for the large crowd as all rooms were sold out the entire weekend. As mentioned, there is a sunny breakfast room off the lobby featuring FREE cold cereals, muffins, bagels, and rolls. There were 2 toasters, a microwave and various spreads and jam. A bowl of fruit cup and 2 self-serve waffle grills seemed to fascinate many visitors. Most people helped themselves to a large bowl of apples and oranges \"to go,\" though the hotel asks that all food be consumed on site. This free buffet exceeded our expecations...\nParking is free and although we were concerned we would not get a spot upon our return late one evening, I think we got the last one. All in all, there is little fault to find with the property. We did not take the trolley, but the depot is close enough to walk easily from the hotel across the busy street. Folks attending a convention have a 5 minute drive or easy access via public transport.\nAll in all, we would return to the Old Town Inn. I would suggest booking the least expensive room as I do believe most rooms are the same. Ask questions if you call the motel directly to relieve any uncertainty.\nThis is a very simple, roadside motel with above average service and clean, safe accommodations. A very good budget option for business or families.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Front Desk: Staff was consistently very friendly, knowledgeable, and prepared to answer our questions. They seemed to appreciate our business! They provided their own info sheets on public transit, and mapped out some of the best restaurants within walking distance.\nRoom: pleasant d\u00e9cor, perfectly clean. Beds were fine. Ours was an economy room, $58 in late April, so there was no microwave/blow dryer/fridge.\nBreakfast: Very clean, pleasant, indoor breakfast room, with waffles, variety of flavoured and plain bagels fresh each morning, cream cheese, jams, bread, various flavours of hot oatmeal pouches and cold cereals, pastries, muffins, apples, oranges, milk, juice, coffee, tea, hot chocolate. Hot beverages were available all day and evening.\nHotel Grounds: Nice landscaping, plants everywhere, a pretty fountain, and lights on the trees at night. Heated pool, looked clean, patio furniture to sit poolside.\nLocation: Across the street (5 minute walk) from the Old Town Amtrak & Trolley/Bus Station (very good public transit system with frequent service to Sea World, downtown Amtrak station, Balboa Park, La Jolla). Old Town has many Mexican restaurants and shops, most within a 10-minute walk. The area appears to be fairly safe, even at night. The transit station seems to have security guards on duty most of the time.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I booked this hotel from reading all the reviews as did most people. If you read all of the reviews you will get a pretty good idea of the hotel. It was clean but not brand new, had a more than adequate breakfast with enough variety to please just about anyone. We did hear some noise from people above us and when the shower was started for about 5 seconds but no road noise at all. As soon as the people above us moved out it was quiet. We were in a 2 queen- bed room with the gas hot plate (and hood vent) as well as fridge and microwave. We are a small family of Mom, Dad and a 6 year old and we were mostly visiting for all the theme parks. We were only really at the hotel for breakfast and after dinner usually went to bed. It's located very close to Seaworld, the zoo and the airport and only 30 minutes or less from The Wild Life Park and Legoland. We attended all the parks and getting to them was very good with the hotel directions. I think that this hotel is awesome for a family visiting the city for the sights, the pool was clean and our son was the only one in it the few times we went but the weather was mostly overcast. If you have a huge budget, go to a 5 star but if you want to spend your dollars on the sights and park meals etc. then this hotel really helps. A rental car is best but it is very close to public transit if you are only needing to be in town. There is a crosswalk and lights to cross the 4 lane road between the hotel and the trolley/transit system and Old town. As for it being far from restaurants.....again, with a vehicle it is minutes from all the fast food and pizza you can imagine as well as Black Angus, several family restaurants etc. The famed hotel circle is also really close and we drove by it on our way to the Wild animal park and it looked like a zoo. It is just countless hotels on either side of a major freeway so I don't know how any of those places would be either quieter or nicer and the price on most I saw was considerably more than the Old Town Inn. Also there was no parking fee at this hotel to add up the bill. We stayed for an entire week and the front desk was helpful though usually fairly busy. For families with young kids I would really recommend this hotel unless you are made of money and like room service etc! The breakfast had a choice of 3 cold cereals, 3 types of oatmeal, a great fruit salad, hard boiled eggs, 3 types of bagels and cream cheese, white and brown toast, 2 types of fruit pastries, 2 types of muffins, OJ, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and of course the self- made waffles and syrup. Pretty impressive for no extra cost. We were there for the last 4 days of spring break and never had to wait for a table and it was even quieter for our last 3 days. Bottom line.....a great, safe hotel for those who don't want to spend $300 a night and probably several times better than anything else in this price range.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Let me start by saying that I realize not ALL rooms are created equally, not ALL staff are perfect, and not ALL weekends are ideal. The reviews on here made the Old Town Inn seem like the find of a lifetime. I was there less that 24 hours ago and just have to disagree. It isn't bad, it is just a so so place. It is in the middle of an industrial section of the city. Think of an old Motel 6 or a Super 8. Then add nice landscaping, a reasonable price, and old (but clean) rooms. There are very few other business close by. There is no onsite restaurant and only one restaurant about 1.5 blocks away only open for breakfast and lunch. No stores, no restaurants, no shopping, and really nothing worth seeing that is anywhere close to walking distance. If you have a car and are on a budget, then this isn't a bad place. Don't compare it to the other hotels that are in the middle of the action and near other sites or businesses. Really just average and believe me when I say, not any better than that.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "If you are looking for a low budget place to stay in San Diego with a central location and excellent service this is it!!!\nPositive\n+ Across the street from Old Town\n+ Across the street from the public transport and tram\n+ Nice sized rooms. Very clean and comfortable.\n+ Awesome breakfast selection\n+ Central location to attractions/San Diego\n+ Very helpful staff.\n+ AAA rates\nNegative\n- Located in a industrial area\n- Low amounts of noise from other rooms and roads\n- Heated pool, is not heated.\n- Little to no stores close by. Shops are 15min walk.\nOverall I would recommend this hotel to anyone visiting San Diego who is conscious of money. The rooms are comfortable and clean. The breakfast fills you up for the whole day. The value for $$$ is excellent. What more do you need?", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "Who are we? My wife and I celebrated our 30+ anniversary (allowing a ten year time frame helps keep you right!) while we were on this Vacation. I am sixty one (also celebrated that milestone on this vacation.); my wife is five years younger. We are time share owners, since 1997, in Florida, Westgate Vacation Villas. We exchanged one of our weeks for Desert Springs II and another for Marriott\u2019s Newport Coast Villas (Newport CA). and spent two nights at Palm Springs Marquis Villas Resort, with another couple .(I have written reviews on these.) We were on our first California visit. We were on holidays, in California, from January 26 to our return to Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada on Valentines Day February 14th. We arrived home to -40 degree temperature. (It is the same temperature in C. or F.) . We often travel with another couple but this time we were just the two of us. Unforeseen circumstances prevented another couple from joining us.\nWe also stayed one night each at \u201cHermosa Hotel\u201d Avalon, Catalina Island ,(Review is complete) and \u201cDesert Hills Hotel\u201d in Palm Springs.(In the Marriott\u2019s Newport Coast Villas, Newport Beach Review, I mistakenly called it Desert Springs Inn) I plan to write up on Desert Hills Hotel as well. We followed Trip Advisor for the hotels mentioned and Hermosa Hotel. We found the reports to be very accurate when one considered the consistent comments. (Also checked the reviews on the timeshares, but we were confident we knew what to expect at them.)\nThis was a situation where we were in Newport Beach and had a night and the better part of two days to fill in before our return to Palm Springs. We had thought about going to Mexico but decided that was too much and I\u2019m glad we made that decision. While we were at the Newport library, being guest computer users, my wife was looking after emails and I checked out the motels in San Diego on Trip Advisor. Old Town Inn seemed very inexpensive and had gotten good reviews. We felt we had been lucky with Hotel Hermosa in Avalon would we try our luck again? I phoned and was offered a room for $65.00 I booked it! We arrived about 3:00 P.M. my wife wasn\u2019t feeling very well, just a little off. I asked if an upgraded room might be available. I was offered a room with a queen bed, a microwave, and bar fridge. It was a little bigger and $10.00 more. (A Special Price!) My wife rested and I looked around. The pool area was very well looked after, as was the lobby. It appeared all the staff I talked to are proud of the inn! Again, all the positive things that have been said, we agree with. We did not experience any problem with noise or any other negative situations. My wife felt better after a rest. I got direction to Old Town and asked if it was safe for us to walk there. They said they had not had any trouble and we left about 5:30 P.M. for a walk around Old Town. It was great! There were shops and a band, very enjoyable! We got into a Pizza Restaurant,(My wife\u2019s favorite!) around 9:00 P.M. We enjoyed the meal and walked back to the Hotel. We felt very safe all the time! The next morning, we went for a great breakfast as has been described in other reviews. We bought tickets for the Trolley Tour at the Inn for $28.00 each. (They said leaving our vehicle at the Inn would not be a problem.) We walked to the Trolley in old Town around 10:00 A.M. and had a quick tour of San Diego. We returned about 2:00 P.M. We had a quick lunch and left for Palm Springs about 2:30.\nThis is a very nice hotel, well maintained and would be great for a family. It was great for us. I noticed at breakfast the customers were middle age or older. A really nice hotel, at a very good price, in a great location for Old Town or transit connection. You could take a tram to Mexico! Great value!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "After almost getting ripped off by a very shady car rental company just after landing in San Diego, we arrived at the hotel in a rotten mood. The smiling young lady (Kelly?) at the desk immediatly asked what was wrong. We told her and she gave us a small upgrade to our room to make us feel better. She keep smiling and chatting about where to eat, the easy access to public transportation if needed, and in seconds we were in a good mood again.\nThe next morning, after having a nice free breakfast in the lobby, we told David the manager (who is also always smiling and seems to love his job) about how his thoughtful night shift worker lifted our spirits so quickly. He smiled (did I mention that everyone at this place smiles all the time?) and said that he does not hire experianced hotel workers. He hires people based on having a helpful happy attitude and then trains them on how to perform the job.\nWhat a great concept!\nSure the Hotel is a very good value, but it is the great staff there that helped get us back into the spirit of our vacation.\nThank you all.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "This hotel was a great find. It is located kind of out of the way on a main thorougfare, but you can quickly travel downtown in no time. We were not bothered at all by traffic noise. \nThe rooms were large and clean. Had a comfortable bed, couch, nice tv, large bathroom. . . just great for the price. \nGood breakfast in the morning too. \nGreat price! Clean room! No problems!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "The Old Town Inn is well worth staying at for any visit to San Diego. The staff are friendly and very helpful. The pool is within a courtyard. A very pretty hotel. The rooms are spacious and clean. Our room even had two sinks, a large counter, fridge and microwave. We chose this hotel based on the reviews on TripAdvisor.com and was not disappointed. As stated in previous reviews and as we can confirm, it is close to a busy road but the noise was not loud at all (our room was the second room next to the busy road) and we were pleasantly surprised that it was quiet. The breakfast was great -- we loved the waffles made in a waffle iron as well as the freshly boiled eggs. This hotel is located in an industrial area but it felt very safe. The rates were very affordable. I would highly recommend this hotel to anyone visiting San Diego.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "This place was great. From the beautiful landscaping, to the immaculate and charming lobby, to the most helpful staff I have run into in a long time, this place was an absolute joy. The location was very convenient for both car travel and public transportation. It was about 10 minutes from downtown and the same from Sea World. The front desk even provided a one sheet information guide to every attraction that you could imagine. We used it, and all the directions were correct. The room was large and very comfortable. The next time that I am in San Diego I would not hesitate to stay here, and such a bargain. Did I mention that the front desk staff were wonderful?", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "The Old Town inn is a great place to stay, the rooms were large and clean, the pool area was great and the staff on the front desk a very willing to help. It was great to get up and have a good breakfast in the morning and be able to do some laundry in the coin operated machines. It is a 5 minute walk to the heart of the Old Town area ( Which has the best food in California) a 3 minute walk to the Old Town Trolley station which we used to get to Seaworld 25 minutes, The San Diego Zoo, which is the best zoo I have ever seen took about 50 minutes you can also catch the Amtrak to head north from there. It is only a 10 dollar 15 minute taxi ride from the airport. We would suggest asking for a room towards the back of the propety because there was a little traffic noise but it was not a real problem. I would definetly stay here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I just returned from my 3-night stay at the Old Town Inn, and can thoroughly recommend it. Value was superb; staff were incredibly helpful and welcoming; grounds and pool lovely. I stayed in Rm 208; it was very clean and had everything I could possibly need, including microwave, fridge, coffee maker, 2-ring stove, hairdryer, iron & board, and cable TV. Location was fabulous - easy walk to excellent public transportation - trolley, buses, train and coaster - with transfers to anywhere you could possibly want to go. And right nearby is Old Town which is so delightful for shopping and restaurants. I would stay there again in a heartbeat, and certainly hope to soon. Thank you Doug and David and all the staff.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed at the Old Town Inn for four nights on our vacation in August, 2005 and paid a average of about $77/night, including tax. This included a free continental breakfast, which featured make-your-own Belgian waffles and other wonderful items in a spacious breakfast room. The hotel was centrally located, near a major freeway, and in what appeared to be a quiet warehouse area. We visited the Old Town historic village (a 5-10 minute walk) and enjoyed some excellent Mexican food. The trolley and transit center, which we also utilized, is there as well.\nAlthough both sections of the hotel appear nearly the same, we later learned that there is a new section and an old one, and our \"economy\" room was in the old one. The room gave new definition to the word \"cozy\"; the better word would have been \"tiny\". The closet was ridiculous (barely large enough for one person's clothes, let alone two people), and you couldn't fully open the door because of the bed. The bathroom sink ledge was also too small for two traveler's toiletries. But the crowning insult was the infestation of ants behind and on the dresser. The room was sprayed twice and smelled awful. When we complained to the front office, instead of apologizing, they said we should have expected ants \"because San Diego sits on top of an ant hill\". (?)\nWe would still recommend this hotel because of its location and wonderful free breakfast, but strongly suggest securing a room in the new section (on the right of the hotel). We poked our heads in two open rooms in that section and they were definitely larger (and probably more expensive).", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed at the Old Town Inn and enjoyed it very much. We have an opportunity to go again to San Diego in August '06, and I will book the Old Town Inn.\nIt is across the street from the Old Town Station where you can access the train into town. \nThe complimentary breakfast is excellent with make-your-own waffles, fruit, toast, cereal, fresh fruit salad, muffins, danish, coffee, tea, hot chocolate.\nThe staff are very helpful (especially Edward at the front desk - thank you Edward). \nOur room consisted of two queen beds with a kitchenette. Excellent for long stays. The bath was clean as a whistle with a wall that separated the main room from the bath. Also, the shower/flush is separate, so someone can be in the shower while another is getting ready at the sink. \nPool is nice and very clean. \nFive minutes (about) from the airport.\nLots of literature on local attractions.\nStaff are willing to give you information on local area.\nLiquor store just behind hotel (5 minute walk)\nRestaurants are across the street (Historic Old Town)\nWonderful stay. Would recommend!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Seeing the Old Town Inn rated as the 10th best hotel in San Diego, and reading all the glowing reviews here, we obviously thought we had uncovered a hidden gem. Trip Advisor has always been reliable for us, but definately not this time. To begin with, the hotel is not really in Old Town. It is located on an industrial road about a mile from the historic district. You can walk to the historic Old Town area, but you have to walk along Pacific Hwy for a bit, then cross under the freeway and past the train station to get to it. No way would I take my family along this route after dark.\nThe room was old and had a musty smell. The furniture looked like it was from the 1970's. We were awoken both mornings at 5am by the garbage truck behind the hotel. To make matters worse, someone's dog starting barking out in the hallway at 7am and this went on for 30 minutes both mornings.\nThe breakfast that everyone raves about is nothing more than a waffle maker, donuts, muffins, cereal, and yogurt. Of course the breakfast area is so small that it was always difficult to find somewhere to sit, especially if you have more than 2 people in your group. I took a quick peek at the pool which was very small like you would find at any budget motel. Parking is tight, we couldn't find a space when we first arrived late at night. Each space is very narrow, and pretty difficult to get in and out of the car when you can barely open the car door.\nThe final straw was having to kill a cockroach in the bathroom in the middle of the night. I've never checked out of a hotel earlier than planned in my life, but we did that next morning.\nYes, the front desk staff are friendly, and it's a convenient location for getting to Sea World and Old Town(by car), but it should be clarified that the Old Town Inn is simply a 1 star budget motel. You'll save some money staying here but it was not worth it. I can only conclude that all these glowing reviews are either fabricated by the owners of the motel, or the people submitting there opinions are comparing the place to a Motel 6 or Super 8. Giving it 5 stars is ridiculous. What would they give the Hotel del Coronado?\nWe stayed our final night at the Courtyard San Diego Central for only $30 more a night. The place was great. We were definately penny wise and pound foolish on this one.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Staff was fun and friendly. The inn was only an industrial area, but it was like an oasis. Close to everything, clean, reasonable - all you could hope for on a budget. Right across the street from public transportation and the old town part of San Diego.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I stayed at this hotel for two nights from May 13, 2005. I had made my reservation here solely because of the reviews I had read on TripAdvisor.com. I had been impressed by the fact that Old town Inn was ranked #16 of 226 hotels in San Diego, so I thought I would try it. I am glad I did. My room was a Deluxe room with a king sized bed. The room was large with plenty of room. It also was one of the cleanest rooms I have ever stayed in. It was spotless. The carpet was in excellent shape, like new, as was the furniture. The bed was very comfortable. The linens and bedspead were in excellent shape. It also had a small refrigerater and microwave. There was a large closet with plenty of space to put luggage. The outside of the hotel was well kept with plenty of free parking. I asked the staff for directions several times and they were always very helpful and knowledgeable. Susannah suggested several Mexican restaurants in Old Town that ended up having very excellent food. She also recommended that I try the trolley to go downtown to a ballgame. It was easy to use and dropped me off right next to Petco Field. The electric trolley train and also the city bus lines, both operate from the Transit Center, conveniently located about 200 yards away. Old Town, a must visit local attraction, is within walking distance right next to the Transit Center. You could just park your car at the hotel and access most places in the San Diego area from here. The trolley will take you to all the way to Mexico. It is also quicker if you consider the time to find a parking place downtown and also cheaper considering the price of parking downtown. \nI ate breakfast both mornings at their free breakfast bar. It was well stocked with a variety of cereals, breads, fruits, rolls, muffins, bagels, and several different juices, milk, and coffee. I was told they will soon add waffles. Espiranda was stocking the bar and worked as hard as any waitress I have ever seen. She never let anything get depleted. Be sure to tip her if you agree with my assessment. Because of her efforts, your breakfast will be an enjoyable way to start your day. \nThey had a very nice pool area, although I did not have time to use it. \nAfter my two night stay here I moved to the Humphrey By the Bay because I wanted a bay view. Old Town Inn outdid the Humphrey in all ways except two, the bay view at Humphreys and the on site restaurant for dinner. In every other way it was better, cleaner, bigger room, and friendlier. That is not a knock on Humphrey's, which is higher ranked, just a complement to Old Town Inn. Old Town Inn was much lower priced. I actually wished I had stayed at Old Town Inn for all four nights. \nI had never tried a hotel before solely because of reviews like this one. I was very glad I had. If you are used to the Hyatt or similar you may not like this hotel, however you will save at least half on the room, not have to tip everyone who says hello, and save the $15-20 for parking. The rooms will be just as comfortable and the customer ranking of the hotel is probably higher than most of the Hyatts, Hiltons, and Sheratons in town. Compare for yourself. I highly recommend this hotel. I definately will stay here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We stayed at the Old Town Inn on March 12-16 and found the location great. It is easy to buy trolley tickets with any type of bill and get around which was the major reason we chose this hotel. The staff is friendly and was very helpful in answering any of our questions. One in our group went to the conference center and it is about 15-25min ride depending on how fast the second trolley arrives at the station (You have to switch from the blue line to the orange line to get to the conference center and anywhere downtown...about 7 total stops) The Old Town Inn has a great continental breakfast and we had no problems as other people mentioned about needing to get up early to get the best out of the breakfast. Even at 8:45 there was plenty of food for us. The hotel was almost completely booked when we made these reservations and I am not sure that our room has always been a non-smoking room but it was very very clean and hard to tell so we didn't ask. We felt safe and comfortable in this location - especially being a group of only females. It is a pretty place and Old Town is really close as are some great Mexican restaurants (and Italian). Other areas are just a trolley stop away. I would recommend this place to others. We paid $85/night but it would have been cheaper had we been able to book sooner and gotten a smaller room. Note: If you are going to San Diego, search online for food coupons. I found so many buy 1 entree get one free coupons!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}]}, "287392": {"reviews": [{"text": "PROS:\n1) Great location! The Omni is situated downtown on the bay; a short walk away from the historic Gaslamp Quarters which we walked to daily for dining, drinking, and shopping. The hotel is connected by skybridge to the incredible new Petco Park where we saw the San Diego Padres play. New convention center is right next door. Beaches, shopping and site seeing is only a short drive away as well.\n2) Great value. After staying at the Hotel del Coronado three nights previous, it was refreshing to enjoy nicer amenities at a less expensive nightly rate. This new facility has beautiful rooms and common areas with very nice finishes (tile, fixtures, carpet etc.). Those who appreciate clean lines and modern design without sacrificing comfort will feel right at home (see pics). The rooftop (6th floor) pool is heated saltwater which is wonderful on a chilly San Diego evening and has a bar (although it\u2019s not open very late). Wireless internet is free (included in nightly rate).\n3) Staff was very friendly. After noticing a comment on our reservation from our AAA agent that it was our honeymoon, they automatically upgraded our room free of charge.\n4) We had a nice sense of privacy compared to our experience at Hotel del Coronado. Noise was not a problem at any time during our stay.\n5) Fun for kids. Even though we are newly weds without children, our upgraded \u201cjunior suite\u201d had the \u201cOmni Kids\u201d room attached. This room had bunk beds, giant stuffed animals, books, games, bean bags, and a separate TV. I can imagine that kids would have a tough time leaving this hotel as it definitely looked like a lot of fun (see pics).\nCONS:\n1) Pool area closes at 10:00PM and the poolside bar usually closes at 7:00PM. Not a big deal at all but we feel this was a little early for such a nice amenity.\n2) Valet parking is $24 per night. A little tip: To save some money, self park in the new garage right across the street. Our nightly rate there was only $8 as we only used the car once a day (no in and out privileges).\nOverall our honeymoon experience at the Omni was great. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking to stay downtown.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I had two problems during my stay at the Omni that I have never had at any other hotel in all my life, not even the budget hotels. But the real problem was in how they handled the second problem. \nThe night before I was to check out (at 6 am to catch a flight), I called and asked for a wake up call. Someone answered the phone and confirmed the time that I would be given a call. The alarm clocks in the room give you the option of either radio, CD, or natural sounds (who wakes up to the sound of the ocean??), but no buzzer. So I was counting on that wakeup call. I didn't get it and ended up missing my flight as a result. When I went down to check out at a little before 8am, the manager on duty confirmed that I didn't get a call and apologized. He put me in a cab to the airport at the hotel's expense, so I was happy about that. The strange thing though was that he wanted me to leave my bags at the hotel. I asked why and his explanation was that they would be there in case I couldn't get on a standby flight. I asked what if I do get on standby, what happens to my bags? He said they would drive them over. \nApparently the manager has never flown on an airplane because that makes no sense. By the time you get confirmed for standby, there isn't time for bags to be shuttled to the airport, come back outside security to get them, go back inside, etc. etc. Anyway, aside from the bizarre recomendation to leave my bags, I was still happy that they did whatever was necessary to get me to the airport ASAP. My real beef is the next thing that happened...\nWhen I got back to Dallas, I saw a huge second charge on my credit card, to the tune of about $150. I called to ask what it was and left several messages that were never returned until days later. While waiting for the callback, I called again and asked to speak to the hotel desk to see if someone could tell me what the charge was for. I finally spoke with the manager on duty and he researched and told me that it was from the mini-bar. I said, \"WHAT?? I never even opened the mini-bar, I certainly didn't take or consume anything from it.\" The manager then began to argue with me over the charges, as if I was a liar and thief. He was unbelievably rude. I spent a huge amount of money to stay at the hotel, they then tack on some other wrong charges, and *I'm* the one who is being given the second degree?? He starts listing the timeline, \"Our records show you checked out at 1:30pm, we checked the mini-bar at 2:00pm....\" etc. I say, hold on, you don't even have these times right. I checked out at about 8:00am, and I can prove that I was in another city eating lunch at the time you have me checked out. He goes on to say that's all irrelevant, the charges are still correct [because his computer tells him so]. I said, no, your records are demonstrably incorrect on many aspects, you can't tell me that despite all the other errors, you are certain that the charge is correct--someone obviously inputted someone else's data to my name or room or whatever.\nHe continued to argue with me and that's when I lost it. I finally told him that they either fix the charges or I'm disputing them with my credit card company, I took nothing, and I refuse to pay for something I didn't take. He finally said in a huff that they would remove the charges, but there was no apology, no acknowledgement that the mistake might have been theirs. There was never an offer to look into it or investigate, etc. He was only doing it because I refused to pay it, as if I was just some scummy person trying to get away with something. I refuse to let some manager impugn my character when the mistake was the hotel's. I've left a message with the general manager about the manager's terrible attitude and haven't yet gotten a callback. For a hotel that prides itself on award winning customer service and quality, it is outrageous that they treat guests like criminals when the hotel has made a mistake.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "For some background: Although we live in La Jolla, my wife and I are spending this year on sabbatical and returned to San Diego for a conference in Mission Valley. When the conference was over, we decided to spend three nights downtown at the Omni. \nWe were really shocked with the poor quality of service at the Omni San Diego. For example, on two of the three nights we did not get a turndown service despite requesting it in advance. Daily maid service was slow, on both days our request for an early maid service were ignored and we returned in the early afternoon to find the room as we had left it. I talked with a very nice guest Service Manager but who could do little other than give assurances as to future performances. \nWe tried to order pool-side service via the pool telephone and were promised someone would be along shortly to take our orders for food. 20 minutes later no one had showed up. NB: very small pool for such a big hotel. \nOur room on the 18 floor had a nice view. The rooms are well finished, have nice falt screen TV, a CD and DVD player gives a nice omni feel. Nice, if small bathroom (lack of privacy notwithstanding). The shower and bath are not seperate and the bath is actually very small. \nThe big problem with the bedrooms is the lack of noise insulation - from the exterior and other rooms. A 'hard rock hotel' is being constructed next door and that can be very distracting. However, the real shocker is when the person next door turns on his or her shower, or flushes the toilet: the walls must be paper thin. I just could not believe the lack of noise insulation. Someone taking a shower awoke my wife on one morning. This is not what one would expect from an Omni - more like a motel!\nThen again, the Omni San Diego is best described as the poor cousin of the Omni Chain - it is not a scratch on the Omni San Francisco in my opinion. Service and room quality let it down. With the exception of the Wyndham, the Omni compares poorly to other downtown hotels in San Diego that we have stayed at over the years: the nearby Hilton is much better as is the Hyatt up the street.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My husband, 3y/o daughter and I just returned from an 8 night stay at the Omni starting September 15. I chose the property based on 2 reasons: great Expedia flight and hotel package (which gave me $1,400 in savings) and of course, reviews from Tripadvisor. \nWe stayed in room 1733 : corner room on the 17/f, 2 double beds, with a great view of the Petco Park next door. We were very thankful that the Omni had accommodated these requests -- and were even able to check in as early as 7:30 am, as we took the first flight out of San Francisco.\nThe room was simply elegant and modern. From the cool alarm clock that my daughter was itching to play with, to the funky sliding bathroom door which did not pose a problem to us. In fact, my daughter had a blast peeking through that 1 inch gap whenever me or my husband would be in the bathroom! While I loved the plentiful shelves in the bathroom, my husband was impressed with the nice balcony (not an open one) that you can just gaze out endlessly to the game next door. Again, this is while my kid goes on and off the weighing scale in the bathroom, which is also a nice touch.\nHousekeeping did an excellent job in maintaining our rooms spotless throughout our stay. Room always smelled fresh and new, and even in the hallways as you come out from the elevator. Equally good was the turndown service that you get every night -- mint chocolates with next day's weather forecast on your pillow, dimmed lights, plus a soothing Omni channel on the TV that plays as you enter your room at night. \nThe doormen in the morning and evening (Dave and Anthony, respectively) were very friendly and would always ask us where we are going for the day or where we have been. The valet guys (though we only used the service for a night) also had smiles for us whenever we come back to the hotel.\nConcierge, as expected, was courteous and knowledgeable with just about everything we needed to know about the area.\nThe Front Desk were all very pleasant. I was surprised though at check-in that I was not asked for identification when i registered. Being a Front Desk agent myself, I found that kinda strange since my reservation has already been prepaid. Oh well,... =) \nMy 2 complaints -- which are not much: 1. we were not able to get our complimentary morning beverage as shared by other TA reviewers. Though I signed up for the Select Guest membership prior to my stay, I was informed by the Front Desk that I need to have stayed previously in an Omni property to enjoy that particular service. Funny, but we got the other amenities/service (late checkout, morning paper, turndown service) that came along with the Select Guest membership. 2. fee to rent a fridge is $25/night. since we were staying for 8 nights, i don't think i can afford to pay $200 just to keep my daughter's milk from going stale. so we just made do of the ice bucket to serve that purpose. \nOverall, the hotel was an excellent base for our sightseeing activities in San Diego. Initially, we thought we were out of place seeing all the convention people staying in the hotel! But then we realize that we made the right choice and we are very happy to have stayed in one of the best hotels, if not the best, in San Diego. Thank you for making our vacation very memorable, Omni San Diego. Highly recommeded!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We booked a room for $99/night for the Memorial Day weekend through Travel Zoo. The hotel exceeded my expectations. I joined the Select Guest for free on the Omni website and you receive a free room upgrade in the mail. So when we arrived, the front desk attendant upgraded us to a bigger room that was wonderful. Then every morning through Select Guest, you select two beverages of your choice per person that arrives at the time you want it to. The room was extremely clean and the hotel staff is extra friendly and helpful. \nWe rented a car and there is a garage literally 20 steps away that ranged from $8-14/night to leave your car. Or if you come for the weekend, after 6PM on Saturday the parking is free on the streets and include all day free Sunday parking. So you save on that extra expense. Plus if you look closely on the North side of the hotel across from the parking garage (6th St between K and L) there is a free strip all day lomg if you need to come in and out of the hotel.\nThis hotel was so great that I am booking another long weekend here for the Fourth of July. I was going to Vegas that weekend, but after our stay here I decided to come back immediately!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "79954": {"reviews": [{"text": "A bit of backgound first .... My husband (31) and I (30), stayed here for 5 nights near the end our 3 week trip down the Californian coast. We wanted somewhere to chill out and do absolutely nothing after a very busy tour. It was our relaxing part of the trip. All we wanted was somewhere clean with a bar/restaurant, a pool and in an area where it was pleasant to go for a stroll. I booked an Island Palms Marina view King direct with the hotel a few months beforehand and paid $161 a night before tax. I had e-mailed the hotel a few times with various questions and queries and they always responded quickly.\nThe only thing we had planned was a day at SeaWorld (which we loved, I'd recommend the 'Behind the Scenes' tour - I think we paid about $11 each online, definitely worth it!)\nWhen we arrived at the airport I called the hotel for the FREE shuttle which arrived in about 10 minutes, very prompt. The shuttle was one of the big positives of the hotel. The 2 drivers went out of their way to give recommendations, advice and help. Nothing was too much for them! They gave us a card and told us to call anytime if we needed taking anywhere or picking up from anywhere. We took them up on this on 2 occassions and they took us to SeaWorld and picked us up from Old Town on the 2 days we ventured out. \nI must admit that I was a bit dissapointed in the room initially. It didn't look like the website pictures and was quite dated and shabby with a very old, stained carpet. However, it was clean and comfortable. We had a flickering light and phoned reception who sent someone to fix it straight away. We were in the Sunset Garden area which was used for 2 weddings during our stay. It didn't inconvienience us at all, but we were given vouchers for a complimentary drink at the bar and offered a later checkout time as one wedding was on the day of our departure. There is a resident flock of ducks which waddle around the gardens. Very cute, but not when they're quacking at 7a.m. - bring earplugs! \nI have read other reviews where people have complained about the standard of housekeeping. We had no problems on that front but did notice several room service trays left outside rooms for up to 24 hours without being cleared away. I also had a wierd experience when a non-english speaking housekeeping woman knocked on the door, gave me a very odd freaky smile and walked away.\nWe ate at the restaurant one night and the bar 2 nights. No complaints there. Yes, the restaurant service was a bit slow by American standards, but OK by British standards! The staff were all very friendly and we had a few jolly nights in the bar! On the recommendation of one of the shuttle drivers we booked a table at the Hawaiian themed Bali Hai restaurant at the other end of the island. It was about a 10/15 minute walk. If you can, make your booking to co-incide with sunset. It's spectacular to see the the tall glass buildings across the bay sparkle in the red sunlight. It's not cheap, but the service was very good, the food was lovely, and definitely try out the cocktails! They're fab! This was one of my favourite nights. We also ate at the Fiddlers Green restaurant about a 20minute walk away. My husband said his steak was the best he'd ever had. High praise indeed! \nThe days we weren't at SeaWorld or wondering around Old Town (who needs to go to Mexico -it's here!) and Downtown, we lazed by the pool. There are 2 pools and the one by the reception and bar area was always busy. The smaller pool in the Casa Del Mar area was much quieter, in fact, most of the time we had the pool area and whirlpool to ourselves. There were supposed to be towels provided, but on 2 occassions I had to go to the other pool to get them as there were none. \nSo, in conclusion ....\nGood points: \nfree shuttle, helpful staff, great bar, free internet access, 2 pools, lovely views, peaceful location.\nBad points:\nhousekeeping, shabby room, pool towels, noisy ducks!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed here for 5 nights while taking sailing lessons at the nearby J-World sailing facility at the end of the island. We chose this based on location (a 10-minute walk each morning) more than anything else.\nBooked on the Best Western site for an AAA rate of $107/night. Got a first-floor \"Bay View\" room which looks right out into the grilles of SUVs parked in the parking lot. Tiny room -- barely enough room between the armoire and the bed, although the bed was very comfortable. Also got an earful of the garbage trucks that back in between the lobby building and Building I in the mornings around 7am.\nIf you stay here, be sure to:\n1. Get a Marina View room\n2. Get a second floor room, if you can\n3. Avoid getting a room in Building I\n4. Plan to eat just about anywhere except the Blue Wave restaurant in the hotel (see below for recommendations)\n5. Park early in the evening and leave your car parked\nEating recommendations nearby:\n1. Ron Pearson's deli on Shelter Island drive (where boats refuel at the Chevron). Great sandwiches by Oscar and his wife.\n2. Point Loma Seafood off Scott, just east of Shelter Island Dr. Can be busy but very fresh fish -- try the smoked fish.\n3. Red Sails is okay for breakfast -- great fruit\n4. Point Break Cafe at the northwest corner of Scott and Shelter Island Dr. (in the corner of the strip mall). Great breakfast sandwiches, clean and cheerful place with prompt service.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "My wife and I are both 27 years old and travel to the San Diego at least once a month from Tarzana. We stayed at the BW Island Palms on September 9-11, 2005 and were pleasantly surprised with how clean and well maintained this property is. The front-desk service was very friendly and were upgraded from a \"Bay View\" to a \"Marina View\" room for no additional charge and without even asking (Don't expect this regularly, though)....We were upgraded as the hotel overbooked the \"Cheaper,\" Bay View rooms. I would recommend paying the extra $ to stay in a marina view room as the rooms literally step out on to the marina. The bay view rooms don't offer much of a view if you are on the first floor, as the bay is obstructed by the hotels parking lot. In the morning, we had several ducks at our front door waiting to be fed, which was kind of different, but fun at the same time. We had dinner and breakfast in the hotels restaurant. Both meals were adequate and satisfying. There was only one other couple in the restaurant which made the atmosphere a bit more romantic. The only thing that killed a romantic dinner was the banquet hall directly below the restaurant that was having a wedding reception, that was so blaring so loud, you couldn't enjoy the smooth jazz that was playing in the restaurant, as it was being drowned out by the Village People. Our room was 2 buildings down from the on-site banquet hall, and on the first night, could hear the loud, drunk people spilling out of the banquet hall on to the marina, loitering in front of our room after midnight. The service in the restaurant was very, verrrrrrrrrry slow, but our waiter/waitress were not rude, just mostly non-existent.....I'm not sure where they were going, considering both visits to the restaurant, the place was virtually empty. Here are the pro's and con's about our visit:\nPro's:\n- Great views all-around\n- Location (on the marina)\n- Laid-back atmosphere\n- Themed hotel (Googie-Polynesian exterior from the 50-60's) with lit tiki torches\n- Free bike rental\n- Friendly front desk\n- Free in-room internet\n- Refrigerator\n- Nighttime security visibly present\nCon's:\n- Loud parties both nights from the banquet hall\n- Parking in the evening on the weekends is hard to find, (Everyone from Humphrey's parks there for concerts).\n- The pool was cold all three days.\n- \"Bay View\" rooms are a view of the parking lot if on the 1st floor.\nAll-in-all, we were very satisfied with our stay. This joint is laid-back and not overly-swanky with tackiness, the decor fits just right with the architecture of the property. I would definitely stay here again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I just stayed in the Best Western Island Palms Hotel & Marina for six nights. It was a nice property. It is located on Shelter Island and there is lots os scenery to look at. If you're on the bay side, you get to see a constant flow of US NAVY ships meander by. I saw the USS Ronald Reagan carrier return from its deployment and saw the US Naval Hospital Ship Mercy leave for the middle east. On the other side the of the hotel you get to see the marina ... once again, it has some really nice views.\nPOSITIVES:\n- Blue Wave Restaurant: This restaurant is one of the best hotel eating places I've ever gone to. You could eat here all week. Good food, good presentation and good help. I was impressed.\n- Staff: For the most part, the staff was wonderful and plentiful. These folks take care of business.\n- Location: Pretty beyond pretty\n- Bathroom supplies: Lots of supplies. One of the best!\n- Coffee Bar: Fully stocked. Impressive.\nNEGATIVES:\nRooms: A little old, could probably be a little bigger for the price. The bed in my room, Room 158, wasn't all that comfortable. The room needed painting ... may have started and didn't finish. Couldn't tell.\nWhile not a cheap place to stay, the hotel is a nice place to stay. If the beds were a little more comfortable, this would really be a restful place to stay.\nAll in all, this is an above average property. I recommend you stay here for a night just for the scenery.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}]}, "79868": {"reviews": [{"text": "When I telephoned, I requested a 2nd floor room, facing San Diego. When we checked in, we were assigned Room 273 ..... PERFECT ! The Bar service, the morning breakfasts, and ALL of the Staff ( from check-in to Maid/cleaning service to Breakfast staff ) were great. With SD just 7 short hours from Phoenix, and a hotel 'find' like this one, we'll be back often. I cannot say enough about how relaxing and enjoyable our 5 day/4 night vacation was knowing that each evening, after running around from Oceanside to Tijuana, we would be returning to the Bay Club. The Bay Club offers great dinners, too ..... but also, Humphrey's is right next door, and Brigantine's is right around the corner. As Arnold would say, \" we'll be back ! \"", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "As a last minute booking, I was pleased to get a room for a family weekend getaway at the Bay Club Hotel. The peace and quiet of staying on a marina really appealed to us. I'm a stresser, so it's very hard for me to relax...so I was really looking forward to staying here. If you want the excitement of a downtown/city experience, either DO NOT stay here, or be sure you have a car. I was happy with the service...we got a shuttle from the train station, our driver was very nice and told us about the different restaurants within walking distance.\nThe front desk employees were equally nice and attentive. When we called the front desk because our fridge didn't work they had the bellman up within 5 minutes to fix it. We ordered room service for dinner after a long and busy day and the food was superb...hot, fresh, well prepared and let me say the wine and beer glasses were literally filled to the brim. I had no problem with the staff, whom I found very nice and accommodating, and the overall ambience of the hotel was laid-back and relaxed. Our room decor was just a tad on the shabby side....let's just say it was broken in. For the price we paid, I rather expected something a little better with a nicer view (we paid for an executive suite), but I wasn't terribly disappointed. I must say though, if you have a harbor view room, the view of downtown San Diego is spectacular, especially at night.\nThe walk along the harbor is relaxing...the sailboats are enjoyable to watch...and if you have little kids (like us) there is a park for them to play in. It's a bit of a walk, but our 3-year old had lots of fun once we got there.\nThe one thing I advise is this: if you are looking for a quiet night...stay in a MARINA room as far from Humphrey's as possible (the hotel next door). Humphrey's has live music from, I believe, 8 p.m. until 2 a.m (this was a Saturday night). And although the front desk called over there when we complained (at 12 a.m.) and the music \"calmed down\" fairly quickly (we were impressed by that), it did start up again within the hour and lasted til closing at 2 a.m. Then, the party-goers were pretty loud and some even obnoxious (what drunk isn't?) when leaving the hotel (our room faced the Harbor/parking lot/street).\nSo, I'd say go ahead and book if you really like the marina/harbor lifestyle, but if you're a light sleeper then stay on the \"other\" side of the hotel as far from Humphrey's as possible!", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Our usual hotel was booked for the day so we went looking through TripAdvisor reviews for an alternate location. I called to obtain some preliminary info and learned the last renovation was in 2000, this concerned me but the comments here indicated it was still excellent so I made a reservation. \nThe room we reserved was a first floor marina view. The room seemed clean though some stains could be seen in the carpet. The paint and wallpaper were in good shape as was the condition of the furniture. No obvious odors though it did seem a bit musty likely due to the location. It didn't seem too bad for a 4 year old room initially. \nThe sink area provides ample counter space for laying out ones bathroom articles. There are two mirrors and lighting is adequate. The tiles in the sink area showed some stains and cracks in the grout. Not terribly bad but could be updated. One nice touch is that the sink is separate from the shower and toilet area. \nIn the shower and toilet room, it showed obvious signs of use. The floor tiles were stained and the grout discolored. This transferred over to the shower wall tiles and grout, they have seen better days for sure. Looks like bleach has changed the beige grout to white so this color discrepancy doesn't help in the presentation of the room. To their credit, I didn't see any mold but between the discoloration, this was difficult to tell. I wasn't about to try and scrape any off to find out. The toilet flushes with a vengeance so close the lid or you may get splattered.\nSpeaking of the toilet, the shower room and sink area is void of real towel racks. The fresh towels are folded into holders. The other bath towels were draped over the toilet disabled persons handrails. These are low and right next to the toilet bowl. (Aim well and close the lid otherwise those towels may be absorbing something else.) After using, there is no real place to hang them so you toss them on the floor or make a space for them elsewhere. Poor thought here. \nWe also could hear the guests in the room next to us. It wasn't obnoxious yet you could hear the faint mumbling of a discussion and the TV. The A/C unit is yet another adding to unwanted sounds. When it starts up, it begins with a low sharp humm then you hear the fans go on. After being startled awake more than enough times, we opted to shut it off. \nAnother noise concern was the planes and helicopters from the Coronado air base. I was told they didn't fly over frequently so it wouldn't be a bother. At 5:30 AM we awoke to the guests in the room above us as their walking caused the floor to creak and groan. About an hour later the sound of jet engines from the S.D. airport added to this. We resorted to some 30db ear plugs which she was able to sleep fine with. I wasn't so lucky as I heard the planes faintly then on. \nAfter enduring this, we were looking forward to the made to order egg and pancake breakfast which we had been told is offered. When we came to the restaurant: bread/muffin tray, instant cereals, scrambled eggs, Denver type omelet, bacon, sausage, potatoes, some sort of breakfast burrito and a fruit tray with fruits not near ripe. The overall quality was not what it should be. When asked about this, we learned they changed the day before. The person taking my reservation knew what date we were arriving and this felt like a bait & switch. We were told that this will be the breakfast format from now on.\nThe final nail was the $5 charge for parking. So adding up all the things we didn't get, the value dropped significantly. The area is nice but even the marina view can't make up for the creaky floors, jet engines, stained shower room and change of breakfast.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "After reading innumerable reviews of San Diego Hotels in preparation for a trip there for our daughter's wedding, my husband and I decided on the Bay Club Resort. We were pleasantly surprised by much lower rates and better value than the other hotels we researched. I made our reservations directly with the hotel management some months ahead and they were quite a bit less expensive than the hotel room consolidator companies. Their confirmation of our reservation came promptly by e-mail with a lot of helpful information included. Their shuttle driver picked us up promptly at the airport (it is very near the airport) and was most pleasant. We used the shuttle a number of times during our stay going to various wedding actvities and they were always timely and very polite. I was a bit worried by some reviews I had read about staying in a room on the first floor but was very pleasantly surprised by our room (118)which was very nice. Our room looked out on the marina and had a nice sized balcony which hung out over the water. There were two chairs out there with room for more. Our room was very clean, the bed was comfortable, the bathroom was large with a separate vanity. There were tons of soft, fluffy towels which is most unusual these days. The tile was dated in the bathroom but was spotless so that was no problem. The only time we heard anything going on outside our room was when we cracked the balcony sliding door one night and could hear \"Air Supply\" performing next door at Humphrey's Half Moon. In our room this was just barely audible but we would have been treated to a nice concert had we sat on the balcony or out by the pool. The best thing about this hotel was how nice and accommodating the staff was to our needs. They are friendly and straight-forward about helping their guests with their particular questions or problems. The breakfasts, included in the price of the room, was first-rate, served buffet style with seating in the restaurant dining room or on the patio. Each day they served different items which always included two different egg dishes, meats, lovely fresh fruit, french toast, pancakes etc. along with the regular pastries and breads. A waiter brings coffee and juice with refills to the table. We walked along a lovely beach area up and down Shelter Island Drive and went out on the fishing pier to watch the fisherman. There is a very nice playground next to the pier where our grandchildren played. All in all, we really enjoyed the atmosphere at Bay Club and could not have asked for a better experience, certainly not for the price as many others in the wedding party stayed at nearby hotels and paid nearly double what we did and had to buy their breakfasts. We would happily go back!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "82868": {"reviews": [{"text": "Stayed at the Courtyard San Diego Downtown for one night on business. It is in a really neat old bank building (make sure you go down to the \"safety deposit\" level to see the meeting room made out of the old vault) that is just a few short steps from the Gaslamp district.\nThe rooms are very large and comfortable with adequate space all around.\nI would definitly stay here again when I return to San Diego.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My wife and I love San Diego and we always stay here at the Courtyard or at the Westin (Horton Plaza) just down the street. Both hotels are perfect for their locale, as they're in the heart of the Gaslamp District. In case you don't know, the Gaslamp is a series of bars, eating establishments, and dance clubs that make the downtown area thrive. Typically, these places are noisy and crowded, but what do you expect in a downtown setting that caters to the 'younger' set? I'm in my mid-30's and find the 'buzz' fun and a bit out of my normal life. As for the hotel, it's a great location (an old bank turned into a hotel). The rooms are typical Courtyard fare- nothing fancy, usually clean and 'standard'. Buffets are buffets- mass food in mass quantity. If you don't like paying $10, order a meal that you really want for $15- spring for the extra $$- you're already paying $150 a night for the location!\nValet is a necessary evil, as again, YOU'RE DOWNTOWN in a major city. You can walk to all the bars, to the stadium, and you're minutes away from the Zoo, SeaWorld, Old Town, etc. It's $20 for the valet, and they run their butts off as often as you need your car.\nIn all, the service is 'fine', the hotel is a typical Courtyard, but the location is great, and who doesn't like walking out to 75 degrees and sunny virtually every day?", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "80251": {"reviews": [{"text": "I just returned from a stay at the Ocean Park Inn from Friday, July 21, to today, and I cannot wait to go back. In fact, I have booked a reservation in December. This is the second time I have stayed at this hotel, and I just love it. First of all, the hotel overlooks the ocean. You are ON the beach. Some people have complained about accommodations and service at this hotel, and granted, it is NOT the Ritz Carlton. I found the staff to be hard-working, and at times, over-worked, but friendly. I've also found that if you are nice, patient and friendly with people; they are likewise with you.\nWe arrived in San Diego on Friday around 12:30 PM. Our room at the Ocean Park Inn was not yet ready, as they had 100 percent occupancy, and had to get the rooms cleaned for check-ins. Check-in time is 3 PM. My boyfriend and I parked our rental car in the OPI lot, and walked around the beach and went to lunch. When we checked back at 2:30 PM, our room was ready. I had booked a king, partial ocean view room on Expedia. This room was facing the pool, and beyond that, the ocean. Basically, it was an ocean front room without the ocean-front price!!!! We were thrilled!!!!\nThis hotel is in such a great location that you don't really need a car. Unless you are going to SeaWorld or exploring San Diego, there is everything within walking distance to the hotel. My boyfriend and I walked so much that our legs and feet are sore!!! Across the street is a Ralph's grocery store; Starbucks; UNO restaurant (best pizza in town! great place!); Sketchers; Long's Drug Store; Jack in the Box; Wells Fargo ATM; 7-11. Down the street a bit is Rubio's and LaSalsa for fresh Mexican food, Taco Bell and Burger King. Next to the hotel is Taylor's Restaurant (which is good, but not great); Joe's Crab Shack (also good); and lots more of everything. For live music, try Blind Melon's (now 710 Ocean Avenue or something like that ) at the pier (two blocks away). They feature different music nightly, all of it good. For nightlife information, get a free San Diego READER magazine.\nFor t-shirt or other beachwear shopping, try the beach front shops about 4 blocks south of the hotel. They have the BEST prices on sunglasses, postcards, t-shirts, hats, swimwear, etc. WAVE is a little pricey; try the unnamed \"mom and pop\" shops just past the Best Western and Surfer hotels.\nThe OPI also offers a free continental breakfast, with cereals, fruit, bagels, sweet rolls, a variety of juices and coffee. Parking is now $7.00 per night, in a secured, underground garage. There is a microwave, refrigerator, in-room safe, hair dryer, coffee maker, iron and ironing board in each room. The beds are comfortable, and the rooms are clean.\nI much prefer OPI over the Best Western Blue Sea Lodge, because it is smaller and cleaner, and it caters more to families and couples than wild party people. I was very glad to be staying at the OPI instead of the Surfer Hotel, Blue Sea Lodge or other adjacent hotels, because the beach this past weekend was like Spring Break. Lots of wild, noisy, drunk 20-somethings...but none of them appeared to be staying at Ocean Park Inn.\nI also much prefer Pacific Beach to Ocean Beach. Ocean Beach is in an older, lower-income section of town, and I just did not feel safe in that area in general. While Pacific Beach has its share of homeless people, they tend to mind their own business. I felt quite safe walking at any time of the day or night on Pacific Beach, and there always seems to be people walking around, regardless of the hour.\nWe will be back...", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "While we have stayed several times at the Ocean Park Inn and have enjoyed our room, the hotel has definitely acquired a bum problem. \nSeveral of the same bums (approx. 10) consistently hang out directly in front of the hotel on the oceanside boardwalk drinking, yelling, changing their clothes (yes, one was naked) and asking for money from those walking on the boardwalk. We have always had a balcony room and one day, as we were eating our breakfast, a bum started throwing up directly across from us. Of course, we promptly lost our appetite and came inside the room. We have been woken up several times by bums yelling in the early-morning hours; i.e., 12:00 am - 4:00 am - and have had to call the San Diego police department several times. \nUnfortunately, the only thing the police can do is shoo them off, but they come back an hour or so later. As the continued problem with loitering bums has been consistently becoming worse through the years, we will not be staying at the Ocean Park Inn any longer and will take our business further north. Too bad, as we really enjoyed it here. Seems the hotel and the police department need to get more \"teeth\" in handling this bum issue. It destroys the beauty of San Diego!", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I am writing this, to let you know that the bad reviews you have read are correct. I have not stayed here, but had plans to stay here for Mothers Day weekend 2006. I booked my reservation in August 2005 and secured the 1st night with a deposit. My plans had changed and I called on Feb. 16th 2006 to cancel my reservation, and was told that it was taken care of, I also informed them that the credit card I had used to reserve with was no longer valid, they said they would mail me a refund check and no worries I would have it within 7-10 days. As of today 3/8/06 I still had not received the refund and was shocked to see that I still had a reservation there. When I called the hotel and spoke to Jade, she informed me only the GM could cancel the reservation, and that he would have to review the account to make sure I could do this. When I asked what that meant, she said that is the policy. I don't know about anyone else, but I have never been refused to cancel a reservation especially when it meets all the requirements, which in this case was a 72 hour notice, I am giving close to 72 days notice. I also spoke to a Robin who told me that the GM would have to call me back to discuss this with me. Am I too believe that the are so hard up for guest that they hold their money hostage, and try to brow beat you into staying there?\nAs of yet I still have not heard back from anyone at this establishment, and will continue to pursue my $225.00 deposit, so I can stay elsewhere.\nGood luck if you decide to try this place, but keep in mind the other reviews stated that the staff was not friendly, or outgoing to please the guest, and if this is just a small sampling of their hospitality and I haven't even checked in yet, I can only imagine what it would be like had I stayed there.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed two nights in December 2005. We chose this hotel for our stay based on its location and some of the reviews from this site. The location is great. We got an oceanfront room. The view was great but there were homeless people hanging out in front of our balcony pretty much 24 hours per day. The hotel/rooms were older and some attempts on updating them had been made. Overall, the room was very average and needed a lot more updating. The parking was $7/day. The location is great. You can walk to the beach and to a supermarket, Starbucks and restaurants. It's within a short drive to the Sea World. The staff was friendly and helpful.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We stayed at the Ocean Park Inn for 5 nights in Dec. Loved the view as we upgraded to ocean front. Very relaxing. Had a very large room which is so handy when you have so many bags of luggage. Very close to some good restaurants. Loved Old San Diego as much as the zoo and wild animal park. We spent 2 days that sea world. Would highly recommend visiting this hotel, staff were very helpful and always gave us freebies for the restaurants they recommended. Nice pool that was very warm. Being from Canada, we found the weather very warm and had the pool all to ourselves for the entire time we were there. Good breakfast with bagels, cereal, rolls, juices. Very impressed", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We booked our stay in late June after reading the Trip Advisor reviews. I specifically asked if there would be any construction because that seemed to be the main complaint. The reservationist said there would not be any construction during our stay in August. The week before our trip I called the hotel again to upgrade our room and could hear loud fighting and yelling in the background. I figured it was an unhappy guest and made a comment to the reservationist but she assured me it was nothing. I should have cancelled right then. Our family of four arrived at the Ocean Park Inn last week to find major consturction going on directly in front on the hotel on the life guard station. Our peaceful beach vacation that we were paying extremely high prices for ($275 per night) was not going to happen at this location. The hotel was very old and dirty, in a very rough part of town, and looks nothing like the tropical pictures posted on their website. We went in and looked at the room we had reserved (a suite) and it was dirty, small and musty. We told the clerk that we were not going to stay because of the constuction work they had assured us was not going on and she said there wes nothing she could do but to call tomorrow when her manager was there. We left and found a beautiful beach front hotel for less a couple of miles north in La Jolla. We called the manager, Al, the next morning and he was a rude, unreasonable, angry man who wouldn't even listen to our complaint but yelled, called us liers and charged our credit card for the amount of our room. We tried to not let it wreck our vacation and are now trying to contest the charges. We travel often and have never experienced anything so horrible. Please take our recommendations and do not even consider this hotel or you too will be very sorry.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Dear Fellow Travelers -\nI would strongly advise you against staying at the Ocean Park Inn. This is the worst hotel we have ever been to. For starters, as soon as we arrived in the neighborhood, we were greeted to the sight of a slew of police officers hand-cuffing and arresting a group of teens. A few short blocks later, we arrived at the Ocean Park Inn. It did not look like the website photographs (please the candid photos that we have posted). The staff at the Ocean Park Inn was a couple of teenagers who were not trained on the finer arts of customer service. When we finally managed to squeeze into the small underground parking lot (small in size, and small parking spots), we arrived to our first floor room with a horrendous view of tall metal fences with shredded pieces of fabric attached (not the ocean as promised). Since we arrived late, we did not have much choice, but to stay one night at the hotel. As we tried to get some sleep, we were awoken by construction next door. We tried to speak to the hotel management, and they were not helpful. We promptly checked out and were able to find much better hotel accommodations. (Recommend hotels in La Jolla or Coronado - Hotel Del Coronado is fantastic).", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "I invite anyone planning to stay at this place to e-mail me for the full story of 3 extremely depressing days at the shabby Ocean Park Inn. I am preparing to write to the Better Business Bureau, Chamber of Commerce & anyone else I can think of. My husband & I and my brother & wife were treated in a most shameful manner. Never in 30 years of traveling have we had hotel management yell at us over the phone while we were trying to discuss problems with our room!! The \"homeless\", i.e. bums & transients, are allowed to completely take over the property. We watched drug dealing & alcohol use in broad daylight. Beware: If you are making reservations online & think the price for a full ocean view is too good to be true, you're right!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 13}]}, "112279": {"reviews": [{"text": "Just came back from a 2 day stay here in the \"large 1 bedroom\" suite. The room could use some updating but it was clean and had everything we needed, although we couldn't get the high-speed internet to work. Breakfast was perfect for our family of 2 adults and 2 children. The location was also good as we could walk to some good restaurants for dinner and Starbucks was across the street. Unlike some others, we didn't particularly notice sirens after the first one.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "For San Diego, this was a very reasonably priced hotel. The rooms were cleaned well everyday and were quite satisfactory. The hotel gave us an upgrade to their largest room on the property -- a wonderful treat with plenty of room to spread out.\nThe Hillcrest neighborhood was great! There were lots of small, neighborhood restaurants with excellent food.\nThe hotel had free parking -- a rarity in San Diego and transportation to the airport. The continental breakfast and social hour were okay (very basic, average food), but the wonderful lady who hosted them made up for the mediocre food.\nThe only drawback was the sofabed. The mattress was a bit on the thin side. I believe that it is time for the hotel to replace the sofabed mattresses.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Stayed here for a weekend. Currently the place is redoing their pool area. I believe they said it would be completed in April or so. Our room had a king size bed and was spacious. Good view out the balcony as we saw some fun times. :^)\nMy partner and I are gay so this hotel was close to the bars. Hamburger Mary's was a happening place. Flicks on Friday is great deals with the $2.00 drinks. Happy hour from 5-6pm at Sommerset was good. Transportation provided to and from airport was also good. They also have transporation to the zoo. This place isn't high end but for the price and location you can't beat it.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "We stayed four days at Summerset Suites during our Thanksgiving weekend. We enjoyed our stay very much, there is a nice kitchenette equipped with everything you'd need to cook (there's free breakfast but we cooked eggs, bacon and things that we like to pamper ourselves). There are many nice restaurants nearby, a few supermarkets such as Whole Food, Starbucks and Carls Jr are both within walking distance. Its location is superb, close to all major attractions at San Diego. Staff is friendly, too. There is complimentary breakfast, social hour snack, and free parking. The only cons are that it is surrounded by hospitals. Yes, hospitals are on all four sides, so you'd expect to hear siren sometimes(we don't hear too much noise though due to the thick window) and the rooms are not as modern as other new ones. Overall, I will definitely stay here again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "This was my first trip to the San Diego area. I initially planned to stay only 3 days, however I enjoyed myself so much, I extended my trip 2 more days, (October 1 - 6th). I too, like another traveler who wrote a review did not understand why this hotel received a low rating. I researched several hotels prior to my trip and decided on this one because of the general location to Balboa Park and the airport, in addition to the accommodations. Because of the location, it was easier for a first time visitor to the city to navigate to different locations without the fear of getting lost or caught in a lot of traffic. All of the staff was helpful my entire stay. There was always a pleasant greeting whether you were at the front desk or in the elevator. And there was always someone willing to accommodate my needs from questions to services. The property was very clean and maintained everyday. Housekeeping was excellent and very accommodating. The young lady who was assigned to my room, (also #421) made me feel at home. I felt secure moving between my car and my room at night due to the location of the parking area, (which I might add was FREE). The full kitchen surprised me. I only expected to see a range top, but there was a full oven, which came in handy when I did not go out to eat. The kitchen was stocked with the basic items, (plates, silverware, pots, grill pan). However if you are the type of cook that need certain items to prepare certain full course meals, you would have to take care of those needs. The bedroom suite was very, very spacious and comfortable. It was a real bargain for the money when you compare other places and the accommodations they offered. I will stay there again on my next visit.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}]}, "665258": {"reviews": []}, "1147616": {"reviews": []}, "658421": {"reviews": []}, "268157": {"reviews": [{"text": "The hotel was nice and decent. Its a condo style accomodation. The hallways and interior needs to be changed though. The staff were excellent. The complimentary wifi and hot buffet breakfast is wonderful. The only thing i can comment on the property was that on their website they said they have a heated pool, but when we were there and used the pool, it was sunday morning right after breakfast , the water temperature was freakin COLD. They tried to turn the heater on but unfortunately, we need to check out so we havent tried how heated was their pool will be. Overall it was a pleasant stay and hope to stay there again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "First i would like to say that it is a new hotel, i have tried to only stay at residence inn hotels for more than 10 years now, i'm a big fan. I grew acustomed to the seperate and quiet bungalow style rooms that the older hotels offer, kinda gives you an at home feeling, well this hotel doesn't offer that style of rooms or feeling, it's one of those drag your bags for what seems like forever to an elevator down the hall and around the corner type feels, and with a family of four, plan on making trips. The rooms are very nice, full kitchen, and this hotel isn't short on amenities very nice pool, even though they say the pool is heated it isn't, anyone with small kids the wading pool is an excellent idea, the full breakfast is great, great staff. FREE internet NOW(used to cost 10 bucks a day) my only other gripes are the $10.00 bucks a day for parking. I could possibly see that if it was an open or shared parking lot, but it's a HOTEL ONLY private parking lot, so 10 bucks a day and anywhere from $180.00 bucks and up a night for a room,( i'm not a greedy or cheap person, paying that much i think that reflects that, there are plenty $60-$80 hotels all around this place) one would think the small amenities like the internet access (since they mostly cater to the business traveler) and DEFINITELY A NECESSITY LIKE PARKING YOUR CAR would be included, and last but not least the A/C. I don't know about all of you who reads this but to me A/C is a comfort, and it definitely helps me sleep better, well the selling point of most hotels is \"come on in,and get a good quiet nights rest\", well i don't know if this is a designer's flaw, or a marketing plot to keep their light bill down, but the main A/C operator(the one usually hidden in closets that you can't see or hear) well at this hotel it's located in the wall at the very foot of your bed(yes in the bedroom) so it's very disruptive and almost impossible to sleep with, therfore you will turn it off to go to sleep, thus resulting in lower operation, thus lower light bill (you be the judge) and you can hear the TV and people faintly talking in the next room over,but these are my only few disappointments. Now with this you may call be a whiner but i would like it if they transition like the other hi-end hotels and go to the nice flat plasma TV's. I would stay here again because i'm a long time fan, but i would first check for an older location near by first, the A/C is a real disappointment. Seaworld, zoo, downtown, and great restaurants are very close by making it a plus for location. YES i would recommend this hotel to anyone whom could look past my gripes about the place.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I found this hotel to be a great find! The rooms are wonderful, we stayed in a 2 bedroom/2 bath suite which was very comfortable, clean and homey. The staff was friendly and patient and the continental breakfast was excellent. The pool area is fantastic. And the hotel's location is very close to Old Town. \nI had one snag in forgetting my phone charger in the room. After a staff miscommunication on it's whereabouts I was immediately sent a replacement. \nI would love to stay there again!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Let me preface by saying that I worked for Marriott for 7 years up to managing my own property, so maybe I'm a bit of a hotel snob. That said, this hotel absolutely exceeded our expectations and I am soooo tough to impress (so my husband reminds me daily). \nWhile checking in, an Engineer was nice enough to bring our 2 year old daughter a little stuffed animal of a whale to \"welcome\" her to San Diego. It was a very thoughtful gesture and indicative of the level of customer service we had for the entire stay. Even though they were very busy during the week we were there, the staff was super.\nThe kitchen/living room and bedroom split with two kids under two years old was our saving grace. If one wasn't sleeping, we just went into the other room. We found that the \"fan\" option of the A/C and heating unit was great as a \"white noise\" machine. Except, without a bit of adjusting by my husband, then a hotel engineer and finally by (yes, a woman) me--- the air did not have a turbine air effect on anyone in the beds in the bedroom area - just lots of fan noise that my kids appreciated and blocked out everyone else's coughs, movements and noises in the hallways and even our room one foot away.\nMy daughter, 2, especially loved the kids' pool. The hotel was awesome enough to think of putting inflatables in both the big and small pools. They even had a little area around one of the palm trees that my daughter lost herself in for over an hour after breakfast one day.\nThe breakfast, by the way, far exceeds even Residence Inn, or even Courtyard standards. This is a FULL breakfast people! Pancakes, oatmeal, waffles, eggs, sausage, cereal, fruit, yogurt, the works. I was really blown away. We even had a great lady walk around one day with a cart full of kiddie cups and straws and juice for the kids. It was a thoughtful touch to what can be a hectic time of day. \nThe whale statue in the lobby and the kids' corner that had a TV tuned into the PBS and Nickelodeon stations for Dora, Diego and other kid friendly shows during meal times. \nHousekeeping was just okay during our stay (I'm sure they hated going in our room given the messy state it was always in). It was nice that they did the dishes every day, though. All in all, we'd definitely stay at this location again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed at this hotel for 4 nights the end of October.\nThe room was really nice. We had a bedroom with two queens,a nice sized lounge and a full kitchen. Just right for a family of 4.\nThe pool area was nice. The jacuzzi very warm. The pool area did not get a while lot of sun at this time of year though.\nThe hotel circle area where this hotel is situated is not in the most scenic area. You are right off interstate 8. This hotel however is sey back from the road. rooms at the rear overlook the pool and there is no traffic noise what so ever.\nThere are no restuarants at all within walking distance. There are a number of family restuarant chains and fast food restuarants 5 minutes drive away in Sports Arena Boulevard.\nSea world is a 10 minute drive away max. Target 5 minutes in the other direction. Fashion Valley Mall is 3 minutes drive away.\nBreakfast is plentiful. We only tried the managers reception once . There were snacks and beverages between 5pm and 7pm free of charge. The snacks change nightly and range from potato skins to soup and salad.\nMy first impression of the hotel was not that good because of the busy freeway so close. After a day or so in the hotel my opinion changed once I realised how close we were to everything.\nOverall we liked the hotel and would probably stay at it again if in the area.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "This was a nice hotel - very clean and quiet. The room was a little bit smaller than I had expected. We appreciated the vanity/sink area being separate from the restroom. \nI also did not like the $6 parking fee, however, we always had a spot close to our room. \nThe staff was very nice. \nThe breakfast was great! A good variety and it changed slightly each day. I loved the make-your-own-waffles. They have pre-measured cups of waffle batter that you pour into the iron, flip over and it beeps when done. They were delicious.\nWe really only heard other guests in the upstairs once (during Monday night football) and it was not loud enough to be annoying.\nWe attended the social hour/manager's reception once. It was a hot dog meal.\nI would stay here again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed a week in August with other family members. The hotel is very clean and the suites are comfortable but we were disappointed with the facilities. The pool was much too small for a residence of this size and apart from an OK fitness room the other facilities were rather over-stated in the hotel details. There was a single multi-purpose sports court for volley ball, basket ball and badminton plus some games rooms which all required additional payment. Like a previous reviewer we were also a little taken aback by the $6 parking fee. \nI don't think we would have chosen a hotel in this location either. It is set back but it is still next to the highway with no views. At the end of the day, just not our kind of hotel.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We checked into this hotel because we were fleeing the Holiday Inn nearby. Boy, what a difference! We chose the 2 bedroom Kid's Suite because we were travelling with 2 young boys. They loved the bunk beds, the private room and the TV all to themselves. My husband and loved the nice living room, clean kitchen, and comfortable king-sized bed in a private bedroom. (The Holiday Inn had the beds all sharing the same room.) The property in general is very lovely and the staff are extremely helpful and nice. And even though they are located right by the freeway, the rooms were quiet and very comfortable.\nThe breakfast is included in the price of the room, but to be honest, it was just okay food. We had a much better meal at the coffee house just down the street. The second thing that would keep me from rating this property \"excellent\" is the parking fee of $6 every night. There was really no need to do this since there were other hotels all up and down the street and there was no way someone would want to park in their lot unless they were staying here. And last, the size of the master bedroom width-wise was barely big enough for the bed and dresser. When I had to get up in the middle of the night, my husband's feet and the blankets were right up next to the dresser and I nearly tripped trying to walk by. That was a bummer. The good night's rest made up for it, though.\nOther than those things, this is a very nice place to stay for families.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Our first trip to California from Michigan included a 6 night stay at the Residence Inn Mission Valley in San Diego. The property, while newer itself, is surrounded by older, more run down properties along I-8. When I got off the interstate onto Hotel Circle, I was a bit concerned but was relieved when I found our hotel. It appeared to be a rather nice place.\nCheck-in was easy and I was treated very well by the front desk staff, although I was surprised by the $6.00 per night parking fee. I've paid this and more in downtown Chicago for valet parking but never in a hotel along the expressway. I would count the front desk staff to be one of the strong points of this hotel.\nOur room was VERY disappointing. We reserved a room with queen-size beds and received smaller double beds instead. The room had not been cleaned well. We found a can of Skoal under one bed, a previous guest's body lotion on the floor by the window, sunflower seeds on the living room floor, a baby pacifier in the pull-out bed when we opened it up and cereal on the floor under it. Additionally, the kitchen floor was sticky. In short, the housekeeping staff did not have an eye for \"detail\" when it came to cleaning. Outside of our room, the halls needed vacuuming the entire time we were there.\nOther reviewers are correct when they note the VERY thin walls. Fortunately, the guests near us were pretty considerate and it was only a problem a couple of times.\nOur family enjoyed the breakfasts quite a bit. It was pretty busy at times, but the staff did a good job of keeping things stocked and clean. \nAlthough the neighborhood is not the best, the hotel is close to a lot of the major San Diego attractions. We had no trouble getting around this unfamiliar city.\nAll in all, our stay was just OK. I guess I just expect a clean room when paying $200.00 per night. We stayed in 6 other hotels on our three week vacation. The Residence Inn was the most expensive and by far the dirtiest and the most disappointing. When I return to San Diego, I will try my luck somewhere else.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 14}]}, "112247": {"reviews": [{"text": "I booked Balboa Park based on previous TripAdvisor reviews. They weren't wrong. This is an excellent place. The room was a good size, bed was comfortable and all the staff were friendly and helpful. In fact the cleaner even found a necklace which we had left in our room on check out. The hotel provides some nice touches like daily newspaper delivered to your room. I have struggled to find anything negative to mention. However I've come up with some advice should you consider staying here.\n - Breakfast -\nBreakfast is a choice of either cereals or croissants and buns. Both options come with fresh fruit. The croissants and buns are particular good, highly recommended. It is nice that they will deliver the breakfast to your room or outside terrace. However after about 3 or 4 days the options do become a bit repetitive.\n - Water pressure - \nThe water pressure in the shower wasn't as powerful as ideally I would have liked. Although I'm sure this is outside of the hotel's control.\n - Location -\nThe hotel location is good, but possibly not for everyone. If you don't drive (I don't) please consider the following. \nI considered the hotel to be in good safe neighbourhood and I felt safe when walking around the area at all times of day or night. It appears to be quite a residential area.\nThe hotel is a 90 second walk to a bus stop for route 7 which runs into downtown. The bus service runs quite frequently about every 12 minutes in the day, and about every 20 minutes in the evening. It takes about 10 minutes to City College where you can transfer on to the San Diego trolley. \nThe hotel is about 10 minute walk south to San Diego Zoo, Rose Garden and a few more minutes to attractions like the model railway museum.\n10 minutes walk north of the hotel on to university avenue is Starbucks, 7 11, other restaurants and bars. From university avenue you can catch bus 10 to old town.\n - Flowers - \nThe flowers in the room are artificial. Not a problem, but might be worth noting.\n - Pizza delivery - \nLike a lot of places Balboa Park Inn provides some local information leaflets in the room. One was for the Broadway Pizza delivery service. We decided to use this one night. I have never tasted such a terrible pizza. Obviously this isn't the hotel fault, but I wouldn't recommend ordering from Broadway Pizza during your stay.\n- Overall - \nOverall Balboa Park is an excellent choice at a very fair price. I would certainly recommend it and would definitely stay there again.\nThe only reason I've given 4 stars instead of 5 is because the hotel is a 10 minutes walk from shops, restaurants and bars. But I was aware of this when booking, so this wasn't really a problem.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed at the Balboa Inn expecting a great place to stay because of all the reviews. I can't believe that only a few people have negative things to say about this place. Do they weed them out? Where do I begin?\n1. No elevators so we had to lug our luggage up a steep stairway.\n2. Room smelled of musty odor that actually made me & my husband ill. \n3. Bathroom was very outdated, especially the shower. \n4. The plastic flowers gave it a tacky feeling all around. \n5. Despite the claim that the place is quiet, we heard the jacuzzi motor from other rooms until 1am and we did hear the heavy footsteps of other people around.\n6. Didn't see the warning sign on the door until the day we checked out that the property contains cancer causing material that can be harmful to someone who is pregnant.\n7. We knew that the building was old, but we at least expected for a highly rated hotel, the owners would have remodeled to modern standards but it was in its original state just much older. \n8. It was clean, but not immaculate.\n9. The whole place just had a tacky feeling with cheap decor. Not a characteristic of an outstanding place to stay. \n10. The breakfast was good but again, it's canned fruits and Costco pastries.\nWe have stayed in other hotels in San Diego and I would say this is by far the worst. We stayed at the Hyatt Manchester, Double Tree, Embassy Suites and the Marriott. For the price, I think it's not worth it to stay here. We've gotten better bargains in those other hotels. We paid about $170 per night plus tax to get one of their bigger suites, but I could have paid the same for a Marriott Residence Inn and get a full breakfast and a pool.\nOne thing I did learn is not to rely on all the glorious reviews you read on-line. Who wrote all those excellent reviews anyway? I actually feel bad writing this because the people that work there seem nice but I felt deceived by the #2 rating of this hotel and I'm afraid other people will be as disappointed as we were if they stay here expecting something great. After my stay at Balboa Park Inn, I came home appreciating my own house and mind you my house is not a big or elegant, just an average house.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "Bottom line - this is a truly delightful and comfortable apartment style bed and breakfast with all the mod cons. The location is very convenient especially if you are a first time visitor to SD as we were. The proximity to the Zoo and all the lovely museums and gardens of Balboa Park make it very attractive. Our family ( 2 adults + 2 teens) had the California Suite which is on the ground floor but extremely quiet and secure. Very comfortable queen bed, and the sofa bed was ok as well, but probably could be replaced soon.The decor is sunny and homey and really makes you feel you are at home not in a decorators showroom! Bathroom is compact but had everything. Good towels, kitchen well fitted out with full size fridge.We did all our cooking , and we enjoyed eating in the little dining area.The best place to shop for groceries is the Whole Foods store in University Ave towards Hillsborough( for overseas visitors it is a chain of upmarket organic food store with a huge cheese and wine section, fish, bread etc - fantastic). The service at the desk was friendly and v. helpful. Another good service is the housekeeping will do your laundry for a small fee ( the same as you would pay in a coin laundry for a couple of loads). Breakfast was very generous with good quality pastries, fruit and juice- unless you are v. picky you don't need to buy breakfast anywhere else. Parking was fine especially if you came back in the late afternnon. Finally I was amazed at how quiet it was. Overall very enjoyable and if you don't enjoy the big hotel scene and especially if you are visiting with a family this is the only place to stay in SD.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I just want to say that I went into this web listing just to see pictures and etc. I am a frequent visitor and I will not be back there for a couple of months and I was missing its charm, I have stayed in this bed and breakfast for several years now, and have always been treated with the upmost respect by the front desk and by the maid service, the place is so charming filled with old world charm which you do not find anywhere.\nIt is nice to stay where each room is decorated in a different theme and finished with the most beautiful fabrics right down to the finest detal, which makes it fun and exciting. (our favorite room is called the Park Place)\nI also want to comment on how perfect the Inn is kept and how perfect the grounds are kept, even to the detail when flowers are not in bloom or in season the owner/manager has placeed expensive silk flowers and foilage in areas to bring extra life and color for his or her quests to enjoy.\nI look forward to a return visit in the fall and always await to see what will be new and exciting.\nI also must add the location is perfect and easy to get to other areas of the city, and walking distance to the Zoo and Balboa park.\nGene a very happy visitor from Minneapolis, Minnesota", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I was so glad we made the decision to stay at this wonderful place in San Diego on our recent visit! The staff is absolutely magnificent - so friendly and helpful! Each room is different and while this isn't a brand new place, it is well maintained and very clean. The breakfast comes to your room when you order it. We had fresh warm croissants, pastries and a large bowl of fruit for each person. There is a coffee maker and fridge in the room. We walked to the zoo and there is a shuttle bus around Balboa Park. The bus stop is right across the street and it will take you to where you can board the trolley. We were concerned about parking on the street, but we never had a problem. The only small concern we had was that this is a residential neighborhood and therefore you must drive somewhere for dinner. It would have been nice to have a restaurant close by after a long day at the zoo. However, Hillcrest is just a couple of miles away and there are many great restaurants. A local suggested a small restaurant named Arreviderci in the Hillcrest neighborhood, and it was excellent! \nOther reviewers have lamented that this isn't a traditional B&B. We found it even better! I have never stayed anywhere with a staff more eager to please! We can't wait to visit again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I have stayed at Balboa Park Inn for extended periods of time since November 2003 and have found each stay to be delightful. My most recent visit was in March 2006. The suites are beautifully decorated and exceptionally clean. A friendly and helpful staff makes each visit enjoyable. I love walking around the balcony overlooking the courtyard with its beautiful plants. This balcony connects with a large sun terrace. The plants and attractive teakwood furniture provide a lovely place to have breakfast or just sit and relax. I'm looking forward to my next visit.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "On April 1st, we made a weekend jaunt, via Amtrak, to San Diego, CA. We searched through Trip Advisor for a reasonably priced place that would be close to Balboa Park. We struck it rich with the Balboa Park Inn. It is a quaint bed and breakfast. The first clue as to how nice this Inn would be was when I called to make the reservation. I had a real live person, no reservationist, that gave me advice as to how to get to the Inn, how near the park is, and pertinent information about their establishment. Upon arrival, we were upgraded to a lovely suite, \"Country Talk.\" The decor was very tasteful. The kitchen was fully equipped with stove, oven, refrigerator, microwave, toaster, coffeepot and all the necessary cooking and eating utensils. There was also a good supply of tea, decaf coffee, regular coffee and hot chocolate mixes. When I walked into the sitting room, it reminded me of my grandmother's home, very 1940's style. The bedroom was furnished with an excellently crafted, extremely comfortable, not too soft and not too hard, king sized bed, dresser and night tables. The suite also had two closets. The bathroom was not only well stocked with plenty of towels and toiletries, but had a very large tub that I could sit in and get a good soak. We never had to call for extra pillows, blankets or towels. The staff was not only very professional but very helpful too. We even had assistance carrying our bags up to our room. \nWe were within a 2 block easy walk to Balboa Park, the Zoo and the Carosel. The Inn is also located on a main street, Park Blvd., with excellent bus service. Just an added note, the bus drivers were also very helpful with making sure we did not miss our stops. \nThere were numerous restaurants on Park Blvd. And, we found a Whole Foods Market on University Ave., in the Hillcrest District, too far to walk, but an easy bus ride there and back to the Inn. \nThe only drawback is a 7 day cancellation policy. And, they charge your credit card at the time the reservation is made. \nWe are already planning our next trip to San Diego and will definitely return to The Balboa Park Inn!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "I travel for a living and have stayed at all the upper level chain hotels but once I found the Balboa Park Inn...no place else in San Diego will do. I stayed in two different rooms, both of which were fantastic! What a unique concept having these wonderful theme rooms rather than the same old drab hotel rooms I'm used to. the breakfast was a great touch and delivered on request. The morning paper was ready when I was (early) and the front desk crew was a highlight! They helped me park, took care of my luggage (not an easy task...), and spent the better part of an hour telling me what was going on in San Diego during my stay. What a wonderful management team! The location can't be beat. Right outside the zoo gates and just a short stroll from the Hillcrest area. I love this place. Do yourself a favor and experience this Inn.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "We really loved the \"Jungle Nook\". It was truly a nook, as it was quite small, however, that only increased the romance factor. The shower and jacuzzi tub were awesome and completely worth the price. It was truly a room for lovers! Be warned- the breakfast is not really anything at all, so if you have low blood sugar issues, you may want to know that you will most likely have to make other breakfast arrangements. We were given the choice of cereal or pastries (tiny muffins) and juice, coffee, and canned fruit. But staying in the jungle nook was totally worth it.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed at the Inn for two nights prior to catching a cruise out of San DIego. It was fantastic. After the management saw the amount of luggage we had, he upgraded us to a larger room. We didn't even ask! The location is great. Spent a wonderful day at the Zoo.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed at Balboa Park Inn for three days prior to moving to another more expensive (chain) hotel for a conference. We much preferred The Inn. The Inn is a quirky, pleasant surprise. We had the Aruba Room, which has a small bed chamber and a large bathroom! The decor didn't really seem very Carribean, but it was certainly attractive and pleasant. The Jacuzzi tub was wonderful after a long day at the Zoo. The Zoo is a short walk away, and Hillcrest shops and restaurants were a very brief drive away. The courtyard was a lovely spot to enjoy the breakfast which was delivered to our room shortly after we called each morning. The paper was outside the door early each day as well. Front desk was helpful and friendly, and housekeeping was great. Highly Recommend.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "I had wanted to stay here for years---and finally, a business trip to San Diego allowed me to enjoy its ambience. It is a great spot---right across from Balboa Park, in Hillcrest...close enough to downtown, but not right there. I stayed in \"Aruba\", which was off the patio and had tropical accents everywhere, including wonderful froggie decor in the bath---and a jacuzzi tub. As a woman travelling alone, I felt perfectly safe at the Inn---something that is important. Parking, on the street, is also safe---which is also a plus.\nI cannot say enough about the staff, especially the housekeepers, who, I was told, have worked there for many years. They took such good care of me, my room was immaculate, and if I had to leave early, they made sure breakfast was delivered the night before and put in the fridge, which I appreciated, and the fruit, juice and pastries were a fine early morning respite. The front desk staff was cheerful, helpful and loved to chat about San Diego---something you may not see in a large hotel. I will be back!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Our family of 4 (2A, 1 teen, 1 pre-teen) began a 2 week tour of CA at this lovely inn. We stayed in a room entitled \"Emma's Diary\", which was decorated in an old-fashioned style. It was perfect for our small family. This small apt. consisted of a queen bedroom with a t.v., full bathroom, kitchen/eating area with a stove, fridge, sink & cabinets, and a double bed in an alcove off of the eating area. This, too, had a t.v. Our back door led to a lovely set of patios, where you could choose to have breakfast delivered each morning. The continental breakfast is one of the best we've seen: fresh fruit salad, lots of orange juice, croissants,muffins and coffee. The inn is not downtown, but in a neighborhood, which we enjoyed. The world-famous zoo and Balboa Park are within walking distance, and the bus stop is right on the corner. We found the staff to be friendly and helpful, and they will even do your laundry for a small fee. On-street parking is available.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We were attending the \"Celebration for the Critters\" at the zoo and while we live in San Diego (Rancho Bernardo) we did not want to drive home at the late hour.\nA call to the Balboa Park Inn found a mini suite to be available.\nThis is an absolutely delightful B & B, close to the Zoo. The rooms were spotlessly clean, tastefully decorated and the staff was very courteous and helpful. The continental breakfast was served promply, after calling, and was very good.\nThey have a selection of accomodations available (26 different room themes) so they can meet the needs of both families and couples.\nWe would definitely recommend this facility to anyone visiting the San Diego area that would like to experience something a little different from the major chains.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We were thrilled at the location of this sweet little inn. If you enjoy being walking distance to the magnificent Balboa Park, San Diego Zoo and all the museums the park has to offer, this place is about as good a location as it gets!\nWe stayed in the Jungle Nook, a quirky little room that had a real sense of charm: it has 2 bathrooms: a huge two-person shower and beautiful bubble tub with an actual sitting area and TB in one, and the toilet and sinks in the other. The bedroom has no windows (hence \"Nook), and this is more wonderful than you can imagine for sleeping in.\nThe pricing is very reasonable, and the place is kept clean.\nVery minor negatives: the mattress wasn't the worst in the world but perhaps they could buy a new one soon? Also, I wouldn't think of this as a breakfast destination, although you'll do just fine for a quick bite before hoofing it to the park. Enjoy!!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I'm afraid, though I arranged for my sister and her family to stay at the Balboa Park Inn several years ago, my experience was such that I thought I should describe my difficulties. I wanted to find a place near my home for visiting relatives to stay. I went to the Balboa Park Inn a month or so before they were to arrive and took a look at several rooms, and since all the rooms are different, I selected one specifically for their needs with 2 small children, paying for it in advance. And though I was assured they would have that specific room, when they arrived, they were given another, smaller room. When I inquired about it, I was told there was someone else in the room I had selected who had extended his stay and there was nothing to be done. (They couldn't exchange rooms, for instance.) I had also noticed, when selecting the room, they all seemed to have a musty, bug spray kind of smell. I had reserved her room based on it's size and the odor was minimal. The room they ended up getting was rather pungent. Needless to say, my sister and her family were not comfortable there and ended up going someplace else and I was told I couldn't get any of my deposit refunded. Most unpleasant all around.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I was in town on business and thought I would try something away from the ordinary corporate hotel. I was a little disappointed with the boring stucco exterior but once inside WHAT A SURPRISE! Bick, Tim and staff were all absolutely incredible, the room was decorated so nicely and it was so private, something unheard of in those corporate chains. When you are away on business, it is nice to be able to shut yourself off from the outside world. No noise whatsoever. The free continental breakfast (delivered to the room each morning) really added a special touch. I will stay at the Balboa Park Inn for every future trip to San Diego, business or pleasure.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed in the Talmadge Suite (room 17) for two nights in June 2005. We were upgraded to this suite at no extra cost, and the large living room was ideal as a meeting space for the ten people in our business group. The decor of the room was a bit fussy for our taste, but it was a nice change from bland motel rooms. The bed and furniture were very comfortable. This suite also had a complete kitchen, which we did not use except to make hot cocoa in the microwave. The continental breakfast was tasty but laden with sugar and carbs. A few complaints about our room: We could not darken the room much at night, so if you need darkness to sleep, choose a different room. Also, there was a musty smell coming from the kitchen/bathroom area and the smell of bug spray in the bedroom. We also want to give a warning about the parking situation on the streets around the Balboa Park Inn. It can be very difficult to find a parking space, especially in the evenings after the people who live in the neighborhood get home from work. One night we managed to get a space across the street, and another night we circled the block and found a space on the other side of the block. Despite these negatives, we enjoyed our stay. It was just a short walk to the zoo and the other attractions of Balboa Park.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Just spent two nights in room 10 ( courtyard suite )\nI have two words to describe this hotel : Personal Touch\nIt was pretty obvious that the people that run the place, really take pride in attention to detail.\nEverything was really fantastic, from the candlesticks in the jacuzzi tub area to the hot cinnamon roll delivered to my room each morning ( along with juice and fruit )\nAll staff were incredibly friendly, and I felt like a \"guest\" in their home rather than a traditional hotel guest.\nwould not hesitate to stay there again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Where do I begin? Excellent service, excellent breakfast, cleanest room (jungle nook), walk to balboa park, zoo across the street, friendliest staff, double showers and bubbly hot-tub, tv by the bed, tv by the tub, clean, clean, clean... if you are planning a romantic getaway with your loved one, ONLY stay at the Balboa Park Inn, visit the zoo, go to a few museum, dine at the Prado in Balboa Park, take a cab or drive 5 minutes to the Gaslamp Quarter.... after all that, sleep comfortably only to wake to a fresh and delicious breakfast. NOTE: This appears to be a \"couples\" inn. The shower room has no doors! Don't go here with your 'buddy(s)'... this isn't the place! But if you want to you-know-what this is THE place ;)", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "My husband and I were more than satisfied with our lodging at the Balboa Park Inn (we had booked over the net). Turned out it's right across the street from the zoo and Balboa Park, so the location was great! We stayed in the jungle nook suite which was nicely decorated and perfect for comfort. Gorgeous bathroom with double shower and hot-tub. We WILL recommend it and return next time we're in San Diego. And friendly staff to boot!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Stayed three nights, and once you are able to relate the freeway grid to destinations within the San Diego area there's no problem getting about. We got a great welcome and help and advice were always on hand. It's a great idea to build around the courtyard and as a result it was quiet and secluded while being central at the same time. Our accommodation was fine (the Courtyard suite) and whilst a little quirky was very comfortable and had every amenity. We ate locally - a walk into Hillcrest is about twenty minutes or so and we had one of the best Italian meals ever there (Antico Toscana). Highly recommend the Balboa Park Inn on price and quality.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Really good value, great for families, and great location. We stayed with our 2 kids aged 4 1/2 and 12 months. They had a queen bed and a pull-out full sofa bed in our room with a full kitchen. They give a nice continental breakfast delivered to the room. We had breakfasts in the room, and even a dinner and were able to pack picnic lunches we prepared there. The room was decorated nicely. It had a nice private patio going into the courtyard. This hotel was obvously someone's dream. The location couldn't be beat.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Just returned from a weekend stay at the Balboa Park Inn and were really impressed. We chose this hotel because of the good things we read about it on Tripadvisor.com, and just wanted to return the favor and encourage others to try it out as well!\nWhen I check in to small, independent hotels I often worry about cleanliness, but our room was really well-maintained. After looking at all the hotel's rooms on its website, we decided to opt for \"pretty\" over \"silly\" and chose the Courtyard Suite for Valentine's Day Weekend (although some of the more over-the-top rooms looked like a lot of fun!). Our room had a really large bathroom with a jacuzzi tub for two and a wet bar in it. The living room/bedroom area was clean and spacious - we kept saying we wished we knew people in San Diego to invite them over; the setup would have been perfect for entertaining friends. The outside/common areas were lovely too - lots of little areas all over the complex with pretty wooden benches, garden/flower arrangements, fountains, etc. to just sit outside and enjoy San Diego's gorgeous weather. They bring your breakfast straight to your room whenever you're ready for it, and we took ours to a bench right outside our room and ate it out there. \nThe location was great for us too - we had a car and had no problem with on-street parking (the hotel is on the corner of a street with nothing but private houses, so there was lots of room to park). We had dinner in the Gaslamp district, and that was only a 5 or 6 minute drive away. The north end of Balboa Park (where the zoo is) is only about a half-mile walk.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I cannot rave enough about the Balboa Park Inn. The rooms are very comfortable, the continental breakfast is much more than you could possibly eat and the staff (Judy and Bick especially) is absolutely wonderful. The Balboa Park Inn is walking distance from the San Diego Zoo and the wonderful museums in Balboa Park. Also just a short taxi ride to the Hillcrest and Gaslamp Quarter.\nI will definitely be coming back to visit my new friends there!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Had a very good experience staying at the Balboa Park Inn. The buildings are old but well maintained. The room we stayed in was very clean, comfortable and quiet, even though on one morning there were hoards of people passing directly in front of the in the annual AIDS walk. Our room had a semi-private deck directly in front of its kitchen area that provided a pleasent place to enjoy breakfast. The front desk staff was extremely courteous and helpful. The location can't be beat. We were able to walk over to the zoo and the park museums. We were also only minutes away from the wonderful restaurants to be found on 5th and University Avenues. We plan to make this a regular spot for a relaxing weekend getaway.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "83078": {"reviews": []}, "223973": {"reviews": []}, "80129": {"reviews": [{"text": "Hotel is right off freeway and in a semi-industrial location, very convenient to Hwys 163 and 805 and lots of shopping, little restaurants, and fast food nearby. Accommodations were clean and quiet, bed was very soft. Pool looked inviting but it was cloudy & cold during my stay. Hot breakfast was good, and staff were friendly. Downtown San Diego, beaches, & area attractions were a short drive away.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 34}, {"text": "We were simply looking for a decent place to crash for a quick overnighter, and we ended up having **the best hotel experience** ever--fantastic price ($66 included all taxes and hotwire fee) includes at no extra charge: wireless internet in the rooms and computer in lobby, great breakfast (waffles, sausages, bagels, OJ, GOOD coffee, fresh donuts, yogurt...and more!) AND all day long they have free coffee and a pitcher of lemonade & ice water AND bananas and apples in the lobby, newspapers, complimentary toothbrush, toothpaste, and other sundries (you request it in the lobby if you need it), cable TV of course, an actually beautiful, modern workout room, attractive lobby with plenty of couches, tables and an exotic aquarium, and most important of all, our room was clean, the decor attractive and the bed was very comfortable and cushioned. The staff was definitely friendly, and when I requested a late checkout on Sunday, they simply said \"Sure, what time would you like?\" Too good to be true! \nI think Hampton Inn is attempting to morph into the \"Jetblue\" of hotels, if you know what I mean...and whoa it's definitely working!! \nThe La Jolla/San Diego area gets very pricey ($80+ for a crappy motor inn is typical on weekends), so this was a complete steal at $66...and I say you can pay up to $115 for Hampton Inn Kearny Mesa and still feel good about it. \nThe only thing I found a little funny was how the decor tried to blend fresh, modern yuppie designer aesthetics with the obviously pre-existing country rustic furniture and carpet. The elevator is definitely case in point. But even that was kinda cute too. \"Smile.\" \nOkay, so now the secret is out...let's hear more reports about other Hampton Inns to see if they are just as good as this one...", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "113905": {"reviews": []}, "218780": {"reviews": []}, "81352": {"reviews": [{"text": "This review is for those who have had a bad experience at a Best Western, as my review will show you that each hotel is different, as their management are different. I am VERY picky traveler and usually stay at the Hyatt, Westin or the Sheraton.\nMy family and I stayed here from Dec 23-Dec25 in a family suite, which was the size of two regular rooms. Their suite consisted of a kitchenette, a bathroom, a living room (sofabed), and another room with 2 queens. There is one tv in the living room and another one in the bedroom. There are two outdoor access to our room, one from the living room and one from the bedroom. The rooms and most importantly the bathroom was VERY clean. The two queen mattresses were firm and the sofabed was thin. The pool was clean, heated and open from 8-10 everyday. There are towels on the loungers already. Breakfast consisted of juice, bagels, cereal, hot waffles, and boiled eggs. There is one computer in the lobby with internet access and is complimentary for guests.\nThe amenities are on par with most other really good Best Westerns but the most important detail you would need to know is that the service of both the hotel manager as well as the room stewardesses are absolutely magnificent! For those of you visiting San Diego for the first time, you definitely need to talk to Len, the manager (the one who is always replying through Tripadvisor) because he has alot of details on what to do and see. \nThis is THE hotel to choose if you are bringing any pets with you, as the property caters to pets (there is a little pet area at the end of the property, away from the main street).\nWe booked this trip along with a cruise from our well trusted travel agent and he has definitely gained our loyalty after this trip, as the price was right and the value immeasurable.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Stayed at the Lamplighter Inn for one week in Nov. of 2003. The hotels location is not particularly suited for San Diego attractions, but it is near San Digo State. The mini-suite(which is their lowest priced room, I believe) is two rooms. There is a large wall to wall arch that separates the sleeping area from the 'living room'. The 'living room' has a sofa and stuffed chair along with a desk and a built in refrigerator and micro wave. There is free local calling so I was able to access the internet with no charge. The bed was very comfortable (medium firm) and there was a large dressing area as well as separate bath and toilet area. There was a nice heated swimming pool that I took advantage of and while the air was cool, the pool was very nice (probably 80 degrees). The continental breakfast was standard fare with cereal, bagels, juice, coffee and assorted sweets. There was a good breakfast place a short walk down the street that was inexpensive and filling (The Daily Grinds). There are lots of drug stores, pizza places, markets, etc. all within very short walking distances which was very convenient and a large Medthodist church across the street. The staff was very friendly and very helpful. One night there was a loud group that they asked to leave and didn't allow them to extend their stay. We will certainly use this hotel again and would recommend it highly.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 19}]}, "115613": {"reviews": [{"text": "I had heard about the Inn through Trip Advisor and fell in love with it! My boyfriend and I booked a weekend at the end of June. We stayed in the King Suite. We got there a little early on Friday, and they let us go in before check-in time. The pool is a little smaller than it looks in the virtual tour, but it's okay. The view is spectacular from the deck or from our window in the King Suite. I highly recommend this room. It's sort of small, but worth it, if it's just a couple. The guests at the Inn were all ages. On Saturday and Sunday they made waffles and they had bagels and muffins. Really good waffles! Everyone was very nice. The only thing was that the Internet was down that weekend, so I wasn't able to use the computer, but it was no problem. In walking distance is a convenience store and gas station. If you want to go for a longer walk, you can reach Ocean Beach and shops. When we got there, we went to Hodad's, which had great hamburgers. Overall, love this hotel a lot! Kind of pricey, but would come back in a second. We are thinking about making this a yearly ritual to go to San Diego and stay at this hotel!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "This is a wonderful gem of a hotel. More of a \"motel\" in some ways (not the fanciest rooms ever, our bathtub didn't have a stopper and one never was found, the pool mysteriously closed after an inspection)... but the view is amazing! Right on the ocean, the traffic dies down at night and you can fall asleep to the sound of the waves.\nHonestly if this hotel were in any other location, it wouldn't be such a gem, but right on the beach makes it a 9+! Very mellow and relaxed atmosphere. We stayed with our 2 year old and didn't feel that we were annoying any of the other guests at the hotel. At the same time, I saw kids around but didn't hear them so if you are child-less, don't let that put you off.\nVery nice staff (who didn't always accomodate our needs but were nice enough), good morning coffee, priceless views, great location (close to everything, but felt miles away)... I'd definitely stay here again.\nAs has been mentioned, the kitchenette is a bonus as there really is not too much within walking distance foodwise. Also, the bagel cafe across the street is DISGUSTING so avoid anything there. Better off at the gas station, or bring your own goodies! There was a fridge and micro.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "When we checked in Cheree found out it was our 26th anniversary we we're upgarded to the King Suite. This room has the views of being on a boat. It was such a relaxing 24 hours. We were lucky that they were not booked that week. We felt like we we're gone for several days. I'd highly recommend this place. The accomodations are not luxurious but extremely cozy and comfortable. The view from the deck is worth it even if you don't get an ocean view room and the hospitality was heartwarming.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We spent 2 nights (of our 10 day San Diego holiday) at the Inn at Sunset Cliffs. I would recommend this hotel but there are some caveats included below:\nOn the plus side:\n- The room: we stayed in room 214, one of the King Suites. The view was INCREDIBLE. We slept with the windows open to the sounds of the waves crashing below. The room was a decent size (I know they have much larger rooms but we selected this one based on the view and it was worth it) and was in good condition. The bathroom had a large shower with two shower heads and there was an ample supply of towels.\n- The view: I know I already mentioned it above, but it's worth mentioning again - the view cannot be beat. The hotel is right on the water (though there is no beach immediately adjacent) and the ocean views are wonderful.\n- The property: the two-level, U-shaped hotel surrounds a courtyard, which has a smallish pool and nicely landscaped gardens. There is also a two-level deck with lots of seating that overlooks the ocean. There are also outdoor fire places, which is a great feature. The deck area also includes a putting green.\nOn the other hand:\n- Location: while it was wonderful to be right on the ocean, the hotel\u2019s location wasn't ideal for a couple reasons. San Diego has a number of great neighborhoods and in my opinion Ocean Beach wasn't one of them. There aren't more than 2 or 3 restaurants that are within walking distance and they were nothing special. You'll definitely need a car if you want to get to some of San Diego's great restaurants. The good news is that San Diego is quite an easy city to navigate.\n- Parking: while the hotel's website says \"Convenient free parking\" please note that this means street parking since there are only half a dozen parking spots at the hotel. Street parking is fine but it's worth knowing.\n- Large groups/small hotel: When we arrived there was a big group having a party in the common area. There were more people than could have possibly been staying in the hotel's 24 rooms. We asked reception what was going on and it turned out that a wedding group was staying at the hotel and they were having their rehearsal dinner. It was very disappointing as this large group took over the entire common area for the afternoon/evening and the behavior of some of the guests was not appropriate for a hotel where I'm paying $250 a night. At the very least, the hotel should have notified us of this large group when we made our booking. \n- Staff: I think the issue above really stems from the staff at the hotel. They were nonchalant about the above situation and in general less than friendly. It wasn\u2019t that they were rude; they just weren\u2019t very warm or welcoming. \nOverall though, I would recommend this hotel.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "We just got back from this wonderful hotel. We had 4 kids and two adults and loved it. It is brand new and beautiful. We had a two bedroom suite with no kitchen. The shower had double heads, which made it easier to shower more than one child at a time. On the weekends they have a nice breakfast, homemade waffles, muffins, bagels, juices and coffee. There is a computer for your use with no charge. There is also a hotel cat that just adds to the whole ambience. Although you can't get into the ocean from there, it is still a lovely setting. Very quiet and quaint. The hotel staff is very accommodating and friendly. Driving to the hotel, I was questioning where we were going, but once there, it was definitely a fine. I would definitely stay here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "The good:\nI would stay here again. The highlight was a courtyard with a swimming pool, and lots of chairs/tables for watching the sunset. There was also a lower \"deck\" with more chairs and tables. For us it was perfect for bringing back breakfast or dinner, and eating it on the deck while watching the sun set, or while our 2-year old son ran around happily. The hotel also has a nice \"lobby\", where there's a computer terminal, handy for searching local sites or pre-printing your boarding pass. They serve a simple continental breakfast (with waffles) on weekends only. Each room has a fridge. Right next door is a little shop that sells smoothies and simple meals (breakfast, gyros, falafels, hot dogs, etc), which is perfect if you're eating on the run, or want to keep things simple. Newport Avenue is a 7 block walk (15 minutes) thru a residential neighborhood. Another couple blocks along Newport and you'll hit restaurants, and finally Ocean Beach (probably a good 30+ minutes from the hotel). That distance is technically \"walking distance\", but it was too far to make it conveniently with my pregnant wife and toddler.\nThe bad:\nOur room was much smaller than I expected. It was a tight squeeze for 3, although we got used to it during our 4 night stay. If it wasn't for the courtyard, the room size would have been intolerable. The hotel had bigger suites, but that was out of our budget. The inside of the room felt very much worn. Old, stained carpets and walls, lumbering closet doors, etc. It might have been clean, but it sure didn't look clean since it was so old and worn. We spilled a smoothie on their old carpets, and they charged us $40 for staining one of their towels in an effort to clean it up. Also, there's no parking. You just find a spot on the street as close as possible. That wasn't typically a problem for us, but it's something to know in advance. \nThe ugly:\nThe hotel. Maybe I came in with the wrong expectation. I sort of expected \"Holiday Inn Express\" appearance and quality, but instead saw a pretty tired little motel. As I mentioned before, the courtyard made the stay worthwhile for us. The room itself left a lot to be desired, but for the price I suppose it wasn't totally unreasonable.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "Spent one week here on family vacation with two children (ages 4 and 6). The room was clean and quiet. Housekeeping was excellent. We had a one room suite with a fold out couch for the boys. The staff was friendly and seemed to really like kids. The other guests at the Inn were also friendly and nice.\nThe Inn is located in a quiet and safe neighborhood. It was easy to get around to most points in San Diego (harbor, balboa park, point loma, seaworld, mission beach) without hitting the Interstate. The heated pool was a hit with the kids. \nOne night we ordered chinese and a 20something San Diego native appeared at the door with the food. He politely asked if these were vacation homes or something. When I said yes, he replied that he had lived in San Diego all his life and didn't even know the Inn was there. He then looked at the ocean and remarked - it doesn't get any better than this. 'nuff said!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Just returned from a three-day stay at the Inn, and really didn't want to leave. The well-documented views lived up to their reputation, and the Inn is in a nice, quieter, more residential spot than many other area hotels (yet still close to gaslamp, etc). The Inn provides very comfy louge chairs from which to contemplate the waves, and the feeling of peace and serenity that overcomes you is great. King Studio has a lovely view but is a bit small. Staff is nice but not so hot on restaurant recommendations and not great at giving directions--do your homework in advance.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "What a find! We booked this hotel because of the reviews on this site and they were not wrong! Our room was clean, fresh and airy. We had a two room suite which was just perfect for my husband and I and our 3 young children. It isn't anything fancy, but very nice. The pool was wonderful, very warm so our kids swam and swam even though it was only about 60 degrees out. They also enjoyed the putting green with free equipment and the continental breakfast with muffins, croissants, coffee, juice. sunny d, on the patio overlooking the ocean. It was child friendly, and the staff was friendly. You can't get closer to the ocean! It is beautfiul!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "A great little hotel. It was so wonderful and inexpensive that I would want to give it a bad rating just to keep others from going and making it become crowded and more expensive. \nI stayed in the two bedroom (full kitchen) suite. There was only 1 bathroom (shower only) for about $200 a night. First the negative aspects: \nThe two bedroom suites have a limited view of the ocean from the living room window. There are rooms with a MUCH better view, though. \nThe two bedroom suites border the street and there is a bit of traffic. \nThere is NO beach access near the vicinity and if you have little kids they will want to go. We walked a couple of blocks to a beach access area, but it was not very adequate or comfortable. You would need to drive to a different area (maybe a mile or two down the road). \nThe walls are fairly thin. In the two bedroom suite, it was a corner, so we only bordered another room on one wall in one bedroom. I slept in that room and I was okay, but then again, I have kids and am used to noise at night.\nIt is quite a bit out of the way if you are planning on going to the main popular attractions in San DIego, such as the zoo, balboa park, sea world, baseball stadium. But if you are good with a map- I am- you can quickly and easily find shorter routes through neighborhoods.\nON to the Positive:\nAs i stated earlier, I really enjoyed my stay here. Don't be turned off by my negative remarks, I am just trying to be thorough. \nTHe view is magnificent!! I really cannot say that enough! You may be thinking $200 a night is not inexpensive, but it is when you consider what you are getting. I stayed in a two bedroom full kitchen living room suite in a hotel that is literally on the shore. They have a nice patio that has an upper and lower level. The lower level is so near the shore, that at high tide, it gets soaked. But the upper level is fine during high tide. The hotel has comfortable cushioned wooden chairs that line the patio. My family bought some coffees and sat on the upper level patio and watched the sunset every night. It was spectacular and calming. And here is when not having beach access was a bonus, because you didn't have volleyball players running in front of you or little kids tossing sand on you, etc. Just the ocean- beautiful. \nTHe staff was courteous and extremely helpful. I stayed at the hotel with my spouse, my two small children, and my in-laws. My in- laws and myself called the hotel numerous times to ask information, because we were wary about staying in an unknown hotel, and every time we called they tried as best they could to answer our questions kindly. \nTHe hotel room was very clean (cleanliness in hotels is a big deal with me)! I didn't use their dishes so I don't know the state of those. There is no carpeting- just laminate or wood flooring. \nThe pool was clean and heated.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 26}, {"text": "We stayed at the Inn at Sunset Cliffs from Jan 9-13 2006. We stayed in a King Studio on the 2nd floor for $229/night. The views from the room are simply spectacular. The bed was extremely comfortable and the room was clean. We enjoyed watching the pelicans, cormorants, and seagulls on the rocks below. The sound of the waves is very relaxing. We viewed several amazing sunsets and would open the blinds at night to see the moon over the ocean. The staff was very helpful. We ate at several restaurants in the area, the best was a german restaurant on the same road as the hotel (heading toward SeaWorld). It took about 20 min to get to the downtown area from the hotel. Very close to the Cabrillo Monument - great views from there (saw a whale and several dolphins). We will definitely be back.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "My daughter, myself and a friend stayed at the Inn in August. I had stayed before with my husband but wanted to bring my daughter there. The location is amazing. The ocean is literally at the edge of the property and it is beautiful. If you love the sound of the waves crashing and the smell of the spray then this is the place for you. There isn't another place like this in San Diego. The room was clean and spacious but the walls are thin and we could hear the people upstairs like they were in our room. Having been to the Inn more than once I would like to offer a suggestion. Please do something with the hill of dirt under the presidential suite. It is not pleasant to look out the window at jet skis, trash bins and dirt. Perhaps grass with a picnic table or gazebo? With that said I would recommend this Inn.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We started our California vacation at this terrific hotel, and would visit again in a second. All of the descriptions already written about the decks and ocean views, as well as the size and cleanliness of the rooms, are right on. I'll add that there's a convenience store across the street, which we visited often for ice cream, soda, wine, cheese and crackers. The neighborhood to the south was full of beautiful homes and made for great walking and jogging each day. And the downtown area is either a short drive or a one-mile walk, and is loaded with stores geared to both older folks (several antique malls, touristy gift stores and clothing shops) and the younger crowd that hung out there every night. Our two kids thought the pool was just right, and was heated, which meant they could swim after dark. And the heat lamps on the decks meant we could read or play cards long after the beautiful sunsets. Also, if you're an early riser, we saw a pool of dolphins and a pod of pilot whales from the deck on two different mornings. The Inn is just right.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Recently stayed here for 4 nights in a 2 bedroom suite at a high season rate of $215 per night. This 24 unit suite motel is directly on the ocean atop a cliff from which you can see for miles up and down the coast. It's located a few blocks north of Ocean Beach, a smaller laid back village that seems to attract more of a younger, surfer crowd and has many casual eateries and shops. The ride to downtown San Diego, Mission Bay, and the many activities of the area was easy and direct. We went on an all day Old Town Trolley tour of San Diego and Coronado, went to Balboa Park and the Birch/Scripps aquarium (great place for kids), hiked at Torrey Pines, toured Cabrillo Monument Park (phenomenal views of the entire SD bay area), and spent an afternoon at Ocean Beach. We ate dinners in Old Town and the Harbor Island area. \nThe Inn at Sunset Cliffs motel front desk and cleaning staff were very friendly and helpful. Our suite was clean and comfortable, with 2 queen beds and a pullout sofa, small bathroom, small fridge, microwave, and coffeemaker. The motel pool is small but adequate for children. Two large patio areas with many chairs and tables overlook the ocean and coastline. There is no beach area here. A complimentary breakfast of Belgian waffles, breads, fruit, juices, and very good coffee was available at the motel on weekend mornings.\nOverall, I'd recommend this motel for those who want to stay right on the ocean at a clean and comfortable place that's away from the crowd but close to as much action as you want to have.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "I found about the Inn at Sunset Cliffs via the Internet, and I'm sure glad I did. What a delightful place to stay! I had the one bedroom kitchen suite which was perfect for a week-long stay. The double decker terrace faces the ocean which offers spectacular views all day long. The rooms are well appointed, comfortable and clean. The staff is friendly, welcoming and helpful. The inn is well located within easy reach of Cabrillo Natl. Monument, Sea World, the San Diego Zoo and the Wild Animal Park. The walking path along Sunset Cliffs offers spectacular scenery and places to sit, relax and enjoy the view! This is one of the nicest places I have ever stayed. I hope to return for another visit soon.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "This inn used to be apartments we were told, and cannot believe it since some of the rooms are really small! We stayed here for a family wedding and were in the two bedroom kitchen suite. The size was good, with a small kitchen, living area with pull out and the two bedrooms in the back. It is on the street side of the inn and it was extremely noisy, especially at night. the bedrooms do not have vents for the AC, so the windows had to be opened to get any air. The bus runs right by the window, so I could tell you the schedule for the days we were there! The pool is good for the kids, but there is not much space around the pool for \"hanging\" . Most of that is done on the deck area overlooking the cliffs, which is beautiful. there is no access to the water. The weekend offers a waffle breakfast and some muffins, which is nice. The area is busy with some areas of small stores and restaurants, but need to drive to get any where else. \nThe price is a bit overpriced, I believe.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "The Inn at Sunset Cliffs is a great, if not BEST, hotel to stay at if you're planning to visit San Diego.\nMy boyfriend and I booked a great room that seemed right on the water. Even with the windows closed, we could hear the waves crashing at night.\nThe room was INCREDIBLY clean, well-appointed and stylish. Not especially fancy or elegant, but very clean, beach-y and comfortable. We had big, thick down comforters, plenty of fluffy towels, a shower with dual shower heads, a very large TV/DVD player combo, a refrigerator with freezer and a microwave. The best part was that it was all VERY CLEAN!\nThe service was excellent, and the staff was warm, friendly, and always willing to help. They even researched for hours to track down a certain restaurant for us and provided us with directions and a map.\nI have only three minor complaints. One is that there is an automatic air freshener in the room that dispenses a strong, perfumey scent every few minutes while making a loud and odd noise. This is annoying if you don't like strong, overpowering scents and if you are trying to fall asleep and the dispenser keeps going off.\nAlso, the room is just steps away from the shared outdoor patio, so you hear all activities that go on outside and vice versa. In fact, a wedding took place in the gazebo just three feet outside our room, and we could see and hear every single thing that happened. We had to leave the room because we felt like we were eavesdropping on someone's special day! \nOne more thing- if you plan to use the pool, MAKE SURE it's heated. The hotel said that they had heated their pool, but it was ice cold when I went in (on a cool November morning). \nOther than that, the Inn at Sunset Cliffs is perfect. It's just a short walk from downtown Sunset Beach, which is a fun laid-back hippie beach town (like a mini Santa Cruz) and the Sunset Cliffs, which is the best place to watch a sunset. It's also a short drive to downtown - just ten minutes on the freeway, and far away from the hustle, bustle and traffic of the city. \nAs far as food goes, they offered us a continental breakfast which is the typical muffins and danishes. They have a \"room service\" menu which is actually an offsite restaurant that delivers 24/7. We didn't try it, but the prices seemed okay (not too steep- about $10 for an entree). Anyway, with the refrigerator and microwave, you can do a lot. We kept fruit in the refrigerator for snacks and kept wine coolers and the freezer part. At night, we'd pop in a DVD or watch TV and make some popcorn. It was great!\nAll in all, stay at the Inn at Sunset Cliffs for a unique and relaxing San Diego experience that a lot of people miss out on!\nINSIDER TIP: At twilight or at night, grab one of the lanterns that they have there, and take it down to the lower portion of the patio area right near the water. It's a great place to enjoy a cigar or glass of your favorite alcohol. \nDEFINITELY EAT: Anything from the rib place in downtown Sunset Beach. It's cheap, easy and delicious!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "We took the advice of other reviewers and stayed at the Inn in early February 2005. How much you enjoy your stay may depend greatly on which room you pick. \n We took a king suite (ask for the discount) at $170 a night. This afforded us a perfect view of the ocean. The room itself, while a tad small, had everything we needed. Comfortable bed, TV/DVD player, beautiful shower with dual heads, fridge and microwave. The only problem, and it was kind of a big one, is that the walls are thin. There was a group in the room next to us that was up to about 3 a.m. I don\u2019t think they were probably all that particularly loud, but you could hear them quite clearly.\n There were only two of us, with no children, so the slightly out-of-the-way location was not at all a problem for us, as we didn\u2019t have to be near the zoo, Seaworld or other kid-popular attractions. The main highways are only about two miles away.\n The desk staff was very friendly, though their office hours may be a bit limited for some. No breakfast during the week, but I\u2019m told they offer something on weekends.\n I would just say to be aware that you\u2019re paying $170 (or more) for the view and not for the amenities that you find at some chains. That said, if a view and the sounds of the ocean are what you seek, this is the place.....just make sure you ask for the right room.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We stayed at the Inn at Sunset Cliffs for five days from January 1 through 6, 2005. The location is simply spectacular, with an incredible view from the inn's private patio overlooking the Pacific Ocean. San Diego's downtown is about 10 minutes away via the freeway. The place was probably built in the late '40's or early 50's, but it's in impeccable condition, and the room was quite comfortable. It had a small color tv with basic cable, as well as a small fridge and microwave. I would recommend, however, that you book a suite for an extended stay, since there isn't any lobby or common area, per se, and the room can get a little claustrophobic. There is a nice (if small) outdoor heated pool located in the beautiful courtyard that's just a few steps away from any guest room. We swam in it on January 2, which was quite a treat for us New Englanders. The staff was extremely friendly and helpful, and complimentary coffee and the local paper are provided each day. On weekends a \"continental plus\" breakfast that includes waffles made to order is provided, as well. I own a bed and breakfast in Maine, so I know what to look for when it comes to such things as cleanliness and professionalism. The Inn at Sunset Cliffs hits all the marks.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}]}, "1732285": {"reviews": []}, "2340364": {"reviews": []}, "123559": {"reviews": [{"text": "There are two Drury properties in downtown San Antonio. Drury Inn and Suites is \"on\" the Riverwalk; Drury Plaza Riverwalk is a very short half block from the Riverwalk and so close that the signage reads: Drury Plaza Riverwalk. Of the two, the Plaza is probably more \"upscale\" but that is solely an impression I gained from viewing its interesting lobby. Both appear a good choice for traveling with kids as the rate includes an ample breakfast and happy hour/afternoon snack. I gave the Drury Inn a \"very good\" rating simply because our room was clean, the bed comfortable and the location convenient. \nThe similarity in names is confusing when booking. We traveled to San Antonio for a mini family reunion and made the mistake of booking at the Inn & Suites property while everyone else was at the Plaza. Not a disaster as they are so close but still, disappointing. \nThe accomodations at the Drury Inn are clean and adequate for a room in which to sleep and return to at night to sleep after sightseeing: comfortable beds, small fridge and microwave in the room. Good AC. Quiet. Small but clean bathroom (although sink was not draining properly). \nBoth properties are located in re-purposed buildings. The Plaza is in an old bank building so the lobby is two story with very impressive gold leaf iron work. Very art deco. The Inn is in another old building of unknown beginnings. \nBoth properties include an afternoon happy hour and buffet as well as a full breakfast. (We ate at the Plaza and were pleased that the Plaza provided reciprocal benefits despite us being guests at the Inn.) Both the happy hour and breakfast at the Plaza are surprisingly generous with substantial food and drink offerings. We visited our friends at the Plaza in their room which was a \"suite\". The living area was functional but not attractive. They reported that the pool was \"hot\" and very unappealing. \nThe Inn is, likewise, functional. Significant at the Inn are the astonishingly old and dirty appearing carpeting and rugs. The lobby is drab & dreary: dirty glass front door, dirty windows, tired artificial flowers, brown/tan decor and dirty rugs. Front desk personnel were, however, friendly in what is otherwise a dreary atmosphere. Breakfast and \"happy\" hour occur in the front lobby area. Again, functional but not particularly attractive with steamer table, coffee maker, dining tables/chairs, left out in the area at all times. The hallways are brightly lit, however, and the walls clean & wallpapered but, again, the rug is very old and dirty looking. Same goes with the carpeting in our room which was tired and dirty looking (although the bed, bed covering, bath and room were otherwise clean and the very high 12-15? foot ceiling made us curious about its prior incarnation). (Note: Bring slippers to avoid having to walk barefoot on the rug!) The comfortable stuffed chair in our room was also noticeably stained. There was no view. Our rate was included in a package on Southwest Airlines. It was somewhere south of $200 for a double queen bed room. Our friends at the Plaza were in the @$120 a night range. The location was very convenient - access to the riverwalk is right outside the front door. The AC worked great and we slept comfortably. \nIn sum: If you go expecting quaint or romantic charm, you will be very, very disappointed. If you want a conveniently located bed that is clean with utilitarian and functional accomodations, this is a decent and practical choice. The breakfast and afternoon fare are a huge plus and are very good (hot breakfast - real scrambled eggs, sausage, bagels, yogurt, biscuits, hot gravy). Take care in noting the exact name of the Drury property to avoid any confusion. The Plaza has the more interesting lobby but both appear similar in the actual room \"decor\".", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We just got home from 2 days in San Antonio. We stayed at the Drury Inn & Suites Riverwalk, within walking distance to all the downtown attractions. \n The Drury Inn lobby does have character and is pleasing to the eye. You will enjoy listening to the player piano. It also has some nice ammenities, but problems do exist. First, (THE GOOD).. They provide 24-hour coffee in the lobby dining area, a nice hot breakfast, plus free sodas and popcorn in the afternoon. During 'Happy Hour', 5:30-7:00 p.m., you could get a ticket from the front desk for 3 free cocktails, plus all-you-can-eat tortillas, salsa, & cheese dip plus other snacks. You get one hour free on long distance calls each day. Our balcony overlooked the river on the 7th floor, where the pool and jacuzzi are also located. Our suite had one bedroom with 2 queen beds, a living room with a sofa bed, recliner, swivel desk chair and a small dining table with two chairs. A 2nd television was in the bedroom. We also had a small kitchenette with cabinets, sink, refrigerator, microwave and small coffee pot. Their staff were friendly and accomodating. Now, (THE BAD).. Upon our arrival, our suite was not so clean; one bed had dirty sheets; Hubby killed a large waterbug roach on the floor, the microwave was dirty inside, and the carpet had bits of paper under the desk. I cleaned the microwave and picked up the paper; housekeeping came and changed the bed sheets and vaccumed the carpet. Now, (THE UGLY)... The recliner in the living room was tattered and the desk chair was badly stained; we covered the seats with bath towels. Management needs to take a long hard look at the rooms after housekeeping supposedly cleans them. In addition, they charge an extra $12 daily to park your car at their hotel which is ridiculous. I suppose they're trying to offset their costs for the free food and drink!...Ha! \n Being on the river is not cheap, so the $143 daily room rate was reasonable for 3 adults (their E-Saver rate) for a suite on the river, the best deal we could find during the holidays. We were lucky to visit at a time when families with small children stay a home to await Santa Claus, so the hotel was quiet and peaceful.\n We visited Market Square, the largest Mexican marketplace outside of Mexico. Located inside the square (not the Farmers Market section), at MiTierra Cafe y Panaderia (218 Produce Row), Hubby and Sister pigged out on some great Mexican food and, of course I preferred the seafood; their fried oysters were 'out of this world' good. Their bakery is fantastic; remember to take a ticket for your turn in line. We had their delicious cream puffs, a flakey pastry loaded with vanilla custard and sprinkled with powdered sugar. We bought 4 dozen of 'melt-in-your mouth' Christmas cookies, loaded with pecan pieces with green & pink sugar granules on top, to take back home to Abilene.\n We dined at the Texas Land & Cattle Co. (killer ribs) conveniently located on the River level of our hotel. It was nice to order their delicious 'cooked to perfection' spinach as a side dish.\n We took the 9:00 p.m. scenic boat cruise. ..$4.50 senior rate; $6 for adults. We saw the Christmas lights and splendid decorations along the River Walk; it was awesome. \n We didn't have time to visit the Tower of the Americas, 750 feet above the ground where you get a spectacular view of San Antonio. It also houses the Tower Caf\u00e9, the Skies Over Texas 4D theater and a gift store. Adult tickets cost $6.00; I'm so sorry we missed that, but we plan to go back next year and most likely stay at Drury Inn again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "I can honestly say that my stay at the Drury Inn and Suites on the Riverwalk is almost one of my best hotel experiences ever. I arrived on a Friday afternoon, and check-in was quick and painless. The room was top notch and turned out to be better than I expected. The location, practically on top of the Riverwalk, is perfect. Having never been to San Antonio, I was pleasantly surprised to find it close enough to the Alamo to walk the few blocks there. It was also good to see that this property is close enough to places like the Hard Rock Cafe, Coyote Ugly, etc.\nThe amenities Drury offers, like the free hour of long distance calling per night, free high-speed internet access, free breakfast are also a nice touch. If you're not up for the free breakfast, I strongly recommend a stop at Shipley Donuts, which is another short walk from the Drury on Commerce St (one block south of the Hard Rock).\nThe only drawback to this property is that the parking garage is easy to miss, but the rest of my experience easily overshadowed this very minor detail. I'll be returning to San Antonio early next year, and I can honestly say I won't consider staying anywhere but this Drury location.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "What a remarkable hotel! My husband and I along with three children and one nephew stayed at the Drury Inn lasst week. First of all, for a party as large as ours I was worried about having enough room. We stayed in one of the Two Queen Bed Suites with a fold out sofa. It was very comfortable and we even had a very large terrace (balcony) off our room. With the free breakfast, happy hour, snacks and soda fountain, this was an incredible value...we payed $139 for two nights and then the price bumped up to $189 the last night. Considering we would have probably had to pay for two hotel rooms anywhere else and pay for breakfast and snacks, this was an excellent deal!!!\nThe most impressive part of our stay was the service we experienced. Almost every staff person we encountered from housekeeping to front desk asked us how our stay was going!!! We rode on the elevator with a maintenance man who asked us how everything was with our stay and asked us if we needed anything...same thing with a housekeeper. How they train ALL of their staff to be this customer oriented is a miracle!\nAnother example of their top notch service was the front desk staff. An employee named Ana went above and beyond what is normally expected of hotel front desk staff. We had ordered Spurs tickets from a broker in San Antonio and were asking directions from Ana. She told us the broker office was pretty far from the hotel and suggested that the broker might deliver the tickets to the hotel. She called the broker number and I expected her to hand the phone to me, but she took care of the whole situation! It was like having a personal assistant! The manager was also very friendly and helpful. \nI would highly recommend this hotel to anyone traveling to San Antonio. I know we will be back again!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Perhaps this rating is overly harsh, however I consider the ability to sleep essential to any hotel experience. This hotel, despite a great location, considerable charm in the common areas for the price, and a delicious breakfast, did not provide a decent night's sleep. \nSeveral months ago, my 4 newly or nearly 40 year-old friends and I booked two suites for a reunion weekend in San Antonio. At the time we made the reservation we were told that special requests for adjoining rooms were \"nearly always honored.\" (And, in fact, we paid a higher rate for the room - - $209 a night - -by booking adjoining suites directly with the hotel than we could have found online, where we couldn't guarantee adjoining rooms.) When we arrived, we were told there were no adjoining rooms available and we were put on the same floor instead.\nIf that wasn't bad enough, at about 3:30 am on the first night we were awakened by wretching and groaning from the poor stranger in the adjoining room who apparently \"drank the water\" - -or too many margaritas - - in Mexico that day. Because there is no insulation between the rooms, It sounded like he was in our bathroom. This, unfortunately for him and us, continued off and on all night long. In the morning, we complained and were moved to another room for the remaining 2 nights. This new room, likewise, had paper thin walls (as did the second room for our goup). Allthough nobody was throwing up in the room next door, we could still hear our neighbors talking at normal volume - -and our friends could hear their neighbors as well. (And I'm sure our neighbors could hear us!)\nI would not recommend this hotel to others unless they were deaf.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "The highest recommendation I can give this hotel is that if I return to San Antonio or go anywhere else that has a Drury Inn I will certainly use them. The position on the riverwalk was perfect. The rooms were clean and comfortable. The breakfast and evening drinks were fine and the staff were extremely friendly and helpful.\nWe had a lovely four days in a beautiful city.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "The rooms are quite clean and well-kept, and they have notably high ceilings. The same level of cleanliness applies to the pool at the top of the hotel. The staff is truly superb - friendly, helpful, and efficient, with kudos to the general manager, Mr. Cepeda. (How often do you remember a hotel manager's name seven months after you've visited?) All the staff made us feel truly welcome. The free breakfast is quite good for the price; the sometimes-long lines attest to that: if you're in a rush, avoid the 'wafflemakers' and grab some fresh fruit. The staff, in a friendly, helpful manner, does their best to keep the line moving.\nAt the time we visited, it's clear that this hotel is a excellent deal for family vacationers. Business travelers -may- find this hotel to have a bit too much hubbub. Without taking away from the qualities of this hotel - and there are many - if you have a make-or-break business meeting in the morning, or if you insist on tomb-like quiet in the lobby, this may not be the hotel for you. It all depends on who's staying next door to you. But for families it's utterly perfect. The soundproofing, for our purposes, was quite adequate.\nPut it this way: unless I have a make-or-break, extremely critical, bet-the-company business meeting, there's no reason for me to go hotel-hunting in San Antonio anymore. I'll just make reservations here.\nOne note about the hotel's parking structure: if you drive a larger minivan or SUV, be prepared for some very tight maneuvers. When the lot is crowded, you may have to 'create' your own parking space in the corners of the parking structure. Travelers with small cars should have no problem.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Stayed here New Year's Eve and the night before. \nFirst some orientation - hotel is located at the \"intersection\" of St Marys and the riverwalk. Front of hotel faces east along St Marys. Left side of hotel faces south along the riverwalk. \nWe checked into a one bedroom suite (632) Nice enough but somewhat dark even with the small terrace facing north (limited view). Asked to see another room and was showed suite 300. It had larger rooms and TEN tall windows. The room wrapped the NE corner - overlooking St Mary's Street and to the north. No terrace. I don't think any riverwalk hotel offers a room with an unobstructed riverwalk view. This is because of the proximity of the adjacent buildings and trees.\nThere are other rooms with an extended living area but they are still one room. The suites actually have a door separating the bdrm and living room.\nWe enjoyed the windows because you can open them up about a foot and hear the sounds from the riverwalk and catch a cool breeze during a mild January (upper 70's)\nMicrowave, frige, and two TVs. Disappointed to find they did not have pay-per-view movies. (Odd considering this is a family hotel.) Bed was comfortable and the living room has a sleeper sofa, recliner, upholstered chairs, and a desk.\nAll staff very personable and helpful from the front desk to housekeeping, including the waitstaff in the on-site resturant (not operated by the hotel)\nHaving the garage adjacent was a definite plus. Parking $10/day which is a relative bargin. \nAlthough located along a quiet section of riverwalk, you are no more than a 5-7 minute walk to riverwalk ground zero (Hyatt,Dicks,Joe's Crabshack) and 10-15 minutes to RiverCentre Mall. Goes by quickly because of the scenery and people. Walking is quicker if you stick to the streets above the riverwalk - less crowded.\nBreakfast was free so I can't complain about quality but most of all it was convenient. Didn't stand in the long line for the 2 free drinks at happy hour. \nOnly complaint is the noise from outside the building. Despite the heavy curtains over the windows, we were disturbed each morning at 4AM by the garbage truck which stopped right outside the building. It was loud enough and long enough to wake us each time. The situation is probably better for the rooms farther from the street. You are downtown and close to the street so sirens and traffic noise are common.\nWe recommed this hotel and would stay here again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My family and I recently stayed at this Riverwalk location while my husband was in San Antonio for a convention. Boy were we surprised! Our room was huge (larger than most according to the room maps)! There are very high ceilings which makes the room feel even bigger. We were in a corner room (501) which had a king sized bed with dresser and TV; a sitting area with a queen sized pull out bed, two chairs, a desk, an entertainment center with TV, microwave, and refrigerator; two dressing areas with closets; and bathroom. There were plenty of freebies offered including sodas and popcorn in the room, one hour free long distance daily, breakfast buffet, and snack and drinks in the evening. Our kids loved the roof top pool! Everything was very secure, too. You had to have your room key to enter the hotel lobby, parking garage, and pool area. We were close enough to the downtown attractions that we could walk most everywhere. Having stayed at many downtown San Antonio hotels, we were most surprised with our find and will definitely be staying again!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We stayed at the Drury Inn on the Riverwalk for two nights the second week in July. There were three adults and two teens in a double queen room. The room was adequate in size for the time we spent in it. It was a very tastefully decorated room. The best thing I liked about the rooms were the very comfortable beds. A small negative is that the only place to have privacy to change clothes when you are sharing with other people is the tiny bathtub-toilet room. The counter top with sink is on the outside in the room which is good when sharing a bathroom with others. But overall the rooms were very nice and comfortable. I read a review from someone that stayed a few days before we did and commented on the long lines at breakfast and afternoon snacks and drinks and the noisy crowded pool. Yes I did experience this too. But if you come down to breakfast before 8am there was no line and you got a place to sit. Then it would get very crowded about 8:30am until brk. was over. Same with snacks and drinks, get there before 4pm. if you don't want to stand in line for drinks and snacks, but don't plan your day around that. The snacks are popcorn, chips, with cheese sauce and salsa and weak alcoholic drinks and soda from dispensers. At night the pool on the roof did have lots of kids in it, but it is a nice rooftop to lounge at the tables and chairs and look at the city lights and buildings around you. There is a 10.00 a day parking fee for the garage. I liked how you could enter the parking garage from the floor your room is on and park on the same level as your room which was convenient. I got the special SAVE rate which was good price for a room on the Riverwalk, 99.00 Sun. night and 119.00 for a Mon. night. The location is great, elevator goes right down to the Riverwalk. Also if you want an inexpensive meal and don't want to eat in their restaurant (Texas Land and Cattle Co.) there is a Subway sandwich place and a small deli-grocery shop around the corner from the front doors street level.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "After reading the raving reviews about this place, my husband and I decided to stay here for 2 nights over the 4th of July weekend.\nThe room was very clean and the location was excellent, but if you want a nice, adult relaxing weekend, this is not the place to stay.\nWe tried the cocktail hour the first night we were there. You had to wait in a long line to end up with mediocre wine served in a plastic cup. Although there was a nice seating area, most of the tables were full, and those that had been vacated were piled with empty cups and dishes. The tables were also dirty and there was absolutely no ambience. Lots of kids running around getting sodas from the fountain dispensers, etc. We decided not to do the cocktail thing again and left before we even finished half of our drinks.\nThe next morning, we thought we would try the free breakfast. Same story. Long lines and no place to sit. We left and went somewhere else where we could sit down and be served.\nThe pool and jacuzzi on the roof are open until 10:00 PM. After a very hot day, we thought it would be nice to go up there and cool off and relax before the pool closed (about 9:30). No such luck. The place was jammed with kids running, yelling, splashing and doing cannonball dives. The jacuzzi was full of kids, too. We never had a chance to get in the pool or the jacuzzi and it was definitely not peaceful. We travel quite a bit and have stayed in many hotels with pools. I have never seen a pool so packed with kids this late in the evening. None of the parents were interested in getting the kids to quiet down. I think they were all trying to wear them out before bedtime.\nMaybe it was overly crowded because it was the 4th of July weekend. I'd say if you are on a budget and have a family traveling with you, this is a good place to go. If you are an adult couple with no kids and want a peaceful weekend on the Riverwalk, spend the extra money and go to another hotel.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 24}, {"text": "We have just returned from a 5 day stay at the Drury Inn Riverwalk. I must say that our stay was absolutely wonderful. The entire staff was friendly, courteous and extremely helpful. The free complimentary breakfast was incredible as were the complimentary cocktails served nightly from 5:30 to 7:00pm. We stayed in room 301 which was a suite with 13 foot high ceilings, king size bed, two TV's, couch, chairs, and a gorgeous view of the riverwalk itself. The room and hotel were very clean and well maintained.\nIf you are looking for a place to stay that is literally ON the riverwalk, this is the place for you. Take the elevator to the bottom floor and step out onto the riverwalk. We loved the proximity to all of the restaurants and shops. There are more expensive places to stay on the riverwalk, but none compare to the value you receive at Drury. We will definitely stay at the Drury Inn Riverwalk on our next trip.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "Husband and I stayed here for two nights during Easter weekend. Ask for the SAVE Rate (check out the San Antonio travel web site) should be able to get the room for around 100. Comfortable beds, very clean, and the woman serving the drinks at night was very friendly, she also serves breakfast (she is always working). We were told parking was $10 per day, yet when we left we found that they did not charge us. We felt that this hotel really went above to please their guest from the free long distance, the free beverage and popcorn in your room, the free drinks and munches in the lobby, and the free hot breakfast in the morning. this place is a bargin when you add all this up. \nWe will stay here again when we come to visit San Antonio", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "This was the second time we stayed at a Drury Inn. First time was in Dallas and it was terrific. I'm glad we decided to go with them again in San Antonio. Location is just perfect. Room was wonderful with a balcony that overlooked the Riverwalk. Can't beat the free breakfast and daily Happy Hour. And I really enjoyed the rooftop pool. If I go back to San Antonio, I'll definitely stay at the Drury again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed here March 13-16, 2005 and this was our first visit to San Antonio. The room was spotlessly clean and the bed was very, very comfortable. We downsized to a single room from a suite and saved $100. Don't pay extra for a balcony because you really can't see much from the upper levels. The perks were fantastic--free long distance, free breakfasts, and free happy hour. The computer center was excellent for checking e-mail, etc. Room was $109 and a great value.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed at the Drury Riverwalk in early December 2004. When reserving the room over the phone, we were quoted a price of $140 per night. I asked \"is there anything cheaper\", and we eventually got the room for $99 a night. (Plus about $8 a day for the covered parking garage.) Good deal! The room was nice and very clean with a king size bed. The room came with 2 free soft drinks and free popcorn. The complimentary breakfast included sausage, buscuits, pastries, waffles, fruit, etc. In the evenings, they have free alcoholic (or regular) beverages (3 for each person) and light snacks such as peanuts, chips, popcorn, etc. The hotel is located right on the most active stretch of the Riverwalk. There is a card-protected door that leads right down to the river from the hotel. Also, the hotel is far enough from the noise of the Riverwalk so that you do not hear loud noise while trying to sleep at night. It is just a short walk to all the major attractions of downtown San Antonio including the Alamo, the Rivercenter Mall, and La Villita. This is the 2nd time I have stayed here in 2 years time, and it is still a good hotel. I would recommend this hotel to anyone who would like a good deal on a very nice hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We stayed at the Drury Inn & Suites Riverwalk for four nights (Mon-Thur) in June, 2004. We were thrilled with our king suite with balcony (#725). It was much nicer and more spacious than we expected it to be for the price. The furnishings were very nice and fairly new, the bed was quite comfortable and everything was kept spotlessly clean during our stay. \nWe found the kitchenette to be a great feature, especially the under-counter fridge - perfect for keeping some drinks to enjoy on the balcony after long days of sight-seeing. We had two 25-inch TVs (living room & bedroom)with cable (around 100 channels incl. HBO). \nOn the seventh floor there is a small room with a couple of self-service washers and dryers (only $1 to run each) and a machine which vends laundry soap. Very convenient for those of us who like to travel light when flying. An iron and full-sized ironing board were in the bedroom closet. \nAs someone else mentioned, we appreciated the security precautions throughout the hotel. The location is perfect, too. No need to rent a car. All of the sights and shopping are within 3 or 4 blocks in either direction from the hotel, and from the hotel's lower level you step right out onto the Riverwalk. \nThe hotel staff impressed the heck out of us. They were all very kind, friendly and conscientious. Several times we happened to ride elevators with staff members or see them in the hallways. They unfailingly asked how we were enjoying our stay, if there was anything we needed, if everything was ok with our room, etc. \nWhen I return to San Antonio I wouldn't think of staying anywhere else.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "So why not A+? \nThis is a hotel that was a renovated warehouse and you have to look extremely hard to find remnants of it's past. It has been totally updated to give a boutique charm with the modern resources of a major chain. It has fresh paint, marble floors and counters and attention paid to most every detail. It is located on the Riverwalk and very close to everything downtown. It is on the edge of restaurant row so it is a short walk to the excitement or to the solitude.\nFrom the beginning, if you drive to the hotel, you are greeted by a security officer who directs you to the parking structure. The parking garage is clean, well lighted and very secure. The lobby is polished and inviting. All entrances require either an electronic key or they have staff posted, to give the feeling that they have consider eliminating most security threats. They have a well appointed guest business center in the lobby with large windows overlooking St. Mary's street. The roof houses the outdoor wading pool and heated whirlpool with spectacular views of the historic buildings and distant countryside. The top floor also has a \"closet\" of a workout room, with two treadmills and a broken stationary bicycle. This facility isn't designed for the serious athelete. If you must run, go to the bottom-riverwalk exit turn right and run unobstructed along the Riverwalk and enjoy the view. If your military, drive a few minutes to Ft. Sam and have a great workout. The lower level also has the Texas Land and Cattle Steak House. A+ food and A+ service. Tip (for real meat eaters, try the slow smoked sirloin). \nThe hotel staff was extremely helpful and very friendly. Even if you see a staffer in the hall, they ask you about your stay. You get the impression that they have a personal stake in the success of the hotel. \nThe rooms either overlook the Riverwalk or St. Mary's - Your choice of street noise or boat and partier noise. The rooms have tall ceilings so you won't bump your head when bouncing on the beds. The bathrooms are classic \"Drury Efficiency\" with the basin in one room and the shower/tub and bowl in a closet-sized room. The rooms have all the amenities for a business traveler (coffee pot, iron, a real work desk, high speed internet, a recliner and a TV with more than basic- 5 channel cable). Also typical Drury are the plastic wrapped, plastic cups - Hey, at least you know they're clean. The hotel offers a full breakfast with a hot, pour-your-own waffles. To better enjoy your stay, walk down the block on St. Mary's and stop into SIP, a hip, modern coffee shop for a nosh and a decent cup of coffee. On your way back to the hotel pool patio, feel sorry for the people staying at the nearby Holiday Inn and Sheraton Gunter hotels because you are getting much more for much less.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Excellent location and service. Its not the cheapest hotel in San Antonio but we felt good value for the rooms, breakfast included(and free snacks/drinks in the evening Mon-Thurs) and location. One of our party had a riverview room which was brilliant, the other a deluxe room(view was pretty bad but we knew there was no view so not dissappointed) with microwave and fridge with complimentary soft drinks and popcorn, which was a nice touch.\nBreakfast was adequate and was provide in a nice spot overlooking the river.\nExcellent service on reception, we had a toilet not working well which was fixed immediately. \nSan Antonio great place to visit but still very busy in November.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}]}, "258651": {"reviews": [{"text": "The Valencia is an attractive boutique hotel conveniently located along the San Antonio Riverwalk. The convenient location allows easy access to downtown businesses, the Alamo, and the Convention Center. The rooms are of good size and are stylish in their decor; the shutters are a welcome alternative to the usual bland hotel drapes. Free high-speed Internet access adds value to the moderate rates. The net effect is a W look without a W price. \nDespite the attractiveness of the hotel both inside and out, there are some issues that keep this hotel from being the ultimate in downtown San Antonio Lodging:\n- The rooms lacks coffee/tea makers. When asked, the staff offered to bring a coffee maker to my room, but sadly it was a type that could not make tea or other hot beverages. The only way to procure a cup of hot tea was to pay approximately $7 to have one delivered via room service or to walk to a coffee bar next door.\n- The Citrus restaurant is unimpressive. Despite the chic decor, there is something about Citrus that makes it feel like a hotel restaurant rather than a dining destination. The lack of any vegetarian/meatless entrees on the lunch and dinner menus was surprising given the educated and youthful clientele targeted by the hotel.\n- The clubby lounge music played in the public areas can be as cloying as the smooth jazz that saturates most traditional hotels. After a day or two, the programmed beats and phoned-in diva vocals grow old. A better choice would be an \"Ipod Shuffle\" approach with a variety of alternative rock, jazz, world, blues, etc. adding to the hotel's feel of modernity and diversity.\n- The staff respond to requests in a timely and courteous manner, but could be friendlier. Would a warm smile or friendly hello really detract from the stylish boutique hotel image? Of course, the perceived aloofness of hotel staff could derive from the lighting problem mentioned in the next item.\n- The lobby and corridors are just too dark. San Antonio is a sunny place, and the hotel's decor should not deny one of the city's best qualities. The lighting levels are so low that it was sometimes hard to tell guests from staff in their obligatory black attire.\n- Most importantly, no one at the hotel ever asked me what I thought of my stay. There was no question asked upon check-out and no survey in my room. One wonders if this was an oversight or if the hotel has a such a firm vision of its way of doing things that it does not solicit customer opinion.\nThe overall recommendation: This is a good choice if you like a stylish hotel and can obtain a room at a moderate rate. If you have limited vision or value a lot of staff interaction, there may be better choices at more traditional properties.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed at the Valencia for our wedding night. Being a travel agent, I am extremely particular about the hotels I choose. So ee decided to splurge since it was a special night and we booked a $239.00 room that included valet, a king room with balcony, and breakfast. Upon arriving at the hotel, we were told that the valet was not available and that we would have to continuing circling around the hotel. Ultimately, we were never able to valet, but instead my husband had to park the car several blocks away while i stood for about 30 minutes in front of the hotel in my wedding dress. We never received the king room with balcony. Instead we got a regular room with 2 double beds and absolutley no view. We were given $10 because we were unable to use the valet, even though the service actually costs about $25.00. Our arrival at the hotel after our wedding upset my new husband and I very much, and really ruined part of our night. I never recommend Valencia to any of my clients.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We arrived at the Hotel Valencia on a Wednesday afternoon at 2:15 and were told that our room would not be ready until 3pm. We were able to leave our luggage at the desk and go explore for awhile. We came back at 3pm and were told it would be another 15 minutes. We wandered off to the area outside the bar where there is a HUGE super-comfy couch and sat down. The front desk lady came and found us and offered us a drink while we waited. She got us drinks, then came and got us when the room was ready. The rooms are really neat with comfortable beds. Very cool decor and great bedding! There's a down-filled sheet and a faux-mink throw on the bed with lots of pillows. Full-length mirror, a big leather armchair with ottoman and really awesome lamps. Bathroom amenities by Modern Apothecary smelled very good. People have mentioned the waffle-weave towels; ours weren't like that; we had normal towels, so maybe they have switched. Robes were in closet with the iron/ironing board. And of course, a ridiculously priced honor bar. Like other reviewers have mentioned, the hotel is very dark, but in a good way. Everything looks very modern. I had asked in advance for a CD player to be in our room and champagne and strawberries to celebrate our anniversary. Neither of these were available when we arrived, but I called the front desk, and everything was delivered pronto. Also, the doormen were great. Very friendly, courteous and helpful. Overall, we really enjoyed the hotel. Oh, valet parking is insanely expensive, of course, but there is a $7 per day lot with in-and-out privileges directly catty-corner from the hotel. Very close and easily accessible. There is also a Walgreen's just 2 blocks down from the hotel, a very pleasant walk, if you need a drugstore like we did. (Had to buy Band-Aids for my poor feet!) We didn't eat at the hotel, and we tried to go to the bar once (before 2am) and they were already closed. It was late, but not 2, so maybe they were dead and closed early. The concierge was helpful, too, when we asked for directions. Outside the hotel, we had lunch at Boudro's on the river and it was fabulous. Also had a decent meal (good margaritas!) at Rio Rio Cantina, also on the river. It was a fabulous trip!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed at the Hotel Valencia in San Antonio, attracted by a 4 star rating by Expedia. The hotel is about 2 yrs old, and nicely maintained. It was a bit odd though, but perhaps you won't mind. \nFirst, the feel of almost all of the public space is dark, with accent lighting where needed, but shadows everywhere. The guest halls took some getting used to with lighting levels (clearly intentionally set) very low. \nThe room design was very odd (perhaps just our personal taste) too, as other than a bed, nightstands, plush leather like chair, there wasn't a single piece of furniture. Just a 12' counter with a couple open shelves under it, the counter holding the TV, a tray with various honor bar items for sale, and a huge decorative vase filled with some sort of dryed straw or sticks (made me think of the old lady carrying a bundle on her back on the 70's Led Zeppelin album). They did have a couple accent lights on the counter that made for some nice mood lighting, in fact all the light fixtures did provide for completely variance intensity that is a nice touch. Other oddities is there wasn't a single piece of art on the wall, there isn't a dresser, and only 2 drawers under the mini bar! There wasn't a coffee stand in the lobby, nor a coffee maker in the room, it just made for an uncomfortable start to the morning. \nAlso, I hadn't checked, but there's no pool area, only a small courtyard with rooms all around that felt a bit like we were intruding, but it did have a giant gas fireplace at the end, and I mean giant - the flames must have been about 10 ' across, pretty cool. \nAs for the location, it's at the edge of the entertainment portion of the Riverwalk, a bit of a walk, but perhaps a bit quieter when you're trying to sleep. Bottom line, next time I'll probably space about the same money and try the historic Le' Mansion or another place.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 13}]}, "240451": {"reviews": [{"text": "My family and I spent eight nights at the Drury and while we had never heard of the Drury hotel chain before, we will be sure to always look them up when traveling. We cannot say enough niceties about this establishment. \nThe facilities, room, lobby, etc. were meticulously clean and fresh looking -- nothing worn out. I am a perfectionist and actually look for the imperfections and could not find anything wrong with our room of two queen beds. The bed was a-m-a-z-i-n-g in comfort and warmth, even more so than our beds at home. I wrote to Drury to find out where they get their bedding from and they gladly obliged the info.\nEverything in the room worked great -- the frig., microwave, even the iron and ironing board. The bathroom was absolutely spotless, and that is no exaggeration. My husband likes a very cool room and often set the stat at 65 -- not a problem at all. There were also no noise problems, and no odor of smoke in a non-smoking room.\nThe pool was clean with loads of clean towels to use. The two washer and dryers worked, though for 210 rooms, a couple more of each would be a great addition. I loved being able to sign on to the Web in their business center and print our airline tickets early, check our accts., etc. in private, and the printer was quick, too.\nThe staff was helpful and friendly, and didn't mind exchanging dollars for quarters for the laundry on several occasions. The ice and soda machine on our floor was always stocked. \nThe location was ideal for us, fairly close to Six Flags, Sea World, malls, lots of restaurants, etc. \nWe were sorry to leave, and hope to return some day.\nThank you Drury for a memorable stay. It was wonderful to return at the end of each long day and rest our aching muscles in your comfort.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I will say that my stay at the Drury Inn and a terrible experience at a Motel 6 inspired me to write a review about both places on this website. My trip was in car from Miami, FL to San Antonio, TX. On the first night we stayed in a Motel 6 in Pensacola that was a nightmare (i wrote a review on that) the next night we stayed at a Motel 6 right next door to this Drury Inn location and I was very pleased with that, however the next four nights we stayed at the Drury Inn. I must say I didnt want to leave. This place is incredible. Everything from the check in to the check out was awesome!!! The employees are almost like a colony of worker ants. You see constant cleaning. The lobby area and pool were just spectacular. If you are looking to go on vacation anywhere please go to their website and see if there is a Drury where you will be vacationing. The pictures on their website dont do the place justice They serve morning breakfast and afternoon drinks and snacks for free and I must say I felt like a king. The rooms have fast access but I had left my LAN adapter card at home but no problem they have high speed wireless access in the lobby!!! The pool although a little cold at all times is very clean as was the jacuzzi. They even have towels in the pool area. The rooms themselves were terrific, plenty big and I had a standard room but I did see the suites and they were very big. The beds, bathrooms and living areas of the rooms were great. Getting back to the breakfast...cereals, eggs, sausages, muffins, soda, milk and Im sure im omitting something. The snack times were nice too with hot dogs, chips, baked potatoes and salad. The drinks were great too Margaritas, Rum and Coke, bloody mary and others. I cant say enough about this place. You will have a hard time finding something to complain about. I had read many reviews about the Drury and I was starting to think that someone working for Drury must be writing all these positive reviews but once I went there I must agree with all positive reviews. They have a nice laundry area and even a small gym. The rooms have a coffee maker, fridge and microwave. Overall I was very impressed with the Drury I wish they had Drurys here in Florida. If you had a bad experience I would really think that you are not happy ANYWHERE...even at home. The only negative besides I wish I could just move in was that I was over charged on one of my 4 nights by 10 bucks. That was taken care of with a simple call but my sons inlaws who also stayed those same nights and were of door to door neighbors also had a overcharged, they also took care of it with a call...look at you receipt.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "This hotel was great. The employees were very nice. The rooms, hallways, lobby, and pool area were all very clean. The food at the hotel is good (and free). They have waffles, eggs, sausage, cereal, biscuits, gravy, fruit, and yogurt every morning. They also have \u2018snacks\u2019 from 5:30 to 7:00 every night which we made our dinner two nights that we were there. They had hotdogs one night and pizza the other night. They also serve free alcoholic drinks during that time. The hotel is very close to the highway, but it is not noisy at all. The beds were very comfortable and were made everyday. My husband and I enjoyed this hotel very much and plan to stay at Drury hotels in the future.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed here over Memorial Day weekend, and for the most part were satisfied with the hotel.\nWhen we checked in (which was late in the evening), we discovered that the toilet in our room was not working properly. They had no other rooms, so we were stuck with the problem overnight. That kind of thing happens, but I expected a little more than a 18% one-night discount for the significant inconvenience.\nWe also noticed that the hallways could have used some more picking up, but given the volume of guests, I suppose it was to be expected.\nOur family stays at Drury Inn almost every time we travel (assuming they have a location where we're going). After 20+ quality stays with this chain, we won't let this one problem deter us.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "No complaints about the accommodation or value here, especially with the full breakfast and evening snacks taken into account. Service was efficient, but not at all personal, which made you feel more like a number than a person. Right at the side of the highway, surrounded by lots of restaurants and other hotels, but quiet enough inside.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I was there for 4 days in March 2005. The staff was very courteous, the rooms very clean, and the atmosphere was plesant! It was good to grab a quick breakfast downstairs. Most evenings the items offered with drinks (hot dogs, pizza, salad, nachos, baked potatoes) were more than enough for dinner. It was really nice not to have to face traffic after a day of sightseeing!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We picked the Drury for its reasonable price, two queen beds, full breakfast and close proximity to Fiesta Texas. That was the good part. \nNow the bad:\nLack of security\nIn the middle of the night on our first night, we were awakened by someone pounding on our door, yelling \"Open up!\". When we asked who it was, he continued to beat on the door and yell. I guessed he was a drunken college student who forgot what room he was in. He put his hand over the peep hole and continued banging and yelling. I told him he had the wrong room, but he continued banging and yelling. I told him I was calling the manager (which we did). He yelled and kicked the door a couple of more times and disappeared. The manager never showed up or called back to check on us. If this is par for the course, I would not want my wife staying there by herself.\nHousekeeping\nThere were three in our party. On the first night we had four bath towels, four hand towels but only two washcloths. On the second night, we were down to one washcloth.\nThe area outside the front door was strewn with litter and cigarette butts. The lobby and elevators had food remnants on the floor.\nLocation\nThe Drury is right off of I-10 (which is under major construction) in northwest San Antonio. Unless you turn the A/C on high, the highway noise will wake you frequently during the night. If you are driving west on I-10, you have to drive through a Holiday Inn parking lot to get to the Drury.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 13}]}, "498346": {"reviews": [{"text": "Vacation Ownership Preview\nCost\nThis was an inexpensive trip! We reserved a 1-BR condo for $99/night (plus tax) for Friday and Saturday night. That rate meant that we were required to attend a sales presentation, but it was low-pressure. After we went through the presentation, we were given a $100 gift certificate to use on site or at the Hyatt Hill County Resort, across the road.\nWhat to Expect\nWhen we arrived and drove up to the buildings, I was underwhelmed\u2026 the exterior looks like \u201cboring apartment building\u201d, but the interior of the units is really nice. A HUGE whirlpool tub (not available in the studio units), granite kitchen, king bed, etc. There are only 2 buildings completed now, which means that there are NO crowds. That made the pool and lazy river experience much better.\nWhat to Do\nWe spent most of our time floating the Lazy River. There are two pools \u2013 one is an active pool with two BIG slides, the other is a lazy river pool. We would float around for a while, then get out and go to one of the cabanas \u2013 these either had a hammock or lounge chairs \u2013 and relax until we were ready to play in the water again.\nWhere to Eat\nWe chose to use our gift certificate toward meals. At Wild Oak Ranch, there is one restaurant \u201cJB\u2019s\u201d and it is open only from 11am to 7pm. So if you are looking for lunch or an early dinner, you can go there. We ate lunch there and the food was okay, but pricey. For dinner, we drove over to the Hyatt Hill Country and ate at Springhouse Caf\u00e9. A little better food and a little better price. If I could do it again, I\u2019d drive the 2 miles back to Chilis or McDonalds and just eat lunch and dinner there, then use my gift certificate for a massage at the spa!\nIf You Go\n- Take the kids! This place was SO child-friendly, They have a movie outside on Saturday nights and most nights they roast s\u2019mores out at the firepits. There\u2019s a playground on the way to the lazy river, and a \u201cbeach\u201d at the zero entry point to the river (so take sand toys).\n- Take breakfast foods with you, or stop at the SuperWalmart (5 minutes away) to pick up stuff. There\u2019s nowhere to eat breakfast onsite and unless you want to drive to McD\u2019s, it\u2019s easier to have something in the room. There\u2019s a toaster, so Pop Tarts would work. Bring your own coffee, too, since there is only a 1-day starter pack in the room.\n- Pack some DVDs to watch on the Plasma TV.\n- Bring your own beach towels. It\u2019s $15 if you lose one of theirs and they are scratchy anyway.\n- Bring smaller floats for the kids to use in the lazy river. The ones that are available are prefect for adults, but kids just fall out.\n- If you\u2019d prefer a room on the top floor, call and ask about 1-2 weeks in advance. The top (3rd) floor rooms have skylights and high ceilings, and you don\u2019t hear your neighbors going stomping around.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 36}, {"text": "During my Spring Breach - mid March, I stayed with my parents at the Hyatt Wild Oak Ranch in San Antonio. My mother had gotten a promotional deal with Hyatt - so the price was right. When we arrived, the keys to our room did not work but after walking down the hill to the main house with the lobby - they worked the second time. The accommodations were very nice. We had a one bedroom suite with a full sized kitchen with a washer and dryer. My parents took the bedroom and I stayed on the pull out couch. My Dad said the bed was great - the pull out couch was not so comfortable. The main area in the room had a large flat screen TV with cable - very nice. The rooms were very lovely and comfortable. The bathroom was huge with a bathtub that doubled as a jacuzzi along with a walk in shower. This was very accessible for my father who has a walker. There was also large balcony that unfortunately looked out on construction of new buildings in the resort. Hyatt bills this location as a resort - but you are in the middle of a growing subdivision in San Antonio. If you are expecting to be out on a ranch -this is not the place. The pools and outdoor jacuzzi were being cleaned when we arrived so we could not use them the first night but as promised were usable the next day. We had to go on a tour of the facility for a couple of hours and get the spiel on vacation ownership - basically a time share plan. The rates for the time share are reasonable and there is no pressure to buy - they just show you the information and the numbers. That was very nice. This resort is great for kids - there were many there on Spring Break. They had an entertainment room, a lazy river that on the day we left was being cleaned so we could not use. The pool is indoor and outdoor and was heated so it was usable even with the cool temperatures. We ate on site once at JB's - you can order your food to go and take it to your room if you don't want to eat there. They have an onsite convenience store, the prices are a little high - but there are grocery stores nearby - remember this is in a neighborhood - it is not on a ranch. The grounds are nice - if you are a golfer the course looks great. Overall, the accomodations are lovely if you don't mind the construction going on and the vacation spiel this is a good value for vacationers on a budget.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Just back from another stay at the Wild Oak Ranch. Our first stay was for this past July 4th holiday. It is a wonderful place to take a quick resort vacation. However, with young kids, I do wish there were lifeguards at the pools. It would also be nice to have a restroom closer to the Lazy River pool. There are 2 slides, one at the indoor pool and one at the outdoor pool. We noticed that there was no attendant manning the slides and there were 2 boys (one clearly less than the minimum 48 inch height requirement) that were sliding down at the same time. After awhile, Hyatt attendants did come around and made sure that the kids sliding down had the armband that signified they met the height requirement. During non-summer months, it looks like the outdoor movie night is only on one night (either Fri or Sat?) and on non-weekend nights, the only on-site restaurant closes at 7:00p. It does serve the full menu for dinner now and not just appetizers and pizza like it did during our first stay in July. We had a 2-bedroom unit which was a dedicated 2 bedroom unit and not a 1-bedroom lock-off with a studio. The master bedroom/kitchen/living area was very similar to the 1-bedroom unit we had in July but the master bathroom in the 2-bedroom unit was private (no hall access) and was much wider. The bedroom with the king sized bed seemed the same size. The second bedroom had 2 beds (sleeps 4) and a very large closet. Each bedroom had its own TV and the living room has a large plasma TV and DVD player. The living/kitchen/entry areas of the 2-bedroom unit also seemed slightly larger than the 1-bedroom unit. The property seems to be well maintained and I recognized many of the employees from our first stay.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "We visited this resort for the second time just a few days ago. We were blown away earlier this Summer when we went for the first time. The rooms are appointed extremely nicely, with tile flooring throughout, nice furniture, 42-inch plasma tvs, stainless steel appliances, etc. My wife even wanted me to take a picture of the bathroom because it was exactly what she wants for our house! That was a first (having a hotel bathroom so nice we wanted to model our home bathrooms after it!)\nThe property itself is landscaped and manicured impeccably. That is partially because it is so new, and partially because they keep everything trimmed so nicely. The Hyatt Hill Country hotel is a well-known, expensive hotel situated across the street (and owned by the same company) and it felt not quite as nice when we visited there, because it was a little more \"overgrown.\" For example, the lazy river at the Hill Country was mostly shaded and covered by a canopy of trees, while the lazy river at Wild Oak Ranch is open to the sun and has less overgrown landscaping around it. I liked it better that way. It felt cleaner and nicer.\nThe amenities are incredible -- two waterslides (one indoor, one outdoor). A large pool, partially indoor and partially outdoor. A lazy river, with a beach area for building sandcastles. A playground fort that looks over the lazy river. Plenty of semi-private, covered cabanas around the lazy river, with hammocks and lounge chairs. There is a nice exercise room. A game room with pool table, shuffleboard, videogames (there is a fee for these games - like 50 cents each). Free games include Ping Pong tables, sand volleyball, outdoor shuffleboard, basketball court. There is a media room with large, comfortable couches and a big screen tv. They also have computers that you can use for a fee.\nThere is a convenience store on the property and a restaurant. They also show outdoor movies on Saturday nights and have free popcorn. They even put out blankets for everyone to sit on while watching the movie. It was a blast!\nThe cons are: they charge you for high-speed internet access in your room (this is free at nearly all top hotels chains); the property restaurant closes at 8 p.m.; the waterslides close at 7 p.m. (there are still two hours of good daylight left during the Summer in Texas!); they only give you complimentary coffee for the coffee pot the first night, for subsequent nights you have to buy coffee at the convenience store. Also, for special promotional rates, you have to sit through the 90-minute presentation, which was not too bad and was certainly not high pressure.\nAll in all, an excellent place to vacation for a few days. Particularly because it is extremely close to Sea World. Go during the week if you can, because Saturdays can be pretty busy at the pool, waterslides, and lazy river. I fear that as they build it out, it may become too crowded. But for now, it is nearly the ideal getaway for a few days!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 29}, {"text": "The resort was beautiful. great for kids. they have two pools one indoor, both with slides. They have a lazy river and playground for the kids, shuffleboard, ping pong, game room, and media room. At night you can make smores by the huge firepit and they also have an outdoor movie playing on the weekends.\n We wre impressed with the one bedrooms. They have flat screen tv's! The studios are a bit small for a family of four, but they upgraded us to a one bedroom.\nWe did do the timeshare presentation. It wasn't pushy at all. \nThe pool was really cold. They say it's heated, but I find that hard to believe. Also the jacuzzi was cooler than bath water. \nMy kids loved the lazy river and hammocks. \nThey have a restaraunt on the property but it doesn't serve breakfast so you have to drive to the Hyatt down the street which is pretty inconvienient if you don't feel like cooking. They also don't have a full dinner menu, just appetizers and salads. All in all gorgeous place, great for families.\nWe'll be back!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 114}]}, "1146124": {"reviews": []}, "99453": {"reviews": [{"text": "I recently spent a weekend at the Hyatt Hill country, and was very dissappointed. First of all I reserved a room on the club floor, which was much more expensive, only to find that the club was not to be opened until after my departure. So why were they happy to charge me for nothing? The rooms were tiny, as were the bathrooms, and even though the hotel has been recently renovated I believe at over $300.00 a night it isn't too much to expect a decent bathtub.\n Worse were the ridiculous prices for everything. The only comic relief was that everytime I purchased something, the employee would say, \"yes, I know it's a ridiculous price\", before I even had a chance to gasp in disbelief at the price myself. For example my room service breakfast which consisted of coffee and frozen orange juice, scrambled eggs and toast, came to $56.00, and even though they say the gratuity is included, the server told me they only make less than a dollar per order, so of course the breakfast then came to over $60.00. These are prices I have no problem paying if the quality is equal to the price. \n Basically a very standard property with luxury prices.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stay here regularly, usually in summertime and in December for the holidays. \nThe big PROS:\nThey have a really fabulous pool and lazy river. The hot tubs are great (the adult pool hot tub is amazing-- the waterfall is HOT water!!). \nFitness club is nice- very roomy, but only 3 treadmills. Limited machines, but a good free weight area. \nTrails and hill country beauty abound- you can take the trail for a beautiful walk or bicycle ride (included with the resort fee). \nGreat for families- our kids are ages 11 and 8, and they have a wonderful time. Lots of activities (ping pong by the poolside, bicycling, trails, etc). Many children bring scooters and roller skates there, since there is lots of pavement to ride along (although pedestrians have to use caution during busy times when scooters are flying around you). \nMaid service is very good- the best we've experienced at any hotel. Very nice hotel toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, lotion, etc)! \nAdjacent to Seaworld, and you can usually get to anywhere else in about 20 minutes (downtown, airport, etc). \nNice rooms, friendly folks. \nCONS:\nExpensive everything, but you can plan accordingly. Bring your own water bottles. McDonald's is a very short drive away, so that's convenient for a quick, cheap breakfast. Bring your own alcohol and sodas. Antlers is a great meal. \nDuring their busy season (summertime, some holidays), kids are EVERYWHERE and sometimes ill-mannered. It's best to go during their slower times (avoid weekends for example). \nRooms are not completely sound-proof, but not too bad for most people (but about the same as other hotels). You can hear large, unruly families stomping by very easily (but fortunately they usually go to bed early). I brought ear plugs last time and I was very grateful (there was a screaming toddler next door). The rest of my family could sleep without ear plugs, but I am more sensitive than most. So if you are sensitive to sound and it's a busy time, bring ear plugs. Also, turning on the fan helps drown out the noise too.\nAlso I should note:\n---------------------\nThey recently renovated the interior- very pretty (nice tile floors and beautiful granite counters), and they are working on exterior renovations. The beds are really high now, though (they raised their level and you feel like you are on a pedestal which is a little scary). The pillows are downy-soft. \nThe adult-only pool is open to families in the winter months. At other times of the year, they are pretty good at kicking kids out of the adult-only area (politely, of course).\nWe don't golf, but the grounds are very pretty. \nWe'll continue to return, but we always try to go mid-week when possible.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "My husband and two children made a quick impromptu weekend trip to San Antonio, Oct. 29-31. We had never visited the area but would return in a second. I secured a two-night reservation through Hotwire for our room ($92 a night plus taxes, the going rate on Hyatt was $185). It seemed liked we had the whole place to ourselves. Everyone we encountered was incredibly friendly and sincere, especially the pool restaurant staff and the employees of The General Store. The pools and lazy river were great, although a tad cold. We enjoyed s'mores on Saturday night (only held on the weekends). We enjoyed bike riding with the complimentary bicycles available from the health club. Pool toys were also free. We also enjoyed the playground and the volleyball area. Didn't get a chance to use the spa but it looks great. Upon arrival, guests could vote for their favorite carved pumpkins, which decorated the beautiful lobby. The twin fireplaces have got to be two of the largest I have seen (biggest being at Biltmore house). The view off the back porch was serene and the perfect place to enjoy a bottle of wine. Would we go back again? In a second. We drove up to the Westin LaCantera and definitely liked our choice better. I think the person that stated the views are better at the Westin is correct; the Hyatt has more woods. It's like comparing apples and oranges, decide what you like best. Personally, this trip to the Hyatt just felt so comfortable like you are visiting someone's home. That was what we were after and the Hyatt met our goal. I could see how people may not like the Hyatt during the summer because I am sure the place gets very crowded. A final note: This has got to be the cleanest hotel I have ever stayed in and I was looking. Our room was pristine, beautifully decorated and very comfortable.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We just got back from a terrific weekend in San Antonio at the Hyatt. We stayed at the Westin La Cantera earlier in the summer and fell in love with tha property also. Before I compare the two properties (see Hyatt vs. Westin below) I want to mention the \"crowd\" and \"kid issues at both of these resorts.\nCROWDS & KIDS\nBoth of these hotels are large resorts of over 500 rooms each. So if you do not like crowds, dont waste time complaining about them. These places are meant for lots of people, not personal egos....so check yours at the door or dont go. As for the complaints about kids: I do not have any and would prefer they were not at these resorts in great numbers. However, lazy rivers, playgrounds, trails, arcades, kids clubs and water slides are (sadly) not built for the adults. They are built for the kids and to draw their parents into staying at the Westin or Hyatt. Further, the Hyatt is across the freeway from Sea World and the Westin is just up the hill from Fiesta Texas. These locations were selected to cater to people with children, not the people who complain about them. \nThere is no avoiding children in the summer at either of these two resorts. Period. But if you can just accept that kids will be there and realize that you were once one too, then you should have a fine time. \nIf you want to minimize kids and crowds then go in an off period...mid-October worked for us. The weather was warm and sunny and crowds were minimal. Yes, there were plenty of children, but it was nothing compared to the summer. At night we had the hot tub to ourselves and during the day the pool area was virtually empty. Yesterday (sunday October 16) we had the entire lazy river to ourselves for a good part of the day. \nHYATT VS. WESTIN\n1. ROOMS: I think the edge goes to the Westin. The bathrooms are larger an the toilets have their own seperate room. The Hyatt combines the shower and the toilet. The Westin also has two \"heavenly\" showerheads instead of the Hyatt's one. I think the rooms at the Westin are marginally larger, but its a slight difference. The beds and furnishing are equal, but there is no accounting for personal taste. The Westin has great views in some rooms, but they offer minimal (or none at all) balconies. The Hyatt does offer balconies in most rooms, but the views are less grand because the hills are smaller. Bottom line, you wont want to spend much time in your room at eithr of these resorts because the grounds at each are very nice and inviting. \n2. POOLS: This depends on your own personal taste, but I give this one to the Hyatt. The lazy river alone takes the cake. Its very relaxing and charming and feels way more natural than anything the Westin offers. At night, after sunset, we cooled off from the hot tub in the lazy river (which we had to ourselves) and floated in the dark....very cool. The pools at the Westin are awesome, but they dont have a lazy river. The adult pools at the two hotels are both nice and quiet. The setting of the Westin pool is more of a compact feel that is incorporated into the overall feel of the resort. The Hyatt pool and river has a more natural like feel, as the main building is rarely visibile from the water. \n3. GROUNDS: The Westin grounds have a more majestic feel to them. You are perched high in the hills and the spetacular views always remind you of this. The Westin's scenery contrasts sharply with the Hyatt's \"in the woods\" feel. Put another way, the Hyatt is more \"Texan\" than the Westin. The Hyatt has woods and a nature trail and it plays country music. The Westin has more of the Spanish/Mexican influence feel and could be located in Southern California as well as its San Antonio location. The Hyatt grounds caters more to kids and includes a playground, bikes and table tennis. Though, the Westin is just a short walk or drive from an upascale mall, which the teenagers might like. \n4. SERVICE: Granted, it was quiet at the Hyatt in October compared to the crowds at the Westin in Summer, but we had great service. Never had to wait for anything at any time. The Westin, as other reviewers have pointed out, lacks quick and responsive service (this is also a problem at the Hyatt in summer according to earlier reviews). That said, these are large resorts catering to huge numbers of people. The staff members they retain are low paid seasonal workers that do not live in an area known for mega resorts. So, unlike the beaches of Maui, there is not a plethora of trained workers. The Texas crowds that fill these hotels have, many times, egos larger than the state. Remember, a platinum American Express card in your wallet does not mean that you work harder or are better than anyone, least of all the people trying to serve you. If you complain like a baby then you get treated like one. We had some problems at the Westin and told the front desk staff that we understoond. Problems happen. They reduced our rate to $100 a night. So, if you have problems, even really big ones that p--- you off, take a deep breath and remember that you are at a resort and keep cool. Peope that work in the hotels appreciate understanding and they often do not get it from many snobish guests. Remember, these people clean your room, park your car, cook your food, make your drinks and care for your children. Do you want to p--- them off? \nOVERALL: I loved both of these resorts. I have stayed at many of the largest and most expensive hotels and resorts in Hawaii and Europe...the two resorts in San Antonio more than hold their own. You cant really lose with either one. Read all the details and choose the one that sounds best to you. Don't trust all the reviews in these pages, including mine. All of the above is just my opinion. Hopefully you can visit both resorts and make your own opinion.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 30}, {"text": "My partner and I spent 5 days/4 nights immediately following Labor Day at the lovely Hyatt Hill Country Resort and Spa near San Antonio. We had booked a \u2018Regency Club\u2019 room through American Express travel service, but upon check-in were told, \u2018Sorry, our Regency Club is closed for remodeling, American Express should have told you that.\u2019 To make up for the miscommunication, we were upgraded to a one-room suite, while having the nightly rate reduced from the Regency Club rate, and being given breakfast vouchers for the duration of our stay. \nThe grounds of the resort are lovely, well-maintained for the most part, and were still in summer bloom during our visit. Two of the best features of the hotel are the lovely Windflower Spa, and the Ramblin\u2019 River. The spa has a down-home, folksy feel, and all spa services were performed by friendly and competent staff. The Ramblin\u2019 River is actually a giant pool shaped into a large, 900-foot circumference ring that you float around on an inner tube. \nThe resort was relatively empty when we arrived the day after Labor Day, but by our Saturday afternoon departure it was practically overrun by families with very young (i.e., pre-school age) children. If you are looking for a resort experience for your family, and especially if you have young children, this would be a great place to stay. The only parts of the resort NOT overrun by young children were the Windflower Spa and the Antlers Lodge restaurant (as well as the adults-only pool, where nervy parents STILL attempted to take their children). \nWe ate at all the restaurants in the resort, which ranged from average and unimpressive (Cactus Oak Tavern, Springhouse Caf\u00e9, Papa Ed\u2019s Pool House) to excellent (Antlers Lodge). Staff at all locations throughout the resort were exceptionally friendly and accommodating, a real taste of Texas hospitality! Our room was comfortable and well-appointed, morning and evening maid service was prompt and non-intrusive, and the \u2018General Store\u2019 was well stocked with most anything you might need to purchase while on vacation. \nWhat could have been better about our stay? If we had known how many children would be there, we would have stayed elsewhere. By our day of departure it was virtually impossible to escape the sounds of crying and shrieking, no matter where you went on the grounds. I had enjoyed the Ramblin\u2019 River quite a bit during the week, but after observing a mother remove her child\u2019s soiled diaper and then plunk the naked child down in the water of the River, I stayed away! There was a considerable echo that emanated from the lobby and carried through to any room that was within 100 feet of the lobby. There was considerable noise in all common areas and hallways, both from children and their parents. The valet parking attendants (who were numerous) tended to congregate in the front entrance of the hotel and to have loud, raucous conversations. Finally, some of the prices were resort-worthy but ridiculous nonetheless (e.g., $20 per day for valet parking and \u2018resort fee,\u2019 $3.95 for a half-liter of bottled water that costs $0.99 at the grocery store). $12.95 for a hamburger, etc. \nI would recommend this resort for families with young children. If you are looking for a romantic adults-only getaway, you will definitely want to go elsewhere.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "We just got back from this resort. While the resort is beautful, I will say it is Great if you have small kids (5 and younger) and don't expect great service. We had the Great Family package so it included some free breakfast and the only rooms left were the Regency Club level so we had a private room that we could get snacks etc throughout the day. However, we found we did not use it enough to make it worth the extra $90. We did not feel the Hotel was worth $300 a night at all, we could have gone to Mexico for a week at what we paid for this hotel for 4 days and also had better service from the employees. The Spa is very expensive so I did not take advantage of any of the services, however, I was tempted so my daughter and I went in the spa and two people looked at us, but then looked right back down and never acknowledged our presence, we even went to the counter and were looking at a brochure together but still the two employees standing right there never said a word to us.. so we left! \nWe were told they have 6 pools because they are next door to a vacation club and we could use their facilities as well. Turns out that is part if a timeshare tour if you want to use the Vacation Clubs pools you had to set up a time and take a tour for about an hour and a half. \nTo top it off, we played golf, the course is beautiful, our Golf Clubs were stored in the golf clubhouse storage over night and someone stole my set of clubs and my husbands! We have advised the hotel and security so the police are there right now trying to look at the cameras and see who did it. I will keep you posted on how the resort handles this. Even before we found out someone stole our clubs, this hotel did not meet our expectations for paying $300 a night.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "My wife and I enjoyed the overnite experience, however, we felt a little out of place as we travel a good deal and this place, although elegant, is considerably overpriced , in our opinion!\nFirst of all, valet parking only ($10.00)!, this of course requires valet room\nservice, another few bucks! Then, it's so large, one must walk, walk, walk to go to the lobby, resturant, pool, general store,etc.\nThe employee's are courteous, the service good (not excellent), but the \"inconvience\" of valets for \"everthing\" is to much for us! (For instance, to get a corkscrew, room service was the ONLY available option, that took 30 minutes and a few bucks.. have at it, we like our auto \"in sight and available\", be able to pick type of resturants, short walk to pool, etc.\nWe'll stay with Hampton, Wingate type, thankyou!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "This resort is similar to a Disney hotel in the mid-price range or a Gaylord hotel, but more expensive. It's less hectic than going to Disney World, if that's what you want. \nThis resort is definitely focused on family, for children up to age 10 or so. There are also some attractions for children up to perhaps 14, but I think the younger age group is happier here. The pool is well suited to younger children, although it gets very crowded as does the lazy river. It's like being at a water park\nThe good: planned daily activities for kids and kid camp. Food served at pool. The pool. The mattresses. Rooms are clean. Antler's restaurant.\nThe mediocre: the food in the \"family\" cafe restaurant (I don't recommend the buffet). You get a better value for your money dining at their nicer restaurant, but you have to dress business casual to go there. Room decor and size. Service is friendly, but how good can it get with 100 people needing help at the same time? The lines for towels at the pool or for the snack bar or in the store were slow moving.\nThe bad: prices were high for food, drinks and rooms -- I don't think any of it was justified. Worst smoothie I have ever tasted! Stick to water, beer and soda here, but it's best if you buy some at a grocery store and bring it with you to avoid the 100%-200% increase in price. Room sizes are small. People hoard poolside space by placing towels and other items as early as 6 AM and then keep the space all day regardless of where they are or what they are doing. The staff should manage the use of space more effectively so that everyone can enjoy the facilities. The large floats that they get kids to beg their parents to buy for them -- it takes them forever to inflate one and then they are really too big for the pool, plus there are easier to use inner tubes available for free. I saw many of these large floats occupying chairs by the pool.\nWhen we arrived, there was a woman crying in the lobby because her reservation had been messed up. I'm not sure what had happened, but apparently they did not have a room big enough for her family available anymore and the hotel was offering to split them into 2 rooms, which obviously is not ideal when you are traveling with young children.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "This was a treat. The rooms are nicely decorated. The bed very plush with lots of pillows. The staff very friendly and helpful. The maids all said good morning as we walked down the hall. To get the most out this resort plan to get a spa treatment and put the kids in the kids club. Yes there is a fee for everything. But you are there to relax and have fun not worry about the cost. The pools and tubing river are very fun and realaxing. The pool uses river water I think. No chlorine smell. There are several areas to sit like the sandy beach or by the acvitiy pool or back by where the river winds. The adult pool is sperated from the acvitiy pool. (Kid and family area) The food is great. The grill by the pool has hamburgers and nachos ect. with plenty of servers to bring it to you. They offer towels by the pool. We enjoyed the outdoor movie on the lawn, hayride and the samores. My kid said it was the best hotel ever. I would make this a destination place and not plan to go running all over san anontio are sea world which is 10 minutes away. although you will. I dont play golf but the course looked green and made me wish I did. There is an activity sheet by the front desk. get one so you know what is going on. I expected more than usual from a hotel due to the cost. I do think for the service and comfort level it is priced right.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "My husband, 5-year-old daughter and myself stayed at the resort for 4 nights and absolutely loved it. I have been to San Antonio many, many times and usually stay on the Riverwalk, but we wanted a resort-style hotel that had good activities for our daughter, as well as golf and a spa for us. First off, the pool area with the \"lazy river\" is a blast. The resort grounds are so nicely landscaped with flowers and trees and when we walked around the property it did not feel at all like it was on the edge of a big city. The hotel food was very good -- we ordered room service one night and I had the best chicken fried steak I can remember. We had a package deal that included the breakfast buffet 3 out of our 4 mornings and it was very good. They didn't charge us a buffet price for our daughter since she only ate cereal off the buffet (so hers was free). Our daughter did Camp Hyatt for a day and had a really great time. There were many activities planned during the day and she got to go swimming as well. Our room was on the first floor overlooking the windmill near the spa and we could step right outside and see bunny rabbits in the evening. The lobby is so nicely decorated in real Texas-ranch style decor. Seaworld is only 5 minutes away and we had a great day there. We are planning our family reunion at the Hill Country Hyatt for next year.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We keep coming back year after year to the Hyatt Hill Country as our children love the Lazy River and it is a short drive from Austin. We noticed this Memorial Day weekend a dramatic improvement in the service. The staff were all very helpful, knowledgeable, and friendly, a marked improvement from years past. We will be back again. Note to parents, get out to the pool early on busy summer weekends to stake your claim on a chair!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed here for our vacation this year and enjoyed every second of it. Where do I begin....We used the valet parking because we thought it was fairly inexpenseive ($10 per day) and we were going to primarily spend our time there. They were wonderful and when we did get out they were very quick about bringing the vehicle around. The Bell Hop answered all of our questions with a smile and even gave us recomendations for dinner on or off the property. We explored every aspect of this property and every one here seemed to enjoy doing thier jobs. You don't see that too often. We ate breakfast every morning in the spring hill cafe except for the day we went to sea world. We got muffins, fruit, and bagels at the general store. The resort grounds are well kept, and looked impecable. I never saw trash just laying around. The pools are all refreshing and were not too crowded through the week but were crowded on the weekends. The rooms have been remodeled like everyone has been stating. They have a more masculine feel to them now, with darker woods, and leather furniture. The beds were comfy and we did not need an egg crate for it. This hotel is definitely a family resort. A ton of stuff to do for children both young and old. We are already planning a return trip for October.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "This is about our 6th time to go to the Hill Country Hyatt near Sea World in San Antonio. We love it each time. I travel with work each week and this is a destination that I look forward to on my weekends off. The hotel has everything - plenty for the kids to do on the \"beach\" near the lazy river or in the pool or the arcade or the playground. My son, 11, loves going there and so do we. The rooms are lovely and the hotel looks like it has received a facelift recently. The grounds are pristine with flowers all around and wildlife wandering around. We love this place! We can head over to SeaWorld during the day and come back in the afternoon and relax or just relax here all day. We haven't tried the Spa yet, but it is on my list of things to do! We look forward to our two weekends a year here! I'd rather stay here than on the Riverwalk anytime!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Just arrived home from a stay in a king suite at the Hyatt Hill Country. All I can say is that the Hyatt Corp. needs to move up the proposed renovation date (2005) for this \"resort\". We were paying $399.00 a night and cashed in tons of Hyatt points to stay in a suite. The carpet was old and stained. The whole resort needs some TLC. The furniture was so \"yesterday\" and worn.\nI remember going there 10 years ago when it was new and thinking it was fabulous. Now you can get past the things that need to be updated. Even the lobby decor no longer has that \"WOW\" feeling when you walk in like it once had. \nThe river is still fun. It was sooooo crowded Labor Day weekend--I could only imagine what all was swimming in the river with us!! There was no way they could keep the water clean with all of the people. But we knew it would be packed and just did a last minute vacation.\nThe food was okay. It was understaffed. I don't think it is a \"Resort\" anymore. Just a hotel with a tubing river!!\nWe stayed at the Broadmoor in Colo. Springs last July 4th. We paid $399.00 a night and got an awesome fireworks show, impeccable service and beautiful accomodations--the Hyatt Hill Country Resort just doesn't compare to what you can get elsewhere.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "If you are looking for a resort experience in San Antonio DO NOT go to this place. We checked in to find a beat up room that was dirty and appionted much like a Days Inn. There was bloody kleenex in the room and every piece of furniture was stained, and dented.\nThe staff was rude and downright unpleasant when the smoke alarms started at 8:45 pm. We were told 3 different stories about why the halls were filled with choking smoke. There was no general manager on duty and the person who said she had been the manager for a year did not have a business card. We checked out as quickly as possible and checked into the Westin La Cantera.. now THIS is a great resort.\nAlso I will warn you that there were hundreds of screaming children at the Hyatt. 3 thumbs down.. there are nicer places to go", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 15}]}, "1514210": {"reviews": []}, "99488": {"reviews": [{"text": "This is a typical business hotel in a big city but the location is fabulous! Room was very comfortable and clean. Despite being sold out, the elevators were quick so waiting was minimal. No problems getting a taxi.\nThe hotel connected to the River Walk mall so I could buzz over to Macy's for a little shopping inbetween meetings or Starbucks for a quick latte. The Alamo was maybe a 15 min walk thru the mall and across the street from the Dillard's exit.\nEfficient, clean with great restaurants and attractions within walking distance. Don't I wish all business hotels were like this one!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We were here for a convention and along with the Riverwalk Marriott these are about the best locations to Convention Center.The Rivercenter adjoins the mall and is a short walk to the Alamo and the action on the Riverwalk itself.\nThe rooms are very small but comfortable ,nothing fancy.The heating air system worked fine.The bathroom has a very small vanity area with a sink and a small closet then the toliet and shower/tub combo which was clean with plenty of hot water.\nFitness center is good with Life Fitness equipment throughout including TVs on each treadmill and supplied headphones.Attendents on duty with cooled towels, water,apples and a locker room with showers,lockers and saunas,massage services also available.Pool is adjacent with indoor/outdoor sides to it with an indoor jacuzzi.There is a towel on every chair and a large supply of more in the area.\nOnly food we tried in the hotel was the breakfast buffet and it was good with great prices for kids.\nI would stay here again its clean it was reasonable at the convention rate and there is so much to do we were not in the room much.\nWe drove here and be warned that if you have a large SUV or van you will have to park elsewhere like the lot across the street (or two)\nCheck in was fast and the staff was nice throughout the hotel.\n.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We stayed here for a night over the weekend of the 4th. The Riverwalk itself was crammed with people. \nMarriott hadn't transfered the points we wanted to use to stay the night over--no idea why. We stood at the front desk for 15 minutes while this happened. Besides paying $17 for parking (self park), this was our only negative experience.\nThe room we were given was decently-sized and quiet. \nI was pleasantly surprised by the hotel bar--Given how crowded the Riverwalk was, it was the only place where we could get a decent meal with decent service. Kudos to the Marriott for this.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I actually had another hotel booked for our stay in San Antonio, because the Rivercenter was booked. About about a week before our arrival, I noticed online there were some vacancies. I immediately booked the hotel for our 4 night stay! After reading the recent reviews here, I was a little worried. But, upon our arrival, the valet/bell staff greeted us promptly and unloaded our things. Pedro was extremely friendly, efficient and helpful. We were visiting San Antonio with our 9 and 5 year old boys with intent to take them to Six Flags, Riverwalk, Alamo, etc. I knew it was the playoff week for the Spurs, so I was a little concered everything would be so busy. We asked Pedro about any available seats for the Spurs game 6 and he promptly took us over to the concerige desk and said he would go check on our room. At the concerige desk, Amanda and Sarah were very friendly and extremely helpful with events, locations, directions etc. We ended up getting tickets to the Spurs game which was a once in a lifetime opportunity, so we were excited.\nAfter we left the desk, Pedro was waiting for us at the check-in counter. I asked him about any \"available upgrades\" and he said he would check into it for me. He said he had an upgrade available (I'm not a Marriott rewards member, just your regular vacationer) but, he said it wouldn't be ready for about an hour which was fine because we hadn't eaten lunch yet. We went to lunch for an hour, came back and Pedro took us up to our room. It was amazing. (pictures attached) Of course, we tipped him very well. I looked on the back of the door where they have rates posted and it was a $625 per night room!! (We paid right at $200 per night per the reservations I made) We were treated so nice the entire time we were there and everyone was so friendly. We spent some time at the pool and the outside pool is ice because you can see the Tower of Ameicas AND hear the music from the River!!!\nThe ONLY negative thing I have to say about our stay was the restaurant in the hotel where we ate breakfast. The buffet is VERY expensive and it's really not that good. I was $35 for cold cereal, fruit, eggs, bacon, biscuits and gravy.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "The Rivercenter was nothing special. My girlfriend and I stayed here while celebrating our anniversary. I paid over $200 a night for this room, and I have to say that for the price I was disappointed. The room was very small and wholly unimpressive ... especially for the price.\nThe hotel was VERY busy, with numerous conventions going on. Had to wait 15 minutes to get the car valet parked and over 20 to get it out of the valet. If returning to San Antonio, I would certainly look to stay elsewhere first.\nThe location is good, very close to the Alamo and the Riverwalk. However, there are numerous other properties that I would recommend before the Rivercenter. Particularly, I would look at \"La Mansi\u00f3n del Rio.\" (though don't eat at Las Canarias, overpriced, horrible service and not that good).", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Generally a nice hotel. It's on the riverwalk and close to the mall and Alamo. The furnishings were good, but the layout was a little unusual - TV to the side, not much room on the desk. I expected much more for the price. They also charge for every little thing, ie. local calls (which most places don't charge for anymore). Internet access $10. They even charge for using terminals (e-mail access) at about the same rate. No fridge. Could do much better for the price, especially since there is an abundance of hotels in area.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Our family stayed there during the Memorial Weekend and I was so disappointed. The exterior of the hotel is fine. The location is excellent, but the room is similar to a 2 stars hotel: very small room, very uncomfortable and old bed, the bathroom and toilette is very dirty. I have always been a big fan of hotels such as Westin, Hilton, Marriott but this one particular hotel would make me think twice about a 4 stars hotel next time.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "This Marriott is getting really run down. Our room was dirty and the service was poor. I understand that their primary business comes from conventions and tourist packages, but I thought Marriott would still keep a better house. Will not stay there again.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "1502048": {"reviews": []}, "1237001": {"reviews": []}, "498304": {"reviews": [{"text": "After spending one night at another hotel, which once again did not look like the pictures, we decided to search out a new one. We wandered into the Marriott Gaslamp and immediately fell in love. From the moment we walked in we were greeted with a smile and the best possible service you could imagine. The front dest supervisor went out of her way to make us feel at home and the night manager even gave us a tour of the hotel and made sure we were happy with the room before we checked in. The rooms were absolutely gorgeous and the bed was comfortable beyond belief. The bathroom was stunning, with all the amenities of home, including high end tolietries. Everyone was very helpful and always smiling. We felt like royalty! The hotel is in the gaslamp district, with shops and dining within walking distance and our room overlooked the baseball stadium. It is because of this hotel and its wonderful staff that we will definatley seek out Marriott properties in the future. Stay at this hotel, you will not be disappointed.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "571835": {"reviews": [{"text": "This is an upscale boutique hotel in Pacific Beach which is not readily accesible unless you have a car. It is about $30 from the airport and about the same to downtown San Diego. I was attending a business meeting /convention and was happy to be staying at this smaller property a bit away from it all with good reviews. I had a rental car which costs $20 per nite to park at the property. The rates per nite are pricey so I was expecting an experience consistent with such a rate.\nI arrived at about 2:30 PM after two long flights ; i travel a great deal and this was the end of a busy travel season . It was a Saturday afternoon and the front desk person indicated that the room was not ready and that they guarantee the room for 4 PM. This is approaching the late side for check in as most hotels are for 3 PM check-in. She asked for my cell phone and said she would call me when the room was ready. She did not do this and I returned after 3:15 PM and asked about my room and another gentleman indicated that my room was ready. \nWhile waiting, I saw that there was a wedding party readying for a ceremony /reception apparently at a different venue; but people were milling about by the small courtyard looking out over the beach. When I returned from a dinner meeting at 11 PM , the wedding revelers were now congregated outside my bedroom on the courtyard having drinks and making huge noise which continued until nearly 2 AM despite several calls to the front desk. \nThis is a charming , small property and simply is not designed for such a real time celebration at the expense of guests' sleep. The nite manager was thoroughly inept and the daytime manager with whom I reviewed the matter was very gracious and abated one nite's charge by 50%. But the experience fouled my sense of the place.\nThe bar is hopping and I enjoyed being out for drinks with colleagues on one nite. The restaurant is simply outstanding with beautifully prepared food and staff who are professional across all domains. Rivalled any restaurant experience in great dining places around the country.\nBut the management has to decide whether this is an upscale boutique hotel or whether it is a function hall . The manager made a decision to sell drinks through the nite on the private courtyard the remnants of which I captured on my cell phone camera in the early AM and to ruin the experience of others versus asking the party to move to the very large bar at the other end of the hotel.It was a bad decision on the manager's part and which he never addressed. While the other staff were truly gracious and helpful during my stay, this hotel needs a \"top-down\" managerial review .", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Tower 23 really wants to be a world class luxury hotel. It doesn't have a chance. The property is situated in a fine setting: directly along the ocean in Pacific Beach. Its convenient to a lot of tourist spots and the neighborhood surrounding the hotel has some interesting shops and restaurants, all within walking distance.\nBut the hotel itself is a disappointment. The decor, for example, is late American modernism, but the furniture looks and feels like it was purchased at Ikea and assembled by the staff. The hotel advertises free wi-fi, but the wi-fi wasn't working too well when I was there this week. They offered to provide me with a \"better\" speed internet access via a cable connector. But that would cost $12.95 extra a day. Then there's the 42 inch flat screen television. Its a great television. But the batteries in the handset needed replacement and they never got around to it, so I gave up pressing buttons that didn't respond. When I did get the television to work I discovered that it doesn't show regular programs. It offers \"selected television episodes\" of a few shows. But you have to pay for the priviledge.\nAnd so the tone is set for the hotel. There are numerous \"extras\" that all nickel and dime you to death.\nThe hotel incorporates a bar/restaurant that is quite nice, but music from the bar drifts up to rooms on the second floor. I walked to the third floor and the music wasn't audible there, so if you go request a room on the third floor. The music also intrudes upon the second floor beach deck. Its a great deck, but the sound of the ocean is almost drowned out (no pun intended) by the hip muzak playing from speakers on the deck.\nThe rooms were attractive and clean. But acoustics were poor. We could hear people talking in the room next door, and footsteps in the room above were thudding along almost all the time. I've stayed places where this was the norm and its fine as long as you know about it and are prepared for it.\nThe balconies are very nice and I spent a fair amoun of time sitting out there watching the ocean.\nThe idea of valet parking is nice but the staff is sllooooooow and request your car at least fifteen minutes in advance. Also, the garage closes around midnight and while they can get your car or park it after that hour its a time consuming and complicated process.\nFor the price ($259 for the surf pad full view room) its not a bad deal. But this hotel desperately wants to be a new york city, soho, high tech hotel on the beach. Its not even close.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Wow, can we say \"attitude adjustment\"! My girlfriend and I stayed here for a night and were happy to escape with just an assault on our character. It all started well, nice room, good view, hip bar....until we arrived back from dinner in downtown san diego...en route to the bar for a night cap we were confronted by a belligerent staff member asking \"can i help you?\", I told him we were hotel guests and he told me to \"go f**k yourself\"! I couldn't believe it! I asked to see the manager and there was no manager available. I made a complaint to the front desk, where they told me they had had problems with that staff member previously. I emailed the hotel manager when I returned home. No response from Terror 23, still awaiting an acknowledgement or apology. The whole thing ruined our stay in San Diego and we wouldn't want anyone else to have this experience.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I felt like I was taking a big chance with the TOWER23 hotel -- it was so new that it had only one review that I could find (here on TripAdvisor). I needn't have worried -- it was up there with the best hotels at which I've ever stayed, and most certainly was the coolest of them all.\nThe TOWER23 hotel is an anomaly, an ultramodern hotel set in a bit of a funky beach town (the Pacific Beach area of San Diego). There's nothing nearby that's like it -- accomodations in the area range from mid-range condominiums to dilapidated cottages set on a pier. But the setting doesn't detract from the TOWER23, and in fact seems to bring it into sharper relief.\nI had an oceanfront room, a \"Surf Pad,\" which was delightful. The bathroom was stylish, the shower large and equipped with a rain-style head. The bed was one of the two or three most comfortable I've ever slept on. The flat panel TV was great, and I used the Xbox to play DVDs that I had brought with me (you can borrow movies from the front desk, or there's a Blockbuster next door). The room had both wired and wireless connections to the hotel's free Internet service.\nBut the star of the room was the view -- a third-story, top-floor view of the boardwalk, the beach, and the ocean. Sunsets were absolutely spectacular.\nThe TOWER23 has its own ocean-view restaurant, JRDN. I had excellent sushi rolls there on two occasions, and my companion and I both thought that the breakfast we had was one of the best we could remember, and reasonably priced. At night, JRDN becomes a very hip club, and we took advantage of this almost every evening during our stay. Bring stylish clothes!\nThe hotel has a second-floor deck with comfortable seating and a fire pit, the modern style with flames dancing over sand. We spent some very pleasant evenings there drinking cocktails brought up from the club below.\nI wouldn't recommend the TOWER23 for people who want a very quiet hotel. Although the rooms are soundproofed quite well, once JRDN becomes a club at night, it becomes fairly loud, especially on Friday and Saturday nights. This wasn't an issue for us, as we were making use of it, but I can see some people having problems with it. Nor would I recommend the hotel for people with small children -- the beach is really the only place for them to run around, as there's no pool or playspace of any kind -- it's just not that kind of hotel.\nTo travelers looking for a beachfront hotel, a trendy place to stay, or a hotel where one can party into the wee hours, I can't recommend the TOWER23 highly enough. It's less expensive than many of the dull mega-hotels in the city, but with better rooms and polite, boutique-style service. I hope to stay there again someday!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Well, what can I say. This place was among one of the worst over-rated hotels I have ever seen. I'm not a nit-picky person, but we were there on our honeymoon. I booked this hotel direct over the phone and was told I would receive an email confirmation. I had to call back for it after not getting it for a week. This was in July. I should have taken this as a sign. I would say the location of this hotel was good, but really, the beach is in front of it and I won't give 23 credit for the beach. Anyone can get to the beach here, and they do. It's public. In fact, there's public parking attached to the hotel. Hotel parking is in their garage under the building. The Lifeguard tower 23 this hotel is named after is NOT in front of it, as the website states. It's down the beach after you go under the pier. It's actually in front of another hotel or some condos. The pier Tower 23 Hotel is RIGHT next to isn't that fabulous either. It's also private as the cottages on it are timeshares or peoples summer homes or something. It reminded me of a trailer park on a pier. So there's no walking down the pier at sunset. It closes at 8:30pm or so. The area immediately around the hotel is similar to a trashy, little city setting. There is garbage everywhere and bums walking around. None of the shops are even nice or quaint, they're junky. It's kind of like the area you go into before getting on the expressway just outside of downtown Chicago. Garbage, bums and nowhere to shop or have a good dinner.\nWhen you arrive at the hotel, you are immediately sent to your room and have your credit card taken in the room by the front desk person who escorted you there. The hotel staff were made aware it was our honeymoon well in advance. Noone ever said 'congratulations' or 'welcome' or anything. It was more like, \"get in your room and give us your payment method\". I walked in wearing the \"Bride\" T-shirt my husband bought me to wear for our plane ride. All the girl checking us in said was, \"cute shirt\". Someone needs to go to hospitality school here. Another review mentioned there are unprofessional children running this hotel. Nothing could be more true. I would even venture to say that maybe this will be a better hotel in a year or two after they get the kinks worked out. But I can't. I don't think this hotel will still be in business in a year or two. I did some research on this place before we booked BECAUSE it was so new. I liked the idea that one of the two proprietors has a background that included W Hotels, which I am a HUGE fan of. Mr. Watson, you need to get over to your hotel and straighten that mess out. The kids you have running that place are not protecting you and your partner's investment. In fact, the evening I was there, there were a couple guys -who weren't guests- on the tower deck - which is only supposed to be accessible to guests and their invitees - who were claiming to be the owners. They obviously were not either you or Mr. Miller. I think the girls they were with were hookers, but I can't be sure. We weren't the only guests who were not happy with the service or conditions and none of your staff seemed to be doing anything about it or even care. Attention Mr. Watson and Mr. Miller: So you have a 'cool' building.... what are you going to do with it?\nThe bed was nice and so was the flat sceen TV. This was nothing special to me in comparison to the less than average treatment we recieved and the fact that we didn't come to 23 to watch TV. The restaurant, JRDN, was pretty good. I like eclectic food and the menu definately provided that. All the accompaniments were great and the dinner was over all 'good'. We would have went back to JRDN for dinner, but we pretty much didn't want to see the Hotel again after we left.\nI'll stop with one last complaint: My husband could see I was not 'feeling' 23 after the check in person left our room. He called and spoke with a manager when I went out to the car to try and make things right for me (he is really a great guy). All they did was send a dessert up to our room. I don't know about you, but I don't want to be some place where I have to ask the staff to treat me well. At a 5 star hotel, I expect 5 star treatment. Not 'roll out the red carpet' treatment, but just be nice to me and provide a nice place to stay and I'm happy. The last straw was that we had a 3rd floor room and were informed that the elevator was being serviced for the entire time we would have been there (4 nights). There were also painters on every floor and the main lobby. Contractors of different kinds seemed to be everywhere. Was this place even ready to be open? Clearly, it wasn't. In the description of services on the 23 website, there are a few other things that are promissed that didn't happen: the mini-bar was not customized for us (I don't know how that could have happened anyway since they never asked us about anything we may have wanted), no spa or massage services are available that we were aware of, the wi-fi wasn't in service, no Chroma-aromatherapy bath in the room (not all the rooms have these, but it doesn't specify that on the site) and there is no 'scene' on the tower deck as described in the room descriptions. There is also no pool at this hotel. When I called and made the reservation, I asked about that. They made it sound like they had a waterfall-type of 'refreshment pool'. It's just a puddle that a 2'x2' pseudo-water-fountain is attached to. The only cool thing about the tower deck was the 'sand pit by day, gas fire pit by night'. I wish we could have enjoyed it without the drunk walk-in's claiming to be the owners and thier tawdry 'lady friends' hanging around.\nMy husband and I drove down to the Hyatt Islandia and ended up staying there the last 3 nights of our Honeymoon. They were better than great to us and the room and restaurant were both fantastic. Plus, the location is better if you are going to do some sightseeing and the area surrounding is beautiful. While this Hyatt is not on the 'beach' (and I am all about the beach when I travel to the Atlantic or Pacific), it is in a beautiful marina/bay and the view CANNOT be beat. The staff was so nice to us. The grounds were fabulous. The Concierge (which Tower 23 really doesn't have at all) was fantastic (thanks, Rhonda!). Do yourself a big favor and don't make the same mistake we made by hoping the Tower 23 hotel would be everything it makes itself out to be on thier website. Stay at the Islandia. Or anywhere else for that matter. You pay less and feel the REAL hospitality, sights and services that San Diego has to offer. Best wishes, Anne", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We stayed at this hotel for five nights in August with our 6 and 9 year old children. The hotel is very contemporay and in a great location. The beds are really comfortable and the bathroom/shower is great. The staff is very very friendly and accomodating. There isn't much of a lobby and check in is done in the room with a handheld device. \nThe location is great for the beach and several restaurants are within walking distance. There really isn't a pool for kids to play in. \nDrawbacks include: Not great lighting in the rooms to read in. The bathroom mirror lighting is not great either and there is no magnifying mirror for middle aged eyes. We were awakened on two nights due to disturbances on the street. The hotel bar is very popular and trendy so there's a lot of action there on weekends. That can be good or bad depending on what you're looking for. It's not exactly what I would call and ideal family hotel but we made it work for us and had a nice time. They did have an XBox in the room. Unfortunately everything is so new and high tech it needed several people to hook up successfully. The thormostat controls need explaining too. Our first night was hot and stuffy because a sensor on the patio door thought it was open and would not allow the airconditioning to turn on.\nWe had dinner at the hotel restaurant on the last night with our kids and they were terrific about accomodating the meal for picky young eaters. The food for adults was terrific and well priced. Lots and lots of atmoshpere. Beautiful place to watch sunsets. \nEven though this hotel has trendy written all over it the staff is very nice with no \"attitude\" whatsoever.\nMake sure you stand in line to have breakfast at Konos in the morning.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "We stayed two nights at Tower 23 in Pacific Beach in San Diego. The place is beautifully designed, but amateurly executed and managed. The views are beautiful as the hotel is right on the beach. However, it's a party all night as the bar/restaurant is open until 1:00 am and the party continues until 3-4 am. It was a very disappointing stay and unless you like the to stay up all night, I wouldn't recommend it.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 26}]}, "80735": {"reviews": [{"text": "Booked a single room with two queen beds for three through Hotels. When checking in, was told only a queen bed was available. Party of three in front of me also told only a single queen bed was available. Couple behind us was told that no rooms were available.\nManager of the property rudely said...\" that was just the way it was. If you book through a third party all the hotel is is obligated to do is provide you a room. If you have a problem get in touch with the company that you booked the room through.\" \nWill never stay in their properties again regardless of price!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Wow! Stayed here one night on a 10 night sightseeing vacation in Southern California over the holidays in December 2004. Our family moved around a number of hotels in L.A. and San Diego, including Hilton, Hyatt, Marriot, Doubletree, Westin, and Holiday Inn. All others charged extra for parking and internet access. Not here! Plus free water, the rooms are just as clean and comfortable and there are three, count 'em, 3 chairs in the room, not just 1 or two, and the desk chair is an actual office chair. The only complaint my wife has is poor lighting, offset by 4 sets of towels. One other plus is that this location is in a nice quiet area removed from the freeway. Overall grade, the best of this vacation, 5 stars in my book.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Stayed for 5 nights (8/14-8/19), purchased the 5 days 3-for-1 pass to SeaWorld, SDZoo, and Wild Animal Park. Average 3-star hotel conveniently located in a bio-tech business park just off the I-805 freeway which provided easy access to all 3 parks (did not run into traffic jams). Quiet at night. There is a Chilli's restaurant across the hotel parking lot and a MacDonalds', food court, gas station 1 block away. A Von's grocery store, Target, Mervyn's and many other fast food restaurants (Carl's Jr, Del Taco) and other restaurants (Red Lobster, Black Angus) are down the road (Mira Mesa Blvd).\nThis hotel caters mostly to the business traveller and hosts small company seminars in their lobby meeting rooms. The buffet breakfast was $12/adult, $6/child, selection was good & plentiful w/ make-to-order omelets & belgium waffles. The King bed was comfortable, but the room was so-so clean. The carpet, bedspread & blanket had stains (the blanket is not double-sheeted, only 1 top sheet). The chair/ottoman smelled like bad body odor (from previous guest), next time I will pack some Febreeze/Lysol spray. Clean bed sheets & towels large & fluffy. The bathroom shower was a little moldy around the edges & drain. For the most part, maid service kept the room relatively clean & tidy. The swimming pool is slightly heated and a welcome relief from hot summer days. Smaller towels provided down by the pool. The small jacuzzi was dirty (leaves, dirt, and had a film from sunscreen oils) Ice/vending machines & microwave machine located in hallway. Refrig is $10/day extra. Next time, will try the Woodfin Suites or Residence Inn (which are nearby on the same street) as these have a kitchen w/ refrig and Residence Inn includes breakfast w/ room.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 14}]}, "119769": {"reviews": [{"text": "My Husband and I chose the Dolphin Motel after reading a lot of reviews on this site. Thank you all for recommending this Motel. We flew into San Diego for a two day getaway with the intention of going as inexpensive as possible, using public transportation and walking as much as possible. The Dolphin is the perfect location if you want to be near the water (harbor and beaches). Bus stops to get to the beaches and into town were fairly close by and it was an easy walk to Shelter Island.\nThe owner, Holly and his staff were absolutely accommodating and when our cab did not show up the one evening it was pouring rain, Holly drove us to our destination at Shelter Island himself. He made sure we were comfortable and had everything we needed during our stay.\nAs everyone else has stated, this motel is clean, comfortable and the staff is wonderful. Never mind how small the rooms are, you can't beat this motel for price or location when you are in San Diego to enjoy the outdoors.\nHolly, Thank You again for taking care of us!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "This was a nice little suprise. The room was very clean with our room being non-smoking. This was nice as I am allergic to smoke. The bed was made out in beautiful white linen, including the bedspread. Other motels we stayed on our trip were had colored linen. This was a nice suprise as we could see just how clean the room really was. \nI was able to read my email because they have free DSL service and wifi made it all that much easier to see about the local attractions and directions to them. Also, cable TV was available.\nNext moring, they had complimintary pastries and coffee. The owner, who greeted us personally, is a very nice man and gave us alot of tips about what was going on in the area.\nThe room cost $55 a night during our stay. (wedsday and thursday) but understood the rates go up on the weekends. Try it, you'll like it.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Choices were limited when arriving late Friday (memorial weekend) and The Dolphin was offering rooms withen our budget.\nLocated in the Point Loma area we found the location to be ideal for us.\nWe had a rental car and found our way easilly to the zoo, seaworld and other attractions from here.\nThe view of the marina was pleasant, road noise was acceptable.\nThe room on the other hand was tiny.\nA bed (huge wall mirror...gulp)and bedside tables, TV and small table and chair were crammed into a tiny space.\nThe bathroom was a bit rough around the edges.\nWe stayed three nights, each nights rate was different with a high of $82 Sat, to a low $55 Sun.\nI suspect this motel rents rooms by the hour as well but we felt safe and secure during our stay.\nNo breakfast or coffee but parking is free in the small lot at the back of the motel.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 15}]}, "1027494": {"reviews": []}, "543517": {"reviews": [{"text": "Front desk told me that manager is in, but is a very busy lady, in meetings every day. Has no time to correct bill, which front desk is unable to do.\nStay clear of sales manager named Viera, who only complicates things worse.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We are coming bck here for sure!\nWe spent two nights here at Homewood Suites Del Mar while on a weekend vacation to Legoland and San Diego. The prices and package of hotel deals in San Diego was outrageous so we decided to try on the outskirts of the city. What a fabulous choice!!! First of all, this hotel is owned by Hilton, so we knew we should expect quality. \nWe were right in between San Diego and Carlsbad. The hotel is right off of the freeway and so you just hop on the freeway and you're in San Diego within 10-15 minutes and in Carlsbad/Legoland within 15 minutes. It is located in very upscale, posh Del Mar. The neighborhood is very safe and clean. You will need a car to get around here as it is not located near major landmarks. \nWe paid $150 per night and it was well worth the price. We booked a 2 room suite that was huge and gorgeous. They gave us a great corner room location. The kitchen has pergo wood floors and modern appliances. There was a pull out couch/bed in the front room and a huge bedroom with either 1 king or 2 queen beds. We never felt as if we were walking on top of each other in this room because there was so much space. The beds were so comfortable and plush with lots of pillows. The bathroom was a good size with a countertop/vanity outside of the bathroom which we loved so someone could be showering while the other person could actually be getting ready for the day. \nThe staff at the hotel was so friendly and welcoming. We were looking for directions to various locations and they were very accomodating and helpful in looking up addresses, directions, etc. We felt very welcomed and appreciated their hospitality.\nWe were traveling with our 3 small children and the hotel was very accomodating to families as well as business travelers as well as couples traveling alone. There definitely was a wide mix of people staying at this hotel.\nThe hotel offers a free daily breakfast that was delicious. Not \"continental\" at all but a full breakfast with waffles, eggs, sausage, cereal, yogurt, baked goods, coffee, you name it. It was a great bonus to this hotel.\nIn response to someone else's previous review about hearing their neighbors' noises, occassionally we did hear the water running in the room next door, but that was all. It wasn't loud or bothersome at all. So that was not a problem for us at all. \nBottom line: whenever we go to San Diego or Carlsbad or Oceanside, we will never stay anywhere else than Homewood Suites Del Mar. You can't go wrong here and it will make your trip a great one! Happy traveling!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We just spent 6 days at the Homewood Suites in San Diego /Del mar. We greatly enjoyed our stay. The hotel was very clean and maintained. Housekeeping did a great job. The hotel had a new interior since the hotel was recently built. \nThe hotel was also in a great location. We went to sea world, lego land, and the zoo. The hotel was located so it was easy to get on and off the highways. \nThe hotel offered complimentary meals. We enjoyed a wonderful breakfast complimentary of the hotel. You could choose from eggs, bacon, cereal , bagels, and waffles. My kids especially enjoyed the muffins that were just made. They were still warm. On Monday through Thurs. they also served dinner that was complimentary too. The hotel also had a full refrigerator, stove, and microwave. It was nice to be able to fix snacks, and other meals conveniently in the hotel with young children.\nIt was also very quiet. Far enough from the highway so you did not hear any noise. We were there from 7/29/-8/3. and we rarely heard any neighbors. We would love to stay there again and we would greatly recommend this hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Stayed at the Homewood Suites, a new hotel that is billed as catering to the business traveler. The hotel is NOT located in Del Mar; it is located in Torrey Hills, a business park area in the Carmel Valley vicinity. You will NOT be near the beach, shopping, supermarkets, gas stations, etc. It is NOT an easy on/easy off from I5; It is a maze-like route through concrete barrier construction near I805 before you even reach the left turn for Sorrento Valley Road. It is a good-sized 2 room suite with a comfortable bed, full refrigerator, 2 burner cooktop, full size microwave, small food prep area and table seating. The bathroom is smaller than most with the only sink located outside the bathroom in a vanity alcove. My biggest complaint is the THIN walls. You can hear when occupants of other rooms are walking, talking, using the shower, running the water, flushing the toilet. This is extremely annoying but typical of the new construction these days. You can also hear the cars and trucks traveling on the road. The road is not extremely busy, but the noise is well heard nonetheless. If you stay here, get a room on the top floor (then you'll be the one clomping around and annoying those beneath you, but at least you won't hear anyone except those on the left and right of you) and not facing the roadway (so you won't have the road noise). The buffet breakfast was typical with a few hot items added. Not the best, but not the worst and if you are a business traveler and keeping typical business hours then you probably won't hear the other occupants as you'll already be up and making similar noises yourself. I don't recommend for leisure travelers or beach-goers.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I loved this hotel..\nThe rooms were very beautiful and large. The breakfast was magnificent and the hotel is located at a prime location. The service is excellent and quick. The entire propery itself is also very beautiful. \nHomewood Suites Del Mar is well worth the money.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed at the Homewood Suites in Del Mar for 5 nights from June 4-June 9 and we had some \"issues\" but the hotel had only been open for 4 days. We were traveling with two children ages 6 and 8 so the location is convenient to all the major attractions such as Legoland and the San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park, however it is in a residential/business park so it's very peaceful. The complimentary hot breakfasts and evening reception meals were adequate but nothing exceptional. The beds were very comfortable, with down comforters and nice fluffy pillows. The pool was small but heated and there was a hot tub as well. The Hilton website says it's three miles from Del Mar Beach but it seemed further than that, it would take us around twenty minutes to drive to the beach. I would recommend giving this place a try. We honestly didn't have the best experience but I believe that in time it will be a great place to stay.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 15}]}, "678597": {"reviews": []}, "112253": {"reviews": [{"text": "I love this place. There's nothing quite like being lulled to sleep by the sound of the waves directly beneath you. \nMy wife, on the other hand, is not a Crystal Pier fan. What\u2019s not to like? The pier itself (not the hotel) is a wildly popular tourist destination. So it\u2019s true that throngs of people descend on the pier on a daily basis. And yes, they\u2019re trudging right past your door if you happen to be sleeping late or home in mid-afternoon. My wife savors her privacy and would rather stay at a place that offers this. But they do close the pier to the public in the later evening, so you will have privacy after that point.\nHere\u2019s my wife\u2019s other gripe: On the other side of the cottages\u2019 private decks facing the ocean, there\u2019s a walkway for hotel guests. The first time we stayed here, our next door neighbor spent much of his time pacing back and forth on this walkway, while speaking loudly on his cell phone. In front of our phenomenal ocean view, we got a great view of him, again and again. But that was an isolated incident. I\u2019m still a fan, and will be back when I can persuade my wife to stay here again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I have wanted to stay at these cottages for over 15 years and finally scored a Groupon deal. We were in Cottage E, toward the end of the pier and it was everything I had imagined! Cottages A-F have private decks and so worth it. In fact, we did not see or hear anyone...not even people walking on the pier, during our entire stay, and most of the cottages were occupied. The front desk was very helpful, directing us to places to rent beach cruisers and even allowing me to take a coffee cup and pay the next day (since I didn't have cash). \nInside the cottage looks like a cozy beach \"cabin\". There were even a pair of binoculars for dolphin or whale sightings. Everything was very clean, all the windows open and the bedroom had a screen door to the deck. We left this open at night and let the ocean breeze in. With the windows & door open, the waves were very LOUD and made it hard to sleep if you're not used to a lot of noise. But we live in the desert and I wasn't about to close them! Also, the pier sways at times...similar to being on a cruise ship. The patio was a nice size and perfect views for morning coffee. Bring your own blanket if you sit out at night....guests are not allowed to take hotel blankets on the deck. Kitchen is small but works for what you need. \nDefinitely eat at Kono's near the pier entrance. HUGE portions of food for small prices...cash only though! Loved this place...was worth the wait and can't wait to go again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "This was our second trip to the Crystal Pier Cottages, so needless to say we have mostly positive things to say about this hotel. We went in 2005 for our 25th wedding anniversary, just returned from celebrating our 27th there, plan to return, and constantly recommend it to our friends. We're in our mid-50's to give you an idea of our demographic, and we always look for places that are out of the ordinary when planning our trips.\nFirst some responses to previous reviewer comments:\n* Yes, this is a simply appointed property. If you want a lavishly decorated typical hotel room, with a pool, gym, room service, free newspaper, continental breakfast, etc., don't go here. By the way, don't believe the previous reviewer comments about shabby or less than adequate rooms. The hotel has upgraded the cottages and they are all nicely, if simply, furnished in a beach cottage theme that is carried out in the living, dining, and bedrooms. Even the plates, silverware, etc., continue the casual theme (think IKEA) and are something you would be happy to have in your home.\n* Parking is not that much of a strain. We have a Jeep Grand Cherokee and were able to maneuver on the pier and park in front of our cottage with little effort. So, unless you are driving a Hummer or something equally monstrous in size, don't worry.\n* Yes, it is sometimes a bit noisy nearby. Pacific Beach is a (surprise!) beach town, with all the noise that you should expect, including occasional people on the beach late at night/early a.m. (after the bars close, and there is now a nearby bar/club that wasn't there our first trip - not to worry: no real noise from the club itself or their customers). The noise factor on the beach at night isn't that big a deal and we managed to get back to sleep (the revelers left after about 30 minutes). Our cottage was not very far from the beginning of the pier and nearby street/businesses. I imagine cottages further out on the pier aren't as susceptible to this problem but there you do get more ocean noise, so it's a trade-off.\nSo, if you want an absolutely (dead) quiet, perfectly furnished, e.g., some type of fussy Victorian or ultra-modern or cookie-cutter/Hilton/Hyatt/Radisson-type of hotel, go somewhere else.\nIF, on the other hand, you want to go to a marvelously charming, small hotel consisting of individual cottages located on a pier with to-die-for views of the Pacific Ocean and a nice, wide beach almost at your doorstep, go here. IF you want to listen to the ocean and watch it from your deck, living room, or while you are eating at your dining area table, all of which we did, then go here. IF you want to escape the normal boring, humdrum hotel scene and have some room to spread out in your living room, cook some light meals in the nicely equipped kitchen (or just warm up something in the microwave, go here. IF you want to be able to take a walk, roller blade, or ride your bikes (bring your own or rent them) along a nice stretch of paved \"boardwalk\" stretching for several miles along the beach, or walk along a very nice and family friendly beach, then go here.\nThere are many nearby stores (Trader Joes, Ralph\u2019s, Von\u2019s Henry's, Long\u2019s Drugs, to name a few) and some decent restaurants (don't expect a 5-star dining experience - beach town, not NYC or San Francisco, remember?). Kona's is next to the pier/hotel and has a great breakfast and lunch menu. The Green Flash, Joe's Crab Shack, and World Famous restaurants are a short walk from the pier and offer decent sit-down food, and there are lots of other smaller eating places nearby, plus the usual suspects (Denny's, McDonald's, Taco Bell, etc.). Be adventurous - try some of the local spots! Or, just cook in your cottage as we occasionally did. Nothing beats eating breakfast while looking at the Pacific Ocean!\nThe main drag in Pacific Beach, Garnet Street, starts/ends at the pier and is a bit rowdy (lots of bars, tattoo places, etc.), but not enough that you don't feel safe at night. The presence of these establishments doesn't mean PB is a dump: the city of SD keeps it clean and well maintained. To the contrary, we enjoy the atmosphere of the area. Lots of college kids from SDSU, UCSD, and USD live and hang out in PB, but they seem fairly well-behaved and the SDPD seems to be present in adequate numbers and manages to keep a lid on things without an overwhelming presence.\nDowntown SD is about a 10-15 minute drive from PB with all the usual touristy stuff that you might want to enjoy (we highly recommend a trip to Little Italy in SD), but we like just hanging out in town, walking on the beach, riding bikes, grabbing a coffee in downtown PB, stopping in some of the shops, reading on the deck at our cottage, listening to music while eating breakfast, and enjoying the view and each other. Life, at least while we were staying there, is simple and good.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "We stayed at the Crystal Pier last year. It was a memorable experience falling asleep as ocean waves gently rock you to sleep. Your cabin is piered right into the ocean, so the whole room kind of vibrates when the waves crash below. Beautiful views; clean but plain accommodations, and it was fun to watch the surfers. There are several great oceanfront restaurants in walking distance.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "The perfect escape! My boyfriend and I spent 4 nights in the hotel, number 25 on the second floor. We had a perfect view of Pacific Beach and watched the sun set from our balcony every night. The location is perfect. There are plenty of restaurants, shops, and the beach right there. The staff is so wonderful. The only complaint we had is the noise in the mornings. We stayed out late and didn't get up early, the noise from the street in the morning can be kind of annoying. I think if you stayed in cottages it would be a little less noisy. Otherwise it's the perfect place to stay!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My teenage son had been bugging me to get a cottage on the pier for quite some time. He frequently goes to the pier to fish & wanted to be a guest so he could go night fishing. After many months of pleading, last Sunday morning I told him to call & see if they happened to have anything available. I was amazed that they had one 2 bedroom unit over the water available for that night. (Usually a 2 night minimum, unless you call on the day before or day of arrival.)\nI was skepticle because it was pricy, but went ahead & took it. When we arrived, I was 'wowed'. The service was impecable. Quick check in just before driving onto the pier & the unit (#1) was ready & waiting for us. As we had a large unit, we were allowed 2 vehicles on the pier - which was a plus since I had friends coming to enjoy dinner with us.\nThe unit seemed newly remodeled. Nice blue & white tile in the bathrooms & kitchen. A nautical theme throughout. The living area & kitchen were small - but the bedrooms were decent size. The master bedroom also had a sliding glass door out to the deck. We had a HUGE deck (probably the largest of all the units) right over the water complete with a bbq, 4 chaise lounges, 2 tables & about 8 chairs! For those with small children, the deck railings have been upgraded to 'code' so I didn't have to worry too much about my 2 year old lunging into the water, although he was never allowed outside without my oldest son or an adult anyway. There was a TV in the living area with DVD & VCR, as well as a small TV in the master bedroom. The kitchen is complete with a microwave, refrigerator, stove & oven, plates, utencils, pots & pans etc... \nI enjoyed falling asleep to the ocean waves - almost like falling asleep listening to a heavy rain storm.\nUnfortunately, my son didn't have much luck fishing - but I was won over by the Crystal Pier hotel & we will definately be back for a longer stay!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 47}, {"text": "I loved the views, the room, the experience! \nWe were walkin guests and were shown two choices, one of the cabins over the ocean on the pier and one of the much larger rooms on land with full on facing of the ocean, same price.\nWe chose not to stay on the pier to get the full views offered by these rooms, a large private deck, living room, dining area, fully stocked kitchen, king bed in the bed room.... perfect!\nThe beach scene in the winter is wonderfully romantic, lacking the hordes of touring families and children one usually finds. We just adored this trip.\nOutside our back windows was a little restaurant serving breakfast all day. All day it had a line to get in, so we decided to go first thing in the morning, no apparent line. When we got there the line was inside to keep the waiting warm. Alas, we aren't much for waiting and went elsewhere, but I imagine this breakfast joint is exceptional!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 37}, {"text": "Here it is in a nutshell... If you want a resort with lots to do, bellhops, room service, etc... than this is not the place for you. HOWEVER....\nIf you are the type that gets a whole day off every 2-4 years and want a place to get away... a simple place with all the right things... this place is perfect on many different levels. The fair sized \"apartment style\" room we had offered us (my wife and I) exactly what we needed.\nSpace to relax and wind down - a beach with easy and fast access for morning and evening walks - a fridge for our vino, water, champagne, juice and some other goodies - a deck with a view (a fantastic view) with choice of chairs & table or loungers - a TV (kept neatly out of site as it should be when you're here) - Only 20 minutes or less from anything one could ask to see. Heck even the kitchens were equipped with many of the things we forgot. (Wine opener, glasses, etc.)\nThe only glitche we experienced was with the parking but the staff addressed the matter and resolved it in literally 2 minutes.\nHere... it is all about you, the view, serenity, peace, seriously - after 4 years without a day off... Ahhhhhhh... Is all I really have to say. My wife said - if we never went anywhere - or went out at night - or never shopped, - if we just stayed there and did nothing but sit together - it would have still been a more than worth while trip.\nP.S. I went to their website after going - the photos they have up there do the place NO justice at all. It is far nicer than they depict it.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 53}, {"text": "I stayed here three wonderful nights. Although I am not a relaxed traveler, and I was by myself, I felt completely safe, comfortable, and well cared for. I was in a room perpendicular to the pier and had total privacy and a perfect view. I can't imagine staying anywhere else!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 30}, {"text": "This was the last leg of my honeymoon and I stayed here for 3 nights mid-September based soley on the reviews on here as it was #1 and had been for some time.\nThe room was very nice - quaint and basic.\nThe views over the ocean were spectacular and that alone was worth it as was hearing the sound of the waves crashing all night.\nThe staff were ok...not the friendliness you expect for paying the high price.\nThe noise! there's some kind of bar about 20 steps away from the hotel which closes every night at 2am. I can't believe nobody has mentioned this because it is impossible to sleep if you are closer to the land-side of the pier. I mentioned this to the staff @ front desk who said they knew about it. I know there's nothing they can do but they didn't seem even slightly sorry.\nI would not stay here again for the following reasons:\n1. Too pricey\n2. Too noisy\n3. I want to be nearer to the gaslamp and bay area\nHowever I would miss the view....", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 44}, {"text": "The Crystal Pier is in the Pacific Beach section of San Diego. If I remember correctly, this is one of five beach communities north of the center city. It seems that locals refer to all five by their initials, so PB it is. I am from the East Coast, and to me PB looks like any other family oriented, especially teen-centric, beach town -- lots of sun and fun apparel shops, temporary tattoo parlors, fast food (including a Denny's), and loud music. My husband and I became Empty Nesters' earlier this month, and took off on a two week trip to the West Coast. I discovered The Crystal Pier Hotel on TripAdvisor.com -- though at the time it was rated as the #1 B&B, not as a hotel. I booked it for two nights (the minimum at this time of year) and we drove over from Palm Springs, where we spent a wonderful week at The Chase Hotel. I don't know if it was because we were coming from such a down-to-earth, non-touristy place like The Chase, or whatever... but I knew at first sight that I had made a mistake. The Crystal Pier is for the tourist that knows no better. I am embarrassed to admit that I am one of these. Though, perhaps, there are people that are willing to pay top dollar to stay in economy accommodations in a miniature \"cottage\" on an ocean pier where one can watch the local surfers brave the smallish waves? We were in Cottage #8, maybe a third of the way out on the pier. Each cottage has one parking space parallel to their cottage, and the cottage is not much wider than the car you will park there. Bring a small vehicle, because turning around to head out requires tight turning. Our cottage was a one-bedroom. You enter the cottage into the kitchen/common room. The bedroom was off to the right, the size of its queen size bed with barely walking distance around the bed. There was a sliding door from this bedroom into the bathroom (shower only, no tub), and from the bathroom a door back into the kitchen/common room -- a small, rather well equipped kitchen, half/round table with chairs, TV (only TV) and futon (I could not figure out how to flatten it). The kitchen/common room opened onto a small deck that had a table and chairs, and chaises -- and was butt-to-butt with decks on either side, and may have shared a common walkway from one pier end to the other. But you can sit and sip and enjoy the view of the beach and surfers below. The general condition of the cottage was \"worn\" -- outdated in all respects. However, it looked like the Crystal Pier was fully booked, so I was not the only sucker? Or, maybe I am not the typical tourist, and others will find The Crystal Pier more appealing. Highlights: Maria was our attentive housekeeper, and Randy at the front desk called me minutes after we left to tell me I had left behind a jacket. While I was at the front desk checking out, I think it was the owner (or manager?) that came in with his elderly dog in a walking-sling, very touching. (Though at The Chase Hotel, I spent some time every morning at breakfast with Chase, the owner's dog he adopted as a stray.) FYI: The Crystal Pier Hotel is a \"gated\" community. You are given a key that opens the gate to bring through a car, or to open the walk-in gate after 8:pm. Bottom line: Just like all others, I fell in love with SD, but next trip I will not stay at the CP - in fact, I will not stay in PB or any other of the beaches. To experience the city, one must stay in the city. Yes?", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 66}, {"text": "My husband, my 3 year-old son and I spent 3 days here. We stayed here on a Mon,Tues and Wed (Aug 29-Sept 1). We felt we were lucky we didn't stay here over the weekend because Pacific Beach is busy!. I could imagine it being too crowded. \n As for the cottage, we stayed in #10. We were over dry land but still on the pier. We enjoyed beautiful sunsets on the patio with our friends who visited and we enjoyed the surfers from early morning 'til sunset. Surfing is not allowed on the left side of the pier.\n The cottage is quaint and my son enjoyed it too. It was a good size for our little group. The furniture is tired looking and my husband feels the place needs a serious renovation. It definitely is not fancy. \n Inspite of the place's short-comings we had a great time. I love that it has a kitchen--you can enjoy it like its home (cut fruit, serve drinks...). It is in a fun location with a good beach. It's close to all the attractions in San Diego.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "We previously stay at Crystal Pier and thought it was incredible so we made another reservation for May. Sadly, my mother passed away and I experienced some health problems so I needed to cancel. Although they have a no refund policy, they were so understanding and let me put my deposit into a holding account to be used at a more healthy time. I am so appreciative of their humanity!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Stayed for 3 night on a 16 day touring holiday. We had a great time just sitting back drnkink wine and watching the waves crash into the beach\nHotel is what you pay for, great locating right on the beach, although you are about 25mins drive north on the main parts of san diego.\nRoom/Chalets were quaint, staff were helpfull. Although it states private terrace, there is only a 1 foot high fence between you and your neighbour", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "We just returned from a 2+ week trip to California and have to say that our stay at Crystal Pier was one of the highlights on the trip. We were lucky enough to have Cottage \"B\" at the very end of the pier. Upon our arrival, we sat out on our deck sipping wine and watching the surfers do their thing. After a few minutes, we noticed a trio of dolphins swimming along side them. What a sight to see! Later that night, we saw the most amazing sunset from that same deck. The Pacific Beach area itself isn't all that great - more or less a college party scene. However, if you ever have the oppty. to stay at Crystal Pier, go for it! You won't be disappointed with the experience.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "We have traveled extensively, and can find no better place to relax and enjoy the company of our family but at the Crystal Pier.\nContrary to a few (minority) of reviewers that rate the staff as uncourteous, we have always found the staff to be very accomodating and outstanding in their service to customers. The only thing I can think of is that these folks are writing poor reviews to \"keep others\" away and have the pier to themselves! It is true that the pier is quite popular and it is very difficult to get a reservation, but that all goes with being an outstanding property.\nI graciously give the Pier 5 STARS and recommend it to all!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "My husband and I celebrate our anniversary at C.P. every year. The BIGGEST problem is that I start day-dreaming about the vacation months ahead of time. C.P. has everyting you could want in a vacation, very peaceful, yet plenty to do in walking distance. The cottages are like a cozy little home. The staff has always been very nice to us. If we need something, they help us and otherwise they let us enjoy our time on the pier with very little contact. It's like home, only someone else is makeing the bed and the view is much better.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Crystal Pier is probably the best hotels that we were privileged to stay in during our 7 week vacation in the States. What an awesome setting and absolutely spotless.\nCrystal Pier should be on the Hotels of the World list.\nThe little cabins on the pier - built in 1927 - are fully equipped for self catering purposes and the establishment is managed with a hands on approach by its owners who obviously love it - the passion shines through !\nI can highly reccomend this hotel to anyone who has high standards.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "My sister and I stayed at Crystal Pier in early Oct. I was the most wonderful getaway either of us had ever had. The staff were VERY nice and welcoming. I had read reviews that they were not as personable as they should be, but I found them to be great down to earth people. Not pretentious in any way.Maybe they were not as \"Upper Class\" as some might expect concidering they could buy and sell most of the general public. They are real. But we ate at Konos a great cafe at the end of the pier. Konos has GREAT breakfast, reasonable prices, and you can sit at tables overlooking the beach while you eat. We rented bikes..10.00 for the day! Snorkeled in near by Lajola..10.00 for 4 hours! Great trip. We even caught the begining of lobster season , got our permit and caught lobster for our dinner. What could be better.\nThe cottages were impecable, and to hear the roar of the surf was a treat. I even drifted off outside on our patio. Wonderful trip..go there!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "The rooms are lovely--you get your own little cabin, but what's truly fantastic is the privacy and the scenary. You feel like you on the edge of the world. It's just incredible. We had the honeymoon suite at the end of the pier and it was terrific. Neighborhood is cute--it's not fancy schmancy LaJolla, but Pacific Beach. A great breakfast cafe is walking distance, a downtown LaJolla is about a five minute drive. Would highly recommend.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We had the most relaxing, enjoyable time in our adorable cottage, falling asleep to the wonderful sounds of the ocean and waves crashing on the shore beneath us, viewing the shoreline, watching the sunsets, admiring the surfers, and sunbathing on our private deck. The reception and housekeeping staff were very professional, polite, cheerful, and helpful. We were very pleased with everything about our stay. This was our first visit and we would highly recommend a stay!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Crystal Pier is a unique place to stay and we have just got back from a wonderful holiday. Some people have complained about the waves, but then we were booked into one of the apartments above the office (i.e one of the sides of the 'entry arch') These are bigger than the cottages, but the bedroom overlooks the street and 'Blind Melons' bar has fairly noisey live music until way after midnight - be warned", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I have stayed at Crystal Pier twice and can't wait to return. I have also read some of the reviews that are questionable in their disdain. One reviewer stated he arrived two hours early, driving from Sedona, AZ and wanted to park on property, but was told that was not possible. He cried that he had to use public parking until check-in time (2 pm). At 2 pm, the room was still not ready, but he was able to park at that time. First, it's a frequent occurrence that rooms are not ready, especially at Crystal Pier because folks simply do NOT want to leave this wonderful place and stay right up until the required check out time. Later in his little tirade, he stated that he was not allowed to take blankets out of the cottage. His excuse for disregarding a posted rule was that he had flown in and didn't have the capacity to pack extra belongings. Hmmm, earlier he insinuated that he arrived early from AZ and wanted to park on property. I guess he must have rented a car, but his little narrative sounds suspect to me! All in all, no vacation destination is perfect. Crystal Pier however is a wonderful place to unwind and relax. Yes, you must rely on doing your homework to find out exactly what the rates are at different times of the year, but that is true with most destinations. The staff has always been very helpful and accommodating to my family and we have family and friends who religiously return twice, annually. Most of the folks who belittle Crystal Pier (C.P.) didn't take responsibility to make their own vacation a wonderful experience and should NOT put it on the shoulders of C.P. to do everything for them!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "This has got to be one of the strangest places around -- attractive, quaint cottages right over the beach and/or ocean, UNBELIEVABLE views, well located for restaurants, etc., but has the worst front desk/reservations people I've ever encountered at a hotel. \nUnfortunately, it's not just a problem of the owners not knowing-- one of the rudest people you'll talk to is one of the owners. They know they have a unique property, with many people coming year after year (despite the attitude) so they don't have to improve their customer service. If you can overlook that aspect of things, this is a wonderful place to stay.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "I have known about Crystal Pier for years and had been eager to stay there for quite a while. I really wanted to plan something special for Valentine's Day for my wife and I this year, so I booked cottage A, the last cottage on the south side of the pier, 4 months in advance. We showed up at 3 in the afternoon and were checked in quickly. Though it was a pricey place to stay, $275 a night with a 2-night minimum during winter, I was excited to splurge for a romantic weekend. As promised, the cottage was charming (though not deluxe by any means) and the view was awesome. We enjoyed a wonderful sunset over the waves, then headed out for dinner. When we went to bed that night (though not the most comfortable bed around) we expected to have the best night of sleep we'd had in a while, being soothed by the calming white noise of the waves beneath us. At around 2:30am we were both awakened by a crashing, rumbling sound and a shaking that felt like an earthquake. We tried to go back to sleep, but 5 minutes later the same thing happened. The waters were rough on this blustery winter night and the pier felt like it was taking a beating. Though it sounded like the crunching of wood pilings as the pier was breaking apart, a quick glance out the window assured us that the pier was in fact holding firm. Being one of the farthest cottages out over the water, we were probably feeling the worst of it as big waves pounded the pier's wooden legs below us. I must say though, that Crystal Pier does provide guests with an impressive number of cable channels on the TV, which ended up coming in handy. Eventually, MTV helped us get back to a not so restful few more hours of sleep. We awoke the next morning not nearly as rested as we would have hoped, but to a spectacular view, nonetheless. Regardless, we knew we couldn't spend another restless night there. Having read some of the previous reviews about bad customer service, I was not sure what to expect when I went to the front office to ask if we could check out early. I was willing to pay a penalty for an early departure, if only to get decent night's sleep at home that night. To my surprise, they were very understanding and very nice about it. The woman at the counter told me it was not a problem and that some people have trouble sleeping over the water on rough nights. Without hesitating, she refunded the 2nd night's room rate and tax, and that was that. We picked up breakfast at Kono's and brought it back to our cottage to enjoy, overlooking the spectacular view before we checked out.\nTo sum up, Crystal Pier is definitely a very charming and unique place to stay with breathtaking views. Also, Pacific Beach is a great area to wander around with tons of dining and shopping options. Contrary to some other reviews, I found the customer service of the front desk staff to be very good. As far as having a soothing, restful night of the sleep above the waves, I am surprised to have not read any other reviews mentioning the loud crashing and rumbling and the severe jolts and shaking that my wife and I experienced. May be it was just a particulary turbulent night. What ever the reason, if you've never stayed at Crystal Pier and would still like to, but feel you might have a problem with be jostled around at night, I might suggest staying in one of the numbered cottages over the sand. I'm assuming that one would not feel the shockwaves as much as you would in one of the cottages further over the water, and you'd still get to enjoy the awesome views. \nI'm glad to have finally stayed at Crystal Pier, but in the future, will probably choose to stay at a waterfront hotel firmly anchored on solid ground.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 29}, {"text": "My husband and I spent our honeymoon at Crystal Pier in cottage B...the last cottage on the end of the pier...on top of the ocean and with a view that took our breath away. If you love the ocean, then the Crystal Pier is probably the most romantic place to stay in all of San Diego, including the Hotel Del Coronado. the Pier is privately owned and only opened to the public from 8:00 am until sunset. The rest of the time, only those staying in the cottages have access. Believe me, waking up at 2 am with a full moon and walking to the end of the pier will be something you will never forget. You feel as if you are the only two people in the world. One evening when we took our early morning stroll, a pod of dolphin greeted us. Incredible! Now where else can you stay and have that sort of experience? The Pier is gated with its own security staff, and allows you complete peace of mind. As for ease, drive your car on to the Pier and park in front of your cottage. Don't drive again unless you want to. The cottages are adorable, vrey clean with incredible views and the sound and feel of the ocean beneath your feet. The kitchens are adequately supplied, but if your traveling by car you may wish to bring some of your favorite pots and pans...otherwise, you have all you need. A grocery store is a quick 2-minute walk and dozens of restaurants and bars are just steps away. \nAs for the staff and some of the negative comments I've read here, in all the years we have been going, (we've stayed there at least a dozen times) we have always found the staff more than willing to do whatever it takes to make our stay the best possible...and it always is. \nExpensive? Yes...but, worth every penny. Crystal Pier is a unique one of a kind experience and will make any trip to San Diego one you will never forget.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "The Crystal Pier Hotel is the best place to stay at in the San Diego area if you love the ocean like I do. The wife and I stay here once a year and it's always a delight to be here. We always book Cottage \"B\" (the last one on the right) because of it's privacy, ambiance and for the unmatchable view. The waves crashing directly below us is a wonderful sound and makes for great sleeping! The staff is very friendly and helpful. There are plenty of eating places and other services very close by. We recommend Kono's just outside the entrance for great breakfasts and lunches. The tuna sandwiches are outstanding! \nI highly recommend the Crystal Pier for ocean lovers. It doesn't get much better than this great place!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "This is a marvelous place to stay...so peaceful, so restful with the ocean right there. You have everything you need to fix meals...sit out on the patio and watch the water. Everything you could want is within walking distance. My car was parked right in front of our door, and never moved for3 days. Good places to eat...wonderful places to walk, a supermarket within walking distance. Crys- tal Pier is very secure, and safe. The management is friendly. I can't say enough good about it. It was a wonderful four day get away for us and we had a great time. I would stay there again anytime. N.C.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Sept. 22 -25 Temp: nite 65F; day 73. Waves 4-6 feet, good surfing\nWe stayed in Cabin \"A\", end of pier right over the ocean. One bedroom, kitchenette, sofa, table, T.V.\nEnjoyed watching the surfers off of our sun deck. Food in surrounding area readily available. Excellent beach walking.\nEverything we expected.\nYou will need reservations four to six months in advance Excellent staff and service", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Stayed four nights at the Crystal Pier..Sept 7th thru 11th, 2003. I'm usually leery of staying near water because some places small musty or mildewy. Not these. Directly over the water and clean and fresh. Blue and white decor, cathedral open-beamed ceilings, modern kitchen, bath with shower, hair dryer supplied along with Sarah Michaels \"Seashore\" products. No air conditioning...the ceiling fans in the LR and BR are enough. A cute porch with deck table, chairs and umbrella and two lounge chairs with table. The staff is VERY accommodating. The temperature of the shower water was not hot enough for me. Each unit has it's own water heater but my husband said the management probably keeps each unit at the same temperature to keep costs down. After two unsatisfactory showers I asked the manager if there was any chance the water temp could be turned up. Without hesitation he said yes and I was still at the desk when he came back a few minutes later and said to be careful not to be burned because he turned the heater up to it's full capacity. Really FAST service. GREAT PLACE !!!! Convenient location, too...beach close, grocery store, pharmacy, IHOP and Joe's Crab Shack on the boardwalk...about 1/2 block down. I am very fussy and I would stay there again and again and again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "CP is breathtaking, no question. We planned a 2 week west coast trip spending the last three days at CP. But I did have issues with \"some\" parts. First, we did arrive early, about 2 hours. Knowing that they were VERY clear about NOT coming in early we did just ask if we could park there and just walk around. We had just made our trip from Sedona, AZ, were tired and had no place to go. ABSOLUTELY not was the answer. \nCome back at 2. We did, and our room still was not ready for another 30 minutes. They did however allow us to park there then. Now, I know that parking there should not have been an issue as each suite or cottage is assigned a parking place with a number on it. So our parking place sat empty while we were directed to a public lot which we had to pay for.The flyer I had said the hotel had lots of rental equipment, bikes, surfboards etc. for rent. WRONG. When I asked about rentals I was instructed to walk several blocks to a rental store. I asked if they knew what it would cost, she looked at me as if I had a third head and said NO.There are signs all around the hotel telling you what you can not do. You can not take a blanket out of your room. My son was sitting on the deck with a blanket around his shoulders and they came up and told him to put it back in the room. If you drove in a car, and had room to bring things then you might be ok. But I traveled by plane and could not bring extra towels, blankets or beach chairs. None of them are provided.And lastly, while the accommodation were beautiful, the bed was small and uncomfortable and the deck furniture was cheap molded plastic. All very uncomfortable. Would I go there again? Maybe. I did love the ambiance, and you really do feel the ocean. But I felt constrained and I felt that I could not do much on the beach because I just did not have the equipment.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "DO NOT STAY AT THE CRYSTAL PIERHOTEL in La Jolla, CA! TheirCUSTOMER SERVICE IS THE WORST I have ever encountered. I booked a room on4/14/03 for a 6/15/03 nights stay, my wife and my 29th wedding anniversary.We had very high hopes of a great stay as my wife has seen the hotel and hasraved about it. When I booked the room I was quoted $150 +tax. Today I gotthe credit card slips and my confirmation in the mail. Was I ever shocked tosee that my $150+tax room was now $195+tax. The clerk had initially chargedmy credit card for the $150 room but there was a second receipt for thebalance of $45+tax, which I did not know about. I called the hotel andworked my way through two staff members who do not know the meaning ofpolitness nor customer service. What I was told is that the person erred ingiving me the $150 quote because 6/15 is the first day of their 'summerseason' and the rates are much higher begining that very day. At first Iasked and then I demanded that I be charged the $150 I had been quoted butthat fell on deaf ears. When I booked the room I had no idea what the rateswere in advance (not covered in their web site) nor anything of the highersummer season rates. I was really taken advatage of. The only option I wasgiven by the desk manager was to either stay there for $195+tax or cancel myreservation. Also, I don't know California law (I live in AZ), but it may beillegal to charge someone's credit card a higher than quoted rate withoutthe customer's knowledge or consent. I'll be looking into that one. Plusthey had two days to call me to inform me of their error but they did not doso. Bottom line - there is no way I would ever stay at the Crystal PierHotel now. It is evident they care more about getting that extra $45+tax andnot about customer service or their reputation. Business must be so goodthat they can treat me so poorly. Too bad for them. I encourage anybodythinking of staying there to give it a second thought. There are lots ofnice (nicer) places to stay in San Diego.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 64}, {"text": "What can I say, the Crystal Pier cottages are charming, clean, and what a view. This is an altogether perfect place to stay! San Diego is already great, with some of the nicest people and most beautiful attractions. So, if you love the ocean and want to stay not only right on it, but right over it, than the Crystal Pier is for you! For far less than merely an ocean VIEW room at one of the fancier hotels, we were able to stay in one of these adorable cottages, over the ocean, watching the surfers, the sunsets, the coastline, listening to the waves! It is an amazing place to stay, and what's more, just up the pier and all along the Boardwalk, Garnet Ave. and the surrounding streets are restaurants (some fabulous ones including Gringo's and Pizzeria Uno) shopping (including a very useful Ralph's Grocery and Long's drugstore, you may save money at these places, as the cottages have kitchenettes) and other services such as a post office (on Cass, a few blocks away) and a laundromat just up the street from the pier. The cottages also have cable television, hair dryers, irons and ironing boards (all things we were glad to find) The Crystal Pier is an altogether fabulous place to stay, what's more, it's safe. With a locked gate (open to the public during the day though) you feel quite safe at night. Also, keep on the look out for the Pier dog, just one more of the charming things about staying at the pier. If you can get it, go for one of the lettered cottages, ie A, B, C , D etc. as these have private patios on the deck. However, be warned that you have to book these cottages way in advance, particularly if you want the peak seasons (I'd say nearly a year in advance) We stayed during off season and were lucky to book only a few months prior! ) I couldn't possibly rave more about the pier, stay here if you have the chance, even if it breaks the bank!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "We stayed one night at the Crystal Pier Hotel and it wasn't enough! The rooms are actually cottages on the pier itself. Our room was the second to the last at the end of the pier. We had the ocean waves breaking underneath us. I've never had a better night's sleep. The cottages are well kept up. Ours even had a full kitchen. We checked out prices of other hotels on the ocean in Pacific Beach and the Crystal Pier was actually less expensive than many of them. I would recommend this hotel to everyone and we'll definitely stay there again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}]}, "112273": {"reviews": [{"text": "So this hotel is exactly as good as most of the other reviews say. It's by far the best hotel in the area - Pacific Beach. The view onto the beach and the Pacific and the surfers is fantastic; as are the sunsets. \nJust as good is the level of service here - the quality,warmth, friendliness of every single team member is as good as i have ever know it in any hotel.\nThe best room: The best rooms are on the second and third floors - avoid the first (ground) floor as it's onto the pool and not much of a view of the sea. The best rooms are on the edges of the hotel but they are the suites and I'm not sure they are worth the extra. You get a great sunset from all the ocean front rooms - it does not matter which one you are in. We were slightly to the side of the pool (on the second floor) which was good.\nBreakfast is really average and I would not bother with it - as one guest said: 'in other hotels this kind of breakfast is normally complimentary.' Go out.\nThere is no restaurant in the hotel but that's fine as there are so many choices in walking distance - ask for the restaurant recommendation sheet they have in reception to find the better places.\nThe hotel is not a trendy hotel - it's very functional but it won't win design awards! It's ideal for families.\nThe secure garage parking, under the hotel, is $20 per day for residents, which is steep. There is free wifi which is of a good quality.\nI\nWhich brings me to my main problem - the area - Pacific Beach itself. It's a surfer beach, popular with students, and the younger folks. It's NOT a top end resort at all. I guess, for California, it's a little bit of a dive. Trendy dive.\nSo, for example, eating out is cheap and cheerful. There are loads of rowdy sports bars close by.\nNext time, i think I won't come back to this area (I'll go to La Jolla, see below) which is a shame because i liked the hotel.\nMy advice is to research the area you stay in San Diego very carefully. Here's my very simple guide.....\nMost important to you is restaurants, busy and good bars and lots of choices. You don't mind not being by the sea.....GAS LAMP QUARTER DOWNTOWN\nYou like being by the sea and like really loud and lively budget places with the trendy vibe....PACIFIC BEACH\nYou want to be by the sea, will pay really premium prices and like it older and more conservative....LA JOLLA (you get the bonus of seeing seals every day on the rocks around La Jolla)\nIn all 3, you'll need a car to get around and inland, into the forests, mountains and desert - all of which are 1.5 hrs drive from San Diego. Bye the way, San Diego is totally cool place - so definitely go.\nps top tip - we went in late October and the 'coastal eddy' had started = fog, mist, cold (mid 60s). Simple... 3 days it was miserable on the coast, we drove 1.5 hrs into the mountains and then onto the desert and it was beautiful - totally cloudless blue skies and hot, hot, hot. Within 1.5 hours we went from 65 on the coast to 96 in the desert. I love the fact that that is always and option if you have fog/bad weather in San Diego.\nIf you like my review pls click the 'useful' button - thanks!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "A recent remodel of this hotel has made this a great botique property at an already great location. Pulaski furniture you'd want in your home, quiet rooms and friendly staff set this hotel apart. There are only 73 rooms but at least that many staff members to provide what ever you need. Yet, the atmosphere is tranquil. And when you step out onto your balcony and see the beauty of the ocean's crashing waves and the setting sun--breathtaking!\nVALUE: We booked through Expedia and got a great deal on a flight, hotel package. We didn't book a room with a view, but when we arrived they \"upgraded\" us to a Junior Suite with a view. We took a chance here because there are a few rooms that don't have views of the ocean. Our view was partial. But even what we could see of the ocean was gorgeous. Subtracting the price of our flights, we paid about $175 a night and it was worth it. The Junior Suite was a king sized bed, a sitting area and a kitchenette with a bar that seated four.\nLUXURY: Travertine tile, wood molding and granite was not just in the lobby but also in the kitchenette and bathroom of the Jr. Suite. The widescreen LCD TV was sharp. It was housed in an entertainment center with display cabinets. The waffle weave bathrobes were heavy. Each night, the turn down service left chocolates in a velvet bag or a small box like Godiva's. They cleaned the room morning and evening. Even the balcony was spotless. Each morning there was a basket outside your room with extra towels, if you needed them, and the local paper. The continental breakfast each morning (pastries, juices, coffee, milk, cereals, fresh fruit, yogurt, etc.) and the wine reception each evening were complementary. The bath soap was shaped like a sea shell. The shower head was a massager. The sink soap was large. The soaps and lotions were on a copper tray and were of high quality. The balcony had a cafe table and four chairs.\nLOCATION: Pacific Beach is a surfer community. But even the little bungalows blocks from the beach were over a million dollars or more. The hotel is on the boardwalk above the beach. To the north is a large condo building, then mansions. To the south, condos shops and restaurants. A grocery store and drug store were within walking distance at Grand and Mission Bay. We ate at Gringo's Mexican food and The Green Flash for breakfast served till 3 and fresh sea food. We also ate at Nick's but wouldn't recommend that restaurant. (See my reviews of those restaurants.) Fat Burgers was good too. You could enjoy the room, beach, boardwalk and neighborhood (some interesting shops up Garnet) for a day or two and not have to venture elsewhere, if you didn't want to.\nPARKING: We took at taxi from the airport (about $23, plus tip) instead of renting a car at first, because they charged for parking at the hotel. But our last day there I rented a car from Enterprise, who came to pick me up and allowed me to return it to a location near the airport when we left. Enterprise gave us a free shuttle ride to the airport. I got the car for less than $30 for a day and was again \"upgraded\" to a midsize car. I was able to park the rental car on the street within a block, sometimes two, of the hotel.\nThe atmosphere of San Diego was very laid back (even the homeless people were more laid back!) In January it was comfortable to be outside near the beach with long sleeves during the day (60s) and a light jacket at night (50s). It was truly a relaxing experience. If I could afford the housing there, I would consider moving there.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "I'd never been to San Diego and really wanted to be where we could see the ocean. Not only was the view breathtaking, but the sound of the crashing surf lulled us to sleep each night. It's hard to imagine a finer location in all of California.\nOn check-in we were generously upgraded from a partial ocean view to a full ocean view room. (#214, located nearly in the center of the hotel facing the ocean). The room was lavishly decorated and spotlessly clean. Throughout our 4 night stay (Oct 17-20, 2006) the maid service was fantastic and the evening turn-down and chocolates left on the pillows were such a nice touch. The beds were incredibly comfy. The giant flat screen TV had my husband in awe as he watched a baseball game. Now he wants one at home!\nThe continental breakfast was quite generous and very good: about a dozen dry cereals to choose from, milk, assorted juices, tea and fresh brewed coffee, better-quality pastries, a variety of fresh fruit including cut melons, bagels, muffins, bread, and even peanut butter and cream cheese to use as spreads.\nThe pool and hot tub were cleaned and serviced every morning and just the right temperature. There were always clean towels, including long lounge chair towels, right beside the pool. It was such fun to sit in the hot tub and watch the skaters on the path and the surfers on the beach. The staff was very attentive about keeping the pool area clean and tidy. During the 4-5pm wine reception you could even take a glass of wine (served in a special plastic glass) with you to the pool or hot tub. \nDon't be alarmed by the older apartment complexes sandwiched between the hotel and the main drag of Mission Blvd. They look a little seedy compared to the sparkling Pacific Terrace Hotel, but seem to be inhabited by mostly laid-back surfer types. I thought the Pacific Beach area would be more upscale, but it is a colorful mixture of old and funky with new and trendy.\nOur stay at Pacific Terrace was fantastic and I can't wait to return. My only regret is that we had so many plans for our time in San Diego, but the Pacific Terrace was so delightful that we hated to leave and ended up spending hours each day just relaxing by the pool, enjoying the complimentary breakfast and wine, and watching the sunset. \nI'd highly recommend this hotel to anyone who appreciates the natural beauty of the ocean, clean rooms, comfortable beds, a good breakfast, and cheerful, professional staff. \nAlso I have to mention that we ate at Gringo's mexican restaurant 3 out of the 4 nights we were at the Pacific Terrace. It's a short stroll down the path from the hotel, located on the corner of Garnet and Mission Blvd. The food was very fresh and tasty. My daughters loved watching the tortillas being hand made as they have a window between the dining area and the kitchen.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "If you're looking for a little elegance on Pacific Beach, this hotel is worth the extra bucks! The Pacific Terrace has exquisite rooms with beautiful new linens, etc. The views are perfect. All public areas are very well maintained as are the rooms. The staff is extraordinary & go out of their way to assure guests are happy (but not in an obtrusive manner). There's a nice pool & hot tub & a fantastic continental breakfast daily (not to mention complimentary warm cookies at 4pm & a glass of wine around 6pm). There is no restaurant or bar on the premises, but you don't miss them when...\nSteps out the door is the beach, boardwalk & many places to eat, drink or shop. There are many places to stay along Pacific Beach if your budget doesn't allow for it ~ but we'd rather stay one night in Pacific Terrace than 3 anywhere else!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My husband and I just returned from San Diego and stayed at the Pacific Terrace for two nights. Upon arrival, around 3pm, our room was not ready, we understood check in was 4pm, but had just driven 2.5 hours from Cabazon CA (where we vacationed for 5 days) and really just wanted to get into our room and relax! We left our luggage in the car and hung out at the beach until 4:15pm, went back and our room still wasn't ready, so they immediately upgraded us from the Junior Suite ($450.00 a night) to the Kingston Suite and showed us to our room. WOW.. What an awesome room!! The attendant at the desk told us that the Kingston Suite goes for $850.00 a night! It showed!! We had two balconies overlooking the ocean, one in the living room and one in the bedroom. Granite everywhere, great soaking tub, separate shower, large flat screen TV\u2019s in both living room and bedroom. Turn down service at night was great. They left a box of chocolates on each of our pillows and slippers at the end of the bed. They dimmed the lights, turned on the ceiling fans and played really nice soft music on the radio in the bedroom. We really did not take advantage of the continental breakfast, but it did look great, very crowded though. We did order room service from one of the three restaurants that serviced them (no restaurant on site) and it took about 1.5 hours for delivery and by then the food was cold. Parking was $14.00 a day if you couldn't find an open space in their tiny parking lot. Staff was wonderful. Can't really say one bad thing about the Pacific Terrace Hotel! We met people staying at Pacific Terrace without an ocean view and their only complaint was the homeless people. One side of the hotel faces a public restroom and the homeless people tend to hang around there at all hours. They also sleep on the beach at night, but never once did it bother us or our great time we had.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "All I can say is....UNBELIEVABLE! What a great place. We were staying at another place down the beach that was a total disappointment. We walked on the beach and saw the PT and took a chance at a vacancy. They gave us a Jr suite for $30 a night less than the place we were staying at. We moved into the PT and the room was AMAZING. The staff was extremely friendly and helpful. If you want the \"perfect\" spot on the beach and a beautiful room for a terrific price, book the Pacific Terrace. Believe me, you will NOT be disappointed.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "My family of four (one teen and one child) had an excellent experience at PT. We chose an oceanview room online and got Rm. 308. Plenty of room for four, so no need to upgrade to a suite (unless they are going to give it you of course!). Wide screen HDTV, queen beds, upgraded decor, but the selling point is the view! Get oceanview for the few dollars more per night and you won't regret it. No need to pay for the underground parking, though. Wide variety for the FREE continental breakfast, and if you've ever paid for a meal in SD, then you can appreciate this perk. The staff was great, not intrusive or overly friendly, just there when you need them. That's perfect service in my opinion. No hotel dining is not a problem. Just walk a few short blocks to any kind of food you want. Pacific Beach is a fun place to stay and the PT is BY FAR the best hotel in the area. Don't expect Four Seasons cause you're not paying for that, but do expect an excellent hotel experience for the price you are going to pay. (Check out the view in the pic!)", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We recently went to San Diego with some friends for spring break. My husband and I are used to staying in La Jolla. Since our friends were staying at Pacific Terrace we decided to do the same. I had read a review before we went that said \"don't stay on the left hand side of the hote\"l. When offered an upgraded room on the left hand side we took it thinking, well the review was probably exaggerated. No way! We were up all night one night to the sounds of a screaming bum. Right out to the left of the hotel is a public beach restroom, and small parking area for beach goers. The rest room is active all night long. \nAfter that being said the hotel it self is very nice. It was recently remodeled. We had an awesome tv, bed, bathroom. The pool was great. You can order food from local restaurants at the pool. The free breakfast in the morning was great. I think the hotel experience would have been excellent had we not have stayed on the left side and had gone for a middle room.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Based on tripadvisor reports, we selected the Pacific Terrace Hotel in Pacific Beach. I wanted a nice place to bring my 8-year old son while we toured the zoo, LegoLand, and SeaWorld. I was not disappointed. The hotel was clean, well maintained, and modernized. The staff all were friendly, helpful, and never far away. I was amazed at the number of staff available to help the guests. I selected the least expensive room based on the rates quoted on the phone. I then booked the room online and got an even better rate. The \"garden view\" room I requested (rather than the more expensive \"ocean view\" room) still had a view of the ocean from the litte patio we had. And I could hear the waves from my room. I was pleased with the amenities we had in our room: free wireless internet, fridge, coffe pot, and mini-bar, 2 sinks, very handicap accessible bathroom, patio and chairs outside by a little garden area, 2 very comfortable queen beds, a desk and chair plus a little table and more chairs. We were very happy. While there was no restaurant onsite, we liked the free continental breakfast in the morning. We had lots to eat there. Plus there were drinks available there all day for free. Snacks and drinks were available by the heated outdoor pool. From 4-5 pm was a free wine hour. There were tons of restaurants nearby to chose from after our busy day. The location right on the boardwalk of the beach was great. It was quiet at night, and busy during the day. The area felt very safe to me (a single mom with her young son). This is a great choice for either a couple getting away or a family seeing the San Diego sights.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "The Pacific Terrace is a great hotel but you need to understand what it is. \nIt is in a great location, right on a small bluff over the Pacific Ocean, just north of the Crystal Pier. The view from the ocean view balcony is spectacular with the surfers and sunsets. \nThe rooms are very nice and upscale. Staff is very friendly and helpful and create a very laid back atmosphere. They offer a small complimentary continental breakfast every morning which is nice.\nIt is not a trendy hotel. So, if you are looking at a place to be seen this is not it. Yes, there are sufers, college kids, and bums that hang out on the beach. I've never had a problem with any of them but if they bother you then go out to Coronado or La Jolla. This hotel has been great for our kids as the small pool is warm and not very crowded.\nIt is does not have an onsite restaurant or bar. So, if you want 4 star service while sitting by the pool then this is not the place. If you don't mind walking down the beach to dinner or bars then this is not a problem as there are many. Also, we have 3 small kids and there are many walk up fast food places very close if you don't feel like a formal dinner. \nI would also say the entire Pacific/Mission Beach area is pretty laid back. There aren't any 5 star restaurants within walking distance. There are many decent places to eat but you have to go to Gaslamp or downtown for the trendy places. The area is definitely on the upswing with real estate booming. It is also much more exciting than La Jolla or Coronado, which are good for shopping, but pretty boring IMHO other than that. \nThe beach at the hotel is great. There is some seaweed around whereas Coronado keeps the beach pretty clean. There is also a 2-4 foot break for body surfing.\nOverall, without a doubt, one of my favorite hotels anywhere and easily my favorite in Southern Cal. Much more relaxing and enjoyable than LA, Laguna Niguel, La Jolla, or Coronado.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "Whoever wrote the horrible review on the Pacific Terrace - I think you have the wrong hotel. We stay at the Pacific Terrace at least twice every year just to get away and what you have described isn't them. They have a wonderful continental breakfast with bagels, pastries, muffins, fresh fruit and more. Coffee, tea, water and even lemonade is free all day. The premium views are amazing and there are plenty of restaurant and bars with-in walking distance. I can't recommend them more!! Escaping the heat from AZ and visiting family is our perfect excuse to treat ourselves at the Pacific Terrace.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We just returned from three nights at this hotel. My only bad comment would be that the hotel isn't located in the best neighborhood - small surfer cottages around that like to party! Our first night we were on the side of the hotel and were paying 385.00 so we asked to be moved and they happily did so the next day. Now we were overlooking the pool which was much better. The rooms were clean and the beds comfortable. The breakfast layout was nice. Very family friendly place with a great location for biking and beach walking. The drive to LaJolla was about 20 minutes and it was charming.\nThe staff was incredibly nice. I called the Concierge for dinner reservations and everyone was very helpful. \nI would recommend this hotel very much.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Husband and I reserved for three nights from the internet. We had a wonderful view of the ocean from second floor. There were several amenities that we didn't expect. Bountiful free breakfasts, bath robes furnished, wonderful bedding, free wine hour each afternoon, turn down service, free cookies and super friendly staff. Glass doors over the tub did leak onto bath floor, but we learned to put a towel down to absorb it before showering and it worked fine. Underground parking was $15 per day, but was worth not having to hunt street parking. Also their underground garage was decorated with potted plants/trees and fresh flowers in garage elevator foyer. Would certainly recommend it and would stay there again. After leaving there we attended a conference at the Manchester Hyatt down on the Bay and their rooms and service weren't nearly as nice.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Our deluxe Ocean view was just that. Deluxe. The view was worth every dollar I spent for that room. The room was spacious and the tiled bathroom with glass doors was a nice touch. They served a great breakfast outside by the pool which had a selection that seemed to go on forever. After breakfast we took a walk on the beach which is only a stones throw away. Over all a wonderful experience, and can't wait to stay there again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Me, my wife and two sons (11 and 13) stayed at Pacific Terrace just after the high season was over in August. The hotel was well run, the rooms were big, the free breakfast was good, and the location was spectacular. Pacific Beach is a very busy urban beach, a nice mixture of funky beach bum and fancy tourist. Lots of good restaurants at a variety of price points and beach-oriented stores nearby. Easy drive to downtown SD and you can even get public transportation fairly easily and cheaply. The surf is good but not threatening. We were able to find free parking on the street. Definitely hope to go again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Based on the reviews posted on TripAdvisor, we decided to book a weekend at the Pacific Terrace Hotel. Yes, parts of the hotel are under construction as they remodel, and the hotel made it a point to notify us about the construction prior to confirming our trip, which was nice. Since we stayed Saturday and Sunday night, the sights and sounds of construction were not present, so it was actually a quiet weekend. When we arrived, I was immediately told that we had been upgraded to a junior suite, which was a spacious and clean room, with an excellent view of the ocean. You are so close, that all you hear all day and all night are the crashing waves, so if you truly enjoy hearing the ocean, this is a perfect place to stay. Hotel staff were very pleasant and helpful, and the continental breakfast was sufficient for my family. Nothing elaborate, but plenty to eat. The other nice feature, was that the hotel is within walking distance to many restaurants and bars. Overall, we enjoyed our stay and would definitely return, but once the remodel is complete, I am sure prices will increase significantly. So, if you want to stay at a great place for a great rate, go during the remodel phase. We were able to stay in a room for less than half the usual rate.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed here for 3 nights in October. The first 2 nights were spent in a partial ocean view room that had recently been re-decorated. It was very tastefully decorated & was a very big room, the partial ocean view was amazing, so beautiful. On the last night we were asked if we would like to move to a full ocean view. We did but the room had not been re-decorated and was not quite as nice, it was still a very big, comfortable room with an amazing view. We were given a gift basket for changing rooms which was a lovely supprise. All the staff were very helpful & friendly. The location is perfect as you can walk to lots of nearby restaurants and it is just so good to be by the ocean. The breakfast was just perfect and saved a lot of money each day & the wine in the afternoon was a nice idea. We didn't mind the parking charge as this seems to be standard at alot of hotels in San Diego. It is the best hotel we have stayed at in San Diego and will definately be back & would recommend to anyone.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We read some reviews before booking our stay at the\nPacific Terrace and found that it was probably one of\nour better choices. It was one of the BEST Hotels that my family has ever stayed at...really, the BEST!\nThe staff was very friendly, professional and always \nready with a smile. The room was clean and most \ncomfortable to sleep in. The breakfast buffet had a \nvariety of everything you need to fill a hungry tummy.\nHaving the Hotel on the beach was wonderful for our kids who loved going down to the water everyday. Thanks to the staff and we look forward to coming back\nagain.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "We booked at the Pacific Terrace after reading the reviews on TripAdvisor. We booked directly on the hotel's website and got a great last minute rate on a family suite. The room was very big with a kitchenette (microwave, stove, refrigerator) - perfect for preparing bottles of milk for our 8 month old, there was a dining area and a sofa bed. It was very clean, plenty of piping hot water and the beds were sooo comfy. \nWe thought the breakfast provided was way above average - plenty of cereals to choose from, fresh fruit and fresh croissants/bagels danish etc. There were also plenty of highchairs - clean ones with working harnesses!! If you choose to get breakfast out there is an abumdance of eateries along the boardwalk (and it's only a 5 min walk to Starbucks!). There's also a great supermarket there where you can pick up supplies to store in your refrigerator. At 4pm-5pm there was complimentary wine tasting which was a lovely touch, there was hot water and coffee provided all day (just help yourself) and cookies at the front desk.\nUnlike others, we found the $15 a day parking convenient. We could load the kids up easily in the underground parking and did not have to fight for street parking. The key card worked every time so no problems there.\nThe pool area was spotless - even though the weather was unusually cool when we were there, we could still swim and even take the baby in. \nThe beach was a bit grubby and there was a lot of seaweed but we didn't really want to go down there anyway; the view however is beautiful - a lovely sunset most evenings and we even saw dolphins playing off the end of the pier. Yes, there are a few down and outs who \"live\" along the boardwalk, but all were friendly and non-threatening and it did not put us off wandering along the boardwalk each evening for a stroll with the kids. If you enjoy running, this is a great place to exercise and join the many other runners who seemed to be out all day.\nThis is a wonderful accommodation - we think it's one of the nicest hotels we've ever stayed in (and we've stayed in some pretty swanky hotels). It's small, quiet, the staff are incredibly helpful and efficient and it's very well positioned. We went out every day and the longest we were in the car was on the journey up to Legoland (40 mins). By the way, the hotel has a brilliant sheet with detailed directions to all the major sights. We didn't need a map or even a guidebook - it was all provided for us. Most of the sights are easily within a 20 minute radius, probably less. We bought our tickets at the front desk which saved a few bucks and beat the lines at the entrances.\nWe will definitely be returning to San Diego and this hotel. We've wanted to go for a while but could never settle on a suitable hotel. Thanks to TripAdvisor we found a real gem.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "We booked one of the Presidential suites for our stay and enjoyed it immensely. Room was spacious with an excellent view of the ocean and pool, and a nice jacuzzi. My only complaint is that the shower area chould have been brighter. The staff was very helpful, especially the concierge and the front desk personnel. They provided suggestions for activities, directions, and discount tickets. We used the hotel business center to print out our airline boarding passes, and found it very convenient. As noted by other reviewers, the free continental breakfast is somewhat limited, but better than that offered at some other places we've stayed. \nDuring our stay in San Diego, we stayed in two other locations (La Jolla and Balboa Park), and enjoyed Pacific Beach the most. A very casual atmosphere and convenient to everywhere.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "ok, I ill give this property a thumbs up but must add a few problems\n1. the parking 15 dollars a day is alot but if you agree to pay it as I did you should not have to run to the front desk 40% of the time because your keycard wont work (actually worked 7 out of 12 times) They give the standard excuses every time; the lock is dirty, the card was too close to your cell phone and got demagnatized, just jiggle it a few times. Hey management, FIX the lock!!! it is the major complaint everyone is talking about at the pool. seems it happens to everyone\n2. again the lock on the door to the boardwalk. it wont close unless you push it shut. was open almost everytime I went in or out. lessens my sense of security especially since my young family was staying on the ground level\n3. the room prices. Made my res directly with the hotel and they matched the best rate I could find on the net. 199 plus 22 tax plus 15 parking. when I was checking in, 2 walk ups were quoted 60 dollars cheaper a night. I know supply and demand, but I was a little put off.\nOverall, a good hotel and a great location. The staff was young and polite and seemed sorry they had to keep ging the same old tired answer to the gate problem", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "My Wife and I spend 4 days at the Pacific Terrace on June 14 - 18th. We had a Jr. Executive Suite with a Premium Ocean View (Suite #206). The room was very nice and the view was great. We looked out over the boardwalk and directly on to the ocean. On our last night the weather broke and allowed us to see a beautiful sunset.\nThe staff was very friendly and I was impressed that everyone said \"hello\" from Housekeeping to the maintenance people. Our beds were turned down and candy left on our pillow (Godiva Chocolate) along with a pair of slippers and the next day's weather and surf forecast each night. There was a microwave, refrigerator, sink, and stove on our room.\nThere was ample parking in the underground secured garage ($15 daily) as well as several spots along the back alley. \nIt was a short walk to many local area restaurants (they have automatic billing to your room at several different restaurants). Nearby Crystal Pier was a short walk and you could watch surfers all day and evening. \nWhile the hotel is a little pricey compared to some hotels, it is a perfect getwaway for romance or for families wishing to be right on the beach.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husband, 19 year old son and I stayed at the Pacific Terrace last Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. We loved this hotel. Every staff member that we dealt with was extremely friendly. \nWe had made a reservation for a junior suite. The room was not ready when we arrived after 1:00 p.m. We asked about other rooms that might be available and they were happy to show us several rooms to choose from. We ended up taking a room on the first floor. It was more a pool view than an ocean view, but we had a nice patio that seemed private even though it opened up to the pool area. It was Room 117 and was close to the breakfast room but away from the pool traffic.\nThe room was large and clean. The sink and vanity area is outside the bathroom. There is a very large mirror as well as a magnifying mirror and tons of room for makeup, etc. The robes were nice.\nThe only thing I felt was not quite up to par was the bedding. It was nothing special and there were only 2 pillows on each queen bed. They were happy to get us 2 more pillows when we asked.\nWe had spent the two previous nights at the Estancia La Jolla. That is a nice hotel in a beautiful area, but we liked the Pacific Terrace better.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We just returned from our San Diego vacation and a 5 day stay at the Pacific Terrace. This hotel was wonderful! The staff is incredibly helpful and everyone is very friendly and accommodating. We had a nice room the first night, but requested an ocean view upgrade if it became available. The next day they moved our room for us into not only an upgraded ocean view, but a huge suite with a kitchenette and private balcony. They did this at NO EXTRA CHARGE. This room was incredible. The breakfasts included in the hotel were fabulous. Every morning the fresh fruit, coffee, juices, yogurt and any kind of danish, bagel, cereal and muffin you could want was available until 10:00 a.m. The afternoon wine happy hour was a nice touch too- it was supposed to close at 6:00 pm, but the staff was happy to keep pouring wine even at 6:45 pm. Wireless service was available for a fee, but in our suite our laptop got internet service and we were not charged for it even though we told them we were getting it. Every night our beds were turned down and chocolates were left on the pillows.\nThere is not a better value for a 5 star hotel on the ocean in San Diego. We loved it and would stay again without even pricing another place.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I cannot recommend this hotel highly enough - and I've stayed in lots of hotels, in many countries, at all levels of star ratings. \nVery helpful and friendly staff on the front desk at check-in. In fact all the staff I met, whatever their role at the hotel, where friendly and helpful.\nIf you have a car secure underground parking is $15 per night (I think on a first come basis, we didn't have a car). There is some street parking, but follow the advice of the front desk as to where as I did hear her telling one guest that they do ticket every night in some places. \nWe booked an Executive Suite. This room was enormous! We had 2 king beds with a pillow top mattress type thing that was very comfortable. A sofa, 2 easy chairs, coffee table, desk & chair, 'proper' size dining table and chairs for 4 people. The kitchenette consisted of a sink, fridge, microwave, 3 elec ring stove top with small oven, coffee machine plus plates, cutlery, glasses etc and pots and pans. \nMy only minor quibble is the TV angled towards the beds, rather than the sofa, which meant I tended to drop-off to sleep on that very inviting bed of an evening and miss the end of whatever I was watching! \nThe bathroom was also huge with a 2 person jacuzzi, seperate shower stall and seperate WC also. The wardrobe is in the bathroom which sort of turns this room into a dressing-room. Lots of towels and toiletries and they topped up the toiletries each day too - not a thing that always happens. Lovely soap! There is a phone and TV in the bathroom. Two nice terry robes too.\nEach evening, around 6.15/6.30pm, housekeeping would arrive and turn back the beds, leave chocolates on the pillow, draw the curtains, turn on the side lamps and leave the radio playing music for your return.\nWe had a big balcony that had a sideways view up to the coast towards La Jolla. We stayed in 325. If you could get room 322 to 324 you would have an even better view. This side of the hotel you also get to see the sunset. There are ocean front rooms, these were all reserved for our dates, which I am sure are wonderful. Personally I prefer the side we were on if going for a side view (rather than the side views to Cyrstal Pier) for that sunset of an evening. The huge sliding windows to the balcony also have those 'net shutters' that mean you can leave the doors half-open for air but get no visiting bugs. Not that I saw any bugs, but a nice touch. \nSitting on our peaceful balcony of a morning gazing at the Pacific, the surfers and joggers/walkers etc was hard to beat.\nI was travelling with just carry-on and my 10-yr-old so when I discovered there was a guest laundry down in the car park I was happy. Any Mother's reading this will relate! It's $1.25 per wash in quarters (front desk keep change), $1.25 per dryer (45 mins) and for soap and fab con. They also offer the usual laundry services.The Longs Drugstore on Mission (about 5/10 mins walk) also sell travel sizes of laundry detergent etc. \nThe included buffet breakfast was more than adequate and you can take it up to your room if you prefer. There is a flat rate $10 charge to have breakfast delivered to your room. There was every type of cereal, oatmeal, fresh fruit, yogurt, endless pastries (muffins, croissants, scones, danish, bagels etc) preserves and spreads and all the usual beveragas (hot and cold). \nBetween 5 and 6pm there's a free wine hour. Nice to take a glass and sit by the outdoor pool.\nThe pool and spa face the boardwalk and beach, loungers by the pool and tables and chairs around the outer area. Lovely spot to sit - or swim if you like. Each guest gets a 'pool towel' card. \nLocation wise I loved it! We could walk to the beach, restaurants and shops. Remember we had no car. There's a Ralph's supermarket on Mission about 10 mins walk away, as well as the Longs Drugs, for whatever supplies you might want.\nThere's a post office at the corner of Emerald & Cass - we had to mail some purchases home! Longs sell packaging materials as does the post office. \nThe No.9 bus (direct to Seaworld) leaves from the corner of Diamond and Faneul. About 15 mins walk along a safe residential street. Not sure what parking costs at SW but the bus is a good option if you need it. $1.75 per person each way. The bus is quite regular in both directions and there is always a printed timetable you can take from near the driver's seat.\nCab fare to SW is about $13 each way with a tip.\nThe No.34 bus is a few mins from the hotel on Mission Blvd (turn left at the corner of Diamond & Mission and across the road for the trip out, you can see the bus stop) and takes you straight to La Jolla for $2.25 per person. Ask to get off at Pearl & Girard. \nWe payed $310 per night AAA rate for the week nights and $375 for a Friday night in mid-May.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 27}, {"text": "Our family just returned from a 4 night stay at the Pacific Terrace Hotel...WE HAD A GREAT TIME!!!\nFirst of all, my wife and I were vacationing with our two children ages 4.5 and 6. A 'Welcome' email from the hotel was received a day prior to our arrival, suggesting we prepare for relaxation\u2026a nice way to begin. \nOur 5 pm check-in was smooth, especially for the busy holiday weekend. The staff at the front desk was courteous, professional and efficient. The bellman, Rich, was particularly helpful in pointing out all of the features of the property (pool, breakfast/wine hour, parking, etc.) and our stunning room.\nWe booked an executive suite as it was the only way to GUARANTEE that we receive a room with two queen beds. Premium ocean view and Jr. suites are offered with both King/sofa bed or 2 queen configurations and while the hotel tries to accommodate all requests there are no guarantees.\nThe room exceeded our expectations. Out third floor suite was very spacious and nicely appointed. Notable amenities: 42\u201d plasma TV, large double sliding doors w/ plantation shutters, ocean view patio w/ seating for four, wet bar w/ microwave. The bathroom was exceptionally large and had a jetted tub. The room was clean and well cared for.\nOur room was located on the north side of the hotel facing the Capri and the ocean. Rooms on the south side look out toward Crystal Pier. There was enough noise at street level that we chose to close the sliders at night. I\u2019m not sure if the rooms that directly face the ocean would be quieter as they are adjacent to the pool, beach and beach walk.\nThe pool facility was appropriately sized for the hotel. Pool and hot tub were heated to 85 and 104 deg. respectively. There were no age restrictions for the hot tub. I believe the hours were 7-10 a.m. Seating was adequate and towels plentiful. Additional shade seating would be nice. This is NOT the \u2018send your nanny down in the morning to reserve a lounge chair\u2019 pool scene. Very relaxed and laid back. \nDeluxe continental breakfast is served from 7-10am and is well stocked and plentiful. Pastries, bagels, cereals, fresh fruits, yogurts, juice, coffee, tea and milk are offered. Seating is cozy inside or one can dine outside near the pool. It seemed that most guests took advantage of the complimentary breakfast.\nIced tea and lemonade are available throughout the day as are an assortment of board games. Complementary wine hour is from 4-5 p.m. by the pool. \nThe hotel DOES NOT have a restaurant or pool side bar service, however, there is fare from two local restaurants to choose from for room service or pool side delivery. Guests are also able to charge back to their room at several other nearby restaurants. \nLocation is ideal. The hotel is located in Pacific Beach just north of Crystal Pier and shares an oceanfront location next to the Capri By The Sea condominiums. Beach access is just out the secured gates. Activities are plentiful. There are several restaurants nearby and worthy of mentioning:\nThe Fishery, PB at Cass and Opal (.8 mile from hotel), an inland neighborhood eatery (no ocean view) delicious, FRESH seafood. \nStation Sushi, Solana Beach, if you\u2019re up north (and returning to the hotel from Legoland) it\u2019s well worth the stop. Great hotel staff recommendation!\nTaco Surf, PB, Mission Boulevard between Felspar and Emerald, GREAT taco eatery just a block away. Take-out for pool-side dining.\nI would not recommend Taylor\u2019s. Service was slow, food mediocre and ambiance just so-so.\nThe fitness room was under construction and was going to be \u2018very small\u2019 according to staff. We did not utilize any offsite fitness facility.\nParking located beneath the hotel was adequate and secure; I believe it was $17 a night. The hotel also provided 10 first-come first-serve spaces in the alley behind the hotel at no charge. Surface/street parking is difficult due to the desirable beach location.\nHotel checkout is 11 a.m. I had inquired about a late checkout when I booked our room two months prior to our stay and was told it would not be a problem, so I booked a late returning flight to Reno to maximize our stay. However, this request was denied the night before our departure due to the \u2018unusually high amount of room turnover\u2019. In the end, we were extended until noon and were able to use all the hotel facilities (less the room) until 3 p.m.\nSo what cold be done better? Tough question. There were a few noticeable exterior \u2018wear and tear\u2019 marine environment issues (peeling paint, rusty metal) that could be repaired. A small pool side bar might be nice to aid in relaxation. One or two of the staff seemed overwhelmed by the demands and volume of guests and were neither helpful nor responsive to guest requests\u2026find replacements ASAP that are truly dedicated to guest service.\nOverall, a wonderful long weekend and we\u2019ll be back again in the spring for more enjoyment and relaxation!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "This hotel is over-rated. It is not fancy but it is very well situated--facing the ocean. It also has at least a couple of front desk supervisors who need some lessons in customer service. This part of the town also happens to be in proximity to beach type partying crowds of the restless. The rest rooms in the hotel enterance common area were kept locked and required keys--for good reasons.\nThe front lobby and registeration area is the size of a normal living room. There was no bellman or a cosigner however, I did see a computer-like device whcih might be the hotel's virtual substitute.\nWhen we got into our room, there was a voice mail message advising that we were being charged $50 for not returning each towel yesterday at the pool. Even after callling the front desk about obviously an older message for the prior quest, the hotel staff failed to remove the message until night-time.\nThere is no on-site restaurant or lounge. However, there is an ordinary seating arrangement for the \"free\" continental breakfast and the afternoon reception. The spread for the continental breakfast was very good but we missed the reception because the front desk gave us the wrong hours.\nThe color picture of the hotel, pool and the ocean on the websites, and in the AAA tour book, are a little deceptive in that the picture makes the hotel and the swimming pool area appear much much larger than their actual sizes.\nWe stayed here on the Memorial Day weekend had made the reservation for this particular hotel using an online travel service. The service had \"special negotiated rate\" which was about 25% lower than the regular cost. Thus the registeration staff felt obliged to assigne us to a room near the south west corner on the ground floor. This area is close to the back \"alley\" and we were awakened early morning from the delivery truck noise. Stating the noise as a reason, we requested a late check-out and got to stay until noon instead of 11:00 AM. At check-out, the supervisor lady asked us if everything were okay. Upon complaining about the noise, she advised us to be sure to book an\"ocean front\" room next time! This hotel will remain as a low choice for me.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Classy, but not snobby! Impeccable service, wonderful breakfast, great views! My only caveat, I was not aware that Pacific Beach was a college party town type beach. I was looking for a more family-oriented type town in which to stay, with picturesque shops along the shoreline. What's around the beach at PB is mostly bars and restaurants, catering to the party scene. When simply looking for a place for us to get ice cream, all we found was a grungey little place that was so dirty I would never eat there. We drove all the way to La Jolla just for ice cream! And I am not a rich, snobby, nothing is good enough for me type!!! Although the Pacific Terrace exceeded all my expectations, the beach area did not. My next beach vacation will be a family oriented place. But... if your heart is set on San Diego, Pacific Beach, this is the place. The pool was great, hot tub great. I have not a single complaint about the property. It was fabulous!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "We stayed at this hotel for two nights in the first week of December 2004. \nBe forewarned...if booking an \"Ocean View\" room from Travelocity, Expedia, TraipAdvisor, etc., don't expect to get what most people consider an \"Ocean View\" room once you get to this hotel. You are better off booking only the \"Garden View\" room if you want an Internet discount because I could just barely catch a glimpse of the ocean from my \"Ocean View\" room. It was a real disappointment and downer. The only way to get an Ocean View Room is by booking directly with the hotel....as I leaned after I checked-in....and paying the 'premium' rate that isn't found on the discount internet services. \nI was really looking forward to our stay at this hotel after researching it on this internet sight. I could picture looking out at the ocean and watching the sunset from our room. I had the choice of booking the Garden View or Ocean View and opted for the latter. Boy...was I in for a surprise! \nProblem #1 - When I got to my room, it had only a king-sized bed for myself and 3 other people! The receptionist claims that Expedia didn't inform them that we had 2 kids staying with us. I showed her a hardcopy of my booking and confirmation # - which showed 2 adult and 2 kids as per the booking procedure - and she said they don't get that information from Expedia...they get different information. Say what??? So this is now my problem?? Oh well, can you please help me out and get me a room with 2 queens. Sorry sir, we're full tonight...perhaps tomorrow...you have a fold-out bed in your room that you can use.\nProblem #2 - They placed us on the ground-level. Looking out our patio, you needed to be 6' or taller - and standing up - to catch a glimpse of the ocean. Everything else in front of you is overgrown shrubs, flowerbeds, palms, brick privacy dividers and a 7' barred fence on the property-line. When I told the Manager that I am extremely dissappointed they consider my room as \"Ocean-View\", she said that all their ground-floor rooms are considered Ocean View as per AAA ratings or some other fancy-named agency. Can we get and \"Ocean View\" room on the 2nd or 3rd floor - even if it's for only tomorrow night?? Although you booked \"Ocean View\" over the Internet, we cannot give you an ocean-view room on the 2nd or 3rd floor because they are classified as....\"Deluxe\" Ocean View rooms and therefore cost much more money. What?? Oh yes....and they are not available over the Internet. And Sir, your current room also has a kitchenette (that I didn't need!) so we actually consider your room as an upgrade from your confirmed rate! Boy...do I feel better!!\nProblem #3 - You can complain all you want, but the Manager is used to these Ocean-View complaints, and does not budge on the interpretation. She offered to move me the next day to another \"ocean-view\" room, facing north, on the north side of their building. The room looked directly into the Capri hotel and had a better glimpse of the ocean, but I passed on the offer, and decided to air my complaints on TripAdvisor...hoping that someone else doesn't run into the disappointment that I did....two nights of sleeping on an old cot-type pullout bed...and enjoying the ocean view from my room for as long as I could stand on my tip-toes! \nI don't know why people seem to rate this place so high and give it rave reviews. If I was to return to San Diego, I would probably stay next-door at the Capri. Do your own due diligence. Good luck in your search.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 21}]}, "656430": {"reviews": []}, "73943": {"reviews": [{"text": "My husband and I just stayed at the Royal Palms Hotel to celebrate our 4th wedding anniversary. Although the grounds are very beautiful, the rooms are romantic, and T. Cook's Restaurant and Lounge, and the service by the pool are all extraordinary, the business end of the hotel leaves QUITE A BIT TO BE DESIRED!\nWhen we arrived, our room was not ready and the person at the check-in desk said he would call within the hour to let us know what the status of our check in would be. When we had not received a phone call more than two hours later, we stopped by the front desk. The person did not seem to remember us, but another person at the desk asked if our phone number was on file and said that she would call. The second Royal Palms representative did call, and we ended up checking in about 3:30 pm (which is a 1/2 hour before the scheduled check-in time --even though I sent a request asking about an early check-in since I knew that we would be arriving around 10 am). Although we understand that our room was not ready early, I would have appreciated the call that the first representative said that he was going to make so that we could have made a better use of our afternoon. \nI was surprised that the room did not have a fireplace. I had called the property to inquire about fireplaces in the Deluxe Casitas (where we were booked), and was told that those rooms did have fireplaces; yet, we were placed in a room without one. The room was cozy, but I was looking forward to this particular amenity. On the second night of our stay, we had to call housekeeping to receive turn down service and request to have our towels changed. \nMy biggest problem with the Royal Palms was the check-out/billing procedure. First, my minor issue. I had asked for our boarding passes to be printed (since that is a service that the Royal Palms offers), but the person at the front desk did not remember to give them to me until I asked. OK, a little oversight, but coupled with what followed, it just made the \"little\" oversight magnified.\nMy major issue has to do with billing. First we were given the wrong bill (with someone who was charged about half what we paid per night for lodging). Then we were given our bill with three nights' charges for Rose Petal Turndown Service when we only had that service the first night. The Royal Palms check-out representative then deducted the subsequent two nights and informed us that we would receive an updated e-mail version of our bill before we were charged. I did not receive the e-mail version of the bill, but my credit card was charged for the total of the invoice I received upon departure and an additional amount. After calling the resort several times to speak with someone in accounting, I left a message asking someone to send me an updated (and corrected invoice with an explanation of any additional charges). When I received the e-mail with an updated copy of my bill there was ANOTHER FRAUDULENT CHARGE! I spoke with someone after receiving that invoice and she seemed a bit annoyed with my inquiries and requests to have the charges explained and removed.\nFinally, there were so many events being hosted at the Royal Palms (at least one every day of our visit), that the staff often seemed pulled away from their lodging guests. It seemed that during our stay there was not sufficient staff to address the needs of ALL guests, those lodging at the property and those hosting special events.\nFor a property of this size, requesting what the Royal Palms requests per night for lodging, service should be seamless and all guests should feel like they are VERY special. We are not picky guests, if it were not for the abovementioned snafus, we would have never interacted with the Royal Palms staff since I had arranged all of our activities and dining options prior to arrival. In the event that the service is not seamless and the guests are not made to feel extra special, the property management should follow-up with guests to the best of their ability to explain the situation and offer some sort of compensation. I have traveled extensively for business and pleasure, and have stayed in large and small hotels where the management generally seemed to be concerned with the well-being of the guests. I did not feel that this was the approach at the Royal Palms Hotel.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "After reading all the great reviews of this hotel, I decided it sounded just perfect for my one night in Scottsdale. I was finishing up a long and difficult week of traveling to several cities and thought doing my last day of business in a spa and resort would help chill me out. But, this place is for romance, for couples, for people who want to veg out at the spa and try to take themselves to another level. All I wanted was a computer connection that worked, to be left alone to write and lot of hot coffee. Not exactly a match made in heaven. Truthfully, I felt like I was living in an alternative universe where everyone just smiled and nodded and repeatedly asked me if I was having a fabulous time. W/hen my room wasn't ready and I had to wait 2 hours, the nice lady at the front desk suggested I get a hot stone message while I waited -- it would clear me out and help my writing. Then once I got into my room and was just falling into a nap during the only 2 hours I had to rest in my room before finishing up my business, someone knocked on my door, woke me up and offered me tea. Okay, so you get it. This place is gorgeous, the grounds manicured to within an inch of their life. The rooms are exceedingly comfortable and meant totally for romance. And, if this is you, please do come because you'll probably give it 5 stars like the many given in the past. But, if you have stress and have to produce work, stay away because, like me, you'll end up leaving more stressed and more on edge than when you entered.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I don't even know where to start. I think all of my future vacations are now ruined due to the quality of my week at the Royal Palms. Nothing can compare. We stayed for our one-year annivserary, and everywhere we walked we were greeted by name. We were also given a few romantic anniversary perks. The room was breath-taking, clean and we could not have asked for more. The entire staff was extremely courteous and often went above and beyond their call of duty.\nWe sprinkled many fun events into our week in Phoenix, (ie..ATV'ing the desert, golfing, a day trip to Sedona etc.) but by day's end we were just looking forward to getting back to the Royal Palms. We utilized the spa amenities & services daily and the pool/cabana area was very relaxing.\nMy experience at the Royal Palms Resort has raised my eyebrows into the idea of moving to Phoenix. We had never been to Arizona and found the entire journey very pleasurable and relaxing. I totally recommend this resort to anyone looking for a beautiful, romantic, private and personable vacation.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I took my husband to the Royal Palms for a birthday getaway from a Th-Monday. I had researched many resorts and had narrowed my choices to the Lake Austin Spa Resort and the Royal Palms. The Royal Palms was clearly a more interesting destination with options outside of the resort that were endless, so I chose it. I booked through Expedia and while the RP was either the most expensive or 2nd most expensive choice in the PHX/Scottsdale area, it seemed to be the best fit. The descriptions on this site and at the RP website indicated it's small and personal feel and service, which was appealing. The website won me over with the awards list and the beautiful photos, especially those showing it's proximity to Camelback Mtn. I booked the package (air and hotel) well in advance- at least 4 months and figured I would begin making spa, restaurant and excursion reservations about one month out. Long story short, it is very important to call in advance (as soon as you book would be best) in order to get your preferred times to dine at T. Cooks for dinner (breakfast and lunch res. not required) and especially at the spa. The times I had asked for intitially were unavailable, even one month in advance. Also, when you speak to someone, take their name and then call again a few weeks before your trip to confirm your appts. It was all worked out before we arrived and we were welcomed with fabulous service, but I felt like most of that was due to my frequent contact beforehand. Be sure plan ahead if you stay at the RP...your trip will only be worth the expense if you plan each detail so as not to miss out on all of the opportunities and inclusions in staying here. \nThe only reasons I did not give this resort a full 5 are: \nAlthough the resort does not claim to be adults only, all of the reviews and even the RP website alludes to this. We were there during a insurance broker's conference and many brokers had brought their children with them. While this was only a minor issue, it is worth noting that at a resort with a pool area that is so intimate, children's voices (even joyful ones) carry and tend to interfere slightly with the romantic and peaceful atmosphere.\nEven when you book ahead of time, the charges in the spa are a) never the same as what you saw online or were quoted and b) always seemingly random (literally as if the numbers were simply drawn from a lottery) and WAY over-priced. Check your bill carefully. If you speak to someone in charge, they will correct the bill, but it will be time consuming.\n The spa is fabulous and while I am willing to pay $500 a night for a room, paying more than $150 for a very standard 60 minute massage is ridiculous. Thinking that I would have been disappointed with only one day at the spa, I booked two mornings full of spa activities and services on the 2nd and 4th days of our stay. If I could do it all over again, I would simply ask for the 90 minute massage (confirm the price in writing ahead of time) and leave the spa treatments to that. This was worth every penny. The 60 minute massage and manicure were overpriced and not nearly relaxing or enjoyable enough to justify the price. I found myself anxious the entire time I should have been enjoying these treatments b/c I knew that I was spending hundreds of dollars on something that had less than $100 of value to me.\n On the last day we stayed, a motley crew of people that looked as if they belonged in a trashy music video took over the pool. They ordered grey goose and champagne as if it were going out of style (beginning before noon) and played their loud music and smoked their cigarettes while dancing their scantily clad bodies around the pool. They even brought their yapper of a dog to run around wildly and bother the guests. While these folks obviously had paid (on credit no doubt) for the two cabanas they inhabited it didn't matter b/c the size of the pool and area were only modestly larger than a large residential pool. Please also keep in mind that the past few days (while many children had been present) were quite peaceful and the pool had only been visited by folks with similar interests (sunbathing, having maybe 1 or 2 drinks and lunch and enjoyng the peaceful and romantic atmosphere). While Rick was fab. by asking them to keep quiet and not physically invade the other guest's space, there was nothing he could do but keep bringing them their drinks and grin and bear it. Needless to say, we did not stay at the pool more than 5 minutes on our last day, which was disappointing. I am not sure how the RP could have prevented this occurance, but I am shocked that \"those\" sorts of people chose the RP for their party. It certainly was not a good match!\nTHANKS are deserved! The special touches at the RP are what makes it worth the cost. While you could stay at the Bellagio for less, no one there will remember your name, which pool chair you like or whether you prefer red or white. You certainly won't be receiving personally signed notes at the beginnning and end of your stay, nor rose petal covered bedding or chocolate covered strawberries as a surprise at turn-down. The staff was superb and especially gracious and friendly. The grounds are beautiful. The food and service are great. The suite is worth the extra $- having the extra room is great for couples with different sleeping habits.\nTIPS: Place a personal item on a pool chair early in the morning to get your preferred spot. (The sun is strong, so be sure to wear sunscreen at all times.) Be sure to go to Camelback Mtn. for a few hikes- the ones recommended in the brochure are great- for all levels. Sunset horsesback riding is highly recommended. While the crowd you'll be with for 4 hours isn't the classiest, the views are breathtaking. Go to arizona-horses for one option. Skip the shopping, especially if you live in a more metropolitan area. T. Cooks is as good as any restaurant off site, so if I had it to do again I would have dined there each evening I was interested in a more formal meal. For informal, do a steakhouse or cookout with the horseback riding and be sure to check out Pizza Bianco. The Bar Bianco and Pizza rest. are well worth the wait. It is such a cute set-up on a lovely evening. Also, you'll be right next to the stadium, so you can check that out, too. If you decide to rent a car (which you don't need to do unless you plan to leave the resort more than once per day), def. do the convertible. We did and did not regret it.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "This is the prettiest horrible hotel I have ever been to. Possibly the casitas in the old section are what gives it its rating. We did not see one.\nOur corner \"Plaze suite\" was BIG and an extremely long walk through two courtyards (my heart began sinking when I saw the first courtyard. I had an idea what we were in for as I saw open windows and the people in the rooms and closed windows along the dark halls I was walking in). The door to our room opened to a large, lovely living room with loud, admittedly pretty, stereo music greeting us. All blinds were closed, here and in the bedroom which adjoined. When I opened them, I realized why - The bedroom looked out on the air conditioning system - six huge compressors. I tried to open the window - not a chance!\nThe living room looked out on a dark hall and blank wall with a table against it to stop the eye. Those windows didn't open either. We were in sunny Arizona with no way of breathing the air unless we propped our door open and craned our necks to see some sun and sky. \nWhen we turned the stereo down we could hear the roar. Even when we left it on, as we did all night, there was still a strange high-pitched noise we could not obliterate.\nI walked the 10 minute walk back to the front desk, with a wonderfully patient bellman working his second job while trying to get a real estate license, to ask for a different choice. My husband, who had just broken his elbow horseback riding, waited. I was told I had booked the \"new\" Plaza area. I had never been told the difference. \nThe only other available room, I was told, was a deluxe room (no living room, which might have been OK with me in exchange for air) so we went to look. That had a balcony, and an opening door, overlooking...the parking lot.\nI didn't bother trying other choices. Actually, supposedly there were none. There were rooms that looked across a courtyard at other rooms. Not much of a choice. If your room faced the road and the hall, the other option, your windows did'nt open because it would be too noisy. We actually could still hear the cars through the fan vent in the bathroom ceiling.\nAs mentioned in other letters, the pool is too crowded. The restaurant was fully booked for dinner when we got there, but no one had suggested when I reserved a room that I also reserve for dinner. In a way, we turned out to be lucky as it was mostly closed in like the rooms.\nI could go on as our daughter and her husband and two sons, for whom I had also booked a room, had sililarly difficult experiences.\nWhat did I learn? Always ask if the windows open. Just because American Express says it's a Fine Hotel, don't believe it! Don't believe the pictures. Saving grace, our room faced east and a lovely sunrise wakened us.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Well, all good things must come to an end. So be our EIGHT YEAR run at the Royal Palms Resort in Phoenix. We thought about changing our annual hotel destination this year, 2006 but decided, why change something that has usually been good? Well, we found out why. The front desk staff needs some training and they need to learn how to treat a guest who has been a faithful to their hotel for this many return visits. First, our room choice had been requested for a month prior to our trip...then on the day of arrival a very specific room was asked for and was available, only to be given away 5 minutes before we were given our room, after we waited all day for the room to be cleaned etc. Then we were told no roll aways anymore...all of our previous visits we have had one. So this was an issue this year... new rule.\nThat was a problem since the hotel was sold out for the night. We were unable to have beds for all guests in our room, then the staff was not accomodating in finding an alternative. They offered The Ritz, which is not a Resort/Spa. We had to find our own alternative accomodations at 10 p.m. Friday night and it basically ruined our evening and the next day as we had to check out and move the next day although moving to the PHOENICIAN was a Pleasant one. WE have always had problems with the bills being incorrect at Royal Palms (we did for our one night too!) and the pool service, they had one nice guy at the RP taking care of the entire pool, when they knew they were entirely booked at their hotel. He was overworked and a little cranky! but we understood his plight. We just dont spend that kind of money to relax for a weekend away to be treated so poorly and with such disrespect for our vacation time. We will definitely be writing to the Royal Palms to let them know their returning guests will be no longer...not that they care! We will be happy to go to the Phoenician where our rooms were large and spacious with superb, expediant service in every arena of the hotel. They may be a little larger, but wow, the service there is impeccable. p.s. No maid service was knocking on doors at 8:30 on a weekend morning at the Phoenician, like at the Royal Palms...they need a few lessons on luxury accomodations..As we were checking out of the RP, we noticed a lovely older couple who were wondering why they did not have the Casita they had reserved 6 months in advance...they were very upset as well...They were heading to the Four Seasons!\nWe will definitely not go back, too many other mishaps to list. Just lots of disappointments!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "I recently returned from my honeymoon, where I stayed two nights at the Royal Palms and three in a suite about 10 feet from the edge of the Grand Canyon. When I was planning the trip, I had assumed that our future memories of this vacation would center around the majesty of the Grand Canyon and our unique closeness to it (We stayed at the Buckey O'Neill suite, the oldest standing structure in the Grand Canyon area). I was completely wrong. \nWhile the Grand Canyon was indeed majestic, our enjoyment of this national treasure paled greatly in comparison to our experience at the Royal Palms. I have stayed at a few 5-star hotels in the last few years, and was expecting similar exemplary service and fine dining. My expectations were greatly exceeded. The grounds are exquisite (there are many \"secret\" gardens waiting to be found, and while the hotel had no vacancies when we stayed, we almost always felt like we were the only guests), the spa was very high class, the rooms were beautifully decorated and modern (with a touch of old-world style with the four-poster beds), the food at T Cook's was excellent (room service was also provided by T Cook's), and the service was absolutely incredible. \nThe last reviewer described service as lacking. He must have been staying at some Bizarro-world Royal Palms. Every hotel worker I passed greeted me with a smile and a hello (often congratulaing us on our honeymoon), restaurant service and room service were prompt, and when we checked out, they did express a desire to see us again (as if this really matters at all--boy, that last reviewer was picky!). But beyond this basic 5-star treatment, the service staff went above and beyond anything I had ever experienced before.\nOne example: I bookended my trip with the Royal Palms (one night at the start of the trip and one night at the end, after the Grand Canyon). When we pulled into the Royal Palms picturesque driveway on the last night, not only were we greeted by name by the bellhops, but were shown immediately to our room, with no need to check-in. The Royal Palms, without my asking, has upgraded us to a villa (with two private courtyards) from a simple casita. In addition, by our bedside, they had given us an additional present (a CD of southwestern music) and a letter thanking us for choosing the Royal Palms for the first night of our honeymoon and for returning. They went out of their way to make my honeymoon special. This was extremely personalized service at its best.\nI used Trip Advisor, as well as Conde Nast (Royal Palms is on the Gold List) and Travel & Leisure (Rated as one of the Top 50 U.S. hotels and the top hotel in Phoenix/Scottsdale) to pick a Phoenix/Scottsdale resort. On Trip Advisor, while other resorts have similar overall ratings, if you compare the user reviews of the other five-star hotels to the Royal Palms, you'll notice that reviews for the Royal Palms are much more overwhelmingly positive. I recently discovered the reason why.\nThe Royal Palms was magnificent. I can't wait to return.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Called reservations last night 10/13 at 6 pm CST. Spoke with Stacy. \nExplained that it was my 1 year anniversary and we got married there and wanted to spend 11/8 in a casita or deluxe casita. She told me there was no availability. I inquired about a wait list (she never even offered) and again explained my situation. Also, stated that I have been a guest at the resort about 5 times in past 3 years. She took my info (name and phone) and put me on the wait list and told me that I need to keep checking back to see if they could accommodate me. I will never stay there again! As if spending $20,000 wasn't enough for them to give me the courtesy of arranging for a room on my anniversary.\nOn the otherhand, called Sanctuary at Camelback Mountain and they too told me they were sold out; however, when I explained what happened at the RP they told me they could fit me in to a Mountainside Suite for 380. (usually 430.) They guaranteed my a suite and said they would upgrade me to a Spa suite if possible. I spoke with Jeff in reservations --- wonderful and accommodating plus he even made my dinner reservations for me. Now that is what I call service!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "One of the most picturesque places I have ever been too. Service was superb and friendly would go back there when ever I am in Phoenix. The spa was awesome also! If you are looking for a romantic place with atmosphere to spare this is the place. Stayed in deluxe Casitas that was just perfect! highly recommend spending the extra bucks for them.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Awful! I was put in a room near the road and had to listen to cars going by all night. I was also on the bottom floor and could hear footsteps and voices all night long. Was really looking forward to staying there as it is a beautiful property but not worth the money. \nThe staff was not at all helpful and would not move me to another room, even though the place was almost empty! This is the one and only time I have ever complained about a room and I travel every other week. I was also billed for a book that was taken from the room by a previous guest and this has taken over a month to clear it up!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "I posted an earlier review about a disappointing stay for a small group at Royal Palms .. I also wrote to the GM, Greg Miller. He has gone over board trying to 'make it right'. I do believe their interest is to be 'guest-centric'. He even refered to my posting here. So if you do book into the property you can rest assured that they will do their all to correct any errors. It IS a romantic setting and while expensive when they do get it right it can be worth it. Certainly better than the hundreds of rooms behemouths they compete with in Scottsdale.\ndon.brown@brownchild.com", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "781627": {"reviews": [{"text": "I work for a Fortune 500 company here in San Diego who holds a lot of events / meetings / dinners / outings at Grand del Mar.\nIn mid-December 2011, I went w/ a group from work for a holiday luncheon at Club M. While the waitress was serving the 1st round of drinks, she spilled a whole glass of white wine on my new Marni handbag (I had rec\u2019d it as a Xmas gift from my boyfriend the previous evening). The management was apologetic and offered to send it to the cleaners but since I had another holiday event that evening I told them I would take it to the cleaners myself. They were fine w/ that and agreed to cover any cleaning costs. \nI took the bag to Margaret\u2019s (the premier cleaner in SD) and spoke to their leather expert. They cleaned the bag but the damage was irreparable. I was told that if they dyed the bag (super soft, dark green lambskin) they would have to re-color the entire bag and it may not cover the stains and definitely would change the texture (not acceptable to me). \nGdM refused to compensate me for the bag saying that they couldn\u2019t be sure that it was authentic. The GdM offered me $350 for the bag and $106 for the cleaning costs that I had incurred. I reluctantly agreed and then the GdM immediately said that they would \u201chave to do more research\u201d. I ended up sending the bag to the Marni headquarters in New York and received a letter of authenticity from the national sales director. The bag\u2019s replacement value was just under $1K. I filed a small claims case against GdM for $650 for the purse (which I thought was equitable) + $106 for the cleaning costs + shipping to/from NYC. Our court date was a couple of weeks ago and while the case was being heard, the GdM\u2019s representative LIED under oath. I was awarded only $100 (which didn\u2019t even cover the cleaning costs!). \nLater that day, my supervisor called Tom Voss (Pres of GdM) because of the way I had been treated by GdM. Mr. Voss agreed to pay me an extra $106 but was, to paraphrase my boss, not a very nice guy to deal with.\nBottom line, my employer gives ALOT of business to GdM but they don\u2019t seem to value that relationship or to operate at a level that you would expect such a high tier property to conduct business at.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I spent 1 night with my family (7y/o, 5 y/o, and 1 y/o) and another friend's (2 y/o, and 1y/o) checking out this resort (for a potential site for a possible work retreat). I want to preface by saying that I have stayed in a number of other top notch resorts (Ojai Valley Inn and Spa, Ritz Carlton, JW Marriott, La Quinta Reosrt and Spa, etc.) and none can compare. I will try to break it down for you all...\nHotel and Checkin- This is a unique resort in that it is nestled in a gated community. I have never stayed here before and did not know anyone that has (much less heard of it). Upon driving up and valeting (pricey $30 per night), i was impressed to see a beautifully ornate lobby. Check in was a breeze. I requested a connecting room with the other family and that was quickly arranged. The receptionists actually greeted each of my children and offered them a toy from their treasure chest (never seen that before). He then walked us to the bellman and proceeded to lead us to the elevator. Very nice touch.\nRooms: The rooms were on the 2nd floor. Beautifully decorated (made me feel as if I was staying in a palace). The bathroom was large and contained the closet. The bathroom was so large that we were able to put the pack n' play in their for my baby to sleep in. Each room had an espresso machine, as well as complimentary bottled water.\nGrounds: Immaculate. Very Very clean. Everything was in place. The pool area was very nice and even had soft white sand around the lounge chairs. They incorporated the golf course nicely and there were amazing views every where you look.\nFood/bar: We tried the snack shop (same kitchen as Amaya) once and Amaya twice (Dinner and Breakfast). The food was amazing everytime. Amaya for dinner had a great selection of food. I was not disappointed with anything that I tasted. They also have a huge selection of wine and scotch (my favorite). The lobby bar was great and I had my first taste of Absinthe there. The best thing I had was the complimentary cookie (and bottle of milk) that was provided during the turn-down service. Absolutely wonderful\nGolf: The course was in beautiful condition (even though it was at its prime condition). IT is pretty pricey but worth a shot if you are a golf fan. They included a fore caddie (my first experience with one) which made the experience wonderful. The practice facility was top notch (ProV-1 practice balls). Food/drink can be brought to you at anytime during your round. The course is private and closed to the public, thus the rounds are pretty fast pace and never crowded. Awesome golf experience.\nSpa: My wife is a self-proclaimed spa connoisseur and proclaims this to be one of the greatest spas that she has ever been too. Well ahead of the highly rated Ojai Valley Inn and Spa and on par with the Montage (Laguna Hill). She couldn't stop talking about the facility and service. \nService: I have saved the best for last. The service is top notch. First class all around. I was expecting a snooty/snobby resort, but I could never have been more wrong. From the bellman to the waitress to the golf person to the cleaning lady, everyone was extremely polite and pleasant. Upon driving up, I initially laughed at the idea that this resort was \"family friendly\". I thought my family would be stared at and treated rudely, however, I could never have been more wrong. They bent over backwards to cater to my kids and family. They brought over a crib (with baby supplies) immediately. They found out it was my son's birthday and made him feel special the entire stay. They sent up a birthday dessert to the room. They gave him a gelato coupon (as well as one for each member of the family). He felt special the whole stay. There were also so many perks at this resort. I have also never been to a resort that offered 2 hrs of baby sitting (in the explorer club) while you are at your spa treatment. The wives and kids took advantage of the free shuttle (Mercedes Sprinter) to the local mall. Lastly, during our dinner at Amaya, everyone we encountered treated my family as if we were royalty. It wasn't the obvious things that caught my eye, but it was the attention to small details that amazed me. For example, my son was curious about our champagne, so the waiter went and put some Sprite in a decanter and pour it into a champagne glass for them (how awesome is that!). I can't say enough about their service...\nSorry for the long detail, but as you can see, I thoroughly enjoyed our visit. I can honestly say that you will get what you pay for at this resort.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I attended a large wedding at the hotel and used valet to park my car. When I got home that night I noticed my car (an S550 mercedes) was damaged.\nI contacted the hotel the next day and they told me to drive there (about 45 minute drive each way) and they would handle it. I went, waited about an hour for them to check it out. Was told their insurance company would take care of it. I drove my 45 minutes home. \nThey did not get back to me. After a follow up they had their insurance company call me and tell me that that regardless of anything, the fact that I didnt notice or report the damage before leading the hotel they would not cover it under and conditions. \nWhy did they jerk me around and have me spend 3 hours of my time on a fruitless trip up there???\nSo I called the hotel general manager who proceeded to continue to not take responsibility. 'What did you think? We would just write you a check?'\nUnfortunately for them, this is the attitude of the boss and this is the attitude at this hotel.\nBetter to stay away.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "I don't even know where to begin with this hotel, we ended up checking out two days earlier than we were due to. To start they put a holding charge of $6000 on our credit card for incidentals eh hello?? most hotels put $100 dollars max on. They never informed us they were doing this, which then ended up taking a whole 8 days to go back onto our credit card..\nNext the hotel room was beyond tacky with all the faux gold fittings on everything and the real old fashioned curtains which wouldn't even block out the light properly, our view was of nothing practically.\nHotel was full of screaming kids which totally put me off we were on our honeymoon obviously wanting to have some r&r, kids running up and down the corridors every morning waking us, screaming and running all over the restaurants. So off putting especially when you are paying like $495+ a night here. \nI rang the front desk to explain our concerns and express our unhappiness with all the noise from children etc, they were not one bit helpful or offering us alternative accommodation in the hotel, so i informed them we would be checking out two days earlier.\nOn check out day the guy at the front desk was nothing but down right rude to us. \nI was just so disappointed this was part of our honeymoon and they'd taken the good out of it for us.\nI would not recommend this \"over the top\" hotel to anybody..", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "My husband and I had the pleasure of visiting the Grand Del Mar in late December/early January. The hotel and grounds are beautiful, and the staff members are cordial and attentive. We stayed in a suite overlooking the golf course, and it is obvious that no expense was spared in building the facility and furnishing it. All of the rooms are spacious and have plasma TVs (including the bathrooms.) From the lobby to the restaurants and lounges, to the shops and spa, to the pools and tennis courts, the attention to detail is amazing. This is a resort that obviously cares about pleasing its guests, and it succeeds brilliantly. If you're looking for the atmosphere and amenities of a luxury hotel without the attendant snootiness, the Grand Del Mar can't be beat.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "108254": {"reviews": [{"text": "My husband and I and our two children (ages 11 & 6) stayed in a 1-bedroom suite for 3 nights. It is not the most luxurious hotel I have stayed at, but it is certainly worth the cost. The room was clean, the service was superior, everyone was very friendly and helpful in providing suggestions on places to eat and how to get around. The Alamo is a three block walk, there is a Foley's and Dillard's within a few blocks as well.\nThe breakfast buffet has something for everyone, from yogurt & bagels to freshly made waffles & scrambled eggs and sausage. The only recommendation on the breakfast buffet is that they hire someone to monitor it better as it required constant refills (there were a lot of people there during our visit).\nAs others have mentioned, the pool is small and I think it only goes as deep as 4 ft., but my kids enjoyed it and it was nice because they actually met other kids instead of being off by themselves. I sat in the hot tub which is separated by a wall from the pool, so my kids and I could talk while they were in the pool and I was relaxing in the hot tub.\nParking is $10 a night and there is no guarantee you will have a parking space. If the lot is full, you have to park across the street at a lot which will cost $7/night and is not covered. We only had problems one night when we got home around 9:30, other than that there was parking available.\nWe went to Sea World and it was just a 20 minute drive, close access to I-35.\nI would definately recommend this hotel.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Great location - right next to the Alamo and the Riverwalk. Throughout our week-long stay, the service was excellent: every member of the staff could not have been more attentive and cheerful - even an upper level manager took my dirty breakfast dishes from me one morning. Ask for towels and they're there in literally 2 minutes. The last time we received treatment like this was on a cruise ship! Our one bedroom suite was very clean, comfortable, and a nice size for our family of four. The kitchen area was great to have to reheat (restaurant) dinner leftovers for a quick lunch. The breakfast has LOTS of choices; hot foods and cold, fresh fruits, great OJ and drinkable coffee (this comment from a Starbucks regular). For the price, service, and location- this has to be one of the best hotels at the Riverwalk for families.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "My family stayed at the Residence Inn Alamo Plaza this past week and had a wonderful experience. The hotel was recently built and very clean. The suites are awesome--full kitchen with fridge, microwave, stove, dishwasher; separate bedroom with full closet and bathroom. The staff was EXTREMELY nice and friendly and the housekeeping even washes your dishes for you when they clean the room. The kitchen has everything you could possibly need from dishes to silverware to dishwashing detergent. They also have people on staff who will buy your groceries for no additional charge if you leave a list at the front desk by 9 am. There is a full buffet style breakfast in the morning with everything from cold cereal and oatmeal to sausage and eggs to making your own waffles. We have two children age 2 years and 10 months, and this hotel was perfect for them. It is very \"kid-friendly\" with an animal safari theme--each floor has a different stuffed animal in a little cage. Our daughter Annie loved seeing all the different animals. The waitresses in the morning also passed out animal stickers. If you have a two year old, you will know how exciting a little sticker can be! They also have new pack-and-plays (cribs) that you can use for no additional charge. The pool is pretty small but it was never that crowded so it wasn't a problem for us. There is also a hot tub next to the pool. There are three laundry rooms with washers and dryers (cost is .75). There is detergent and bounce in the laundry room that you can buy if you don't want to bring your own (cost is also .75). The hotel is only a few blocks from the Alamo and Rivercenter Mall. There is also a trolley stop nearby where you can catch a trolley to just about anywhere downtown. It is in a GREAT location. We were able to walk everywhere we wanted to go and rode the trolley a few times. We did drive to Seaworld and it only took us 15 to 20 minutes. Also, on Monday through Thursday the hotel has a hospitality hour from 5 to 7 where they serve appetizers and wine and beer. We paid $90 a night for the one bedroom suite b/c my husband is a doctor at the Veterans Hospital in Little Rock and we get a government rate. Parking in their garage is $10 a day. I don't think there is a better deal out there for a suite room with a kitchen this close to the Riverwalk area. Especially when you include the buffet breakfast. I would highly recommend this hotel--especially for families. Oh, and if you have a pet who will be traveling with you, they are allowed. There are also two bedroom suites if you have a bigger family. You really can't go wrong if you choose the Residence Inn Alamo Plaza!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 27}, {"text": "We stayed Memorial weekend, 2005 for 3 nights. Our group was 2 adults and 2 young children. We reserved and paid for a 1 bedroom but ended up in a studio because I erroneously booked a smoking room. My fault, but I would have loved to have been in a 1 bedroom. \nThe room was large comfortable and quiet! Well equipped.\nThe staff was GREAT! Very friendly, expedient and helpful. They know what they are doing! The maid brought a crib for us and set it up.\nThe location was very good, close to the Riverwalk, Alamo, bus stops and restaurants. Don't get a car, you will have to pay to park and you don't need it.\nThe breakfast was good, a lot of variety. My 3 yr old loved the waffles. We ate in the lobby next to the pool but many guests brought breakfast to their room.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "This hotel is literally one block to the Alamo and 2 blocks to the Riverwalk. Great family stay due to the kitchen and living room. The staff at this hotel were all excellent. The front desk was always available for suggestions on restaurants and tourist locations. It is located by a bar, but it didn't interrupt our sleep at all. The location is immediately off of I35 and very easily accessed. The breakfast buffet had great variety and stocked well. The value is just great at this hotel. The beds were comfortable but not luxurious. The pool is small, but adequate for small children. The hotel was incredibly clean. Just great service!!! Would stay again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We could not have been more pleased with this facility. The suite was exceptionally clean, service outstanding and breakfast buffet scrumptious and varied. This one is a real value and I would recommend it to anyone.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "After seeing websites for some of the more upscale hotels in the area, I was a bit concerned about what quality and service at the Residence Inn. However, we visited the Residence Inn in March 2004 and were thrilled with the hotel's location, staff, cleanliness, and value.\nThe Residence Inn is conveniently located near the Alamo and Riverwalk. \nWe rented a car, but really didn't need it since the hotel is just a few blocks from both. (For anything further, there was a trolley that runs through town that charges 50 cents a person.)\nThe room, lobby, exercise room, dining area were always clean. Although we saw the outdoor pool, we weren't able to use it during our visit as it was under construction. The exercise room was better than most hotel gyms that I've seen. It had two step machines, stationary bike, treadmill, dumbbells (10lbs up to at least 50lbs - I can't remember exactly), and one of those multi gym machines. The dining area where breakfast was served was always well-staffed and had plenty of food. \nDuring our stay, everyone on the staff was friendly, helpful, and courteous. I would definitely stay at this hotel again!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Stayed at the Menger for 2 nights and hated it. Tiny, Tiny, Tiny rooms that smelled bad. Moved over to the Residence Inn and loved it. Great staff (extremely friendly), nice breakfast buffet, and a short walk to the river.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "The Residence inn is about a block from the Alamo and just a few blocks from the River Walk and River Center Mall. There were four of us. Three adults and my 16 year old son in a two bedroom suite. The suite was very clean and the bedrooms both had doors for privacy. We had a TV in both bedrooms and the liveing room. The staff is very friendly and they know there jobs very well. The free breakfast was awesome. In my opinion, this place runs a class act as far as being clean and catering to the people who stay there. For the Money you can't beat it. i'am saving my marriott rewards also.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 44}]}, "239912": {"reviews": [{"text": "We are currently guests at this hotel and find that it has many plusses. The beds are amazingly comfortable, the rooms are spacious, the parking is free, and it is just a short walk to the Riverwalk. The only minus for my family is the freight trains that run all night and blow their whistles repeatedly for a couple of minutes whenever they pass. I was not woken up by this, but my husband was up five times last night from these trains. If you are a light sleeper, this would be something to consider. My husband is going to try my earplugs tonight, and I think that will solve the problem for him. Otherwise, I think this hotel is a great value and doesn't feel like a budget hotel in any way.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My daughter travels to San Antonio weekly for business. The Sunset Suites has been a great place for her to stay. This past week I went with her for a few days. The rooms are great. They are clean, roomy and fresh. The motel is everything it says it is. Ride the trolley to get to the Riverwalk. You can walk, it isn't very far, but you have to walk under an overpass and by a bus stop. I did it twice, during the day. I was never scared but stayed aware of my surroundings. The trolley drivers are helpful and you can get on very close to the motel. It costs less than a dollar every time you get on and ride. It is worth it. My only advice on the rooms: Ask for a parking lot view room. The rooms that face the street are vehicle noisy. This motel is great for business travel, or if adults are there for the shopping and the restaurants. I would not use this for a family place to stay.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "The hotel was very nice. The rooms were very clean and spacious. It was located a couple of blocks from the Rivercenter Mall and the Riverwalk. We rode the \"Via\" to an event at the SBC Center and it took us like 10 minutes to get there from the hotel. The staff was very friendly and helpful. The beds were soooo comfortable, it was hard getting up in the morning. The only two things that could have been a little better was the breakfast and the elevators. The breakfast was horrible and the elevators were sooooo slow. It took forever to get to our room on the fourth floor. Even though you could hear the train sometimes at night, it only lasted a couple of minutes and was not very loud. Other than that we had a nice stay and would definitely stay there again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I was a bit nervous about staying here based on the previous review and the freight train. But our experience was great. The rooms are very roomy, the staff was pleasant and yes there was a freight train everynight, but unless you are a very light sleeper the train should not bother you. The location of the hotel is great. Very close to the riverwalk (5 minutes) but without the Riverwalk prices. The only fault I was able to find was the AC in the rooom was a bit loud but all in all a great hotel. Would definitetly stay here again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Lovely clean hotel, spacious rooms (3 adults, 1 child in one room, 2 adults stayed in another) stayed one night. Complimentary breakfast, free wine and beer from 5-6pm each evening. However it is close to the railway tracks (Sunset station area) and freight trains ran all night, blowing their horn on the long entrance into the station every hour. \nNow some of our party didn't hear it and slept well but I had a very disturbed night. So for that reason, I wouldn't stay there again.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 13}]}, "625299": {"reviews": [{"text": "Me and My Family Went to San Antonio For a Weekend Getaway.It Was Our First Time Staying at this Hotel. Valet Parking Is Defintley Worth the $20.00, The Valet Guys Were So Nice,and Fast.We Really Loved The Hotel All Of The Employees Are Beyond Nice!!! They will Go out of your Way To Make You Happy, Everyone Is sooooo Nice.We Arrived Way Before 3:00pm and Were Told That our room wasnt Ready yet. They Took our Luggage,and Placed it in the back and Told Us they would Call us when it was Ready. In about 2 Hours Which was at 12:00 they called us and said the Room was Ready! (That Was Great Service to Have the Room Available that Fast) The Receptionist was so Nice I forgot her name she had( Blonde hair wrapped in a Bun. ) She was Amazing, So Sweet and Nice. The Suite was Great Big, Just a Little dark But other then That O and our View I wished it would have been Over Looking something Else instad of a roof of a Building. But other Then That The Room Was Super Beyond Clean, Smelled Good, Bathroom was Big and Nice,Clean. The Kickback 5:30, and Breakest was Soooo Good They Had a Huge Variety Of things To Eat, and Drink, It was Perfect, The People that Serve The Food Always Have a Good Smile In thier Face. The Lady that Welcomes you to the Food Area Is soooo Nice and She Makes you Feel Very Welcome with Her Sweet Words and Smile Katrina Is her Name. All The Managers are so Nice and make you feel welcome, They Greet you and ask you if they can Help you with Anything. Great Location, Great Employees, Great Parking,Great Rooms, = Best Hotel! Will Definetley Be Staying Here Again, and Again Thanks Drury For Being Such a Great Hotel!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "1584731": {"reviews": []}, "108571": {"reviews": [{"text": "We had a mouse living in our room while we stayed there and it only gets better... We checked in thinking we would have a wonderful relaxed weekend in the hill country,that wasn't the case, from the moment we checked in to the westin. Frist when we got to our king parlor room it was hot no air was running,we turned it on only to find it was not functioning, We called they sent a tech out who said he would take care of it.12 hours later another tech had to come out becase it still was not functioning. By the following day it was finally working. We went to eat breakfast it took forever to get a table even though there were many vacant tables we were told they were short staffed and did not have enough people to bus and wait on tables..Clue bring in enough staff on a holiday weekend. So then we left for a while to go out and about. When we returned they would not let us park in our designated lot we were told to return to the hotel to be told where to park..so we did ,they told us to return to the lot we were assigned in the first place this back and forth went on for 20 minutes ,when finally the hotel said to park in the assigned lot and if they give you a problem to tell security that management said to park there. as we returned to park in the assigned lot, I had to get out to move cones that had been placed there to avoid hitting them , Then suddenly a security man came running screaming at me, he got up in my face and almost knocking me down. I told him what i was told to tell him. He got mad and had brief argument with some one on his raidio and then decided to let me park. We still decided to stay and be troopers and things would get better after all we had 2 nights to go. We had been noticing strange shadows and hearing noises but did not think alot of it. my wife found one of the chocolates they put on your pillow half eaten and joked did you eat this last night. I said no, she said maybe i did it in my sleep....On our last night I awoke to the noise i had been hearing and realized something was in the room with us. It was a mouse that had taken up residence in the sofa. I hope he wasnt paying 550 a night! I woke my wife and told her not to panic...She did..We call staff at 1:00am they finally sent someone to try and catch the mouse by than he had probabky slipped into the adjoining suite. At that moment I realized that all the brown pellets i kept finding around the room and on our things were his poop. We check out at appx. 2:00am and drove home to houston.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husand made this reservation for our 10th wedding anniversary. I am a CLIA Travel Agent and had no part of this reservation. Our room was OK but for the price we paid, it was NOT worth it. The hotel is going through obvious renovations. We had a breautifil view of the scaffolding from our sliding glass door, the wallpaper was coming down in the toilet room and it took 20-30 minutes for the shower to drain. Dinner at Brendons was awful! Steak was served raw in the middle when ordered medium. Service was slow and the waiters did not check back with the table to see if there were any problems. We always had to grab someone else to get our waitress. Bell service was so disorganized we ended up taking our bags into the hotel on check in AND out to leave. Overall, the room, service, and prices charged are not worth staying at La Cantera. ADDITIONAL IMPORTANT INFO- As a travel agent, I faxed a complaint letter TWICE to the general manager, Tony Cherone, and one to Starwood corporation. I NEVER received a call from Mr. Cherone nor Starwood to acknowledge my letter. In summary, La Cantera nor Starwood care if you truly had a great stay or not, you are just another number sleeping in their bed!\nMichelle\nAustin,Texas", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husband and I booked a \"traditional room\" room internet rate $179. Purpose of the trip was to scope the hotel for future meeting use. Arrived at the hotel. Valet was backed up, we were lucky to get spot right out front to check in. Upon check in we were told our reserved room was not available, however they would upgrade us to a junior suite. Score! Arrived in the room and noticed an odor (wet) right away. As we started looking around noticed there were food crumbs all over the floor, the patio door was filthy (my guess a little one got a hold of it). The room was obviousy dirty other than the fact that the bed was made and looked comfy too! The more we looked around, the more grossed out I became. Called guest services, they said no problem, we'll put you in a \"casita suite\" which is a small apt. like room off the main grounds. You get your own golf cart to move around the grounds too. Great, we were excited! Arrived to the room to find hundreds of dead and alive huge, black ants. The bathroom floor and shower were thick with them. Not staying here! Moved to the last casita suite available, walked in and found that familair smell again. The room had obviously not been freshened up in a while, the ceiling tiles were wet stained. At this point, I had had enough and asked to go back to the lobby to check back out. Jason, who was taking us around was embarrassed. All the time, he was filling his manager in on our experience. Arrived back to possibly find any other options, but the hotel was booked solid. Those were the last three sorry rooms. I felt sorry for the next poor person coming in! We went ahead and decided to leave and never saw or heard from the manager upon doing so. We ended up at a Holiday Inn Express (everying else was booked in the area) which was much cleaner, but lacked the comfy looking bed! In summary, would not suggest this property to anyone and we will not be back for any meetings! Not an apology or otherwise from any management at the hotel other than from Jason, guest services, who tried so hard to help us find a decent room.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Based on the many favorable reviews I found here, I booked a deluxe room here for our anniversary weekend. We suffered a number of minor annoyances and while it's not a really bad place to stay I didn't find the level of service and accomodations justified the luxury price tag. The room was a bit small, the bathtub cramped, and much of the view was blocked. We had enormous difficulty getting into our room in the first place as the first three sets of keys they gave us did not work. Finally they sent someone up to let us in but by this time we'd been running back and forth to the front desk for a good 15-20 minutes, and it was another 10 minutes or so before someone arrived with a working set of keys. The in-room movies died after about half an hour and despite an immediate call to the front desk the charge still appeared on our bill and had to be taken off the next morning. We attempted to watch TV but every few minutes there was some kind of electical interference that ruined the reception. When our bill arrived, there was a charge of $1008.00 for \"valet parking\". Of course they resolved this, but overall this was hardly the first-class hotel experience I'd been given to expect.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "The hotel is nice and comfortable and the staff is friendly, BUT watch out for the added charges. Getting \"nickel and dimed\" after paying over $200 per night just isn't first class. You will be charged $10/day per room for the use of items/services that are typically included with the quoted room rate at other properties of this type (i.e. fitness room, tennis, pool, short shuttle to Six Flags) even if you use none of them. Also, the parking situation is ridiculous. Either you pay $12 + tip for valet to park your car in the nearby valet lot or you can self-park down the hill a few hundred yards from your room. There should be NO charge for valet parking here as it costs them nothing. This hotel is not downtown where they have to lease parking garage space. Nothing like walking around Six Flags for four or five hours only to return to the hotel and walk up a hill another ten to fifteen minutes to your room. Also, $10.75 + 20% +$3.75 for a room service hamburger is a little pricey and their menu is very limited.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Our three night stay at the La Cantera capped off our 7 night visit to San Antonio (first part of trip at the Riverwalk). What a great choice. It may have been low season (April, during the Fiesta San Antonio) which accounted for small crowds at the hotel, not sure how/if this factored into our stay but the facilities and especially the AWESOME Service were superb. ALL the staff, from the valet and doorman, registration, etc. were perfect...quick attentive service without a hint of snobery that I've occasionally experienced at other luxury properties. My kids (4 yr old girl / 8 yr old boy) were also treated great, with Westin Kid's Club freebies in their hands before we got to the room. They were thrilled...and especially enjoyed the numerous pools and endless free drink refills at any location in the hotel (including pool side). Made it easy for mom and dad to relax with a cocktail and let the kids get their own drinks. A few days were overcast, but the pool staff immediately opened all pool areas and attended the waterslide to allow my children access to any activity they wanted. Food was also superb in the restaurants and the room was excellent as expected in a Westin. I didn't pay for valet, however each time I parked in self-parking, a Westin employee had followed me from the lobby where I had dropped my family off, and offered me a ride back (I declined each time preferring to walk through the lovely grounds.). I previously always stayed at Hilton properties to consolidate my HHonors points....but after this great stay at the La Cantera, my first choice goes to Starwood if the price is right.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "269651": {"reviews": [{"text": "Me and my husband wanted to get away for our anniversary and this was defenitely the place to do it at. We had to change our dates which was no problems for the hotel and they even upgraded our room without asking. The romula room was beautiful. You felt like you were at home. Could not have been more comfortable with the great bed and linens they use. My husband wants to redo our bathroom in slate tile now. All the details to this room were unbelievable. The robes, fish, teddybear, cookies, leather chair, journal book for the guest and more. They always have coffe available and in the afternoon they put out fresh baked cookies. Its going to be very hard to stay at a chain hotel again. We will defenetely recommend the Riverwalk Vista and will stay again if we have the opportunity without kids.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "We stayed at the Riverwalk Vista for our first anniversary. Our expectations were pretty high because we had read such great reviews. Well, we didn't have an information booklet in our room that had information we apparently needed and when we told the manager about, we still didn't receive one. There was a tin of cookies by the bed, but when I went to eat some, I realized they were half eaten. The sodas and juices that were in the mini-fridge were $2 a piece, but we didn't know that until checkout. (Info was probably in missing booklet) Now, all that being said, it was a very pretty place. The bedding was nice and we loved the large shower. The breakfast was really good. And the entire hotel smelled of warm cinnamon. Plus, the staff was very friendly. So all things considered, we would go back to the Riverwalk Vista. Just expected a little bit more for a very special weekend.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "I stayed at the Riverwalk Vista for 5 nights during an international conference. The room was fantastic. The bed was very confortable. The view of downtown San Antonio through the large windows were amazing. I stone shower was quite an experience for one or two. The breakfast and mid afternoon snack ws just enough. The fact that they provided access to a real gym a few blocks away was great. Most places only have a rusty trend machine. I high recommend this place for all travelers, especially for couple on a romantic excursion. It's also a great place for travelers who are tired of the monotony of a chain.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed at the Vista for a long weekend. The location was excellent. The rooms are furnished with real furniture, leather chairs, down comforters. The rooms are HUGE with hardwood floors. Light sleepers, note, you are on a busy street, so you may hear muffled traffic noises. You even get a \"therapy\" fish. Nice toiletries provided, great shower, the shower stall was covered in beautiful slate. It was definitely a cut above the typical chain hotels.\nWe did have a small glitch at arrival. This hotel is run like a small boutique apartment. There is no parking onsite, but reasonable parking at $7 a day is nearby. We attempted to check in, but the concierge's phone kept dropping us. Once we were inside, the staff arrived promptly, and was very gracious. There was only usually one person on site, but since there were only 17 rooms, this was okay. We used the free DSL connection. Free DVD's are available to rent if you want. Diaries of previous traveler's comments were in each room, they were all positive.\nThe continental breakfast was great, well presented and stocked. Free bottles of water were in the minifridge. Free chocolate chip cookies for afternoon snack.\nDefinitely an excellent value.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "This hotel is fantastic. It's very small, which makes it a very special place to stay. The quality is far above any of the large hotels on the Riverwalk. \nThe little touches, such as the teddy bear on the bed, the rubber ducky in the shower and the great breakfast make this place so enjoyable. Of course, the great bed and the huge shower are fantastic as well. \nThe only downside to this place is the lack of hotel property parking and the noise factor. They have white noise machines which make it bearable, but try to get a room that doesn't face Commerce street out front if you can. \nI will definately stay here again when I am in San Antonio.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "From the moment I booked this property, I noticed the staff's attention to\ndetail and desire to accomodate the guest. The hotel is very unique. Our suite faced the riverwalk. We were there during \"fiesta\". We felt secluded in our lovely room and yet only had to look out of our beautiful, long windows to see all of the excitement below. The lovely wood floors, the beautiful bathroom, the heavenly bed and linens, the delicious breakfast, and most of all, the very professional staff all worked together to make this a perfect get-away. We will definitely go back!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Excellent info and service from first log on to last goodby. Staff very friendly and helpful in your having a great stay. Totally private yet in the heart of the riverwalk scene. Looking forward to repeat visits in the future.Rooms very period yet comfy and how about the fun size showers.Don't forget the full breakfast and over the top extras. Gotta love it, we did.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "This place should be the definition of the in-town boutique hotel. It's small, it's charming, it's attractive, it's quirky. It really is one of the best hotels I've ever stayed at. I guess the only downside is that there is a bit of road noise outside -- which they mitigate with white noise speakers. But from the bathroom to the bed to the breakfast, this place was distinctive and unique throughout.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My fiancee (girlfriend at the time) stayed at the Riverwalk Vista last year. After doing some research online, I thought this hotel had what we wanted for a decent price. We found out a few days before arrival that it was also during Fiesta, which is basically a BIG party. When we arrived, our wine was already chilled in our room along with (HUGE)chocolate dipped strawberries as requested. The bed was perfect. The bathroom beautiful and the slate shower was something you would expect an a 5-star resort. The doorman gave us all the information we needed about where to go and how to get there. It has been very hard reserving hotels now since they are all now compared to the Riverwalk Vista. Its location is perfect; right in the center of everything. We walked everywhere. We shall be back!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "From start to finish, the Riverwalk Vista was an excellent choice. I was attending a conference and didn't want to stay at the conference hotel so though an online search, I found this cross between a B&B and a small hotel. The staff were very personable, made us feel welcome (which is sometimes a scary thing for a gay couple traveling in Texas), and very unobtrusive. The location is deceptively central to all points of interest, the rooms are spacious and give a sense of uniqueness which is difficult to find in any accommadations (the bathrooms are amazing without being over the top). The common areas are inviting to the point I didn't want to go out but plop myself in an overstuffed leather chair overlooking the street scene and just read. I have travelled the globe and have to say this was one of the most pleasent and unexpected experiences I've enjoyed in a long time.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "99535": {"reviews": [{"text": "Stayed for one night, property well maintained, clean, convenient location.\nCustomer service poor, small rooms.\nConsider Hilton or Marriott property, if staying in SanAntonio.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "The Westin is probably one of the nicer hotels in San Antonio. That being said, there is nothing spectacular about it compared to high quality hotels in other large cities. The rooms are nicely decorated with updated decor. The public areas are clean and pretty to look at. We looked at the Contessa suites across the street, and rooms were just as nice, for less money. We also looked at a room at the Watermark, and thought that the Watermark was definetly a nicer more upscale hotel with each room having huge vaulted ceilings and a separate marble shower in the bath room.......only issue at the watermark is if you don't pay for a river view room, you will have a view of a brick wall. Some helpful hints about the Westin: If you want a true view of the river, ask for a room starting at X01-X06.....most of the other rooms face the river, but overlook the pool deck. Avoid breakfast at the restaurant, it was ridiculously overpriced and not very good. We looked at a junior suite and weren't impressed, just a larger variation of the standard room. The riverview room is worth the upgrade as the city view is lack luster. As far as noise, if you have ever stayed in a larger city, the noise is no different in SA. I will say however, other hotels I have stayed at in New York and Chicago seem to have better quality glass on the windows that deadens the outside noise better. Overall a quality hotel, definetly worth the money if you can get a deal like we did: Stay 3 nights for the price of 2.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Our family stayed at the Westin November 2005 and I'm just getting around to doing a review. Two people in our party are travel agents so we know what to expect, but we still \"live by\" the informative reviews of people that have been there. I just want to make a couple of comments. It is true that this hotel is a little expensive on their amenities, but that's to be expected with this level of hotel and these reviews are great because if we didn't know about the five dollar bottled water, we would certainly learn about it before traveling and make an informed decision. \nDuring our stay, we had a family crisis. Our lives will be for ever changed. With this in mind, the biggest comment I want to say is that The STAFF at the Westin was absolutely wonderful and the service was impeccable. Even during our situation, I was consciously aware of the level of service and very glad that I was in a Westin.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I booked a weekend getaway at the Westin Riverwalk for my wife and I on our 5th Wedding Anniversary. I spent a little extra on the \"Romance Package\", which included wine and strawberries, daily in-room breakfast, and a late 4:00 p.m. check out.\nFirst, we were given the wrong room. I booked a room with a large 14x30 balcony and they gave me a room with a 4x8 balcony. That took an hour to get sorted out.\nSecond, I had a florist deliver flowers to the front desk with the instructions they were to be waiting in our room when we arrived. Instead, they had been sitting at the front desk for hours and were only delivered to our room once I inquired about them.\nThird, we waited for 1 1/2 hours for the wine and strawberries to be delivered to the room.\nFourth, we were told we could not check out late, per the package, because of the availability.\nI will never stay at The Westin Riverwalk again. The Riverwalk is awesome and there are plenty of other hotels to stay at.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "January 15, 2005 Just in from a saturday night stay at san antonio river walk westin. first off im a working class person not a millionare. I was shocked at check in when i was told the hotel has no parking garages or lots of its own. Was given directions how to get to a city owned garage and it was close and only cost me $18.00 to park there overnite. The room was clean and the bed was nice however the privite balcony was very very small, but I could see the river from it. From the window I could only see air conditioners and a parking garage and I thought the $5 bottles of water was a bit much. If I had to do it all over I would not have paid extra for the river walk side. Its about 5 blocks down the river til you get to any nightlife(resturants/bars/shops). Want be staying with them again.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We recently stayed at the Westin-Riverwalk hotel and simply enjoyed everything about the facility. The room service was timely, the room was immaculate and the rate was appropriate for the service we had received. This is a great hotel for the entire family with everything, i.e., attractions and restaurants right at your doorstep. My only complaint, due largely on my part to poor planning, was that we had booked reservations during the Alamo Bowl. The overcrowded riverwalk made for 1-2 hour lines for food service.\nP.S. In response to the previous guests, \"YES! there are trains somewhere near that hotel.\" Our room was located on the 12th floor and I heard the horn at least 3 times throughout the night.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My family and I stayed here on a mid-winter holiday visit to San Antonio. The hotel is lovely, and the staff very welcoming. Everyone -- the receptionists at the front desk, the concierge, bell men, waiters, housekeepers, the news store clerk -- was completely on top of his or her job and a real pleasure to deal with. The rooms are large and beautifully equipped, with spacious marble bathrooms, \"heavenly beds,\" good lighting, and comfortable chairs for reading and for work, plus big French doors opening onto a small balcony. Some might find the location too quiet, but it was perfect for us: a beautiful spot near the south end of the River Walk, where you can enjoy the magical play of the lights on the water without the dense crowds and the sometimes overwhelming noise that characterize the area a little upstream. It's the best of all worlds: a peaceful oasis that is still easily accessible to everything. We especially enjoyed the outdoor galleries off the main lobby and the quiet riverside courtyards adjoining the restaurant and the coffee bar on the lower floor. Prices seemed fair: in the upper middle of the range.\nIf I could change a couple of things, I'd enlarge the driveway, which is too small for the amount of traffic attempting to use it, and do something to enliven the restaurant, which has good (albeit expensive) food but is awfully quiet and often empty.\nBottom line: this hotel is right in the sweet spot for quality, price, location, and service. We had a wonderful time, and will definitely return.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Just returned from a three night stay at the Westin Riverwalk Hotel in San Antonio. Clean and friendly Hotel. Located on Riverwalk, close to all Riverwalk and Downtown attractions. Would stay there again when in San Antonio.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We liked the Westin Riverwalk very much. I just want to add a few things that might help people who are planning to stay there. First, we had a room overlooking the river, which was very nice. However, we were on the 15th floor, so our view of the river came with a dose of vertigo. If it's important to you to enjoy the river from your balcony, then you should request a room on a lower floor, and also ask them if you'll be directly over the river or over the pool. Also, we tried to leave our French doors open all night for the fresh air, but we kept being awakened by train whistles and were forced to keep our doors closed. When we asked about it at the front desk, the woman looked at us as if we were nuts and said, \"There are no trains around here.\" We decided that we must have heard the trains because we were on the top floor, with no taller buildings around to absorb the sound. (Honestly, we are not nuts--there were train whistles!) Second, the hotel is very large, so our walk from the elevator to our room was pretty long, taking us down several hallways. We didn't mind at all, but if you are disabled or simply don't want to walk that far, you should ask for a room that is closer to the elevators. Finally, if you want good information from the concierge, we found the night-shift concierge much more helpful and knowledgeable than the man on the day shift. The Westin is a lovely place with good service. I think you'll enjoy it.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "My husband and I went there for our anniversary, we would have been better off staying at a 2 star hotel. We have stayed at Sheraton Hotels around the world and this was dissappointing. Greatly over priced for a hotel were you open doors yourself, have to call to have your room serviced and have house keeping come by at 9:00 PM, as well as other unsatisfactory situations. When you spend this much money their shouldn't be much, if any, dissatisfaction.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We recently stayed at the Westin Riverwalk after staying for several days at another Riverwalk Hotel, the Sheraton. The Westin is very typical of a high priced, deluxe hotel. Lobby is very formal and as soon as you enter the hotel, you smell money. This hotel is for the traveler who doesn't have any problems with spending or showing their cash. The property is new and caters to the upper crust of society. The service all the way from the valet, to the concierge was top of the line. \nThe property itself is new which says it is in mint condition. It is along the Riverwalk, however it is more private and not in the heart of the area. The active area is within a beautiful stroll along the river beneath the street and under the unique tree canopy along the river. \nWe had a deluxe mini-suite which was enormous for two people. The room was very tasteful and all the plush amenities you expect at a Westin. The Heavenly Bed, the plush bath, etc... \nThe restaurants are very nice but pricey. More fun to dine along the Riverwalk and people watch. \nVery small pool, not even really a pool. Would not go there with kids, not a kid friendly place. More of a mature, classy atmosphere. \nIf you enjoy a deluxe property and don't mind paying for it, this is for you. Would recommend parking yourself across the street as parking is only $9.00/day compared to valet of $26.00/day if you want to save a few dollars. \nOverall, you can expect what you pay for at this hotel.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husband and I vacationed in San Antonio August 30, 31 & September 1, 2004 and absolutely loved this hotel! From the moment we stepped out of our rental car to the second our taxi pulled away from the drive, we were enveloped in \"Westin Magic.\" Everyone, from the doorman, front office staff, concierge, housekeeping, and wait staff, brought their \"A\" game. Our room was outstanding, with a view of the city. The Heavenly Bed is without equal, as is the Heavenly Bath. The dual showerheads were an unexpected extravagance. If you only stay one night in San Antonio, make your reservation at The Westin Riverwalk! Hint: Room rates through Priceline.com were much less expensive than what we were quoted when calling the hotel direct. We were quoted a rate of $189 per night; we booked through Priceline.com at $70 per night, and that price included all taxes. There was absolutely no difference in the type of room we received; we are non-smokers and priceline booked us in a smoking room. We requested non-smoking at the front desk and immediately received it. Without a doubt, we will stay in this hotel when we return to San Antonio!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My boyfriend and I just went to San Antonio for Fiesta and I'm so glad we chose to stay at the Westin Riverwalk. I knew it would be nice, but wasn't expecting it to be beyond expectations. This hotel is absolutely beautiful and the rooms are fabulous and very spacious. Our room had a balcony overlooking the Riverwalk which was also very nice. The Heavenly Bed is awesome! The most comfortable bed I've ever slept in. The staff was very friendly and helpful too. Room service was great. Another highlight of this hotel is it's right on the beautiful Riverwalk and was less than a block away from NIOSA (Night in Old San Antonio) which we had a great time going to for a couple of nights. This will definitely be the place we stay at when we make future trips to San Antonio!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "The Westin has a very nice lobby. The guest rooms are comfortable with down comforters and nice extras like a bath robe, lighted makeup mirror, etc. The bathrooms are nice with marble tile. Unfortunately, the insulation is poor between rooms. We could hear the phone ringing in the room next door. They had a wake up call every morning at 6:30 a.m.! The other downfall was the pool is outdoors, is rather small, and is not heated.We went in March and it was too cold to swim. The excercise room is right off the pool and is well equipped. The restaurant is just okay. I had banana and blueberry crepes. The crepes were filled with granola and had the blueberries and banannas on top. This was rather unusual to me. There is no gift shop. A small amount of toiletries are available in the restaurant. There are no pop machines and a can of pop is $3.00 in the honor bar. I would most recommend this hotel because of its lacation. It is great to be on the Riverwalk. We had a nice view from our room.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "The Westin Riverwalk Hotel is the best hotel in the San Antonio area!! Its convenient location puts you minutes away from the major city attractions. The riverwalk is right behind the hotel which made it convenient for me to relax by their verandas, walk to the river walk restaurants and mall, and take a walk thru the beautiful riverwalk scenery. The customer service and attention was exceptional and the staff was very friendly and helpful at all times. I requested a room away from street noise (I\u2019m a light sleeper) and they did an excellent job accommodating my special request. The hotel\u2019s free afternoon snack, also called \u201cla merienda\u201d was just delicious. Their \u201cagues frescas\u201d or natural juices were delicious and refreshing specially when accompanied with their Mexican cookies. The hotel public areas were beautifully decorated and clean. The gym facility was really nice with a sauna right next too it. They also had an individual TV for every treadmill and all the equipment was well maintained. My room was beautiful, spacious, comfortable, clean, and well maintained. The bed was just heavenly with plush pillows and soft linen. I would definitely stay in Westin Riverwalk next time I travel to San Antonio.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "I stayed 3 days at the Westin in November 2004. I picked the hotel based on the reviews on TripAdvisor and did not regret it. \nThe location is excellent, on Market Street on the river walk. On the river level they have a restaurant with tables next to the river; my wife and I loved to have breakfast there every morning. We liked the fact that the particular stretch of the river walk where the hotel is located is calm and serene but at the same time it is only 200 yards from the most popular stretch where the restaurants are. It is also very close to the ticket/boarding for the boats. I recommend a ride on the river boats. \nThe hotel provides several newspapers and on Tuesday-Saturday provides an afternoon snack/tea for free on the lobby level. \nWe stayed in the cheapest room, which had a king bed, a comfort chair and a desk; the size was pretty big. The TV is built into a chest of drawers. Internet access is free, you just have to register. The bed is really heavenly as they say; it was the coolest and most comfortable bed I've ever slept. My wife loved the bed sheets, pillows, comfort, etc...\nThe bathroom is awesome, all marble. There was plenty of hot water and the double shower provides an incredible amount of water, it sprays a big area of one's body, which is very relaxing and soothing.\nThey have an outdoor pool and a nice gym with LifeFitness equipemnt. They have 3 threadmills, one eliptical, 2 bikes and one stair master in addition to several weight machines and free weights. Each cardio equipment has an individual flat TV controlled by buttons. \nThe restaurant is not cheap but you are not stuck with it because there are plenty of restaurants nearby. \nI highly recommend the Westin.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "My boyfriend and I stayed at this hotel over Memorial Day weekend and had a wonderful time. We booked a package on the westin.com site that included two breakfasts each morning (up to $60). I think the roommate with this deal was $175/night or less. This was a good deal for the quality of this hotel. It's beautiful! The hotel is first class. We were there during a Spurs play off game and the visiting team was staying in the hotel at the time. The rooms are spacious and very well appointed. The beds, linens and ammenities were lovely. Very comfortable rooms (and the bed was heavenly). We had breakfast in the room one morning and it was delivered promptly on a table with white linens and flowers. Very romantic. The next morning we had breakfast outside at a nice table right along the river. The wait staff was amazing. Very friendly. You just present your coupon that came with the room and order whatever you like. It was great. The hotel has a small pool and pool bar that will suit your needs. It was small, but the set up was nice and they have pretty flowers all around. The pool is outside off of the fitness room.\nThe hotel offers valet parking but we self parked at the garage directly across the street to save a few bucks. Very convenient. The hotel location is set back a bit from the noise of the Riverwalk estabilishments but still close enough for a nice stroll to the fun. The elevator takes you right down to the RiverWalk. And you need you key to enter the hotel at night which is good for security.\nWe drove around town a bit and went to the farmers market on the weekend. It's worth the trip for shopping and specialty foods. It's less than 5 minutes away and parking ($5) is available in a garage right across from the market.\nHaving never been I was pleasantly surprised by the RiverWalk. Yes, it's touristy, but we were tourists and to be honest, there were a lot of nice places to dine and relax. We did it all- barbeque, beers, the river tour, Italian, wine, shopping. It was a great weekend trip. We met friendly locals and really enjoyed our stay. I recommend the river boat tour.We took it toward the end and didn't realize we were missing out on parts of the River Walk. \nAsk the concierge for a print out of the self-guided Mission tour. We follwed the map and made it to all of the missions. There was construction, but somehow we found our way to each one. You only need about 30 mins. at each so I recommend the self guided tour. \nWe enjoyed everything about the trip. The hotel was wonderful. The location was great. The staff was friendly. We would certainly stay here again. I recommend checking the Westin site for package deals.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}]}, "1723698": {"reviews": []}, "1140713": {"reviews": []}, "288617": {"reviews": [{"text": "This hotel is just not quite there, with regards service, when compared to similar priced locations in other cities. For a room with the river view, with valet, the price with tax, etc. came to 411.00. Ritz prices or Four Season prices. Unfortunately, this is not a Ritz or a Four Seasons.\nThe hotel itself is very nice. A nice color scheme, furnishings, etc.\nHowever, the service is not really there. At check in, (5pm) we were told to have a seat in the lobby???? When questioned, we were told the room was being inspected. In actuality, the staff was likely bringing ice to the room, but, if this is a service that is offered, it should be offered without the delay. one demerit.\nOf course, the room was not inspected, as there was a portion of a snack bag wrapper, in the middle of the hallway in the room, leading past the bath, to the bed area. Quite obvious there was no \"inspection\". Demerit 2.\nThe bathroom was very nice, and had a rug in front of the sink. However, our rug was wet, to the extent that it would hold the outline of your foot/shoe. We asked for a new rug to be brought up to the room before 6pm. A second call had to be made at 930 pm, after which one was brought up. Unfoprtunately, that rug to was wet. There is some problem there, although I don't know what it was. Demerit 3.\nAt 10pm, once we had alrady gotten back to the room from dinner, and begun getting ready bed, we received a call asking if we wanted turn down service. 10pm for turn down seemed late to me.\nWe were told to allow 15 minutes to retireve the vehicle. we called at checkout to retrieve the vehicle, 5-7 minutes later, when we were settling at the front desk, the lady first told the valet that we needed a car. Again, a little thing that you expect not to occur for this stated level of hotel.\nHad dinner at Pesca.....Unfortunately, another \"wanna-be\" experience. The timing was simply not there. Althouth the prices are in the $40 an entree range, which for san antonio is on the high end, the chef could not get his timing straight. The soup, although out of a turin at tableside, was luke warm at best, and, the timing between courses was inconsistent. The lobster was very good, however, but the redfish was likely not as fresh as touted, as it did not have a clean redfish taste, but had some \"fish\" taste.\nThis review may seem to be picky, and, it should be, given the price, and the touted level of service. Unfortunately, this hotel is simply an Omni, without the Omni name on the door.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I must admit, reading the reviews on tripadvisor, I was a litte worried about our stay at the Watermark from August 1-4. After staying there, I realized that people should not go by a lot of previous reviews - because most of the problems have been addressed. Okay, let's begin.\nThe Property\nOne word - excellent. The property is small and quaint, the interiors are beautiul, and there is nothing else like it in San Antonio.\nLocation\nThe location is phenominal - Right at the beginning of the main area of the riverwalk. Here's what people have to understand - The Riverwalk is a \"U\". All the shopping, bars, restaraunts etc. are on the Northern half of the \"U.\" So even though the Westin, for example, is just down the street from the Watermark - it isn't by all the action. If you want to be able to walk out of your door and be in the action - the only other places you can stay are the Hyatt, La Mansion, or Drury Inn & Suites. None of these properties even compare to the Watermark - I have visited all of them. All except La Mansion (a lot older) were built right before the World's Fair in the Late '60s...therefore are not that great. The Drury is just...well...your average Drury, The Hyatt is old and outdated (Which is why they are constructing a brand new hotel near the alamodome) and the La Mansion is VERY old, VERY outdated has a very bad smell, and is extremely confusing to navigate. If you want to be near the Rivercenter Mall (a dump, by the way) and the convention center - check out the Marriot Riverwalk or Marriot Rivercenter. Neither are anything special - Just your average Marriot. If you want to be somewhat isolated - check out the Hilton Palacio del Rio (Same as the Hyatt), The Westin (Nice, bad location) Or the Hotel Contessa. If you want to be completely isolated - check out the Crowne Plaza. \nOkay, sorry folks - back to the Watermark.\nGuest Rooms\nVery well done. Spacious, great colors, comfortable beds, quiet (contrary to previous reviews) , and an excellent bathroom. I had a city view room, which looked out onto a brick wall - but that didn't really bother me. The Riverwalk view rooms are $100 more per night - and are a rip off. There is the riverwalk, then a street. The hotel is on the side of that street oposite the riverwalk itself. So a riverwalk view looks out onto a street that is next to the riverwalk. Not worth $100/night.\n8th floor Rooftop Pool & Fitness Center\nThe fitness center is state of the art. All the latest machines with indiviual flat screen TVs. Okay so the pool. The first day I went it was great - all the lounge chairs had towels on them, were made up perfectly, the pool was clean, and I had it all to myself. The second day I went, there was trash and towels thrown all over - (I called the front desk and they sent someone up to clean things right away) but the pool was still clean and I had it all to myself. If I have one complaint about the Watermark - it's the Third Day. I went up to the pool about 6 o'clock. The chairs were made up decently and the pool was clean, but there were kids. 4-5 Very young children running around, screaming, splashing, yelling and spilling drinks. This hotel is marketed to Adults - and adults shouldn't go up to the pool expecitng a romantic evening and find young kids running around. The hotel should send the kids over to the La Mansion pool - more of a family friendly atmopshere.\nDining\nThe Rooftop Cafe was decent, but the hotel should have the person on staff there waiting on people at the pool since it's right next door. I didn't eat at the hotels more formal restauraunt Pesce - there are way to many other great options on the Riverwalk to eat overpriced hotel food. Try Acenar, Mi Tierra, Rit'as Ice House, Paesanos, and the Hard Rock Cafe.\nSecurity\nThe Keycard elevator access was a nice feature. My only complaint was that the door at riverwalk level was always unlocked - it should require a keycard based on the way people behave on the riverwalk. There is a lot of drinking going on. \nService\nService was excellent for the most part. Housekeeping always made up the room, and turndown service was on time. The front desk staff was very friendly and the bellhops always opened the doors. I was a little unimpressed when I asked the concierge about good dessert - and she led me to a dump of a candy shop in the bottom of the Hyatt - but she was helpful for the most part. My only complaint was when I called the front desk to request pillows, bottled water, etc. they were a little slow, but oh well.\nThe Spa\nExcellent treatments, very well designed and massive.\nA few final notes - \nThe Internet was high priced, and contrary to what I was told, there was no high speed on the internet on the roof, in the lobby, or at Pesca. Keep in mind the state, county, and city taxes hit you big time. A room that was $229 a night ended up being $269 a night. \nOverall, I would deffinately call this a 5 star hotel. Obviously they have fixed everything that people have complained about, and the service is excellent. You can't beat the hotel or the location. I will be back for sure.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Right off the bat, I must say that this is a beautiful hotel. We originally were booked at La Mansion, but were disappointed in the riverview king we had reserved. The room seemed small and very worn. So, we checked out the Watermark across the street, and quickly decided to accept the last room they had available, which was a handicapped accessible room on the back of the building. The fact that there was no view really didn't matter, because to get the feel of the Riverwalk one must really be down on the river level, strolling along the river. The bed was wonderful, and the room was clean. The marble bathroom was spectacular. \nOn the negative side, housekeeping was nonexistent. We had to call each day around dinnertime to get them to come. Also, one morning the maid banged on the door and yelled, \"HOUSEKEEPING!!\", even though we had a please do not disturb sign on the door handle. That is really not acceptable. They failed to leave towels one day, and they didn't leave regular coffee, just decaf, for the coffeemaker. The main problem is housekeeping. The facility itself, concierge, front staff are all great. Pesca was very good for lunch, but I waited at least an hour for my food, for which they apologized, but it was really, really slow. \nThe location is great. We enjoyed the Lion King at the Magestic Theatre. Would highly recommend that, and loved the Alamo. People were very nice in the entire area. Taxis were good, and the area is very clean and tourist friendly. \nLoved the spa-thanks, Nora! The spa is the best part of the hotel, along with the rooftop pool and hot tub at night. Just beautiful.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My wife and I traveled to San Antonio for a quiet few days together. We stayed three weekday nights at the Watermark. We found the experience disappointing. The Hotel bills itself as \u201c4-Star\u201d but falls short of the mark (no pun intended).\nAmong the problem areas: late or nonexistent housekeeping, a non-functioning minibar refrigerator (even after notifying the front desk 3 separate times over two days), leaking shower door that took 3-4 towels to soak up, dirty windows that obscured the view, a balcony door that would not close completely, a newspaper one morning but not the other two mornings, continental breakfast for two that came with 1 glass of orange juice and 2 cups of coffee with not enough for refills (about 2 ounces in the pot) both mornings it was ordered, a lackluster rooftop caf\u00e9 with as much ambience as a cheap apartment balcony, no bath oils/bubblebath (in a \"spa\" room), outrages fees for small items ($4 for a eight ounce soft drink, $10 for a 2 inch bath sponge), no in-house bar and a friendly but unhelpful staff.\nOn the positive side, the hotel is in a great location, is pleasing to the eye, the room was spacious and well appointed, and food at the in-house restaurant (Pesca\u2019s) was excellent. I did read reviews that mentioned the parking as expensive, however we were billed one fee of $25 for a total of three nights of parking making it one of the cheaper places to park in the riverwalk area. If they do charge the same fee (425) for just one night than it would not be a good deal at all.\nWe feel like the hotel has quite a lot of \u201cmaturing\u201d to do before it becomes a true 4 Star property. We won\u2019t be going back anytime soon.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 27}, {"text": "Beautiful hotel in a beautiful location. Housekeeping was done very late in the day and then not all that well (we stayed four nights and I am pretty sure sheets weren't changed and a peanut on the floor never did get vacuumed up). Our banquet dinner was amazing, best steak I have every had. Front desk staff frustrated me a bit, they didn't know how to make long distance calls. I couldn't call collect and they told me I needed a country code to call Canada. We finally just called direct but I was a bit upset with $12 for a 2 minute call. I don't travel much but I found the mini bar items really expense ($3.50 for a half size can of soda). The staff around the hotel was always nice and polite but the one afternoon we were in our room was a bit annoying with staff coming in and checking on stuff but I am not sure if this is necessarily a down side. The pool was a beautiful way to spend time. We really did enjoy our stay.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "The Watermark, now almost 2 years old, made the top 10 in the recent Conde Nast Traveler Reader\u2019s Choice Awards for US hotels. The hotel\u2019s website claims that San Antonio now has a \u201cworld-class hotel and spa.\u201d Well\u2026not quite. \nI have stayed at all kinds of hotels, and have had wonderful experiences at both modest and not-so-modest properties. I am not a high-maintenance traveler. My expectations are commensurate with the hotel category and the location (US vs. Europe or Asia, for instance). Given the cost ($349) per night and the glowing reviews, I had high hopes for the Watermark. What I found was a beautiful hotel with spotty service from a sometimes unseasoned staff.\nCheck in time is 3:00. Upon arrival at 4:30, I was told my room would not be ready until 6:00. I expressed displeasure with this and was told that the hotel had contracted a \u201clate departure\u201d of 5:00 that day for a large group and that there were no rooms available. I found this an unsatisfactory situation and explanation, and asked to speak to a manager; one of the other staff members at the front desk simply stepped forward and reiterated what had just been said. There was no attempt made to remedy this situation in any way at this time. A room was available an hour later. As I scrambled to get ready for a dinner reservation, I called down to see if I might borrow an umbrella but was told none were available (not sure why; not raining heavily and the hotel certainly was no longer close to full at that point). The next day, I asked to speak to the general manager. He was apparently busy that day and farmed out my call to the \u201crooms manager\u201d which was fine. The rooms manager sincerely apologized for the problem, and offered to comp me any spa services which was a nice gesture. Arrangements were also made for the hotel\u2019s car to be made available to take me to the airport on my departure. Later that day I also received a typed apology from the front desk manager from the previous night, and a fruit plate.\nThe room was lovely: high ceilings, well-appointed, with a large marble bathroom with Jacuzzi and separate shower. The shower head\u2019s water pressure was the best I have ever experienced\u2026anywhere. The in-house toiletries were only OK. The bed and linens were fine with lots of pillows but not memorable. Turndown service was a nice touch, but the daily housekeeping tended to occur on the late side (mid-late afternoon on each of the 3 days I was there) so it seemed like there were frequent housekeeping visits clumped into the span of a few hours at the end of the day. There was no view to speak of. I had hoped for free internet access but this was not the case. I did not eat at the restaurant, Pesca, and did not have room service. \nAll in all, I left feeling favorably about this hotel. Everyone was polite. The room was very comfortable. I guess I was disappointed with the check-in process, and that I had to make a formal complaint (first time for me), but they did try to make amends. Upon reading the other Tripadvisor reviews, I see that this problem (late check-in) has happened at least once before me. Anticipating guests\u2019 needs goes a lot further than automatically saying \u201cMs./Mr\u2026\u201d in every interaction. It\u2019s a lovely property, and with a more attention to detail, a stay at the Watermark could be quite a memorable experience.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "My wife and I enjoyed a weekend in San Antonio for which the Watermark was our headquarters. We had high expectations in view of the exceptional rating this hotel was given in the Conde Nast Gold List. The room and hotel property were 5-star, but the service we encountered was average at best. \nFront desk staff and concierge were neither unfriendly nor incompetent, but certainly not helpful or enthusiastic. Valet staff were hard to find and slow. Housekeeping was good and turn-down service nicely done. \nOur room overlooked the Riverwalk which is a very enjoyable view, worth the upgrade. The balcony is too small to be useful. Furnishings are tasteful neutrals, and the bath is large, luxurious and well-appointed. Robes are provided, but slippers are not. \nThe restaurant, Pesca, served food that was both well-done and inventive--better than the safe choices at many resort hotels. \nI would cautiously recommend this hotel to both business and tourist visitors to San Antonio. It is small enough to avoid the sterility and sameness of the larger properties on the Riverwalk. I stay in more than thirty hotels per year for business and 10-15 for pleasure; most are in the 3, 4, and 5 star classes. The Watermark's service would rank near or just below average among the 3 star hotels and clearly below average at the 4-5 star level to which it seems to aspire. When the service improves, it will be an absolute jewel of a hotel. Until then, it is still a beautiful place to stay in a beautiful part of a beautiful city.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "If you do, you might be as terribly disappointed with the hotel as we were during our stay! We had booked two rooms in mid March, 2005, for a stay in mid May. It was to be a special occasion celebrating not only our anniversary, but also a visit from some dear friends from out of state who hadn\u2019t had a vacation in a number of years and had never been to the Riverwalk! Thus we booked a river view Spa Suite for them and a river view one-bedroom suite for ourselves to have a spot where the 4 of us could gather as, thanks to Tripadvisor, I knew the rooms weren\u2019t extremely spacious. The gentleman who took the reservation was very nice and helpful, and the next day we received an e-mailed confirmation of exactly what we had requested and reserved for our 3-night stay.\nIf only the REST of the experience had been so pleasant!!! Forty-eight hours prior to our Thursday arrival, I received a call from the Watermark stating that they wished to discuss our room options with us. Seems they had overbooked and though the Spa Suite was in order, the only OTHER room they had was on the street side\u2014they had obviously given our one-bedroom, river view suite to somebody else. That, in itself, was bad enough news\u2026.but the matter in which they handled it compounded the problem. We were told that, as \u201ccompensation\u201d, we would be offered the street side room at the \u201cspecial, introductory rate\u201d of $179 which, mysteriously, changed to $189 in a matter of a minute or two. The other \u201coption\u201d, the one that REALLY angered me, though I remained polite throughout the conversation, was that we would be PERMITTED to cancel our reservation entirely, even though we were WITHIN the cancellation period. REALLY!!! How extremely \u201cgenerous\u201d of them! How \u201ckind\u201d of them to \u201cpermit\u201d us to cancel when they well knew, as did we, that on a Tues. evening before a Thurs. arrival in mid May for 3 nights---there would be no comparable rooms available in any hotel overlooking the river!! Obviously, the motive here was to GET us to cancel since their hotel was overbooked due to THEIR errors!\nOur friends\u2019 room was lovely with a great view, though it was a bit cramped when the 4 of us gathered there. Our room, though the physical properties were nice, was very noisy as it was on the 3rd floor (lowest possible as far as street noise goes since the spa was on the 2nd floor below our room) directly above Commerce St. which was extremely noisy all of Friday and Saturday nights. The charming \u201cview\u201d was of a parking garage across the street and an abandoned building next door. Not what we had envisioned for our anniversary, nor was it what we had reserved! We got the feeling this is not an unusual occurrence, however, since there was some sort of problem with another guest\u2019s reservation who was checking in at the same time we were!\nNor were those the end of the problems! We had wanted hot stone massages, but were informed there were absolutely none available between Thurs. when we arrived mid afternoon and check-out on Sun. It would be helpful of the hotel to alert future guests when they reserve the room that the spa books up very far in advance! At least I was able to arrange a facial at 8:00 AM on Sat. The spa is a lovely facility, and the facial was very competent.\nHousekeeping and dining were both very erratic. Times for housekeeping varied widely from late morning/early afternoon hours on Friday to returning on Saturday to find our room just being finished at 4:00 pm, and our friends\u2019 Spa Suite still being done at 5:00 pm! The restaurant varied from being excellent for breakfast on Sat. and dinner Sat. night (great crab cakes!) to inedible on Sun. morning! It took around 40 min. to get the breakfast, and when we did almost everything was cold as well as burned and/or tough (pancakes) and a pitifully flat supposed three-egg omelet that looked the size of a corn tortilla! To their credit, the waiter apologized\u2014knowing how long it had taken and seeing the food\u2014and comped breakfast\u2026..however, the whole hotel experience (crowned by that breakfast) left a bad taste in our mouths! \nApparently the \u201clocation, location, location\u201d adage really does hold true! The Watermark, even though it has been open almost a year and a half, can offer woefully dismal service and still remain full! It\u2019s such a shame because it COULD be, with effort, a stellar property! One can only hope it gets new management!", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Very nice hotel but we were dismayed by the decision to close the pool to guests. Spent the day site seeing in 95 degree weather with 90% humidity and had been promising to let our six year old hit the pool as soon as we returned to the hotel. Hot, sticky, and very much looking forward to using the lovely rooftop pool we were shocked to find it had been closed to guests for a private party. This was inexcusable for a property of this caliber. \nThe only remedy the staff could offer was to allow us to walk across the street to the sister hotel! When we were finally allowed in the pool - an hour before it closed - there were many guests there - no doubt also turned away earlier. \nI hope the hotel made enough from the private party to make up for the return visits they won't get from me and other disgruntled guests. At over $600 a night for our parlor suite I expected to at least have access to the standard advertised amenities. \nThe hotel restaurant serves very good food but it is expensive and the service is atrocious. With excellent choices every ten feet skip this one!\nI was torn between this hotel and the Westin when I was planning the trip. Next time we will stay at the Westin which has a much nicer location on the River Walk and would no doubt have private party facilities that wouldn't infringe on the enjoyment of the property by the hotel guests.\nSan Antonio is a fantastic city full of things to do and see - don't miss the Alamo or the San Jose Mission - both are incredible. We will definietely be back - just not to the Watermark.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "The new Watermark claims to be the first 5 star hotel in San Antonio, but it has a ways to go. To be fair, I've only stayed in a few 5 star hotels but I've averaged probably 100 nites a year in various 3-4 star hotels across the country.We took advantage of an introductory rate and stayed for two nights in its first two weeks of opening.The facilities are beautifully decorated and the location can't be beat.Rooms They gave us a Riverwalk view which supposedly is a $350/nt room. We had an introductory rate of $199 and that felt like the right price. I would have been incredibly disappointed if I had paid $350 for this room. It was very nice, but not quite 5 star material. The rooms were comfortable, beautifully decorated but a bit small. The high ceilings kept it from feeling cramped. The bathroom was awesome with a decent size jacuzzi tub, great double vanity and nice shower (though the temperature control didn't work quite right). One nice touch was a CD player with a relaxation CD left in it.It was definitely missing the little things that a 5 star hotel should have. The towels were rough and smelled of metal. They also didn't absorb water. I didn't like the pillows. We had to stuff some towels in the pillows in order to get any neck support. The robes were nice but the pockets were sewn shut. There were no fresh flowers or stationery. The refrigerator didn't work. Again, not huge things but you expect more from a 5 star hotel.Spa The luxurious spa is located on the second floor which seems like a poor choice my massage was interrupted by car honks and street noise. But the facilities are very nice for a downtown spa. The spa services are priced about 20% higher than other spas but it could be attributed to being located downtown right on the Riverwalk. $90 for a 50 minute massage seemed steep but not entirely unexpected.Get there at least an hour before your treatment so you can enjoy the jacuzzi, sauna, steam room, and showers. (The steam room wasn't working when we were there.) While you wait for your massage, they will offer you a heated, scented neck wrap (great touch) and an individual CD player.I was the only guest in the male side and was a little surprised that the attendant wasn't waiting on me hand and foot. I had to get my own water which isn't a big deal, but not what you expect at a 5 star hotel.Workout facilities The workout facilities are the nicest I've ever seen at a hotel. The equipment is state of the art with most treadmills and exercise bikes having their own built-in TV screen and headphones.They have great cardio equipment and weight machines, but the free weight choices are somewhat limited.There is an impressive choice of yoga classes offered as well.The first time I used it the attendant was great. He explained all of the equipment, got me a towel and refreshed my drink during my workout. The second time I used it, the attendant read a magazine a1nd didn't interact with me at all.There is no additional charge for the facilities or classes.Restaurant (Pesca on the River) The restaurant is down on the Riverwalk. It, too, had just opened and will hopefully improve with time. They have a great seafood selection and the highlight was the oyster bar. My snapper was unimpressive, but my wife's fish served in a banana curry sauce was one of the best fish dinners either of us has ever had. Their wine selection was adequate and had a good selection of moderately priced wine. We wanted dessert, but surprisingly nothing on their dessert menu appealed to us.It was priced at about what you would expect. I think we spent about $80 without wine for two appetizers and two entrees. Not crazy expensive but not a great deal either.The service though was atrocious. Our waiter had just started that day. I overheard him telling another customer that he had just come from waiting tables at Le Peep, which is a breakfast place a step above a Denny's or Shoney's. Why they would recruit from there I have no idea. The waiter hadn't tried a single dish or bottle of wine so he could make no recommendations. He forgot several things that we ordered and we had to remind him more than once. He rightly comped one of our sides and thought that this should make us happy. He also awkwardly shook our hands at the end of the meal (trying to be our buddy before we left a tip?) which I found to be sort of creepy.Security We had a scary thing happen to us while staying there. I can't provide details because there's an ongoing investigation. But the issue is that an employee of the hotel provided our name and room number to an individual without our consent. Our privacy was severely violated and our security was threatened. The hotel management did not seem to be too concerned about this issue and did not do anything to pursue the matter internally.Service This is where these guys need to take some lessons from the Ritz and other 5 star hotels. The service we received was worse than your average Sheraton. The fire alarm went off 4 times while we were there (no fire). The turn down service didn't come back when we asked them to and so we had to wait up for them to finish their job. We asked housekeeping to service our room while we were out for lunch and they didn't. Our refrigerator didn't work and they were less than responsive in getting it fixed. I mentioned the lousy restaurant service and the scary security incident which they didn't seem to care about.A lot of these problems can be attributed to a new hotel. But they have more than just a few kinks to work out.I don't think we will try them again at $250 - $350 a night. I would be willing to give them another shot in about 6 months if they price the rooms at $200 - $250. Maybe their weekend rates will be more reasonable.Tips: - I think you can stay at the Watermark's sister hotel (La Mansion) right across the river for much less and use the Watermark's spa and workout facilities. I don't know what the additional charges are. - If you don't want to pay the $25 a night parking fee, there's a $6 a night city parking garage (very safe) one block away. - Skip Pesca and go to Biga on the Banks - the best restaurant in San Antonio Pros: Location, spa, workout facilities, bathrooms Cons: Service, road noise on lower floors, price/value, security", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 27}]}, "75662": {"reviews": [{"text": "We stayed at this Holiday Inn one Friday night in July 2006. It was easy to find and conveniently located to I-10 and the PHX airport. It was in a safe area full of businesses and other hotels however (besides a Waffle House) there is not much to eat within walking distance. But a quick ride up the street or on the interstate and that problem is resolved. \nOur top floor room was nice and clean with comfy beds and pillows. The bathroom was above average as it was clean, adequately-sized, and stocked with higher-end sample products. The A/C pumped a lot of cool air to offset the Phoenix heat outside. \nWe didn't have our laptop and we didn't need to use the internet while we were there so we don't know what they provide onsite.\nThe staff was very professional and kind. My wife dropped her full cup of coffee on the floor while they were setting up breakfast at 6:00 AM. The attendant on hand came over, cleaned things up, and did so with a smile. The breakfast was slightly above average for a continental given all of the choices - bagels, muffins, cereals, yogurt, bananas, choice of milk, brownies, etc. \nThe biggest plus for this hotel is the park and fly program. We booked this room at a rate we were happy with and it included a roundtrip to the airport via the hotel's shuttle. This saves big bucks on parking of course as you can keep your car at the hotel in one of their (very tight) courtesy parking spots. Be nice and tip your driver - he can get you there within 10 minutes or so provided you are not flying during rush hour. The shuttle runs every 30 minutes from early AM to late PM. \nOur only complaint was that the hotel's complimentary happy hour couldn't be extended a little beyond 7:45 as we just missed out on a round of drinks. Oh well - can't have it all! \nAnyway, this hotel was a nice find and we will gladly stay there again in the future whenever we fly from PHX.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I expected something sleezy to be by the airport, but this hotel was gorgeous and had all the amenities I was looking for - especially the free airport shuttle. We had a very early flight in the morning, so I returned our rental car the night before. Took the shuttle back to the hotel and out again the next morning. Very easy!\nOur room was very roomy and included a fridge, microwave and coffee pot. The bathroom was beautiful and the pillows were so perfect that I want some just like them. Thanks to the inclusion of hardboiled eggs, the complimentary breakfast was quite nice. Otherwise, there isn't a restaurant in the building - just one next door at the HIlton (sister hotel) - so I'm glad I kept my car until after we had dinner. Seeking Asian fare, the hotel clerk directed us to P F Chang's China Bistro, about 4 miles away at E. University and S. Mill Ave. It was fabulous, and the surrounding ASU campus area was bustling with activity.\nThe hotel clerk also said they'd be renovating the decor soon, but I thought it was just fine the way it was. I would definitely stay here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We booked this hotel because they offered a free shuttle service to and from the airport. Simply put, we found out that it was actually cheaper to book a room here then to leave our car in long term parking for the duration of our trip. Although we only stayed one night, we were very pleased with the hotel. The pool was a wonderful escape from the summer heat and the room was quiet and clean. We were gone for two weeks and spent a lot of time in other hotels but at the end this hotel was our favorite!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "Excellent value. Clean rooms, good decor, excellent friendly staff. Very convenient to airport. Free drinks in lobby. Great continental breakfast included in price. \nHighly recommend staying here.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "We started and ended our holiday at this Hotel, and we are so glad we did. We found the hotel to be very clean, in good decor and pleasantly laid out. The staff were very helpful and freindly. I would thoroughly recommend this hotel and would definately stay there again if we get the chance to return Phoenix.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "This was by far the best hotel that we stayed in during our week-long visit to Phoenix, Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon. Rooms were clean, the price was excellent and they even had free drinks in the lobby and snacks. Very convenient to the airport also.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "816807": {"reviews": []}, "73757": {"reviews": []}, "1657449": {"reviews": [{"text": "I stayed here on 2 separate occasions in May. The staff went out of their way to be friendly and helpful. Beautiful new facility; clean; lovely restaurant / lounge, business centre; close to airport; they gave complimentary drink coupons on arrival - I'd highly recommend this hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "1176581": {"reviews": []}, "223035": {"reviews": []}, "286542": {"reviews": [{"text": "We recently stayed at the Marriott Canyon Villas for 3 nights so we could go see the Grand Canyon from there. My mom, 11-year-old daughter, and I stayed in a two bedroom unit, and it was fabulous! The units are furnished very nicely, large flat screen TV's in the living room and both bedrooms, beautiful landscaping throughout the resort, etc. \nWe did go over to the JW Marriott next door to visit the pool and lazy river. The JW is lavish both inside and out, landscaping is fantastic, and there are several ducks wandering around outside - very cute. However, we didn't feel the need to go back again to its pool & lazy river. ( We don't care for lazy rivers where water squirts on your head a few times as you go around.) We actually found it to be more enjoyable at the pool at the Villas. The only drawback to the pool at the Villas is that there is no shade where you have to stand in line to get food and drinks at the pool bar - also no mat to stand on, so if you're in bare feet on the hot concrete, watch out!\nAnother great thing about the JW next door is that we ate at Roy's Hawaiian. I'm a big fan of this restaurant (have eaten previously at the one in Philadelphia), so I made reservations. It happened to be Restaurant Week in Phoenix, so we got a 3-course meal for $29! And most of the seating is outside with wonderful landscaping and tiki torches, so the atmosphere is just wonderful. \nOK, back to the Villas - not only did we enjoy the condo itself, we also enjoyed going out in the morning just beyond our patio to a large paved area with a waterfall, foliage, gas grills, tables & chairs, and a playground with a slide, which is formed as the tail of a gigantic lizard (or gecko??). There are even pails and shovels in case the kids want to play in the \"sand\" (it doesn't look like beach sand, but it's sandy-ish).\nWe didn't have a lot of interaction with staff, but they were very responsive if I had a question or needed anything. We had a lightbulb out, and they replaced it within minutes. \nAs previous posters have said, the Desert Ridge Marketplace is very close and has tons of restaurants, shops, movie theater, gas station, etc. - also an Alberton's grocery store so you can stock your fridge. (You can look at website for Desert Ridge Marketplace to see what shops it has.) We don't cook on vacation, but we always get soft drinks, snacks, and breakfast items - we use just the fridge and microwave. Oh and we also used the coffee maker, but we didn't particularly care for the complimentary Yuban coffee - but it was nice that they provided it. Also, daily maid service was provided at no extra charge like at some timeshares. I know there's also a little market shop in the lobby of Villas, but we weren't there long enough to use it, so I can't speak to what it carries. \nWe really enjoyed the covered parking at the villas - keeps your car much cooler. No charge for parking, and there seemed to be plenty of it. The villas were actually pretty full when we were there, even though it was after all kids had gone back to school. They said it was because JW was full and Villas were taking overflow. But it didn't seem crowded at the pool, parking, etc. \nWe enjoyed the misters at the pool, water basketball, and the games around the pool area - air hockey, ping pong, billiards, and the big checkers/chess board on the deck. \nOn this visit, we took the 1-day tour to Grand Canyon with Detours. They picked us up at Villas at 7:30 a.m. and we returned about 9:15 p.m. (a litte behind schedule, not due to anyone's fault). It was a very informative tour, and we even decided to do the optional helicopter tour with Maverick Helicopters at the Grand Canyon. You can get more info at Detours website.\nWe also visited the Heard Museum, which is very nice (AAA has a small discount for this museum). We had lunch at their outdoor cafe - wonderful food and very nice little courtyard area. You can view the menu at the website for Heard Museum. \nOne last bit of info - there's not really a convenient place to get gas close to the airport, but you can gas up your rental car at the Shell station at Desert Ridge Marketplace, and your tank will still show \"full\" when you return it at airport. Try renting from National - that's where I found the best deals because you can stack contract ID's and coupons. \nI always get my travel info at Tripadvisor, and I hope this info I've posted will be helpful to you!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Just got back from 3 nights/4 days here. Went with my wife, 5 kids and 2 babysitters. Booked two 1-bedroom villas. The 1-bedroom villas do NOT have an adjoining door, it's impossible, because there is a \"lock-off\" studio room in between the 1-bedroom villas. But the villas were only one door down from each other, so it was still good. But if you want the adjoining studio instead, it\u2019s a good deal, and the studio has its own bathroom as well.\nThe key to this hotel is that there are two resorts in one: The Canyon Villas is a great resort in its own right: A huge main pool with a waterfall and basketball hoop and volleyball net; a lap pool, two Jacuzzis, a kid\u2019s pool, and another 1.5 foot deep kid\u2019s theme pool not far from the main pool with shooting water animals, sprinklers to run through, etc. Main pool area has a great bar, life-size chess/checkers set, ping pong table, billiards table, etc. Lots of open spaces between buildings, BBQ pits all around, grass areas to play ball, etc. We could have stayed only at the Canyon Villas pools and had a great time.\nBut, since we had access to the JW pools down the road, we went there as well. They have a huge main pool with an island in the middle that houses an arched sprinkler system overhead, so kids could run through that and jump into the pool. The lazy river, with complimentary one or two-person inner tubes, is great. It takes 5-10 minutes to make a full circle, very relaxing. The slide, which is connected to the same water as the lazy river, is great for kids; even the little ones can go down by themselves. \nSo between all the pools at both resorts, the kids will never, ever be bored. We went over July 4th weekend, and it was not too crowded. Yes, it was 116 degrees, but as long as you stay in the pool all day, you hardly feel it because it's so dry. And the rates in the summer are very cheap. You can also get even cheaper rates if you book it through Marriott Vacations and do the 90-minute timeshare pitch. No pressure, went by quickly, and they even give you your choice of a $100 Marriott certificate or $100 Visa gift card without even asking!\nWe only saw the 1-bedroom villas, and they are very nice and roomy. Large bathroom with separate shower and tub, two sinks, and access from the bedroom and living room area. Two TVs with all the premium movie channels and two DVD players. Large full kitchen with fridge, oven, stovetop, microwave, china and glasses, etc. Washer and dryer as well, so no need to over-pack clothes. Very comfortable king bed in the bedroom, and a pullout queen sofa bed in the living room. And the way the couch is set up, even when the bed is pulled out, there is one side of the couch that stays put and can easily hold another child on it. All we had to do was put a sheet over the cushions and our 3-year-old had his own bed. So the villa holds 2 adults and 3 kids very comfortably, and we brought a queen air mattress for our other two kids and we were all set!\nThey have a complimentary shuttle service that takes you between both resorts. It runs twice an hour all day and night up till 10pm. The shuttle also makes twice hourly stops at the Albertsons supermarket down the road. So you can do all your shopping there and never have to spend any money at the overpriced resort restaurants if you don\u2019t want to. The Albertsons is also part of a huge outdoor shopping mall, with lots of major stores and even a movie theatre, so you really don\u2019t need a car at the resort if you don\u2019t want one. The shuttle driver even once waited 10 minutes for me when I ran into the stores late at night just to grab something quick.\nYes, the maid service can be spotty, and old towels tend to hang around the pools a bit longer than usual, but those were such minor issues. They DO have poolside service for drinks and food\u2026or just walk up there yourself and get it even quicker. I did notice two people smoking (over 4 days!), but we just didn\u2019t sit near them, problem solved. Overall, an amazingly fun resort that is cheap in the summer, very pricey the rest of the year, but very worth it. Very few places in the country offer this much for kids to do, and my kids could not have been happier. I would go back every year if I could!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We visited the Canyon Villas the week of Nov. 11-18th. It was a very pleasant experience mainly because of the great service we recevied from the resort staff. The grounds surrounding the condo's were well kept and the pool area was exceptional. We spent most of our time when we were not on day trips and golfing at the pool. Say a special \" Hello \" to Maui Matt, the food and beverage manager. He is a friendly and courteous and always makes sure you are taken care of.We have never received that type of special service from any manager at any other resort we have been to. If you have any questions about where to eat or site see make sure you see Kathy at the concierge's desk. She helped us with all of that and even gave us driving directions to different locations. She will book the tours for you and give you all the info your going to need.Make sure you go on Detour's trip to the Grand Canyon. Our guide \" Blue Bird \" was very a pleasant surprise and was full of information on everything from desert life to the Canyon itself.The helicopter tour \" Maverick tours \" over the Grand Canyon was sensational and is a great way to see the Canyon from a different aspect. It was a whole day's event and well worth the cost.\nOur two bedroom condo was spacious and well equiped. The views of the grounds are ordinary compared to other Marriott locations that we have stayed at but still very clean. The JW Marriott hotel and resort is a short 10 minute walk and is very beautiful with a good pool area and a lazy river.\nWe wouldn't hesitate to return to the Canyon Villas and hope to in the near future.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We bought a timeshare at this Marriott facility in 2004 and this was our 3rd stay as owners. All we can say is that we are very happy owners at Canyon Villas. The grounds were beautiful, the staff was courteous and friendly, the accomodations were awesome and the Canyonlands Pool (as usual) was outstanding. For couples with small children, the new Lizard Lagoon Water Park seems to be a big hit (west end of the property).\nThe only negative this trip was the weather. The Phoenix area was feeling the effects of Hurricane John off of the Pacific Coast. As someone reminded us at the pool, \"it is monsoon season in late August & early September\". Oh well, better luck next visit!\nWe stayed in our 2 bedroom villa (2859 & 2860) with our 2 adult children, their spouses and one grandchild and we all had more than enough room. Our villa was very clean, the bedrooms were very quiet and we all slept soundly. With the attractions at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Hotel and the Desert Ridge Shopping Center (just south of the Resort) you are located near about 30 eateries (various types), many shopping opportunities and a movie theater complex.\nWe attended a Sales Presention during our stay and we were given an update on the property. Sales are way ahead of schedule. We did our part of \"helping the cause\" by buying another \"Gold Week\" package (just beat the latest price increase too). We have absolutely no regrets about purchasing timeshares with Marriott. It was a great trip and we are looking forward to coming back next year.\nHappy & safe travels to all!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We just returned from a week's stay at MCV. The one bedroom was spacious and nicely appointed. The bed and soaking tub were the highlights of my stay. There is a charge for housekeeping but towels are plentiful. The front desk staff earned a C+ grade but the shuttle bus drivers were THE BEST (A+)! They told you about the area and restaurants and were always on time.\nLimited daily activities were offered but the fun is at JW Marriot.\nListening to jazz as the sun set was relaxing and enjoyable. The lazy pool was fun. Also, guest from MCV get free valet parking.\nWe are making plans to return next summer.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "My family spent the week of June 25, 2006 at Canyon Villas. We are owners there and this was our first stay. We were quite pleased with all aspects of our stay. Being Ohioians we were a bit concerned about the high temperatures, but it is true that a high, dry heat is far more tolerable than humid weather. The accommodations are first rate. The villa has everything we needed and with the Desert Ridge Marketplace across the street, it was easy to get anything we didn't have and to get groceries. We enjoyed three of the restaurants in the marketplace, particularly the Rock Bottom Brewery and the Yard House. We were hoping to find a good Mexican restaurant, but we weren't able to. I know there are many in the area, but we hit the wrong ones. Since we were there in the off season, we had no problems getting chairs and towels at the pool. There is ice cold water available all day at the pool. It was nice to be able to go enjoy the facilities at the Marriott Hotel, as well. We had no complaints about our stay and look forward to returning.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We recently returned from a week long vacation at the Canyon Villas at Desert Ridge. \nWe have been to some very nice Time Shares before as well as some very upscale hotels. This property offers the best of both worlds.\nWe stayed in a 2 bedroom Villa which could actually sleep 8. There were 6 of us and we had plenty of room. The bedrooms were very spacious and the kitchen, living room, and dining room area were very modern and very spacious. The property isn't huge right now but they are building more units. The pool was very nice with a waterfall and a pool bar/restaurant. The menu wasn't the largest I have seen, but because we had a full kitchen in our Villa, we were able to have lunch in our Villa if we wanted. The staff was very friendly and Matt, the Food and Beverage Manager (he also bartends on the weekends) is one of the nicest guys you will ever meet. \nWe spent most of the time at the pool at the Villas but we did go over to the hotel a couple of times. A shuttle runs every half hour and it takes you across the street to the JWMarriott Desert Ridge. This is a large but beautiful 5 star hotel. They have 3 pools including a lazy river pool. The service at the pool at the hotel is also great. They are always around to get you drinks or food. Another nice touch is that they bring you pitchers of water all the time to keep you hydrated. This is important when it is over 100 degrees. \nAlthough the property is a little further out than some of the properties off of Scottsdale Rd., it was a 5 -10 minute drive to get to any restaurant or golf course that you would want. We went into Old Scottsdale for dinner and it was about a 10 minute drive. \nThe Desert Ridge Shopping Center is also right across the street from the property and they have 10-15 restaurants, a Supermarket, and all kinds of stores. We ate dinner there three times and could have eaten there every night. Within 5 minutes of the property, you can find a great steak restaurant that rivals any one in New York, great Italian food, other restaurants like Roys which is at the hotel. You can also find any type of Chain restaurant like Bahama Breeze or Cheesecake Factory or P.F. Changs.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "These condo hotels are cheaply built and the sound transference between floors is terrible. Only wood separates the 3 floors, not cement, so the kid upstairs bouncing his basketball from 6 am seemed to be right in our room! So, ask for a top floor. \nAppliances: The air conditioner was terrible\u2026we had to resort to either turning it off or freezing all the time as it blows right on the bed even if you set the AC to 75. There\u2019s a soaking tub in the master bedroom but it doesn\u2019t have Jacuzzi jets like most other timeshares and has a very rough and uncomfortable non-slip bottom to sit on. There\u2019s a separate shower as well. \nFree WIFI in your room is nice, compared to the $10 the JW Marriott across the street charges. Free local phone calls also nice - the JW charges $2 a call. Parking is free compared to $20 valet at the JW. Timeshare guests don't have to pay the $20 a day entry fee to the Revive Spa at the JW either. Nice benefits and a lower room rate for much larger space. The TV has dozens more channels than the hotel. \nRoom Service: We had room service (excellent shrimp chowder $8, Cobb Salad $12, and hamburger $12) delivered from the JW Marriott one night \u2013 took about 50 minutes and was a nice treat (add in 20% gratuity, $3 delivery, and tax) still hot and excellently prepared\u2026but a very limited menu. Canyon Villas on-site variety shop is not much bigger than a closet and does not make pizza like other Marriott timeshare \u2018Marketplaces\u2019. \nBedding: While the JW Marriott has Revive bedding, Canyon Villas does not and their beds are very poor in comparison. No down pillows or duvets either. The GM told us they were going to upgrade the bedding to Revive soon - guess they've had lots of complaints. \nStaff: The front desk person who checked me in needed lessons on friendliness \u2013 he didn't even explain anything about the resort, the free shuttle bus to the JW Marriott or the amenities you can enjoy over there too. Maintenance: Every TV remote had the numbers rubbed off so you took your chances changing channels. The dryer door wouldn't stay closed and the freezer had a bad odor.\nTimeshare guests get to use the JW facilities and you\u2019ll love the JW\u2019s \u2018lazy river\u2019 where you can float around in the current on inner tubes. We felt the best restaurant in JW is Roy\u2019s with their $33 price fixed dinner, but reserve ahead as it\u2019s busy. Didn\u2019t care for Tuscany at all \u2013 way overpriced and servers want you out of there in 30 minutes. After dinner you can sit outside on the pool patio at a fire pit and listen to live music until 10 pm. \nThe pool area at Canyon Villas, in comparison to the JW, is quite stark but expansive and there are some smaller pools with waterfalls - and no where near as crowded. For part of each day there is a pool bar with snacks and drinks. You'll probably only get a golf view as they have only 2 buildings with the main pool view and the gound floor of one is taken up by Marriott timeshare sales offices - dumb move. There is a small pool between buildings 3300 and 3200 but a bit of a hike from the main part of the complex. They have 7 buildings in use now and constructing more next to building 2700. There is an elevator in each building...and some buildings have construction nearby.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 31}, {"text": "My wife and I stayed at Canyon Villas in December 2005. We traded a timeshare week we own in Las Vegas (1 bd.) for a large, very well appointed, virtually brand new 2 bd. unit. We have stayed at Marriott's properties in several cities through similar trades and always find them to be first class with exceptional service. Canyon Villas was no exception. We requested a top floor golf course view by calling the Villas directly and were given what we asked for. Check in was smooth, friendly and done quickly. At no time did we encounter any timeshare presentation pressure.\nThe 2 bd units combine a seperate lock off as a seperate bedroom. By doing so there is a second full bath, large TV and sitting area, second balcony, eating table and microwave etc. Actually, the 2 bd. unit has 3 TV's.\nThe main living area easily accomodates a large sitting area with a big flat screen TV and a dining table for 6. Big, fully furnished kitchen (with granite counter tops) and balcony, second bathroom with shower and jacuzzi tub. The 2 bd unit is probably 1000 sq. ft.\nThe Villas have a small but adaquate fitness facility and a good pool. A large JW Marriott is nearby with several additional pools, activities, resturants and a larger fitness center. All within walking distance but there is a shuttle.\nThe resturants at the hotel are quite expensive and a better selection with reasonable prices can be found at Desert Ridge Mall close by.\nThere is some construction going on at the Villas which causes noise during the day and parking may be a little limited near your unit. \nThere is an elevator for the 2 upper floors and a variety of views available from golf course to pool.\nThe property has a web site with pictures if you are considering staying there.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 28}, {"text": "My husband and I just returned from a 5 day, 4 night stay at the Canyon Villas. We received a postcard in the mail regarding a \"preview\" stay at a lovely reduced rate of $238 if we agreed to attend a tour of the timeshare property. As we were coming to AZ for the Rock n' Roll marathon anyway, it proved to be perfect timing for us and so I made the call to make reservations.\nWhen I called I was told that the JW Marriott Hotel did not have any rooms available for our desired days, however, they could put us in a one bedroom master villa with full kitchen at the time share side which would still give us full use of the hotel property as well -- a nice perk. I made special note of this as I was excited that we wouldn't have to eat out every night and I could prepare meals as well. Little did I know that our reservation person didn't really know what he was talking about...\nUpon arrival, we were given our \"villa\" number and someone was supposed to take us to our room. Hiccup number one. That person had to be called twice and still he did not come. Luckily a very polite security guy came in on a fluke and offered to escort us in his golf cart. Finally, we were in our villa...or so we thought. Upon investigation, we realized we didn't have a one bedroom villa, but the \"lock off\" portion of the 2 bedroom villa...meaning we didn't have access to the kitchen at all! While it was a lovely room, it wasn't what was confirmed or promised. Calling the front desk, I was told very politely \"there is nothing we can do tonight...you'll have to wait until the morning.\" Not, exactly the response I was looking for. The first night was spent in complete irritation feeling as if we had been lied to and mislead and they were trying to sell us a timshare? Not going to happen!\nBy late morning, the supervisor was calling with great appology, but saying that we weren't supposed to be in a one bedroom villa with our package and she must have mis-read her list (she had called to confirm the one bedroom villa a week earlier) and that unfortunately there were none available to move us into even though our original reservation person had also told us we'd be in a master villa. After a bit more discussion in person later that morning, she offered to call the California office to see if they had any open one bedroom villas and if not to move us to another resort if we'd like to get closer to the marathon start since we were only staying at Canyon Villas because of the kitchen facilities we had been promised. Luckily there was one open and we were promptly moved. \nUpon entering the room, we were dazzled. Approximately 1000 square feet of luxury. The master suite is very large and comfortable with a lovely soaking tub and seperate shower. The kitchen is fitted with every appliance and cooking utinsil you'll need and lets not forget the granite countertops! The living room and dining area are very spacious and well appointed. We were also lucky enough to have been put on the 3rd floor overlooking the pool -- a great view and you could see the hills in the distance. Redemption had begun.\nYes, we had a few problems in the beginning hours of our trip, but everyone we met listened with understanding and did whatever they could to make the situation right. Our second day began the process of us completely falling in love with the property!\nWe spent Friday \"exploring\" if you will and had lunch at Blue Sage over at the hotel. You can easily walk there from the villas in about 10 minutes which is a lovely walk, but they do have a shuttle that will also take you there. Blue Sage is a very relaxed restaurant in a Southwest theme and they have a beautiful setting for an outdoor lunch which we took advantage of. The food was excellent and the service was outstanding! The Shrimp cocktail is a must try! It is served w/ guacamole and a very tasty cocktail sauce. A bit expensive (our lunch + tip came to over $70), but worth every penny. \nAfter lunch we explored the pool area which includes over 4 acres of pools and a lazy river. We were suprised that it wasn't too busy. I suppose for Arizonians (if there is such a thing), 75 degrees is a bit cool for swimming, but not for us midwesterners. I don't think we could have asked for a better day. \nFor dinner that evening, we decided on the Meritage Steak House, also at the hotel. This appeared to be one of their most expensive restaurants, but again worth every penny. They have an extensive wine list and our server was very knowledgeable regarding it. Everything is ala carte so be prepared to spend some money; after tip our bill came to around $170 which only included a shared 1/2 dozen oysters, our fillets, asparagus, and a relatively low priced bottle of wine. We have been to many steak houses over the years, and we both agree that Meritage has been one of the best. We highly reccommend it.\nDinner the following night was at Ristoranti Tuscany. Again, we found outstanding service, an expansive wine list, and great food. We had made reservations, and were seated in a somewhat seculded table which was very romantic. Tuscany is not as expensive as Meritage which was a nice change. We were able to have salad, our main course, a split dessert, and one drink each for just over $100 before the tip. Another great meal...yes, we were really beginning to like this place. Would it be enough to actually have us buy a timeshare though?\nIn one word....YES! We love to travel and the idea of trading in our week in a resort that is 52 weeks \"red\" is very appealing to us. Also, as they are still building additional \"phases\" the price was right so to speak. Granted, you have to still decide early where you'd like to go, but for us it really is a win-win situation. \nWe had expected pushy sales people -- we were greeted on our tour with none of that. Kimberly was amazing. She was polite, informative, and never once pushy. The only thing we ever heard of about \"buying\" was way toward the end when after she saw our beeming faces mentioned, \"would you like to see prices today.\" Before we left home, we were greatly thinking about purchasing a timeshare...upon getting there and seeing what they had to offer we knew it was definitely the place for us. Canyon Villas is truly a fantastic place and even if there are years we can't get what we want for an exchange, it will be 100% okay to stay at the Villas. There is plenty to do and see. We would recommend that you rent a car though, as they are too far north for \"public transportation.\" \nAll and all, we definitely recommend a stay at the villas. The grounds are lovely and with the added use of the hotel facilities as well -- it makes for a 5 star trip all the way!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 29}, {"text": "My wife and I visited Canyon Villas for the first time as owners for a week in early October. We stayed in the one bedroom villa and really enjoyed all the amenities provided, especially the wireless internet on-site. The villa was wonderful with a dining/living room and full kitchen, a king bed with large soaking tub and a large bath with shower and double sink. The villa overlooked the beautfully landscaped pool area with waterfalls.\nThe villa provides guests with full access to the adjacent JW Marriott resort and all it's amenities. We played golf at the Wildfire Golf resort, enjoyed the lazy river and dined at the excellent Ristorante Tuscany. Many other excellent restaurants are also located at the JW. My wife enjoyed a great massage at the Revvive Spa.\nThe Canyon Villa's pool area and poolside bar were very nice and not crowded at all. Matt the bartender does a great job of keeping everyone happy and knowing your drink of choice. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Canyon Villas and can't wait to return. \nThe only downside we found during our stay was related to the golf courses in the Phoenix area which at this time of year (early-mid October)are undergoing reseeding for the winter golf season and may not be open or are not in the best conditions during the reseeding process.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "It was okay. Warm weather and clear skies made this Fall escape a little more enjoyable. There was not a lot to do, but the staff was nice. The sales team was very agressive. We got a mail offer and took advantage of it. We tried to get into JW across the way, but for some reason they had no vacancy, even thought when we called JW they did. AZ is beautiful, having never been there. What a great state to visit. You'll love it, maybe better at the JW.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We recently stayed at Marriot\u2019s Canyon Villas for 5 days. This is a great place to have some fun and relaxation. The receptionists are cordial and attentive. We booked a one-bedroom villa, and we were astonishingly surprise how wonderful the room was. The kitchen has all the amenities you need. It has all the kitchenware and utensils you need. The kitchen also provides you the electric stove, dishwasher, refrigerator, microwave, blender, coffee maker, and washer and dryer. They also supply you the cleaning materials you might need. The kitchen has a breakfast counter with two bar stools. \nThe dining table can seat 6 people. The living room has a pull-out sofa bed and lounge chair. It even has a DVD player. If you need to rent a movie, the convenient store by the lobby stocks some of the latest movie for $4. The bedroom comes with a king-size bed with plenty of pillows. It even has its own television. The oversized tub separates the bedroom and the shower area. There is no door between the oversized tub and the bedroom, but there is one by the shower area. There are two vanities in the bathroom: one for the shower and one for the oversized tub. There is also a balcony with a table and 4 charis that you could access from your bathroom or from your living room. \nThe Villa has a wonderful landscape, and the pool is very inviting. There is even a Ping Pong table and a barbeque area. The Villa also has its own gym with enough free weights and machine for everyone. There is also resort activities that are provided for their guests. Some days you might have a Ping Pong Tourney for kids, Bingo, Billiards Tourney, Jewelry Making Workshop, Wine Tasting, Kid\u2019s Night Out, Hula Hoop Contest, and much more.\nThe Villa also provides free shuttle to the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort and Spa, which is about ten minutes by walking. We fully took advantage of this privilege. If you are looking for some golf and tennis, the Resort also provides the facility for you, and you also have full access to the Resort\u2019s Pools and Lazy River. For us, we spend most of our time at the Resort\u2019s Revive (Spa). As a Canyon guest, the cost of using the facility is only $18 \u2013 for others the rate is $25. This comes with a key to your own locker, slippers, and bathrobe.\nFor $18 also, you have the privilege to attend any of the fitness class such as Yoga Flow, Yoga Restorative, Tai Chi, Aqua Fitness, Mat Pilates, Abs Core, Body Sculpting, and others. You also have the privilege to use the gym, sauna, steam room, and pool. You heard it right! The Spa has its own pool where they endlessly provide you with cold water to drink. If you eat at the Spa Bistro and have their tea, they will refill your tea by the pool. The lounge chair by the pool has a relaxing mattress on it, and one can easily drift away and sleep.\nThe Spa Bistro has the best food in the resort and very reasonable. If you decide to take some treatments at the Spa, we highly recommend it. Ask for Matt Martin if you decide to have a therapeutic massage. He\u2019s considered the best, and I highly recommend him. The entire staff in Revive Spa is wonderful, and they are very cordial. They are also very attentive to all your requests and questions.\nWe also took advantage of the restaurants at the JW Marriott. Do not miss Roy\u2019s Hawaiian Fusion and Ristorante Tuscany. Superb cuisine, and the service is top notch. Ristorante Tuscany also has an extensive wine list, and they have some half bottle. There is a full service Starbucks by the lobby.\nThe Canyon Villa also provides free shuttle to the Desert Ridge Martketplace. Here you will have an array for restaurants to choose from. It has Bahama Breeze, California Pizza Kitchen, Fatburger, In-N-Out Burgers, Islands Fine Burgers, Jullians\u2019, Macaroni Grill, Panda Express, Rubio\u2019s Baja Brill, T.G.I. Friday\u2019s, and others. You can also shop here with the likes of American Eagle Outfitters, Anchor Blue, Lane Bryant, Journey\u2019s, Limited Too, Old Navy, Ross, Target, Kohl\u2019s, and others. There is an AMC Theaters, Barnes & Noble, Albertson\u2019s, Tower Records and others.\nOverall, the Marriott\u2019s Canyon Villas at the Desert Ridge is a top-notch villa for couples and families who are looking for some fun and relaxation.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 33}, {"text": "We stayed at the Canyon Villas for one week and had a great time. We didn't spend too much time at the hotel, but when we did it was very nice and relaxing. The staff was very friendly and helpful. Our room was a studio and was very nice. It had just a microwave and mini fridge but that was fine for us. The furnishings and everything was brand new and seemed barely-used.\nThe pool was great and never crowded. It was a bit dark at night, but still very nice. We ate at the pool bar one day for lunch, and that was great. It was also really nice that you could take a shuttle over to the JW Marriott. The bus comes twice an hour for the short ride over. You could walk, but it was too hot for us to do that. The pools at the JW were great including a lazy river and waterslide.\nOverall, I would definitely go back and highly recommend the Canyon Villas.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "I traded my week in order to stay at the Canyon Villas and it was definitely worth it. Having been to Arizona in the past I knew I'd have a great time. I had never stayed in Phoenix, always in Scottsdale and even though they are different, it was still great. The service from start to finish at the Canyon Villas was great. The staff was very accomodating and friendly. Matt the bartender at the pool bar was great. Always remembered what I liked for lunch, etc. No matter how busy he was, he always had time to chat with the people there. The pool area was very nice and never crowded. My mom loved the hot tub! The room was very nice. (we stayed in the efficiency unit which was plenty big for us) It was nice having the JW Marriott across the way which offered other options as well such as great pools, etc. (we preferred our quiet pools at the CV vs. JW's pools but it was still nice to know we had options). The mall which was literally 5 min away was great too (and the fact the shuttle could take us was great). Overall it was a great experience and my mom and I can't wait to go again, already planning our next trip!! I'd highly recommend this hotel to singles, couples and families.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "First time to stay at a Marriott Vacation Club property. It was better than we ever expected. The layout of the villa was great for the six people we had (3 adults & 3 kids). The staff was very accommodating and made sure that we were taken care of. Wireless internet is available, although I had to get a \"bridge\" from the front desk...something to do with a weak signal. \nEven though we were in the last set of buildings we were within easy walking distance of the pool. Plenty to do for everyone especially when you add in the full access to the Desert Ridge JW Marriott next door. On Monday night, there was a cowboy sing-a-long...Tuesday morning, the kids got to design their own t-shirts...all day Wednesday & Saturday, we were at the JW in the lazy river...Thursday and Monday was spent at the CV pools where there is a pool bball goal, pool volleyball net, ping pong & billiard table. Also at CV, when the kids were not swimming, they were playing on the playground right outside our villa. The playground had a slide, bouncing equipment, a cave (with misters to keep cool) and dinosaur bones buried in the sand.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "My Husband and I stayed 1 full week at the Canyon Villas. We were extremely impressed with the amenities the villa offered as well as the resort. Being walking distance to the JW Marriott Resort was the cherry on top. It is a beautiful new resort with golf, spa, restaurants and pools. We highly recommend this place for couples looking to relax or even families. There is a huge shopping center 5 mins away with at least 10-15 restuarants to choose from with a nice movie theater and shopping. We are making plans to return next year. This will be a place you will love to stay at. I am pretty picky, believe me!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "We stayed at Marriott's Canyon Villas for a week in early August 2004 and we enjoyed every aspect of our stay. Our two bedroom villa was very spacious (it easily accomodated my wife and I and our two teenage sons), immaculate and very quiet. We really liked the pool -- it was large (never crowded) and the waterfalls, basketball hoop and a volleyball net made for a lot of fun. My kids also liked the ping pong and pool tables. Guests can also use the great pools at the adjacent JW Marriott Resort (use the hourly shuttle bus). The staff was consistently polite and conscientious. Good location -- nice neighborhood, close to a mall and lots of great restaurants. There was some construction going on, but it didn't affect us.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}]}, "2015227": {"reviews": [{"text": "On the late evening of April 8th 2012 me and a friend had returned to our hotel room from our booking performance to order food, drinks and talk around 2AM. We were interrupted with a knock at the door sometime after we had ordered our food. When I opened the door two men immediately started accusing us of smoking marijuana in our hotel room and forced themselves into our room. We both denied the ludicrous accusations repeatedly. We had no idea who these two men were, as they did not introduce themselves as hotel personnel or security. \nThey continued to accuse us of smoking marijuana and became more aggressive with their words asking us who booking our hotel rooms and why we were staying there. I felt threatened at that moment (we both carry cash as payment for the event we were booked at) as the tension in the room began to escalate between the two men who had entered our room without permission and without due cause. We continued to deny the accusations and it became apparent that these two men were using these accusations and lies to get information out of us with regards to the individual who booked the room. I had asked for their names, neither would reveal their name and quickly apologized for entering the room and accusing us of smoking marijuana. They left the room hastily and apparently entered other rooms unwarranted that evening as well.\nThe next morning we went to the front desk to address the issue of two men entering our room and no one at the front desk would give ANY information regarding the event. No names, nothing. We continued to address the seriousness of the incident and more hotel staff came to tell us that we could not get that information and that we were in the wrong. The hotel managers did not care about our situation and were protecting their own interests by denying us information. Is this how a hotel is meant to be managed? After 10 minutes of addressing the very serious incident that had occurred the night before I was given a contact card for the manager of the front desk. I emailed Shannon 3 times to get the number of the corporate office contact. After calling the corporate office contact I spent 3 hours on the phone trying to get the regional manager and top corporate names so I could address this issue in an email. The man on the phone would not reveal the contact information until I had completely explained the event, and then continued to try and \"understand\" my situation, denying me of the contact information. This was never resolved and the Westin Phoenix still denies any of the claims we have made to this day. Guests, you have been warned.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "564652": {"reviews": [{"text": "Let me just start by saying that I've been staying at this hotel for 6 years, back when it was a Wyndham. I was impressed at first, but noticed that things started getting a little worn and dated the last time I stayed there, one and a half years ago. \nWhen I found out that it had become a Radisson, I was excited to check it out. Unfortunately, when I walked up to the front desk, I was quoted a rate of $89 dollars, which was about $30-40 more then I normally paid when it was Wyndham (they always had super saver rates of 49.99-59.99 a night!). \nThen I found out that people were getting this room for $36 bucks on Priceline, so I went ahead and put a bid in and got it accepted.\nRadisson updated everything in this hotel that needed to be updated. They replaced the carpet, fresh paint everywhere, all new linens on the beds including a down comforter. In addition, they put in new curtains and automatic thermostats on the wall, which is a very nice touch.\nThey kept some of the cool Wyndham features, including the FREE HIGH SPEED WIRELESS INTERNET, and the Herman Miller work chair and desk in the rooms. These have always been a big plus in my book, since I spend frequent amounts of time on my laptop while in the room.\nDown at the pool, the surprise became even better. It had been completely re-done, and was VERY clean and refreshing. The water temperatures in both the pool and the jacuzzi were PERFECT for a night time swim or soak. I was able to stay in the hot tub for half an hour without getting roasted out. And, even though it closed at 10:30, no one kicked me out, so I really appreciated the extra latitude there.\nThe bathroom was clean, and had a brand new messaging showerhead which seemed to have great water pressure. The shower curtain is one of those new ones all the hotels are using that extends out so you don't feel like you're being wrapped in a curtain while taking a shower. Ventalation in the bathroom was adequate with the door OPENED, causing only the top part of the mirror to fog up.\nMy only complaint is the bed. They didn't replace the old Wyndham bed in my room, and I didn't really feel like I got a good nights sleep. The bed is obviously several years past its life, and I'm not sure why they decided to only replace \"some\" of the beds with those new sleep number beds, but they need to do all of them.\nAlso, the fitness center still has the old dated wyndham equipment, and is in need of an overhaul.\nOther then that, great experience and an awesome value!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I just returned from a 3-night stay at the Radisson PHX Airport North.\nThe hotel renovations ended recently, and the property feels and smells new.\nAll in all, a great airport hotel, perfect for my late night arrival and 7 am return flight. The hotel shuttle driver was chatty and friendly, and arrived promptly after I called from the airport. Short ten-minute shuttle ride from the airport. In addition, the hotel is only 10 miles or so from downtown Phoenix. \nOn check-in, the helpful staff member Quentin did not mention Priceline. I was given a non-smoking room with 2 beds, as requested (I had called the previous day and spoke to Jerry at the front desk). The room was on the top floor (7th floor), situated next to the ice machine and vending machines (no thanks to Jerry). Was apprehensive at first, but noise from the ice machine was barely audible from inside the room, and was not a problem for a deep sleeper like me. The noise of the A/C unit in the room made enough white noise to drown out any noise from outside the room. The room looked out to the parking garage of the TV station located next door, and to the mountains beyond.\nThe room had the new Sleep Number beds (not all rooms have them, according to the front desk). Each bed had 2 regular pillows and one body pillow, and a comfortable comforter. It also offered FREE WIRELESS INTERNET! The room had a TV armoire, a writing desk, and still had room for a comfortable, oversized armchair. The bathroom had a marble counter and the tub had one of those curved shower rods to give you more room.\nAs you enter the main entrance, the small check-in lobby is to your right, and the restaurant/cafe is to your left. Straight ahead is the lobby bar, with dark wood on the walls and a big screen TV in the corner. The Wall Street Journal, the Arizona Republic and USA Today are offered every morning in the counter opposite the lobby bar. The fitness center is small but has the bare minimum equipment (a threadmill, a stationary bike, 1 or 2 other pieces of equipment); there is a hot tub next to the huge outdoor heated (in December) pool. The fitness center and pool are open from 6:30 am to 10:30 pm - the hotel should consider making the fitness center available 24 hours.\nThe hotel is within walking distance to the Chinese Cultural Center, where there is a 99 Ranch Asian supermarket and several Asian restaurants. However, none of the hotel brochures mentioned the proximity of the hotel to this great resource. Some hotel guests might actually find this information useful.\nThe restaurant service did not impress. The first (and only) time I went to the restaurant, the male server greeted me with \"Do you have a breakfast coupon?\" instead of \"Good morning\" or something similar. Also, the restaurant staff decided that morning that because it was slow, they would not prepare hot food for the breakfast buffet - you had to ask the server to bring you the hot food that you wanted (eggs, bacon, etc), then wait for it to be prepared - it defeats the idea and convenience of a breakfast buffet - better if you just say that you are not offering the buffet at all. \nThe front desk staff was really good and helpful, though it would be nice if the front desk staff stopped chatting, or even greeted/acknowledged guests, when guests enter the hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We stayed here one night on our way driving to Los Angeles and were very pleasantly surprised by the attentive and professional staff, immaculate rooms and common areas, and price. This is a property just taken over by Radisson and the upgrade to the brand shows. The 2-room suite featured a large living room area with couch, chair and work desk while the bedroom was divided off with a French door. The bathroom was large and clean with the typical Radisson soaps and ammenities and the overall location a mile from Sky Harbor airport was safe and quiet. This property also features free parking, which is a nice perk! While we did not visit the dining room, it looked of high quality while the prices showed as they seemed a little high.\nWe would definitely stay here again while in the Phoenix area, whether passing through or staying for a few days!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 18}]}, "1147292": {"reviews": []}, "223860": {"reviews": [{"text": "Read my entire review if you want to avoid checking out at 3AM like we did. YES! WE LEFT AT 3AM BECAUSE IT WAS SO BAD!\nI really don't have a long complicated drawn out story to tell. The bottom line is; this place is a place overrun by filthy riff raff drunks. For a lack of a better word...the clientele here is very low class. I pulled up to the hotel at NOON and there was already a bunch shirtless people standing around the front lobby with 6 packs of coors light. Nice..awesome. The pools had maybe 4000 chairs and 10 umbrellas. The entire resort is supposed to be smoke free but people are smoking at the pools, in the rooms...I was walking into a cloud of smoke almost every turn..and this is a GIANT place. If you want free second hand smoke...this is your place. Complained to hotel...and was actually told that people are allowed to smoke on their balconies. WOW! I called back to double check and the manager assured me that she was mistaken and the resort is \"supposed\" to be smoke free. RIGHT........\n We got a suite for us and our baby because we wanted a nicer room and experience. Well it's such a joke. Because...all of a sudden at 9pm...a HUGE group of people BURST into their STANDARD SIZED rooms (i say that in caps b/c standard rooms here are dirt cheap and so 8 people are splitting the room so it's only $25 a person...yup you get the picture of who stays here) throwing beer bottles around, rowdy as can be, playing beer pong...doing body shots...you name it...they were doing it. I think at one point, one of them threw each other on to the wall during a \"friendly\" fight because I thought something for sure was going to explode through my walls. I almost threw up when one of them went out for a smoke break on the balcony and said \"oh dang i can't wait to eat more sausages tomorrow.\" WTF??!!? Called front desk...hotel sent security to calm them down... \n Fast track... 2AM...awoken by the sound of beer bottles breaking on the OTHER side of our room. Another group of drunks swearing, obscenity, F bombs every other word, girls challenging to fight the guys...guys threatening to throw each other over the balcony! My baby was startled to death and and cryng hysterically because they were screaming next door throwing chairs around going in and out of the room and balcony nonstop. IT WAS LIKE A SCENE AT A BRAWL AT A $39/NIGHT MOTEL IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHEREVILL. It was so disturbing and we had to pack up at 2 in the morning...baby crib, all our luggage, wet bathing suits (have you tried to pack up at 2am after you're awoken by drinks? it's not fun) etc so we can escape from this HELLISH place filled with NASTY PEOPLE! We went to check out at the front desk (by this time it was 3am)...I was furious already thinking we were the only who would be awake at this god awful hour. Nope. There were people walking around the hotel lobby shirtless, INSANELY INTOXICATED, PRACTICALLY WALKING INTO THE WALLS AND YET stillllllllll chugging their coor lights. I was shocked...and yet the front desk staff didn't even bat an eyelash..because THIS IS THE NORM OF THE CROWDS HERE. The pools are open 24/7...which you might think is great..but it's probably the biggest red flag because 24/7 pools means loud obnoxious drunks at all hours. STAY AWAY. DISGUSTING!!! I WOULDN'T COME BACK IF THEY COMPED ME THE REST OF MY LIFE!!!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "The good:\nThis is a great hotel. Check-in was fast and efficient, I was upgraded to a junior suite, and the bathroom, bed and pillows were all great. Very nice d\u00e9cor. Excellent housekeeping. Roy\u2019s downstairs has great food, and it was fun seeing the rabbits and ducks wandering around while eating. Pools are nice, and perfect for kids/families. Service was excellent overall. \nThe bad:\nNickel and diming. Internet was $12.95/day plus 3 different taxes. But wait, a day isn\u2019t 24 hours. It is until noon. So if you need internet at 11am, you are paying $12.95+ for internet which will expire in an hour. Sleazy! Why can Courtyard by Marriott provide free internet, but the much-more-expensive JW Marriott charge for it? Annoying. Anyway, when I received my bill I was prepared for the internet charges, but there were other surprise charges. Self-parking is $10/day. Plus 3 taxes. They didn\u2019t tell me at check-in about this, and there are no signs in the parking lot indicating that there is a charge. Surprise! And then I also paid $53+ to receive two packages. I had called a month before and been told by the front desk that there was no charge to receive packages. Yet, for the packages which had arrived slightly before my arrival, I paid $53 for them to hold them and then deliver them to me. Despite being told the wrong information by the hotel, they refused to credit back this charge. \nSo overall, although I was extremely pleased with the hotel for my entire stay, I was left with a really bad taste once I received the bill. I would therefore likely not stay there again. What a dumb way to lose repeat business!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Never having previously stayed at a J.W. Marriott, I truly looked forward to my visit at the Desert Ridge property. Unfortunately, the overall experience could best be described as \u201cunimpressive\u201d.\nArriving at the J.W. Marriott Desert Ridge, I found the expansive entrance to be very fitting of a quality property. Check-in was fairly quick and efficient even though I showed up about two hours before their scheduled check-in time. It was possible that I might have been a little lucky since the person ahead of me was telling his friend that he was not able to check-in yet because his room was not ready. My room was on the 5th of 6 floors which did fulfill my request for a \u201chigh floor\u201d from my online reservation. The room was nicely appointed although the room itself seemed a little small based on my expectations. The king-size bed had an ample supply of pillows and included two side tables with lamps. The room also had a small loveseat with coffee table as well as a small work desk. The armoire had an approximately 29 inch conventional television as well as a mini-bar which required a key to access the contents. The bathroom had a nice amount of marble and was visually appealing. \nBasically, there were no major problems with my stay, however, there were numerous minor ones that left me unimpressed. To start with, my shower was apparently missing some silicone caulking near its base which produced about a 4 foot puddle by the time I was done with my shower. The next day while getting ready for a meeting, there was no hot water available. I called down to the front desk and was informed that a pipe burst earlier and that there would not be any hot water for an hour. I certainly understand that pipes can burst, but that did not help me get ready for my meeting! The health club is quite mediocre by most current standards. There are around ten elliptical/treadmill machines. The equipment itself looked a little worn out. While working out in the morning, there were no special items placed in the room such as apples or bottles of water. The fitness center itself is about 100 yards from the closest point to the hotel building and requires you to walk outside to get there. I found that a little irritating since it was only around 40 degrees F each morning when I went to workout. The pools appeared quite nice and included a lazy river system. Unfortunately, the weather was just a little too cold to enjoy it!\nAnother minor irritation is that I found the noise insulation in my room to be mediocre at best. Every evening from 6-10 PM a duo would be playing music on the ground floor of the atrium. Well, that basically negated any ability to get a good night\u2019s sleep before 10 PM as my door and walls would vibrate to the music even though I was on the 5th floor! I probably should have requested a room change, but I guess I just did not care enough (it was reminiscent of the noise in my room at college). \nThe upkeep of my room was a little variable as well. One day the maid failed to replace the plastic bag in the ice bucket. Another day, she forgot to dispose of the garbage in one of the garbage cans. The maid service itself was performed as late as 4 PM on one of the days which I think is a little too late.\nThe hotel is located in a relatively nice area with a huge shopping complex within walking distance. One of the subtle downsides of the hotel is that it seems much more geared for conventioneers than vacationers. Everywhere you turn there seems to be a person with their nametag attached to a lanyard around their neck.\nI did not eat at any of the restaurants but did enjoy several of the catered meals, presumably prepared by the J.W, at my conference.\nOther minor issues included the toiletries which were marked as \u201cMade in China\u201d. I found that a little surprising considering most \u201cnicer\u201d hotels/resorts certainly try to make exclusive toiletries for their guests. Also, there was no DVD player in the room which would have been nice.\nI wrestled on whether giving this J.W. Marriott three, or four stars. I ended up with four as a compromise that is was not great but not average either. I doubt I would bring my family here for a vacation, but would not mind it for a convention. There just was nothing particularly exception about the property to truly warrant a higher rating.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 36}, {"text": "You know that commercial where the weary business traveler goes to check in and the first thing the front desk does is say, \"I'm sorry, it appears we have overbooked your room. We have another room it is on a different floor,\" and the exhausted and exasperated guy says, \"Fine,\" and the next scene is him walking into the type of suite in \"Ocean's Twelve\"? You know the kind of suite you picture Julia Roberts getting? Weeeeellllll....\nThat's not exactly what happened to us.\nOkay, that's exactly what happened. We got the most pimped out suite I had ever seen!\nWe really did not expect much because we had gotten a time share presentation invitation from Northwest WorldPerks. My wife and I were considering a timeshare, and maybe a temporary relocation to the PHX area for a year (while a friend rented our house from us, our jobs are in demand anywhere in the US, and thus our friend indirectly pays for PHX apartment), so we were intrigued, but we did not expect much for $75/night. Well it turned out after our \"Great AZ Road Trip,\" which I chronicled under my review of the Comfort Inn Camp Verde, I was actually prepared to pay big $$$ for an upgrade. After all it was our third anniversary and I wanted to live how the other half does, at least for a few days. Well did not have to shell out for the upgrade thanks to the large Honeywell conference that took about 99.4 percent of the hotel and bumped me into a suite.\nNow this was no ordinary suite... Noooooo. We walk into gleaming marble foyer, with the most detailed closet with ample drawer space and plush robes. On the left is the bathroom with: Double vanity; Everything you could think to need in little baskets underneath on the shelves; A completely marble tub and seperate marble shower big enough for two and surrounded by glass; Seperate powder room with a phone in it!!!!; And marble that goes 3/4 up all the walls. Go past the bathroom and into the room (that was at least two regular Marriott suites in one) and there was: A huge TV with a nice interactive menu hidden in the TV armoire; Two bookshelves with actual books I would want to read (of course JW Marriott's book was there as well); Two leather \"Lazy boy\" chairs; Leather couch: Solid wood desk with a computer and internet; Large dining/board room table with eight chairs; Large wet bar (about double the size of most hotel wet bars); Mini-fridge (always how you get in my book of favorites): Safe; And king-size Murphy Bed with memory foam mattress with soft white linens.\nThe wife and I laughed ourselves silly for about two hours and called everyone we knew. Mind you we're on vacation and people are wondering why were calling them so late (PHX was three hours behind at that time because it was Indpls's first year on EDT.) Then we got scared that they might make us move, but that never happened. They probably wouldn't but we left our do not disturb sign out 24/7 just in case.\nI experienced nothing but first class service while there, but then again, I wasn't really trying to get much other than a tan and tall drink. Ate in the steak restaurant once and service was above average. Expensive pool side drinks, but convenient and very tasty... er, effective!\nTime share presentation was very pleasant until they told me that unless I write a check for $X,0000 right then, I'd have to finance through them to buy... and the interest is 14.9%! Are you kidding me?!?! I could've bought it at 0.9% on my MC right then, but they don't take plastic. Dumb. Killed it right there and we were going to buy one. He did give us a $100 Marriott certificate though - applied it to a free steak dinner in one of their five restaurants! I had a very good filet, but it's not Sullivans.\nScenery is 2nd to none. Our room overlooked a courtyard full of wonderful vegetation. My wife enjoyed here morning strolls before it got above 90 degrees. If I was an advid golfer there is no way I would miss a few rounds out here. Especially since you can sometimes get the Jack Rabbits to go after your partners ball. The only way this place would be better is if it was in Sedona, but you wouldn't want this place there because it would make Sedona too commercialized.\nThe hotel was full of people bt did not feel crowded. The main guests with the deep pockets were Honeywell, but unlike some of the other reviews, I did not feel ignored. Housekeeping to valet, to regular attendants were courteous and acknowledged me before I had even made eye contact sometimes. The gentlman working at FedEx Kinkos was gracious enough to waive the internet fee because I was just on for literally two minutes. I think it would cost him more in his time to ring up 78 cents.\nParking is a nice walk across some HOT blacktop, but I will take 115 degree heat over Indiana winter anyday. Water is something that is sold everywhere here so you're thirst is not far from relief but make sure that you are drinking water BEFORE you are thirsty. A smart tip is to go the grocery store in the shopping area across from the resort and just get a twenty four case of water. You will even appreciate warm water when it's 115 Farenheit.\nPools are exceptional, but get towels early or bring your own. When I was there they were asking for hotel keys for towels, which is smart because there seemed to be some locals there who probably are not paying for these amenities. The place is so large there is not much that staff could do to keep them out.\nDid not utilize the spa, but definitely considered it seriously. Did a lot of exploring of PHX. Old Town Scottsdale is great. They are still building around Scottsdale and the free bus service is great, especially if you want to find a free place to park and then ride around town to several points including Scottsdale's amazing mall! The only other place I though to compare is the mall near Waikiki, but Scottsdale's mall was indoors and Hawaii's mall outdoors. Lot's of great mom and pop restaurants in Old Town Scottsdale. Wanted to try them all!\nOverall, I had the most enchanting experience in PHX and the JW Marriott was the crowning jewel. I hope to go back several times over my lifetime. Maybe one day I will retire there at the ripe old age of 51. Hmmm... Early retirement plan...Maybe I could be Ocean's Thirteenth - Doh! Too late.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We stayed at the hotel because of a business conference, not so much by choice, and I think we would have chosen elsewhere, if not for the business conference. The rate was quite high for the off-season, considering the level of service and the quality of the room. Maybe if I was a golfer I would have been more excited, but this resort is out on the edge of town, a 20-30 minute drive from the nightlife of Scottsdale. \nThe hotel is big, and I think that may be part of the problem. It's very dificult to provide top service to over a thousand guests. House cleaning was quite slow and the halls seemed to be filled with maids carts all the time. We had numerous problems getting internet connections (should be better at a nearly new hotel), and the staff weren't much help. Wireless and high-speed in the room were two separate charges, for each computer. In fairness, the hotel did remove most of our Internet charges.\nThere are several food options, quite acceptable and reasonably priced, given that this is an expensive resort. The pools are very nice, and they are generously staffed with attendants. The pool area seemed to be the most service-oriented part of the hotel. Many other folks were \"going through the motions\" or a little rough around the edges. This is not a Ritz-Carlton.\nThis a very nice property, and families will enjoy a trip to this resort more than a trip to Las Vegas. But the place didn't feel that special, and I think I would have preferred to stay at one of the more established resorts closer in to the center of Scottsdale (most of which are the same price or less expensive.)", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed here on business with my husband. Well where do I start? Upon driving in to the resort you are struck with the immeadiate immensity of the hotel. It is truly a \"resort\" in scale. Checking in was a bit hectic, there were a gaggle of luggage boys under the carport busily attending to peoples luggage. Getting in and over to the checkin desk was a bit harried but I think it was a busy day. They said they were at full capacity. We arrived early (around 1pm) and they had a lovely room available already. When we walked into our standard room we were surprised to see our bed covered in red rose petals. It was beauitiful. I dont know if this is standard practice for them or not, alot of other guests I spoke to did not recieve this but it was a nice touch.The bathroom was gorgeous, It was so large! It had a nice deep tub for baths and a seperate all-glass shower. The tile in the bathrooms is gorgeous but VERY slippery when wet. I think its a law-suit waiting to happen. The pools are beautiful, that is where I spent the majority of my time, while my husband was on business. There are many private corners,shady spots and umbrellas to stake out if you want to be alone. The service by the pool was unexpected. They will bring you drinks and a limited menu poolside. The food was great, noone I was with, was ever dissapointed in there choices. The salads could feed a small family, and at $12-14 each they should. Heres a tip: They offer a smaller managable half-size salad for $6-8 each that is still enough to fill up even a large appetite. But they wont tell you they offer this smaller size, we just found out by accident. Food and drink service poolside was a little on the slow side but the young people that were working the pool in 100+degree heat deserved a medal for that alone. Housekeeping was a bit slow, some days I would be out of my room 8 or 9 hours and come back and housekeeping was just finishing or had not gotten to my room yet. My only complaint about this goregeous place was the selection of places to eat. There is NOWHERE to just grab a low-cost meal. Even the cafe that is poolside charged $12 for a cheesburger, $12-14 for salads, and $10-12 for average drinks.(Everyone was raving about there Pina Coladas w/toasted coconut in all fareness) The restaurants I'm sure were fabulous, I only ate in the 2 that were the most affordable. You can also have drinks and a small food menu out on the large patio in the back of the hotel. ( I recommend the \"Chicken Wonton-Tostada's\" they were unreal....Yumm!!!) They have large upholstered furniture outside on the back patio, where you can sit and feel like your on your living room couch being served dinner. I wished I would have aten there a bit more it was so relaxing. All and all there is not much I can say bad about this place, between the mountain veiws, the gorgeous pools, the mostly prompt and couteous service, beautiful rooms, and good food it was a fantastic week. I would highly reccomend it to anyone visiting Phoenix.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We stayed two nights at this resort, and there are negative points that need to mentioned:\n1. This hotel caters mainly to conventioneers and - especially during summer - to local families and kids by offering huge discounts. During our stay, the hotel was overflowing with kids - there must have been 600-700 every day. It is a well known \"secret\" that locals staying here have friends sneak in all the time for free to use the room and the pools. You can imagine the noise level by those crowds. This is definitely not a place for adults to relax. We had to change our room after three unsupervised teens started a screaming contest next door. Expect a huge unruly kindergarden, not a resort.\n2. Parking: The hotel unfortunately allows its staff to use a huge part of the closest parking area. The reason is that management attempts to force you to use the valet service ($ 20 per day). If you decide to do self parking, expect long walks in 110-115 degrees. \n3. Service: The food at Tuscany was wonderful (salmon/steak), the service understaffed and extremly slow. The chef de cusine came in person to our table to take our order, as she seemed to recognize the service problems. Thanks, chef!\n4. Housekeeping: Has problems to get rooms cleaned in time. When returning at 3 or 4 pm, do not expect that your room has been freshened up.\nFor someone looking for a quiet and relaxing stay, there are much better choices in the Scottsdale/Phoenix area.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Stayed for two nights April 7&8, 2006. The room was about the same size (12\u2019w x 16\u2019) as a Holiday Inn but the rate was $450 a night. Nicely furnished with the Revive bedding but 3 uncomfortably narrow chairs. There was no place to put anything in the double room and we were tripping over each other. Even the coffee maker was hidden away in the closet. The desk had an experimental computer on it you could use for $10 a day, so that took up even more room. Even the tub was tiny, but the separate shower was OK. \nThis is a huge hotel with 950 rooms on only 5 floors, the largest in AZ they said, so it fans out like spokes on a wheel from the lobby in the hub. Getting a pool view means you are pretty much at the end of the spokes and a long walk from the lobby where the restaurants were. We got lost a couple of times finding the room, getting to the end of the wrong \u2018spoke\u2019 and had to go back and start all over again. Everything is first class and quite impressive. Staff friendly and happy to serve. \nWe joined the Cloud Club \u2013 like a concierge room any guest can have for an extra $150 a night per room (max. 2 people) that includes complimentary drinks in the room from 4-10 pm each day including weekends, appetizers from 5-6 pm, dessert & cordials at 8 pm, and a chef prepared hot breakfast from 7-11 am. In addition they make dinner reservations for you, as well as for tennis, spa and golf. There is only one computer to log on with and no WIFI yet (although WIFI is available in the upper lobby). Cloud Club staff are very anxious to please and is a new project started Jan. 9, 2006. It is a large very comfortable room. So that took our daily rate to $600 before taxes.\nDinner one night was at Tuscany restaurant on site. It was a beautiful Italian restaurant but the service is spotty. It was the first Italian restaurant where we had to ask for bread \u2026 then had to ask for butter. From the moment we ordered drinks the waiter wanted us to give him the order \u2013 after 4 requests if we were ready we told him we\u2019d signal him when we wanted to order. We ordered Lobster Bisque (excellent) at $8 each, Rack of Lamb (excellent) for $26 and Veal Scaloppini (ordinary) for $24. The next night we ate at Roy\u2019s and had their price fixed $33 meal. It was very good \u2013 the chocolate explosion excellent. We found Roy's service more acceptable but both restaurants would have you outta there in 20 minutes if they could.\nThe grounds of this hotel are outstanding.. they even have a \u2018lazy river\u2019 where you can get on a tire and float around the entire thing in about 5 minutes. Other pools are plentiful and nice. After dinner drinks outside on the patio with live music at a fire pit is dreamy. People staying at the adjacent timeshare, Marriott Canyon Villas, have full use of the facilities of the hotel too. Valet parking is $20. Self park is free but a hike \u2013 they do have a shuttle for that.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Our family took a trip to Phoenix for spring break during the week of March 25-Apr 1, 2006. I would highly recommend the JW.\nI took the advice of other travelers which included the free laundry on the 4th floor (even detergent is free) although only 2 washers and dryers, but still free. The poolside food was great, especially for the kids. I wouldn't recommend the cobb salad..very bland. I would recommend the quesadillas and fruit..Yum. They also have a Starbucks in the hotel which had free fruity water that was so refreshing.\nSpa: While we didn't use the services, we did order smoothies and food for lunch. We also used the fitness center. Much better equipment at this one than the regular hotel one. It was crowded early in the am, but by 9am thru the afternoon (I worked out at different times) it was empty.\nRoom: we had a standard room. Not very big. We had a very comfy king bed and a pullout which was a twin. So we had to get a rollaway and fit it in between. This left for very little room. They were out of rollaways when we called but we found a maid who brought one right to us. The bath was fine, but only one sink and one plug area. Very limiting. Otherwise it was fine.\nPools: My kids loved the lazy river and the main pool with the fountain. It was cool the week we went but the water was heated. There was never a towel shortage either. They have pitchers of water and cups free of charge which is great.\nKids: there were tons of kids, all ages and yes, they do play continuously in the grassy area. My boys, age 10 and 7 were in heaven. We went to the marketplace (free hotel shuttle) and bought them a football so they could play all the time (what a nice perk to have Target so close).\nFood: We ate at Roys..very good and the kids loved their meal too. We ate at the Blue Sage for breakfast several times. Kid buffet only 6.95 but adult 18. So we let the kids eat and we ordered off the menu.\nOther: we went to the Grand Canyon and Sedona prior to our visit. I would recommend it. We will definitely return\nScottsdale/Phoenix area: Highly recommend the Kierland commons shopping area (ate at North..yum), the Rawhide ranch area south of phoenix (old western town and steakhouse), the Science museum (good rainy day thing to do), and old Scottsdale art gallerys (gallery walk on Thursday nights). We ate at Los Olivos in old Scottsdale..great, authentic Mexican food.\nEnjoy!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "In heaven, you will wake up in the morning, take a shower in a fantastic bathroom adorned with beautiful marble, and then you'll get dressed (in shorts, I might add, because it's always sunny in heaven). Next you'll walk down a flight of stairs to your own, private, yes, I'm not kidding...Starbucks! \nWe're not talking that \"we proudly serve Starbucks coffee\" ruse you've seen at other hotels. We're taking a bona fide, pleasantly staffed real Starbucks.\nThen it gets better. You take your coffee and go to the lobby and sit in one of those comfy chairs and just people watch. Or you might stroll through the grounds that were absolutely breathtaking. (If you think of a desert as scruffy cactus and sagebrush, this will turn you around.) Or you might just go watch the kids having the times of their lives floating down the Lazy River on their inner tubes.\nYou might have a well-prepared, reasonably-priced meal outdoors. You might watch the Final Four in the lobby on special big-screen TVs they brought in for the occasion. Or you might just sit in the sun and blow off the spring training baseball games you thought you came to see.\nNow, a word about the rooms: We thought they were nicer than average, despite what you'll read on this site. Our room was lovely, with a great view of the gardens.\nMore important, the people were lovely. Upon checking in at around 6 pm we were at first thrilled to find out about the Starbucks, and then disappointed to hear that it had just closed for the day. Standing there looking forlorn, a Marriott employee walked by and said \"oh, did you want a Starbucks?\" \nHe then opened the door and asked the staff to make one more latte which they cheerfully did. When we reached in our wallet to pay, the Marriott employee smiled and said \"this one's on us.\" Can you ask for better than that?\nSo was there anything wrong at all with our stay at the J.W. Marriott? Yes. It ended too soon.\nP.S. - In the spirit of adventure we decided to check out the Hyatt Regency in Scottsdale for a couple of nights. An unfortunate decision on our part. Go read the reviews of that hotel and you'll recognize ours (quack!), and then make your reservation ONLY at the Marriott.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I'm not sure that the pp stayed at the same place as me!! This place was amazing. The service unbelievable. As soon as you got there valet was waiting checking in was flawless even though we were 6 hours before check-in time. The rooms were nice but nothing \"so special\" for the price. But they were definatly clean. We had our 8 month old son, they had a crib in our room and a pack and play for us to carry around with us. The pools were a dream. We popped up the Pack and Play put up an umbrella and all enjoyed the day. The pool was large but had several strips and smaller pools for privacy for those of us that are not excited about how we look in a bathing suit. The service at the pool was good and drinks were $9 but you could double the size for $13.50. So $6-7 per drink which really isn't bad for a pricey resort.\nThe concierge was amazing. They recommend two different off the beaten path restaurants that were wonderful and full of character. There are little firepits throughout the resort. We mentioned while stand at the concierge desk it would be fun to make smore's. The girl working the counter started a furious search (9PM) for supplies for us. She called the executive chef at home and asked where to find marshmallows... we kept telling her don't do this we can go to the store! She kept insisting she would find them, after waiting a few minutes we told her we would go to our room and to call if she happened upon them. She told us earlier she was off at 9:30. At about 10 we had knock on our door. We opened it, she had went to the store, after her shift, and bought us stuff to make them!! My husband kept saying, Wow there are still people like that in the world?\nOur whole experience was delightful! \nYes... it is pricey but if you're going to spend that much this resort is awesome!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My wife and I just spent two nights here for a short getaway to warm weather. My wife works for Marriott, and I stay in hotels over 150 nights a year, so we both have a good basis for comparing hotels to each other. First of all, the resort is beautiful. The gardens are immaculate and go beyond just being pretty. There is just something about a stylish building (that's only 6 stories tall) surrounded by ponds, fountains, pools, lawns, flowers, golf courses, and LOTS of palm trees. You could easily mistake this for a Hawaiian island setting. \nOur room was above average, overall. It was pretty big, with a large bathroom and bright walls, it was very clean, and there is a hint of some kind of flower perfume that is pleasant when you walk in. I was surprised that for $500 a night, though, that guests still have to pay $10 daily if they want internet access. You can stay at Courtyard by Marriott for under $100 w/ free internet.\nThe pools were very warm at 86 degrees, and the Lazy River was nice and relaxing. There seems to be lots and lots of space for guests at the pools - hundreds of lounge chairs. \nThe fitness center is great - all new equipment, including cardio w/ individual televisions, free weights, and machines.\nAll of the hotel staff was very professional and pleasant. \nWe ate at Roy's one night and off-property for all other meals. Roy's was nothing to write home about. We had eaten at the one in Pebble Beach, which was very good, but this one was about a 7 out of 10. We ordered the appetizer sampler platter, and everything was delicious, though pricey at $25. The entrees we ate were two of Roy's signature dishes - \"macadamia nut encrusted mahi-mahi w/ lobster Cognac sauce\" and soy-glazed butterfish. Both fish were cooked well and tasted good, but lacked depth of flavor. They was no explosion of flavors in the mouth. So, the meal was good, but not outstanding in my opinion. Service was very slow every step of the way, from taking our order, to getting a drink, to getting dessert (it took over 30 minutes even though we ordered the souffle with our dinner order, as recommended on the menu). They came around early on and gave us each 1 breadroll (yum!), but despite my requests for another roll, we never saw the bread guy again the entire night.\nThere are plenty of places to eat near the hotel, if you don't want to go fancy all the time. We spent a whole day in Old Town Scottsdale. We highly recommend a sundae at The Sugar Bowl and authentic Mexican food at Los Olivos.\nSo, I think the Marriott is a very nice hotel, but probably a bit pricey for the average traveler, espescially considering the cost of eating on-site.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I have to say that I absolutely could not WAIT to leave this place. Granted I was there for a conference but still. The room was ok (but stains on carpet and ceiling) but very standard Marriott, nothing special AT ALL. The service was, with VERY few exceptions, absolutely terrible. Food was ok. Note that this hotel was built to take advantage of the HUGE conferences that take place in AZ around this time of year. Do not, and I repeat DO NOT, think about going there for a vacation. Horrible!!!!!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My Girlfriend and I stayed at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge the week between Christmas and New Years in December. We couldn't have been any happier with it. From the moment we got there, we were treated like royalty. \nThe hotel is gorgeous, and the water/fire/earth/sky motif is just amazing. So many waterfalls and fountains around, it just feels so relaxing. After getting to our first room, we decided that since we'd be staying for a week, we would like a room with a better view, and they gladly gave us one overlooking the botanical gardens and the driving range. \nThe restaurants are delicious, and it was a treat to sit by the pool and enjoy a margarita and the cobb salad.\nThe golf is a little pricey ($190/round), so we decided to use the driving range each day. We couldn't have had a better time.\nThere are so many shops in close proximity to the resort, we felt like we were in heaven.\nThe Spa is amazing, and to fully enjoy it you need to spend the entire day there. We had lunch, sat by the pool, and got a couples massage. It was all AMAZING!\nThe only downside was that on the day we checked out, we were awakened by a fire alarm at 4am. We had to scurry outside, and the desert air is mighty crisp that early! \nThis is the nicest resort we have ever stayed in, and we will come back again and again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We just stayed at the Desert Ridge from 12/27 to 1/01.\nWe had picked it over the Biltmore based on reviews here. It met but did not exceed our expectations. Big hotel, nice facilities but starting to show wear after only three years. Pretty crowded and noisy (Fiesta Bowl attendees) - good for families but not for couples who want a romantic getaway. Rooms nice but nothing special - beds could be improved. Service above average overall, especially in Cloud Club (but you're paying extra so it should be better). My husband is a serious golfer and gives good marks to both courses. But as a first time visitor to Phoenix, I must say I don't know what the attraction is other than the weather. Wasn't overly impressed by anything I saw there. Took a day trip to Sedona - that was impressive, especially views at Enchantment resort(and that gets spotty reviews). Tuscany restaurant meal very enjoyable, but at the Meritage steakhouse they were just about throwing the food at us. And I just wish people would learn to dress in something other than jeans in nicer resort restaurants. Nice break from Minneapolis weather, but I don't know if I'd return. My husband will, but year-round golf is the attraction for him.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We recently stayed with our family for Thanksgiving weekend at the JW Desert Ridge. We had a total of 3 rooms and chose to stay at the Cloud Club level, Executive Suite rooms. Glad we made that choice - the rooms were very comfortable, large & roomy, beautiful view of the mountains beyond, well maintained and housekeeping did a very good job. \nThe Cloud Club level was excellent. They could not do enough for us and the Cloud Club level facility was the best! Breakfast was great - they offered something for everyone and if we did not see what we wanted - all we had to do was to ask and they accomodated us. Light tastings and drinks were available later in the day and coffee & dessert in the evenings. It worked out just perfectly for our family. The staff at the Cloud Club level was outstanding - Ken, Sharon, Laura -& everyone else were unbelievably friendly.\nThe hotel has amazing pools and the grounds are beautiful and very well kept. The lazy river pool is great fun as is the water slide.\nOne evening they had a western singer outside with a fire going and had the children make s'mores over the open fire - it was a real treat!\nThe food at the different restaurants were very good as were the service. Many choices to please our whole group. \nThe only meal that we did not enjoy was dinner at Roy's. The food was good, not great - but the service was a nightmare.\nWe all enjoyed treatments at the great spa. A beautiful facility and very well run.\nI like to stay at top quality hotels & definitely consider this hotel to be on my list of top quality resorts.\nIt was a great Thanksgiving family trip and I highly recommend the JW Marriott Desert Ridge.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We stayed at JW Marriot Desert Ridge Resort for three nights in mid-November 2005. This is a beautiful resort with excellent grounds and rooms. Check in was smooth and the room we received was in a very good location, just steps from the exercise room and the \u201clazy river\u201d pool, and in close proximity to the main pool and the lobby areas. The room was ground floor, with a patio overlooking gardens and the golf course. A room one or two floors higher, with balcony, would have afforded a better view, but we were happy with ours. The room was very large, with king size bed, sofa, coffee table, two chairs, desk, television cabinet, and a huge marble/tile bathroom with both tub and separate shower (glass enclosed). The bathroom amenities were top-notch. The room was immaculate when we checked in and stayed that way while we were there. The room also included a digital safe and small fridge to the side of the mini-bar. The only complaint at all about the room is that the fridge did not keep things real cold, just cool. We had a small ice chest with us so things we wanted to be really cold we just iced down.\nThe resort is quite large and spread out, so be prepared to walk. While valet parking is offered, it is not mandatory and self parking is available. It is quite a walk from the self park lot to the room wings so people that have mobility problems should be aware of that.\nThe exercise room by the pool area is open 24 hours and is very well equipped with state of the art equipment. It was busy while we were there, but early morning visits usually found open treadmills. The spa was very nice and offers the typical services. It also has another pool available, but one must pay a daily spa fee to use it. This might be worth it when the resort is full of kids but while we were there we say maybe 4 children. There is also another exercise room located adjacent to the spa, but it is not open 24 hours.\nThe grounds and the public areas are very nice. There are several dining options available in the resort, as well as a Starbucks for coffee drinks. There is of course lots of out door dining space. The bars at the main pool and the lazy river offer a wide selection of drinks (reasonably priced for a resort) and a nice selection of food (also not priced too badly) and make a nice place for a pool side lunch. We ate dinner at the resort only one evening, at Roy\u2019s, which was excellent. It was expensive but worth every cent. We both chose the fixed price menu which is good value at $33. It offers a very nice selection of Roy\u2019s specialties served in three courses. Roy\u2019s also has a nice wine list and offers some fairly inexpensive house wines (which were quite good) by the glass. We highly recommend Roy\u2019s.\nJust outside the gate of the resort is the Desert Ridge Shopping Center which offers a wide variety of dining options and many shops. Hint: if you want to buy liquor, beer or wine to stock the room, Osco Drugs is MUCH cheaper than the Albertsons Grocery store.\nMarriot offers a free shuttle to and from the shopping center so you could leave your car parked at the hotel. It runs until fairly late in the evening.\nWe really enjoyed our stay and rate this hotel as excellent. We were able to relax around the pools, have some good food and drinks, and just chill, which we both badly needed. We found nothing to complain about at all and would not hesitate to return.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "We really enjoyed our stay at this resort. \nOur package included free breakfast which was wonderful. We had a choice between the buffet or menu items. I chose the buffet which consisted of made to order omelettes, pancakes, and waffles. There were also many other pre-prepared hot and cold items to choose from. \nThe resort itself is beautiful and makes you feel like you're miles and miles away from home. There was live entertainment in the evenings so you could sit outside and enjoy it. \nRoy's restaurant is excellent. It is open for dinner only. I recommend the Blackened Ahi Tuna and the chocolate souffle. It was so good that we had dinner there two nights in a row. \nThe pools were crowded during the day, but it was too hot for us to be by the pools during the day anyway. We used the hot tubs and pools at night which was nice since it was less crowded. The fitness center was great. I especially liked that it was open 24 hours and there weren't any hidden \"resort fees\" to use the fitness center.\nMy favorite part was Revive Spa. The facility is absolutely gorgeous. Treatment includes full use of the facility which includes a fitness center, steam room, showers, jacuzzi, sauna, as well as a beautiful outdoor pool and spa. There is a cute little restaurant that you can have lunch at after your massage. We actually had lunch in our robes and slippers. There is also a relaxation room that you can enjoy before and after your treatment. I had a Swedish massage one time and a Hot Stone Massage another time. I was not impressed with the Hot Stone Massage. Mainly because my therapist took too much time to prepare the stones which took away from my massage time.\nLastly, the room itself was nice, very clean and comfortable. We had a beautiful view of the golf course.\nThis is an expensive hotel, but there are great seasonal packages. We have been to many resorts and this is one of my favorites. I can't wait to return!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I just returned from Phoenix and a stay at the JW. Still conflicted on my feelings regarding our stay. My husband was out there for a conference and it just happened that our anniversary was the day after the conference ended. So I flew out a few days after he did and we just extended our stay. Overall I enjoyed it. The grounds are breathtaking! The food is great and everyone is very friendly. I really liked the location because it was located between Phoenix and Scottsdale and close to the freeway. It made getting around very easy. The staff was very helpful and always had smiles on their faces. Like I've already said the grounds are amazing. I really can't say enough about that and it really made up for the bad things (I'll get to those). There is a patio just outside the lobby that has several tables and lounge chairs with firepits and it was always the place to be in the evening and early morning. I really enjoyed taking a book and just hanging out. The pools are very nice and never seemed crowded.\nOkay so here are the few negatives. The pools weren't heated and it wasn't very comfortable to swim. However, this was in November. Second, I called two weeks in advance and spoke with someone at the hotel. I explained that my husband was going to be there for the conference but that I would be flying in halfway through the week for our anniversary. I told her it would be great if we could get a room with a good view and a king sized bed. When my husband got there he was put in a room with doubles. He told the front desk I would be there in 3 days for our anniversary and could they move him as soon as a king came available. So when I arrived 3 days later he was still in the doubles. We slept in seperate beds because I am 5 months pregnant and there was NO way we could both squeeze into one of those little beds. Not ideal on a romantic getaway. The next day we called and again requested a king room. We were called back around noon and were told our new room was ready and a bellman was on his way up to move us. We loaded everything up and made the trek across the hotel to our new room. When we opened up the door it was another double but the view was amazing (pools). The bellman called the front desk and explained we were wanting a king and again said it was for our anniversary. He was told which room to take us to but it was on the 3rd floor and overlooked the front drive! Not exactly romantic but we opted for the king vs. the view. This was the biggest problem we had. I know the hotel was sold out because of conferences. However, it just seems to me that someone would've thought to put more of the single business travelers into the doubles and leave the king rooms for couples. Also, over the course of a week can you really tell me there wasn't a king room with a decent view that came available. Also, my husband is a preferred Marriott reward holder. So much for rewarding loyalty that week.\nWe did make the best of it and really enjoyed ourselves. Overall it was nice. Just a few little annoying things that keep me from giving it an \"Excellent\". Not sure if we'd stay again. If we knew the room situation would be better we would. However, because of the volume of conferences that seems unlikely.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Spent two days at this resort. Very clean and grounds were lovely. Got the package one night that included a full breakfast. The second night got the spa package which again included a full breakfast plus two 50 minute spa treatments. Breakfast was anything on the menu and included a buffet which was pretty much anything you can imagine-freshly made omelets, pancakes, many breakfast meats, potatoes and delicious fruit, not to mention sweets etc! It was great. We eat so well that we were not hungry until dinner. Spa was nice, facial was ok. Used the spa pool which was a bit more private.Biggest complaint was the fact I was ignored for an hour at the pool when I wanted something to drink. Every waiter didn't come near the area I was in. So strange, but I finally got someone's attention and service was fine.\nThe Desert Ridge Marketplace was across the street and we ate our dinners there. The meals at the resort were expensive and a bit more expansive than we really wanted to eat. Starbucks on premises which was a nice touch as I like their coffee. The room is nice, nothing out of this world but comfy bed and very clean. Ask for a pool side room as they are the best. Do not get a room around the Isle of Capri unless you want to look at the most lifeless view in the resort. No color, no interest. We will try another resort on our next visit.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We were there during the first week of August for four nights. When we got there it was 3:30 and we were able to check in. They gave us a room in the fourth floor (where the complimentary washer and driers(2) are) with a great view into the patio and the pools. It was great. The hotel has activities schedule daily some are free others at a cost. The concierge desk was a great help. They have suggestions on places to visit and most important direct directions. What they say in the other reviews is true. This is certainly another type of heat. We were able to go to different places(Old Town Scottsdale, Slide Rock, Sedona, Heard Museum) because it really doesn't feel that bad. Well the hotel is spectacular. They told us that the hotel wasn't that busy that week but we still saw that the lazy river was pretty full. The pools are really nice and we were able to find chairs and there were plenty of towels available. The lazy river has a slide and plenty of adults were enjoying it. The kids menu is a steal for $4 you really get a huge serving. Most of our dining was away from the hotel since we did visit other sites away from the hotel during the early mornings. We would come back to the hotel around 3:00 and would hit the pools till after dark. Pools close around 11:00 p.m. Something that was not mentioned in this site is that during the summer months it's monsoon season in AZ. This means that late in the evenings lightning could strike and then it could rain which means you can't be in the outdoor patios enjoying the music being played or in the water. For one of the nights we were there we had one of these storms. We went to our room to change out of our swimming attire and just when we were on our way downstairs the entire hotel lost power for about a half hour but the power did restore pretty quick. The weather changed rather quickly. It's true that across from the hotel is a mall with restaurants and even an arcade called Jillians. We really enjoyed our stay there. The lazy river was super fun for the kids and the pools are all very nice and not that deep at most four feet. All in all I recommend this hotel... we definetely plan to go back soon!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "July in Phoenix? Who goes to Phoenix in the midst of a never ending heat wave? We did and WE LOVED IT!! The hotel is beautiful. It still feels new--after three years of service. We had a large suite (Rm 4222) and decided to splurge on the Cloud Club Access--which by the way--is absolutely worth every since penny--a lovely, abundant breakfast buffet....delicious appetizers....open bar in the evenings....lovely sitting areas....the Cloud Club was our favorite feature aside from....\nTHE LAZY RIVER. The LR was wonderful. We spent at least 5 hours per day in the LR...sipping the Kokopelei (sp?) Cabana Coladas that the nice pool attendants were happy to deliver to our spot. It\u2019s not five hours in the pool...its five hours of heaven....with a purpose...there is a current...there is a water slide...the lazy river made us forget that the outside temp was >110. The LR by mid-afternoon gets rather crowded (almost too crowded)...but we did not let this stop our enjoyment...rather it was noted...\"The Lazy River is now crowded. Good thing we have our rafts already. Let's keep on going.\"\nWe used the Spa workout area. It was nice. The regular gym had a little bit of \"high school locker room smell\"--which happens when people work out....but we found the Spa Gym a bit less crowded. \nWe loved walking around the outside common areas of the hotel at night. The environs are beautiful. The torches (yes, torches in the summer) all around the main lawn. The outside lounges and restaurants and live music created a tranquil but not dull....a relaxing, lively....beautiful spot....\nThere were lots of kids. We were travelling without kids and were not overwhelmed by their presence. The resort is large. We did not golf or do much else besides eat and spend time in the lazy river...and we were PERFECTLY content. \nOverall, the service of the hotel staff was top notch. We loved our room. We did not leave the hotel for 4 days and we didn't want to....we felt spoiled every minute and will definitely be coming back!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Just got back from a few days at the J.W. Marriott with my husband and 3 kids. Hotel is BEAUTIFUL! Great service, restaurants, housekeeping. The pools are awesome-lazy river very fun. My kids had a blast-were in the pool every second!(it was 110 degree's outside!) There is an outdoor mall across the street with good restaurants, shops and movie theaters and a hotel shuttle that leaves every half hour! Fun trip!!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We were looking for an upscale resort that would let my wife and I enjoy some of the offerings of a resort while allowing the kids to be kids (who are 5 and 3). The JW Marriott at Desert Ridge is an excellent choice. Let me start with saying that the service personnel from check in to the poolside service to housekeeping were friendly, helpful and courteous. The resort itself is beautiful with many pools to fit whatever age group is interested. The lazy river was a nice feature for all ages. A large grass area in the center of the resort allowed kids to run and run. I saw kids playing there from morning until night. The rooms were nice and spacious and the balcony a nice touch. It allowed us to put our kids to sleep at a decent hour and continue to enjoy drinks on the balcony that overlooked the outdoor seating and band. We felt like we were part of the nightlife without having to leave the room. Once you closed the sliding door to your room is sufficiently cut out the noise from the outside. The outdoor Desert Ridge Mall which is adjacent to the Marriott property ( the resort faces away from this) was extremely convenient to access the 30 or so restaurants which offered a nice variety of prices and food choices. It even had a Target for those last minute items you did not bring (actually knowing its there we would have just bought some things when we got there). This location of Desert Ridge is north of Phoenix and convenient to 17 that allowed us day trips to the Grand Canyon, Sedona and Verde Canyon. It was 110 to 113 degrees during our trip but what they say is true, its a different kind of heat.\nOne small negative, the view of the resort from the rooms is great but the view of nearby mountains was limited.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Well first let me say I have been in the travel industry for awhile and I was very impressed with this resort. Beautiful grounds nice rooms, great bathrooms and very clean. I will be honest there were a couple of things I didn't like but I will factor that into it being July and a bit off season. I really hope that Marriott checks Trip Advisor at times because they have a wonderful associate (manager) who is Karen Chastain. Without her service and the time she takes with the guests I don't think this resort would be as nice as it is! As for the food I disagree with one of the reviews, I would stay with the restaurants that are staffed by Marriott employees. One of the restaurants NOT owned by Marriott or maybe I should say not staffed by Marriott employess is Roy's, so with that said you can draw your own cunclusion. I would defintly stay here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "June 28, 2005 - This was my first stay at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort in Phoenix.\nOften first impressions of a hotel are formed quickly while checking in. Once again, Marriott came through with a check-in time of about 90 seconds. The associate who checked me in was friendly and efficient. I liked the fact that he asked if I wanted help to my room, which I never do when traveling alone.\nI lucked out getting one of the better view rooms in the resort. Room 6303 is on the 6th (top) floor and looks directly out onto the garden, stream, and pool with the desert and the mountains in the background. I made good use of the small balcony by having my room service dinner there.\nThe room itself was about average size, but decorated and furnished very nicely. Everything was of good quality, especially the bed, pillows, and bed linens. The king bed was one of Marriott\u2019s new \u201cI want one of these at home\u201d beds. They are extremely comfortable. The duvet covering the bed seemed freshly laundered. On one of the night stands was a CD player/clock radio, a nice touch.\nMy only disappointment with the room was that there was no swiveling-tilting office-type chair. I guess it would have not fit with the d\u00e9cor, but I always have work to do and a good office chair is appreciated. The desk also fit with the d\u00e9cor, but was not as conducive to working as a true desk would be. I suspect very few visiting this resort spend much time at a desk in the room!\nThe bathroom was great. It was large and had both tub on one side of the room and a glassed in shower on the opposite side. The lighting was excellent. There were the usual upscale assortment of amenity items, a hair dryer and a magnifying mirror. There were plenty of thick towels.\nIt was 109 degrees when I checked in and I took advantage of the pool quickly. Actually the pool complex has three pools, each different and on a different level. There were stacks of pool towels available and I saw most guests had pitchers of ice water at their lounges. I decided to try the Lazy River pool where you can effortlessly float in an inner tube around the pool in about 10 minutes. That was great! It being summer vacation there were a lot of kids, but that was to be expected.\nI had room service for dinner and was impressed when the associate who took my order suggested instead of the soup of the day they prepare me shrimp chowder. She said the regular soup did not look very good. The shrimp chowder and my American Kobe Beef burger were great. It took about 25 minutes from the time I called until my dinner arrived. I also liked the fact that they said up front that a 20% gratuity was being added as well as a delivery charge. Some hotels have a service charge and I am never sure how much of that the server gets.\nAll of the hotel associates that I came in contact with were very friendly and helpful. My room key stopped working (I took it into the pool) and instead of just giving me another key, the front desk associate came with me to my room to make sure I did not have any other problems. I had a drink at the lobby bar and the service there was prompt and very friendly.\nThere is a lot to do at this resort. Besides the pools, there is a wonderfully equipped health club. It is next to the spa and is complimentary. You don\u2019t have to pay to use the spa to use the workout room. There was every conceivable piece of exercise equipment you could want. Most had LCD monitors and wireless earphones. Another thing I liked about the hotel was the Starbucks. Their patio overlooked the botanical gardens.\nAll in all, I can highly recommend this Marriott resort. The service was excellent and the all aspects of the resort are 1st class.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "The JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa Phoenix is an absolutly incredibal resort. there are no faults in this hotel from the mini bar in the room to the two 18 hole championship golf courses - everything is just too good for words. a short walk around this resort is an attack on the senses the lush green golf courses set on a background of desert mountains and sky;(cloudless by the way unless you're talking about marriotts simply outstanding cloud club suites) the gentle hum of music from the outdoor speakers; the smell of some of the best food you will ever taste. It is just unbelivable.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "The staff was exceptional. Everything I asked for was granted. The only suggestion I would give is to have an adults only pool built. \nI don't know what the guy with kids expected. The hotel was full of families this Memorial Week and the kids were happy. They had a special area for entertaining them. Kids are parent's responsibility. If you wish to travel with your spouse and have a romantic vacation, leave the kids with the grandparents or maybe go to a club Med. This hotel does give the kids great importance.. perhaps I wish there were less of them.. since mine are now adults. The kids there were happy and enjoying themselves. There was a children program, but you had to pay a fee. Again I remind parents that this hotel is not a children only daycare center.. it is a large resort and most of the time has large adult conventions.. Around Memorial weekend we had the Pediatric Nurses Convention.\nFood: Roy's was excellent.. Drew our waiter was fabulous as was the Manager that night.. she knew we were celbrating a 50th Birthday and gave us a quiet area in the patio overlooking the grounds. We felt as though we were in Hawaii... even had a lovely breeze.\nThe breakfast/lunch restaurant was great also. We did utilize the Cloud Room facilities and the staff catered to all our wishes.. by the way, the chocolate chip cookies were fabulous. Also, if you wish coffee and don't see it .. ask the ladies for some... whatever you want.. ask them for it.. they were amazing.\nPool: there were always chairs. We positioned ourselves by a tree facing the water way and if you wish an umbrella, ask the pool employees, they will bring one to you.\nI have stayed at the Westin Kierland and enjoyed it.. but this hotel was like being tucked away on vacation in an island. I loved it!\nPS.. We will return.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "I spent five days at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort in late April. Based on what I had read on TripAdvisor.com and based on information from a person in my office who had briefly visited the resort, I had some hesitation about staying here. I knew that it was in the middle of nowhere, and I also knew that it catered to large groups. Plus, I had the pleasure of staying twice at the JW Marriott Camelback Inn, both times for a business conference. I really enjoyed the Camelback and knew the experience at Desert Ridge would be quite different. However I got offered a package deal at Desert Ridge for a price that I couldn\u2019t turn down and just wanted to relax in the desert for a few days\nMy first reaction was mixed. I checked in on a Saturday, and the place was busy, no doubt about it. It was hot and I was looking forward to a long swim, but the pools were crowded with kids. Plus, the one pool that seemed somewhat suitable for lap swimmers was closed for a special event. I asked the front desk if I could be comped to use the Spa pool, and they said fine. That was a nice bonus (and service proved to be excellent at the resort, during the course of my entire stay), since use of the spa facilities cost $25 at a minimum. The pool was beautiful, but I still felt it in no way compared to the spa pool at the Camelback.\nDespite my initial mixed reaction, the place grew on me day by day. The Desert Ridge is the largest hotel in Arizona, but to me, it didn\u2019t feel that way. The architect did a great job of making the resort seem like a manageable size. There is still quite a bit of walking to do, but not nearly as much as some of the big Vegas hotels. The hotel was pretty full over the weekend (and less so as the week went on), but for the most part, the restaurants, pool, and area by the pool never seemed congested. There were a couple of big groups there, but they never bothered me.\nRooms were quite large size and were very cheerful. The bathroom were large too, with a separate marble tub and shower. There were some quirks with the rooms: there seemed to be a waste paper basket only in the bathroom and not by the desk as well ; the shower leaked, unless you positioned the showerhead in a certain way, and there was no way to turn the light on the balcony off, meaning you had to completely close the curtains to get to sleep. But these complaints are relatively minor and in no way subtract from the great overall experience at the hotel.\nI only ate at the Blue Sage, the casual restaurant. Great burgers at lunch and dinner; breakfasts was good, but not great. Prices were on the high side, but I\u2019ve seen them higher elsewhere. However, unlike a lot of other resorts, you are not locked into eating only at the overpriced restaurants on the property. A short way from the hotel is an outdoor mall with a good food court, an Albertsons supermarket, Einstein Bagels and a bunch of casual restaurants including On the Border Caf\u00e9 and California Pizza Kitchen. This really gives a guest a lot more options, in term of food. For those without a car, I think the hotel runs shuttles to this mall, and if it\u2019s not scorching hot, it\u2019s probably not a bad walk.\nThe best feature of this hotel for me was the beautiful two-level lobby and outdoor patio area, as well as the beautiful pool area. The resort was extremely conducive to relaxation. While it is true, that Desert Ridge is somewhat isolated and away from the heart of the action in Phoenix, I found it fairly easy and quick to get around by car, and since I\u2019ve been to Phoenix many times, I preferred staying close by the hotel. By the end of my stay, I was dreading having to leave and return to the real world. In summary, I highly recommend this hotel!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Had I written this review after day 2 of my four night stay, the result probably would have been 5 stars as I could have tolerated some of the early slip ups, however, I made a mistake and stayed on over the Labour Day Weekend. My husband and I stayed for four nights and paid to upgrade ourselves to a Cloud Room. Well in advance (ie 3 weeks), reservations were made for all four restuarants with specific requests for outdoor seating. \nOn arrival we were greeted well by many people and thought we were onto a winner here although it did take us some time to attract the attention of the gentleman at the Cloud Room to gain admission. Our first nights meal at Roys was exceptional with excellent attentive service; our room was beautiful and our walk in the gardens delightful. \nDay Two went well until Dinner, when we were seated in a corridor at Blue Sage (the dining room was empty) advised no outside seating was available (though tables were visible) and served our entree four minutes after our appetizer - the server could not understand we were not ready for it so left it anyway. \nNext day our problems started with the Cloud Room - this has the potential to be a great facility and the staff really do try their best. However, for Appetizers read - lovely food but used as Childrens Teas and dinner by those too mean to pay for it elsehwere. On one day there were 12 children racing around the room and others shouting and crying - one parent even pushed in ahead of us to get the last of an appetizer as it all was l her little darling would eat - we had to go without. The staff advised they have no control over the number of children in the roomas any guest in a cloud room can bring in unlimited children to the room free - so it is not a quiet oasis of calm for a pre dinner drink - quite the opposite. Breakfast was even worse as one dear child was in training for the Muffin Throwing at the Olympics event much to the amusement (and encouragement) of their parents. Obviously the hotel is not responsible for the behaviour of the parents, but be warned on the marketing, this is not the quiet facility you might think you are paying for.\nContrast that with our lovely well cooked, romantic meal outdoors at the Tuscany where incidentally delightful well mannered child sat at the next table to us. Wildfire was also a good spot, though again that evening our pre dinner drinks were a shambles as the kids had empty all the adult mixers and Perrier from the fridge and the staff had to get more brought up - and when the first lot arrived doting grandparents took all the water bottles for the children. The poor assistant was so frustrated as he tried to get our preferred drinks to us. \nOther lapses that needed addressing were, a 50 minute wait for the (wrong) food order at the pool, with no supervisor available to register a complaint - an offer of free drinks was made but as we were about to drive and did not want alcohol or desserts that was worthless. Also had to point out every single day we were in a Cloud Room so should not be charged for parking, yet the charge still appeared on the final account; newspapers were not delivered on two of the days and each day we had to call housekeeping about things missing from our room (like the trashbin). \nYes, some of these are minor grumbles, and many of the staff did work hard to provide a very good personal service, but the hotel let itself down too many times during our stay for us to rate it any higher. On check out, the lady adjusted the parking costs but was not interested in our issues re the Cloud Room (which its staff had suggested we raise with them as it concerned them too) - as we were on a tight timescale to get our flight it was pointless pursuing them, but my advice think very very carefully about spending $100 a night for a Cloud Room if you are a couple wanting a more relaxed atmosphere to sit have pre dinner drinks or breakfast in. \nI do hope this hotel can get its act together consistently - rather than some of the time for some of the guests", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My wife and I stayed here over the fourth of July weekend. The staff was by far and away the most enthusiastic we have ever encountered in any hotel. We received greetings from six separate employees from the time we stepped out of our car and got to the check in desk, a distance of perhaps fifty feet. (Over-staffed?)\nWe got a great rate on Priceline and perhaps that's why we were given the absolutely farthest room (1180) from the lobby, pools, and main gathering area. We dropped off our bags and went to orient ourselves with the facilities and when we found out how far away we were from everything, we asked for a room change. I had non-chalantly asked one of the hotel employees about occupancy and learned that it was only about 60% so we thought we had a pretty good chance. Our room was changed promptly to building block 4 which is much closer to everything but they wouldn't give us a view overlooking the main courtyard. Instead, we were given a view of the Desert Botanical Garden. Not bad, but I would have preferred the courtyard view.\nWe noticed that in our second room there were no bathrobes as was in the first room. Housekeeping brought them up to us. Also, we learned that they don't stock stationary as a standard item, you have to ask and they will bring it to you. We found a convenient laundry room in our block of rooms. The washers and dryers are free with detergent and softener supplied as well.\nFor dinner on both nights we ate at Roy's. We dropped by the restaurant in the afternoon before they start serving to check out the menu and Bob the managing partner was extremely friendly and allowed us to poke around. The Hawaiian fusion food is fantastic. The best deal is the prix fixe menu. For $30 you get an appetizer your choice of entree and dessert. The next night we ate off the sushi menu. Mako, the chef partner, definitely knows what he's doing. We sat outdoors the first night and inside the second. Sitting outside is definitely better. The tiki torches add to the ambiance.\nThere's a Starbucks inside the main area. Get a coupon for a free tall coffee of the day by going to the timeshare desk. The timeshare people aren't there at 6:00 am so make sure to get the coupon during the day. Just tell them you're only interested in the free coffee and they'll lay off the hard sell. If you prefer to drink something else, they give you a dollar off any dring with the coupon. Also, at Starbucks, bring your water bottle and fill it up with free water that includes lemon and strawberry accents. Later on in the day you can really taste the fruit as it settles into the water.\nValet parking is $17 per day so you may want to think about self parking except it's a long hike back. A shuttle from the parking lot would be nice to see.\nMy wife went to the spa and got the 80 minute stone massage ($180 + tip). She was content although it might have been a little expensive. The service was good and the facilities tranquil and relaxing.\nOverall, this is quite a resort we would definitely visit again when in the Phoenix area.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "I stayed at the brand-new resort in June 2003. I live in Phoenix, just 4 miles from the resort, and received a fantastic $99.00 a night rate, plus discounts on the spa. I invited 3 girlfriends to share a room with two double beds with me (you can have up to 5 people per room for no extra charge, so the room cost $25.00 plus 1/4 tax per night). We stayed for two evenings (Friday and Saturday nights), and had a blast. The resort is absolutely beautiful. The pool and water features are fantastic. The spa is wonderful, and the staff there treats you like a celebrity. The spa is gorgeous, with its own pool and the spa services are excellent. For visitors from out of town: for dining, go across the street to the Desert Ridge outdoors mall. The prices are MUCH better. There are a number of excellent restaurants; nightclubs; shopping and an AMC theater, all within walking distance (right across the street from the resort). Restaurants include Macaroni Grill; Friday's; Bahama Breeze; On the Border; Malee's; and much more, serving any kind of food you desire. Ray's restaurant at the resort is excellent, but VERY pricey. Ditto for the resort bar: you'll pay about $10.00 per drink. Go across the street and drink and eat for MUCH less. There's also an Albertson's grocery store across the street for munchies, toiletries, drinks and more.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "This resort/spa is the most amazing place we have seen! My wife, 2 small kids and I stayed here in March. The staff is great, the grounds are immaculate, and the rooms are gorgeous. There is a full-service starbucks on site. A large mall with numerous restaurants, movie theatres, clubs etc across the street. 18 hole golf course designed by Nick Faldo, AND another 18 hole course designed by Nicklaus are part of the resort.(driving range and chipping green, as well as an awesome pro shop) There is a lazy river pool that the kids would not get off of, and this was one of 5 pools on site(by the way, the pool side food is better, and cheaper then most restaurants). There is a full service spa (which has its own pool), along with fire pits located throughout the resort with large couches around them. \n We will be back in April, as we reserved a room as soon as we got home. \n We have stayed at a number of great resorts, but this is the best!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "A business trip brought me to this JW Marriott for 4 days. I was thoroughly impressed.The staff is one of the more accommodating and personable I've experienced. The hotel's catering department, Catering Mgr. Kathy and Captain Georgina, were exceptional. Very good banquet food. I had more than my fair share of the square lemon sugar cookies.I dined at the Blue Sage and Roy's, at the Sushi Bar, both very good. Each had out door dining. Even the box lunch at the tennis center was great.I played tennis ($8.00 racket rental) with 2 of the pros/instructors, each were great folks, they even got onto me for attempting to pick up the balls, 'Stop that, guest never pick up tennis balls'.The health club was $8.00 / day. Each of the treadmills, bikes and stair masters had plasma TV's with earphones. They have free weights bells up to 75 lbs. They also have another work out room that I did not visit.I did not play golf nor did I visit the spa, both of which I heard were very nice, this is however second hand info to me; 3rd to you.The meeting facilities were great. There were two small islands, beautifully landscaped, that made for perfect evening cocktail parties.The pools were very nice, great for kids. They even had a lazy river. I'll bring the family next time.Perhaps the best Marriott in which I've stayed.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "We stayed at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort &\nSpa the first week in December 2002. It is a beautiful resort with every amenity you could ask for.\nThe resort had only been open one day when we\narrived so not all facilities were available.\nThe golf courses are excellent although pricey aver-\nage $125.00 per round.\nValet parking is available but the charge is $15.00 per night.\nThe staff was very helpful and knowledgeable, due\nto the fact that the pools were not open when we\nwere staying at the resort they provided limousine\nservice to another Marriott in the area so we could\nuse their facilities.\nI would highly recommend this resort.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}]}, "119365": {"reviews": []}, "1605022": {"reviews": []}, "73947": {"reviews": [{"text": "We booked this last minute and rather blindly. In retrospect Spring Training is not the bes time to look for \"deals\" in Phoenix, but we grossly overpaid for the quality of the property (even for a busy time) at about $200/night after all taxes and fees ($405 total for Friday and Saturday). The location is pretty much out in the middle of nowhere--right on the highway. It somewhat worked for us because we were all over the city as well as most of the surrounding suburbs. Getting anywhere nice for dinner was a minimum 20 minute drive (conservatively). Not to insult Holiday Inn, but that's more the level this property performed at.\nThe Highs: Staff was great (except for the Valet that never showed up to park the car, but garage parking is a 90 second stroll and probably easier) providing some GREAT restaurant recommendations--don't miss Marcellino's!!!! Balcony faced the mountains at sunset, but obstructed by highway lights. Room decor was about what was expected from a Sheraton.\nThe Lows: Our room faced the highway. Even with the THICK drapes closed it was nearly impossible to get to sleep due to the highway noise. Although EXACTLY what I've seen in other Sheraton properties, the colors in the bathroom seem a little more outdated. The tile around the tub was mid-1980's at best (an irritating pinkish-orange to match the marble of the sink). The worst part had to be the mold in the grout. Nice touch. . .", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "My sales team and I stayed here recently for a conference. We travel one to two weeks a month. This was probably the worst place we have stayed in the last five years.\nThe rooms are at the same level as a $69 per night hotel. The restaurant had a tiny menu and was very expensive. The location was awful, unless you need to be on the interstate in less than five seconds.\nThe worst part of the experience was the staff. They were friendly but useless. No one seemed to know anything about anything.\nOn the lighter side, despite the location, there was a van to shuttle where you needed to go.\nThere are so many great places to stay in Phoenix, this is not one of them.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "The Sheraton Crescent was a fine hotel but there are some things you should be aware of before deciding to book there. The hotel is MUCH older than it appears on the website. If this is an issue for you then don't stay here. I should also note that my experience with \"Club Level\" perks in other hotels have been far better than at the Sheraton Crescent. The alcohol is not free (about $4.50 for a domestic beer) and the evening hour'dourves were nothing to get excited about (cheese cubes, veggies, chips and salsa, etc.). Unless you like being on \"Club Level\" for other reasons than the lounge I would not spend the extra money here. I would also like to note that I stayed in a Jr. Suite and requested a king size bed. It was not a king size bed, it was a queen that folded out of the wall, comfortable but not what I had in mind. Finally, I called concierge for a recommendation on where to eat in Downtown Phoenix. I was then transferred to someone else that informed me that he is not from Phoenix and was not familiar with Downtown. I asked if he could find someone that was and was told he would call me back. I never heard from him. In my past experiences that is what concierge is for, they even make reservations for you. Checking in was a breeze and the rooms were clean. I would recommend this hotel for a couple of nights stay if you are looking for a reasonably priced hotel but not a luxury hotel. Again, the website can be a little deceiving when it comes to the appearance of the hotel. It wasn\u2019t a disaster but disappointing when you get there and nothing seems to be the way it was presented to you. Hope this helps in making your decision on where to stay in Phoenix.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "So I picked this hotel because it was a good price and I like Starwood properties. I was very disappointed by my stay. They book a lot of parties and the music and pepole were constantly loud. The hotel staff was not friendly when we checked in or out, but did give us helpful information when we asked. Our bed was the best part of the trip very comfy. The room other then that was lacking. It had bad lighting, and for the first night NO hot water. I would not spend money here again.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "My wife and I stayed here while visitng my elderly parents for Thanksgiving. On check-in, I asked about an upgrade as they had said they were pretty empty for the holiday. The room they gave us was larger, but it was more for business entertaining. It had an odd Murphy bed, the TV didn't face either a chair (there was no couch) or the bed, and it wasn't at all inviting. We went back to their standard room, which turned out to be just fine. \nAs usual, the hotel gift shop items were overpriced ($3 for a bottle of OJ) but that's the price of convenience. And altough the CyberCenter off the lobby says \"Compliments of the Sheraton Crescent,\" the Internet services are not free as the word implies; they come with the usual charge, whether you're using your own laptop or their desktops.\nOn the very positive side, all staff members were courteous and helpful, one problem with a slow-running drain was quickly attended to, the hotel was close to I-17 and MetroCenter (big shopping mall) and generally well-kept. Next time we're in Phoenix, we'll definitely look into the Crescent again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "This hotel has decent rooms and if you are in Phoenix for business this is all you need. It is nice to receive a complimentary paper (everyday minus Sunday) and if you stay inside the hotel you will be pleased with the decor and style. The beds are quite comfortable! If you are planning on using the internet, be prepared to pay $16/day which I found outrageous! Now, if you are hoping to enjoy and relax at this hotel--it is definitely not a resort--stay in Scottsdale for that! The pool was quite small and quite dirty--the water slide is not staffed continually and you have to find staff to turn it on and monitor it--it also dumps into a small area that is only for the slide...not a place to have fun and relax and enjoy around the pool. We also happend to know more about the area than the concierge and the front desk staff was quite rude. Quite disappointing for those areas.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "122715": {"reviews": [{"text": "I chose the Omni Dallas at Park West after a lot of research, most based on Trip advisor. I was not dissappointed. The inside is stunning. Huge lobby, and generally impressive ground floor. \nThe room was large, clean and very pleasant.\nThe staff were extremely helpful when we needed them.\nParking was free and there is plenty of it.\nThe location was perfect for us. It is some way from the centre of Dallas, about 15miles, but as we were going to the NFL, the baseball, Dallas city centre (for the JFK museum and Reunion Tower) and Dallas Fort Worth Airport, it is superbly located in between all these places.\nThere are a huge number of eating places within 1 to 2 minutes drive, and the 3 we went to were really nice, very inexspensive, family friendly places.\nFor those that dont know Dallas, you need a car to get anywhere, and the food portions are just huge.\nHope this helps.\nFeel free to contact me if I can offer more info.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "There always seems to be a few bad apples that write reviews and give what is typically a great hotel a black eye. I have found this to be true many times and the Omni in Dallas is definitely not a run-of-the-mill hotel. The moment I arrived I was greeted by friendly staff and even the hotel operations manager was at the door greeting guests. This carried through to the desk, bellman, restaurant, etc. I found my room to be very nice with a downtown view in the distance. The \"mold\" people are writing about seems to be a certain dark grout they use and turns real dark when wet---it was definitely not mold. The exercise room is very nice with all new equipment it seems. The food in the restaurant was some of the best I have had (and I travel to many upscale hotels). If you are looking for a good centrally located hotel, this would be my suggestion.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "98609": {"reviews": []}, "109345": {"reviews": []}, "585414": {"reviews": []}, "114942": {"reviews": [{"text": "At the conclusion of a business training in Dallas, I booked a room at The Adophus and awaited the arrival of my family for the weekend. The history and architecture of the hotel were what first caught a Kentuckian's eye when I began making a decision as to where we would stay for the weekend. I am glad that these two hooks initially drew me there because our stay at The Adophus on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday was wonderful! The hotel is located in the downtown and is a short walk or drive to the major sites, attractions, and restaurants in the Dallas area. A car rental agency is located on the corner next to The Adolphus and connects to the hotel's garage, which provided easy access for rental, parking, and return of the vehicle used during our stay. Upon my arrival, the hotel's bell captain was very helpful and open regarding the lay of the land in downtown Dallas...a tremendous fellow. The front desk staff were very friendly to my family and me during the entire stay. The food at the hotel's restaurants and a connecting steak house was excellent as was the service provided at these establishments and by the hotel's room service staff. Had we wanted to do so, we would never have needed to leave the hotel for dining because the food was that good. We were only sorry that we were unable to dine at the 5-star French restaurant that was located in The Adolphus...perhaps on another visit. I was most impressed, however, with members of the concierge staff who went above and beyond the call of duty in terms of friendliness and professionalism toward my family. After checking out of our room on Sunday, we decided to wait in one of the beautiful lobbies of The Adolphus for a late afternoon flight. It must have been fairly obvious what we were doing because one of the members of the concierge staff asked us if we would like to tour the magnificient old structure. He gave my family and me anywhere from 45 minutes to 1 hour of his time as he took us to various parts of The Adophus and provided an excellent history of the hotel's construction and its varied occupants. It was that sort of friendliness and professionalism during our stay that drove me to write my first-ever review for TripAdvisor and which drives me to recommend The Adolphus as a sure bet for a wonderful stay in Dallas.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "First let me preface my review with this fact: My usual hotel stays are in Quality, Comfort or Clarion Hotels. We chose the Adolphus, on the recommendation of friends, for our 20th anniversary. My husband and I stayed December 22 and 23 in a junior suite on the 19th floor. I made reservations through the Hotel Adolphus website, with a rate of $149.00 per night for a Jr. Suite, and I had three special requests; on an upper floor, with six pillows on the bed, and early check-in. All three requests were accomodated. \n We drove down to Dallas and arrived at 11am. We drove in and our luggage was unloaded by the doorman who asked our name and then used it each time he addressed us from then on. This really impressed me that he was able to remember our name each time he saw us over the next two days! A bellman waited as we checked in, this took about 10 minutes as there was a line of people checking out, and then after we came out of line he asked us our room number and said he would meet us upstairs. We rode the escalators up into a fantastically beautiful lobby. Dark wood paneling, tapestries on the walls, chandeliers, Queen Anne chairs and furniture everywhere and the most exquisite grand piano I have ever seen. (I later found out from one of the staff that it is a 19th century Steinway and was once owned by the Guggenheim Family) Each day during \"Tea Time\" a young Asian lady was playing and the piano sounds incredible. You don't have to take tea to sit and listen, there are plenty of places to sit and relax in the \"living room\" area of the lobby. It feels so refined to just sit on a sofa and listen to the music.\nThe elevators are quick, we never waited more than a minute the entire week-end, and we met our bellman at our room. He placed the suitcase, showed us how to adjust the room temperature and a few other things, asked us if we had any questions and offered to have ice brought up. (Ice is complimentary, but has to be brought to your room because there are no ice machines to go and get it yourself) \nThe suite is HUGE. The view was only of Commerce Street and other buildings, but better than most other hotels I have ever been in. Now for the room itself. It was lovely and luxurious. The living area has a sofa and chair and a mini-bar(Prices are steep here- $6.00 for a litre of Fiji water and $2.00 for a Snickers bar. Fortunately, there is an Urban Market less than 2 blocks away for snacks) and a small dining table and chairs. The closet is almost walk-in and the doors are mirrored and full length. The bedroom area, these two areas are separated by a waist high marble topped wall, has a king sized bed with an armoire with a large TV and DVD player and a writing desk and another chair with an ottoman. The fabrics on all the furniture are beautiful. The bedspread matches the drapes on the windows. All 6 pillows were on the bed as requested. The bed was supremely comfortable. The mattress seemed to be a pillowtop, it was very soft, and the linens were outstanding. The bed is triple sheeted and the pillows are more comfortable than any I have ever slept on, including the ones at my own house.\nThe bathroom is all marble and granite and the lighting is extremely flattering. I loved the lighted makeup mirror. They had a fluffy bath robe hanging on the back of the door, I called to request a second one and it arrived in less than 5 minutes!, and they give you three of each bath linen and they are of a high quality. The only downside to the bathroom is the tub itself. It was just a regular sized tub, though it did seem a little larger when you were showering because the shower rod is curved and the shower head is overhead instead of coming out of the wall, a kind of \"rain shower\" effect, but I wish it had been a soaking tub or even a whirlpool tub. Also, the amenities were of a very large size and smelled terrific. The soap smelled like roses. (So that the next person won't have to call Housekeeping to ask, the hairdryer is hanging in a bag in the closet. Aesthetics?)\nEvery staff member that we encountered was unfailingly polite and courteous. From check-in to check-out. We were given walking directions and advice from several staff members on where to go and what to see. We used their car service to see the Dallas World Aquarium, I highly recommend this attraction, and to go to dinner one night at a restaurant the concierge got reservations for us at called Dakota's. There was nothing available at the French Room on Saturday night, they had apparently been filled up for months, and he recommended Dakota's as a romantic back-up. He was right! It is beautiful. Candles and roses on the table, attentive service and the concierge, without us knowing, told them it was our anniversary and they brought us complimentary slices of chocolate cake for dessert. (FYI-don't expect to get out of this restaurant for less than $150 if you are having anything alcoholic to drink. The least expensive bottle of wine that I saw was $45). \nWe loved our stay here and will come back for our next major \"occasion\". All in all I felt like a VIP all week-end. Catered to and cared for and I just wish I could live there!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "I stayed at The Adolphus in April 2006 and had less than a favorable experience. Wanting to give it a second chance, I stayed again the following month. Both trips were for business purposes.\nThe two best things about The Adolphus are on the ground floor ... neither requiring a stay at the hotel: the lobby is beautiful, and The French Room provides a competent dining experience for the price (and was recently rated the #1 hotel restaurant in the US by Zagat).\nOn the other hand, a series of negative experiences over my two stays makes The Adolphus' claim to 5 star status highly suspect. These include a moldy cat urine smell in my room (which housekeeping never addressed, and a room transfer was not available), a transient in lobby, clearly hearing my upstairs neighbor walking around, the bellman insisting that I pay for a cab ride for what I later learned would be a 10 minute walk (but what he ensured me would take three times that long), and my room not being made up by housekeeping until 3pm or later. In addition, the staff is affable at their best, and curt at their more-common worst (with a bellman named Mitch being a welcome exception). Lastly, while The French Room prepares and serves great meals in a gorgeous setting, it is not comparable to the type of experience one would expect at a dedicated restaurant.\nIn short, The Adolphus operates as a 3 star hotel, with The French Room hovering around the 4 - 4.5 star level. Sadly, considering what other options exist in the area, The Adolphus is leaps and bounds above local competition, especially for the price.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "The service at the Adolphus is the best I have experienced in a hotel -- and I travel for business almost constantly. Every staff member is brimming with helpfulness and kindness. Even the maid who came to clean my room asked very sincerely how I was enjoying my stay and wanted to know if she could do anything for me. \nThe first time I stayed at the Adolphus I arrived after 11 p.m., exhausted after horrible flight delays, and I had to be in court the next day at 9 a.m. Seeing my travel frustration and exhaustion, the gentlemen at the front desk upgraded me to a suite. The hotel won my loyalty with that! \nAlways busy on the road, I often order room service. One thing I love about the Adolphus is that you can order it all night long. So that awful night that I got in after 11 p.m., after hours of flight delays, having eaten nothing (thank you airlines, for that!), I was able to order a sandwich from room service. This last trip I ordered the cilantro roasted chicken from room service for dinner and it was SO GOOD! \nThe beds are very comfortable, and my room was charmingly different in that old hotel kind of way. One caveat about this very old hotel, though. There is no way of saying this without sounding crazy, so I will just say it: I am pretty sure it is haunted. I will leave it at that, and say that even so, the service is so great I think I will always try to stay there while in Dallas.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I recently had the misfortune of staying at the old Adolphus Hotel. My original schedule called for me to stay three nights. On the third day, my work unexpectedly ended shortly after noon. We immediately called the hotel and requested a late checkout which the hotel staff granted. I checked out before 1:00pm in order to catch a 3:00pm return flight. \nI received my credit card bill yesterday which contains an overcharge equal to another night's stay. I have tried to contact the Adolphus to no avail. I have been placed on hold and the hotel will not return my calls. In more than 25 years of business travel, I have never had anything similar happen to me.\nI was surprised to learn that the Adolphus is supposedly a five star hotel. I will acknowledge that I did have a lovely view of the interior corridor. Make sure that you get one of these desirable rooms. On the other hand, if you want to see something besides a glimpse into another guest's room, these rooms aren't for you. I also had the pleasure of hearing the fine plumbing at the Adolphus whenever a neighboring guest flushed their toilet.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I stayed at the Adolphus for a conference and would recommend it to people who want to stay in Downtown Dallas. I'm not so sure I'd recommend staying in Downtown Dallas, but that's another story.\nThe Adolphus is clean, pleasant with furniture that ranges from nice to outstanding. I liked the wood paneled and mirrored elevators, which were of varying sizes. I didn't try any of the restaurants--my conference fed me some of the time and the $85 tasting menu at the French Room was a bit beyond my means. \nMy room was good-sized although not huge, with a good sized (not really walk in) closet and desk. At $149, I was paying a discounted conference rate. I appreciated having a radio strong enough to pick up the local NPR station, this sounds like a small thing but you don't always get that. The bed was comfortable, lighting was adequate, darkness was good at night, with no appreciable noise problems even though a group of cheerleaders was staying in the hotel. I had no water pressure problems.\nThere seemed to be a lot of staffpeople around. Staff talked to me more than I'm used to and even chambermaids asked if everything was alright. I didn't need this but it was a pleasant surprise. \nThere are some design problems. The main pedestrian entrance to the hotel is through the auto drop off area. The walkway through there is not wide enough to get a wheelchair or stroller through, it was barely wide enough for me! There's another entrance but it's only open weekday daytimes, like so much of Downtown Dallas. As mentioned before the lobby does have two different levels, connected by an escalator. I think this is the result of having an old wing and a new wing. \nThe hotel is near the light rail line, near the museum of John Kennedy's assassination (!), not too far from museums and concert halls in the Arts District, near a lovely grocery store/cafe/bar. But Downtown Dallas is a very dead place on Saturday, with so few people that there aren't even many homeless around!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "A business trip took me to Dallas and I checked into the Adolphus for the first time. This is an old property, but well-maintained. The service from all the staff that I met was excellent with the exception of cocktail servers in the French Room Bar on a slow night. Four tables, two servers - why should a guest have to go to the bar to refresh a cocktail?\nBathrooms are small, but well-appointed and my room was spacious and very clean. \nThere is a fine dining restaurant on property which is closed on Sunday and Monday nights, which was most disappointing since those were the nights that I stayed.\nThis property might be awkward for anyone with a physical disability. From the front desk, you must go up an escalator to reach the elevators to get to your room. Also, some of the elevators need a bit of sprucing up - the wood inside is beat up and scratched.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Came to Dallas on business and would return for pleasure. Outstanding symphony - and the Sixth Floor Museum (a short walk from the Adolphus hotel) is amazing. Neiman Marcus is all you've heard it is - and then some! The Adolphus is centrally located, and my wife and I found many things to do nearby. If the weather is iffy, they have a luxury sedan that takes you to and from some of the city's best attractions. Our room was beautifully furnished and very cozy. It had easily the best bed I've ever slept on. Awesome!\nIf you've ever seen the movie GRAND HOTEL, this hotel has that feeling. We even saw some hip, young celebrities in the lobby. Sure didn't expect that - but way cool!\nThe food is terrific, too. We ate in the Bistro most mornings. I think I gained some pounds because of it (blame it on the eggs benedict - yum!). The French Room was incredible for dinner. We felt like we were in Paris. Even though it has a royal feeling - crystal chandeliers and soaring ceilings - the staff went out of their way to make us feel comfortable and welcome. The chef even came by our table!\nWe stayed at the Adolphus several days, so we got to know a lot of the staff, and they became \"old friends\" fast. Not what you'd expect in a big city. The doorman - Phil - is a model of customer service. While we were waiting for our rental car, we watched him in action. He greeted people by name - and seemed to be everywhere at once. Wow!\nMy wife said forget about Eloise at The Plaza - it should be Eloise at The Adolphus!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We visit Dallas often and consider ourselves pretty savvy travelers. In an age when most hotels don't give a hoot, we've always found a warm welcome and tasteful accommodations at the Adolphus Hotel. No hotel is perfect - and you can find fault with any place if that's where your mind is - but there are few hotels that can compare to the Adolphus for customer service. Their staff is so eager to please and each employee seems to make it his (or her) mission to make even the most routine stay memorable. In fact, we often think that this must be what one experiences at Buckingham Palace when one is a guest of The Queen!\nOne especially feels like royalty in the French Room. The food is fantastic - equal to any three-star Michelin restaurant in Paris, bar none. And it comes without a snooty wait staff. To contrary, the wait staff go out of their way to make you feel welcome and important. We've dined there when celebrities were in the room, and one would have thought our table had a celebrity, too - the attention was the same. The maitre d' has a dry sense of humor, and we always leave with a smile. The room itself is breathtaking. It's like dining in one of the salons at Versailles.\nFrom time to time we've tried some of the other luxury hotels in Dallas, but we keep coming back to The Adolphus - it's like coming home.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "The Adolphus is a classic case of someone taking a grand old hotel and thinking that if you throw every color, pattern and design element at the thing it will make it even more exceptional. It doesn't. In fact, the interior design of this hotel (aside from the lobby and French Room restaurant, which are magnificent) is like some awful Texas suburban McMansion. The busy pattern in the carpets, chairs, bed linens, art work, etc., darn near hurt my eyes!\nBetter they had done it in neutrals and lower lighting (you could land a jet in fog in the hallways, they are so bright), but there you have it.\nThere is also a serious problem with important structural aspects: the walls are so thin you can hear TVs in the next rooms (more on that in a minute) and the windows overlooking the busy city streets are not double-paned so you hear noise allllll night long.\nTo that point, my neighbor's TV started blaring at 11:30pm. I called and asked the front desk to look into this, and move me if needed. They never called back; after 15 minutes, I finally called them back and was told that security had \"heard the TV was on from the hall, but that it was not too loud.\" I responded that I was not sleeping in the hall, I was sleeping in my room. They then offered to move me.\nThe room they put me in was on the 14th floor, overlooking the street! One of the loudest hotel rooms I have ever stayed in in my life. Also, the room's walls had scuffs and dirt stains...definitely not a $615/night experience as the rate card on the door stated!!!\nThe next morning, after a completely sleepless night, I asked to be moved again, and was. This room was on the 8th floor and looked out over a roof and airconditioning units, but was double-paned and quiet.\nNo one ever offered to knock anything off my bill, even though the rooms manager, front desk and security were all aware that my stay was not up to my epxectations.\nAll in all, I would rather stay at a quiet, earnest little Motel 6 than a pretentious, very expensive hotel that doesn't even have the basics mastered. \nThe Adolphus is riding on its laurels, the fact that too many people are cowed into thinking they should not protest poor service, and the fact that most business travelers will just settle for whatever is dealt them.\nI won't...and so here I am with my one-star review!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 26}, {"text": "As a surprise birthday present for my husband, we stayed at the Adolphus Hotel in downtown Dallas. The service was superb and the food (at The Frenchman) was amazing. Dallas' downtown is unsafe and disappointing, but with such a great room, why leave?? I would recommend this hotel to anyone. If you do stay there, take a few minutes, have a drink in the bar, and just watch the patrons. You will certainly find an eclectic crowd!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "As for the complaint about the Adolphus resturaunt ripping them off, I actually believe it.\nIt happened in a smaller way at the bar. I frequent the Adolphus bar with friends because it is nice yet laid back with a fun and sexy atmosphere. I was with a date in August and he was running a tab for me and two of our friends. When it was time to get the bill, he was handed a receipt for $433.76!!!! None of us had drunk anywhere NEAR that much! We hadn't even ordered a full bottle of anything! I had a few glasses of Bailey's and one strawberry daquiri, the other lady with us had only mineral water with lemon, and the fellas had imported beers. Hardly enough for a $400 bill. My date was laughing, thinking it was a mixup and told the head bartender who had came over to us that there was no way that they had drank this much. The bartender/manager or whatever told us that there is no mistake and that they charge to the tab after each drink so there won't be mistakes.\nWell, my date went ahead and paid the $400 but took it up with his lawyer who is suing for the release of video that can show us racking up the $400 bill.\nBut the bar is FUN just don't run a TAB or give your credit card to these people!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "WE chose this hotel because we wanted the best in dallas for our honeymoon. Instead we got the worst. Dont ever stay ter. stayig in a motel is even better. they gave me bad room service causing me to throw up all night n my wedding ight when I wanted to be making love with my husband. And to make matters worse instead of trying to copensate for a night that was lost forever. The manager that called me back to \"apologize\" was basically accusing me of eating something elsewhere that made me sick and did not compensate me one bit. they destroyed one of the best memories of my life so please dont go ther go to another hotel! It was horrible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Having stayed extensively in Dallas on business, I wanted to post a few comments about the Adolphus, specifically compared to it's next-door neighbor, the Magnolia. This is based on over 20 stays at each location, plus a few scattered stays at other nearby places like Sheraton and Renaissance. First the negatives: The decor is old and outdated; the rooms specifically just don't have a luxurious feel to them. Also, I find it lacking for a place to enjoy a drink with fellow travellers. The Rodeo Bar has friendly staff but not much else to offer. Thankfully Jeraboam is around the corner and has a great martini bar and isn't a bad place to catch a game and some upscale food and drinks. Another downside is they don't have a consistent points program relationship; I have occasionally gotten some American Air miles but this is specific to the company I work with and is a sporadic offering. Next, though this seems trivial: I hate the clutter in the bathroom; not enough space for my bag and to many little ceramic knick-knacks in my way. Last, compared to the Magnolia's two movie channels, the Adolphus has only HBO. Now the good stuff: GREAT food. Everything from their hot wings, fresh berry cup, onion soup, an incredible apple/cheese/spinach salad, and roast chicken with risotto, the food is outstanding. Of course, it costs the usual room service high $, but is much better for the money than any other room service in the area. The location overall is good: I never have to wait on a cab, and all within walking distance are the West End restaurants, other bars/restaurants, the Kennedy memorial, and Neiman-Marcus. Next, the staff is great: well-trained, responsive, helpful, and unerringly polite (I think another poster with a problem encountered a rare exception or was confused about where he stayed). One little thing I like: fast (though small) elevators; never a long wait for them. Cost-wise, I get a business rate of around $120, which this is well worth, but I'm not sure what normal RAC rates are. Overall, I pick the Adolphus over the Magnolia hands-down, though you might check out my Magnolia review to compare for yourself. And FYI, I haven't tried the Fairmont, so I can't compare it.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 18}]}, "659532": {"reviews": [{"text": "During the inaugural weekend for The Ritz-Carlton Dallas, I booked a Club Executive Suite and a Club Deluxe Room for my family. We actually live in the Dallas area, but I wanted to see for myself if this newest addition to the luxury hotel scene in Dallas measured up to the other Ritz-Carlton properties (New York Central Park, Bachelor Gulch, Boston Common and Washington, D.C.) that we have enjoyed so immensely in the past. \nI've pleased to report that The Ritz-Carlton Dallas met and even exceeded my expectations. And this was after the hotel had only been open a couple of days! We were greeted with a warm Texas welcome by the doorman, bellman and front desk staff as we arrived for the weekend. Check-in went very smoothly, and we were promptly escorted to and shown our adjoining suite and room. Throughout our stay, every single staff member we encountered made us glad that we were staying at a hotel that obviously emphasizes the philosophy of making guests feel welcome and at home. The hotel management even left a welcoming gift for us in our rooms. \nThe public areas of the hotel are elegant yet inviting. I especially liked the modern art mixed with the traditional decor in those areas. The rooms are very spacious, extremely comfortable and well appointed. Our rooms even had in-mirror televisions in the bathrooms! We probably would have been perfectly content had we stayed in our rooms all weekend. The fitness center rivals that of any other hotel I've ever seen (very spacious with lots of machines and equipment), and the well-designed pool area is most inviting. The food presentations in the Club Lounge were tempting and enticing, and all of us made multiple trips there to partake of the offerings. \nThe hotel is located in the Uptown area of Dallas, and several great restaurants are within walking distance. Fearing's Restaurant is located in the hotel, and we enjoyed a wonderful Sunday brunch there during our stay. The selections were sophisticated yet true to the Dean Fearing's well-known Southern roots. The scene at the Rattlesnake Bar (part of the restaurant) on Friday and Saturday nights looked exciting, although our group (which included my teenage nephew and my \"tween-age\" niece) didn't participate. \nAlthough it wasn't open yet during the first few days after the hotel opened, the spa has since opened, and I have already become a regular visitor. It is very very large (12,000 square feet, I believe) as well as peaceful, clean and relaxing. The men's locker room is one of the nicest I've ever seen in the many hotel spas I've visited over the years. Marcus, one the massage therapists, provides one of the best treatments you will ever experience. The entire staff is extremely friendly and welcoming. \nAll in all, I can enthusiastically recommend The Ritz-Carlton Dallas to anyone visiting Dallas for pleasure, business or a mixture of the two. My family enjoyed our stay so much that we've already booked a return visit during the Christmas holidays.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}]}, "109456": {"reviews": []}, "109367": {"reviews": []}, "98733": {"reviews": [{"text": "Traveled to Dallas on business and as usual the stay at the Embassy Suites was excellent. Free cooked to order breakfast and free drinks during \"happy hour\" in the evening. Even though the hotel is located near the Airport (Love Field) not once did I hear an airplane overhead. \nRooms were great would stay here anytime!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}]}, "114948": {"reviews": []}, "98655": {"reviews": []}, "98629": {"reviews": [{"text": "I wanted to do something special for our wedding anniversary so I booked a room at the Crescent. The price was steeper than I would normally pay, but being a special occasion, I thought it would be worth it. Unfortunately, that was not the case.\nI requested that flowers, a fruit basket, and a bottle of champagne be in our room at check in. I was assured that this was not an unusual request (all at my expense), and would be taken care of. When we arrived at the hotel, I asked the front desk if my special requests had been noted in the reservation and was told that nothing special had been noted. Told not to worry, that fresh flowers were placed in every room every day, and that the fruit basket and champagne would be on the way shortly.\nNeedless to say, none of the above materialized. We never did get flowers, not even the ones that are supposedly placed in every room every day. After about two hours I called room service and asked where were the fruit basket and champagne. They delivered a bowl of bananas and apples (yawn), and a bottle of domestic California champagne for over $100 per bottle. I would have happily paid for the items that I requested given the chance.\nMy money and business will go elsewhere when I decide to celebrate a special occasion.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Stayed for 2 nights during late August. The temperature was 102 both days. Our room was ready early, and we were able to check in by 11:00 AM. Nice & comfortable, with a nice spacious bathroom. The in-room safe did not work and we called down to notify guest services. By the time we returned to the room, after going exploring, the safe had been removed. We went out to dinner and a new safe was in place. Quick and efficient!!\nBe aware, breakfast is expensive, but very good. If you go at the end of the posted signs, you could get a very overwhelmed server. However, if you arrive when breakfast is just beginning, service is excellent. \nValet parking is quick and efficient. Also, if you are staying over a Friday or Saturday night, you will find a lot of traffic coming to the hotel. It looked like NYC gridlock at the valet station, with everyone coming in for their reservations at Nobu, as well as the several private functions going on at the hotel. \nAlthough a little out of the way, the hotel does have a dedicated hotel car, which will take you anywhere within a 5 mile radius. We visited the Dallas Art Museum and Nasher Sculpture Garden. Very easy, and when we wanted to return, we just called the driver's cellphone. \nThe spa is great, and very comfortable. Nice massage and a very large exercise area. The lockerooms were not crowded and very clean. \nAll in all, a very romantic location and hotel.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I stayed at the highly touted Hotel Crescent Court for the first time. Even with a corporate rate it was no bargain so I had high expectations. I was disappointed and will not stay there again. Our room smelled musty / smoky and the decor was no better than the Westin I usually stay in. I asked our bellman for ice which never came. I had problems with the DSL and phones - I was not able to get an outside line therefore not able to access the internet. A desperate situation for a business traveler like me. Next time I'll try Hotel Zaza or Hotel St. Germain B&B.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "My wife and I just completed a one night stay at the Crescent Court Hotel in Dallas. We're from the area and wanted a nice, quite, luxurious evening at one of the \"finer\" hotels in the DFW Metroplex. We've read the reviews, I've had business meetings at their facilities, so we were excited about our upcoming, Valentine's stay.\nWe were dissapointed in the overall experience at this \"greatest hotel in Dallas\" establishment. Here are some of the negatives: the price does NOT match the room quality (loose carpet), level of service, and overall appearance of the hotel. When you dump over $255 a night for a hotel room in a non-resort area (Dallas), you should expect a certain level of finesse and execution.\nThe A/C in the room did not work (it was warm in Dallas and stuffy in the room and at 2 AM, it's not the best time to call to have it fixed or change rooms - needless to say, the thing should have worked). I called a few days earlier to have a dessert in our room at 8:30 PM. I even repeated this request when we checked in. Nevertheless, the food was late and it arrived after I called Room Service to inquire - this should not happen at the \"nicest\" hotel in Dallas. Small detail - the reception on the TV was horrible - not that we watch a lot of it, but it's nice to wind down without ghosting images. The bath tub was tiny (similar to the ones in a one-bedroom apartment at college -years ago). The whole bathroom was dated and the Hollywood lights in the vanity gave it an early nineties feel.\nLastly, the lobby was nice but there was nothing to do at the hotel. No bar, no ambience, no entertainment. At least a Hampton Inn has a refeshment center and some magazines. \nOverall, it is a nice area and a great location. The hotel is severely overrated and over priced for what it offers - period. By the way, the room service carts people rave about - well, they'll wake you in the morning as roll past your room - they're VERY noisy.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 31}, {"text": "Let's start with the good news and work our way down. The hotel itself is gorgeous. Very Parisian with a nice comfortable lobby full of marble, art on the walls, velvet couches and glass tables each with a collection of coffee arty table books. Beautiful gardens. Awesome workout room. Great location, close to downtown and the American Airlines Center. The rooms we're classy and comfortbable, but nothing special for the $250-plus rates. Food at Beau Nash was okay. We tried both appetizers at the Beau Nash Bar and Beau Nash's Sunday brunch (no buffet just a a la carte menu). Now for the bad news. The lobby, although gorgeous, was hot and humid. Someone definitely needed to crank up the air. Overall, service was very hit or miss. Check-in crew and concierge were helpful, but the staff at the Beau Nash Bar was unfriendly and sometimes just plain rude. For Sunday brunch they \"lost\" our reservation so we ended up eating in the bar instead of the nicer restaurant area. The service was slow and they didn't have a high chair, so my 3-month old sat on the floor in his car seat the entire meal. (What kind of place doesn't have a high chair these days?) This is a bit nit-pickey but the shower in the room had a shampoo-conditioner combo. For the price you're paying they can spring for separate shampoo and conditioner don't you think? Overall, I expected more from a Rosewood Property - a company known for style, service and not cutting corners.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "109413": {"reviews": [{"text": "The Magnolia Hotel in Dallas could be a serviceable, mid-range hotel in the downtown area; an attractive option for business travelers. But--alas--the hotel undermines itself in a variety of foolish ways. The service at the front desk can be gracious or surly, depending upon the clerk. The rooms--though handsomely furnished in a faux \"W\" style---need routine maintenance and care. The throw-pillows on my sofa were torn, and the sheets on the bed were frayed. There's a convenient coffee maker available, but the maid service never replenished the supplies; no coffee, creamer, or sugar after the first night of my stay. Similarly, the room service menu was never replaced after I'd used it the first night. (For the hotel, that's lost revenue! I would've gladly ordered my room service breakfast all five mornings of my stay!) Regrettably--when I did place room service orders--the wait was long; over thirty minutes for a simple pot of coffee on one occasion! And the order was never correct; missing muffins, or the wrong side dish. My \"same day\" laundry wasn't returned until after mid-night two days after I sent it to be cleaned. The hotel seems to be trying; but--given the plethora of hotel options in \"Big D\"--- it comes across like a slightly hapless, confused teenager in a room-full of sophisticated adults.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I stayed at the Magnolia Dallas for 3 nights during December 2005. The Magnolia is a cute, boutique-ish hotel located in the heart of downtown Dallas. I lived in Dallas for 7 years and know the area well. I'd never stayed at the Magnolia, so on a recent visit, I booked a room there out of curiosity more than anything else.\nFirst off, the Magnolia is cheap! My room (with a King bed, love seat, tv, desk, fridge, coffee maker, wireless internet, etc.) was $85/night. The room was tastefully decorated and had a warm, inviting feel to it. The hotel was originally an office building from the early 1900s, and I was impressed that they were able to lose the loft/warehouse feel that so many old converted buildings have.\nThe room was reasonably sized, on the 11th floor, and relatively quiet. The bathroom was larger than average, and the closet was large enough for me to hang all my clothes. The room had signs of wear \u2013 small hole at the base of one wall, broken door on the armoire, dresser drawers difficult to pull out \u2013 but it was clean, the bed was comfortable, and there were extra blankets in the closet (though I didn\u2019t need them). Overall, the room was cute. You can tell that Magnolia tried to make it stylish and accommodating, but the fit and finish were a little on the cheap side (pseudo tile in the bathroom, laminate surfaces for the counter, furniture that could have come from Ikea). Still, the general effect was thoughtful and stylish enough for me to overlook the minor drawbacks. And at $85/night, I really didn\u2019t feel like complaining about anything. The room served my needs just fine.\nHouse keeping was unobtrusive and good. The hotel boasts free happy hour daily (from 5:00 to 6:00, I believe) and complimentary breakfast for all guests. I didn\u2019t bother with happy hour, and I\u2019d skip the breakfast if you\u2019re someone who likes a good meal in the morning. The spread consisted of semi-stale blueberry scones, blueberry muffins, mini cups of yogurt, some fruit, and standard juices and coffee. One visit to the breakfast buffet was enough. The other days I went down to the adjoining Starbucks.\nWhile downtown Dallas doesn\u2019t have much life on the weekend, the Magnolia is right in the middle of what is there. The original Neiman Marcus is 2 blocks away, and several restaurants/nightclubs are located on the same block as the hotel. So you can easily walk to dinner and drinks. If you wanted to get the West End, I suppose you could walk there as well, but I\u2019d opt for a cab to go that distance.\nIf you drive to the hotel, the parking situation is valet only. I think the fee is $20/day with unlimited in/out privileges \u2013 reasonable for a downtown hotel. The valet operates 24 hours a day, and the gentlemen who work there are friendly and helpful. The rest of the staff was friendly and efficient as well. \nI\u2019d caution against having drinks in the lounge. I stopped in for a nightcap one evening, and the bartenders were generally incompetent (10- to 15-minute wait for a drink) and had more than one customer sending them dirty looks \u2013 and a few choice words. When I ordered a \u201ctop-shelf\u201d martini, the bartender who made it, intentionally poured my drink \u00be full, then (while I sat right there) turned to his co-worker and notified him that he needed to try what was left in the shaker because it was \u201cthe good stuff.\u201d I just laughed, but some of the people sitting at that bar would have taken those as fightin\u2019 words. So if you\u2019re in the mood for a drink, I\u2019d recommend one of the nearby bars/restaurants.\nOn the whole, I have no complaints for the Magnolia. It\u2019s a full-service hotel with friendly staff who seem genuinely interested in making your stay pleasant. The location is great, and as I\u2019ve said, the price is right on the money. I will caution that the price tends to draw a clientele that\u2019s more on the rowdy side. While my room was quiet and peaceful, the lobby area (with a bar/lounge on the second floor) was pretty noisy \u2013 especially late in the evening. But there are plenty of secluded places to sit, so you take in some good people watching if the mood strikes or just go up to your room for a cozy night\u2019s sleep.\nFor now, the Magnolia is probably the hippest hotel in the area. But in the coming months, the W and Ritz Carlton will be opening just a mile or so away \u2013 though they will certainly be at a different price point. Until then, I\u2019d recommend the Magnolia, and I\u2019d stay there again the next time I\u2019m in D town.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Ok, I just reviewed the Adolphus and wanted to compare the Magnolia. This is based on over 20 stays at each location, and is from the perspective of a business traveller. First the bad: The Magnolia's two greatest faults are it's poor staff training/standards and bad food. I've had several problems here: late room service, lost reservations, barely understandable people speaking over the phone, and just a generally shoddy staff, indicating to me a poor training program. This is compared to an almost perfect staff record at the Adolphus. Next, the food is pretty bad and of limited selection. This is somewhat explicable considering they don't have a restaurant on premises, but the food is really on par (and sometimes below) that of frozen dinners. Go around the corner to Subway or Jeraboam, or walk to West End. A few little things: the elevators are very slow, the rooms are small (though the suites are nice and huge), and they don't have high-speed access (which the Adolphus does). Now, on the plus side: First, the decor is very contemporary and pleasing with nice comfortable beds. If you get a suite you will be very happy--they are enormous and much better than the Adolphus suites. As with the Adolphus, I get a great business rate ($115), and almost always upgrade to a suite ($138). I like that they have 2 movie channels and 2 ESPN's, so I rarely end up renting a movie there. They have a neat 2nd floor bar/service area with a 5:30-7:30 happy hour with 2 free drinks coupons per day and some free snacks, and also a free serving of continental breakfast. Their workout area is better than the Adolphus, though roughly comparable (unless you use their sauna a lot, which the Adolphus doesn't offer). It has the same benefits of location as the next-door Adolphus: walk to West End restaurants, Neiman Marcus, Jeraboam, Subway, and others. The Magnolia is a little frustrating because they have the right ideas and right execution in a lot of places, but just haven't realized the importance of good food and good service (to frequent travellers especially). I'll take the Adolphus over it almost always, but occasionally change it up and stay at the Magnolia.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 25}]}, "109468": {"reviews": []}, "98710": {"reviews": []}, "2192761": {"reviews": []}, "98727": {"reviews": []}, "109404": {"reviews": []}, "1113787": {"reviews": []}, "98726": {"reviews": [{"text": "I am writing to report a dreadful experience at the Mansion on Turtle Creek. My wife and are extremely disappointed about the whole ordeal and my colleagues can hardly believe what I told them as they have stayed at the Mansion before.\nMy wife and I arrived on March 31st for a two night stay utilizing two of the Mansion\u2019s packages (The Mansion Experience and the Mansion Serenity packages). Our arrival was uneventful. After lounging by the pool for a short while we attempted to dress for dinner. We had reservations in The Restaurant at 7:30. At this point the bottle of champagne I had requested to be delivered at 6:30 had not been delivered so I was upset and my attitude about The Mansion on Turtle Creek became worse with each passing minute. At 6:40 I tried to take a shower. When I turned the handle to turn the shower on; water sprayed 360 degrees around the fixture. I engaged the shower and the spray lessened somewhat. However, the tub would not drain. In fact, after a brief shower the tub was over half full and my wife still needed to take a shower. I called the concierge and they sent an \u201cengineer\u201d to the bathroom to fix the problem. Here we are on what was supposed to be a luxurious 3 day weekend only to have a gentleman using a long \u201csnake\u201d to unclog a plugged drain. How did housekeeping clean the tub when it had a clogged drain? In any case, the man couldn\u2019t unplug the drain so the front desk attempted to move us to another room. A bell attendant came and escorted us to the second floor (we had been staying on the first floor) through a gauntlet of industrial fans. There were extension cords taped down over the hallway\u2026how posh. We were both pummeled with high pressure air as we moved through the hallway. I asked the bell attendant what the problem was and he said that a drain on the third floor had plugged causing flooding on the second floor. A plugged drain in our first floor room and a third floor room seems indicative of a hotel-wide problem with plumbing. When we reached the room at the end of the wet hallway the gentleman opened the door and all three of us were greeted with the potent fumes of fresh paint. I could hardly believe it. This room must have been painted within 24 hours to smell that bad. I immediately asked for another room. The next room that we were presented with was a smoking room and it was noxious as well. Apparently, the only two rooms left were a freshly painted room and a smoking room. We had the leftovers to choose from. I became somewhat angry at this point and went directly to the front desk to talk with Kevin and a women who was \u201cthe assistant front desk manager.\u201d Both were, in my opinion, incompetent and should take the Ritz Carlton\u2019s training course ASAP. Both talked in the most uncaring manner. The assistant manager apologized but did nothing to help us. She said she would search for another room, but it would be difficult to find since the hotel was at capacity. Why would I let them show us another room anyway when the ones they showed us thus far were so awful? Did they show me the terrible rooms first and then save the proper ones if I complained? I told the woman at the front desk that I was going to check out. Instead of trying to find us a room at their sister hotel The Crescent Court, or anything for that matter, she said ,\u201dwe hate to loose you\u2026\u201d as if I had a choice. There were no rooms! Then she said there would be a room opening up tomorrow night. What, my lady, did you want my wife and I to do tonight\u2026sleep in our car? I then told her to call The Four Seasons and reserve me a room and she quickly called as if to wipe her hands of us. No compensatory offer of any type was made at that point. I did later receive a message on my cell phone from Kevin saying I would receive a certificate for one free nights stay in the future. In my opinion that was too little to late, we were already gone. We needed assistance that night, not in the future. How can Mobil give The Mansion five stars, but the Greenbrier gets 4? AAA is easy to please and get five diamonds from, but my trusted Mobil guide? Either they haven\u2019t stayed in recent history or someone is getting some help. In either case, my wife and I are upset and disappointed as we wanted our first stay at the Mansion to be magical. The Four Seasons was wonderful as usually. Was this an off night or indicative of a once great hotel resting on its reputation\u2026waiting for the dreaded day when the Ritz-Carlton (opening in 2007) opens up down the street?", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "My husband and I recently spent a night at the mansion to celebrate our nine year wedding anniversary. The hotel was just lovely and the room was exceptionally beautiful. The problem was the service. Many of the requests my husband and I made went unnoticed and some of the staff were rather rude. We have traveled to many cities around the world staying at a variety of hotels even those that are below five star rated that were equally as posh and provided top notch service. Needless to say, my husband and I were quite dissappointed. The price far exceeds all the the mansion promises.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Having stayed in many higher-end hotels around the world for business travel, I have come to expect second-rate service in 5-star US properties vs. their international (particularly Asian) brethren. That said, I have always been partial to the \"home away from home\" feel of the Four Seasons properties in the US. What's my point? The Mansion certainly ranks up there from a service angle - attentive staff, a welcome environment, and the little things I personally like - for example they'll open the fitness center after \"normal hours\" if you ask, and I have called several times from the fitness center asking room service to deliver my meal at a specific time - has never failed. And the tortilla soup is UNBELIEVABLE - don't miss it.\nI'm not sure why everyone raves about the location - you're in an area of townhouses and office buildings without great views, etc. But it's relatively quiet - except for the occasional plane en route to DFW.\nIn summary, if you are a leisure traveler \"stretching\" to stay here, I would suggest spending less at another property and spending your money on a nice dinner at the Mansion. If you have the means (either via your expense or personal account), it's great.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "I have never understood the rave reviews surrounding this hotel, especially having stayed there on more than one occasion. Aside from its ideal location in the heart of Turtle Creek, there is very little in my view to justify the hotel's rating relative to the Crescent Court (ironically of the same Rosewood chain) and the Four Seasons in Las Colinas. The service is snooty enough to border on hostile and the rooms are totally ordinary. The restaurant is about the only part of the hotel worthy of its reputation -- were it not for the holier-than-thou condescending service, it might actually rival a few of Dallas' finest dining establishments.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "In a word...horrible. I have stayed at so many other better places. I believe that this place WAS good back in the days of \"Dallas\" the TV show but it has completely lost its luster.\n-Rooms are nice a bit on the big side -Gym is small and unsupervised -Pool is smaller -Roaches in the pool bathrooms that did not work -12 lounge chairs in the entire pool area -Bar is dark with no windows -Friendliest staff are babysitters -More stairs than any other hotel -Loud planes flying overhead every 60 seconds\nMy wife is from Dallas and when we returned in Sept. we wanted to try the famed, \"Mansion\". In my view it's not worth the price of admission. \nWe have stayed at the Lanesborough (London) which was owned by them at the time and that is the best. I don't understand how Zagat can say this is the best the U.S. has to offer. Have they ever tried the The Regent - Wall Street? or Four Seasons Palm Beach? Now I always stay at the Four Seasons in Los Colinas, that's a hotel with service. The ultimate slap in the face is that its sister Dallas hotel, The Crescent Court is actually so much better.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "The room was such a let down. It was so small and far from luxurious. \nThe worst was the bathroom.. in between the bath tiles was black mould. \nI hate mould and would never have it in my own bathroom so don't want it in the hotels where I stay. I was shocked to find this in the Mansion of all places. Equally shocking was the black hair in our bath robes! I complained about this when I checked out and the receptionist just shrugged and said a hairdresser often works from my room and although they tell him to not use the hotel's robes, he does anyway. So I had a white robe full of cut black hair. It looked like he didn't even put a towel around his client's shoulders, just let the hair fall directly on the robe. It was sickening. I wonder how often they wash the robes? I certainly didn't get freshly washed robes for my stay. I will never stay at this hotel again.. it might look nice from the lobby but don't be fooled. The rooms and service are 4* at best.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I usually visit Dallas at least once a year because I have relatives there. I have been staying at The Mansion for 10/12 years now. I just returned from a 3 night visit in July. I thought everything was just as great as it was 10 years ago. I absolutely love Dean Fearing's cooking. \nHe must be one of America's best chefs. He's usually in the restaurant and comes by to visit and see how things are. I love the way he mixes Southwest cooking with his food. The lobster tacos are divine. My wife had a fried lobster that was very nice also. We were on a package that cost $345/night and provided a premier room as well as dinner for two. \nI thought it was a bargain. The hotel is very beautiful and located in a very nice area along Turtle Creek near Highland Park. There are two nice restaurants, Lola and Abacus, very close by. The Galeria is about 10 minutes away and downtown is close also. Neiman Marcus has a store downtown and in Northpark Shopping Center. I really like Dallas and thought the Mansion was a nice play to visit. The service is 1st class, they served you ice water and ice tea upon arrival and had ice drinks around the lobby for you in the afternoon. The rooms are very nice and well kept. My only complaint is the high cost of using the telephones in your room. Take your cell phone if you need to make phone calls. \nIt's cheaper. I would recommend staying soon and having as many meals as you can in the hotel restaurant. I don't think I have had a better meal in any city I ever visited. The Mansion is one of our top hotels.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "My husband and I have stay at the Mansion at Turtle Creek whenever we want to feel like royalty and dine on exquisite cuisine. It is most assurredly expensive, but it is one of the few places we stay in out travels that really earns its reputation. For example, the last time we were there (February 2003), we arrived late in the evening, tired from a long drive. We were pretty grungy so we didn't want to go to the restaurant. Instead, the staff quickly prepared us cocktails which we sipped on the poolside terrace while a light supper was prepared. We did dine in the Mansion's restaurant the next evening and the food was interesting and expertly prepared. If you want a truly luxurious hotel experience, I cannot recommend the Mansion on Turtle Creek too highly.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}]}, "602600": {"reviews": [{"text": "I was in Dallas for a wedding and stayed at the Hotel Palomar as it was close to the Doubletree (the wedding party's preferred hotel) and I got a better deal on the Palomar. Let me just say the rest of the wedding party was so jealous!!! Like one of the above posters said, you just feel better walking through the doors. The staff, from the valet/bell guys, to the front desk was superb! They even remembered us (which may not have been a great thing!:) daily. There is a free wine reception at 5pm daily that we were only able to attend twice, but it was great. It was pretty cold in Dallas when we were there, but we still went out by the pool and hung out in the cabanas. The pool was heated, but not hot enough to go into it. We didn't use the restaurant, but we did visit the bar, and it was an older trendy crowd. Mockingbird station with shops is across the street and late night, not much is open for food/drinks. The only bad thing that happened was upon check out, they charged us for 3 days of valet parking at $18 per day, when we had self parked the whole time. They didn't blink and took it off of our bill. Bottom line: I will be going back to Dallas JUST to stay at the Hotel Palomar and shop at nearby Knox road. It was amazing....", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I just returned from a wonderful stay at Hotel Palomar. I took my husband there to celebrate his birthday. We arrived and the staff rolled out the red carpet. Check-in was quick and we were given a room upgrade, as well as free drinks and appetizers to enjoy at the hotels restaurant. We were only there for one night to enjoy dinner with friends. When we left for dinner at about 7:30 p.m., we returned to a turned down bed, fresh towels, a chilled bottle of wine and a birthday card for my husband. What a nice surprise! We didn't get to experience the restaurant because we already had reservations somewhere else, but when we returned from dinner we enjoyed drinks, from the hotel restaurant, by the fire place in the well decorated lobby. I will visit Hotel Palomar again very soon.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}]}, "122703": {"reviews": []}, "123562": {"reviews": []}, "866480": {"reviews": []}, "261234": {"reviews": []}, "1165021": {"reviews": [{"text": "Wanted to go to the Shrimp Festival at Fernandina Beach, but the hotels there were booked or they had really raised their rates for the event. Booked this through the Holiday Inn website and got a AAA rate of about $75/night. The hotel is very new, so stuff is clean and pleasant. The continental breakfast included some tasty hot cinnamon rolls. The main road by the hotel goes in one direction to the cruise terminal (very close) and in the other it turns into A1A, which is a very scenic 30-minute drive to Amelia Island and Fernandina Beach. The interchange nearby also easily takes you down to roads that go to Jacksonville Beach (about 30 minute drive to the beach), and there are many restaurants along the way. Nothing around the hotel except Wendy's and a gas station, but it's not far to other choices. Definitely need a car.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "816772": {"reviews": []}, "1223992": {"reviews": []}, "1214730": {"reviews": []}, "1201207": {"reviews": []}, "1231084": {"reviews": []}, "324321": {"reviews": []}, "223967": {"reviews": []}, "225256": {"reviews": []}, "256800": {"reviews": [{"text": "I would like to preface this review by stating that I have never ever before written a cpmplaint about any hotel or other service that I have received. I am a fairly easy person to please, but, I do expect to get what I am paying for.\nMy fiance and I stayed at the Valencia for a relaxing weekend. We had a suite which ran about $400 per night. Although the hotel itself is beautiful, I found the management to be lacking well below the service I would expect from a Motel 6!\nI frequently stay at hotels comparable in price (Inn Above the Tide, Highlands Inn, Caneros Inn), and for the same price or less, receive much better treatment. Problems I encountered among my stay at this hotel included: my suite was not ready until 5:45 PM even though I arrived prior to the 3:00 PM check-in time (and no apology was even made); one of my reservations was lost; I was checked in to a room that smelled heavily of smoke; the woman at the front desk told me that the hotel did not offer DVD or CD players, and, after telling her that I just saw somone walk by with one outside of my room, she rudely asked me to hold while she then found that that actually is a service offered at the hotel; I ordered an item off of the room service menu, which, after it came, did not even offer all of the items listed on the menu. When we called down to room service to let them know what they forgot, they told us that they didn't have it and hung up on us. The manager on duty was polite and aplolgetic and said that he was sending up the correct order, which was, even then, never actually delivered to our room!\nAt first the problems didn't bother me, but as time went on, I was continually amazed throughout the weekend at the lack of even half-way decent service, especially after paying over $1000 for one weekend! What a waste of my money! And what a waste of what has the makings of a beautiful and elegant hotel. I will never stay at the Hotel Valencia again unless I found out that it was under completely new managment. I hope that this might save someone else from being stressed about the money they spent on what should have been a relaxing weekend.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "I just returned from a three-night stay at the Valencia. I assure you, it will be my last. My company has a corporate rate there and I was told that it was \"the\" cool place to stay in San Jose. I beg to differ.\nAs another reviewer posted, this place has a long way to go in the service department. But that's not the biggest problem--if you care about security and personal safety think twice before booking.\nLet's start with service: The valet parking attendant asked if I needed help with my bags. I said yes and he walked away (without my bags) never to be seen again. I proceed to enter the dungeon-like vestabule. \nIt is dark---very dark. Not a welcoming or secure feeling. Get in the elevator--it's dark too. Get off the elevator and the freakin' reception area is dark \"for effect.\" Spare me the \"hip\" design. When I get to a hotel I want to actually see where I'm going. It was so dark that when the desk clerk asked me to initial my rate, I couldn't see it. He told me to move to a different spot on the counter where the light was better. Alrighty then. I had to laugh at the reception desk. \nIt's \"utterly cool\" design isn't \"utterly functional.\" All of the front desk clerks have the key boards of their computers propped up on memo pads. Ahhhhh......form over function!\nThe rooms are interestingly designed. And the beds are really comfortable. But, in my room, the phone by the bed and one of the lamps didn't work. I called for engineering and it was eventually fixed. But, it took a while and the poor engineer called downstairs several times for assistance but got put on hold three times before he gave up and physically went downstairs to get the part he needed.\nAs for security, two things happened during my stay that were totally unacceptable.\n1. A housekeeper entered my colleague's room at 10:15 p.m. for turn-down service--while said colleague was in bed. Now, I agree she should have had the dead bolt on her door, but whoever heard of turndown at 10:15 p.m.????? No hotel I've ever stayed at.\n2. The rooms have French doors that lead to a balcony. When I arrived at my room on day two after being out of the room all day, the doors were wide open. WIDE OPEN! Now, you have to understand that the balcony is not a private space: it runs along the entire floor. That means that if you're bedroom doors are open anyone in any other room on your side of the floor has access to your room. I called downstairs to report my concern. What did the \"manager\" say??? \"That happens when the wind blows if the doors aren't latched correctly.\" Ummmmm......I've been gone since 7:30 a.m.....I wasn't the one playing with the latches!!! Do you think he sent someone up to check the room? Nope. Do you think he sent someone up to check the latches? Nope. He lectured me on how to lock them. Nice. Guess the arogant security guy with the ear piece who was chatting up the front desk clerk when I walked by was too busy pretending to be hip to actually deal with a security issue!!!\nThey did try to recover though--by sending chocolates to my room. Yeah, that made me feel safer.\nOn my next trip to San Jose, I'm heading back to the Moorpark. That's a boutique hotel with outstanding service and a huge value for the $$.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Stay away! I would never recommend this hotel to anyone! Three friends and I booked a double (occupancy 4) room for the night at a $180 rate. \nCheck-in was smooth and the hotel was nice, but then the trouble began. \nTwo of us decided to walk to the local Safeway to get some food. By the time we arrived there had formed a huge line around the hotel for their V-Bar lounge. Thinking nothing of it, we tried to walk up to the elevators to go back to our room, when we were stopped by the bouncers and told to wait in the long line. After we explained we were guests at the hotel, he asked us for our room key. Unfortunately they had only given us 2 keys, and the keys were with our other two friends upstairs in the hotel atrium. The bouncers told us we would have to get one of them to come down and let us up. Unfortunately, neither of our friends had a cell phone on them, so we were left holding our groceries, pleading our case to these bouncers. We decided to call the hotel and tell them we were stranded downstairs outside, and all the front desk told us wsas he would send security down to talk with us. Saved at last! Wrong... Security came down and said without our room key, we would have to wait in the V-Bar line to get upstairs!! We are guests paying $180 per night, holding our groceries, missing out on the whole reason we came down to this hotel in the first place! After being told again that we would have to wait in line, we attempted to call the hotel again, where we were told that without a room key, no service! \nOut of luck, we joined the long line only to be followed by security and told we could not wait in line because they do not allow grocieries into the V-Bar!! We just want to go to our room!!! With perishables in our bags we were given two options. Leave them in our cars (car keys are up in the hotel room duh) or check them into baggage check! Opting for the second, we were forced to wait 50 minutes in the V-Bar line before we could get upstairs. Who knows what would have happened if we didn't have our licenses, since the V-Bar line was 21 and up! Now 1AM, our whole night wasted waiting in line, and finally upstairs we decided to tell frount desk what had happened. This was the shocking part! He completely backed the bouncers saying, no key, no service! What is this!!! When asked why they couldn't have escorted us up to find our friends, they said that it was not their problem! I am completely shocked at this hotels whole setup and treatment of guest. Our night was completely wasted and we were humiliated to say the least. We did nothing wrong, 4 people are allowed to stay in a double bed room, so no policies were broken! Very very poor service. For the price paid....disgusting!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "I have been to this hotel and was about to get a room when I saw some behavior that was not very professional from the hotel staff. It is a hotel with a very, apparently, happening night spot, Vbar. I observed a gentlemen get thrown out for no apparent reason. When he inquired about it, and they gave some reasons, he laughed and mentioned he was nowhere in the area and it was a mistaken identity. With 5 or more witnesses supporting him (the guy who was thrown out) , they (hotel security staff) made a scene by yelling, and thoroughly belittling this poor man. I can not say what to think ,though just by the unprofessional demeanor of the staff (I was hearing many comments about the unprofessionalism of the staff from numbers of people in the Santana Row area), I am not going to stay there ever, or come there again. Who knows, I could be next, and maybe they will make up a story against me as well. It would seem that there needs to be some educating on class and mannerism with the hotel staff and the security personnel. They especially appeared way too quick to flaunt their authority when a person (hotel guest or patron of the lounge/bar) asked questions to them about what is happening. Whatever happened to the \"customer is always right\" and the belief \"you are innocent until proven guilty\"?. \nApparently a number of employees at this location think they are exempt from this.\nWhat I saw was some badly trained and educated hotel staff (security and others) who do not know the meaning of class. When you have patrons in your locale (and this is supposed to be a high-class location), you maintain and uphold a high-class environment. That is not what Hotel Valencia is all about, nor is the Vbar. I am afraid to send people I know to this place, as I am scared they will receive bad treatment, just as the numbers of other people I came across that night received.\nThe solution is simple: employee some people who understand class and what it means to be hospitable in an \"up-scale\" location, and you will have no problems. Unless, you do not want high-class guests and patrons, then maintain the system they are running.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "unfortunately i had a bad experience at this hotel. I had made reservations over a montha go for the hotel and they were lost. When i arrived to payin full for the evening overnite their terminal could not charge my card and i waited an hour to call it in manually. I had set up a 50th wedding ann for my inlaws complete with pauperatizzi when threy arrived at the hotel. Upon calling guest services three times they were unable to loan us a roped area for their arrival. When my guests checked in they were assigned two very small rooms (not the 2 suites i had paid for which were lost in the first place) One of the rooms was for handcap with no balcany as requested. Upon arriving the elevator went out eaving my mother in law and guests to climb 6 flights of stairs with her joints aching as it was. then the fire alarm were off for 30 minutes after settling down in the room which was replaced(someone else recieved the suites) possibly a graduate?(which there were too many to count) overall a lousy experience but hey they just opened and i gues we were helping them with their glitches.They are supposed to credit my card for two suites which were not suites and i dont have to pay. better luck next time.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 19}]}, "82190": {"reviews": []}, "98474": {"reviews": [{"text": "The Driskill is a beautiful structure, worth popping in for a quick look around. But it was a horrible to stay at. The rooms are inconsistant and noisy - both from the street and from other guests. The staff was inconsistant - some were nice, but most didn't seem to care. Bathrooms are very small. There is no onsite parking and the valet is expensive and slow. One of the interesting aspects of the Driskill, and one they don't advertise, are the ghost stories. We took an Austin Ghost Tour (not through the hotel) and were creeped out to find out there are many ghost legends in the Driskill. Do an internet search to find out some of the stories.\nWalk through the Driskill - or stop at the bar - but don't stay here. There are better choices for you money. Check out the Four Seasons or the new Hilton. You can do much better.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "The Driskill is overpriced, over-rated, and you can do better than this place...\nI found a web-special for $140 per night for the July 4th weekend - I am told this was such a \"steal\" for this \"world class hotel\"... Well this place is a dump.\nFeatures - this hotel has none. Bathrooms are small and unless you are 3ft tall you will have issues. Tiling was not real clean, shower head I noticed only about half of the holes spat out water, the rusty access panel on the shower ceiling is always a nice touch too. \nNo coffee maker, no pool, workout room is a joke, the \"spa\" is nothing more than two flat padded tables, THERE IS NO SODA MACHINE IN THE WHOLE BUILDING - they said I should go across the steet to the beverage store.\nRoom was \"cheap looking\" furniture a little beat up, entire room done in this cheap flat white - you can buy for $5 a gallon, view was looking into a trashy alley full of puke (ok - some ended up being mine - but that is besides the point).\nFood - Our $35 two omlettes at the grill were a joke. The waitress didn't even bring me change (coin) so the $.65 cents I figured would suffice for her tip. The main \"dining area\" is about as big as your living room and features alla carte junk.\nBar - Anyone under 55 years old enter at your own risk. The singer and piano bar - was enough to make me want to end it all right there on the spot. This area is for elderly people who enjoy $6 beers.\nParking - vallet only at $17/day and they want a tip? hahaha no way (ohhh and the $17 is taxable too)\nSmell - if you like old mildew smelling places you will be in heaven here\nLocation - if you want to be close to 6th street this is the best location - however let's face realtiy Austin is so small if you can't walk two blocks (where the Omni, Hilton, and other BETTER places are) then you have serious issues anyhow.\nElevators - they are accessable only AFTER YOU walk up about 30 stairs... I guess they could have carried my junk for me but then they would want yet another tip. \nStaff - not real polite at all... They could care less. The conceire was nice and did book us dinner reservations (outside the hotel) - but everyone else was a snob.\nBOTTOM LINE: This place sucks. Over-rated, Over-priced, food is not good, nothing to do - I see NO POINT in staying here at all... pick any other hotel downtown - and go drinking with your profits...", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 16}]}, "604457": {"reviews": []}, "217844": {"reviews": [{"text": "I just do not understand all the 5 star reviews. Even the Four seasons did not get so many perfect reviews. Trip advisor should investigate... This place is just a tiny standard Best Westernish type hotel. Something is so suspicious. There is absolutely 0 customer service and it is in a noisy old building. The double beds are twin platform beds!!! Look carefully at the reviews with less than 4-5 stars, these are truly the accurate ones. Will not stay again.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Just returned from San Francisco after a 3 night stay at the Orchard Hotel. We picked the Orchard because of the price, the location and the positive reviews. We arrived at SFO and walked over to the BART station, A 30 minute ride into the City for $5.50 one way is a great way to transfer. Arrived at the BART Powell Station and walked up the stairs and caught the Powell/Mason Cable car which dropped us about 100 feet from our hotel. Our check in was painless and the staff was very accommodating. They gave us a choice of a couple of rooms, we opted to take a room on the 6th floor facing Bush street (front of hotel), the front desk staff said that if was quieter because the back side of the hotel has trash pick up noise in the early hours of the morning. We found our room to be very clean, with adequate amenities.\nThe king size bed was very comfortable and shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, hair dryer were provided. The room was exceptionally quiet, with no adjacent room sounds and very little street noise. Each morning a buffet continental breakfast was provided with several choices of ham, cheese, hard boiled eggs, toast, jam/jellies, spice cake, cereal, fresh fruit, coffee, juices, etc. The rooms also include DVD players and the front desk has a variety of DVD movies to choose from at no cost.\nWe ate at several places during our stay, but absolutely loved Harris Steak House for the best filet I ever tasted, also ate at Tadisch Grill, the seafood was excellent, and for a quick inexpensive great Chinese lunch, try the House of Nanking. \nI would definately stay at the Orchard Hotel on our next visit to San Francisco.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I arranged a surprise 25th anniversary trip to San Francisco (first time there) and was really nervous about where to stay. Obviously, I would only get one chance to do this right. I read tons of hotel reviews (probably spent 6 hours total) and finally decided on the Orchard Hotel. Most reviews were positive and the price was right ($169-299 depending on the night vs. $400+ for others). EVERYTHING from the location to the room to the staff was perfect. I don't mean really good... I mean perfect. The location is prime! You have access to the Powell street cable car no more than 20 feet from the front door. The room was large and spotless. It's only a few years old and the maid service was fantastic. Finally, the staff was the friendliest and most professional I've ever experienced. I had flowers delivered 3 days in a row and they were always in our room in water/vase when we arrived. James and Bob (doormen) can do and will do anything you need. They are professionals at taking care of the details. A great treat was meeting the hotel owner Mrs. Huang. She told me \"I tell my staff that I only have the money our guests spend here to pay you. So, treat them with respect and treat them well so they'll come back and so they'll refer their friends to us. Otherwise, we won't be able to stay in business\". Trust me, the staff hears and responds. If you're looking for a great place to stay in San Francisco, make one phone call - to the Orchard Hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "First trip to San Francisico and loved it. We had a suite on an upper floor with a view of the front street and cable car. The reception staff were lovely and helpful and the suite was very nice, spacious, clean and quiet. The location is absolutly perfect for getting around.\nThe only negative was we were very disappointed with the service we got from two male members of the bar staff. We were visiting with our two children aged 7 and 14 and we had spent a day doing a lot of walking, in the evening they were very tired and we allowed them to stay upstairs watching TV whilst we decided to go down and eat in the restaurant. We asked the barmen if we could have two cheese sandwiches sent to the room for the boys. They said this could not be done as it wasn't on the menu, we persuaded them to go and ask the chef but apparently the chef said that although he had both cheese and bread there was no way he was going to do this. When we explained that the boys were upstairs watching TV after a long day and just wanted something quick and easy one of the two barmen commented that perhaps the solution would be to turn off the TV! In fact both of these barmen had a friend at the bar and were more interested in discussing \"adult\" web sites with each other thank attending to their guests. Yes it was a quiet night and the restaurant was empty and we were the only two at the bar, however this is no excuse. Needless to say we declined to eat at the restaurant and went down to Subway to get a sandwich for us all. We really feel this let them down a lot and was not the sort of service that appears to get them such a good rating on trip advisors web site and so accounts for them not getting 5 stars from us. We would like to say that the young girl who works the restaurant floor and the lady who works on the bar were very nice, chatty and helpful and perhaps the two gentlemen might take a lesson in good manners and a helpful attitude from them.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "The Orchard Hotel was absolutely fabulous. I choose to stay there based on the reviews I read on this site, not to mention the awesome rate I received. Everything I read was right on, down to the very professional and courteous staff. I was traveling alone and felt safe in their care.\nThe location is prime. The hotel is definitely within walking distance or a quick cable car ride to the best sites in San Francisco. The rooms were immaculate and the Aveda products were a plus, not to mention their complementary robes which are to die for. I think you can purchase them also.\nThis trip was business but the next is pleasure with my kids. I will not hesitate to stay at The Orchard again!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Before my stay at The Orchard, I was convinced that any hotel priced under $200/night was a dump. The Orchard proved me wrong and I say with a smile, I am glad I found a perfect place that fits all my needs when in SF on business trips (which is several times a year).\nWhen booking, I requested a high floor room and stated I would have a late check in (did not arrive until 11pm). I was so happy that I got on the top floor as typically such a request is a shot in the dark when you have a late check in a full hotel. The staff was very friendly. Everyone was smiling and very communicative about the services offered by the hotel. I was even more happy when I opened my door and entered my room. For ONCE, I was in a very clean room. No stains! I knew the hotel offered a DVD player as well as a DSL connection but, as typical in other hotels I stay in, I did not expect much when turning on the TV. I turn on the TV and guess what .... The Orchard offers free standard cable and HBO; not your typical 10 or so channels. Also, the TV is a normal TV not tied to some hotel menu driven system in which you have to pay for movies or pass a menu screen first. So in this respect, you have a feeling of being at home. They offer a wide variety of movies for free use at the counter. But, knowing they have a DVD player, you can always bring your own too. Since I was there on business, I bring a laptop. The DSL connection service is great. Simple to set up, logon, and use - they even provide cables if you forget yours. Unlike tourist (I used to live in SF so know the City), when in SF, after a long workday I typically just get take out after work and head to my hotel and relax. So, these simple accomadations are very important and made my stay very comfortable since I spend considerable time in the room.\nThe hotel itself is very clean and nice. You won't get fancy high-end furnishings (REMEMBER this is under $200/night) but, you will get nice up-to-date simple, clean and modern furnishings. Very clean bedding with very soft pillows. The bathroom is nice with Avena products. My room also had a bar area with a fridge and coffee maker. \nThe included breakfast is basically coffee, juice, a few cereal options, a wide variety of bread choices, fruit, jelly, cheese, hard boiled eggs, and lunch style meat. Nothing fancy, nothing made to order but, very decent and FREE. \nYou do have options for parking. There are several garages around the hotel but, I chose to valet park at approx $39/night. Bascially, the garage up the street parks your car for you. You can park in the same garage directly yourself for a few dollars cheaper if you wish but, if you are going in/out USE the hotel valet service since if you park yourself, you cannot go in/out and have to pay each time you exit. There is also another garage down the street from the hotel that can be even cheaper but, I beleive you have to park after 5pm and leave by 7am the next othewise, the standard downtown rate of approx. $35-40 applies. If you book on the Orchard website, they do have a \"Park and Shop\" special which includes parking but, it was not available when I booked this stay. Luckily, I return next month and that package was available. If available, nothing beats that package and the daily rate is still well under $200. Expect to pay around $230/night if paying for parking separately (still an excellent value for what you get in this hotel).\nCan't say enough about the staff and customer service. You'll get a reminder email about the hotel a few days before your reservation date too. Also, when I checked in, the front desk was very speedy ... I did not see the same person until I checked out 4 days later and as I walked out of the elevator she addressed me by name which I found impressive. The bell hops, parking attendants, and maids were all very friendly too.\nNow is this hotel without any issue? Ok, in all honesty (with all my reviews) there was only ONE thing. My room had a door that connected to another room. That door is not a good sound barrier. One morning, I did hear a conversation in the room next to me but, in fairness I know the person was on a cell phone since she was talking business and talking very loud and standing right next to that door. The rooms have a surround sound system too. I can see a possible issue if someone next to you is not \"polite\" at night and decides to blast that system watching a DVD. But, for my stay that was not an issue. \nSo to sum this up ... a SF hotel for under $200/night that provides a clean room, a free DSL connection, a good variety of TV choices, a DVD unit which you can bring your own or borrow from a wide selection, up to date simple furnishings, a good parking package for the area (if available), free breakfast, and a very friendly staff .... I know it sounds too good to be true but, IT IS!\nThe Orchard can't be beat for the price in a great downtown location. It's just a few blocks from Union Square. For being in downtown, the location is actually quiet. I did not see any of the negativities normally seen in SF around this hotel (such as the homeless). Needless to say, I was impressed. The front desk also mentioned they are in the process of building a second hotel nearby this one.\nI've posted a few reviews on SF hotels here and honestly, this is the first positive review of mine for SF hotels priced under $200/night.\nLooking forward to my next stay which is already booked in June!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Being in San Francisco for the first time I find The Orchard efficient and remarkably quiet. The room was just right and you can not beat the price. The hotel location (Powell and Bush Street)is also its best feature, near the Cable Car(around the corner), China town (two blocks) and shops (all along Powell Street). Oh by the way, the Bart Station is five blocks walk from the hotel and if you are not used to walking, it could be a strenous exercise so better bring comfortable shoes and lugggage with wheels. Although the Continetal Buffet need some help I find it filling. The complimentary use of the computer should be removed from the lobby and be placed in a more private setting.\nOtherwise, the intimate and relax atmosphere made my first experience of San Francisco a memorable trip.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed at the Orchard for 2 nights- 3/15-17, and had a wonderful time. It felt like heaven after coming from the Hyatt Embarcadero.\nUpon arriving at the Orchard, we were warmly greeted by concierge/bellman, James. He was most welcoming and helpful throughout our stay.:)\nCheck in was fast.\nThe room was equipped with a nice DVD surround sound system. Complimentary DVD's were available at the front desk, which we took advantage of every night.\nThe room was clean with crisp bedding. The bed was somewhat hard and not that comfortable,and the pillows were too soft. However, the down comforter was most comfortable.\nBathroom was clean,but little grout needed whitening, and not luxurious. Nice Aveda products. Comfy bathrobes and nice tea/coffee with coffeemaker.\nThe complimentary breakfast buffet was an added bonus and a perfect touch. It consisted of a selection of 2 cold cereals, an instant hot oatmeal,yogurt, fresh fruits: cantalope, watermelon,oranges,apples and bananas, sweet breads, mini scones, bread for toasting, hard boiled eggs, sliced ham and cheese, coffee, tea and juices:(apple, orange, cranberry and grapefruit).\n The hotel was in a good location, close to Chinatown, Union square and shopping areas.\n The only negative was the hike up the steep hill from Post to Bush lugging all of our packages! :)\nA good Japanese restaurant less than a half a block away was the \"Tempura House\". Reasonable prices and good food!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "The ratings seem very high for what is on offer here - perhaps there is some manipulation of the ratings going on.\nOverall the hotel is pleasant, clean and centrally located but this is not New York and that alone does not justify the prices. Parking is 34$ per night, the rooms are small and internet access is only available on floors 1 -3. Services are limited even for a boutique hotel\nBreakfast is a simple continental breakfast of fruit, croissants, yoghurt etc.\nThey do supply dvd players in each room but thats to make up for a limited set of channels on TV.\nOverall the hotel is nice in a good location. Facilities are somewhat average - bathrooms are clean but luxurious is somewhat of a stretch. Showers are of the nozzle over a bathtub variety. \nIt is more expensive than some other more luxurious hotels in San Francisco that I have stayed in on previous trips.\nOverall the stay was a pleasant unpleasant experience and it wont hurt to stay here but I've stayed in better for the money even in New York. The rating seems manipulated.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I just stayed at the Orchard for two nights while on business. I arrived 3 hours early and they were able to find a room for me. The lobby is welcoming and the doorman was nice. The front desk staff went over the accommodations and provided access to DVD rentals, info about breakfast, and provided an ethernet cord. My room was huge: a nice king sized bed, big Sony TV with DVD player and 5 speaker surround sound, comfy desk, and a nice area above the mini bar. The bathroom was very nice. Aveda products were all around. The glass shower was very clean and well kept and the toilet paper was soft - always a good thing. The restaurant was very good, although somewhat over priced. The bartender was knowledgeable about the wine list, but made a terrible mojito. The hotel is right on the cable car line, and for $5, you can get right to the Wharf. A 2 minute walk downhill brings you to Union Square (Macy\u2019s, Tiffany\u2019s, SAKS, etc.). Car service to the airport was $38 plus tip and can be arranged through the front desk. There are two downsides to the hotel that I can think of. One is the lack of wireless internet. For how cheap WiFi is to provide, it just doesn\u2019t make sense. The second is the breakfast. Basically, it is a glorified continental + ham and cheese slices; however, it hit the spot early in the morning. Overall, it was excellent and I would gladly return.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "We visited 2/5/06-2/9/06. The best hotel in usa and look for their 2 nd garden hotel in san francisco due to open 2006. The location was the best- 2 blocks up the hill from Union Square and 1 block from the Mark! The hotel is run impecably and the staff could not do more to make your visit absolutely perfect. There is an excellent restaurant in the hotel if you have a big day of sightseeing!\n I would stay again in a heartbeat! Haverford,PA", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "The Orchard is a really excellent boutique hotel. The staff are tremendously friendly, from the always happy doorman, James, to the staff at the front desk and on through the hotel. It is extremely well priced for its position, just a few steps away from Union Square. I travel to San Francisco between 6 and 8 times a year and tried a lot of hotels that suited my budget and were small and friendly before I settled on the Orchard. It is streets ahead of the big hotels that I have stayed at like the Omni or the W, where you are paying twice or three times the price and not getting any increase in value.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We are a family of four and decided to stay for a week, in the end of December, at the Orchard, based on Tripadvisor's reviews. Great choice. The Orchard is a solid 4 stars using an European rating . The hotel is new, decor nice, large rooms, very good location and service. We paid US$ 140 for a standard room and 240 for a suite, including breakfast. You get what you pay, and the relation cost/benefit at the Orchard was very, very, very good. We would stay again for shure.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We chose the Orchard because of the excellent reviews on Tripadvisor and we weren't disappointed. \nCheck-in for our stay in October 05 was swift and efficient, all staff were polite, friendly and helpful. Our double room was spotlessly clean and the bed extremely comfortable. The bathroom was also clean but it did suffer from 'flooding', presumably under/over/through the shower curtain. After one wet episode, during the early evening, we used the towels to mop up the excess water. On our way out that evening, we asked at reception if we could have fresh towels and, when we returned, not only had the fresh towels been provided but the bathroom had been cleaned again.\nThe complimentary buffet breakfast was better than we have had in other hotels, we were even able to get a decent cup of tea!\nWe made good use of the complimentary wireless internet in the lobby area, using a wireless PDA, and were also able to use the laptop provided at reception.\nThe location was excellent with the cable car being just on the street corner - down the hill for Union Square, up the hill for the Fisherman's Wharf area.\nThe owners are developing another hotel nearby which will be more upmarket and which promises to have green credentials. If we are ever in San Francisco again we will be very happy to stay at either of these hotels. \nWe unreservedly recommend the Orchard to others.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Hubby and I stayed here 4 nights- departing on New Year's Day.\nThe doormen are extremely friendly and were helpful in arranging for a town car to transport us to the airport on New Year's Day morning.\nCheck-in was easy and the front desk staff always greeted us coming in from the street or coming out of the elevator. When asking them about local attractions, they were helpful as well.\nThe room was ok- but I expected a bit more from the reviews. Our bed was awfully hard- and I rarely sleep in one that is. Hubby and I did not address this with the staff, figuring all the beds were this way, that of course may not be the case. The bathroom was fine- but not spectacular.\nBreakfast- such a big issue witht his hotel. I will admit- when Hubby and I went down the first day and saw the selection- I thought it would be the one and only time we ate the breakfast- then I tasted the croissants. They were great! The key is to hit breakfast when they are not packed- a much better selection. Also tried several of the coffee cakes and breads, which were above average. \nFor the location and price (with breakfast included) it was a pretty good deal. By booking early- the 4 nights averaged out to $140 a night. \nI would stay again if I could guarantee the bed would not be as hard. And I will recommend it to others. If you are looking for a reasonable priced hotel in a good location, The Orchard is a great option.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I just want to share with you the wonderful experience to my 1st visit to San Francisco and The Orchard Hotel. The hotel staff of The Orchard Hotel has given us a memorable vacation that we can't stop talking about. Tony Llanos whom is the Controller of the Hotel has highly recommended that we go and visit the hotel for approximately 1 year now. I am impressed with the condition/cleanliness of the rooms as well as the customer service. The staff all around does express the true meaning of \"Customer Serivce\". From the time we arrived till we departed the hotel. The staff immediately honored each request that we have with no hesitation. The Hotel sits on a great location, we were out and about everyday of our vacation and were close to everything. I would highly recommend this hotel to my friends and family of Hawaii!! This is the place to go on our vacation. Mahalo to everyone at The Orchard Hotel, we will return with more of our Friends and Family!! A Hui Hou!! (Until we meet again).", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Our first trip to San Francisco ... along with another couple ... my wife and I researched the possibilities ahead and were thrilled to find The Orchard Hotel. We stayed three nights and felt that it excelled in every possible way. Obviously, our next trip to SF must include staying here again. The bright newness of the buidling and rooms alongside the charming and pleasant staff catered to our every need. Also, it is situated at the edge of Chinatown....and a 10 second walk to the trolley line, opening up the convenience of across town travel easily. You can walk in every direction and find a wide variety of restaurants and shops (bring your sneakers it IS San Francisco). Mrs. Huang (Owner-President)is and should be vastly proud of her hotel and the team she and General Manager Stefan Muhle has assembled. Our stay here made our time in downtown SF perfect!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "I stayed at the Orchard Hotel from July 23 - 26th and enjoyed every minute of it. I must admit the entry looks some what modest. However, once you enter the small lobby and hear the fountain splashing you feel a sense of peace from the busy San Francisco streets. The front desk was extremely pleasant and attentive and made us feel welcome. Although check in was not until 3PM we were able to get our room at 1:30PM when we arrived. \nThe room was very nice and clean. The bed linens and comforter were heavenly. I loved the DVD surround sound in the room and we made good use of the free DVD rentals. The room is stocked with Wolfgang Puck coffee which is always welcoming first thing in the morning. The free continental breakfast was simple but nice. It consisted mainly of fruits, variety of breads and muffins, coffee, juices and cold cereal. Loved the Aveda products in the bathroom which was very large and updated.\nThe location is perfect! We had ticket to the Curran Theater to see Les Miserables and walked the short 3.5 blocks. Chinatown is approximately 2.5 blocks away and Union Square was an easy 2 blocks away. Market Street (San Francisco Shopping Centre) is approximately 6 blocks away. There is a cable car stop right on the corner of the hotel. However, the cable car is usually full by the time it gets to this stop. I suggest you catch the stop in front of Union Square to increase your chances of getting on the cable car especially after 10AM.\nI will definitely stay at this hotel again. The staff really made the stay pleasurable and memorable. Everyone I interacted with at the hotel from the front desk to housekeeping was extremely pleasant.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I am a loyal TravelAdvisor fan, having viewed so many reviews for so many trips. I was so excited to try the Orchard after reading all these great comments. My wife and I are frequent visitors to S.F. so I have stayed in quite a few hotels in the city. The Orchard was a dissapointment, plain and simple. \nIts not that anything was really all that wrong with the place, it just was not anything great. We paid close to $185.00 per night for a mid-week, three night stay. King bed, top floor. The hotel raves about the complimentary breakfast, we thought it was gross. The coffee was not very good, the selection was really weak, and what they had tasted bad. They had an assortment of fruit, an OK coffee cake, juice, coffee and thats about it. There is no real lobby, you walk in and there is the door to the resterant, the front desk, and the elevator to the rooms. Thats it.\n The location is not good. It is a real hike to get from Union Sqaure to the Orchard by foot, because on either side of the hotel are very, very steep hills. (Even by SF standards) Children or older folks would not be able to do it, espescially after walking half the day around the city. \nThe resteraunt is very nice, but very pricey. The room was quiet and clean, the bed was comfy. If anything, this hotel is standard. If the prices came down, it might be really good. BUT, it will never be great. Oh, and the staff at the front desk were not friendly either, in fact upon check-out I gave the young lady the wrong room number and she rolled her eyes at me, then looked at her fellow employee like \"Can you believe this?\". Great send off, huh? I would recommend the Prescott, Monaco, Pan Pacific, or any other well known boutique closer to Union Square. Safe Travel to all-CB", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 24}, {"text": "Now I'm not saying that the Orchard is not nice. The location is pretty good, within a 5 minute walk of Union Square which is a huge shopping district. There is a really good diner right down the hill called Lori's that we have eaten at 3 times in 4 days, a pretty good pizza place across the street (Uncle Vito's?) and at least 4 liquor stores and a number of bars within walking distance. Chinatown takes less that 10 minutes to walk to and the trolley runs down the street just outside the hotel, but good luck getting a spot on the trolley because it's so packed by the time it gets up here that people are literally hanging off the sides of the thing. \nThe staff has been very nice, we were greeted by a kind doorman named James who told us to not worry about our bags and he then brought them up to us within 5 minutes. The staff was always willing to answer any questions or refer us to someone else who could. HOWEVER - we had problems with our tv and we called down to let them know. I was told I would get a call back in a few minutes and I never heard back from anyone. I had to call them again. In another situation, we called down to ask about making reservations for a restaurant, the concierge told us he would call us right back with information and he even offered to make a reservation for us but he never even got back to us so I made a reservation myself (which I would have done 30 minutes before if he didn't tell me he would take care of it!). When we left to go out to eat, he was standing around outside doing nothing. The breakfast is decent, good enough to kill the hunger pains and it's f-r-double e. Room service menu is the worst I personally have ever seen. \nOne last thing I will mention is that they claim to have a workout facility but don't go there expecting much. It's 2 stationary bikes and 1 eliptical and thats it...not 1 pound of weights. However, all you have to do is take a few laps around the block on these paved mountains and you will be wishing you had just gotten on the bike instead! \nAll in all, we have enjoyed our stay here, but next time we will be staying somewhere with some sort of view because all we can see from here are bricks.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We stayed at the Orchard in May of 2005.\nTHE GOOD\nThe Orchard is still a fairly new hotel, VERY clean and well-kept with tasteful, serene decor, large room & bath, and a mostly helpful (sometimes aloof??) staff. Door persons get honorable mention here for being especially efficient. But you get free use of a laptop in the lobby (good for printing boarding passes or checking e-mail although there is a small per-page fee for printing), free newspaper, large TV with surround sound, and free DVD checkout (which we didn\u2019t use but is a good option for a rainy day). Room also comes equipped with a refrigerator and a good-sized closet. There are only a handful of rooms on each floor and the twice/day maid service is excellent and discreet--we never saw them come and go.\nTHE NOT-SO-GOOD\nI say \u201cnot-so-good\u201d here because nothing at the Orchard was really \u201cbad.\u201d First off, I didn\u2019t think the continental breakfast was anything special. We stayed in four different places along the California coast on our trip--all with free continental breakfast--and of the four, I thought the Orchard\u2019s offering here was the most lacking in variety. And the atmosphere in the breakfast room was a little formal and stiff; my partner and I don\u2019t handle \"formal\" so well first thing in the morning! In fact, I can\u2019t help but wonder if the entire hotel might be perhaps a little TOO quiet (dead??) for those younger folk who may be seeking something a bit more hip on their visit to this bustling city. The hotel also is a rather grueling walk up a steep hill if you're heading from the Bart and mini metro stations; I would not recommend hauling armloads of luggage from those stations to the Orchard. In fact, I might go so far as to recommend something a bit closer to Market Street if you anticipate using the trains much at all while in town. And although the surround sound in the rooms is nice, this also encourages your neighbors to test these systems out--which our neighbor seemed to want to do at 7 a.m. every morning. There was a little too much noise emanating from the hallways at times, mostly from heavy room doors that were almost impossible to shut without slamming them. And finally, I found the bed to be a little too firm to my liking, and what's with not having a sheet between your body and the comforter?\nOverall, though, I would recommend the Orchard. Having a large, clean room in and of itself makes the stay worth it. I think it's a good, solid choice that would be perfect for any first-time visitor to San Francisco--just don't expect anything too risque here.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "The Orchard Hotel is a delightful hotel located in the heart of San Francisco. The cross street is Powell so one can enjoy the watching, riding, and hearing the sound of the cable cars travel up and down Powell Street. Union square is two blocks south of the hotel along Powell and Market is six blocks south of the hotel with easy access to Muni. The financial district, Mascone center, SFMOMA, Curan theatre, and fantastic places to eat are all within walking distance. \nThe hotel is very clean, quiet, respectable, understated, and elegant. The rooms are of moderate size but most impressive was the cleanliness - not one hair was noted in the bathroom sink or bathtub. The linens, mattress, pillows were all very clean and comfortable. (no dust was noted on or around the headboard, lights, or television.) Free highspeed internet is available in each room, DVD players in each room, and FREE DVD's can be taken out from the front desk. Breakfast is offered every morning from 0630-1000 as part of your stay. \nThe gym was less desirable, no weights, no EFX machine, and no treadmill.\nWe highly recommend this hotel and plan on returning to the Orchard in the future.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I just returned from 3 nights at the Orchard 6 16-19 and all the comments made below are absolutely true. Its a very nice little hotel, helpful staff, free DVDs, all that. HOWEVER. I can't believe noone is talking about THE NEIGHBORHOOD ITS IN!!! I am a city girl, and not wet behind the ears by any means...but for me, junkies shooting up in an alley full of garbage and used condoms on the sidewalk are a bit much!! Pardon my candor but these are things personally viewed by me at 8, 9 o'clock in the morning on my daily walk to Starbucks. It can't be ignored. If you are planning on staying here, you need to be aware that this is what it is. 2 Blocks South is Union Sq and that's fine...but the rest is just ugly and frankly, there's enough ugliness in my life. I don't need to pay to see it when I am on vacation. I couldn't recommend it to my family or friends, there are just too many other places.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I read all of the reviews on tripadvisor before making my decision on where to stay while I was in SF. I was floored about what great reviews the Orchard Hotel got over and over again. Maybe it made me expect more from them. \nWe had problems from the moment we got there. Our room was not ready when it was promised, and they messed up our very specific reservations. (about what floor we wanted to be on, and that we wanted rooms on seperate floors.)\nOnce we were in our rooms things were fine...until one day I stayed in ill, and left the do not disturb sign on the door. So instead of knocking on the door, housekeeping called me! What do they think do not disturb means?!?\nBreakfast was fine, nothing exciting. The room and bed were great. \nThe final problem I had with this hotel was when I received a note from them telling me they were charging $250 me for smoking in my room. This was a complete shock to me...since I do not smoke! What a joke. I had to fight with them for over a week to have the fee reversed. \nSome parts were great, some were okay, and some were just downright awful. Would I stay there again? Probably not.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We spent 3 nights here and cannot fault it. Modern hotel with larger rooms than normal. Sony TV with DVD player (free DVD's available) mini-bar in room which we emptied and put our own stuff in. We requested a nice view so had a room at the front on the 7th floor which was great. Alleyway at back of hotel, so views would not be so great. Located on corner of Powell St tram and 2 blocks from Union Square - fab! Lovely Aveda toiletries and great bathroom. Everything clean and as new. Great comfortable bed with crisp white linen duvet. If you want to use the tram go down to the stop before Union Sq otherwise it's full. Personally, it's ok for tourists but would recommend taxis. Trams were quite expensive $3 one way or $15 for 3 days. Very very busy and not comfortable. Free high-speed internet in room. Complimentary breakfast. Parking expensive everywhere in San Fran. The Orchard charge $34 for 24 hour valet parking. We didn't use the car at all. Very friendly staff. You must stay here for a perfect stay in this fab city. We loved it!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Stayed in a King bed room at the Orchard Feb. 17 - 21st and had a great time. We walked up Powell to the Orchard from the Powell St. BART station - a little long, but doable if you have rolling luggage that is not too heavy. Greeted by Cornell at the door - very friendly and helpful throughout our stay - all the staff were friendly and helpful. The room was great, very comfortable including the bed, which had a nice warm comforter. The pillows on the bed were great also. Not sure what was in them, maybe rice hull? I think I liked them better than my pillow at home. \nThe heating/AC in the room worked great - easy to adjust and remember, in SF you can need AC in Feb. and heat in August. \nThe location was great - two blocks up Nob Hill from Union Square and just steps from the Powell St. cable cars, two blocks up Powell to the California St. cable car - we used both during our stay. Two and a half blocks down to the China Town gate. \nThe room had an iron and an ironing board, and a safe for valuables. We used the free high speed internet with no problem - borrowed an ethernet cable from the desk. If you need a robe, the room had two coton terry cloth robes. The bathroom had nice Aveda toiletries. \nWe used the free buffet breakfast in the restaurant every morning - nice selection of a couple of cold cereals, fresh fruit and yogurt, biscuits, croissants, bread, jam, cream cheese,cold cuts, juice - plenty for our eating habits. \nThere were always umbrellas available to borrow from the desk. We watched a movie on the DVD player in the room - I had brought music CD's that I had compiled and burned at home - it wouldn't play them though. It played purchased CD's just fine. \nWe were on the sixth floor over the street, so we sometimes heard traffic and also garbage trucks emptying dumpsters early on a couple of mornings. You might get a quieter room higher up or on the alley (back) side of the hotel. Otherwise, I think the only way to avoid this in San Franscisco is to stay high up in a tower such as at the Hilton, St. Francis, Nikko, or Mark Hopkins, or of course, at the Fairmont. \nFor our part, after six or seven visits to SF, my wife and I agree that we will go back to the Orchard - we think it's the best in this price range. \nI am attaching a photo that I took of the room. I think it compares well with the hotel's own photos on their website.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "My fiance and I enjoyed a wonderful night at the Orchard on 2/19/2005.\nWe live in the Bay Area but like to stay over in the City when there for special occasions. This particular weekend was the Chinese New Year Parade and Festival and The Orchard Hotel puts you in the heart of it all.\nWhere to start?\nWe arrived at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday afternoon and expected only to park our car and return later to check-in. We were greeted warmly by the doorman (and somewhat of a legend) James the second we pulled up to the curb. Imagine our surprise when we walked into the lobby and were told a room was not only ready for us - that we were being upgraded at no charge to a King Suite!!! Considering the already-great AAA rate of $144 a night we received, this was a wonderful surprise. Check-in took about three minutes total and we excitedly headed upstairs.\nWe were put in Room #601, a lovely suite with great bay window views of Bush & Powell Streets and all the way down to Kearny Street. You could even see the Grant Street gate leading into Chinatown. It was on the sixth floor right next to the elevator. We were concerned by this for all of about one minute, as we discovered immediately that you couldn't hear a THING outside the room once the door was closed - not even the icemaker next door! Street noise was barely audible as well. If the wonderful sound of clanging bells of cable cars aggravates you, I don't suggest staying elsewhere - I suggest not staying in San Francisco at all! It's an endearing feature of this great city!\nThe room was absolutely spotless. Floors, carpeting, furniture and walls were all spic and span. The bathroom was scrubbed clean and everything smelled very fresh. It had both a tub and a large shower and was well-stocked with big fluffy towels and Aveda bath products, which I really enjoyed using up. The furniture was all lovely and in great shape and the bed super comfortable. I do recommend watching your shins on the corners of the bed, as has been noted here before - since the beds are on a platform there are sharp corners at shin-height just waiting to make contact with your legs if you aren't careful. The duvet was soooo thick and comfortable, and there were extra pillows in the closet along with two great big cozy robes. The minibar and snack drawer were packed with a great assortment of drinks and snacks. The televisions in both rooms were large Sonys with great sound. \nWe honestly could not find ONE thing to speak critically of, and as often as we travel we usually do find something not to our liking wherever we go - but The Orchard successfully stumped us and left us both feeling very pampered and happy during our far-too-short stay.\nThe entire staff was polite and friendly and James had great recommendations for places to dine out. Cornell brought our car around within a few minutes upon check-out on Sunday afternoon and even offered to pack the trunk for us. My one regret is not remembering the name of the front desk clerk who checked us in on Saturday - she was polite and efficient all at once and I feel bad I cannot name her by name here. \nWe both enjoyed The Orchard Hotel so much that we are already looking for excuses to stay over in early March when friends from London come to visit. They had a reservation at another Union Square hotel but will be canceling it in favor of staying at the Orchard now, thanks to the wonderful service we received from this first-class establishment.\nThe Orchard Hotel is a world-class hotel disguised as a smaller boutique property. Take my word as well as the hundreds of other satisfied guests here. Book your stay here and you won't regret it. \nMichelle and Eric", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "My wife and just returned from the Orchard Hotel from a three night stay Feb 11-14th. Everything about the hotel meet expectations (I picked the hotel based on the reviews here). The hotel is IDEALLY situated for sightseeing in San Fran. Cable car pick up on the corner (to the wharf, Nob Hill, Lombard St), the 30/45 bus one block away (a main bus route to North Beach and beyond) and a short walk to BART and the main Muni lines. The staff at the hotel was very helpful, especially when asking for the best way to get somewhere. The breakfast was simple but filling (fruit, muffins, cereal, ham/cheese, etc). My only complaint would be that breakfast be ready earlier for us people on East Coast Time! The rooms themselves are as big as you are going to get at the Westin or any other standard luxury hotel. The bed was extremely comfortable, the towels Eygption cotton, and the in room coffee Wolfgang Puck. The free internet service was wonderful as we used Mapquest to map out where some of the resturants we saw listed were located. If you want an upscale Westin style room and don't mind not having some grand lobby...this is the place for you! And it runs about $50+/night cheaper. We would ABSOLUTELY stay here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "My husband stays at the Orchard every time that he goes to San Francisco. His organization books numerous guests there annually. So I booked a two-night stay in December 2004 with great anticipation. \nWhen I went to check in, at 11 p.m., the woman at the front desk asked for my driver's license. It was then that I learned that I'd left it in my rental car, which I'd already returned to the Oakland airport. I asked if I could show alternate ID and/or pay cash for the room that I had reserved. She hemmed and hawed and looked uncomfortable. Then she asked the night manager. He said that they required an ID. He said that they would call the hotel manager at home but that generally they would not allow someone to check in without a photo ID. I asked him if he intended to put me, a single woman, out on the street at 11 p.m., to which he looked at me and just repeated that it was their policy. I said that surely they have had this situation come up before and had some way to deal with this, but he repeated that it was their policy. At that point, he turned away, so I was left to go outside, by myself, with my luggage, and hope to find a hotel that would take me. \nI am very sorry that I had this experience because people speak so glowingly of the Orchard, but I cannot in any way recommend the Orchard. That type of rigidity and failure to go the extra step to find a resolution is not the mark of good guest service or good management. \nIn contrast, I went around the corner to the St. Francis, where a very nice night clerk waived their requirement for a photo ID, saying that I looked acceptable and not a security threat, and gave me a very nice room. That is what I expect from a good hotel.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "The good news is that the Orchard is not a Hyatt. The bad news is that the Orchard is not a Hyatt.\nLet me point out that I enjoyed my stay at the Orchard (12/4/04-12/6/04) and plan to stay there again. But I will do so fully aware of the hotel's quirks.\nThe hotel has the intimate feel of a boutique hotel without the tiny claustrophobic European-style rooms so commonly found in such hotels. And I enjoyed the many features one would not likely find at a deluxe chain such as a Hyatt or an Intercontinental. For example, the staff was exceptionally friendly (though not particularly professional, see below), and the continental breakfast was a bonus (with one caveat). I also enjoyed the large TV, full array of cable channels, and full in-room stereo (including subwoofer) that one would not likely find at a large chain.\nBut we also had a few minor negative experiences that I would not expect at a deluxe chain. On checking in my wife and I were given a room with two small full sized beds instead of the king bed I reserved and paid for last August. The first desk clerk indicated that it was all she had even though the hotel was not full. Only upon moving up the food chain and discussing the situation with a more senior clerk/manager was an appropriate room found, albeit one next to the elevator and absent a bathtub (shower only). While the bed was comfortable, the two tiny pillows were inadequate and the sharp bed frame corners mentioned by other reviewers were found repeatedly by my wife. I was most disturbed by the lack of adequate soundproofing in the windows. From our room at the back of the hotel every early-morning-dumpster-emptying in the alley we faced reverberated thoughout the room. There was no need for this as proper windows would have alleviated the problem.\nFurther regarding the service, on our second morning the restaurant server attempted to seat us at the first table just inside the doorway. We were reluctantly allowed to sit at a table farther back in the less than half-full room. This annoyance may be the reason our server never returned with the only thing we ordered from her (juice). And the one cup of coffee we were served at seating must have been our entire ration as well. Curiously, the only time our server did return was with a check for $0.00 with a line for a tip on it.\nFinally, on our second night most of the towels disappeared from our bathroom. Even though we had hung up our towels for reuse (California water shortage), all but two of our towels were taken and not replaced. Upon questioning the desk clerk on checkout we were told that there was a towel shortage that day. Very strange.\nThe bottom line is that I liked The Orchard and I'll stay there again. On balance I liked it better that the larger SF hotels I've tried. I just won't expect it to be as professionally packaged and I won't be surprised by a few minor inconveniences.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I had read all the great reviews and was excited to try out the Orchard. When I booked my trip over the web, it gave me options of doubles or a King. I chose the King and actually called the hotel to confirm that we would get the King. I was confirmed by the hotel front desk. When we arrived, we did not have the King...but the doubles. The man at the desk was very rude about the situation but did end up giving us the King. The bed is the hardest we've ever experienced. The room was nice, accomodations were comfortable and location was great. We did love the music providing in the room and the Aveda soaps. We were told there was a happy hour from 4-6....no such thing. The next day, we called for our car - when we went down, the car had not been called in. \nIt took 1 hour to get our car and I was late to my birthday massage. \nNot happy. There was no apologies, no reduction of price for parking, no offer of a remedy. We will not stay there again.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My husband and I just got back from SF - we stayed on The Orchard Hotel on Bush Street. IT WAS WONDERFUL! There's nothing wrong with SF boutique hotels, but The Orchard is for those folks who want a little more room. The hotel is 2 years old so everything is NEW. The rooms are huge. Double glass windows to keep the noise out. Down comforters. Free DVDs at the front desk. Wonderful continental breakfast. Aveda products in the large bathroom. SF Chronicle/USA Today/Wall Street Journal. High speed internet in all rooms - you can also check your email at the front desk on one of their computers. We took advantage of their Spring Fling special and paid $132.50 per night with a 3 night stay. I will stay there again whenever I'm in SF. Try it. You won't be disappointed. This hotel was also written up last year in Wine Spectator magazine along with the big boys like The Fairmont; Westin St. Francis - just to give you an idea of where it rates. It was perfect!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Probably the best kept secret in San Francisco. World Class Service. Impeccible amenities. Great DVD System. Safe and Secure. Staff was probably the most friendly that I have encountered, especially the gents at night (after 11pm). My fiance and I had a very good time. Only drawback is the hotel's restaurant (Solea). Service was very poor and the dessert was disappointing. The bartender mumbles and you can't understand him. But there is Roxanne's next door.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}]}, "119601": {"reviews": [{"text": "We've been staying at the Coventry Inn since 1994. The management is wonderful, the rooms are charming with a great location and FREE PARKING...a big savings. We're staying there again August 2003. Enjoy...we always do.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Located in the Marina District, away from the hustle of Union Square and high room rates, this delightful motor inn offers large, tastefully furnished rooms, all of which are non-smoking. It is only blocks to Union Street, home to numerous boutiques and restaurants. Two blocks toward the bay is Chestnut Street, also offering local shopping and restaurants. Believe it or not, the room rate also includes inside parking. Just 1 block away is the stop for the 30 Stockton bus which takes one, in minutes, to Fisherman's Wharf, North Beach, China Town and Union Square. In the opposite direction, there is bus service to Golden Gate Park. I have been a guest there many times and have never been disappointed.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 24}]}, "506418": {"reviews": [{"text": "The mistreatment of the prolific professor Ngugi Wa Thiong'o at Hotel Vitale in San Francisco, California. This incident occurred on November 10, 2006. The hotel worker in question still works at Vitale, where he continues his racist behaviors towards Black guests under the support of Hotel managers.\nBy Ngugi Wa Thiong'o \nI checked into Hotel Vitale on Thursday, 9th November in room 640. \nThe following morning, Friday 10th, I went for a brunch and a walk at the water front and then came back into the hotel, at around 1pm, lunch time, took a newspaper, San Francisco Chronicle, at Concierge's desk and went into a nice porch in the Americano, the hotel's restraunt, where I sat and read while also enjoying a nice view of the ferry and waterfront\nfrom the window. I was all alone in the porch. A white man, about 5' 4\", dressed in a gray suit stood in front of me.\n\"This place is for guests of the hotel. You have to leave, \" he said.\nAt first I was intrigued by his words: how did he arrive at the conclusion that I was Not a\nguest of the hotel? So I asked him: \n\"How do you know that I am not a guest of the hotel?\"\n\"You have to leave. This is for guests of the hotel.\"\n\"But how do you know that I am not a guest?\" I asked him again.\n\"You have to leave.\"\n\"But you have not even asked me if I am staying in the hotel\"\n'Okay. Are you staying at the hotel?'\nThe tone and demeanor was of a man who had made up his mind that I could not have been\na guest.\n\"Let's us go to the reception desk,\" I told him.\n\"It is not necessary,\" he said. \"Just leave.\"\n\"Who are you? What is your name?\" \nI now asked remembering that the man had not even identified himself.\n\"It is not necessary,\" He replied curtly. \"Just leave.\"\n\"This is sheer harassment. You find me reading a newspaper peacefully. You don't identify\nyourself. You don't ask if I am a guest. And you refuse to identify yourself. And now you afraid of going to the Reception desk?\nWhy?\nAfter a few more exchanges, repeating the things, he says: \n\"Okay, let's go.\"\nBy this time, I am fuming with rage, The man strides towards the reception desk. I also get\nthere and ask the staff to check whether or not I was the occupant of room 640. Even before any of the aghast staff had said anything, the man had started apologizing. But I kept on asking him: How could he do what he did? Find me reading a newspaper that the Concierge had given me, and proceed with such emotional violence on my person?\nThe lobby manager, a David (?) recognized me as the Random House guest, and started apologizing for the behaviour of the man, whom I assumed by now to be the Restaurant Manager, and who by then had had left the scene. No explanation about his conduct. The Lobby manager went to get the Hotel Manager who came down and apologized for what he termed as some misunderstanding.\n\"But it was not a misunderstanding,\" I said. \"I was quietly reading a newspaper when he accosted me.\"\n\"Okay, for his behaviour. David will get you a room,\"\n\"But I have got a room. Room 640. I checked in last night.\"\n\"Oh! I am sorry! Is there anything we can do to make up?\"\n\"You need to talk to your man, not me.\"\n\"Yes, I shall, but are you sure there is nothing we can do to make up? A massage? A whiskey?\"\nIt was clear to me that even the Hotel Manager did not understand the depth of the emotional violence on me by a member of his staff.\nI went back to my room called Katherine Freeman and asked to change the hotel. I moved to St Francis Westin.\nWords alone cannot describe the horror of the occasion, the emotional violation I experienced but time will heal it.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 33}, {"text": "San Francisco has never really been on my radar as a must visit place. How wrong I was. Without doubt this is now my favourite city on the planet.\nThe warmth and diversity of the people. All filled with civic pride and useful \u2018what to see\u2019 tips. The charm and individuality of the neighbourhoods. The vibrancy of the bars and restaurants \u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026\u2026 I could go on but this review is really about the hotel.\nHotel Vitale is top class. Located in the Mission district right on the Embarcadero it is the perfect start point for exploring the key SF attractions. \nI booked 2 advance seats on a shared van ride (supershuttle) to get to/from the airport. Reasonable rate at $70 for 2 roundtrip (including tip). This is a first come first served basis but we only had to wait 5 mins. At the airport you have to look for a representative in a green jacket. It is not possible to just deal with the driver. From memory it took about 20 mins in bust traffic.\nOn arrival at the Vitale the bell staff are super friendly and will unload your cases and wait patiently while you check in.\nHot towels are offered in the super chic reception area. Front desk staff were very welcoming and offered a free upgrade right from the start. Answered all questions efficiently and provided a city map for orientation.\nReally nice bell guy showed us to our room and explained that he had only move to SF a year ago and was still experiencing the city like a tourist. He engaged us in a easy conversation about our interests and made various recommendations including a trip to Sausaltio from the ferry building almost directly opposite (do this it is a beautiful place). Would also recommend the evening Alcatraaz trip (book well in advance).\nThis guy\u2019s helpfulness was only surpassed by the concierge who came up with the perfect options for whatever we requested.\nRoom was immaculate and bathroom was a dream. Walk in rainfall shower and brimming with expensive toiletries. Excellent furnishings and super comfy bed/pillows. CD player with a selection of compilations. Ambient noise maker (whales, running water etc \u2013 nice touch). LCD TV and a well stocked mini bar including a \u2018Lovers\u2019 kit \uf04a. 2nd floor Room with bay view directly over the bar. Agree with all the other comments about the huge happy hour crowds and noise. We didn\u2019t manage to get an evening drink in the bar but the noise wasn\u2019t an issue for us as we were generally out late. If you don\u2019t like noise and like an early night \u2013 book a higher floor if you are on the bay side. The room seemed a bit small after coming from our five room suite in The Hotel at The Mandalay Bay (but what wouldn\u2019t)\nWe had mentioned it was our anniversary. 10 minutes after arrival there was a knock on the door with a bottle of complimentary champagne and a card from the front desk staff. The first glass hadn\u2019t been emptied before there was another knock which was the housekeeping manager who presented us with a picture frame and another hand written anniversary card. It didn\u2019t stop there \u2026\u2026\u2026 The second night saw a fresh bunch of Daff\u2019s with another card. The last night it was rose petals on the bed. \nHousekeeping was perfect. Free office / internet service on the second floor. Free yoga class in the gym. Amazing room service.\nHaving stayed in top hotels all over the world I can say that I have never experienced this level of service.\nYou must visit this hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "While I live in SoCal now, I am a NorCal native and long-time resident. My partner and I decided to stay in the city for her birthday, and I wanted to find a hotel that wasn't the standard cookie-cutter major-chain type (although I am a rewards member of many). I don't even remember how I landed on the Hotel Vitale site, but I was instantly hooked. Reason: The Ferry Building. If you are a foodie, you KNOW already you're going to SF, you KNOW where you want to be on a Saturday morning, and this hotel is right across the street, poised in perfect striking distance. So I browsed the site, and was amazed that this little hidden gem was to be found. I booked one of the better rooms with a TERRIFIC view (room 606) and spa shower, and took the plunge with an open mind and high hopes.\nThe Hotel Vitale did not disappoint. From the moment we got there, the modern elegance of the property was wonderful. My partner was a little recalcitrant at first (as she put it, she could not think of a hotel that, on first sight, was LESS \"her type\") but when we got to the room... \nI had advised the hotel that it was my partner's birthday. When we got in (very late Fri night), there awaited a bottle of champagne on ice...and not Cook's or something cheap, either! It was a very impressive bottle of Chandon Brut. accompanied by a personalized card for me from the manager, as well as a personalized card for my partner (from the housekeeping staff at turndown). \nWe were worried about the minbar, because we intended to purchase food at the farmer's market/Ferry Building on Sat, and nosh on it throughout the weekend. Not to worry -- the minibar was NOT one of those electronic-sensor ones that charges your room if you just breathe on something...we were able to remove items to make room for our purchases, and then replace them when we were done. Housekeeping seemed to dig this immediately, as nothing was moved or touched in that regard. \nWe ended up purchasing a lot of nibbles at the farmer's market/ ferry building, and spent one night watching in-room movies while having a luxurious feast in a room that did it justice. \nThese superior rooms do have a closet type armoire with a couple of drawers, as well as a small curtained off area for the ironing board and iron. The closet included two robes, and two COMPLIMENTARY pairs of slippers. Our bellman quickly rustled up two additional suitcase racks and set them up, so space was not a problem. The window-seat couch had a cashmere throw, and the bedding --- well, it was the best sleep of our lives, and I didn't want to leave... We received a card inviting us to a free yoga session if we so desired. \nThere are complimentary \"Fresh\" toiletries as well as overpriced 'honor bar' ones, which didn't impress us enough to try them. The in-room honor bar also includes Dean & Deluca treats, Scharffenberger chocolates, airplane booze, etc., and a clever \"intimacy kit\" package of *ahem* items in case you forgot something... They will give you either the NY Times, SF Chronicle or both, if you just ask. The papers arrive in a clever canvas sack hanging on your door daily. \nIf you're worried about clanging maid carts or ice machines, forget it. This hotel is very retro euro-styled, in that you call down to the front desk for ice. The hotel is QUIET. We were overlooking the Embarcadero, right over the outdoor bar area, and noise never bothered us even late-night. We WERE able to open our windows to some degree.\nThe concierge was wonderful. If you ask, he will give you a canvas hotel logo shopping bag for your purchases at the ferry building. Something people haven't mentioned -- go around the back corner from the hotel bar, and you're at an F-line trolley stop, which gets you on board before the huddled masses at the Embarcadero/Ferry building sites. So if you are using the F-line, it is literally door-to-door service, you need to walk maybe 1/2 block. \nWe did not dine at Americano, but enjoyed several drinks outdoors. We did not use the spa, but the rooftop space looks wonderful. \nThis hotel is not by any real means kid-friendly in and of itself, but they do have a nice kid's program for family travelers called \"Kids are VIP\", where the child will have a personalized ID card on a lanyard given to him/her on check-in, and the child is the one who handles all the check-in procedures, and they will make a kid feel special and important. \nI think the ONLY con about this hotel is that there are no bathtubs in the super-deluxe view rooms (you have to go to the highest-end room for that). I am a shower fiend (and the spa shower is GREAT but can be slippery after product use-- they do not have stall mats) and was quite happy with the rainforest-style shower.\nWould I go again? Already booked for a convention next year!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "My wife and I stayed in room 455 (superior water view room) at the Vitale for five nights in August of 2006. This was our first trip to SF. We are both 48 years young and live in Denver. Overall we had a very good experience at the Vitale.\nPlusses -\nThe hotel was very quiet. There were rare execeptions, such as the reving of a motorcycle on the Embarcadero at midnight, or a room service cart being tipped-over, but these exceptions were very few and far between. The rooms on either side of us were occupied during our stay, and we never heard any noise from our neighbors. We never heard any \"normal\" traffic from the Embarcadero (or Market or Mission streets).\nBeing new, the hotel was also very clean.\nAs most reviewers have noted, the beds are extremely comfortable.\nThe room thermostat worked efficiently.\nThe computer room on the second floor had three computers, all of which were connected to a printer. VERY fast internet connection. I visited the computer room several times and there was always at least one available machine.\nMaid service seemed to visit the room twice per day.\nLOCATION! We loved the location on the Embarcadero. The Ferry Building is right across the street, and many restaurants are also within a block or two. TIP: for those wanting a cheap but good breakfast, there is a food court in the office building directly south of the hotel, across Steuart Street. We ate breakfast at Yes Burger and Malts (yes (no pun), they serve breakfast until 10:30am). However, this food court is closed on the weekend. Another Tip: some of the restaurants in this area, and in the Financial District, are closed on Sunday. Plan accordingly.\nThe hotel staff were all very friendly and helpful.\nThe hotel offers a limo service to SFO for $45. Our taxi ride from SFO was $42. Question: do they offer this limo service from SFO to the hotel? This might be a good question to ask before arriving, as the limo was obviously much more comfortable than the taxi, for about the same price.\nThe view from our room was as advertised: the Bay Bridge, the bay, and the Ferry Building were all right there. The Bay Bridge, lit at night, was quite nice. I did not want to close the drapes at night. That being said, the drapes when closed do block out all light.\nThere are plenty of electical outlets just above the desk. Very handy for cell phone chargers and laptops.\nMinuses - \nAs previous reviewers have noted, there are no dressers or other drawers in the room. Only a closet (approx 3-feet wide), but with plenty of hangers. (There is a small drawer below the closet.) One must definitely live out of one's suitcase.\nOther comments - \nThe roof-top areas at this hotel are amazing. I did not see too many guests using it, and we under-utilized it. Besides tables and chairs, they have propane heating devices on the roof areas to keep one warm and, as above, the views are quite nice. I suspect a hotel employee would be best to start one of the propane heaters. I wish we had taken advantage and used the roof more, and the heaters at least once.\nThe windows in the rooms cannot be opened.\nThe mini-bar and sale of toiletries have been comment on by other reviewers. While silly and overpriced, this was a non-issue to us. We never opened the mini-bar.\nThe plasma TV was quite nice. Besides the usual local channels, ESPN, CNN, Fox, USA, TBS, TNT, etc, there were pay-per-view movies available, including first-run and adult themes....\n\"Free\" tolitries included the standard shampoo, lotion, etc. There was a hair dryer in the bathroom (located in a bag underneath the sink).\nCheck-out time is noon. We asked for and received a 1:00 check out.\nWe did not visit the Americano Restaurant. On weekday evenings it seemed to be very crowded. I have read and heard they do good business from the fincancial district crowd after work days. This seems to be true.\nThe chimes on the Ferry Building clock tower begin ringing at 8:00am, and every thirty minutes thereafter.\nI understand there is complimentary coffee in the lobby at certain times, but I did not even bother. Each morning I walked across the street to the Ferry Building and went to Peet's Coffee. This short walk was also very enjoyable; seeing the city come to life. The aforementioned food court also has several places to buy coffee.\nThis is a pricey hotel, but the plusses, especially the location, make it worth the price, in our opinion. We noted hordes of tourists in the Union Square and Wharf areas. To not have to deal constantly with these crowds seems to be worth any premium.\nWe enjoyed out stay and would gladly return to the Vitale.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "Not bad, but not geat either.\nI basically agree with the post from 8/2, but I reach a different conclusion: the hotel definately is a cut above the norm, but its just not practical.\nTheres no coffee in the room, for example, and the coffee in the lobby was out 3 of the 5 times i wanted a cup (between 7 and 8).\nThe ice bucket is edgy, but about one third the size of the normal plastic one you get everywhere else. For this price, the place should have a frige and not require us to empty the honor bar to store milk and water (in addition to the lack of coffee, theres also no continental breakfast).\nOn the positive side, the location is great. While its not AT anything, its close to everything. All of San Franciscos transportation (BART, streetcar, cablecars, and buses -- good luck figuring it out!) come together at Market and Embarcad.ero, so is very easy to get anywhere. We didn't rent a car, and that seemed to be the right decision -- getting around on public transit was easy and fun.\nThe room itself ws OK; not quite as nice as the virtual tour on the web, but not materially diferent either.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Oddly, this hotel pulls off a curious mixture of new age, feng shui and modern Danish. The hotel manages to incorporate minimalism with maximum comfort (the beds were fantastic). Early morning yoga classes and flat screen TV\u2019s in the elevator with nature images (and earth music) enforced this unique experience. We stayed on the second floor and had to strain to hear any street noise. We loved the rooftop garden, which encompasses several floors connected by stairs and was great exploring with a three and a half year old. We played I-Spy from the rooftop while picking points along the Embarcadero\u2026.what a view! The staff was wonderful and the location ideal. There was easy access to all public transportation. You can catch a cable car to China Town within a five minute walk; street cars and the Muni are even closer. Yank Sing, possibly the best dim sum restaurant in San Francisco, is across the street in the Rincon Center. The Ferry building, across the street on the Embarcadero, sells three day Muni passes (a great deal for $18.00, especially if you plan to explore!). These passes are good for street cars, cable cars and the Muni, but you will need to purchase your BART tickets separately. We visit San Francisco about every 8 months or so and have stayed at the Clift Hotel, Galleria Park Hotel and the Argent. From now on, this will be my first pick.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "After a three night stay at the Hotel Vitale, I have to say I left disappointed. For the prices charged ($300+ for waterview), I expected better. First the good; the facilities are great and the location is unbeatable. The room features a great bed, comfortable seating, a plasma TV, and a beautiful and large bathroom. Our view looked out on the water (while looking over the Embarcadero) and the Ferry Building (now converted into a foodie heaven!). The lobby is beautiful in an \"ultracool\" sort of way. My complaints lie with the staff. While housekeeping and the man who brought extra pillows were exceedingly nice, everyone from the doormen, front desk clerks, concierge, valets, and bell hops seemed to be either too busy or too cool to be helpful. A word of advice to the doormen, if you don't want to open doors even for pregnant women with arms full of packages, perhaps you should look for a different line of work. Further to the valets, forty five minutes to retrieve a car is unacceptable. If you're looking for a place to see and be seen, perhaps this is the place for you. However, if you expect staff eager to help and a relaxing place to stay, look elsewhere.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Perfect Location & Lovely Environment --- Two minute walk to Embarcadero/Financial District. Lovely boutique hotel with great public interiors and VERY comfortable rooms. Beds and linens are top-notch and will provide one of your best sleeps in the USA. Lovely interior finishes, with high end art work and furniture. The staff bends over backwards (regardless of the hour) to help you with restaurant reservations, billing receipts, and other necessities. Room service is consistently presented within 20 minutes or less, regardless of the time of day. The staff is responsive, and willing to help you regardless of the request. I have been attending business sessions in SF for over two decades, and have never stayed in a hotel more accomodating in terms of comfort or amenities. The price is comparable (or less) than the typical competition in the neighborhood, and yet I felt more comfortable and ''pampered'' here than in the other neighborhood 5 star hotels. Will definitely make this my base of stay from now on.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My wife andI recently stayed at Hotel Vitale. We did an exahustive online search as well as asking for recommendations from family and friends that live in the area. The one name that kept comng up was Hotel Vitale. The hotel has an outstanding location-just blocks from where you want to be for shopping, dining and night life but far enough away from the crowds and commotion. We reserved a room facing the Golden Gate Bridge. The room was extremely comfortable and pristine. The bed, pillows and blankets made for great sleeping conditions-plush and luxurious. The overall room decor was calm and soothing. Arriving back to the flawlessly cleaned room each evening with the music playing softly, the bed turned down helped us wind down after a hectic day. The difference between a good hotel and a great one is in the details. The Hotel Vitale is a great hotel. As I mentioned, the room was spotless. The climate controls were silent and worked perfectly. A paper of my choosing was waiting outside my door each morning. Even the common areas-lobby, hallways and ground floor restrooms were well maintained and immaculate. Yes, little things but these little things add to the overall experience.\nThe staff was outstanding. Every interaction we had with a Hotel Vitale employeee from the front desk to the valet to the chambermaid was courteous, professional and helpful. Joel and the rest of the concierge staff made outstanding recommendations, secured reservations at the most popular restaurants, plotted out detailed trips to Wine Country and shared their intimate knowledge of the city with great enthusiasm. One night, we arrived back to the hotel late, complaining to Stephanie at the front desk, the lack of Ice Cream establishments open late night. 20 minutes later, a bellman knocked on our door and delivered a complimentary huge bowl of ice cream to our room. I've stayed at some of the so called best hotels in the country and never had such a wonderful gesture as what Hotel Vitale did for us that evening. Again, a small detail but one that has made us loyal guests for life.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "First off the positive items \u2013 newly built hotel, very high-end looking lobby, nicely decorated rooms and #1 \u2013 the view and location.\nNegative Items \u2013 when I booked the hotel online, the hotel\u2019s website offered several different room options. I called the hotel to find out what I would receive by upgrading my room. I was told that for an extra $50 per night, I\u2019d receive better views, a room with floor to ceiling glass and a rain forest shower, etc. So I went ahead and paid the extra money. \nWhen I get into the room, it was nothing like it was described to me. A small window and no rain forest shower. I went to the front desk to complain. I was told that at night the phones are answered by a call center in Canada and they have no clue what the rooms look like. After complaining for about 10 minutes, I was offered a $50 credit for the entire bill \u2013 not per night. The guy at the front desk was puzzled that I was placed in a handicapped room when others were available. This is the reason, he explained I didn\u2019t have the rain forest shower. The hotel seemed dead, so I wasn\u2019t certain why I couldn\u2019t have been moved to a different room. \nOnly other problems I experienced \u2013 safe in room didn\u2019t work and I never received a morning paper as promised. \n#1 problem would have to be parking situation. Even when calling ahead 10 minutes to the valet, it would sometimes take 15-20 minutes for my rental car to arrive\u2026and this was with no one else waiting. The valet people seemed to be more interested in getting a tip than in good service. \nFor the price, there are better hotels in San Francisco with better service.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "My fiance and I stayed at Hotel Vitale for the first 3 nights of a 7-night vacation in December 2005. I chose Vitale after reading reviews and getting personal recommendations from other Trip Advisor members. For those planning a trip ANYWHERE, remember that there are \"Local Experts\" available on the forums who can give you personalized recommendations based on what type of trip you are going on, be it a business trip, shopping adventure, romantic get-away or family vacation. My needs and wants may not be the same as yours so use this website to it's fullest extent! That said, here is a rundown of our vacation:\nWe arrived at Vitale in one piece after a hair-raising shuttle van ride from the airport and were greeted warmly by the bellman, Stephen. He took care of our numerous HEAVY suitcases while we made our way to the front desk. The check-in process went smoothly and everyone was very polite and attentive.\nStephen escorted us to our room on the fourth floor. I neglected to write down the room number (411 maybe?) but as you exit the elevators, it is right in front of you to the right of the corner room. It was a \"partial water view\" facing Mission St. One of the first things you notice upon exiting the elevators is the fresh lemony smell. As another reviewer mentioned, it does not have the usual \"hotel smell\" and the entire hotel is non-smoking. Stephen brought our luggage in and showed us around the room. \nAt first glance we felt it was a rather small room but when you consider the premium on space in SF I would guess that it was average sized. It actually came to feel very cozy when we would come back from a long day of sightseeing. And after all, it's not like we were spending much time in the room! A reviewer from a while back commented on the lack of storage space and I was afraid that might be an issue but we found the corner closet and the wardrobe with a deep drawer underneath to be more than adequate for 3 days worth of clothing for 2. As most everyone has said, the bed was fabulously comfortable. The flat screen TV mounted on the wall keeps from using up precious space. \nAt first I was disappointed that \"partial water view\" means that if you look straight out the window you DO NOT see water. However, when lying in bed or lounging on the chaise by the window, you have a great view of the Bay Bridge. I spent an hour or so just sitting there watching the traffic on the bridge and even spent a rainy afternoon writing out Christmas cards while looking out at the Bay. The bathroom was nicely appointed but again is not enormous. We would have liked to peek into a room with a \"rainforest shower\" to see if they are bigger but never did ask. The complimentary soap and shampoo are lemony and are so good that I stashed each day's refills in my bag for future travels. I was tempted to try the additional items offered for sale but they were too pricey for me. \nThe nightstands are cool and you get a CD player/alarm clock combo. At turndown housekeeping put on a mellow, jazzy Christmas CD that we enjoyed returning to. Other nice touches are the complimentary slippers that you get to take home to remember your stay, decadent bathrobes (sorry they are not free but are available for purchase) and bottles of water and a weather forecast left at turndown. Another small but appreciated touch was a light in the shower. Some showers feel so dark!\nEvery time we passed through the lobby, Stephen greeted us warmly by name, making us feel like true guests instead of just a number. The hotel has a courtesy car which will bring you anywhere within a mile of the hotel but be aware that you must find your own way back. Oh, and the Vitale's driver is NOT your typical SF driver! He was courteous and drove sanely. We left for dinner one rainy evening and the valet gave us loaner umbrellas. \nBe sure to check out the rooftop patio areas both during the day and at night. Unfortunately for us, a front passed through while we were there so it was too cool and windy to stay out there for long. There is also a small business center on the second floor where you can get on the internet. Back to the public transportation issue, the F-line trolley stop (takes you to Fisherman's Wharf) is just behind Vitale and the BART station is a short walk up Market so you can get just about anywhere once you know the routes. Being from a small Southern town we were not familiar with public transportation but a friendly native gave us the basics.\nWe did not eat at the hotel restaurant, choosing instead to try some of the \"Bests\" while in SF. Check out my reviews of Yank Sing, Scoma's and John's Grill for details of these amazing establishments! We did the obligatory Alcatraz tour which was pretty cool and spent a bit of time browsing the shops at Pier 39. For us, the location was superb. After seeing the Fisherman's Wharf area, I'm glad we decided not to stay there. It may be close to the action but it was just too \"touristy\". Since our travel goal was sightseeing and not shopping we had no desire to go to Union Square. \nThe only negatives I can think of are, as mentioned by other guests, no in-room coffeemaker (and the coffee in the lobby goes fast!) and the high valet fee. We rented a car Sat evening to drive to Tahoe Sunday and had to park it overnight. Again, I know there is a lack of space in SF so even parking is a premium but $46 per night seems extremely high. The only other problem was that Vitale set such a high standard that the hotels in Tahoe and Reno seemed like dumps by comparison! We would like to visit SF again one summer and can\u2019t imagine staying anywhere else but Hotel Vitale!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "This hotel has no parking whatsoever. If you come with your own or with a rented car, be prepared for long waits and an indifferent staff. Parking has been subcontracted out to a valet service that parks your car blocks away from the hotel. Be prepared to wait 20 or 30 minutes for the return of your car, even if you call in advance.\nI've stayed at this hotel on multiple occasions and this problem has been persistant. As such, I've stopped staying at Vitale and have returned to the W Hotel (nearby at 3rd and Howard). However, I returned to Vitale recently for dinner. What a mistake. After yet another unpleasant experience with the valet parking staff, I attempted to discuss the issue with management (I foolishly thought the hotel would like to know why a previously loyal guest had stopped staying with them). Unfortunately, I found the night manager I spoke with to be rude, argumentative and indifferent. \nThis hotel needs to carefully examine its parking scheme. Further, it should endeavor to be genuinely understanding of guests and customers who feel inconvenienced by its lack of parking and the long waits at its valet. \nCompetant management would be a great place to start on that account.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I booked a lengthy stay and requested a quiet room. Before I arrived I confirmed that I was getting a quiet room (I'd even agreed to downgrade from what I had purchased to get a courtyard room.) On arrival, I should have known something was wrong when I saw a large \"white noise\" machine next to the bed. Every ten minutes or so, the room would rattle and there would be a grinding sound. This went on all night. After 2 sleepless nights, I complained. The management said I could move but that \"check in is at 3pm\". They knew the problem right away--the room was next to electrical equipment and the elevator. They knew exactly what they were doing when they put me there. I have to think it was because I purchased through Expedia, because when I confirmed the reservation they said \"Oh, I see you used Expedia.\" Anyway, most of the rooms abut the Embarcadero, which is a six lane highway. This is not a quiet hotel. The room service is limited and expensive. A simple order of a 16 oz. container of coffee is $19--after mandatory tip, service charges and tax. There is almost no storage space--no drawers for clothing, just some hanging space. The neighborhood is the financial district, which is dead on the weekend. I've stayed in SF dozens of times, and thought I'd try something different. Never again--why play Russian Roulette with your vacation.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Some friends and I stayed at the Hotel Vitale for one night in July. This was my second stay there. \nOne downside of the Vitale is that it's pricey. Even the parking is more than other hotels in town. While my room the first time had a great view of the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge, the second time my (cheaper) room looked out onto an air shaft. The sliding doors for the bathroom don't offer much privacy if you're staying with someone else. Also, someone messed up and made our spa reservations for the wrong day (fortunately, the spa was able to accomodate us only an hour later than we'd planned).\nOn the upside, the location is fabulous. The Ferry Building is across the street--we bought breakfast there and then ate it on the hotel's wonderful little 5th floor terrace. BART and MUNI are also very convenient, and sights such as Union Square are an easy walk away. The decor is nice, and the whole place smells faintly like aromatherapy. It definitely doesn't have that bland look so many chain hotels have. The staff was unfailingly helpful and pleasant. On this visit we were able to get early check in at 11, and late check out at 2. The beds are really comfy and the turndown service is nice. The rooms are quiet and reasonably large. The toileteries are Fresh brand--very nice.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed at the Vitale in early October - it was our first trip to San Francisco and also our honeymoon.\nWe have read many reviews of the Vitale which comment upon the great location, the excellent standard of the rooms and the coolness of the interior and exterior spaces - and we agree with them all.\nWe would like to comment upon the 'experience' of staying at the Vitale at the beginning of October 2005.\nAt check in we were greeted extremely warmly and courteously - the staff appeared to have a genuine interest in us and our trip. When Reception discovered we were on our honeymoon they immediately offered us a complimentary bottle of Champagne. As if this was not enough, they also asked my wife if she preferred chocolates or flowers!\nSomehow, by the time we got up to our room a chilled bottle of Champage and a box of liqueur chocolates were waiting for us - which made us feel very special indeed.\nThroughout our stay other staff members (particularly the barman and a wonderful waitress in Americano)made us feel particularly welcome and at home in the hotel. I would go so far as to say that the Vitale had by far the friendliest and most helpful staff of any hotel I have ever stayed in.\nWe went on a trip around California for the second week of our holiday, but returned to San Francisoco for our final two days. We loved the Vitale so much that we booked in for the final nights before we returned home. When we returned to the Hotel we were given a great room on the 4th floor, which was of the same standard as we had stayed in on our first stay. The only drawback was that it had a view of the inner courtyard (as opposed to the Bay bridge etc). When I asked the manager about the possibility of a change of room he could not have been more helpful and understanding.\nHe explained that the hotel was fully booked for that night, but promised that he would provide us with a room with a view for our final night. True to his word - and typical of the lengths Vitale staff went to during our stay - we were upgraded (at no extra cost) to one of the oval suites with panoramic plate glass windows, sunken bath,walk in shower, and 180 degree views of the Bay. \nThis gesture was the perfect end to a fantastic holiday - and something that will live long in our memory. It just goes to show that the hotel industry still has the capacity to turn a 'stay' into an 'experience'- it is just unfortunate that there are not more hotels that try as hard as the Vitale.\nThank you Hotel Vitale - you are wonderful!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We just returned from 6 wonderful nights at the Hotel Vitale and can't think of a better place to stay when in San Francisco.\n Located in a beautiful setting right across the street from the Ferry Building on the Embarcadero. Great views of the Bay Bridge and the water for many miles from here. The energy of the financial district is felt every morning as the town comes to life.\n Wonderful little coffee shops and restaurants for breakfast right across the street in the Ferry building. On Saturday morning a Farmers Market occurs here which is not to be missed.\n We found the staff and personnel at the Hotel to be \" World Class \" in every detail. I can't for the life of me figure out why this hotel doesn't get more press as it is truly one of the best kept secrets in S.F.\n Easy access to the Wharf via the F line right in front of hotel. $1.50 and 10 minutes and you're right down in the heart of the action but just far enough away not to be plagued by the tourist trap hotels and all the commotion that goes with them.\n We took several of the guided tours through Gray Line with pick up provided at the front door of the hotel each morning by Gray line.\n Not to be missed are the Napa - Sonoma wine country tour and the Monterey - Carmel tour.\n Do yourself a favor and take the city tour combined with Muir Woods and Sausalito. When you get to Sausalito, leave the bus and have a nice dinner in Sausalito ( Scomas restaurant on the water is our personal favorite ) and take the ferry back over to San Francisco ( brings you back to the Ferry Building right across the street from the Vitale ). I promise you that it will be something you will remember forever.\n For that really special dinner one night we highly recommend the Cliff House restaurant. Make a reservation as it's way across town ( $ 22.50 cab ride each way ) on the other shore, but you will not believe the setting or the quality of the food. They have a web-site which will give you a peek at what we mean. Outstanding !! I recommend an early reservation as you will want to take a lot of photos here while it's light out.\n Be sure to make a point of getting over to Ghiradelli Square and having one or two of their delighfully sinful Hot Fudge sundaes and see how chocolate is actually made.\n The Franciscan Inn at Pier 41 serves a whole Dungeness crab for dinner that is to die for !!! \n Right next door is the Boudin bakery which offers a tour of how sour dough bread is made and also has great food for lunch.\n Hope this gives you some pointers on what we came to see and love during our stay this past week.\n Waiting for our plane on Saturday we grabbed a bite at a restaurant in the terminal. There was a saying on the wall that read: \" If eventually I make it to Heaven... I'll say, It ain't bad, but it ain't San Francisco \" ..\nHope you have a great time..", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 65}, {"text": "We stayed at the Hotel Vitale for a few days last week and we truly had a wonderful stay. These are first-class accomodations! The hotel was bright and beautiful and the staff was incredibly warm. Every staff member I passed asked me how I was doing, if I was enjoying the hotel, etc. A very personal touch....\nWe would not hesitate to stay there again. \nAllow me to describe the hotel... It is located in a beautiful new section of town on Embarcadero and Mission, by Pier 1 and directly across the street from the historic Ferry Building (BTW - every Saturday there is a wonderful Farmers Market there where you can enjoy simply amazing fresh produce, flowers, herbs and food). The hotel is designed using the principles of simplicity, functionality and beauty. Everything is exactly as it should be... Very \"Feng Shui\". The beds are super comfortable (down comforters/pillows and silky sheets), the furniture is beautiful, functional, artfully crafted and simple. The rooms have wonderfully comfortable robes and slippers in the closet. The showers were awesome, as were the complimentary SugarBath products. Our room also had a plasma/lcd flat screen TV at the foot of our bed. The views from the high rooms on the bay side of the hotel are fabulous. We stayed on the 8th (top) floor and had a panoramic view of the Bay Bridge and the sunrise. Awesome to wake up to... Many (if not all) of the floors have terraces that you can go and sit out on to overlook the city. The hallways always had fresh flowers and candles for ambience. \nAs far as the hotel bar/restaurant, we had a drink there and enjoyed it. The staff was quite courteous and were very attentive. I will also note that if you are looking for a \"scene\" the hotel bar could be it. After work the bar gets a good crowd, which is nice. By the way, one of the top 10 restaurants in the city (\"Boulevard\") is also directly across the street from the hotel. We had a great meal there.\nThe hotel's proximity to everything is good. You have the SF buses 1 block away, light rail on the corner, limo service directly from the hotel and cable cars around the corner. If you like to walk, Fishermans Wharf (pier 39) is a 20 minute walk along the bay (a nice walk). A note about SF - This is a nice area to stay in - close proximity without the crowds (and everything that goes along with that) of staying directly on the wharf. The wharf is super-commercial. I prefer really being one with the city as opposed to being part of all of the tourist traps. Then I am free to enjoy some peace as well. \nMy wife and I have stayed at many hotels, and we would absolutely not hesitate to recommed this one. We had a wonderful stay and were really bummed when vacation was over. I have been to SF dozens of times and this was one of my most enjoyable stays! We are already trying to figure out when we can go back...", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "LOCATION\nMy wife and I stayed for a week in this fine new hotel June 18-26. Its strongest advantage is its location on the corner of Mission and the Embarcadero, which gives easy access to central SF as well as the harbour. Close to the Bay Bridge, it sits opposite the Ferry Terminal, with wonderfully airy views across to the water if you get one of the appropriate rooms. The roof terraces offer some spectacular views of the surrounding area (see photos), but no shade is provided for the seating areas up there. The tramway departs alongside the hotel - downtown one way, Fisherman's Wharf the other - and it is a short stroll to the California-Van Ness cable car route. The Ferry Building itself is a great nearby resource for fresh foodstuffs and a variety of meals and snacks \u2013 but it does not open until 10am most mornings - as well as the ferry to Sausalito. The Embarcadero Centre is a useful nearby shopping mall.\nROOMS\nThe modest exterior of the hotel has been the subject of architectural debate, but it is pleasant enough. The hotel lobby is somewhat cavernous and lacking in character, but the reception staff are young, bright and friendly. The bedrooms are modern and comfortable, with some stylish fittings. The artwork ranges, disappointingly, from the rather twee to the harshly modern. The flatscreen TV is a bonus, but we did not encounter the DVD player or IPod dock enjoyed by other reviewers (fortunately we brought our own). The bathrobes, slippers, and bathroom products are exceptional. Wardrobe space is rather limited, but the turndown service is well up to US preoccupations with this (for us) obscure ritual. Room service was impeccable and the housekeeping team a total delight.\nOTHER SERVICES\nThe spa service is terrific but rather limited. Contra another reviewer, the massage (from Sharon) was the best ever. The restaurant provides food of high quality, drawing upon the resources of the Farmers\u2019 Market at the Ferry Terminal. We were deterred from evening dining by the noisy bar scene, but there are excellent restaurants a few yards away such as Boulevard, Shanghai 1930, and Slanted Door. It will obviously take some time for the embryonic herb garden to offer an effective buffer between the outside tables and the busy roadway.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "After a lot of research, we decided to stay at the Hotel Vitale for our San Francisco trip. Let me just say, we were not disappointed. It was fantastic!\nWe arrived from the airport around 10:00 am and they had a room for us! We had only paid for the courtyard view, but they upgraded us to a Bay View because that room was ready. It was fabulous. The view really just added to the atmosphere and I highly recommend it. The room itself was a bit small, but the space was utilized very well in my opinion. The bathroom was spacious. The tub in the room was huge. Definitely one of the best hotel tubs ever. Fresh bath products were a very nice and appreciated touch.\nThe hotel did nightly turn down service and left bottled water and chocolates. They also turned on a nice CD. It was always a great thing to come back to.\nThe Vitale offers a complimentary Town Car service within a mile of the hotel, which is very nice. We used it a few times. If the car is unavailable, it's still very easy to get around. Buses and street cars stop right next to the hotel and the California Street cable car is only about 2 blocks away. \nThe location is a bit off the typical tourist path(s) of Union Square and Fisherman's Wharf, but it was not an issue for us.We travel to San Francisco at least 3 times a year and since we know our way around, being slightly removed from the \"main\" tourist drag was really a non-issue and overall, we preferred it. \nI highly recommend the Hotel Vitale. We will definitely stay here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "It was our 5th wedding anniversary and my Husband surprised me by booking a room at Hotel Vitale for the weekend. He mentioned the occasion when he booked the room and when we checked in (room 622) we had a bottle of champagne in our room - along with a note wishing us a Happy Anniversary!\nEveryone on the staff is very professional and accomadating. When we checked out at noon I saw some people checking in and even though check in isn't until 3 pm, they accomdated everyone. The room is calming, very quiet, and luxurious. The room is also quite spacious and you can see the attention to detail throughout. We had a \"city view room\" but it had a nice view of the Bay Bridge and water. The sheets on the bed have to be close to 1,000 thread count, and the mattress is very comfortable. \nWe used to live in SF, and the area the hotel is in has to be my favorite because you are right on the Embarcadero which is parallel to the water and great for walking or running. You are also a short walk from the Ferry Building, shops at Embarcardero, and great restaurants.\nThis hotel has really thought of everything and it shows. They have an in room CD player...along with great CD's that we enjoyed throughout the weekend. They also have wonderful robes and slippers you can take home with you.\nWe did the couples bath ritual in the hotel spa ($60 per person). They have outdoor bathtubs, and it was neat to soak on top of a hotel in downtown SF.\nWe went to dinner at Restaurant Bix (15 minute walk) and it was EXCELLENT. We have high standards because we are spoiled by SF restaurants and it exceeded our expectations. When we got back to the room the turn down service had come and sprinkled rose petals all over our bed! The maid had also turned on a CD. Again, my Husband didn't request this...they just did it. \nThe next morning we had brunch in the Americano (hotel restaurant). The food was great. At night the Amercicano turns into a major hot spot. I went recently on a Friday night for happy hour and there was an hour wait to get in. They have a great outdoor patio with comfortable chairs and bamboo plants that is right on the Embarcadero...so great for people watching.\nThe hotel has a relationship with the YMCA and Bay Club which are both very close. It's free to workout at the Y so we did that. It's actually a very nice Y, and half a block away. Working out at the Bay Club will cost you $10. The hotel has complimentary yoga classes each morning.\nWe will recommend this to everyone and look forward to staying again!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "81985": {"reviews": [{"text": "I've actually stayed here a number of times. VERY cute rooms, with a nice style. The meetings department could use some work, but overall a pleasant stay. However on my recent visit I really felt the neighborhood had turned quite seedy (scared you're going to get knifed by the tweaker in the drugstore across the street kind of seedy -- or scared you're going to get mugged by the homeless guy on the corner seedy). Anyway, as though that wasn't upsetting enough I wake up to bedbug bites! And unbeknownst to me they hitched a ride home with me on my suitcase. Thanks for nothing. Not only will I NEVER stay there again, I'll be moving any conference I plan elsewhere. HORRIBLE. (On top of it all they double charged my room!)", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "Rooms are standard small size for the city, but with attractive and fun decor. Wine and cheese were even nicer with the Chair massages and cozy fireplace. Beds were very comfortable and Aveda amenities will keep me coming back. Resatuarant was moderate to pricey for Brunch, but worth it for the great food and convienant location. Lots of pillows and towels in room and a nice fitness center with roomy indoor jacuzzi and steam rooms. Staff was very friendly and helpful (ask for a goldfish in your room if you go!)", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I had agonized for days over which hotel to pick in SF in the Union Square area. Without ever having set foot in the Chancellor, I wish I'd stayed there instead. I paid $240 plus tax (that was my \"bargain\" AAA rate - thank goodness we didn't have to pay for parking there), etc per night for the queen canopy room. I knew the room would be small, no problem. It was cute, had a view of nothing whatsoever, that is fine too. However, we did request a goldfish upon check-in and the guy looked a little distressed and promised one would be in the room by later that evening. Of course, it wasn't. Or the next day either. It really peeves me that hotels like this advertise so heavily on their websites and in their literature that fun little things like this are available and then don't deliver on their promises. \nUpon checkout, nobody asked me if everything was okay, because if they had, I would certainly have told them about the goldfish. I suppose it sounds silly, but I had looked forward to the Monaco experience so much and felt let down and forgotten about simply because I was wearing shorts and a T-shirt. The man who checked me out was very unfriendly, I guess because I didn't look like I was wealthy like many of the other hotel patrons did. Most of the people were friendly enough, but I got an overall snotty vibe from this place and definitely won't go back, nor will I recommend it to others. There are surely better places to stay for the same amount or less in SF than the Monaco.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "After coming to California for the World's Ugliest Dog contest, we spent the last night in San Francisco. When we checked in the front staff was super nice and gave our dog, Lucille Bald, a dog cookie. They let us know of the complimentary Wine and Cheese happy (yappy) hour at 5pm in the gorgeous sitting room off the lobby. It had a huge fireplace and lots of sitting room. People were really nice and fun to talk to.\nOur dog was welcomed to join us which was really fun. There were about 4 other well-behaved dogs enjoying the luxury hotel & happy hour with their owners. The hotel is absolutely gorgeous and it was decorated beautifully with an eclectic mix.\nThe pet-friendly rooms are on the 7th floor and were really nice. The bed linens were top notch and the bathroom was big and really clean. They have nice waffle weave bathrobes available and Starbucks coffee.\nThe gym was really nice and had great cardio equipment. We ate dinner in the Cafe (the hotel's restaurant) and were very impressed. The service and food was excellent!\nOur only complaint of our entire stay was that there were some smoking rooms on the 7th floor and you could smell the smoke in the hallway. Other than that, the hotel experience was incredible and I would highly recommend it!! Hopefully Kimpton hotels will expand to the Florida area soon!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "As a frequent business traveler, I seek smaller, more unique hotels with the amenities I prefer - gym/spa, very comfortable beds, and quiet - and the additional small touches that make the stay that much more enjoyable. After all, I am out all day at meetings - the joy of my stay is for the 'down time'. The Monaco does an especiallly good job, for a fair price, in a highly competitive SF hotel market. I arrived on a Sunday afternoon, after 12 hours of flight delays. What the hotel provided me in those first 8 hours summed up why I will return to the Monaco. \nGym/spa - like many hotels, the gym itself is small, but sufficient if you want to lift weights, with 3 plasmas to look at. For cardio, bring the running shoes and head North 4 blocks to Nob Hill, where you enjoy great Bay views and PLENTY of cardio hills. The best part of their gym is in the back - their Spa has a great steam room, and whirlpool, and hot sauna, all in a small, quiet Zen-like environment. Thanks for putting lemon in the drinking water. \nComfort - I asked upon check in, and received for $30 more, a deluxe upgrade - it's worth every dollar getting the sofa and extra sq. feet. I'm over 6' tall and a mini claustophobic. Sign up for Kimpton Intouch before you book. I had a nice personal note from the Staff, a tall bottle of water and some chocolates waiting in my room upon check-in - just an example of the extra details a boutique provides. The King bed is firm, yet comfortable, with plenty of goose down pillows. Free, fast WiFi, and attractive decor added to a very comfortable room.\nQuiet - As for noise, my room was on the 4th floor facing Geary. With the windows shut, the sound proofing is adequate. I went to sleep at 10pm my first night and never had any traffic or guests waking me up. The guests I saw were older, not 20 somethings seeking hip and clubs - they stay down the street at the Clift.\nTouches - the lounge area has complimentary wine and cheese in the afternoon and Starbucks coffee and tea beginning at 6am, there are complimentary WSJ and SF Chronicles on your floor by the elevator, daily baked cookies at the front desk, and the staff is consistently friendly - not the typical empty attitudes you get from larger hotels (or New York).\nNeighborhood tips - If you want breakfaxt before 7am, take a right, go to the 2nd light, turn Rt and Lori's Diner is on the left - The California omlet is especially good. I got a great haircut before my meetings for $9 - turn Left out the door up 1 block, cross Jones. It's on the left, about 1/2 way up that block - it will say $9 on the window. You'll pass 2 salons on the way - one was $25, the other $30 - keep walking - these nice Korean women did a great job at 1/3 the price. Like Thai? Left out the door, 2 blocks up on the right. Osha is the name. Cheap and good - I brought the BBQ Duck noodle soup back to the room.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "We stayed at this hotel after booking direct under their 'Hot Dates, Great Rates' offer which made it an absolute bargain. It's in a great location for Union Square and the cable cars, although it's quite close to the slightly rougher Tenderlion area. The hotel staff were very helpful and we managed to enjoy the complimentary wine/cheese/cookies most days. The room was comfortable, not quite luxurious. We didn't eat in the restaurant and just had room service breakfast on one day, which was excellent if pricey. Overall, it was an ideal base for a fantastic 5 night stay in San Francisco.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We stayed here for 2 nights September 7 and 8th. We had a lovely room. The staff is very accomodating and friendly. The food in the restaurant was very good and room service was great (although they only brought one butter for 2 orders). We have 2 complaints - the sink area in the bathroom is minimal. There is not enough room for one person, let alone 2 people to put out their toiletries, so everything has to be either kept under the counter or in your overnight bag. The other complaint is that the bed was really uncomfortable. My husband and I both had horrible backaches when we got up the first morning. I said something to the staff and they were most apologetic. They didn't replace the mattress, I think they just flipped it. It was somewhat better the second night, but it still was not great. I would still stay there again because I loved the room, the staff and the location. I would just hope for a better bed!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "From the second my husband and I stepped through the front doors we loved Hotel Monaco. From the capable desk staff to the foyer ambiance the hotel was near perfection. We had a king size corner room with large new bath with jacuzzi tub and seperate shower. Room was elagantly decorated with a slight whimsical feel. Afternoon complimentary wine service, morning coffee service, Yoga/relaxationCD's in room, nice linens (pillows were very small), free ten minute massage, and tarrot card reading during the wine serving. Be aware at the cost of parking the car overnight $45. Room taxes caused the price to jump significantly. Ask about the taxes when you make a reservation. Two nights in San Francisco was more than enough time.\nNow the negatives\nThe hotel is two blocks from Union Square and two blocks from the \"tenderloin district\". If you walk in the direction of market street you will find yourself surrounded by the down and out drug/alcholic element.\nEvery corner near the hotel had at least one person sticking a dirty paper cup in your face asking for money or attempting to get eye contact. When you walked past them a nasty/sarcastic comment would follow. The comedy club and the Broadway venue (golden gate theater) showing Annie\nwere right in the heart of this area. Not safe at night. S.F.P.D was no where to be found. The pan handlers have taken over.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We stayed two nights at the Hotel Monaco, prior to our week trip to Napa and Sonoma. We loved the hotel. Our room had a king sized bed, and the decor was great. The fresh baked cookies at the reception were wonderful! Common areas were really comfortable, and lovely decor. Location was nice - it was an easy walk to Union Square. We walked to Chinatown twice, without feeling too tired! We had a late flight back to Houston after our trip to Napa. Even though we weren't staying at the Hotel Monaco (we had checked out the previous Sunday), they checked our luggage and coordinated getting a town car to take us to the airport, so we could go have dinner one last time in the city. I would definitely stay at the hotel again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I just returned from a 5 night stay at the Hotel Monaco, 6/4-6/10/05. I loved it! I was concerned with some previous posts that the bed linens were run down and the rooms too small. We booked two rooms on the 5th floor and I found both to be absolutely charming. We booked a room with two double beds and one with a king. It's true that the rooms are small, but so charming that the size didn't bother me. Our linens definitely were not run down. I found the staff to be delightful. Past reviewers complained that the complimentary tart card reader and massage therapist are not complimentary. This was a favorite part of our stay at the hotel. Yes, they actually do require a fee but it's fun and remember, you don't have to use their services. The afternoon wine, cheese and crackers, olives and more, was a wonderful way to wind down in the afternoon. We actually would plan our day to be able to make it. We found that the guests attending were very friendly and it was fun to meet others if only for an hour. The warm cookies served at the front desk from 5:00 to 6:00 were delicioius. Different cookies every day. If you go, Dottie's is a must for breakfast. We love breakfast places that are not part of the hotel. This one is a couple of blocks from the hotel, not a great area, but get past that and you're in for a great start to your day. The food was fabulous. Everything is baked on the premises. It's a tiny place, and there's always a wait out the door, but it seems to move quickly. They are closed on Tuesdays. I stayed at the Pan Pacific during a previous visit but found the Hotel Monaco to be cozier, friendlier and overall a better experience. Don't pass this place up!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Based on a friend's recommendation, my mom and I decided to stay at the Hotel Monaco. We could not have been more pleased! The hotel is GORGEOUS! And the staff - and I mean every single staff person we dealt with from the waiters in the cafe, to the bellman, to the well-suited gentlemen who wait out front to escort you and your bags inside or open the door, to the folks at the front desk, to the concierges (especially \"Angela\" who is one of the nicest, most organized individuals I've ever met), to the maintenance staff - everyone is pleasant, friendly, and so unbelievably accomodating.\nThe boutique-sized rooms are beautifully decorated - I'd call the decor \"classically funky (I mean \"funky\" in a good way).\" And the beds are very lush and comfy. Good shower pressure and Aveda products in the bath.\nThe free evening wine happy-hour is a relaxing way to unwind; we were generally getting back from a day of touring, so the lovely \"living room\" was a perfect place to stop off and kick back for a half-hour or so.\nThe cafe offers very reasonably priced dining options, and the sculpture and decor offers lots of eye-candy.\nAnd yes, believe the staff when they tell you to visit Dottie's for the french toast. It really IS amazing, but if you don't get there by 7:15am you might have to wait. The Greek breakfast place is okay if you decide to sleep in or get to Dottie's and decide not to wait. Max's down the street is also a good alternative for meals - it's a lot of food tho'! And ask the Hotel Monaco concierges about \"the ladies who made the mistake of booking the 1 day Yosemite/Sequoias tour with Extranomical Tours.\" What a \"woof\" of a tour THAT was!\nIn closing, we can't think of anything that we'd change about the Monaco. Staying there made our trip extra special, and if there's a Kimpton (the chain name) hotel in any other city that we visit, we'd definitely consider staying there!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed at the Monaco for a \"date weekend\" on May 21. From the moment we checked in until our departure, we were treated like VIPs. Kimpton hotels, of which the Monaco is one, take excellent care of their guests. We had a beautiful small suite with a king bed, couch, coffee table and desk. The bathroom had a jetted tub. There was a welcome note and fresh fruit waiting for us in the room when we arrived. The room was so quiet at night, you'd never guess you were in the middle of a big city. We read the Sunday paper in big easy chairs in front of the lobby fireplace, and had brunch in the hotel's Grand Cafe Restaurant, which was excellent. The hotel is only a couple blocks from Union Square, so we spent a leisurely Sunday afternoon shopping. A great San Francisco experience!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We were at this hotel Dec 8th 2004 \nWe drove straight to the hotel and arrived around 4pm, dropped the car off with a member of the valet staff at the front of the hotel and left for our company Christmas party via cab. About a month ago I recieved a parking violation notice explaining we haven't responded to the original ticket and a hold was to soon be placed on my registration. The ticket was recorded at 4:33 pm on one of the corners the hotel is on, on the same day we visited Hotel Monaco. My husband has contacted a senior staff member and we have'nt heard back since. I recently sent an email to the same gentelmen and provided even more paperwork, but I to have heard nothing. \nWe're talking only $75 bucks here. We paid it already to avoid penalties but it's the principle of it. My husband is in San Francisco on buisness all the time and this was our first visit here. If this were to be resolved we would try the hotel again, but with the issue still outstanding, we will most certainly not be returning and will be telling Human Recources to stop booking employee's there as well.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I have stayed at the Monaco everytime I travel to San Francisco for business. No more. \nThe rooms are in need of major help - dirty, dusty canopies - mine even was torn! Worse yet, the staff used to be so warm & welcoming - during this last visit it was as if they didn't want to be there either. I encountered cold & impersonal service at every turn. Too bad, this was a great hotel even a year ago. \nThere are too many options in San Francisco to stay at a hotel past its prime.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Pulled up in front of Hotel to check in, and 2 staff members ignored my car.\nRolled down window as they were talking to each other. Told them I was checking in, and one said \"To the Monaco?\". (Hello). When I said \"Heck yes\", they moved car blocking me to let me and my family pull next to curb in my Hertz car. The main guy never said \"Welcome to the Monaco\", and seemed upset at our 5 suitcases and 3 golf bags. He said \"Would you like to leave the bags in the car?\" . Told him Please put the golf bags in your storage area. He pressed on. \"They're safe in our garage.\" I said \" NO I want them inside.\" I then asked if he was the head doorman, as in 40 yrs of traveling, have never come in contact with someone at the Door to a top notch hotel. He said \"Yes\", but changed the subject so I figured he was not. We finally got the luggage to the room, and room was too noisy as I had requested a quiet room in my res. They made me pay extra for a Jr.Suite, which was an inside room. I called the Manager on duty that night to tell her about the doorman, and she was horrified and sent me a comp bottle of wine, which was nice, but would have rather just had everything go smoothly. Then the Doorman's boss called me to apologize,and reiterated what the Manager had told me, that door employees are instructed to remove everything from parked cars,as the garage they valet park in is a Public owned garage, and the hotel isn't responsible for items left in cars. The next day @8am, I asked the Concierge to make us a dinner reservation for that night. At 1:30PM I approached her desk to find out what happened, and she was just calling for me. By then the restaurant was full. She told me she had been too busy. I have never had that happen either, as I would have called myself. There was a convention at the Monaco, so I guess her priorities were to first help the Convention guests, and the rest of us go to the back of the line. We ate breakfast at the French themed restaurant there, and it was ok, but a little overpriced.\nThe room decor is fabulous, and very clean. This is the 6th Kimpton owned hotel I have stayed in, and is the only one I've had issues. They will bring a goldfish to your room on request, and the staff is friendly.\nI will definitely stay at another hotel if in San Francisco. I told the front desk upon checkout about these and other problems, and was just told they were sorry.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Almost everything about the hotel and staff was perfect during my stay. I also got this hotel through Priceline for $65 a night which is a steal. The posted rate was $199 which would also be fair relative to the brand name competition's rates.\nLobby: \nThe lobby is beautiful. I'm not sure how to descibe it art terms but it is very attractive. There were fresh baked cookies at the counter to enjoy during the quick process. In the mornings there is complimentary coffee in an adjoining room. In the early evening there is wine and cheese, also complimentary. There is a back massage service and a tarot card reader whose services are free but to whom you should offer a gratuity. \nRoom: Our room was small but otherwise flawless. Everything looked brand new. There were no dents in the wooden furniture or marks on the walls - which were done in deep red and gold striped wallpaper. The colors are bold and the accents show that someone put much thought into decorating. An example is that the artwork on the walls was the right size to make the room look like someone's home - assuming that person had excellent taste. At a large chain hotel I stayed in recently, a huge wall had one small framed print. It looked silly. Other accents included a huge mirror with a very artistic frame and throw pillows on the bed - which was very comfortable - that complemented the rest of the decor. \nRooms have cable TV, CD player, hair dryer, iron, and robes. Soaps and shampoos are by Aveda. For a fee, there is high speed Internet, a fax machine and Nintendo games. The mini bar was fully stocked with snacks, alcohol, soda, water, etc. \nService: \nThis is where the Monaco stands out. The doorman started to help us immediately. He asked us about our travels, our hometown, etc. while organizing our bags on a trolley. After a few more pleasantries he directed us to the front desk. As I mentioned, check-in was a breeze. We were barely in our room before the bags arrived - brought by another cheerful employee. We didn't have much further interaction with the staff because everything was nearly perfect. We came back one afternoon to find a complementary bottle of champagne in the room as we had mentioned to the doorman that we were in town for our own wedding in a few days. Upon leaving, the bellman was really friendly and talkative. Checkout was a breeze. \nI definitely got the impression that the employees really like their jobs and are probably well compensated relative to their peers. Their friendliness never seems forced. It seems that they are in the hospitality business by choice and that they grasp the concept that by being friendly they promote repeat business. This simple idea seems lost in most American companies these days. \nOther: \nThe hotel has a small fitness center with treadmills, stationary bikes, and Nautilus as well as a large Jacuzzi, a steam room and a sauna. As with the guest rooms, everything was clean and well maintained. Towels were provided. There is also a small business center. \nThere is a restaurant adjoining the lobby, Grand Cafe. I didn't eat there but it got a 21 from Zagat and always seemed to be packed in the evenings. \nThe location is about 3 blocks west of Union Square so it is within easy walking distance of the Union Square shopping district as well as the Financial District. Public Transportation of all sorts is nearby.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I heard nothing but great things about Hotel Monaco and the Kimpton Hotel chain from people I know. My husband and I decided to stay in the SF location for a birthday celebration, and we so disappointed we vowed never to go back. Our room was TINY for one thing, and the fixtures and bedding looked so worn it was pathetic. Our bedding had holes in it! \nI've been told the bed are \"heavenly\" beds, but ours was anything but. \nWe had a breakfast package, where we were to received breakfast for free the next day. After waiting over 1.5 hours for our food, we called and were promptly told that some of the staff called in sick and that everyone was behind. No sorry, no nothing. Then, we we finally go our food, one meal was missing! One of the wonderful things about this hotel is giving their patrons bathrobes to wear while staying. Well, we were missing one. Not that I mind, but I didn't want to be accused of taking it and getting charged for it after we left.\nNeedless to say, I wouldn't never stay in this location again, and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. However, based on the rave reviews of other locations, I would try other hotels in the chain.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I had been looking forward to my stay at the Monaco immensely .. I had read many positive things, liked the fact that it was \"pet friendly\" (although not bringing any pets myself) and seemed to have an eclectic atmosphere. I am a frequent business traveller and like trying different hotels. Ultimately, an uncaring attitude and lack of service led me to write this review.\nFirst, the positive...my request for a quiet room with high speed internet was met. I did have to wait an hour or so for the room to be ready, (I arrived at 12 noon, so this is understandable)...I was offered a complimentary drink at the bar to pass some time, which I thought was quite nice.\nNow, for the negatives: I did attend the wine hour my first night; which in addition to wine and snacks had a tarot card reader as well as a masseuse. I did patronize both of these people, who made it clear that there was a \"suggested fee\" associated with each of their respective services. I paid each what they asked for. Prior to retiring for the evening I requested a wake up call for the next morning....it never came.\nThe following night, I stopped in during the wine hour again. This time, there was a gentleman greeting guests, and pouring wine. He was making a point to tell the guests that the wine, snacks, tarot card reading and shoulder/neck massage were all \"complimentary\". I approached this gentleman when he was alone and told him my experiences the night before, of being told and in fact paying a fee for each. He apologized, said that a fee should not have been solicited, (but admitting that it had been a problem in the past) and that they should have only mentioned that gratuities are allowed, or have a \"gratuity jar\" in visibile view. He suggested I speak to managment, and gave me a name of an appropriate person.\nThe following morning (after receiving a wake up call, albeit 25 minutes late) I did make arrangements to meet the \"director\". When I reiterated my experience of being asked for money by both the tarot card reader and masseuse during the wine hour, this person got very defensive, stating that I must be mistaken, once again using the term that these are offered \"complimentary\", but gratuities are allowed. I explained that \"complimentary\" means free, and although a suggested gratuity is certainly acceptable, stating a fee for something that is supposed to be complementary is not. I was only looking for an apology, and a \"we will certainly speak to these people\"; and a thank you for letting management know that this has occurred. I got none of this; and was made to feel that I imagined the whole thing. I did also mention the wake up calls (one that never came, one that was late) and was told that sometimes \"mistakes are made\", but still, no \"I'm sorry\". \nIncredible. My first and only stay at the Hotel Monaco, San Francisco.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "This hotel was misrepresented to me as having two queen sized beds in the room I rented. I was told by the front desk that all rooms have either two double beds or a king bed and a fold out couch after I arrived, paid and signed a waiver to stay the entire stay or else forfeit an additional $100. The staff is totally unaccomodating, and our deluxe room faces a brick wall. The neighborhood is questionable as well. Quite a contrast to the Hotel Monaco Chicago which is a very nice property.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Advice online that monaco is the best/paid top dollar, got a small room with a view of nothing but a brick walled hotel, noisy geary street traffic all hours, small bathroom....nothing special, very overrated. so sorry to spend all that money, many other hotels we visited would be far superior. No service at the desk, concierge, seems like 20 somethings with attitude are running the place.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 16}]}, "224956": {"reviews": [{"text": "My husband and I stayed at the hotel for a week via a time share exchanged. We were delighted with the hotel. The rooms are smaller than most people are used to but we found them very cozy and nicely furnished. I didn't find the bathrooms small. The breakfast we had was better than the usual continental breakfast. It has several kinds of cereal, muffins, bagels, toast, danish as well as hardboiled egg, pineable, watermelon and cantalope, banana and several kinds of juice as well as coffee. More than enough to start the day. Breakfast was in their lovely restaurant, Ovations. Room service was a real bargain and the food was from the Ovations kitchen so it was very good. The front desk acknowledged the rooms were small but they said they try to make up for it with fine service and I would say they did that excactly. Guests were invited to a wine and cheese party during the week so you could chat with fellow guests and meet the management. The hotel is in a very well lite area right across from the City Hall and near the Opera, Symphony and Ballet so there is always something going on and people around. The area in the direction of Market St is not the best but the other direction toward Gough has very nice restaurants and shops. Restaurants that were recommend were Citizen Cake and Indigo. We used a 7 day pass and used it a lot for cable cars, buses & trolleys. YOu don't really need a car but the hotel has a garage if you need one. We took a Wine tour through a company called Supersightseeing and it was less crowded than a Gray Line tour that we ran into. Our tour guide (Steve) was wonderful and very knowledgeable. Good place to see on your own or walking tour is Pacific Heights with its Victorian homes and great views of the City. Stop at Union St. in Pacific Heights that has some great cafes and boutiques. We would definitely return to this hotel if we visit again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "How you perceive the inn will depend much, I think, on the package you can arrange on the hotel's own website. Having stayed at this property during ten different occasions, I hope to provide some insight.\nWe almost always book a room with parking included. Since parking rates are now $25 a night plus 14% tax, you should do what you can to snare this arrangement. Since so many guests do not seem to mind the small rooms, there should be no problems unless you have large suitcases. Each room is equipped with a kitchenette (microwave, small fridge, enough utensils to reheat food)and two packets of coffee, which will be replaced at $1.75 each. This policy has been in force for four or five years. Yes, it should be replaced daily, for free.\nThe service at the desk is very accommodating, and, if things don't work properly in the room, you can count on the help to fix things. Your room is likely to be assigned randomly, even if you request specific rooms. Often the inn is fully booked with performers and/or their guests and the management cannot always guarantee your requests. You should, however, ask to be in a room that is not adjacent to a room with jacuzzi tub, as the noise from the bath in the suite will make sleeping difficult. Street-side rooms have nice neighborhood views but can be noisy if you choose to leave your window(s) open. And since there is no air-conditioning, you will certainly need to do so during the occasional hot days.\nA complimentary continental breakfast is included\n(not too inspiring but there is fresh fruit and unlimited drinks), and yes, a folder is presented upon departure. For heaven's sakes, put in a dollar or two. Many other establishments do the same. We've eaten a couple of times at the opulent restaurant Ovation, located past the front desk. Although there is enough choice on the menu, prices have escalated seriously enough and service has grown indifferent at best, to the point where we can no longer recommend it. Try instead Absinthe, Jardini\u00e8re, Hayes Street Grill, or, for the super budgeters, Stelline's.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 31}, {"text": "My famliy stayed at the Inn on the 2nd and 3rd of Oct. When we pulled up to the curb my wife recieved a call that her mother(85)had been rushed to the hospital in Spokane, Washington and did not look good. This was at 10:00am Sunday morning. Not only did the hotel let us check in early, the staff looked into booking my wife on a plane to Spokane. As my mother in laws condition improved over the next few hours so we decided to stay. We were in room 64, a suite, that was absolutly delightful. A sitting/kitchen area, living room / 2nd bedroom, full size main bedroom, and two full size bathrooms. The staff was nothing but excellent in every instance and we WILL return for accomadations when we plan to vacation in the Bay area.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I can't understand why there are so few reviews of The Inn at the Opera. We, (2 couples), found it excellent. We booked through Expedia and got excellent rooms for about \u00a355/$96.\nSome reviewers have said the rooms were small, but that is only by US motel standards, by Europen standards they were a good size.\nThe staff were efficient, courteous and friendly, the rooms were spotless. and towels seemed to be changed as soon as you wetted them!\nContinental breakfast is extensive, delicious and best of all, complementary!\nOK, it isn't on Fisherman's Wharf, or Union Square, but that is reflected in the price, and many people (us included), regard that as a plus point, not a minus.\nYou can walk to Market Street and the cable car in 15 mins, and a cab (between 4 people) was only $8 to anywhere in the centre, so you are not out in the back of beyond. \nCheck out any other hotels in town at a similar price, and this has to be the one to choose - highly recommended.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I must complain about an incident that occurred during our stay. First \nof all, I found the room we stayed in on January 18th and 19th cramped. \nThere is barely any room to walk around the bed and the armoire door \ndoes not open fully to view the television. Otherwise, the staff is \nvery well mannered and everything else was satisfactory except for this \nsmall incident. \n I have to tell you this however petty it may sound as I find a charge \nof $3.50 unjust. My complaint is the coffee packets left in the room. \nThere is a $1.75 charge for requests for extra coffee packets. I \nassumed this meant per day only to find (to my dismay) that I was charged \n$3.50 for requesting another decaf and caf packet the second day of our \nstay. I told the maid that she must have forgotten to put some more in \nthe room and she could not even speak English very well. I assumed she \nmade a mistake as I frequent hotels and they always give additional \ncoffee packets free of charge each day when they clean the rooms. I did \nnot know I would be charged until checkout. This petty charge really \nbothered me.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Although the hotel is not close to the \"touristy\" attractions (i.e. \nFisherman's Wharf, Ferry, etc.), it is an inexpensive cab ride away and is across from the Opera House and Ballet. It is right in the heart of a variety of restaurants and bars within walking distance. The hotel staff was superb - knowledgeable and accomodating. No request was a bother and could be accomplished. Warm cookies await you at the front desk each late afternoon after returning from the day's activities. The hotel is absolutely charming with tight but posh interiors. The rooms were European style so expect smaller quarters (i.e., armoire instead of a closet), but again they were clean and nicely decorated. The complimentary continental breakfast could not be beat. It was a great start to each day. We would stay at the Inn at the Opera again in a heartbeat!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We enjoyed our week stay at the Inn. It has the charm and feel of a small euro-hotel. The staff is highly professional and attentive. Valet parking is prompt and secure. Rooms are well appointed and clean. The breakfast buffet is worth the money, and the dining room is cosy. The hotel is around the corner from many small, top-notch restaurants, the City Hall - Opera House complex, and Market St. We'll be back.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}]}, "618542": {"reviews": []}, "112307": {"reviews": [{"text": "Although the decor was a little tired and the room slightly small, the service from the excellent staff and the central location more than made up for this. The staff were very welcoming and extremely helpful. The bar is buzzy and has some tasty snacks - we didn't eat in the restaurant as there were hundreds of restaurants close by. There is a great bar to the left of the hotel - very busy both nights we were there and frequented by locals who are up for conversation with tourists. Try Cafe Claude for dinner (only 10 mins walk away) - top class food and service at reasonable prices.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Excellent location. The room was quite nice and had an extra large bathroom. (It may have been a handicapped room come to think of it.) The daily complimentary wine and truly free Internet were also nice touches.\nTake note that their website is a bit misleading regarding room and parking charges. So make sure you check your confirmation email! The front desk people actually gave us a discounted rate since we pointed out the confusion. So an A+ for customer service!\nAvoid the hotel restuarant. The gnocchi was undercooked and the service was painfully slow.\nBut overall, a very fine hotel.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Accepting that centrally located elderly hotels in San Francisco are going to have to operate within space constraints, this hotel had one huge problem. It has only one small elevator so that, if it is not actually already being used by room service or the maids, you may have to share a ride with well virtually anything that needs to go up or come down in a hotel.\nThe location also means that daylight is at a premium in the hotel and the general lack of direct light was amplified by some very earthy coloured decor (presumably because of the style being sought). This is particularly pronounced on the stairs. There is no natural light and the artificial light is not overly bright, yet they have laid brown striped carpet which makes it very difficult to see the edge of the stair tread. With the elevator problem making recourse to the stairs for descent (even at four floors up) a more frequent then usual occurrence, particular care had to be taken.\nThe room, whilst generously proportioned and quiet, also lacked daylight and was not brightly lit artificially. It was a bit depressing. The bathroom/ shower was good for such an old building. The lack of coffee/ tea making facilities was not helpful particularly since the bar served dreadful coffee (we didn't dare ask about tea).\nStaff were helpful, although some seemed overly commission motivated, and there was no one to help with cases. The location is very good.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Two of us stayed here for two nights. The first room given to us was very dark. The one window let through very little light. We were given an option of a better room on a higher floor for the same rate, or a suite (actually 2 rooms) on the 7th floor. I took the suite although it cost more than $230 a night. It looked good, but overall, the stay was disappointing. \nThere was no door man to help with the luggage. I had to lift bags up the steps into the lobby myself. On check in, I was not told that the cafe/restaurant would not be open that night and there was no room service dinner available. We were very tired having just arrived from a 6 hour flight and did not know about the restaurant til we called that evening. \nNext morning, I was told by room service that breakfast would arrive in 20 minutes. It took an hour. Cold toast, weak, undrinkable tea, and fruit for two came to more than $40. The breakfast arrived with no milk, no spoons, and no plates except those containing the fruit. Later, the manager told me room service \"never\" said \"20 minutes\" but next day, they told me the same. This might seem trivial, but we had a really important appointment that morning and had to rush to make it on time. \nWireless did not work in the suite. We tried many times and connected to the internet twice in about 20 tries. The phone system is bizarre. The front desk said it did need a written tutorial to help each guest! \nThe manager did apologise for the problems on check out. \nWhen hotels are promoted in city style guides, as is the Rex, beware. They are often dark, made-over old city hotels with new paintings, fresh paint,and a hype about them, but the same old elevators and same old phone systems.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "We stayed for 2 nights at the Rex, and liked it a lot. The room was very cute, clean and quiet. My husband found the bed a bit soft, but he likes really hard beds anyway. Wireless internet was clear. The host gave us 2 free glasses of champagne for my birthday, which I thought was kind. The staff stored our luggage for 6 hours after we checked out, while we explored the city further. The only problem was getting a cup of tea involves receiving a $4 half-pot of very mediocre brand. We ate breakfast in the hotel restaurant, Cafe Andre, which was good if a little pricey. Get your tea to go at the cafe on the diagonal corner instead. Overall, a nice place and excellent location.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Just got back from a three-night stay at The Rex and it's only fair to sing this hotel's praises. Location is great; the rooms are comfortable; the amenities (morning paper, free wine in the evening, high-speed internet) are perfectly lovely; the adjoining restaurant great for breakfast (I didn't eat dinner there, but it looked filled up when I stuck my head in); the \"New Yorker magazine\" theme in the lobby and the library fun. But what really sets it apart is the attentive staff and the above-and-beyond level of service and helpfulness. It's a hotel you can feel welcome and at home at--I'm convinced it's one of the best buys in San Francisco.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My wife, daughter and I have had a longstanding tradition of visiting San Francisco for a few days of shopping, theater, eating and holiday pleasure just before Christmas. We live only 35 miles from \"the City\" and are quite familiar with hotels and restaurants. Our tradition has been to get a large suite at one of the bigger Union Street hotels (Hyatt, St. Francis, Cliff). This year we decided to stay at the Rex, a smaller, Euro-style (French owned) hotel with an arts/literature spin to it. Not the Algonquin (NYC's venerable literarti haunt), but wow! What a great place! The location was perfect - sight across the street from ACT Theater. Valet parking was reasonable and efficient (for San Francisco) and the room was very cool. My daughter (college student) gasped upon entering and declared, \"this is soooo like the place we stayed in Bologna...cool!\"\nShe was correct about the ambiance, but there was a significant price difference: the Bologna room rate was 4-times the cost of the Rex. The Rex equalled it in terms of detail (sophisticated magazines and literature everywhere, chic art work, decor and color schemes). The staff was attentive, room service was prompt and the food (including the onsite Cafe Andre' - a terrific place to dine) was grand. During the complimentary wine/apertif hour (5-6?) we sat in the \"library\" - a comfortable room with fireplace, books and lots of friendly guests. Many of the guests were European - I chatted with an Austrian woman and a French gentleman over a glass of cabernet. By the time we departed for the theater, the group expanded to 7 and we were all exchanging email addresses. \nDon't expect all of the amenities (health club, jacuzzi, etc.) at the Rex. Bud DO expect to experience the charm of a classic European 3/4-star. Unless you are wed to Hiltons, Holiday Inns, Hyatts or Howard Johnsons you'll love this quaint but sophisticated hotel...br", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "81450": {"reviews": [{"text": "Writing this review makes me sad; so I most likely won't go into all the details that I could. First let me start off by saying that we booked about 20 rooms here for our family, friends and ourselves and had our holiday party in the ballroom. We picked this location because I had a baby shower here in the past in the tea room and was very pleased with how well that went. However this event did not go well and the service was horrific. \nLet me start with the good, then I'll get into the bad and the down right ugly.\nThe Good:\nThis hotel is a historic building, I believe it was formerly a banking building or an insurance building back in the day and it has a lot of gorgeous restored details. That is why we thought it would be perfect for Christmas as it was so orante and decorative inside and out. \nIt was decorated nicely for christmas with a tree and other garland.\nThe bell man were all generally attentive with a few exceptions. \nThe Bad and The Ugly:\nThe rest of it was horrible. The staff did not remember our names most of the time even though we spent a fortune on the rooms and the party with catering. I could not believe how rude and snobby most of the staff was, especially the front desk and the catering department/ party planners. \nWe also had rooms that offered us terrible views with lots of street noise. There are so many other 5 star hotels in San Francisco that offer amazing views. In fact many of our nearly 200 party goers stayed at other hotels within walking distance at half the price and raved of not only their amazing views but their outstanding service as well. \nI could go on and on here and probably should but I just can't because it makes me so sad. If it were just my family it would be a different story; but I was hosting a large group and was so terribly disappointed with everything. Even one of my guests had a cell phone, wallet and jacket stolen. Some people crashed our party. I know this for a fact because I saw two men in jeans in our lobby area just outside our ballroom. I asked them who they were with and they didn't have an answer. However they went into our rented room. There was no security in sight. \nAlso, we were overcharged on several accounts but the most blaring was that we were charged for bottled water every time someone just asked for water. I was promised water from tap would be served unless specified. This might seem petty, but it's just a glimpse into the unprofessionalism I experienced all around. I also noticed that it looked like the same bottle of water was being used by a bartender. It was never freshly opened in front of the guests. This led me to believe that it was being refilled with tap water and then poured into a glass when a guest requested water. I would not say this unless I was pretty sure this is what was going on. For the record, I did have this portion of my bill adjusted.\nI know all of this sounds a little odd for me to observe this level of minutia, but I am a business owner myself and quite an obsessive person about the details. There were more disappointments with the food as well. I have notes form the whole ordeal but I don't feel like digging them up just now. I am writing this review mainly as a comparison to the Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay. I gave that hotel five points. \nThis one I am afraid gets one point from me and I believe that is the lowest score I have ever given a hotel. Also, to further my credibility for judgment ability I have owned a business for about 20 years and have hosted hundreds of parties at restaurants and hotels. In fact we generally host 2-5 parties at hotels and dozens at restaurants each year. This hotel was by far the worst experience ever; so many other details I just can't bare to rehash; which makes me so sad because we were hoping to give our guests such a memorable event. We ironically had picked the Ritz over hotels with better menus and better views because of it's world wide reputation for class and service. We had hosted an event at the Half Moon Bay Ritz property and had a 5 star experience there and expected the same in San Francisco. Unfortunately not all Ritz Carlton hotels uphold the reputation that they should.\nIf you thought this review was helpful please let me know.\nThank you and best of luck.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My family and I stayed at the RC SF for 3 nights, October 20-23, 2007. It had been several years since my last stay, so I was curious to see how the hotel had aged. My review of the property follows.\nThe RC SF is located on Stockton St. between California and Pine mid way up Nob Hill. It is an impressive looking structure with the entrance and handsome lobby area located on the fourth (street) level of the hotel. There is construction ongoing at the corner of California and Stockton, but it appeared to be unconnected to the hotel and was not (other than being an eyesore) a bother. \nWe arrived around 1 p.m. and check in at the front desk was painless. We had 2 rooms reserved, a Club floor executive suite with a nearby club king room. The suite was ready for occupancy, but the king was not. Both rooms were located on the 8th floor which is the actual location of the club lounge, though I think the RC classifies the 7th and 9th as club floors as well. The elevator for the 8th floor is via keyed access and opens directly into the lounge area where we were greeted warmly by the club concierge. \nThose of you who have stayed on the club floor of an RC know the drill. There is a light breakfast, lunch, tea, dinner and after dinner serving served at appropriate times with coffee, tea, soft drinks, beer, wine and cocktails available all day. The rate runs about $150 a night more than a standard room, but I generally find it worth the money. While there was always a good variety of sandwiches, crudit\u00e9s, cheeses and desserts at the RC SF, the menu selection never seemed to change much during our stay. Still, it is a pleasant space and a popular gathering spot. The lounge is \"child friendly\" which made it a bit active during parts of our stay. Not bothersome really, but active. \nOur suite was in the typical RC \u201cexecutive\u201d configuration. The door opened into a small foyer with a closet and half bath. The foyer opened up into a living room with a desk, a love seat and 2 arm chairs. The window provided a view of\u2026well, not much. (I have stayed at the RC SF several times on several different floors and have never had a view of much of anything except buildings.) No balcony, but the windows did open about 3 inches to allow a breeze. A glass paneled door with sheer curtains separated the living room from the bedroom, which was nice sized with what I found to be a very comfortable king bed. The dressing area and bath (with separate tub and shower) was behind the bed. \nThe suite was clean and fairly well maintained. A few pulls in the carpet and a bit of torn fabric, but nothing too bad. Other than the bed, the furniture was not extremely comfortable and needed updating, I felt. New flat panel TV\u2019s were present in both the living area and bedroom. Wireless internet at $12.95 a day was available, but somewhat slow. The bathroom was a bit cramped and poorly laid out, I thought, but serviceable. Good water pressure during our stay.\nThe RC SF has a nice spa with the usual services available. It also has a very good fine dining restaurant on par with other RC properties. There is a talented harpist in the lobby bar during the afternoon and an excellent sushi chef there during the evening. There is a house car available for trips within a mile or so of the hotel. \nThe biggest substantive complaint I had during our stay was the noise level in the room. I know that others on this site have made the same remark. The windows appear to be orginal equipment (If I recall the property opened in 1996) and do not have a great deal of insulation. There was a great deal of bleed through street noise at all hours of the day and night, which was annoying. \nNow on to being picky. Service at the hotel started off great and then went downhill. I was quite impressed with Valentine, the club concierge, and the front desk and bell staff...Jason and Joel at the front door were especially nice and helpful. However, the staff members at the lobby lounge and outdoor patio off the terrace bar (on the second floor in the courtyard) were weak. Several servers at the lobby bar were standing around chatting with one another, but not doing a good job watching the floor. Still, the service at the lobby lounge was stellar compared to the patio outside the terrace bar. I attempted to enjoy a spectacular afternoon there with a cocktail but could not get anyone to wait on me. When I finally asked for a drink from a passing staff member (who apparently did not work the patio) I was told to \u201cgo upstairs to the lobby bar to get a drink\u201d and bring it back. Odd, I thought, as there were people eating (inside and out) at the terrace restaurant. Certainly not the level of service I expect from the RC. \nI was also disappointed in the servicing of the room. We left early one morning and did not return until 4 p.m. only to find that neither room had been cleaned. When I called the front desk to inquire when the rooms would be cleaned, I was told that I should have asked for an \u201cearly\u201d service. Huh?\nAgain, these are picky comments. As I am sure Mr. Roa (whom I respect for responding to the posts on this site) will admit, however, it is the fine details that separate a 4 star from a 5 star property. \nIn the interest of full disclosure, I admit to being a fan of the RC chain and have stayed at dozen or so of their properties around the country. (Pentagon City and Cancun being 2 of my favorites.) To be frank, though, I prefer the Huntington Hotel in San Francisco. It is up the street at the top of Nob Hill on California. Smaller, independently owned, with a wonderful view from the rooms that front California (Grace Cathedrial and the park, with the bay visible in the distance from rooms on the higher floors) and well kept (although, in fairness, somewhat dated) rooms. Impeccable service. While there is no club floor, the Big 4 bar and restaurant compensate by being clubby and wonderful. Plus, even though my favorite rooms there front busy California St., they are much quieter due to heavy, insulated windows. I would have stayed there this trip, but booked late and the property was full.\nSo, how has the RC SF aged since it opened in the mid 90\u2019s? Fairly well, I think, with the exceptions noted above. I give it a solid 4 rating. If they take care of the noise problem and work a bit on service issues, it will be a 5. All in all it was a pleasant stay. \nI hope this has been helpful and informative. Safe travels everyone.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Phenomenal service as ever from this remarkable hotel group.\nNothing was too much trouble for Tammy and Lisa, the concierges with the mostest on the Club Lounge level. Tammy regularly emailed before our visit, securing bookings at some fabulous restaurants and making excellent recommendations. Everything from tours of the Mission murals to the best Indian restaurants in town were all immaculately arranged. We even secured a 2 night upgrade to a suite over Valentine's Day.\nOn admitting that we were unable to finish Chef's Ron Howard's gourmet Valentine's dinner due to 'tiredness' and a surfeit of cocktails, Lisa empathetic to the last, mixed us some stonking Bloody Marys to provide an uplifting 'morning after' breakfast cure.\nLisa's Margaritas were also some of the best we have ever had.\nRitz Carlton San Francisco is located on Nob Hill, around the corner from The Fairmont and Intercontinental. It is close to the centre of the city and transport is easy and safe. We bought a $49\ntourist pass and visited 2 art museums, cruised round Alcatraz and had unlimited transport for the week. The only cabs we hired were to and from the airport. Everything else is eminently reachable. One of the great attractions of this beautiful city is its lack of American sprawl and containment.\nWe checked out 4 Seasons (see separate review) and there is no doubt that in terms of style and ambience, Four Seasons easily leads the way. There is a certain, almost French, overkill to Ritz Carlton decor. It is a stylistic challenge for RC management when the hotel will inevitably seek to attract a younger clientele with greater vigour.\nThe hotels will need to stylistically follow on from the redesigned website. \nHowever, this is not to imply that Ritz Carlton is a stuffy hotel. We stayed seven nights and the hotel was positively buzzing 24/7 with no shortage of aforementioned young people enjoying the unbridled service of Ritz Carlton. Whilst one may hesitate over the slightly gaudy ostentation, nothing can detract from the immaculate service.\nIt was very friendly, not the robotic 'my pleasure' scenario and equally not so overbearing that you had to escape to secure private space.\nClub Lounge breakfasts were not to my taste, despite the availability\nof rather tasty warm flans. However my wife feasted on the mountains of fresh fruit and smoked salmon. One minor gripe was that the showers were a little tame for a Ritz Carlton.\nWe obtained an excellent flight and hotel deal through Expedia and the current exchange rate makes a USA holiday very alluring.\nBest restaurants: Ruth's Chris for steaks, Mama's for omelette breakfasts, Sears for coffee, Big 4 @ The Huntington Hotel for succulent crab cakes and wild boar. If you want as much as you can eat Indian food for less than $20, then the wonderful Shalimar is recommended.\nAvoid 'Top of the Mark' at the Intercontinental. Despite Tammy securing us the best table with magnificent views of San Francisco, my wife and I walked out. Appalling and brusque service, long waiting times in the lobby and menu restricted to two main unappetising dishes.Packed to the rafters with too many punters crammed into too small a space.\nArt Galleries: Make the trek to the de Young museum. It's worth it. Stunning collection, wonderful building, a work of art in its own right and fabulous views from the top of the Haman Education Tower.\nYou can take flash free pictures too, which is a real bonus for the usually precious art fraternity.\nThe Museum of Modern Art is another iconic building. We took an excellent tour that gave detailed insights into Pollock, Manet and home grown Arneson. Pop across the road to the Buena Yerba Park and enjoy the fountains and Martin Luther King fountain memorial.\nWear some Flowers in your Hair: Well no, but a visit to the City Lights bookshop still resonates with a radical flavour that harks back to a bygone era with large volumes of Kerouac and Ginsberg on display. Buy your 'Howl' T shirts here!\nIf you want a really strange piece of local flavour, then visit Cafe Prague on Sunday afternoon at 4.00pm, where Mark Schwarz conducts a poetry reading workshop. Like a sequel to 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's\nNest,' a small group of aspiring poets perform their works in a muted, entirely bohemian cafe where the service is as poor as most of the poems. Try to contain your disbelief. You could not script this bizarre collection of poetically touched individuals.\nArt House Cinema: The Lumiere is well worth a visit if you are an outside the mainstream movie afficianado. We saw the most amazing Thai melodrama 'Tears of the Black Tiger' here.\nShopping: Show your room key to the 'Pack and Wrap' sections at Macy's and secure an 11% discount on all your purchases.\nFinally stay at the Ritz Carlton if you can. We had an unbeatable stay.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We are fans of Ritz Carlton but had been concerned about the relatively low rating on Trip Advisor of this one. I contacted the hotel and they were so helpful and reassuring, telling me about the refurb which has recently been finished etc.\nWell I needn't have worried. We stayed 3 nights in mid July as part of a near 3 week California holiday and the hotel was just perfect. A beautiful building, very good location and elegant throughout. We were greeted by name all the time and had so many notes and phonecalls asking us if everything was ok.\nWe stayed on the club level which was delightful. The food presentations were so yummy and plentiful, we really had no room for dining out! The club concierges were wonderful and so helpful.\nOur room, a suite, was stunning, and the new decorations are sophisticated and refined. We had flat screen tv in the bedroom, living room and bathroom which pleased pur 13 year old son!\nOverall, we loved this hotel and although San Francisco was not our favourite US city, we would without question stay at the Ritz if we return.\nIf you are interested check out our reviews of the Ritz at Laguna Niguel, which was not such a happy experience, the Regent Beverly Wiltshire, which was great and the Monterey Plaza Hotel which was horrid.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I just returned from three wonderful nights at the Ritz-Carlton in SF. The hotel is teriffic. As I first walked in the door, I was greeted with a glass of champagne as I waited to check in (behind one other person). The staff just can't do enough for you. Everyone greets you with a smile and a \"Good Morning\" as you head out for the day. As I went out for my morning run, the doorman offered me water and a running route that he thought I might enjoy. On a personal level, the experience at the Ritz was perfect.\nThe hotel itself is extremely nice, having just been through a renovation (some of the exterior is apparently still being renovated). The rooms are decorated in classic Ritz style. The bed was absolutely amazing - definitely one of the most comfortable beds I have slept on. I almost didn't want to get up in the morning! The hotel's location is great for signtseeing and for shopping. It is located right on Nob Hill, a couple of blocks away from Union Square and about a 10 minute walk from the Embarcadero.\nI can't say enough about how great the people at the Ritz are. They seemed to treat each guest as if he or she were the only one at the hotel. It's certainly not the cheapest hotel in SF, but it is a wonderful experience and I look forward to staying there again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Of all my years of staying in Luxury hotels this was the absolute worst. It is located on top of what is called Snob Hill actually Nob Hill a block walk from Chinatown. The staff is not friendly at all. It is not located to anything to walk to as far as Union Square as I thought. The comp house car is not comp...everyone has a price and be sure to have money for tips...The staff will wait until you tip them. Beautiful entrance but once you go to your floor beware of the cigarette butt by people whom put it out on the tables and the smoking smell. The rooms are not sound proof in fact I complained a number of times about the party then children stomping while I was tryin to rest. Security is not a fact there is none so I felt unsafe as people can come and if you go a couple of blocks away that is the worst and unsafe area in the city. My advice is to stay in Union Square which has more to see and do.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "I recently returned from a six night family vacation (with my husband and three children) at the Ritz Carlton San Francisco. We had booked two interconnecting deluxe rooms through the American Express Platinum Fine Resorts and Hotels program (which I highly recommend using \u2013 more on that later). We enjoyed our stay enormously and have only good things to say about this hotel. I researched hotels extensively when I planned this trip. I read all of the reviews of the Ritz Carlton on this website, as well as in the standard guidebooks and Zagat. I debated between this hotel and the Four Seasons for quite some time. Weighing in favor of Four Seasons was the fact that it usually receives the highest ratings in all of the sources I checked and that I tend to like the sleek contemporary d\u00e9cor of the Four Seasons rather than the formal, faux elegance type of d\u00e9cor of a Ritz Carlton. Weighing in favor of the Ritz Carlton was that I thought it had a better location for San Francisco tourism and less of a business atmosphere (i.e., better for a family) than Four Seasons, friends of ours who had traveled to San Francisco with their children had highly recommended it, and it was less expensive than the Four Seasons for the same type of room and the same standard of luxury. I felt that I could not go wrong with the Ritz Carlton, and I was right. It was the perfect choice.\nThe location was ideal for sightseeing. It is about two blocks from Chinatown, and a five to ten minute walk from the North Beach area (where we usually walked to a restaurant at night), Union Square, and the SOMA museums. Also, there is a stop down the block for the major cable car lines, and it just takes a few minutes to get to Fisherman\u2019s Wharf with the line we took. (A taxi to this area or to Telegraph Hill would not be more than five minutes). I never saw homeless people on the block of the hotel, and I felt safe walking around the immediate area at night. \nThe hotel iself is in an elegant old building, and has a luxurious d\u00e9cor. As mentioned, although this \u201cold world\u201d elegance is not really my style (and I felt in particular that the breakfast restaurant could use a lot more light and a more casual and contemporary style), the hotel is definitely luxurious, without being stuffy or uncomfortable to be in with children. On the contrary, we saw tons of families with kids in the hotel while we were there (I totally disagree with a previous reviewer on this site that found the clientele of this hotel to be all old people. I did not see any old people at all, nor would I particularly care if I did). Our two rooms were quite spacious (especially for a city hotel), and I greatly appreciate the fact that we were able to get them interconnecting in a lower price category. Also, the rollaway bed in the second bedroom was free, and it is the only hotel I was able to find in downtown San Francisco that had this policy (although the Ritz Carlton makes up for it by charging slightly more than the others for parking). Our rooms had been recently renovated and were luxurious, comfortable and well appointed. The bedding and linens were exquisite. We always had delicious chocolate treats waiting for us in our rooms, and on our last night, received a special boxed set of treats with \u201cFond Farewell\u201d written on it in chocolate. The hotel has a lot of nice touches like that and wonderful attention to detail. Also, our bathroom amenities were always restocked \u2013 something that doesn\u2019t always happen even in other luxury hotels. There is a large indoor pool in this hotel. Although we did not have time to use it, I did check it out, and it looked pretty nice.\nI mentioned that we had booked this hotel through the Amex Platinum desk. If you happen to have a platinum card, this is definitely the way to go. Although we could not take advantage of several of the available benefits on this trip (upgrades were not available at the time we checked in, we did not need early check in or late check out, and we did not have an opportunity to have our free lunch in the hotel), we had a huge savings by getting a daily $80 credit towards the price of breakfast. We travel a great deal as a family and we usually stay in luxury hotels. Typically, breakfast for a family of five runs about $150 in these places. Likewise, at the Ritz Carlton. The credit took the pain out of the breakfast tab. Another hint for savings on breakfast when you have kids \u2013 ask for the kids\u2019 menu. On our first two mornings, it had not been offered to us and we did not know there was a kids menu (simply a discount on the price of the hot and cold buffet). On our third day, suddenly we were offered the kids\u2019 menus. Even my 16-year old ordered the Mickey Mouse Pancake off of it for $5. The portions on the kids menu are absolutely huge and they are all $5. The Mickey Mouse pancake and the waffles on the kids menu would be enough to satisfy any ravenously hungry normal sized adult. Honestly, I would have ordered from it myself had I not been completely embarrassed to do so. As it was, I ordered the continental breakfast for four times the price.\nThe staff of the hotel is as friendly, courteous and helpful as they can possibly be. The service is top notch across the board from the chamber maids, porters, and doormen to the front desk. In fact, there was a glitch on one night during our stay, and it was handled in the best possible way. The hotel is undergoing renovation floor by floor. In the middle of one night, the alarm sounded several times within each of our rooms (and I believe throughout the hotel). I phoned the front desk who told me that everything was okay, but that the fire department was on its way. Apparently, as we learned subsequent to the incident, some construction dust on one of the floors being renovated got onto the smoke detector causing the alarm to go off throughout the hotel. Needless to say, we did not get a good night\u2019s sleep that night. Nevertheless, the hotel could not have handled this situation better than it did. When I went to check out, I spoke to a manager about it and he was as gracious and accommodating as he could possibly be. Before I could even finish my sentence, he refunded the full amount for the two rooms for that night. No questions asked. I left having a very positive feeling about this place \u2013 I will definitely stay here on my next trip to San Francisco. I recommend it for anyone who wants a wonderful base to see or do business in this great city.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 30}, {"text": "We just returned from a five night stay at the San Francisco, Ritz Carlton. This is the third time we have stayed at thiis hotel and, once again, had an outstanding stay.\nWe booked a room on the club floor. I highly recommend this floor. The club room is wonderful providing a nice quiet place for converstation and six different food presentations throughout the day, along with compimentary beverages including wine.\nThe Hotel is going through a renovation and each room is being upgraded. Our room was already upgraded and included new carpeting, new furniture with the walls of the room freshly painted.\nThe service was wonderful from the very helpful people at the front desk to the fantastic people in the club room. At check-in we were given warm towels which was a nice touch after our long day of getting to San Francisco.\nPrior to our stay, I was contacted by one of the concierges of the club floor who was very helpful in making various arrangements for us.\nThe hotel will also provide compimentary rides to nearby locations. One of the days it was raining and it was nice that the car dropped us off at a restaurant a few blocks away from the hotel.\nThe hotel is located very close to areas including Chinatown.\nThis is a wonderful hotel. I rate it as one of the finest hotels in the US and highly recommend it to others whether staying on business or on please or celebrating a special occassion.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "We stayed at this hotel for 3 nights at the end of March. The hotel is in a good location and very attractive from the outside. Check-in was quick and we were allocated a room on the 4th Floor. The room was a good size and although it wasn't a newly renovated room it was clean and didn't look or feel too tired. The traffic noise from the road outside was a problem though - the windows didn't seem to cut out much noise at all and we were woken a few times during the night by the sound of sirens and the traffic always woke us early in the morning. Maybe the rooms on the higher floors don't suffer from this problem.\nThe business centre was great for catching up on emails and the coffee provided each morning helped to offset the irritation of being woken early by the traffic. Some aspects of our stay were great but in general I felt that this Ritz-Carlton was not as good as others we have stayed at.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "The transformation from Ritz Carlton to Marriott is now complete. The only feature of the hotel that is not the average Marriott are the very high prices.\nParking is over $60 dollars a day, yet it will take an average of 20 minutes to get your car. You cannot call for the car in advance because the young lady that runs the valet office is too busy talking to the parkers to answer the phone. \nOr maybe she was talking to the bellman, as the bell stand does not answer their phone to take your bag for checkout either. \nThe \"Concierge\" level has been opened to all of the hotel, appearently, since the room is always filled with guests entering from all floors.\nThe manager of the Concierge rooms was the only bright spot in our 5 day stay. He was professional and tried to make our stay enjoyable.\nAll of the visible staff was foreign and probably paid much less than their former American counterparts. \nI have visited the Ritz Carlton SF since it opened, and was always my favorite 'luxury' hotel. It has fallen very far in my estimation...Look elsewhere in SF, for either lower prices or better service to justify the high prices.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "$800+ per night (albeit for a club suite) normally means you can expect good service, sadly this was not the case.\nDisorganised, over officious door staff greeted us as we arrived for a 3 night stay. Not very friendly, more suited to their traffic control function than customer service. Lots of them, but dysfunctional.\nPleasant check-in lady at the reception desk, but no-one to show us to our room.\nRoom was good, with all the usual facilities of a $800+ suite, but nothing sensational. No large flat screen TVs, furnishings not opulent but ok.\nClub concierge was useless throughout our stay. When asked for tickets for either a ballet, opera or classical performance, simply turned to the internet. as you or I could have done. Failed to find any tickets, but their ticket agent had more joy, but by the time they got back to them to confirm, they had gone. (There was no need to check back with me, I had left clear instructions to buy tickets).\nCalling the concierge was impossible, voicemail.. ringing out.. answered and cut off.. answered and put on hold..\nTrying to organise a car to take me back to the airport was challenging enough for them - had to repeat my instructions 3 times before they understoon - then they still got it wrong... see later.\nStaff knocking on the hotel door despite the do not disturb sign - very irritating.\nNo turndown service despite a specific call (at 8pm) requesting one. Called to ask for mineral water (as is normally left on a turndown) - an hour later (midnight!) the housekeeper turned up to do the turndown!\nOn check out, bell man tried to give me tags for my stored luggage. I explained that the car organised by the hotel would collect the bags ahead of collecting me from a restaurant for the onward journey to the hotel. He said I'd have to give the tags to the concierge and tutted and sighed when I asked him to pass them to the concierge for me.\nWhen the car came to pick me up, it only had 4 bags on board not the 5 they had collected from my room. Had to go back to the hotel, where the staff were very apologetic and accepted responsibility for the mistake.. but nevertheless, I was now running late.\nSo, maybe I sound picky.. but in my books its the service and the attention to detail that distinguish an expensive hotel from a great hotel.\nThe Ritz-Carlton is expensive, but the service is a big let down. Again, lots of staff around the place, but all seem disorganised and many unwilling.\nUntil they get their staff more organised, stay at the Mandarin.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "we had to be in san francisco for the night, so we decided to try the bed and breakfast package at the ritz carlton. i have stayed at the ritz property on central park in new york on a few occasions and have always enjoyed the experience so i was looking forward to seeing if the san francisco location was as good. it was. the service was excellent from the moment we pulled up to the valet to the time we drove away.they even thought to put bottles of water in our car when we picked it up from the valet the next morning. a very nice touch!! the staff was attentive without being pushy, when they say good morning you actually feel as though they mean it and its not just what they are required to say. the room was good sized, somewhat smaller than i am accustomed to at the new york location but still spacious and very comfortable. when we returned from our night out we found the bed turned down with bottles of water and chocolates next to it, the lights dimmed and classical music playing was a nice touch as well. the spa products and the robes contribute to the comfort level of the room as well. the next morning we ordered breakfast through room service and it was excellent. it showed up exactly at the time specified and the food was superb. i cannot convey how happy i was with our stay there and i am looking forward to doing it again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed at the Ritz-Carlton in a Club Suite (Room 915) from August 26th to August 30th to attend a wedding. From the moment we arrived at SFO (1am) to the time we left, we were treated like royalty. (I was actually contacted before my arrival via e-mail to see if I needed anything for our stay!). Concierge arranged for a limo to pick us up at the airport. After a quick check-in, we went to our suite where a dish of chocolate covered strawberries, bottles of fruit juices on ice and a handwritten welcome note from the Chief Concierge were waiting. (The Chief Concierge is also a member of the Les Clefs d'Or!!) \nOur suite was beautiful (see 9/8/2005 review for details). Since we were there for wedding, we were asked if we needed anything pressed and they were taken downstairs immediately (this was about 2:30am). We were told that the garments would be brought back to the room the next morning at 10:30am. The funniest part about it was that even though I was expecting the clothing, the phone rang at precisely 10:30am and I was told that housekeeping was outside my door. I was asked if it was alright if they rang the doorbell to the suite! Once I said, \"Sure!\", the bell rang. I wondered how they did that when I noticed that the person was wearing an earpiece - like the secret service!! \nWe hosted a small pre-wedding party in our suite and the service was incredible! Nothing was overlooked - the correct number of champagne, water and port glasses, bottles of spring water and sodas/snacks for the kids. Room service did an excellent job in preparing everything!!\nConcierge also set up a car to take us to and from the wedding (Legion of Honor/Art Museum) so we didn't have to worry about a taxi. It was a good thing as many guests were stranded because taxis would not go to the area after 11pm! Our driver didn't hesitate when I asked if it was alright to offer other guests a ride back with us. And upon our return, the room was spotless as all the dishes and glassware were cleaned up from the pre-wedding party. Any bottled drinks that were left over were neatly placed on the bar with a few clean glasses and napkins.\nI have to admit that I cringed when I read a continental breakfast was served in the Club Lounge and avoided it the first two days. (I like to have some variety of egg for breakfast while on vacation). But one day we decided to take a peek. I was surprised when I found quiche! And not only did they offer quiche, but they offered two different kinds - mushroom or ham with cheese! (We did enjoy the Jazz Sunday Brunch though - just make sure you make reservations ahead of time!).\nThe Club Lounge was a nice place to sip a glass of wine in the afternoon or grab some milk and cookies at 1am. The afternoon \"presentation\" was phenomenal - sushi, oysters on the half shell, cheeses, caviar and a multitude of other hors d'oeuvres. When I had mentioned to the Club Concierge that I was going to host a pre-wedding party in my suite, they offered to reserve an area of the Club Lounge for me! I politely declined as I didn't want to impose on the other guests. But I was floored by such an offer. \nThe other thing that surprised me was that I was always addressed by name. I had heard that about the Ritz-Carlton but never believed it. \nThis was the first time I had ever stayed at a Ritz-Carlton - and it will not be the last!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We just got back from a 2 night stay at the Ritz Carlton in San Francisco. Traveling with 2 small children under the age of 3 can be a challenge, and we had never stayed at a Ritz Carlton with our kids (we usually opt for the Four Seasons). But using the American Express Platinum program we got a reasonable rate for a suite and the upgrades through the program (early check in, late check out, room upgrade if available, breakfast credit, resort amenity) were really nice.\nThe suite was fantastic. It was 1100 square feet with a very large living room with a 1/2 bathroom. There were french doors that separated the living area from the bedroom area. The bedroom area was a good size and also had a full bathroom. The only strange thing about the bathroom for me was that the shower and toliet were separated from the rest of the bathroom. I thought that was a bit odd (I'm used the the toliet being separate from the bathroom, but not used to having the shower and toliet together). \nIn addition, between the bathroom and bedroom there was a sizeable dressing area... with a vanity, dresser drawers and closets. The dressing area was so large that we were able to put a rollaway bed in it with plenty of room to spare (the baby and toddler had to be separated one night ... they were waking each other up). Note: the living room was plenty large enough to accomodate a rollaway bed and a full size crib.\nThe service was impeccable, very attentive. We ate at the Terrace restaurant for breakfast and I was impressed with the food, but most impressed with the kids menu. It had more than the usual chicken fingers/pizza offerings. And for breakfast, my daughter order the scrambled eggs with sausage off the kids menu and I ordered the same off the regular menu. When they brought the food to our table, her plate was identical to mine... just $9 cheaper! \nAll facilities were top notch and my daugther was most impressed with the indoor pool. She couldn't stop talking about it.\nMy only gripe about the place, they have a $55 (+ $7 tax) a day parking charge. That seemed ridiculous, even for a city like San Francisco. \nIf you are looking for a good place to stay with the family, I would recommend the Ritz. They made every effort to make us feel at home, and the kids didn't want to leave.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We just returned a few days ago from spending a week at the beautiful Ritz in San Francisco. We have stayed at many Ritz Carlton's, but this one was the absolute best.\nThe location was excellent- it is a couple of blocks from the noise of Union Square yet close enough to walk there in just over 5 minutes...also it is one block from Chinatown and one block over from a cable car stop. Our room faced Stockton Street and we were never bothered by traffic or city noise. \nThe decor is exquisite. The color schemes are all warm and inviting, and as luxurious as the furnishings and decor are you will never feel as if the hotel is stuffy or cold. \nThe staff is absolutely top-notch! We spent the extra for a club level room, and were pleasantly surprised by their daily offerings. It is well worth the extra expense- we had our (expansive) continental breakfast every morning. Most hotels would call this breakfast layout a buffet as so many items were offered. The lunches, teas, cocktail hours were all delightful. The staff was fastidious about keeping the serving trays filled and as busy as the club room would get was always picking up after you, offering you beverage service, etc. The club staff was phenomenal! The club concierges were by far the most knowledgeable and accommodating of any we have dealt with, and we travel extensively. \nI normally wouldn't take the time to write a hotel review, but feel it's the least we could do as a kudos to the staff at the Ritz Carlton San Francisco for one of the best vacations we have ever had!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Well this place is a great hotel. The rooms were spacious and being on the club level was a great plus. The staff are very friendly always with a smile on their faces. The food was very nice although we only ate there twice. The culinary skills are fantastic. The swimming pool and gym were great to although one thing i would add is that if you are a keen swimmer this isnt the right pool for you. The whole atmosphere is great and this hotel is great. \nThere's not much more i can say impart from hope you like the hotel and that you have a great time in San Francisco", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My family and i stayed at the ritz carlton during august of 2004. It was our second visit to the ritz carlton and deffinately won't be our last!! The first time we stayed there we thought it was lovely and the staff were exceptional. All of the staff were very content and enjoyed our presence. We stayed on floor 8 in a suite.\nI would highly reccomend this floor to anyone who wishes to indulge in luxury food and for people who feel the need to rest after a days sightseeing. We could not have wished for a better hotel to stay in san francisco. \nFrom the moment we arrived and checked in, until the moment we checked out and left, the staff carried out our every need.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "We recently stayed at the San Francisco Ritz-Carlton for two nights to celebrate our anniversary. We booked the Bed and Breakfast package online, and in light of parking being $50 per night, that alone made this package well worth the cost. From the moment we pulled up in our car to when we drove away, we felt pampered and attended to. They are very customer service oriented! There were no bellhops to bring our luggage up right away so the gentleman at the front desk who checked us in brought it up so that we wouldn't have to wait. The concierge spent a lot of time with us looking for a live theatre event that we had seen in a local publication that they ultimately could not get tickets for for us but nonetheless the extra effort was appreciated. The spa and pool were lovely. You need nothing but your swimsuit when you go down for a dip because everything you could possibly need is anticipated in the \"locker\" rooms. Our breakfasts were delicious, and normally served at The Terrace for this package but the second morning we ate in the Dining Room due to the other restaurant catering an event. Both restaurants were gorgeous and we were well cared for by the servers. Our room was a \"standard\" deluxe room (they use the word \"deluxe\" only) but very nice and the bed to was to die for. I requested an upper floor which we got. The top two floors are Club level and we just below those. We had only one small housekeeping detail that needed attention and unfortunately was not taken care before we left, but hopefully was done after our departure. We'd definitely return to this hotel if we had another special occasion to celebrate and a wad to blow, but it would be well worth the splurge.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed at the Ritz for two nights...our room was typical of what you expect at the Ritz...spacious, tastefully decorated... we expect great service and were not disappointed...Jamie at the concierge desk went out of his way to provide insight and information about SF, Chinatown, etc...our last night we wanted to eat at \"an Italian restautrant with great food and ambiance that tourists would never find\"...he sent us to Allegro Romano with an introduction to the owner whom he said \"would make us feel like family\"...we had a fabulous meal at a place we never would have found that felt like we'd been going to for years...it's why why love the Ritz", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 38}, {"text": "I was excited about staying at the Ritz-Carlton after reading these reviews. However, when I got there, I was immediately disappointed. Although the service is what you would normally expect of a Ritz-Carlton, I felt like I had just entered a NURSING HOME. \nI am a 33 y.o. female who enjoys the nicer things in life....and always choose to stay at top hotels like The Ritz, Mandarin-Oriental, Four Seasons, etc. I was not impressed at all with the quality of this Ritz-Carlton. \nLOCATION: I can't believe the hills surrounding the hotel...considering most of the people who stay there are 60+. However, it is very centralized to the convention center, shopping, Chinatown, etc.\nROOMS: The rugs and bed spread were a dingy pink. It was reminiscent of an old set my great grandmother owned. The furniture looked like replicas of antique Victorian (I think) pieces, which looked like substandard reproductions. It reminded me of the furniture in a cheap motel. The room was equipped with the bare minimum - 25\" RCA t.v. (which they desperately need to upgrade), 3 bath towels, 1 pair of slippers. In a hotel that wants you to believe they are in the business of providing service in abundance, they sure were stingy. The bathroom was typical of a Ritz-Carlton....very nice.\nLOBBY: The flower arrangements all around the hotel were gorgeous. It was one of the few pleasures I enjoyed. However, the bar off the lobby was filled with the 60+. Nothing against the aging population, but I've never seen anything like it. I felt awkward walking around the hotel with a low cut blouse...waiting for my grandmother to come out and reprimand me. \nOverall, it's a nice hotel for the older population but NOT worth the price at $355/night.....it's worth no more than $199/night (yes, even in San Francisco) This Ritz-Carlton looks like the real thing from the outside, but inside it's deceiving.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Recently stayed at the Ritz Carlton San Francisco for 5 nights with my wife and daughter over Christmas. Location is excellent (particularly for access to Union Square and Chinatown). Be forewarned that the hotel is up on Nob Hill so you will get plenty of exercise walking back to the hotel if you are not taking a cab. You also may get some cable car noise depending on where your room is located. Facilities were excellent for a city hotel (indoor pool, good health club). The lobby area was nicely decorated for the holiday season and had a very warm feeling. They serve dessert after dinner in the beautiful lounge right off the lobby which everyone enjoyed. All the staff was uniformly excellent. My only minor complaints for the entire stay was that the creme brulee was a little runny and that a restaurant recommended by the concierge was not really kid-friendly. We have stayed at a number of Ritz Carltons and this one certainly lived up to our expectations.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "When I checked into the San Francisco Ritz Carlton with my family, they literally REFUSED to honor an American Express Travel reservation, both with regard to the type of rooms and the rates. We spent one night and then switch to the Mandarin Oriental, which is a FAR superior hotel.\nI wrote to the CEO of Ritz Carlton about our experience, but never received a reply of any kind, which told me theirs is a top-down problem.\nNow, whenver we can, we stay at Four Seasons and not Ritz Carlton.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 14}]}, "81022": {"reviews": [{"text": "We were originally planning on staying in somewhere in Union Square... boy am I glad we didnt!! First of all, the Harbor Court was a great value - paid $85 for a saturday night through Hotwire (3.5* - Boutique, Restaurant). And the location is unbeatable. The Embarcadero is nowhere near as crazy as Union Square and has great freeway access (although they have closed the Embarcadero off-ramp from the Bay Bridge). If you're there for a weekend, dont worry about the parking - there's plenty of safe, nearby street parking available. I parked our junky rental right behind Mercedes SLK on Howard St. - and both were still there in the morning. Instead, we spent the $40 to upgrade to a king room with a view! (note: I called beforehand to upgrade and they quoted $70. so try to hold off until check in if you can... they might be able to hook you up!). Everybody was extremely kind, the decor is classy yet comfortable, and most importantly - the place is clean. As noted, the rooms are a little small, but the bed is extremely comfortable, the bathroom is more than adquate (they give you q-tips!), and the view!!!! All I gotta say is \"wow.\" Clear view of the bridge and Tresure Island and all the happy people walking along the water - you are really that close!! We woke up Sunday morning and took a leisurely stroll/jog to AT&T Park (the Giants were on the road). The stadium is only about 0.75 mile away... and they actually open a portion of the park to the public for free, so we went up and took a little tour. I'm a Dodger fan, so I was talking some smack, but you cant deny that this ballpark is one of the most beautiful around. On the way back, we stopped by the Ferry Building and the farmers market. The farmers market wasn't so great as there were only like 10 vendors - I later found out that the main farmers market day is Saturday. But the Ferry Building is worth checking out and we picked up some yummy breakfast and ate it outside, watching the sailboats go by.\nCouldnt make it for the free beer and milk and cookies, but the coffee in the lobby is pretty good! The Embarcadero has everything you need and you get the TRUE SF experience. And if you REALLY need to goto Union Square, its less than a mile away. Definitely stay at the Harbor Court.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed at the Harbor Court for a long weekend in October. It is located in a great spot, close to public transportation and the Ferry Bldg where we went for breakfast every day. The staff was very friendly, and we love the wine tasting each evening AND the milk and cookies served in the lobby each evening at bedtime. The room was small but very clean. The size of the room did not bother us at all because other than sleeping and showering, we were never in our room.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "It was our honeymoon. We stayed at the hotel from 03.14.03 till 03.21.03. The room was not big, but its decoration and the bathroom were beautiful. Everything was pleasant. I especially liked the wonderful foyer. It had nice, comfortable couches and a beautiful fireplace. We took many pictures there. They offered free wine from 5.00 to 6.00 p.m. every night. In the morning they offered free tea and coffee. Every day there were fresh, sweet apples on a table in the lobby. The staff was very helpful and pleasant. It is in a very good location. It was a short walk to the metro, the cable cars, the trolleybuses and the buses. There is also a beautiful view of the Bay Bridge from outside the hotel. It is also not in a dangerous area, if you return late. We again want to thank the Harbor Court Hotel for a nice, pleasant time during our honeymoon.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "81165": {"reviews": [{"text": "My Fiance and I stayed at the Monticello Inn from Feb 11-13 and have nothing but good things to say about it. We had purchased the room on Hotwire.com and were a bit apprehensive as we had never stayed at a Kimpton Hotel before, but were very pleased. You can't beat the location... on the corner of Ellis and Powell which is literally a 30 sec walk to the cable cars (which are $5 per trip). The old-fashioned trolley cars are around the corner also a must and much cheaper at $1.50 (which includes a transfer good on any lines for 3 hrs).\nThe staff at the hotel were extremely friendly and helpful (especially when we had to extend our stay by one night due to my fiance getting food poisioning). And the hotel was suprisingly quite, even though we were right in the heart of the city. Ask for a courtyard room if you can, we had one the first night and it was great. No noise at all, but you do lose out on any view. The only problem with the rooms was the size... but it is a boutique hotel.\nAnother perk of the hotel is their complimentary wine-tasting every night from 5-6. The best part is you are able to take it with you to your room to sip while watching the early news! As for their contential breakfast at $6.00 - not really worth it as there are tons of bakerys and coffee shops in the neighbourhood where you can get the same stuff for half the price.\nOverall, I was very pleased with the hotel and would recommed it for anyone looking for great value and fantastic quality right in one of the greatest shopping meccas of the USA!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I stayed at the Monticello for 4 nights in November. I was quite pleased and plan to stay there again. \nOn the plus side:\n1. Excellent downtown location.\n2. Extremely close to all forms of public transportation.\n3. Good restaurants and shopping nearby.\n4. My king room was very comfortable and quiet. If this important to you, ask for an inside (courtyard) room if one is available. Bed, linens, bath, etc. excellent. Tourists and residents alike know that this area of SFO is very noisy. Coming back to my room was like visiting a private oasis of cushy silence.\n5. No hitches with reservations, requests, etc.\nSome parts of the hotel could use a bit of renovation touch-up...paint here and there, door frames, wear & tear, carpet edges, etc.\nI didn't try the continental breakfast (minimal extra charge) but the set up looked nice.\nThe hotel doesn't have a pool, fitness club, etc. if that's what you're looking for. They do, however, arrange for in-room yoga, massage, beauty facials, etc. for rather high prices.\nA very nice, comfortable stay overall.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We selected the Monticello on the basis of our research on the Internet and in particular for its location to the BART. This enabled us to travel from the San Francisco International Airport to within about 150yds of the hotel. When we walked up the ramp from the BART to the the end of Powell Street we were blown away as it was our first time in San Francisco and with the cable car in front of us it was like being in a postcard. We also used Google Earth to check out its location within the city and its closeness to other facilities.\nThe hotel was most acceptable given that we didn't want to spend our limited funds on expensive accommodation. Its location is superb. The hotel is an old hotel that has been refurbished but I wouldn't say modernised but it is clean and the staff are very friendly. The rooms are rather small but that didn't bother us as we spent most of our time out looking around the city. It is near to the corners of Market & Powell Streets which gives you immediate access to the cable car terminus, trams to the Fisherman's Wharf, Union Square and Maceys, The BART terminus and there are plenty of tourist shops and food stores nearby.\nIf we went again we would definitely ask for a courtyard room because the noise on the street side rooms was terrible. We were jet-lagged after a trip from Australia so needed some good sleep but it was just not possible in the room we were in. So with that proviso we would definitely return.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I spent a week at the Montecello Inn in July 2002 and found it a very nice 3 star to stay at with a great staff. The rooms were clean and quite, (I had an inside room that faced the inner courtyard, an outside street room may have more noise). I had a comfortable king bed and for one or two the room size was fine, TV had more stations then most places but no HBO. The literary theme and library was a nice touch and the wine receptions with a Wednesday book reading were nice. The best part is the location and price, the Inn is 1/2 block from Powell Street Cable car line (Direct to fisherman's wharf) and 1 block from BART. It is truly in Union Square with tons of places to eat and shop and since I like to eat late I was not hassled by the hordes of homeless in San Francisco, even though you will never avoid them all. The price was under $80 and couldn't be beat. The only thing the hotel did not have was ice machines, drove me nuts! This place is great for business and couples, but I doubt I would bring children since there is nothing for them to do in the hotel.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 23}]}, "81514": {"reviews": [{"text": "You can\u2019t beat this location, right at the Chinatown gate on Grant Ave, five minute walk to Union Square, Market Street, cable car stop, and BART station. I took BART from the airport to Montgomery station and easily walked to the hotel. Even though I knew nothing about SF, I had no difficulty finding the hotel. SF\u2019s mostly square-grid street layout makes it easy.\nAll of the staff were unfailingly polite, friendly, and enthusiastic. At check-in, I mentioned that this was my first visit to San Francisco, and the front desk clerk gave me a map brochure, oriented me with the area, and made suggestions for dining and sightseeing options based on my interests.\nMusic plays in the lobby, but it was inaudible in my 2 nd floor room. At the intersection outside my window, the crosswalk has a textured pavement, so there was a rough grinding noise every time a car went by, but the air conditioner on low speed provided enough white noise to mask the traffic noise. The weather was cool and did not require AC, so I ran it on fan-only, to circulate in some outside air.\nThe room was big enough to meet my needs, but it was small. If you require a large room this might not be the best place for you. Yes, the hotel is old (which explains why the rooms are small), but it has been thoroughly renovated and is very clean. My room was immaculately clean, and I am very picky about cleanliness. It has a fire alarm system and sprinklers. Seeing that sprinkler head in my room soothed some of my worries about staying in an old hotel. Wireless internet worked fine in my room. Shower was luxurious. If that was a low-flow showerhead, I would never believe it.\nI enjoyed the hotel\u2019s morning coffee, but if you don\u2019t like their coffee walk to the Starbuck\u2019s directly across the street. If you don\u2019t like that Starbucks, walk 1 block to find the next one. SF seems to have a Starbuck\u2019s on almost every corner.\nI had a minor problem on the bill. I used a few items from the honor bar, and I filled out the tally sheet and turned it in to the front desk the night before I checked out. Unbeknownst to me, the maid had already charged for items used on prior days. This caused duplicate billing for some of the items. When I brought this to the attention of the front desk clerk, she cheerfully resolved the problem, crediting my account for the duplicate charges. She accepted my explanation without question, and showed no hesitancy or suspicion.\nOverall, I had a very pleasant stay and will probably stay here again on my next visit to SF.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Hotel Triton has been one of my favorite San Francisco hotels \u2013 but I was very disappointed during a recent visit. \nI first discovered the hotel in the mid-90s, and have appreciated its great location, artsy ambience, and stated views on saving the environment. Unfortunately, the quality of the hotel's guest experience has really declined, seemingly in favor of the bottom line.\nThe building is showing its age and maintenance is below average. My shower pipes squealed loudly and bathroom sink drained extremely slowly. I reported both to the front desk, but neither problem was resolved during my stay.\nMany amenities now need to be requested from the front desk. I requested three amenities, and received just one, even after two requests. \nMore troubling was the surprisingly low quality of service from the concierge and desk staff, who seem young and inexperienced. While a couple of the staff were courteous and interested in helping, a couple more seemed to lack aptitude in guest relations and etiquette. One concierge provided some major mis-information which wasted valuable time on my last day in the city. \nAt check out, there was a problem with the room service portion of my bill, which we were unable to resolve. I emailed the hotel and to date (a week later) have not heard back. A disappointing ending to a disappointing stay.\nI hope that with more comments like these the Triton will take a good, hard look at its management, staff, training, maintenance, etc., and become a better hotel. Until then, I\u2019ll explore other accommodations the next time I\u2019m in SF.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed at the Triton for a week-end in January 2005. We are fifty something and loved the Triton. It was cheap and very comfortable. The beds were great, the shower was great. The rooms were uniquely, coolly and tastefully decorated. The staff was friendly. The location, at the gates to Chinatown, was excellent. Even the elevators were cool. The hotel has recently been renovated and it shows.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Due to a convention in town, I was forced to book this hotel for two nights on a business trip. It was a mistake. I booked the so-called \"zen den\", which was a tiny room but liveable with a nice bathroom area and brightly colored walls. The main problem was that the room faced Bush Street, which runs one way to the financial district. For most of the night, you're treated to the noise of speeding cars, loud motorcycles, people chatting as they walk past, garbage trucks, and, at 3 a.m., someone wandering around playing the flute. Needless to say, sleeping was difficult, if not impossible, under these circumstances.\nThe hotel offered to swith me to a room on the other side but noted that the garbage trucks operate over on that side. You could hear them pretty well from my side so it must have been unbearable on that side of the building. \nIn any case, if you're traveling on business and require a quiet hotel, avoid this one. If you don't, you risk having your own zen-like experience trying to get through the work day in a sleep-deprived haze.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "San Francisco is a great city, but this hotel was rather disappointing. The room I was first given was just awful. Tiny, smelly, dark. The second room was slightly better (but also 20 US $) more. Still smelly and incredibly loud - every morning at 4.30 you get to listen to the dumpster car working in the alley and street below. Maybe the insulation was really bad in my room. \nThe people working there were friendly, but by and large astonishingly incompetent and amateurish. The whole place felt very much like a hotel run by college kids for college kids.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "As a former San Franciscan, I chose the Hotel Triton for a funky SF experience for me & my husband who had never been to San Fran. \n It looks great from the outside and the lobby. It is right at the entrance to Chinatown, and next to Cafe Presse and my favorite card shop, Advantcard. The decor is really fun, in a funky college student kind of way, and there are some nice touches like candybars in the minibar-like offers in a tray in the room.\n But:\n The room was terrible. It was one of the inner rooms facing a rather depressing courtyard deck. (I never saw the outside rooms so I don't know if they are any better but San Fran is usually cloudy so the more light the better I say). \n The room was very dark and extremely tiny. The window AC unit blocked a lot of the light coming in the small window. \n And the room was very small, so small the bed dominates most of the room. Even with the 2 of us standing with a weekender suitcase each, the room felt very, very crowded. The room (not including the bathroom) was literally the size of 2 office cubicles. I'm really not kidding here.\n There was absolutely no space to open a suitcase. There was a luggage rack but no place to unfold it, unless you blocked the door to the room or the door to the bathroom.\n The bathroom was also very tiny and a little worn looking also however they did try to dress it up a bit with some luxury anementies. \n But the thing that I didn't like the most about the Hotel Triton is, unfortunently, the service. They just didn't care. \n Our room had a connecting door to another room on one side and there was not any insulation between the rooms, these are just standard doors.\nThere were a bunch of guys, and gathering from the conversation, from Iowa for a few days having a bachelor party for a guy named Steve marrying someone named Robin. We could every single word of there conversation through the door and across the courtyard since we shared the corner together. Even heard them break a glass and set another one down on a tabletop. Its not like we were even trying to hear it. We put the AC on, the TV on, and were lying in bed. It was very uncomfortable. \n All the other stuff, we thought we could live with but this was a bit much. We went down to request getting moved. And the desk person said that she wouldn't move us and that the Hotel Triton rules doesn't allow parties. We told here there was definately a party. After arguing with us about if this party actually exists, she told us she would tell them to clear out. \n We didn't want that, after all the guy was getting married, and again, we just asked to be moved. She called the manager, who said that they couldn't move us, wouldn't tell us why, just something about booking rooms in advance. Very puzzling. \n Anyway, we decided to live with it and stayed in the room and spent our San Fran trip avoiding going back to the room until late at night. That's fine, plenty to do in San Fran.\nOne last suprise, on checking out, there were 2 phone calls on our bill! Considering that we both carry cellphones and knowing the cost of hotel phone service we honestly NEVER made one phone call from our room didn't even pick up the phone to call the front desk, just walked on down to the lobby. Weird. \n The girl at the counter argued with us about the phone charges! My husband and I kept insisting that we didn't call anyone in San Fran (my friends all live in the East Bay). She said well maybe you called a restaurant. But we didn't make any reservations either. Finally my husband says, we didn't make ANY calls, call the number and see, maybe it was the person before us. She, rather angrily calls the number and nobody answered. \n Finally they just take it off our bill. But the whole time the women looked very mad like we were trying to scam her. \n When the taxi came to pick us up, my husband says \"I tried to be a good sport about this hotel room but that was the last straw. Why would we want to scam her out of $4.00?\" \nA few other things:\n The doors used real keys, not electronic cards and don't keep changing the door locks so there is the security issue.\n The chocolate chip cookie in the lobby were very good.\n The location in hindsight isn't the great for real tourists, in my opinion. Fisherman's Wharf although garish, is probable the better choice, all the tourist activities seem to begin and end there and because its full od tourist its busier at night time. Our hotel's street was full of homeless people at night. \n Anyway, FYI, we are both 33 years old. We heard mixed reviews about the hotel before we went and I can see why.\nWe found it to have a cool glamourized Youth Hotel vibe. Great for college students, I think but NOT great for more mature adults. \nI would have been ok staying there with a friend for a night but not with my husband. My parents would have hated it, not for the decor but for the cramped quarters and other issues, not worth the price. \n I suggest instead, staying at The Argonaut Hotel, which is another boutique hotel, in Fisherman's Wharf. Our friend's stayed there and it looked very nice. It's got a nautical theme, its newly renovated, the rooms are bigger and it seems to be cheerful and cleaner.\nHope this helps everyone out there make an informed decision. A hotel can really make or break your trip. Regardless, enjoy your vacation and Have Fun!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 27}]}, "80780": {"reviews": [{"text": "From checkin to checkout, our stay was fabulous. The staff's professional, spirited attitude--be they reservationist, valet, front desk, or housekeeper--deserves 5 stars. For instance, mention in passing by one of us about an allergy to down brought an instant change of linens. The hotel's evening wine hour and morning's biscotti hour also distinguish the property as a cut above, and our group, which has stayed at many a biz hotel, had no problem whatsoever; in fact, a courtesy upgrade got us a fine meeting space with free internet, which even impressed our boss. And while we weren't expecting to dine at their restaurant, given how many fine ones there are to choose from in this neighborhood, as it turns out we relished the food, both dinner and breakfast. We're already planning our next stay.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Just came back from a one night stay at the Tuscan Inn. Although we are \"locals\" having lived in SF Bay Area for the last 16 years, we were attending a wine event at Fort Mason and didn't want to have to drive home. When I got a GREAT deal ($99 INCLUDING parking!!!!) I jumped at it. But being the Wharf had no great expectations, and didn't really need much more than a bed for the night.\nThis hotel is a weird hybrid.. calling itself Best Western, but being in partnership with Kimpton Hotels (which for those that don't know is a chain of more upscale boutique hotels). I have to think this is why the hotel looks and feels a lot better than other Wharf hotels I've stayed at previously. And frankly more upscale than other Best Westerns too.\nStaff were very pleasant, always asking if we needed directions or anything (we didn't, but it's nice to be asked) and smiling and opening doors etc. (including all the maids and bell boys we encountered) Small touches, but very pleasant. We didn't make it to the wine hour (having been drinking wine all day, it was not high on our agenda!) but have done that at other Kimpton hotels and it's a nice extra.\nOur room looked like a room in a Kimpton hotel, nice bed with decent white linens with burgundy and black throw pillows and accents. The bathroom had not been remodeled in alignment, but it was all very clean and perfectly acceptable.\nThe great thing for us was the free parking. Normally parking is $36 a night so getting that thrown in was a fantastic steal. What I didn't realize at the time is that the park the car across the street in a public lot (I assumed it would be in covered hotel parking). \nAgree with other comments that breakfast at Cafe Pescatore is nothing to write home about, but again, my expectations were low, as it is just that kind of area.\nBut if I could get a deal like this on the same hotel, I'd go back every year as we attend the same event every year, and the location and facilities were exactly what we needed.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We stayed at the Tuscan Inn for four nights (July 22-26) and were very happy overall with the hotel. After reading other reviews about getting an inside room facing the courtyard I was ready to request that. Our flight was an early a.m. arrival and when we arrived the front desk let us know there was already a room available but it was an outside facing room. Since it was on the fourth floor we went ahead thinking it might be a little quieter since it wasn't on the street level. They let us know if we wanted to switch after the first night that wouldn't be a problem. We ended up staying in the room they gave us and it was just fine. In fact, I was thrilled to look out our window and actually see the towers of the golden gate bridge peeking over the other buildings between our hotel and the bay! We lucked out and were there when it was clear for a couple days. It was a bonus to be all checked in mid-morning and we were able to take off and enjoy the city right away. The location is great since it is only a couple blocks to Fisherman's Wharf, the ferry for Alcatraz, Pier 39, Ghiradelli Square, cable cars, bus stops, and there is a small shopping center across the street with grocery store, etc. to stock up on whatever you might want to keep in your room for snacks, drinks, etc. If you're traveling to SF for the first time and have kids with you I think this is a perfect location. The staff was exceptionally helpful and friendly, from the front desk, concierge, valet, and housekeeping. I would ignore the review or two that complain about this hotel. Some people aren't happy no matter what. The coffee and biscotti in the lobby in the morning was nice and all the guests that I talked to seemed very pleased to be there too. (coffee tasted extra good to me!) The lobby was decorated nicely. Too bad we weren't able to enjoy the fireplace because of the heatwave. Overall a nice atmosphere. The only slight downside (and it was slight) was the room size was a little small. I knew that going into it and was prepared so it wasn't a big surprise. We traveled with two teens and had a wheelchair to store in the room too but there was still enough room to put clothes, suitcases, etc. and still walk around the room. The beds were also very comfortable. It just might not be for someone who wants to hang out all day at the hotel in a roomy room. But who wants to hang out all day at the hotel when you have such a great city to explore? Thanks Tuscan Inn. We loved our stay and miss it already. We will definitely return here the next time we're in SF.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We stayed at the Tuscan Inn for 3 nights at the end of May, the hotel has a great location within walking distance to the waterfront, including attractions and great restaurants. The staff were very polite and helpful, loved the large lobby area with the large fireplace where you were invited to sample wonderful wine and nibbles early evening and tea or coffee in the mornings. Our rooms were of adequate size, very clean and as requested overlooking the courtyard area, which was very pretty. I notice on other reviews the high cost of parking which we didn't have to consider as we were advised you do not need a car to get around SF, and this is quite true. We had a lovely day at Alcatraz would should not be missed, but make sure you book before you leave home. Went for cocktails on top of the American Bank (one of the tallest buildings) see photo attached, so much to do in SF and such little time, oh well we will just have to return and would definitely stay at the Tuscan Inn again!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Although shared by three adults, we found the room at the Tuscan Inn to be adequatly large enough. We did ask for and receive an inner courtyard room, which made for a relaxing view and quiet sleep. Never was disturbed by slamming doors, noise of any kind, and our room was also close to ice machine. Stayed for two nights and really enjoyed the free wine in the evenings and biscotti and coffee and/or wide range of teas in the morning. Close proximity to many attractions, and also transportation to other areas of the city. The hotel's restaurant Pescatoro served an excellent ciopino! Would stay again if ever in SF.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "After a bad experience at the Sheraton across the street (badly misrepresented on the Sheraton website), we decided to go to the Tuscan Inn where we stayed 2 yrs ago. We should have come back here to begin with and spared ourselves the 4am room changing shenanigans over at the Sheraton. The Tuscan took us in at 10:00 am and let us check in immediately, gave us a courtyard view room (which is always quieter at the Wharf), and gave us a $149 rate (AAA) for a BEAUTIFUL room. We may have had an ADA room because it was pretty big with large bathroom - it was room 459 - and the room had all the amenities we were looking for. Refrigerator, minibar, free wi-fi, iron & board, hairdryer, down comforters (they were HEAVEN) and pillow top beds. It was decorated beautifully in white, black, burgundy, and a touch of teal, with a mirrored wall to give it a more open feel, and wooden louvered shutters. Even the shower pressure was decent. The lobby (which has a fireplace and very comfy furniture) has a wine tasting for free between 5-6pm each night and you meet dozens of really nice people from all over the world. There is internet access near the fireplace area at a nominal charge if you don't have wi-fi. The restaurant, Pescatoro, is excellent. The rooms are spotless and the employees are as nice as you could ever want. Ask to see a few rooms before you check in, because the room size and location can vary between floors and sides. Ours has two double beds. Some of the king beds had very comfortable sofa beds, which we had 2 years ago. All in all, the location was perfect - a short walk to the cable cars or bus lines, a Safeway grocery and Walgreens drugs is across the street in a parking garage-type mall, and there are small places to eat breakfast nearby plus an IHOP a few blocks over. The Wharf is about a block away. Just beware if you get the SuperShuttle to the airport - if you tell Supershuttle you are staying at the Sheraton Fisherman's Wharf it's $23 for 2 people and if you tell them you are at Tuscan Inn, literally across the street, it's $30 for 2 - something about contracts with the hotels - and they pick you up earlier than they say so BE ON TIME wherever you get it. All in all - cold and windy there but we had a great time so it didn't even matter, and the hotel was PERFECT. Oh - and some don't miss tours - Yosemite, and Muir Woods. You will keep the memories for a lifetime.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 28}, {"text": "good location, close to fishermans wharf, pier 39, ghiradaelli square and cable car stops to union square.\nbut, do ask for an internally facing room - ours was overlooking the front of the hotel and incredibly noisy with the traffic", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I will just echo what everyone else has said - this is WAY better than any other Best Western i have stayed in. And the location is perfect for tourists.\nBUT - the external facing rooms can be noisy from traffic, so make sure you request an internal room, facing the courtyard. We had one night in each!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We (grad student couple) spent the last week at this wonderful hotel. It was located in a great spot - close to the tourist areas and also Muni and cable car transportation to go all over the city. In addition to being next to many shops and stores to pick up whatever you may need.\n The staff was really great- friendly, knowledgable, etc. and the free coffee/tea and beer/wine daily was very nice and allowed for a cozy feeling among the quests.\nThe room (king bed) and bathroom were perfect in size- just what is needed. We had an interior room, which was nice and quiet. Although there is not much space for clothes/personal items- two drawers and a small closet, it was more than enough for all of our things for the entire week.\nOverall, we had a great time here, loved everything about the tuscan inn, and would definitely stay here again upon return visits to SF.\nAlthough there is no pool or fitness facility at location, as others have mentioned, passes are available at the front desk for $9/day for the 24 hour facility right across the street that has both gym equipment and a pool.\nSome advice- don't rent a car in SF, you don't need it! Public transportation (you can buy unlimited passes for a varied number of days) is more than enough and can take you everywhere without having to worry about parking (or paying for it). And, it definitely pays for itself with just a few rides of the cable car (which is $5 each way these days).\nYou will love SF and the Tuscan Inn!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "Introduction:\nThe Tuscan Inn is a Best Western property in the Fisherman\u2019s Wharf area of San Francisco California. They also are related to the Kimpton hotel chain. The hotel has 4 levels with a variety of King, Double, King Suite and Double Suite rooms available. \nExperience:\nWe had arrived on a late flight and only made it to the hotel at about 10 at night. The single front desk clerk told us they had given away our original room with 2 double beds. Instead they said they would give us a suite with 1 king sized bed and fold out couch. This was not what we wanted but there were no rooms with 2 regular beds and it was late at night. They agreed to change us to the next available room with 2 double beds. Upon returning to the desk in the morning we were given key cards for room 439 with 2 double beds. This was much better as my son said a night on the fold away couch bed was awful. I can understand this as I lay down and could feel the springs of the bed. Although I understand it is first come first serve I think it was wrong to give away a guest\u2019s room especially if they have notified you of their late check-in. \nRoom:\nI will not go into details about the first room we had (King Suite) as I did not pay much attention other than where the washroom, bed and TV were as it was late at night when we checked in and all we wanted to do was relax and go to sleep. \nOur actual room featured 2 double sized beds with TV, honor bar (we liked the extra room left to store our own store bought products), a work desk, chair, coffee maker and . The room itself, although \u201csmaller\u201d was not cramped but not nearly average hotel room sized. The washroom was not overly large but big enough to comfortable move around in the morning. There was also a small closet in the room. Our room had a court-yard view which means it faced in the inside of hotel. This was good because it was quiet. Do not worry about the view from you room as the best views are in Fisherman\u2019s Wharf in one of the restaurants. I\u2019ll write more on that later. The room is not (or at least should not) be very important to the tourist traveler in San Francisco\u2019s Fisherman\u2019s Wharf. The area is full of exciting things to do and places to eat. If I exclude time spent sleeping I think I only spent 3-4 hours total time in the room during the week I was in the area. The only weak point of the room was that there was very little storage space for clothing and person articles. \nServices/Amenities:\nIn accordance with the Tuscan Inn\u2019s Italian style/theme a coffee/tea/biscotti service was open from 6am till 9am in the mornings. In the evenings from 5pm till 6pm a wine, beer and sparkling water service was available. Guests have the opportunity to sample local Californian wines as well as Italian beer and water. The hotel does not feature any sort of pool or exercise facility which would have been convenient to have but not necessary but definitely good to have. The hotel offers free wifi (wireless high speed internet) to all guests who have a laptop. The signal was accessible throughout the hotel. This is a definite plus for any traveler with a laptop. I used it to keep in touch with people back home, find stores in SF as well as look up reviews and recommendations on area restaurants. Parking at the hotel was a hefty $32 per day with unlimited in and out privileges. We never called down in advance and once we informed the valet from the lobby our car was retrieved within 5 minutes. Very good!\nFinal Word:\nThe Tuscan Inn by Best Western is an excellent choice for tourists who want easy (and I mean really easy) access to the Fisherman\u2019s Wharf area as well as business travelers doing to the financial district (there are 3 daily shuttles). The hotel is located near many restaurants in the Wharf area as well as an onsite restaurant called Caf\u00e9 Pascatore serving tasty Italian food. For breakfast I recommend walking the 2-3 blocks to the IHOP near the Radisson on the Wharf. \nOverall:\nFront Desk Staff: 10/10\nRooms: 8/10\nLocation 11/10\nAmenities: 7/10 (lack of pool or fitness room)\nValue: 10/10", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 27}, {"text": "We have just returned from 5 days at the Tuscan Inn at Fisherman's Wharf. What a great place for a San Francisco vacation. Everything is within walking distance or via the antique trollycar. The staff at this hotel is superb, from the front desk staff to the housekeepers. Everyone wants you to enjoy their city and they go out of their way to make sure you are content. Free coffee in the morning, free beer and wine in the afternoon, what more could you ask for? Great clean rooms with a fantastic shower!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "A perfect spot in the middle of the wharf. A great price for a very nice comfortable room. We upgraded to a suite but didn't spend much time in the room with so much to see.\nMark was very helpful and accomodating at the front desk and was actually quite funny,you can tell he really enjoys what he does!\nWalk 2 blocks to alcatraz tour dock, 2 blocks to IHOP, 3 blocks to cable cars.\nWe will absolutely come back to the Tuscan Inn on our next trip to San Francisco!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I can thoroughly recommend this hotel as excellent value for money. It is clean, decorated in boutique style, very relaxing, and has helpful staff. I followed the suggested of someone else who reported on this page and asked for a room on the inside courtyard, which was fine in terms of peace and quiet. It is very conveniently located for the Fisherman\u2019s Wharf area. There is a pc carrel in the lobby and email can be accessed subject to a charge. The only possible complaint was that the sink in the bathroom had a crack in it, but it did not bother me enough to ask for a different room. All in all, however, an excellent choice, and I would stay there again. Also a ride to the airport could be arranged from the hotel, in a local transporter bus, for 15 dollars.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "If you were lucky enough to be in San Francisco from Wednesday, February 22nd through Friday, February 24th then you know the weather was awesome. But, what was just as good was to come back to the Tuscan Inn each day. The Best Western Tuscan Inn continues to review well on Tripadvisor because it continues to live up to its reputation in both price and value. This is not budget hoteling, but its not the Hyatt either. I continue to find BW's in unique places with good property locations. We stayed in the 330's on the Mason street side as opposed to the busier North Point side. We even had a veiw from our window of Coit Tower. Traffic noise was minimal, too, and surprisingly calm at night. Watch out, though, for the windows extending out especially with little kids in the room. Rooms are a bit tight especially if you get the two doubles. Decor looks nice (trying for the Tuscany feel) and let's just say the beds were soft, cozy, but firm so no issues with sleeping. Surprisingly quiet at night, too. Bathrooms, though, are plenty big. No room for rollaway so Grandma got her own room, but she did baby sit one night. Also, we got connecting rooms, but check first because there are only so many available. Nice to have when travelling with other relatives with kids. Yes, happy wine tasting hour is a bit crowded, but fun and a great way to get in the mood for nice night out on the town not to mention getting some ideas from other travellers. Besides wine, the hostess (I think she was the night manager) served Peroni beer which was unexpected and refreshing. In the mornings, of course, the coffee (very good) and biscoti's are available down in the lobby same as happy hour. Can't beat location, Mason and North Point. Minutes away from Fisherman's Wharf, Pier 39, etc. No. 9 Fisherman's Grotto is classic for dinner and cannot beat the view. We also did the Beach Chalet at teh end of Golden Gate Park one night with surfers and Sunset views to die for. Upon arriving into SF via 2 autos, it took us less than 10 minutes to get to the hotel from the Bay Bridge exit and onto Embarcadero until we came to North Point. You can walk to the Buena Vista (best breakfast and Irish Coffee), North Beach (Vesuvio's a must) and even Lombard street, but at night take cabs for sure. Despite not having a pool, the kids loved the Tuscan Inn, too. Lot's of great comfy space in the lobby. The Concierge at the Tuscan was excellent considering he was constantly busy. Front desk staff were always pleasant. Maid service was prompt, too. When we arrived we simply pulled up to the hotel and had the bellman help us. Parking is an issue in SF so either pay the $30.00 plus a day to park at the Tuscan or find something cheaper in the city. With MUNI (1.50 for adults, .50 kids and seniors) and cable cars ($5.00 one way or 10.00 all day anytime) you don't really need autos do you? Again, the Tuscan Inn lived up to its reputation.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "The Tuscan Inn is in a great location, 2 blocks from the wharf, a block from the cable car, a block from the F-Line, opposite a Safeway, and next door to a nice Italian restaurant.\nThe rooms are pretty standard size, were nice and clean, and comfortable. Free coffee in the lobby in the mornings is nice. Staff are helpful. No complaints.\nInstead of getting a city pass, or one of the others that are heavily advertised, we just got a 3 day muni pass, which gives you all the transport options (same as the other passes), but doesn't include the museums or art galleries that we'd never go to.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Our family of five stayed in two rooms at the Tuscan Inn for two nights during the first week in January. It was our first visit to the inn, although not to San Francisco, and for the most part the experience was enjoyable. The hotel is conveniently located for tourists, being close to waterfront attractions and also to bus and cable car stops. It seems to be an older hotel, with the resulting small rooms, but is very attractive. The staff was friendly, pleasant, and helpful, and a houseman went out of his way to dry my son's sneakers (which had encountered a stray wave at the beach near Golden Gate Park). The hotel has a large, inviting lobby with a fireplace, and there is a delightful wine and nibbles manager's reception held there each evening. The restaurant looked interesting, but we chose to go elsewhere to eat so have no comment about it. There is an IHOP conveniently located nearby for breakfasts.\nUnfortunately, there were a few things about the hotel which were rather irritating. Although the rooms were clean and fresh, one of ours had several small problems - the phone didn't work, the bathroom door handle was quite loose, and the thermostat didn't work properly. When I contacted the front desk they arranged for a maintenance person to come when we were out and the little things were fixed, but the temperature wouldn't go below 74 degrees during our entire stay, which made for very uncomfortable sleeping. In addition, the valet parking is apparently handled by an outside contractor, and turned out to be considerably more expensive than we had been told - $35/day - which seemed very high. However, overall I consider the Tuscan Inn to have been an enjoyable place to stay, and would recommend it to other tourists, especially those looking for a place that is warm and cosy!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "Being from the Sacramento area we've visited and stayed at San Francisco hotels for over 20 years. This was our first stay at this hotel and it was an enjoyable experience. It has everthing you need to have a great time in a great city- location, good service, great food (the adjoining Cafe Pescadero), comfortable rooms and a complimentary happy hour. Nuff said.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "My husband and i travelled to SFO celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary. We stayed at the Tuscan Inn for 2 nights whilst in SFO. The check in was easy, the staff friendly and helpful. The rooms were quite small but well set out and our room looked into the courtyard. There was no noise at all. Fantastic spot. Cafe Pescatore attached to the Tuscan Inn was beautiful, lovely food and good prices. Close to Pier 39, Alcatraz and walk to the cable cars. We did all the tourist things. Loved the shopping in Union Square. Had dinner at The Seafood Market on Fishermans Wharf Pier 39, would recommend the scampi trio & the calamari. We had a wonderful time at the Tuscan Inn and SFO and would return there tomorrow if we could! Enjoy....", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "After reading so many positive reviews about this hotel, I booked it for my stay over the New Year. Once I arrived I was very disappointed. I'd been placed in a 'smoking allowed' room, despite requesting a non-smoking room. Asking for a room change straight away, I was refused, and was told that these requests can only be made by booking direct through Best Western's website. Therefore, I spent 4 nights in a constant tobacco smelling room & told to 'open windows'! (December in SF?!)\nViews? Well no, on this one too. I was facing a brick wall, with a plant pot as 'greenery'\nOn the positive side, the bed was extremely comfortable. Location is also great, with a couple of supermarkets within a block from the hotel.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My wife and I stayed with two of our U.S. friends for 4 nights in early December 2005. From the time we arrived we were made to feel most welcome by all staff. Our room was very cosy and comfortable. As previous reports suggest the rooms are a bit smaller than some other hotels we have stayed at but we were only there to sleep. The bed was great and our room looked out over the courtyard. No traffic noise, whatsoever. \nThe only problem we encountered was a blocked toilet which was fixed immediately.\nThe Pescatore Restaurant, downstairs, was terrific. Very friendly staff serving great breakfasts and evening meals (bring your appetite). The prices were reasonable, compared to Australian standards.\nThe location is perfect. We saw Fisherman's Wharf (great shopping and, no, it is not a rip-off), Pier 39, Alcatraz, Top of the Mark, cable car ride, downtown SF, etc. A lot in 4 days but all fantastic. Go to Bubba Gump Restaurant on Pier 39 for great seafood and atmosphere.\nMost of these places are a short stroll and walking back to the hotel at night was no problem at all.\nWe loved SF and, particularly, the Tuscan Inn. \nWe recommend it and, if we return to SF, that is where we will stay.\nPlease send us an email if you want more details or some ideas on what to see and do.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "My wife and I stayed at the Tuscan for the last 4 nights of our honeymoon after 3 weeks in Hawaii. We couldn't have picked a better place! The rooms, although a little on the cramped side, were tastefully furnished and immaculate. Our room (456), faced the courtyard which we knew enough to request in advance of our trip due to the street noise problem. We did not experience the noise problems that the other posters experinced and always had a great night's sleep in the comfortable beds. The hotel itself is conveniently located within walking distance of trolley and cable car routes as well as all the attractions on the wharf. Because of the exhorbitant $29 valet parking fee, we only rented a car for Sonoma and Napa for one day. Having purchased a City Pass for $42 each (which includes a week of unlimited mass transit, admission to Alcatraz as well as admission to sevral other museums in the city)we became well versed in getting around the town without a car. Back to the hotel...we loved the wine and beer reception between 5 and 6 every night as well as the coffee and biscotti in the morning. These receptions gave us a chance to pick the brains of the concierge and manager who made some excellent wine tasting recommendations (Artesa, Nicholson Ranch and Kunde Estates were great). Don't forget to tip them for their expertise. For excellent and reasonably priced seafood close to home, go to Scomas (expect at least a half hour wait as they don't take reservations). Also, treat yourself to clam chowder and cioppino in sourdough bread. Frisco beats every city in the world in the street food department (including NYC), so take advantage while you're there.\nOverall, TI is a winner!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We stayed at this hotel on a trip to San Francisco Sept. 22 - 24. The location is terrific - two blocks from Fisherman's Wharf. We stayed there with another couple in 2 rooms.\nUpon arriving, there was a very long and confusing to do with the valet parking - we hadn't gotten our luggage out of th car and the valet wanted the keys. We were told to take our luggage out and wait for the concierge, who never showed up. There were about five other cars in the area - we were told if we needed the car, the valet would get when we needed it. There was a fee of $29 per day for the parking. We parked the car and never needed to take it out until we left. \nWe checked in during the daily \"wine tasting\" the hotel provided. That left the small lobby loaded with people blocking the desk and walkways. The wine tasting is a great idea but the lobby is so small that the crowds block access. I was totally amazed that the other guests didn't budge out of the way so we could get to our rooms. \nCheck in was quick. Our rooms were very small but beautifully decorated. We had no view - all we saw out the window was the back of another wing of the hotel. \nThere was a mini-bar but it was locked and we did not have the key. There was a small refrigerator in the room. The furnishings were lovely. Some rooms had the bathroom sink outside the bathroom, which we would have preferred, but our sink was inside the bathroom. The bathroom was clean and bright and the toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, creams) were so good that we took the leftovers home because there was a website selling the shampoo listed on the bottle.\nThe beds were comfortable, the shower was hot, the towels luxurious. There was an ice machine on our floor but the soda machine was out of order. There was a 7-11 convenience type store down the street so we simply got soda there while we were out. \nOur air conditioner was terribly loud our first night there. The second day we stopped at the desk and spoke to the friendly clerk who had it fixed for us when we came back that night.\nThere is a moderately priced Italian restaurant in the hotel that we had a deceont dinner at, but there are so many restaurants on the Wharf we preferred to eat there. We found an IHOP around the corner for breakfast.\nIt is a 2 block walk to the wharf and the location is very convenient. We also were within walking distance of the cable cars and even walked up to Lombard Street.\nWe paid $169 per night. While the rooms were lovely for that price they were extremely small, but the location was just perfect.\nI'd recommend this hotel to others, but now that I have seen the area, might stay elsewhere if I could find a better price.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My wife and I have travelled the world and stayed in hundreds of hotels in the US, Europe and Asia. This hotel ranks among the top. The service was excellent, the room was terrific, the bed was incredibly comfortable and the hotel is centrally located to all the major attractions of San Francisco. We particularly enjoyed the complimentary wine hour that the hotel features every day from five to six. We went on two day-long tours when in San Francisco including a day in the Napa/Sonoma valleys and the company we used is just down the block from the hotel so we didn't even have to wait for the pick-up bus. I would highly recommend this hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I can't say enough good things about this hotel. The location is fantastic - just a few blocks from Fisherman's Wharf, and everything is nearby. There is a grocery store and a drug store across the street. From the hotel we walked to Fisherman's Wharf, Pier 30, The Cannery, Ghirardelli Square, Coit Tower, Lombard Street, Chinatown, and many other locations. \nThe staff is courteous and professional, and the concierge is very helpful. The hotel has a nice boutique feel to it, partly due to the lobby with fireplace, wine tasting every evening, and biscotti for breakfast. \nThe rooms are extremely clean and have windows that actually open to the outside. We had a courtyard view of trees and flowers. Our room was furnished in tones of dark red and black, including a bolster pillow and shams. The hallways are clean and nicely lit to add to the boutique feel.\nThe hotel is eco-friendly, which I liked. They only change your sheets and towels everyday if you request. If you don't want them changed, they still remake and clean the room. The towels were nice sized and thick, and there were plenty of them. The shower head was up pretty high which is great for tall travelers. There was also a curved curtain which allows you more room when showering. I especially liked the aromatherapy bath soap, lotion, shampoo, and conditioner.\nWe got a great night's sleep due to the comfortable bed and quiet. We never heard a sound from other rooms besides the door next to ours opening and closing. \nIf I searched to find anything wrong with the hotel, I could only say that one side of our toilet paper holder was loose. \nI can't recommend this hotel enough, and we will definitely stay there again when visiting San Francisco. I will also recommend it highly to everyone I know!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I got this hotel(3 star) through Priceline while trying to get the Radison(2.5 star). We stayed at the Tuscan Inn the last week in June from Friday night until Monday morning. I reserved two rooms. We saved money by flying into Oakland International Airport. For those wondering, a cab ride from OIA is $53.00\nWe arrived very late, in fact Saturday am, and were greeted by Quinn who checked us in. Quinn was very friendly. During our stay, I spoke with both Quinn and Neal at the front desk, two valet attendants, and Daniel the Concierge. All were very friendly and courteous, and quickly answered every question that I asked.\nWe never tried the restaurant in the hotel, as we had plenty of options in the blocks surrounding the hotel.\nThe hotel is conveniently located, two blocks from Fisherman's Wharf, and close to the cable cars, trolley stops, and the Blue and Gold fleet (Alcatraz tours). \nFor $6 round trip you can take the nearby trolleys to China Town, Nob Hill, Union Station, and Powell Street. If you want to see the Golden Gate Bridge, you can rent bikes or two seater and four seater motorized vehicles from a few places within two or three blocks of the hotel. The bridge is about 3.5 miles from the hotel. You can walk to the Gold and Blue fleet for tours around the bay, to Angel and Alcatraz Islands, and to Muir Woods. Also, a Super Tours office is just a block or two up North Point. One morning as we were walking out, there was gentleman there who annouced to folks waiting in the lobby that he was with \"Grayline Tours\".\nThe room we stayed in was a bit tight. It was actually two rooms, with a sofa bed, desk, coffee table, and television in the first room, and a bed, dresser, and television in a seperate room. The bath in our room was fine, not extraordinarily big, but not cramped either. It only had a shower. The only con was the limited space in the bedroom. There wasn't a lot of space for the luggage. However the bed was extremely confortable. Overall, I was happy with the room.\nThe other room, reserved for my mother, was a single room, with much more space. She was very happy with her room. I will attempt to include a picture of her room.\nWe stayed in three hotels on our trip to San Francisco and Las Vegas, and when it was all said and done, this was the hotel we all agreed was the best stay overall. Our other hotel stay in Las Vegas was the Holiday Inn Express a couple of blocks up the street. Prices being equal, I would recommend this hotel over the Holiday Inn Express for the beds alone.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "The hotel was conveniently located 2 blocks from Fisherman's Wharf. While this was an older hotel, it has been kept up well and the rooms were satisfactory. The morning Starbucks coffee in the lobby was a nice touch.\nI would not recommend the hotel resaurant. We ate breakfast there one day and were appalled at the slow service, rude waitstaff, and overpriced breakfast food. There are plenty of other places to eat within walking distance of the hotel.\nOverall, we would stay here again (just avoid the restaurant)!", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "My husband and I always try to get away on the anniversary of our only child's death, March 31st. I had read about the Tuscan Inn and booked it well in advance for our arrival. It sounded like a great place to be for the occasion.\nWe took a train from Santa Barbara, and I knew we were going to arrive quite late. I was looking forward to the assurance of our lovely room awaiting us. As it turned out, we arrived at around 3:00 A. M. totally exhausted. We were supposed to have arrived around 10 P.M.\nBut I had guaranteed with my credit card, so I knew we could just get there and go to sleep.\nWell we arrived and THEY HAD SOLD OUR ROOM! I was totally shocked.\nThe snide, sadistic clerk at the desk was completely unapologetic and sarcastic. QUINN. He said he found us another room that was like the one we'd reserved non-smoking King. We also always look for free wi-fi. We were taken to another hotel where the room was totally reeking of cigarettes, because it was a smoking room, and 2 twin beds. By then it was almost 4:00 A.M. Internet access was not free.\nI was so upset and angry, and that desk clerk is nothing but a black hole for Best Western's public relations. There was no\" MISTAKE\"-there was no \"MISUNDERSTANDING\"But there was an abundance of ill will and greed.\nIf a late arrival guarantee has NO meaning, and is not honored by the hotel, than how can I trust their hospitality code? I have NEVER had such a crappy experience at a hotel. I really feel that he sized us up and decided to try to wield power, because there was nothing we could do.\nI will tell all my friends about this, and we are not, despite Quinn's assessment of our social status, a bunch of unsophisticated hillbillies.\nThis was way below terrible.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "My wife and I stayed for three nights in March 2005. We had a room facing into the Courtyard. Quiet and well designed. Best feature was the freebie drinks in reception from 5-6pm. We met couples from all parts of the world and had interesting chats over several glasses of wine. Don't bother with the Italian style cafe attached to the hotel. The best and nearest breakfast is at Wharf Inn on Beach St, a block away (Chinese run).\nAnother English couple we know has stayed here since our departure and they too confirm our opinion that this is a lovely hotel, well situated for all the delights of Fishermans Wharf", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My husband and i stayed here for 2 nights in march, I was concermed by the number of comments regarding the size of the rooms - yes they are a little on the small size but as there was only 2 of us plus my toddler daughter we found them to be more than adequate and very family friendly (particularly liked the lock on the mini bar/fridge door which housed a seemlessly endless supply of candy!) the beds were VERY comfortable and we had a great room which overlooked the street below with the bay in the distance (NOT overly noisy at all considering the location) the valet and the porters all very friendly and nothing seemed to be too much trouble for any of the staff! overall we had a fantastic stay and i would not hesitate to book here again, being a travel agent i am very picky by the nature of work i am in, and i would DEFINATELY reccomend this hotel as a first option to any of my clients who wanted to stay in San Fran. i would also urge other vistors to prebook Alacatraz with Blue and Gold Fleet direct on there website before they arrive in San Fran as you can pick up your tickets at the self service machine without the miles of queues!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "Stayed here recently. Everything went well. I really liked the place. The hotel had been pre booked so on check out I had nothing else to pay. However, when I returned home, I discovered the hotel had charged my credit card $1.63 without my knowledge the day after check out. It is only a small sum of money but I was very concerned as I had not stolen anything from the hotel or used any of the stuff in the bedroom bar!\nThe hotel now claims however that \"items were removed\". The only others with access to this food and drink were the cleaning staff. \nI suggest to anyone staying here to make sure they know what is being taken out of their credit card before they leave this hotel.\nI am a very honest person who has stayed in many hotels over Europe and America and I have never before experienced an insult like this.\nMy credit card company are supportive and refunded my money but be aware. There could have been a lot more money involved. All I have is my word that I removed no items!", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I will be back! I have been staying in San Fran for a while as i visit my college aged son. This hotel is the first i have felt totally comfortable in. The staff is friendly and the hotel itself is not what it appears from the outside. The Kimpton Group has taken it over and i believe, have given it a shakedown.....down comforters......gorgeous lobby and friendy restaurant and lounge. The food at the \"Cafe\" is quite \"hotel-like\" but the service makes up for it.....plus SF is a food town! So many other places to explore other than your hotel!\nThis place geets major reccomendations from me. I will stay there again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Stayed at the Best Western Fishermans Wharf Hotel in June 2005 and really loved everything about it. A warm welcome on arrival and a nice suite although the rooms were quite compact, however I understand this is common in Fishermans Wharf . Our suite was located on the inner courtyard of the Hotel and lovely and quiet away from any possible traffic noise. Can highly recommend the Restaurant attached to the Hotel for both breakfast and dinner. All in all a great Hotel to stay in at a reasonable cost close to all the action on Fishermans Wharf.\nFree internet use in the reception area was a great touch.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "we just returned from a several days in san francisco and want to be on record regarding the tuscan inn, a very comfortable and welcoming kimpton hotel at fisherman's wharf. the rooms are very clean and are charmingly appointed; the staff could not be friendlier, and they knock themselves out to make guests feel welcome. the daily wine hour at 5:00pm is a warm way to end the day and ease into the evening. this hotel is a winner!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We spent 4 days at the Best Western Tuscan Inn, Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco the week before Christmas. I booked the room through Expedia, and because of this, the hotel wouldn't credit my Best Western Gold Card with either points or air miles. The price was great for a small but comfortable room. We did have a room on the 3rd floor over the sidewalk and street of North Point. The windows are crank operated, and thin, so there was some street noise from city buses from about 5:30 in the morning until about 10 at night. We are heavy sleepers and it didn't really bother us, as it seems to have bothered other reviewers. The hotel is an Italian mediterrean theme everywhere, entrance, lobby, garden courtyard, restaurant, and rooms. The staff are 100% present and attentive to your every need. Their friendliness reminded me very much of the Aloha spirit at Hawai`ian resorts and hotels. The lobby is small and cozy with a gas log fireplace, perfect for taking away the chill after those cool, foggy walks down to the waterfront. Guests actually talk to one another during morning coffee, and the free hour of wine at 5 pm. I highly recommend this hotel, for both quality and economy.\nWe bought some of our food at one of the 3 grocery stores a block from the hotel. I'ts about 2 blocks to Fisherman's Wharf, 2 blocks to the cable car turn-around, 1 block to the F-Line trolley car, and 3 blocks to Pier 39. I liked to start and end my day walking out to the sea lions on the K pier at Pier 39. I also took the Blue and Gold ferry out to Alcatraz, and suggest everyone visiting S.F. see this sight for both the ferry boat ride, and for the rich history lesson. Another of my day trips was to rent a car and drive down to Monterrey Bay.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}]}, "80747": {"reviews": [{"text": "We arrived in San Francisco Thursday morning and took BART to the Powell station. We decided to bag the cab and just walk up Powell to the Stanford Court hotel - with our luggage. (Yes, I know it\u2019s at the top of Nob Hill\u2026.but I knew we\u2019d be eating a lot of delicious food and welcomed the exercise)\nWe booked our room about 2 months before our stay on Marriott\u2019s web-site. They had a deal \u2013 Super Savvy Weekend rate for $159.00 and we stayed 4 nights. \nThe Stanford Court is a nice, clean hotel with a very friendly staff. We arrived around 10:30AM and to my surprise, the room was ready. I\u2019m Platinum with Marriott so we selected our arrival gift: Bottled water\u2026(quite parched after the uphill trek) and brie/crackers \u2013 plus it came with a side of grapes \u2013 yum.\nThe size of the room is a bit bigger than most San Francisco hotels (but many SF hotels have tiny rooms). The room was clean but very traditional, almost antique looking furniture but the room had everything we needed. A king bed with down comforters and pillow top, separate vanity from the bathroom with full length mirror, open closet next to the vanity/sink with bench. Our room was on the 8th floor with a partial city view. I noticed the walls in the room needed a fresh coat of paint but I could smell fresh paint in the hall-way and noticed they\u2019d painted other areas around the hotel, so I\u2019m sure room will be refreshed soon.\nThe bed seemed very comfortable at first but at night as we slept the bed sloped a bit in the middle. We\u2019d wake up right next to each other and we\u2019d have to scoot back to our sides. It may have been the mattress or maybe an old bed frame?\nWe loved the chocolates on our pillows with the turn down service and hot chocolate with our wake-up call. As a Platinum member, we got the healthy start buffet on weekday mornings in the restaurant. They had oatmeal, granola, cereal, croissants, pastries, fresh berries, toast, etc. It was good.\nThe location is perfect \u2013 walk down Powell to Union Square or walk down California to China Town and the Embarcadero or walk down Powell to the North to North Beach and Fisherman\u2019s Wharf. Sometimes the walk back up the uphill was a little difficult after a big meal but we loved the exercise. If we\u2019d had enough exercise for the day, it was easy to catch a cab for a few bucks. The trolley stops at the top of the hill \u2013 but it\u2019s not worth $5 a person. A cab is much cheaper.\nJust down Powell, a street or two is a liquor store/market. The prices are better than other similar stores closer to Union Square. It\u2019s a great place to stock up on water, snacks and beverages for the week. Just down from the market is a great little Mexican restaurant. I don\u2019t remember the name but it was really good an in-expensive compared to other nearby restaurants. Other days/nights we ventured to North Beach for lunches and dinner. North Beach has better restaurants than Union Square. We always felt safe walking back to the hotel at night.\nThe staff was pleasant and we did not have any problems. I would stay at this hotel again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "After staying at this property, I have lost confidence in the AAA Diamond rating system. I have no idea how this hotel can possibly be a four diamond hotel. The room that I stayed in was ugly and old and it smelled like mold. The bathroom was tiny, the carpet was grimy, and the furniture looked like it was going to fall apart. When I turn the air on in the room, it sounded like the water was running. But because the property was fully occupied, I couldn't get another room. I had to keep the air off during my entire stay, which made the stuffiness and moldy smell even worse. The walls were paper thin so every morning I heard the tv in the next room loud and clear. \nWorst of all was the service. Don't bother with the free morning coffee service. I asked for it to be served at 7am so it could serve as my wake up call as well. I heard them through the paper thin walls setting up and clinging glasses outside in the hall starting at 5:30a, but they did not come by my room until 9:30a! I guess it was a good thing that I got woken up at 5:30a since I obviously didn't get my scheduled \"wake-up call\" at 7a. The check-in was strange too. Matt, the night check-in person on 3/21, was like Dr. Jeckle and Mr. Hyde. He was courteous enough when I was at the front desk. But when I walked into my ugly, smelly room and saw that it was 2 full beds instead of a king, I called him to inquire. Instead of explaining that it was a full house and that was their only room left, he rudely said, \"I'm looking at your reservations right now and it doesn't say that you have a guarantee for a king.\" He obviously needs a course in customer service.\nI will NEVER EVER return to this property again, even if it was offered to me for free. As a matter of fact, I stayed here on this occassion because an annual conference I attend in SF was held here. If it is held at this property again next year, I would skip the whole conference.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "My fianc\u00e9 and I stayed at the Stanford Court Hotel on February 26th and 27th 2006. We arrived full of anticipation of staying in a 5 star hotel. When we left the Stanford Court we were and are determined never to stay at a Marriott hotel again. The lack of service from the hotel staff was unacceptable. The lack of comfort and cleanliness in our room was deplorable. \nWhen we arrived the desk clerks were rude and rushed. Our room (#436) was filthy. The bed sheets had a hole in them, the carpet was stained throughout, the bathroom had mold growing on the shower doors and in the tile of the floor, dust covered everything, there was a very strong musty smell, the d\u00e9cor was mismatched (Asian paintings, oak entertainment center, bed coverings in a tacky floral print, drapes in a southwest motif, and a bed frame in faux bamboo), simply not coordinated at all. The heat lamp timer in our bathroom was broken and the water pressure in the shower was very low. Sometimes the water stopped during the shower.\nMy fianc\u00e9 bought a pair of jeans during our stay and needed to remove the tags. I called the concierge who told me to call back as he was busy at the moment. He didn\u2019t even offer to call us back. I called the front desk and asked if a pair of scissors could be brought to our room. The front desk clerk told us they could not send scissors for safety reasons. I asked her what she would suggest I do. She said \u201cIf you have a pocket knife you should try that.\u201d Why would I call to request scissors if I had a pocket knife? This was insulting and rude. I took it upon myself to go to the gift shop and they had travel scissors that she let me borrow. The hotel desk clerk could have informed us about this which would have saved me 30 minutes. \nThe complimentary beverages with a wake up call were ridiculous. Neither of us drinks coffee so we opted for the hot chocolate. When it arrived it was cold and very watered down. I later learned that it was Nestle Instant Cocoa Packets added to water. This hotel is located in San Francisco, home to one of the most famous chocolate companies in the world! Why would the hotel not use Ghirardelli? For the cost of the stay and the star rating of this hotel, instant cocoa packets are far below acceptable. For our 2nd wake up call I requested an extra packet of hot cocoa since the first was watered down. The front desk clerk assured me it would be sent. Our 2nd morning wake up call was 1 hour late! They only sent us 1 mug and instead of an extra packet of cocoa they sent us 10 extra packets of sweet-n-low! I called the front desk and complained. No apology was offered. I asked for a 2nd mug and an extra packet of cocoa. 15 minutes later we received an extra carafe of cocoa, no 2nd mug, and no extra packets of cocoa. The service was unbelievably incompetent!\nOur second night at the hotel the weather was very cold and rainy. My fianc\u00e9 requested a cup of tea from the front desk. They told her it would cost $5 plus $3 room service fee. $8 for a cup of tea is ridiculous! I told the front desk that they offered free tea to guests in the morning, could they please offer it now. I was rudely told no. I asked if they could at least bring us some water and the front desk clerk told me to use the vending machine on the 2nd floor. Needless to say I was furious. A 5 star hotel could not even offer complimentary water to guests?!?! I took it upon myself to walk down to the restaurant located in the hotel. I told the maitre d' our circumstances and in less than 5 minutes he gave me 2 bottles of water and a cup of hot tea at no charge. Why could the hotel not do this? Why could the hotel not at least refer us to the restaurant?\nThe complimentary town car service offered to guests on the Monday we were there was a joke. We waited 15 minutes for an available car at 8am in the morning. We then were told we had to share it with another couple going to a convention. I explained to the driver that we were meeting friends for breakfast at 8:20 at Fisherman\u2019s Wharf. He assured me he would get us there on time. He got lost driving the other couple to their destination making us 15 minutes late to our breakfast reservations.\nWe drove 17 hours to San Francisco stopping on the way spontaneously at a Best Western Motel. The quality of service we received there was far superior to the Stanford Court hotel and the comfort of the bed even better. The bed in our room at Stanford Court had spring coils that could be felt through the mattress!\nOur trip was completely ruined and what was supposed to be a romantic weekend getaway for my new fianc\u00e9 and I ended up being a frustrating uncomfortable stay.\nI expected more from Marriott, to at least have them live up to the standards of being a 5 star hotel. I will not be staying at the Stanford Court ever again in the future. When choosing a hotel in the future for any destination, Marriott will be last on our list if at all. \nBe warned: Parking at the hotel cost us over $100 for 2 nights! Absolutely crazy. Stay away from this hotel.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "San Francisco is not an inexpensive hotel stay. However, with AAA, we got 4 nights for $700 before room charges and tax. Not a bad deal. The rooms were rather small and outdated; however, the rooms were immaculate, house keeping makes up the bed in the am and turns down the bed in the pm. There were bathrobes and towel warmers. The service was exceptional! No one was uptight, and they were all willing to go the extra mile. It was a 5 minute walk down the hill to Union Square and less than $10 taxi ride to Fisherman's Wharf and Haight Ashbury. We had dinner at Aqua, down the street, and a hip but overpriced $350 later, we decided to try Fournou's Oven at the hotel the next day. (They have a 10,000 bottle wine celler.) It was $150 for dinner and wine, and the service, portions, and food were both better than at Aqua. I would definitely stay and eat there again!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We have just returned home to England after having the most wonderful holiday in San Francisco. We stayed at the Stanford Court Renaissance and stayed in the Deluxe Double room - city view.\nThe hotel is very luxurious and the staff very friendly and helpful. The surrounding were regal. Room was really comfortable with decor to match the style of hotel. Coffee/Chocolate on the mornings was a real treat and the turndown service with water, chocolates etc. an added bonus.\nWe had room service one evening and the food arrived on a beautifully laid table with silver service and a rose in a vase. Food was excellent also!\nWe celebrated our Silver Wedding Anniversary in the main restaurant and spent a fortune but it was really special and the staff were wonderful, explaining dishes and wines. The chef wrote Happy Anniversary in Chocolate on our dessert plates. \nLocation is perfect. We walked to Union Square shops in 15minutes, To Fishermans Wharf in about 35minutes. Trams stop outside and these we used several times however taxis actually worked out cheaper and some of the times we had free travel from the hotel.\nThis hotel has a good reputation from local people and is surrounded by The Ritz and The Carlton - Need I say more!!\nWe had all the luxury but it was with a friendly smile and service. \nBefore we went on holiday we were concerned about some of the reviews we had read and wondered if we had booked the best hotel for our money - but we had no cause for concern.\nWill certainly return. Perfect!Perfect!Perfect!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "119657": {"reviews": [{"text": "This was our second stay (last time was August, 2010) and it hasn't changed. Our room was clean, had a safe, and the bathroom was spotlessly clean and had a great shower with lots of hot water and a sink outside of the bathroom to ease our morning preparations. The flat screen TV was nice but we only watched it for the weather as we were out and about in our very short stay in SF (off to Northern California). The hotel is very close to North Beach, Chinatown, and Fisherman's Wharf. While this would not be considered a luxury hotel by anyone's standards it fits my 5 star requirements (and I have stayed in many so-called luxury hotels that didn't meet my standards): clean with furnishings in good shape, all of the amenities, quiet room with a comfortable bed, near excellent places to eat, a friendly and helpful front desk staff, and free parking (almost unheard of in San Francisco where you can pay up to $40 a night for the \"privilege\u201d). There is no fancy lobby but I think in all of our travels (and we tend to do a major trip for pleasure at least 4 times a year) I have sat in the lobby 3 times. I believe the key to getting a quiet room here is to reserve well in advance and state your preferences. I asked for a room on the same side as \"Bimbo's\" as we were there during an evening when a performance was occurring and there was really no disturbance whatsoever (my husband is a very light sleeper and he slept like a log) (there is a cute view of the apartment building next door and the \"pocket garden\" which is very tranquil). The view from the room was incredible--Coit Tower, San Francisco skyline (including TransAmerica building) and there was NO street noise. I could be wrong, but our room was either 305 or 307. For breakfast you can walk up Columbus to La Boulange or one of the authentic Italian cafes (we go to La Boulange because my husband LOVES their granola with yogurt). We ate lunch (on our way in from SFO) at the Beach Chalet which is at the entrance to Golden Gate Park and across from the beach (down the street from the Cliff House) and had a wonderful meal there\u2014my husband a salad with Ahi Tuna and myself a Crab Louis salad with the sweetest Dungeness crab meat and a super champagne or chardonnay vinaigrette dressing. This time around we ate dinner at Sotto Mare on Green Street just up the street from the hotel and highly recommend it if you love good seafood in an unpretentious atmosphere with fairly reasonable prices. My husband had sand dabs (a sweeter flounder) and I had prawns--yum, yum. \nIn conclusion I would DEFINITELY stay here again and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for the things that make a great stay for me. We really enjoyed our stay and hope you will too!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We just returned from staying two nights at the Columbus Motor Inn. I based our decision to stay here from all the great reviews on Trip Advisor. I wasn't disappointed. What a great location! We felt we were close to everything.\nThe staff was very accommodating and pleasant. We arrived early and our request for early check in was granted. We weren't too pleased with our first room due to it's location (near the street and elevator), and immediately we were switched to another room near the back of the hotel where it was a lot quieter. \nThe room was great. We had a king size bed and there was plenty of room for our family of three to move around. The room was clean (which is a very important factor for me). My husband was extremely pleased with the flat screen television. The bed was comfortable. I read from another traveler about the pillows having feathers so we took heed to the warning and brought our own pillows since we all have allergies. \nWe walked everywhere. Approximately 5 block away (around the corner) is the bottom of Lombard Street where you get a great view of the infamous crooked street. Only a 15 - 20 minute walk to Fisherman's Pier and about the same up the street to the heart of North Beach. If you really enjoy walking, head up the street to Stockton and turn right, it will take you straight into China Town. If you continue on, you'll eventually end up at Union Square. We did this walk and enjoyed all the wonderful sights along the way. One of the best ways to see the city in my opinion! \nWe'll definitely stay here again the next time we visit San Fran. Oh, I forgot to mention one of the hotel's highlights...the parking is FREE! Compared to the $40+/night at other hotels, you can't beat free. Plus we got a great internet rate of $79/night on the hotel's website.\nA couple of suggestions on places to eat (based on recommendation to us):\nSan Sun in Chinatown: 941 Stockton St.\nGreat food and inexpensive. Pictures of all the dishes are displayed which makes it a lot easier to order.\nU.S. Restaurant: 515 Columbus Ave. Good Italian food within walking distance from the hotel (approx. 15 min). Moderately priced. \nIf you like teas, check out the Red Blossom Tea Company in Chinatown: 831 Grant Avenue. We sampled several teas before making our purchases. A highlight for me since I'm a tea lover!\nNote: On Bay St., approx. 2 blocks down from the hotel (heading towards Fisherman's Wharf), turn right and walk about 6 more blocks, you'll find a Trader Joes, Cost Plus, Barnes & Noble, Walgreens, and plenty of other stores. \nOne last bit of advice: If you're planning on checking out the CA Science of Academy, I suggest getting there extremely early. We purchased our tickets in advance, but by the time we got there the lines were unbelievably long. It was a holiday week, but I heard that the lines had been long since it opened in September. The museum opened at 9 a.m. and there were people waiting for hours and arrived before it even opened. We ended up getting a refund because after waiting for two hours, we were yards away from the entrance. No signs of us getting in anytime soon. Also, finding parking and getting in/out of the park was an entire other nightmare!\nAs an alternative, we went to the Discovery Museum near Fort Baker. A great place if you have kids! http://www.badm.org/\nWonderful views of the Golden Gate Bridge. We couldn't drag our 6 y/o from this place because she was having so much fun.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I have to say that I really enjoyed my recent 7 night stay at the Columbus Motor Inn. I decided on this hotel after reading the other good reviews on this site. I was still a little nervous though booking this hotel just because I wasn't sure what sort of condition the hotel would be in. I was looking for a place that was not too expensive yet still nice, in a good area, and clean. The hotel was all of that! The hotel is located in North Beach and maybe 2 or 3 blocks from Fisherman's wharf (you can walk there) and 1 block from the cable line (which will take you all the way down to Union square and other areas of the city) . There was also a Muni bus stop right in front of the hotel. The room we stayed in was large compared to other hotels in San Fran that I had stayed in. I was very relieved to see that the room and bathroom were extremely clean and well taken care of (I gross out easily if bathrooms are not clean). For $5 a day you can request a refrigerator (there is no microwave).\n We were on the 3rd floor facing Columbus avenue and our room was near a club called Bimbo's. If you are a light sleeper you may want to request a room on the other end of the hotel because you can hear music playing from the club at night (especially on Friday nights and the weekends). A huge bonus with this hotel is that there is free parking (very rare in this city)!! Some of the parking spaces can be a little tight to get into and the weekend we were there, a lot of the larger spaces were taken, but they do have two levels of parking. All of the front desk guys were nice and helpful whenever we had a question. There's a really good Indian restaurant across the street and a great place called Pat's Cafe a street over (the breakfast is yummy). I would stay at this hotel again. I was deciding between this hotel or the Chelsea Motor Inn, but I actually passed the Chelsea one day and I have to say that the Columbus Inn location is much better. I think you'll be happy with this hotel if you are not expecting anything fancy or upscale but just want a clean, safe place to lay down your head at night. \nP.S. I found really good rates on the hotels website.\n : ) And if you have time go to the Golden Gate Park (really beautiful and huge)", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "After reading all the forum recommendations we chose the Columbus Motor Inn for our Christmas Holiday 2006. Staff most helpful and friendly. Room 305 on the quiet side and with a view of Coit Tower was spacious, clean and perfect. Such a bargain and it includes parking (never needed a car). Bus 30 pulls up in front (drops you at Union Square). Columbus is a couple blocks from Trolley, Muni and Cable Car. Also 3 blocks to Fishermans's Wharf. Great restaurants, a Supermarket and even Trader Joes (ask front desk for easy walking directions). Everything you could want you can walk to. We brought a cooler and items for our breakfast (coffee pot in room no frig) and were quite happy. While there we visited all the sister properties and were convinced that Columbus is by far the better property. Off highway 101 traffic corridor which we found very busy and noisy. The Columbus Motor Inn is a jewel. We will most definitely be back. Thank you Trip Advisor forum for this recommendation.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Spent two nights at the Columbus Motor in August. It was a very positive experience. The rates are reasonable and parking is free. The rooms are clean and pleasant and and the staff is helpful.\nIt has a good location, close to Fishermans Wharf, North Beach, Chinatown, etc. The bus stop is right outside the entrance and the bus is an easy way to get around. The staff has route maps and info available on the bus service.\nWe felt safe walking in the neighborhood.\nI left a travel bag in the room upon checkout. It contained prescription medications and some jewlery. Hours later when i realized my mistake and called, the bag had already been put under lock & key. It was shipped to us the next day and everything arrived intact.\nIf you require turn down service and a chocolate on your pillow the Columbus isn't for you. But...if you want a clean servicable room at a great price this is the place. You can take all the money you saved on a room and spend it on a great meal.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed for two nights at the Columbus Motor Inn and were very pleased that we chose this place. It is an older hotel, with no public rooms or restaurants, except for a small lobby. But if you are looking for a reasonably priced clean, comfortable room, with a convenient location, and free parking, I don't think you could top this place. Although the room decor was not exciting, it was pleasant and in good condition. It was also spacious -- there were three of us and we had plenty of room for all of our things. The tub/shower was in a separate room from the sink and vanity. We had two double beds, a large dresser, and a small table and chairs. From our large windows, we could look down on a street view, or look in the distance and see Coit Tower in one direction and San Francisco Bay in the other direction. It has a perfect location for site-seeing. From the hotel we walked to Fisherman's Wharf (about 4 blocks), Chinatown (about 8 blocks), the crooked part of Lombard Street (4 blocks), and Union Square (about 10 blocks). The front desk staff was extremely helpful -- an older gentleman in the evening who actually walked out to our car at the curb to give us parking directions, and a young gentleman during the day who gave us excellent restaurant recommendations. Both were as friendly and helpful as could be. When planning our trip, I was determined not to waste money by paying extremely high prices for lodging and parking. This hotel met our needs perfectly. My husband was very impressed with me for finding this place! We would definitely stay here again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We recently visited San Francisco and stayed at the Columbus Motor Inn. We thought the rooms we reasonably sized and quite comfortable. Judging by other reviews I've seen about other San Francisco motels they might be considered large. The bathroom was nothing special but it was clean and well maintained. The location is great. It's about a four block walk to the Fisherman's Wharf and just a short block to the cable car line. Buy a MUNI pass and ride the cable cars, streetcars and buses to just about anywhere. Finally, the staff was great!! They were happy to arrange transportation, tours, etc. and were very pleasant and informative. If they are not too busy you can learn a great deal about the city. We will stay again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "My friends and i drove up from Los Angeles (i was there from Canada visiting friends) in July to see a show at Cobbs Comedy Club down the street from this hotel. We had decided to play it by ear, and not book a hotel, and just find one when we go to the city.\nThe first hotel we walked into, was this one, and we got a two double bed room for the 4 of us. It was clean, quiet, and we had enough room for all of us, and all of our stuff that we brought for the one night that we stayed in the city. The Front desk staff was very helpful in assisting us with directions etc.\nI recommend this hotel, i will be back in SF next year, and i will stay here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My wife and I stayed at the Columbus Motor Inn on Sunday and Monday August 29 & 30 2005 during our recent San Francisco trip. The motel is in an excellent location in close proximity to Fisherman's Wharf. The free covered underground parking was the best benefit in my opinion. \nOur room was located on the third floor and was quite spacious for San Francisco standards, and very clean. We had a queen-sized bed, and the room overlooked Columbus Ave. with a nice view of the Coit Tower, and a panoramic view of the bay and Alcatraz Island. Even though the room overlooks the street, the noise is minimal. (Expect a little noise, afterall this motel is located in the heart of an urban city.) The staff was professional and friendly and answered all of our questions and provided us with restaurant tips. We practically left our car parked the entire time and used the Muni Buses, Cable Cars, or simply just walked around. We felt safe walking around town during the evening, and ate at a great Italian restaurant one night named Capp's Corner (Powell & Green Sts.) \nThe best tourism tip we can offer is to order your Alcatraz tickets online, prior to going on your trip. If you don't, you will risk the tour selling out, especially on weekends.\nIf you are looking for a high priced, full service, high-rise hotel-this is not the place for you. However, if you want to stay in clean comfortable rooms, in a great location, and save a little money for other things on your trip, this is the place for you. \nI would highly recommend this motel, and would not hesitate to stay here again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Stayed here for 5 nights in June 2005 after reading the reviews on this site. Paid $135 a night with free parking which was a lot cheaper than other hotels in Fishermans Wharf. The location is excellent, 5 minutes walk to The Cannery and 10 minutes to Pier 39. We left our car in the covered parking area the whole time we were there and caught the bus which stops right outside the hotel which was very cheap. The bedroom was very spacious and tastefully decorated as were the corridors of this hotel. It is scruptiously clean with fresh towels every day. The bed was the most comfortable bed I have ever slept in. I would definately recommend this hotel if you want to stay in Fishermans Wharf.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "This was my second stay at the Columbus Motor Inn and it was just as good as the first time! Free underground parking! Immaculately clean rooms! Fantastic location! Walk to Fisherman's Wharf! Walk to Lombard Street! Walk to the cable car (either Hyde or Powell/Mason)! All for under $80? Okay, so there's no free breakfast, big deal. This is the best deal I've found in years.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "This was our third time at the Columbus Motor Inn and we are never disappointed. We recommend it to family and friends. I'm not even sure how we found out about it, but I'm glad we did. The location is great. Parking is free. Rooms are always clean. The staff is always friendly and helpful. Fisherman's Wharf, Chinatown, and Northbeach are all within walking distance. Powell-Hyde and Powell-Mason cablecar lines are also within walking distance. Muni bus # 30 is right out the lobby door of the motel. We will stay here again and again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "My family stayed for a week beginning Oct. 23. We had two suites and two king rooms for a total of 14 people. The size of the rooms is great, with larger than average space. The suites we had were corner rooms with nice views of Columbus Street and balconies. The free covered parking is an added bonus. The number 30 bus stops right in front of the hotel, which is very convenient. The Mason cable car line was not running while we were there, but the Powell line is only a few blocks north on Columbus to the wharf. \nThere are coffee makers in the rooms, but no small refrigerators in the suites, which would have been nice. Overall, for the money we paid, considering the location, size of rooms and parking, we felt it represented a great value. We will certainly stay there again when we return to San Francisco.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "This was our 4th trip to San Francisco and the best hotel. We spent 4 nights at the Columbus Motor Inn from Oct 27 - 31. Had a 2 bedroom suite, Room 313. It did not have a great view, but 2 large windows overlooking the back of other houses in the neighborhood and was very quiet. No traffic noise whatsoever. Did not hear any neighbors within the hotel either! This was perfect for my Husband and 2 teenagers. The kids loved having their own room. The hotel was extremely clean and well kept with up-to-date decor. It's a small, no frills, 3-floor hotel with maybe 40 rooms total. So it was very cozy. Seldom saw any other guests. \nThe housekeeping staff was very friendly. The front desk staff was very courteous and helpful with any questions we had and helpful in making suggestions of restaurants and tours.\nYou can't beat this location. It's right in between Fisherman's Wharf and North Beach \"Little Italy\"and within walking distance of both. As well as Ghirardelli Square, the Marina, China Town and the famous Lombard Street. There's a Safeway and Walgreens about 3 blocks away as well, and a small liquor store right across the street.\nAnd the best part...free parking...seldom found in San Francisco. We felt very safe walking in the area and parking in the garage at night. The hotel is within 2 blocks of the Hyde/Powell Cable car line. And you can also walk to the other cable car line by Ghirardelli Square. \nGreat restaurants nearby included, Pat's Cafe & Joanies Diner for breakfast and Trattoria Pinocchio's for Italian dinners. All within walking distance on Columbus Avenue.\nWe had a great time in SF and will definitely stay at the Columbus Motor Inn again in the future.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 32}, {"text": "A few blocks to the wharf, cable car one block over-what more can you ask for. Well, the room was wonderful. Recently renovated and extra large. We had a two room suite to accomodate my kids and felt like we were in an apartment. My husband and I actually had our own room. Great value compared to the high priced hotels two blocks away.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed at Columbus Motor Inn for the beginning of our spring break, March 12\u201314, 2004. We had 3 adults and a 7 yr old. We got the 2 rm suite with a King and Queen bed for $145. Both beds were fullbeds, not sofabeds which many suites have. Rollaways are also available. Rates are cheaper on weekdays in this part of town. The beds were comfortable. Both rooms had TVs, that we did not use. The bathroom is small but adequate with the sink outside the bathroom.\nThe best part is the convenience and free parking, with easy access to both the Golden gate and bay bridges for day trips. Several good places to eat nearby. We loved breakfast at Pergaminos, a few blocks north on Columbus, although it can easily run over $10 per person. Pat's cafe, even closer, by the cable car turnaround, also offers good breakfasts and lunches. I don't know about their dinners. A bike rental shop is next door. Fisherman's wharf, crooked street and other attractions are an easy walk.\nThis is not the place if you are looking for luxury and lots of hotel amenities. However, we found it very convenient and comfortable and are thinking about staying there again on a trip this fall.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Great value, great location, large room, free parking! Spent the first 3 nights of 2004 here for a base rate under $100. The Best Western Toscana and the Marriott Fisherman's Wharf had similar rates via the internet, but added $25 and $35 respectively for parking. We needed the car for parts of 2 days so chose Columbus Motor Inn again (4 of last 5 visits to SF). Great convenience: about a 10 minute walk to Fisherman's Wharf, Ghiardelli Square, and the Hyde Street Cable Car; two blocks to the Mason/Powell Cable Car; 5 minutes to the bottom of crooked Lombard Street - anybody can walk/drive down it - take the challenge and walk up the hill; the #30 bus stops right outside the garage - goes to Union Square via Columbus and Stockton($1.25). If you have a car, it is no more than 10 minutes to either I80 to the east bay or points south or to the Golden Gate Bridge and points north. We spent an afternoon around Lincoln Park and the Presidio area and took in the Art Museum there then drove through the hillside housing and down to China and Baker beaches. Great views all around. By the way, lunch at the Art Museum was very good and reasonable. We also took a day trip to Monterey/Carmel and the 17-Mile Drive. 2 hrs drive via 101/156/1. \nRelaxing and great shops and scenery.The motel is basic - office, parking garage, room. Not an attractive exterior. No food service. They have beverages and snack machines and in-room coffee/teas. The room is spacious - not your normal size motel room. Lots of storage. Bathroom is basic and ample. Rooms have been refinished in the last couple years. Look nice. Had a king size bed that was comfortable and had a view of Telegraph Hill and the bay. Breakfast suggestion - Pergamino's about 3 blocks north on Columbus. Good food, great juices and coffees. \nSmall place, familial, well known, worth the wait. Interesting people may drop by. Excellent service. Not cheap - it's SF. Can lunch or dinner - recommend Caesar's (east on either Bay or North Point Streets); there's another Italien restaurant at 800 Greenwich - south on the corner near Columbus and Mason - easy walk. Recommend The Stinky Rose, for garlic lovers, not sure of address but we went south on Columbus - followed the curve in the road and went just up over the hill. Check Yellow Pages or ask at desk. All 3 restaurants had entrees under $25 - good for SF but also good food and great service. But then, there are lots of great places to eat in SF.If you plan to spend most of your time sightseeing and eating in the city, this motel is a good place to spend the night. Great location to launch your next day's adventures. You can pay 50-150% more a couple blocks closer to the Wharf. You can also spend 200-300% more at Union Square. But, for the more value minded, you'll be pleased here. Have a great visit.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 19}]}, "119658": {"reviews": [{"text": "After reading encouraging reviews of this hotel on Trip Advisor we decided to give it a try - a good choice. \nAlthough the location isn't central, it is convenient for cable cars and buses and is within walking distance of Fisherman's Wharf - hotel reception gave us details of transport links. \nReception staff were extremely friendly and very helpful. An added bonus was the free parking. The room was spacious and clean although a little tired, perhaps some refurbishment would help. The bed was large and very comfortable. An adequate breakfast was included in the nightly rate. \nThere were numerous shops and restaurants in the next street.\nAlthough close to busy roads and the Broadway Tunnel, we were never disturbed by traffic noise. \nI would recommend the Castle Inn to anyone wanting a decent hotel in San Francisco at a reasonable price.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "After ho-hum service and attitudes experienced during our trip we couldn't believe how helpful the staff were (Marshall and Arlene) at the Castle Inn. For our 2-night stay the room was spacious, extremely clean and well maintained. We had a car (but didn't need it) and parking was secure and free. We didn't feel unsafe in the area. The hotel isn't in a \"no go\" zone. We walked down to Fisherman's Wharf and got the cable car back (don't recommend you do the reverse!). The hotel even got our money refunded for a tour we took that didn't work out as advertised. This we didn't expect. We would definitely stay at the Castle Inn again. We didn't have any problems whatsoever and everything we needed was provided.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed here for a few nights during our honeymoon. For people looking for true luxury, obviously look elsewhere. But for us, it was PERFECT. We are not afraid of a little walking and loved the central location. The room was clean and spacious and we never had a noise problem.\nThe staff was very helpful, gave us a map and pointed out the major attractions, as well as advice on which places to steer clear of. \nWe honestly really enjoyed our stay and would recommend it to anyone who wants to experience San Francisco for the first time and has no need for flashy accomodations. When we go back to San Fran, I will be sure to stay there again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Not bad...The room was clean and spacious. The staff was friendly and helpful. As for the walking distance, it is a good walk (close to a mile) to Fisherman\u2019s Warf and Chinatown. We had no problems however if your not a person in reasonable shape forget it. Remember San Francisco is ALL hills. Cable Cars are close by but, they cost $5 per person per ride.\nI never saw indication for the wine and houer d overs, and can't imagine where they would have them it was pretty small lobby. There was coffee available when the lobby was open. \nIf you are looking for a clean place to stay for a good price this is a great place.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I think the Castle Inn is a very clean and well run hotel. It's not a Sheraton or a Hilton by all means, but the rooms are clean and the surrounding neighborhood is safe enough to walk at any time of the day. Marshall was an excellent host who gave us the DL (down low) on the best areas of San Francisco. The free parking was a plus because parking in the city is a big hassle. Leave your car in the garage and take public transportation. I also suggest that you explore the surrounding neighborhood especially along Polk Street. There's an excellent wine store (William Cross), a great cheese store, a great coffee shop (Peets) and the best sports bar/pub in SF (Green's). It was an easy walk to the wharf without too many steep hills, as a matter of fact, we could never get a cab at the wharf and had to walk back late at night several times with no problems, heck after all the food we ate we needed the exercise anyway. All in all the Castle Inn is the best hotel you'll find in the city for the money and safety. Thanks for having us!", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Arriving in your room at the Castle Inn you might find yourself a little disappointed. The room is modestly sized, and the chances are you'll have a view of the walkway connecting the rooms which overlook the courtyard (car park). However, this place has plenty of good things going for it and proved to be an excellent option for our stay in San Francisco.\nThe greeting was fantastic. After being given the keys to our room we were invited back to reception where the receptionist provided us with books and maps of the city, along with superb advice as to where to go and what to see.\nAlthough a little small, the room was spotless and very well decorated. The shower head had a number of interesting settings, including the pulse massage which was well appreciated after being enveloped in the cold SF fog. The 'kitchen' area was a little odd, comprising a microwave, coffee maker and fridge, but little in the way of utensils. This isn't a complaint as the facilities were well appreciated, rather it's an observation.\nThe Inn stands just off highway 101, which meant that it was easy for me as a tourist to find, and to get back on to to reach the airport on the final day of my stay.\nA short walk around the corner on to Polk Street finds you among a good range of good quality coffee shops, bars and restaurants, as well as an organic market and chilled food takeaway which did a fantastic won ton salad. There is little other accomodation in this area so it feels like you are living among the locals. Unfortunately we weren't told about the free breakfast, but I think this was our gain as we found a fantastic 'boulangerie' nearby selling a delicious range of pastries and fantastic coffee.\nAlthough this hotel isn't in the middle of the tourist hustle, it is only a fifteen minute walk from Fisherman's Wharf. If you want to stay somewhere residential, away from the tourists, but on the doorstep of the sights, then as long as you keep your expectations realistic the Castle Inn shouldn't disappoint.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "When we arrived I was a bit disappointed, not sure what I was expecting but all the rooms face down into a courtyard. Someone else described it more motor inn than motel/hotel & I would have to agree. Obvious plus, they don't charge extra for parking your car there like many other hotels. The staff is extremely friendly, well informed & more than willing to help you anyway they can. The room was very clean and roomy except for the bathroom area. The bathroom is the size of a closet and I'm not a big person & nowhere to put anything once inside. The sink is outside but not much room there either. It's a solid 15 min. walk downhill to the Wharf & that's the beginning of the Wharf, it will take you another 10 mins. to walk, let's say to the pier for Alcatraz - it's pretty much all uphill back - best to take the bus or trolly - both leave you near the hotel. I'd skip the continental breakfast, nothing special, some fruit, no fresh muffins - packaged stuff - would have been nice to have some real milk or cream for coffee/tea as opposed to powdered. The price was right for what you get.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed at the Castle Inn for 5 nights and found the place to be exactly as others had described. The staff were very helpful and friendly and the location was great for exploring the city. Room was comfortable and the breakfast although only light was really convenient. My only slight criticism is that we found the shower difficult to operate but otherwise our stay was great.\nMy tip for other visitors using taxis is make sure that you know the cross street for your destination. The SF taxi drivers don't have the same knowledge as London cabbies. The 2 we used didn't know where the Castle Inn was and even had trouble finding Broadway.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Clean, good size rooms. Great desk staff (not sure if they were the owners) We did not have a car so it was a walking challenge...as another has observed, it is not as \"central\" as it is made out to be, but close to the bus line which was easy to use. Walked to Chinatown from here (under the highway tunnel) Close to a lot of great inexpensive neighborhood restaurants. All in all it was excellent value.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We chose Castle Inn for our three night stay in San Francisco based on the excellent reviews on tripadvisor.com. I am happy to report that the positive reviews are right on the money. We actually arrived two hours prior to check in time and were given a room right away. We stayed in #339, which is the last room on the top floor. Very quiet since no other guests walk by the room. Parking was always available. Check in and out went extremely smoothly. Owners and staff were knowledgeable and very friendly. Our room was basic, similar to La Quinta, but was very clean and had everything we needed. The location was ideal for visiting all the tourist spots, and there is a Starbucks right around the corner on Polk. We rode the cable car/bus one day and drove the next day. We much preferred having our car and did not have difficulty finding parking. We paid about the same for two all day bus passes as we did for parking the next day. We highly recommend Castle Inn! The total cost was approximately half of staying at the better known chains.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Agree heartily with many of the other reviewers of the Castle. It's a great value spot in San Francisco. Not fancy but clean, comfortable beds, free parking, well located and good service by the owners.\nPlease ask the proprietors for restaurant advice. We ate at three of their recommendations (Chinese, Mexican and burgers) in the neighborhood and had great food at very reasonable prices. Much better quality and value than the places down by the Wharf.\nStrongly recommend buying the public transportation pass. We did the three day pass and you can use the trains, buses or cable cars. Saves alot of time and energy instead of battling SF's famous hills. And don't wait in the often long lines at the beginning of the cable car routes. Walk up a stop and grab a spot - they don't fill the cars to capacity at the origin.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "My wife and I planned our first trip to San Francisco and Napa valley and used TripAdvisor as one of our main research tools. We opted to stay at the Castle Inn after reading numerous reviews and checking out prices. All I can say is that our visit lived up to our expectations. The Castle Inn was clean and centrally located to many of the attractions we were interested in visiting. \nWhile researching places to stay, I was impressed with the prior reviews of this location as well as the fact that the GM personally responded to one of the only negative reviews posted. When we checked in, I was pleased with the exceptional 'customer service' we received. Without inquiry, we were provided with everything we could possibly need to navigate the city. We received a map of the city, local bus and trolley routes as well as first hand advice on which roads to take and places of interest. This type of service was routine during our visit. Interestingly enough, on one of the days we were visiting, the hotel management was replacing the room furniture. Let me tell you, it was a recipe for disaster when you consider that a large moving truck had to be parked in front of the hotel and the movers needed to complete this task in a three level hotel without disturbing guests. Personally, I was pleased with how the process went. The night before the move, the GM called us to advise what was going to happen and what we should expect. Although the movers were later than expected, I was completely satisfied with the manner in which our furniture swap was handled. The pictures currently available on this site appear to have the older furniture. The new furniture is much lighter in color.\nA few other notable benefits of this location include free parking (which is very impressive when you look at other hotels), an abundance of restaurants nearby and the ability to walk to locations such as the Fisherman's Wharf, Chinatown, Coit Tower, Lombard St, and Union Square. Please note that I indicated the ability to walk to these locations. A few are a good 2 mile + walk so please take that into consideration. \nIf you are thinking about staying at the Castle Inn, please be aware this isn't similar to a Marriott or a Sheraton. It isn't nearly as plush. If you are the type of traveler that is looking for a reasonable place to stay where you can ask the hotel staff for advice or suggestions, then the Castle Inn is likely for you. I really felt like they took an interest in my stay and wanted repeat business.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "We stayed at The Castle for three nights in mid-June (two parents, one 6-year-old, one 12-year-old). Like other reviewers, I certainly agree that the hotel was above average in cleanliness (I recently stayed at a 5 star hotel in Atlanta and The Castle's rooms were cleaner), there was ample parking and the location is perfect when you're not driving. We were able to catch the bus at a stop that was a minute away, there were two coffee houses and a bagel shop around the corner and lots of local \"flavor.\"\nBut what impressed me the most was the people who worked at the Castle Inn. Our flight from Houston was delayed by three hours so when we got to the Castle, we had 30 minutes to check in and make it to our Alcatraz tour -- Varsa immediately worked with me to check us in while another Castle employee (I'm sorry that I didn't catch his name) explained to my husband how to get to the tour and answered all his questions. Throughout our stay, Varsa was always willing to answer our questions -- she gave us lots of directions, recommended local restaurants and always had a smile on her face. When we asked about a place she hadn't visited, she asked us about it when we got back not only because she said she'd always thought of visiting but so she'd have information if a future guest asked. \nClean, comfortable rooms, great prices and extraordinarly friendly staff make the Castle Inn a gem of a hotel. I've already recommended the Castle Inn to a friend and we certainly will stay here again!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "We arrived late on Tuesday June 20th and stayed 3 nights at the beginning of our 8 night, 7 day honeymoon to San Francisco and Sonoma Valley. Sy met us at about midnight and immediately began providing extremely useful information. Varsa was just as helpful the next day. They provided us with a \"cheat sheet\" of directions to all the key tourist sites and provided us with excellent restaurant recommendations within the area that were not tourist traps. We tried 3 of them and were very pleased. Tai Chi (Polk and Broadway) was a Hunan Mandarin restaurant that was out of this world. Hyde Street Seafood House was incredible for (wait for it -) seafood. Street on Polk has wonderful ambience. $2 Happy Hour (Thursdays and Fridays 5 to 9 p.m.) at Rouge (Polk and Broadway) was great too. The Polk Street/Russian Hill area is an incredible district. Castle Inn is right in the middle of it and within walking distance to Fisherman's Wharf, Lombard Street (the Crooked Street), Nob Hill and North Beach.\nThe hotel is great value for money. The room was one of the cleanest we have ever stayed in and was very quiet (we were near the back of the hotel). We greatly appreciated the amazing personal concierge service from Sy and Varsa! We highly recommend this hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I just got back from my round-the-world holiday so I thought I'd submit a review on the Castle Inn. I stayed there in April with my girlfriend.\nOn arrival it's one of those places where you're thinking \"oh dear, what did I book?\"\nHowever once settled you see this hotel for what it's worth.\nFirst the positives:\n* The rooms are quite large. We had a double bed and there was a desk, television, wardrobe and bedside tables.\n* The shower was fantastic, if a little confusing to figure out the first time. Plenty of water pressure and hot water. \n* Marshall in the front desk was really helpful with directions and telling us where to go in San Fran. He also drew an area on the map and told us not to go there (Tenderloin). The only downside was he was suffering from an ear infection when we were there so he was a bit grumpy.\n* The location is fantastic, especially for budget travellers who need facilities like laundromats and internet (both are within a two minute walk of the hotel). Marshall also gives you a sheet explaining all the main attractions and how to access them via bus/tram. This piece of paper was my bible for the week. What a great idea!\nThere were a couple of negatives:\n* Our room was facing the street and it can get a bit noisy in the early hours. I kept getting woken up by drunk guys stumbling home.\n* Also, we came back to our room at around midday one day to find a couple of workmen in our room changing the blinds. We weren't warned that this was going to happen so we were a bit disappointed (especially since we weren't gone long so we left our valuables there). Let me stress that nothing went missing though, and the workmen were very apologetic for their intrusion.\nStill, I'd recommend this hotel. It can be a bit daunting when selecting a hotel in San Francisco, particularly with all the hullaballoo about the dangers of the Tenderloin. If you in any way concerned about that, stay here. It's a nice part of town with nice eateries within five minutes walk.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Stayed 4 nights at the beginning of our holiday, luggage was stored whilst we did a trip to Yosemite and then back for another 3 nights. Marshall and Arlene do a wonderful job. The area is great, transport via the Muni system is so easy and Polk Street was a great eating area. Walking to fishermans Wharf is quite easy as well as it is DOWNHILL. Supplied us with a transport guide to main attractions/ bus numbers as well as various recommendations. Fresh fruit, yoghurt some muffins can be chosen for breakfast Microwave coffee maker and fridge was very useful. Rooms very very clean building recently painted. Congratulations and thanks.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "While looking through the hotel reviews on this site for our first trip to San Francisco, my husband and I came across Castle Inn. We put our trust in what others had to say and are happy to report that the Castle Inn lived up to all our expectations! The staff is very helpful and friendly, the rooms are clean and had everything that we needed. It was so handy to have a microwave and refrigerator! The continental breakfast was convenient and provided just enough to get us going. The Inn is close to so many tourist sites and restaurants (Thai, Mexican, Pizza, Starbucks and more) and is very close to several bus routes. There is a Walgreens right down the street which we found very handy to have by. If we were to travel to San Fran again, we would absolutely book another stay at the Castle Inn.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "as per other guests who have enjoyed their stay at the castle, we did too.\nroom on the third floor was very clean and well maintaied. my wife is very particular about beds and clean sheets. and these were immaculate, even though marshall told us they were having problems with the laundry.\nlocated in a nice and safe neighbourhood, a twenty minute walk from the wharf and its attractions.\nthe price is very good for what you get, free parking $$$$ everywhere else. after not visiting s/f for 5 years we found the prices have gone up a great deal, and the service industry see the tourist as a cash machine, but not the CASTLE, \nthank you for a great time.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We stayed here in April with our 2 older kids and would really recommend it. We stayed 3 nights in a family suite (don't know if they have more than one) and booked directly with the hotel. Varsa was so helpful when we arrived and supplied us with maps and recommended restaurants and shopping areas to us. \nThe accomodation was very clean and consisted of a large living room with double bed, sofas & TV and off there was a short corridor with another double bedroom (with TV) a bathroom, plus a large walk in closet with fridge, microwave and coffee maker ( there were no proper cooking facilities though). The main bedroom/living room faced the street but we weren't bothered by the traffic noise and the other bedroom faced onto the external walkway/courtyard and was much quieter. There was a basic continental breakfast available until around 9am from the front office that you could take back to your room on a tray but lots of very good restaurants were available within a few minutes walk of the hotel. Everything was within 30 minutes walking distance (Wharf, Union square, China town) but we usually used public transport to get us back. We weren't in the room that much (too much to see and do in SF!) but when we were, there was enough space for all of us and would stay there again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I am a picky traveler and I usually stick to big hotel chains that I know and that are cookie cutter consistent. I was a little leery about choosing the Castle Inn for our brief (3 and 1/2 day) trip, but I was put off by the prices of the big chains in Fishermans Wharf (and by the big parking fees, since we'd be bringing a car for the non-San Francisco part of our trip).\nI am pleased to say that the Castle Inn is as good as reported by prevous Trip Advisor reviewers. I NEVER would have chosen it from it's appearance on the street (I am a little of a hotel snob and I really like a showy marble foyer). Not choosing this hotel would be a mistake, however. The foyer/office is tiny but is filled with the gracious presence of Marshall and Arlene. We arrived 5 hours prior to check-in time but it was no problem to leave our car in the very safe and covered parking area while we went out and started to explore the city. Marshall spent a good 15 minutes with us going over a map with many suggestions for San Francisco first-timers, including how to get around on the public transportation. The hotel (?motel) was about a 2-3 block walk to the cable car route.\nOur room was not fancy-fancy, but very clean and perfect for our family of 2 adults and 2 teens. There was no view, but we were going to San Fran to get out and see the views ourselves, not sit in a hotel and look out the window.\nThe \"breakfast\" was tiny, but got us going - basically packaged muffins, danish, granola bars, fruit, coffee and juice.\nI/we would definitely come here again. I thank the Trip Advisor reviewers for helping me find a gem that I never would have found by myself.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "After reserving a room six months in advance via the telephone we arrived at the Castle Inn only to find out that they gave our room away. We chose the Castle Inn based on all the reviews from TripAdvisor. I called Castle Inn twice to confirm my reservations. On both occasions the receptionist was in a hurry and the phone conversations ended fast. One week before our reservation and just before getting on our cruise in LA I called one more time to confirm, \"yes, we will see you then\". After taking the Super Shuttle to the Castle Inn from Oakland Airport (we arrived at the Castle Inn at 3:00 p.m.) we were stunned to find out they gave our room away! What good is having a confirmation number if it doesn't mean they have a room for you. We were told that they tried to contact us, funny we were on a cruise with no phone! Lucky for us we ended up at the Nob Hill Motor Inn just around the corner, by far a better facility for the same price! My advice to everyone, Confirm, Confirm and re-confirm and don't let the hurried receptionist off the phone until you have verified all telephone numbers and credit card numbers with them or you could wind up with just a confirmation number and no room!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husband and I were all set to make reservations at a brand-name motel near Fisherman's Wharf. At the last minute, I decided to do a search on Tripadvisor and saw so many raves on the Castle Inn that I decided to e-mail a reservation request. We missed out on the last room that had 2 queens and were told the only room available was a king suite. We were travelling with our 2 young children and so this turned out to be a huge blessing. The room we entered was huge and nicely furnished with a real king size bed and the bedroom down the hall was big as well with another king size bed. There is a huge closet with a frig and microwave and tons of shelving. We are so used to tripping over each other and our luggage in most places. Our kids had a room of their own with a TV and so did we. I grew up 20 miles from SF but never stayed in the city - I was concerned that we would need to stay in a bad area in order to get a budget price. I recognized the address as being a regular neighborhood (just normal people going about daily business, no panhandling). We were in walking distance of the crooked part of Lombard and could have easily walked to the Wharf if not for the rain and the fact that our kids are 5 and 3. The Exploratorium is a 5-10 minute drive. If you have children, this is a safe and great walking neighborhood period. We even found a little park about a block away on Broadway. The staff is great. We will be back to the Castle Inn on our next trip.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "OK, this is my third stay in San Francisco. I've stayed in 3 hotels and each time I've located a better hotel - Best Western Americania - dodgy location; Hotel Adagio - still a bit of a dodgy location, but a bit more expensive than the Castle Inn.... Anyway, the Castle Inn is by far the best of these 3. And the hotel's area is a lot safer than the areas around Union Square and City Hall - where many other hotels are located. Once you get to San Francisco you'll understand this statement better - there are a lot of crazy people who approach you in the street in this city - unlike other major western cities (NY, London, Paris, Tokyo etc). Homelessness is out of control.\nThe hotel room was massive - with a living area space to eat, and a decent sized bathroom. The service, as noted by others here, is exceptional.\nWhile it is a bit of a hike to get down to Union Square - a walk and bus, or a walk and cable car (if you can get on), the hotel is located in a nice area of Nob Hill and is walkable to Fisherman's Wharf etc.\nIf I ever return to San Francisco, I would come back to the Castle Inn.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We have just returned from a skiing holiday at Lake Tahoe with 3 days in San Francisco before returning home. Our accommodation at Tahoe was booked through the travel agent but we decided to go it alone with the accommodation in San Francisco. Having pored over the Tripadvisor reviews we decided on the Castle Inn. We were not disappointed. After having flight delays, and baggage lost, we finally arrived at the Castle Inn. Varsa was behind the desk at reception with her ever-smiling face. She is always cheery, has a wealth of information, and has prepared a printed sheet of well known attractions and how to get to them using public transport. The room was large and very clean. There was ample room to put skis, boots, bags and not even notice they were there. We had a king size bed, cable television, more than adequate heating, and plenty of very hot water.There is also a microwave and frig in the room. It is a 10 minute walk to Fisherman's Wharf, although a bit hilly on the way back. The area is very safe, which was a big factor in choosing this hotel. There are quite a few little restaurants close by. Breakfast, with a choice of coffee, several fruit, yoghurt, pastries and breakfast bars, is included and available at reception. We didn't have a car, but there is also free parking. Having not been to San Francisco for almost 10 years, our only regret was that we didn't have longer there. This hotel is not the Hilton, but it is a homely, clean, roomy hotel at much less than Hilton prices. You would have to be incredibly fussy, or very unlucky, to be disappointed.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "My wife and I stayed at the Castle Inn for a week and were impressed in every way. We had a fresh set of linens every night when we returned to our room, the bathroom was cleaned and restocked with necessities and the staff at the front desk were quick to answer any questions we had. They also offered tips for tourists. FREE parking was also a definite bonus, when most hotels in S.F. charged $25 or more per night.\nThe location was great, within walking distance to Chinatown, Fisherman's Wharf, cable car stops, Pier 39 and Coit Tower.\nWe would definitely recommend the Castle Inn to any traveler to San Francisco. We will stay there again during our next visit to the city.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "The Castle Inn was perfect -- very clean, quiet, great location. Not pretentious at all, very comfortable. The staff was friendly, and extremely helpful. Would definitely recommend.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I was headed into San Francisco for another few days of business. Have stayed at most of the pricier \"big name\" places in the City at one point or another in the past 30 yrs, but I decided to shop around on the web for reviews of as many places as I could before decideing where to stay. \nAfter reading all the reviews of the Castle Inn I decided to give it a try as I had somehow overlooked this place in the past and the very postive reviews intrigued me, for the price quoted in San Francisco. I was a bit apprehensive despite all the positive feedback on this site.\nHowever, upon arrival and check in my fears evaporated. This place offered me free covered parking, a great location close to everything I needed, and a great price. Most of all I was impressed with the cleanliness of the room I was given. Top notch in every way, even more impressive to me than some here I have paid $$$ for and gotten less. Everything here was clean, worked as promised, and available. I had to constantly remind myself this place was only a 3 star motel. The management couldnt do enough to ensure that I had whatever I needed while I stayed here and went out of their way to provide it for me. \nI will definitely stay here again and recommend this place to anyone who is coming to San Francisco. Thanks for making my visit to the City smooth and flawless.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "We spent 3 nights in the Castle Inn's only suite. It is not a \"fancy\" hotel but was perfect for four people (two adults with two teenagers). The suite is more like an apartment and has two good sized clean rooms each with a king sized bed. There is a good sized bath and huge walk-in closet. The larger of the rooms also had two sofas and two chairs. The second room is off of a hallway--good for privacy. The suite has a small refrigerator with separate freezer, microwave, iron and board. We used a roll-away in the larger room for one of the teenagers. It was far better than the usual roll-away. More like a twin bed on wheels. The cost of the suite was far less than two separate rooms would have been and if we found two rooms at another hotel for what we paid for the suite, I am sure that they would not be nearly as nice. The Castle Inn is located in the Russian Hill area of the city, a vibrant and convenient neighborhood with many varied restaurants within a few block walk. We felt more like we were living like locals than staying at a hotel. The free covered parking is a big plus. Cable cars are nearby, only 21/2 blocks. We bought 3 day city transportation passes at $18 each and used them a lot, a bargain particularly since the cable cars are otherwise $5/ride. Fisherman's wharf was a pleasant walk and also a great cable car ride away. Desk staff could not have been nicer or more helpful. Altogether, the Casle Inn is a fine choice.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "... don\u00b4t forget to book the Castle Inn. We just came back from a two week vacation in SFO. After research we chose the CI. And we were pleased with our decisicion the whole time. The booking via e-mail was very friendly and even changing the reservation a few weeks later was handled in a very kind way. \nAt Check-in we first met Versa. She is -as all of the reviews before told- a real asset. So friendly and helpful. Thank you Versa! \nThe owners Marshall and his wife do a great job here. Once i couldn\u00b4t find a parking space in the middle of the night and Marshall came out of his bureau at once and offered me to park my car in the registration lane - at 1 a.m.!\nThe room itself was spacious, had even view to the top of Golden Gate Brigde and was very, very clean. The plus in this hotel are several features, you never get in a chain hotel (in this price category): glass shower doors, massaging showerheads, very good (and probably new) matresses, frigde + microwave, free parking, FREE WLAN connection in your room and much more.\ni can\u00b4t say that i ever stayed in a city hotel near this price range and have been that much satisfied. \nwe will always choose the CI again while staing in SFO!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Well so much good had been said about this hotel I knew we would be happy staying here. It was easy to find, parking for free is a bonus and boy oh boy was Versa a wealth of information! She was always smiling, and ready with any questions. We booked the city tour thru her (she did all the calling) and she helped us reserve tickets for Alcatraz.\nThe location is perfect, right in the middle of the city, easy to walk anywhere, or hop on transit. And we did, we saw so much!\nThe positives on the room are that is was a large room, king bed was nice, it was also very clean.\nNegatives, sheets had small holes or even areas where it was torn. Towels were small and very rough. Very thin walls and floors, could hear your neighbours all around. Furniture was old and shows the wear and tear. Water in the shower went from cold to hot and back again. \nAll in all it was adequate for what we needed. The price was certainly good. But I don't think I would stay here again, I may need to pay more and get more.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My wife and I visited SF for the first time and stayed at the Castle Inn (\"CI\") for three nights. My initial impression at check in was that maybe we had selected accomodations that ran contrary to our tastes and preferences. We do not have any children and stay mostly at four-star hotels/resorts when we travel. In contrast, the CI is an older motel that has outward facing rooms. \nIn the spirit of vacation, and based on user reviews, I kept an open mind. The rooms are what I would term \"economy,\" somewhat in the order of a Comfort Inn or a Motel 6. We found the room to be adequately clean. For those light sleepers, please keep in mind that the hotel is in the city. You will here normal traffic sounds and the rooms are not equipped with air conditioners. This is not uncommon in hotels/motels along the coast as the ocean breeze is used to cool the room. We were not bothered by the traffic and slept with the windows open the whole stay. \nWhile the rate may seem high relative to the accomodations, parking is free, which is a plus in a major metropolitan area. There is a coffee maker, microwave oven and refrigerator in the room. We particularly enjoyed having the refrigerator as it saved us alot of money on beverages.\nTwo things that made our stay enjoyable here were: (1) the central location; and (2) Marshall, who provided us with alot of information on where and where not to go. We gathered advise from him almost daily, and based on his suggestions, we were even able to take the walking tour of Alcatraz, despite the fact it was listed as fully booked during the length of our stay.\nThe location of CI is unique in that it is easy to get to all the major sights and attractions. Additionally, there are a range of places to eat within close proximity to the hotel (ranging from pizza to upscale casual dining), as well as a Walgreens within two blocks. Just ask Marshall for a suggestion. \nWe found that the only time we were in our our room was to sleep, so we would not have used many of the ammenities found in higher-end hotels for this trip. There is just too much to see and do. Overall, we were happy with our stay at CI.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We stayed at the Castle Inn from 7/27 thru 7/31. We chose this hotel because of all the great reviews on Trip Advisor along with the reasonable price and convenient location. We had traveling with us my husband\u2019s mother, sister and his nephew and his wife.\nWe could not have been more pleased with the hotel. The rooms were roomy and very clean. Added bonus was having the refrigerator and microwave in our room. Everyone was very happy with their room.\nThe free parking was a very big plus. We parked and used the bus for most of our San Francisco sightseeing. Buses were only one block over on either side of the hotel. The Wharf, Pier 39 and Ghairdelli square are in walking distance. However, my mother in law is 76 and we used the bus as the hills can be a bit strenuous.\nVersa in the front office is unbelievable. Very knowledgeable, very helpful and very friendly. She could not do enough for us. \nLike a previous poster said-One block away is a Walgreen\u2019s for soda and snacks and there are several great restaurants with in walking distance. Very nice, safe neighborhood.\nVery highly recommend this hotel and if we are ever in San Francisco again, we will only stay at the Castle Inn.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I had never traveled to or driven in San Francisco prior to our trip in June, 2005. I have two young children and I was nervous about safety, cleanliness, location, ability to maneuver around the city, etc. Varsa immediately puts you at ease. My concerns started to melt away during my conversation with her. She explained bus routes, noticed our young children and marked out areas of San Francisco on the map she said were not for kids, helped us with directions, etc. I, like many of the previous reviewers went with the Castle Inn because of excellent internet reviews and they are accurate. Hotel is clean, located in a safe neighborhood, guarantees you a free parking space (rare in San Francisco), refridgerator and microwave a plus, easy busride/walk to wharf, Ghiradelli Square, China Town.....all at a very reasonable price for San Francisco. All this is excellent but Varsa is the best thing about the Castle Inn. This is the only hotel I have ever reviewed on the internet. I felt compelled to review this one though and give it an excellent rating. This is where we will stay if and when we find ourselves in San Francisco again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "This is a great economical base for touring SF. We booked two rooms for three nights based on the glowing recommendations on this web site and were not disappointed. \nHotel location is perfect. Easy walking distance to Ghiardelli Sq, but a little tougher (hills) to Fishermans Wharf, Pier 39, Chinatown, North Beach and Lombard St. Climb the hill and take the cable car to Union Sq.\nWhat I really liked was the neighborhood atmosphere. It gave a taste of what draws people to live in SF - a variety of great neighborhood restaurants around the corner on Polk St or Union St (try the Little Thai two doors down). Stroll around the corner in the morning and browse the bageleries, boulangeries, coffee shops and tea houses for breakfast - up and comming without being too chi-chi. Felt safe even late at night.\nI checked out some of the other hotels we were considering and was glad we stayed at the the Castle - the Cow Hollow motels are too far away and the Union Sq area is too busy and grimy - and twice the price. The Castle is quiet enough to sleep with the windows open and free come-and-go parking makes this the best deal in SF.\nOnly problem - one of our rooms had a slight odour which we couldn't place. Room certainly looked clean and new and since we didn't report it we can't really blame the management.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "My sister and children and I stayed in The Castle Inn just before Memorial Day for a few nights and had a wonderful time. We were traveling on a budget and wanted to be safe and comfortable. While researching a place to stay in San Francisco, I noticed this Inn was the only place in this price range to receive consistant good reviews with no poor reviews. Sure, one lady complained about the color of the bathroom tiles, which I happened to like when I saw them. The tiles had a glazed rustic earthtone finish which only added to my experience because they weren't the same generic thing you see in every other Inn or Motel.\nIt's true the Inn is run with 'Family Loving Care', we were given directions on how to get to places, places we should stay away from, etc. I would strongly advise if you are planning on walking to Fisherman's Wharf, which we did for the sake of exercise to retrace 'on the way back' the route you took there as laid out by Marshall. If you try to take a shortcut back to the Inn as we did from the north part of the Wharf by following the city map you will run into some mammoth hills that are so steep that the sidewalks are actually stairsteps. Let me just say that after that experience, all of the other walking exercises on our trip down along the coastline didn't seem nearly as challenging. After a 2 mile walk in Santa Barbara, we found ourselves saying to each other \"if we only had a good hill, like in San Fransisco...this is too easy! Also, be sure to wear comfortable and supportive athletic shoes. We never could have made it in street shoes or without the beautiful cool weather which greatly helped with the intensity of the workout required to return to the Inn from that direction.\nThe front of the Inn has been painted a creamy yellow and is no longer grey as in the featured picture. The side of the Inn is layed out sort of like a multi-level La Quinta Inn, and I was a little worried because we had a lot of heavy luggage I knew we wouldn't be able to lug up the stairs. We were happy to discover they had an elevator along with handy rolling luggage carts. We had a room toward the back on the 2nd floor so the street noise was minimal. The parking garage was a squeeze but FREE, and we were prepared for that from reading previous reviews. Getting in is a challenge because it is a single car entry and once you get in, there are a few good places for a larger vehicle such as a van or SUV. The real trick is getting out which takes multiple manuverings, about 3 to 4 minutes worth and patience in getting the car into the correct position to head out, but since we walked or rode the trolley most of the time, we did not have to go in or out often. They also have an excellent camera system in the garage and covered stairway and elevator areas that is transmitted to the office which added to our feeling of safety. Never did we feel unsafe in this neighborhood and we walked to restaurants at night with two minor girls. They also had vending machines on the stair landings where you could get pop and bottled water for $1, you will pay $2.50 to $3.00 on the Wharf. If I had to change one thing, I would suggest that they extend their continental breakfast buffet time to 9:30 or 10:00am instead of 9:00am. which seemed a little early to me. We either had to procure our breakfast pastries early and store them in our room for after our walk or try to return from our early morning walks in time to partake of it before it shut down. \nWe had a wonderful time visiting San Fransisco and staying at The Castle Inn was the best choice we could have made in this price range. We were not disappointed!! Keep up the good work Castle Inn and Good Luck!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "I found out about this hotel through the Trip Advisor website. We got a great deal for the Memorial weekend and paid significantly less than other hotels. If you are looking for posh, this hotel isn't it, but what it is is clean, well managed, convenient and perfect for anyone wanting to be close to everything. There were tons of actvities within walking distance and easy access to most sites. The free parking was great and it was nice to know we always had a spot. The free treats for breakfast were appreciated and the management was always available with a friendly smile. Varsa did a great job arranging a tour and the management really went to bat for us when the tour group did not pick us up. They were on the phone immediately and made sure all of our needs we met. I highly recommend this spot as an affordable and convenient place to spend the night when in San Fran.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Varsa, the inkeeper. is just the best! \nThe location is safe and convenient.\nThe restaurants near by on Polk are superb.\nThe Inn is a \"motel\" but the rates are great.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "This hotel was amazing. Before I even got there I wanted to write a grand review. Varsa handled my reservation and was also on duty for the 3 nights me and my boyfriend stayed there, and she was extremely helpful from the first time I called to the time of checkout. We did not experience any problems while there. In fact, on the first day we returned to our room and the cleaning staff had left our window open to air the room out (screen was closed, though), so we went to the front desk to request that they not do this (just our own preference), and it was immediately put on the cleaning staff list of special instructions. Needless to say, the window was never left open again. The accommodations were perfect. If you're expecting rose petals in your bathroom and a foot massage with bon bons upon awakening, you a) may be spending too much time in your room anyway, but b) should look elsewhere, because these accommodations are great for people who want a good, safe, convenient location with good service (the fridge and microwave were a definite plus). If you're looking for the latter, then book here. The free parking was EXCELLENT. Buyer beware - if you think you're getting a \"bargain\" at some of the other hotels which do not have free parking, think again. You could pay upwards of $25+ per day for parking alone, and even more if they don't grant you in-and-out access during the day. Do the math and in most cases you'll probably come out dollars ahead if you stay here instead. There were some great restaurants in the area (Aroma Cafe and the Bagelry are worth special mention...and you MUST go to Firefly which is all the way across town but well worth it), as well as a Walgreens literally just around the corner (at the time of this review) in case you forgot something. For those who might be a little swayed by the one unsatisfied reviewer who complained that this hotel isn't as close to the Wharf as advertised, I'd say this -- downtown San Fran is not like Manhattan...it's pretty small and everything is fairly easy to get to. It took us about 20 min by cable car, including the walk from the hotel to the stop and the trip down to the wharf. Plus you get some great photo ops (including Lombard's one crooked block) that way! And in terms of being told to hold it down, the sign for quiet hours is clearly posted...I'd want a hotel manager to do the same thing if there were guests disturbing my sleep even if they didn't mean to. Again, this hotel was fabulous. Thanks to Varsha and Sy for a wonderful experience. I'll be back whenever I come to San Fran next, and will gladly recommend you to everyone I know!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "I absolutely recommend the Castle Inn. \nWe were really tired when we arrived there but we were given a fantastically friendly welcome and loads of helpful advice by the owner.\nThe room was large, clean and comfortable. Although it wasn't \"fancy\", as such, it had everything you could need (fridge, microwave, ironing board and iron) and was very quiet.\nFree parking was a bonus - the owners were very amenable, letting us leave the car when we checked out and come back for it a few hours later.\nBy motel standards, the breakfast was good.\nAll in all, I couldn't fault this place and for the price, it was fantastic.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "I just stayed here on my first trip to San Francisco, and it was perfect. The people on reception were very friendly and helpful, telling us which areas to avoid, and letting us leave a car on the day of departure while we went to Alcatraz in the morning. The room was very spacious and clean, with an ironing board, fridge and microwave for those more domesticated than me. The rooms are set back from the street and therefore quiet. Also, it's next to Van Ness Street - part of Highway 101, which leads south to the airport and north to the Golden Gate Bridge. It's great. I'd like to go back to SF, and I'd certainly stay here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Just returned to Australia and was pleased with the results from using TripAdvisor. One of the better rated hotels was the Castle Inn. First impressions were not great however when we opened the door we were very pleased. The room was a good size with 2 queen beds. The microwave and refrigerator were very useful but the bonus was the free parking. The lady at the front desk was very helpful and gave us a map showing the places to go and also not to go. The walk to the sights was a good 10 minutes however walking back up the hills took a bit longer as should be expected. The Castle Inn is located in a safe area and with 2 young kids we had no concerns in walking to nearby restaurants at night. All in all I have no hestitation in recommending the Castle Inn as a good place to stay.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "We just returned from 4 nights at The Castle Inn. For the budget minded traveler I can't recommend this place enough. It was everything we had hoped it would be.\nFirst and foremost the place was immaculate. I have stayed in far \"nicer\" hotels that weren't nearly as clean. Whether you were looking at the elevator, lobby area, common hallways, your room or bedding, everythingw as clean. \nNext, the hotel management was wonderful. Varsa was without a doubt the most accomodating person I've ever run across. She told us where to go, where not to go, and how to get there. She made dinner reservations for us, called cabs, booked tours, you name it. She was very personable and never made us feel badly for asking the same question more than once. (And trust me, we did!). She was always looking for feedback too, in terms of how we liked things, how we got around and so forth. She is obviously very dedicated to the success of The Castle Inn and it shows.\nSome folks have complained about the breakfasts. We found no problems whatsoever. Each day there was a choice of prepackaged breakfast bars, packaged muffins or pastries, yogurt, fresh fruit and coffee/tea/hot cocoa. It was more than enough to jump start our morning and energized us to begin our walks. If you are looking for a sit down breakast you won't find it here but like I said, you certainly will find enough choices to hold you over until you find a restaurant. I liked the fact that we could grab a banana or two and hit the road.\nThe room itself was more than fine. We had 2 queens and also a roll-away. I think we may have been put in a larger room to accomodate the roll-away. Varsa warned us that the roll away might not be comortable but honestly, at the end of each day I was so dog tired I could hav slept on a bed of nails. The room had a/c and windows that slide open to let in the fresh air. We were not bothered by the city noises at all. Did we hear them? Yes. But it's noises we'd expect to hear in the city and we got use to them quickly.\nThe room also had a nice micro and fridge. There are plenty of restaurants around the corner so if you choose to do take-out you can safely store your food in your room. There is also a Walgreens just around the corner for water, soda or other munchies you might want to stock in your room. \nThe tub/shower/toilet were separate from the bathroom sink which allowed us to save time and do things in tandem. There was also a hairdryer and full sized ironing board and iron in the room, which unfortunatley we did have to use even though I vowed I wouldn't iron on vacation. \nI loved the location of the hotel too. It took us about 15 minutes (pretty much all downhill) to get to Ghiradelli Square. North Beach was also not a bad walk. There were bus routes about 2 blocks away (also an easy walk). We loved all the neighborhood restaurants and cafes too. After staying here, I'd never want to stay in Fisherman's Wharf or Union Square.\nWe had a very positive experience at The Castle and would highly recommend it.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "As in San Fran week of April 3 to April 10th and we stayed at the Castle Inn. It truly was great value. The Inn staff was extremely helpful with where breakfast/dinner options in the neighbourhood, tour companies to use and places to go see ie. Wineries in Napa Valley. The rooms were basic but big compared to other hotels and you spend minimal time it doesn't really matter. Parking is included and that in itself is a hug help because even though everyone says you don't need a car in SF, we liked having it available to us to just drive to a neighbourhood and cruise around the less touristy places. The breakfast offered by the hotel (or any of the hotels, we also stayed at the Buena Vista Motor Inn as well) isn't much to talk about. Muffins and Danishes that are packaged (trans fats), cereal bars, bananas and apples (good) orange juice and coffee but it came in handy a couple of days.\nThe location of this hotel is ideal. Very prominent homes nearby but it did feel like the streets were very steep in Russian Hill. Bus routes are extremely convenient. Hop on to the VanNess #47 to get to Fisherman's warf and downtown. Polk St right by the hotel has a Bagel shop for a breakfast on the run and Polker for a sitdown breakfast - you must try the Skillet with sausage. Stay away from Market St. and the Tenderloin area...seedy part of town. \nThere's lots to do in SF so have fun.\nCathy, Hamilton, Ontario", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "112338": {"reviews": [{"text": "This little property is great! The neighbourhood is so vibrant and full of life!!! All I can do is confirm what you will read in so many other reviews. \nOne thing that really stood out for us was the ability to walk just about everywhere from the Hotel - Union Square, Fisherman's Wharf, etc. I was very impressed. Stan was a great asset in terms of telling us where to go and also where to stay away from.\nWe had an inner room which was a little dark but all in all nice and quiet and very clean. For the money and the location I'd say that you are getting pretty good value for the money.\n***If you are wanting to do the Alcatraz Tour which is absolutely fascinating and a \"must-do\" by almost everyone's account that visits San Fran, then make sure you book ahead of time!\nHave fun and enjoy!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "After much research on this and other sites, I am quite pleased to have chosen Hotel Boheme for a mid-January weekend getaway. It had been several years since my last SF visit, and I had typically always stayed in Union Square. North Beach was the perfect location in the end as it had lots of character and fabulous restaurants. So easy to walk to many parts of the city from here, or just hop on a cable car or bus. The staff at this hotel was quite personable and accommodating from the first contact made by phone. They were always willing to make suggestions for restaurants, events, etc. and made sure we never got lost. The room was small but comfortable and romantic without being flowery. The more expensive rooms probably have more space, but ours was fine. Our room faced Columbus which was loud one night, but the hotel itself is nice and quiet. Plus, we loved the view of the street. Interior rooms don't have any view, I think. I doubt you'll regret staying here regardless. Thanks to all of you who recommended it!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "This Hotel is next to all the best Restaurants in the city, right next to Washington square park, steps from Chinatown and Union Square, Fisherman's wharf right down the street as well. This is seriously the best place to stay in San Francisco it's so charming and the rooms are nicely decorated and romantic.\nThere are lots of coffee shops like Cafe Trieste right up the block also Beach Blanket Babylon is right up the street and Jazz at Pearls which I both recommend. Mama's right by Washington square is great for Breakfast also if it's a nice day you can take a picnic in the park.\nThere is a cafe right downstairs called Calzone's which is open until 2 a.m. it is a nice spot to get a night cap before heading up to rest.\nWe walked around Union square the first day we got there and we were not impressed with all the hotels in that area..no charm to them like this one.\nWill definetly return my boyfriend really loved this place! So did I!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed at the Hotel Boheme in North Beach in September. It was a wonderful hotel - the room and bathroom was very clean and the decor was really cozy. We stayed on the street and liked hearing the noise from the street below. It was nice to sit and look out the window while waiting to go out. We slept with the windows open and was woken up in the middle of the night once to the street sweeper. There are many restaurants right outside the hotel. The hotel is in a good location. \nDown the street is a restaurant called \"Volare\" that I would highly recommend and still get a taste for. I ordered their Gnocchi al Pesto both times we ate there. Heading from Volare to the hotel, there is a a gelato place on a corner - I forgot the name - but it exclusively sells gelato - it is THE CLOSEST to real Italian gelato that I have had in America. very good dessert. While in San Francisco, we rented bicycles and rode across the Goldent Gate bridge (bicycles rented from the pier). This was such a good time and a unique way to view the bridge. Another must for San Francisco is the Alcatraz tour. The self guided audio is very interesting. The staff/guides at the prison also told stories and gave demonstrations - including locking volunteers (us included) in the \"hole\" (solitary confinement). what an experience!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Just returned from a weekend in San Francisco - stayed at Hotel Boheme in North Beach. A small boutique hotel in a great location in Little Italy. Our room looked out onto the main strip lined with wonderful bakeries and restaurants. The room was darling and brightly painted and the bathroom was clean with wonderful tile and antique fixtures. The room had a bistro table with 2 chairs in front of the window and an elegant armoire. The innkeeper was friendly and informative and made everyone feel welcome and at home - serving evening cordials in the reception area. Definately would stay again!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My husband and I spent three nights at Hotel Boheme in San Francisco from August 11-14. We arrived around 10:00pm Friday night and actually missed the entrance and had to have our cab driver go around the block. Upon our arrival and greeting, we knew we selected a great place. Stan, who was working that weekend, gave us the lowdown on the best restaurants and neighborhoods, and the best time to get in line at Mama's for breakfast (before 8am). He really made our stay memorable. We asked for an interior room because we read previous reviews saying the noise from Columbus Street below could be bothersome. We never heard a thing. Our room was comfortable and clean, with a beautiful bed and decent size bathroom. The room, and entire hotel for that matter, really reminded us of the pensiones we stayed in when we visited Italy last year. Hotel Boheme is small, intimate, romantic, and worth the stay. Another plus is the hotel location. Columbus Street is the heart of Washington Square and Little Italy, and is only a few blocks from Chinatown and a short walk to Fisherman's Wharf. Lots of great bars, restaurants, and a fantastic gelateria nearby - closest thing to real Italian gelato we've found. We would definitely stay at Hotel Boheme again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "My fiancee and I LOVED this hotel. Check-in was a bit worrisome, due to the fact that we are not used to driving in a big city and we had to stop in the middle of the street to unload luggage. There is complimentary sherry in the evenings and the neighberhood is very good for the middle of a major city. The rooms are too, too charming (in a good way!) and you can't ask for a better location. There are six very tasty eateries within 50 yards of the front entrance. Fabulous pastries, Italian food, and Chinese food as well. Chinatown is within walking distance (next door in fact). The next time we visit San Francisco, we will be staying at this hotel without a second thought.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "This is a great hotel if you want to experience San Francisco in the non-touristy way. It's located in North Beach and a lot of the regular tourist sites are within walking distance. Have a cup of coffee at Cafe Trieste around the corner, grab a morning snack at the Stella's Pastry, take in the great show of Beach Blanket Babylon at the Fugazi, hang out in Washington Square park. There are also a ton of great restaurants to choose from. Downtown is probably about 6-7 blocks away, or you can walk over to Fisherman's Wharf. \nThe hotel rooms are small, but they feel very home-y. The decor is kind of artsy. Bathrooms are a little small too and they don't have a separate toilet room from the shower. The front desk staff are incredibly nice and accomodating. I don't think I've ever experienced any hotel staff who seemed as truly genuine as they were. At night, a carafe of sherry is put out for guests to sample. It was great to come back from a night out, and then be treated to an after-dinner drink. This is a hotel for people who want to get away from it all (TV was about a 14 inch) and feel like they are staying with their friends in the city. It's not a resort, but it's a great place to stay.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "My wife and I love this place. It is in the heart of San Francisco\u2019s North Beach District, just a block north of the famous \u201cCity Lights\u201d book store. The hotel is surrounded by some of the best Italian restaurants in the city. It\u2019s a near perfect San Francisco experience. \nHotel Boheme itself is located on Columbus Street in the heart of an old Italian neighborhood. The only sign of a hotel at 444 Columbus is a single innocuous doorway covered by a small awning. That doorway is wedged between the sidewalk caf\u00e9 \u201cCalazones\u201d and a small Italian bakery. You have to buzz at the door to enter but you get a key for this door on check in. Past the door is a steep and narrow staircase leading up to the next floor. On the second floor to the right of the landing is the hotel office. A bottle of Sherry surrounded by cordial glasses is set out for guests on the landing sideboard each night. Hotel staff are always friendly, helpful and knowledgeable about everything San Francisco. They have always made our visits to stays in the city easy and fun.\nOur last trip to San Francisco, June of 2006 became our fourth time staying at the Hotel Boheme. The rooms are small and simple but quite elegant. Our room had a queen bed, armoire and a bistro table with two chairs. Our bathroom was tiled and had a glass front shower. Everything was spotless. The hotel motif is straight from the beat generation with names like Laurence Ferlengetti, Jack Keroac, Ken Kesey and Jake Cassidy dominating the hotel art and some of the furniture as well.\nTwo comments for your consideration is the difficulty with parking. Parking is a problem all over San Francisco. The closest Public Parking to Hotel Boheme is on Valejo street about a block and a half way. Be prepared to pay $26 dollars per day for public parking. Secondly, if you are a light sleeper or are unused to the sounds of the city then request and \u201cinside\u201d room. Any room that fronts onto Columbus Street can be noisy.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "If you're vacationing and looking to experience San Francisco, this is the place to stay. Not fancy, but comfortable and quaint. The location is perfect - close to almost everything, and a great area for restaurants, night life, and walking. If you don't like exercise and have no tolerance for something that doesn't fit the norm, then don't stay here. You have to climb one flight of stairs with luggage, and parking is 1 1/2 blocks away. We're about 50, and I don't think we could have found a place more to our liking.\nNot sure how convenient it is for business travel, but great for a vacation! Wonderful staff - pleasant and extremely helpful. It's a great getaway. We stayed on the street side with the window open, and didn't find the noise objectionable. We didn't want to sleep much anyway!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "If you're looking for an intimate San Francisco experience, this is the place. The rooms are spotless if a bit small, the staff couldn't be more helpful and the neighborhood is full of character, characters, funky shops, good food and good music.\nSome earlier critics maybe don't get it - this isn't the Ritz and doesn't pretend to be. But it's clean, quiet, decorated in fun style and located in the middle of a lively but safe area.\nIf you're not familiar with the city, you'll want to quiz the staff, who are unfailingly cheerful and helpful. Special thanks to Stan for dining recommendations. Speaking of dining, within a couple of blocks you could eat at a different place each meal for a week, from great pastry and coffee to hearty breakfasts to Chinese, Italian, Thai etc. If you don't care to walk, buses run right by.\nOnly cautions: No elevator (only three stories anyway), televisions are a bit small for older eyes, and the parking is a bit dear, but convenient and ssecure.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Hotel Boheme is a nicely restored building on Columbus Avenue -- the main street of the North Beach (Italian) section of San Francisco. It's a great area for urban hikers, especially if they don't mind some steep grades -- Russian Hill, the Coit Tower, and Chinatown are all fairly close, and may other parts of San Francisco are a long walk (or a cab ride) away.\nEntrance to the hotel is tucked between patio tables of restaurants below, and you climb a flight of stairs to the concierge desk. Then, if necessary, another flight to your room.\n\"Stan\" was our concierge, and he began making suggestions about where to visit before we even asked. \"Charles\" was equally solicitous on our way out. These guys really want you to enjoy your stay, and really know both the neighborhood and the city.\nRooms are small, cozy, and retro, with decor celebrating the \"Beat\" era of North Beach, and rooms painted deep colors. Our room was in very good shape save one patch of damaged ceiling.\nHotel Boheme does not try to be a full-service hotel. Room service consists of a limited menu of beverages only. Our room had a very small TV set (which we didn't need anyway). No fitness center or expansive lobby.\nComplimentary sherry is provided from the concierge area in the evenings.\nHere's the main thing: if you take a room fronting along Columbus Ave., you can sit near the window and watch the sidewalks below, which is fun. You also get a lot of street noise (Saturday night brought a lot of late-night revelry to the sidewalk cafes below; Sunday wasn't as bad). So either take the street-side room and be prepared (bring ear plugs for sleeping?) or else ask for a quieter room, or stay elsewhere.\nWe'll be back to Hotel Boheme -- with earplugs.\nDuring our stay, we enjoyed a martini at the Beat-culture-soaked Vesuvio bar (next door to the famous City Lights bookstore), a focaccia sandwich and capuccino at Mario's Bohemian Cigar Shop & Restaurant, a decent dinner at Calzone's under the hotel, and a very nice dinner at Steps of Rome Trattoria. Nearby O'Reilly's Irish pub puts out a hearty brunch. Its hard to starve or get thirsty in this neighborhood. Don't worry, the hotel staff can point you to all these places & more; we also found the Lonely Planet San Francisco guide useful.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}]}, "81249": {"reviews": [{"text": "My traveling companion and I spent $110 per night for 3 nights, and this was for 2 queen beds. I must say, this is the best bargain I've ever had in San Francisco - and I have gone there several times over the past 14 years. \nFirst of all, the staff are very friendly and polite. On the first day I got there, I noticed that one of the light bulbs in the bathroom was burned out, so I notified the front desk. Not more than one minute later, one of the maids was knocking on our door to rectify the situation. Now, this is my idea of prompt customer service, if it still exists anywhere! \nWithout asking them, we were given an upper floor room towards the back, away from the traffic noise in the front. I slept very comfortably all 3 nights I was there. The hotel room itself was kept very immaculate by the maids.\nAlso, a great plus for the room was the mini-fridge, as mentioned by the past reviewers. The reason why this is convenient is because some of you may not want to have their free donuts and small muffins for breakfast (this limited choice is their only downside), and may opt instead to buy stuff like yogurt or juice.\nMy friend and I walked to Fisherman's Wharf with no problems. The neighborhood seems nice and quiet, safe enough to walk around at night. If you're game for an uphill walk, you can even make it to the crooked street to take pictures. (I would avoid driving to the crooked street by car in the late afternoon or evenings, because there always seems to be an endless line of cars stretching for blocks). \nI took the advice of one of the past reviewers and took in the amazing views at the rooftop of the hotel. I was so impressed!\nOverall, this is quite a gem of a hotel. I would definitely stay there again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "81110": {"reviews": [{"text": "We've been staying at this hotel for at least eight years, anywhere from one to four times per year. Our room type, and location is on file, and we always get a welcome back note from the management, some candy, and on occasion, a nice pen or key fob. We stayed the weekend before Xmas, and it was another scene altogether. Lousy rooms (two, one for our daughter) with lousy location, no willingness to change(although the bellman told us it was 70% occupied when we checked in), no acknowledgement from the manager, room uncleaned until late in the day, one bottle of water in the room, towels for one. Our waiter for breakfast, who has been there for years, told us the place had been sold to Kors and there were to be some changes- higher rates (!), flat screen TV's, and the 4 star chef is leaving. We tried to get a midafternoon snack in the bar as we had show tickets and our name was put on the bottom of a long list. Any special consideration for hotel guests- nope! When we did get in, bar service was lousy. I came close to whistling down a waiter. Campton Place has always been a very personal, in a major city, but things have slipped badly. We ran into several return guests who could not believe how badly the place had slipped in such a short time. We are returning to SF in January, but this time to the Hotel Vitale. Bye Campton Place- we'll be back when your management figures out what made it \"click\" for so many of us.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "As the last reviewer noted, Campton Place is not a 5 Star hotel. Having said that, we paid $250 vs the $400 rate at the Four Seasons. The room was dowdy, eventhough we booked an upgraded room. We were directly facing a busy street and the street lamp was brightly shining in our window all night. We asked to be moved and the hotel offered us a quieter location but a lower grade room which was even dowdier. However, the room were very clean.\nService was friendly but very absent-minded....had to wait 20 minutes to get an umbrella....coffee urns empty both mornings of our stay...that kind of thing.\nIf you are paying anything more than $250 I just wouldn't bother with this hotel.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "NOISY AND MINIMAL DESIGN!\nWe booked the Campton Place because of good reviews and a 5 star rating, which we prefer most of the time. Because of a busy week in SF, we booked early a $300/night room for 4 nights, and let them know it was our anniversary. We were placed on the 3rd floor, near a busy intersection and an elevator. The room was clean, but PLAIN JANE. Later I was told that the hotel was being sold , and improvements were to be made. I SURE HOPE SO! On the 3rd night we were moved to a quieter room.\nStaff was nice, and smiled BIG while they told you they could not accomodate your requests.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "After checking TripAdvisor extensively for SF hotel, settled on Campton Place for last minute 3 night trip thru Travelocity. Hotel was in great location and VERY FRIENDLY. Front desk staff also serves as concierge and they were all very helpful. Had room with King bed and combo tub/shower on 3rd floor overlooking Stockton St (Grand Hyatt across street). Reviews were that rooms were small. We found it to be well laid out and very functional with great bath and bed. Had large windows that opened. Very nice amenities in room with excellent turndown and housekeeping each day was prompt ant thorough. Every one on staff called us by name and maid even left thank you for tip. Concierge made all restaurant resv for us after we arrived and discussed our desires. We did not rent a car and had easy time with cable cars, street cars, buses and ferry.\nRecommend Sears and Dotties for breakfast. Also, be sure and go to Ferry Bldg on days when Farmers market is open. Rode ferry from there to Sausalito rather than from Fisherman's Wharf. Try to eat at neighborhood restaurants rather than major tourist places. did have very nice meal at Farallon - request dining room at back near open kitchen.\nYou will be pleased with Campton Place if you want personalized service and well equipped and quiet room. If you want big hotel with bustling lobby, etc then better to try St Francis or one of the Hyatts.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Great location, plush and contemporary designed rooms (if small), with quality touches like a hand written card with tomorrow's weather, cookies & milk delivered for our 2 year old, a great bed & pillows, quiet atmosphere, a wonderful restaurant and great front desk service. Oh, I wish more Hoteliers would follow this code. And we got it all for 225 a night.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We stayed at Campton Place at the end of a week spent in the Bay area. We had only one night in this hotel, but it was the nicest hotel I have ever stayed in. The bed was AMAZING. The bathroom was huge with a separate tub and shower. The staff was helpful but unobtrusive. I did not sense any \"attitude\" during our stay. Great location. Definitely worth the price!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My husband and I were in San Francisco on vacation and stayed at the Campton Place for five nights in May 2005. We are seasoned travelers, both for liesure and work, and have stayed at some world class hotels. The Campton Place is definitely right up there with best in class, but it stands out even among those hotels because the service was so exceptional. We felt completely at home there and by the time we left were on a first name basis with the restaurant staff and the bell hops. Yonas, a doorman/valet, is just an incredibly nice and pleasant person and gave us great recommendations and information on where to go to dinner, sightseeing, etc. Thanks, Yonas!\nIt\u00b4s the little touches that really matter in distinguishing one world class hotel from another, and the Campton Place has it!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Although I booked my room at a discounted price, I was still very disappointed with a few things at the Campton Place Hotel. While the staff was very professional and extremely courteous, I was a little annoyed that I was charged so much for parking - $38 plus a $5 \"parking tax\"! And, I sent a fax out and was surprised to see a $5 fee for sending it on my bill. When sending the fax, no one told me that I would be charged for it. I was surprised since most luxury hotels either do such things complimentary or notify you of a service charge. However, the rooms were very well appointed, the bathrooms are very big with a nice dressing area and two sinks, and the service in the bar was great. All in all, it was a pretty great stay until we got our bill and saw the extras that we had been charged!", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "I stayed at Campton Place last week, January 19, 20, 2005 with my daughters for a girls getaway. It is in the perfect location, close to Union Square and shopping. I have stayed in many of the downtown hotels and this one was VERY quiet, with very comfy beds...in fact we could not believe how late we slept in each morning. The quiet is unusual for a downtown hotel.....the norm is to be awakened by sirens at any odd hour! The rooms were cozy and the bathrooms as noted by others are very large for San Francisco. The decor is in keeping with the newer look of sleek and not fussy...I like a little more old world charm myself. We had a great stay but were able to get a good price on the room through a friend...I don't think I would have enjoyed it as much at the full price!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}]}, "112293": {"reviews": [{"text": "My wife and I stayed here for a total of 8 nights on our recent US trip. We could not have asked for more.\nThe hotel itself is very clean, it has good WiFi, and is reasonably priced. It has free parking facilities, and staff are very friendly for any questions you may have. We had fresh towels every day.\nThe hotel is located in the Marina district, which is a great neighbourhood for shopping, eating and drinking. There are many places to eat breakfast at, Mel's Diner across the road for big appetites (nice diner!), or Noah's Bagels, Starbucks or the corner donut shop for something cheaper.\nWe are very grateful that we picked this hotel and did not end up staying downtown. The Marina district is so nice and feels very safe, even at night. There are great restaurants to eat out every night, right next to your door. We did not have one mediocre meal during our whole stay. Chotto's Japanese, Ristorante Parma, Amici's Pizzeria, Barney's Gourmet Burgers were all great, and they are all on Steiner St, exactly in front of the hotel's side entrance.\nThe bus stops are also very close by to the hotel, for exploring this amazing city. Bus 30, one block behind the hotel (on Chestnut St, in front of Circa restaurant) takes you to Fisherman's Wharf, Chinatown and downtown. It takes about 25 mins to get downtown on the bus. The bus stops to the right hand side of the hotel's front entrance, on Lombard St, take you to places such as Golden Gate Park.\nThings we did that were amazing:\n- Rented bicycles in Fisherman's wharf, drove by the seafront and then over the Golden Gate Bridge over to Sausalito and took the ferry back. We drove along the Piers on the way back from the ferry terminal.\n- We also rented bicycles at the Golden Gate Park one day and drove through it, rented a pedal boat on the park's Stow Lake, which is very serene and beautiful. We went to the Academy of Sciences and the Planitarium.\n- Rented a car and drove to Monterey and Carmel, and the 17 mile drive. \n- We went up the Coit Tower on Telegraph Hill. Spectacular views.\nChinatown, downtown, the Civic Center, Alamo Hill, Alcatraz were also interesting, but not as good as above.\nAll in all, if there is one downside to the hotel, it is only that it is very close to Lombard St, which is full of traffic and it is quite noisy. We stayed in a room overlooking the side street (Steiner), but it was still close to Lombard St and if you are a light sleeper, it will be a problem. You could ask for a back room, these are definitely quieter (we stayed on our last night, after coming back from a car trip), but the view is worse and there are not lovely bay windows like in the front and on the side. Mind you, you can still see the top of the Golden Gate bridge! We did not have any trouble sleeping on any night, but do ask for a quieter room if you have issues.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "We have been staying at the Cow Hollow, Coventry, and Chelsea Motor Inns every time we visit San Francisco (2-3 times a year) for the past 20 years. For the last 15 years, we have been staying exclusively at the Cow Hollow. We like the neighborhood (lots of good restaurants) and appreciate the free parking and the reasonable price. Over the years, however, the service and room quality has declined. Until the last few years, the service was good and if, at check in, the hotel could not meet requests for floor and room type, they apologized and did the best they could to accommodate you. This is no longer the case. Our last 3 stays have involved very perfunctory even unpleasant experiences at check in. The front desk now has all the charm of an airport ticket counter, with the same adversarial, hurried feeling. When I asked if anyone had even read our request for the 3rd floor, I was told with a shrug \"we are very popular now.\" When we checked out, I noticed many welcome bags on the back counter and got the impression that the hotel caters to groups and does not really care about individual travellers anymore. \nThe rooms are reasonably sized but have gotten a little worn looking, with scuffed furniture, somewhat worn mattresses, and the occasional stains on the carpets. If you can get a room in the back on the 2nd or 3rd floor, the hotel is still a good deal, but if you end up on Steiner St. or worse yet on Lombard St. you'd better not mind lots of traffic noise. \nWe may stay at the Cow Hollow again, but are also motivated to seek a new place in SF.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "First, the positive: the two room suite we booked was gorgeous, clean and comfortable. The neighborhood is very quaint and the shops and people, very friendly. I love the way everyone has a dog and the shops put out water for them at nearly every store front. The Chinese food at Country Sky restaurant across the street is absolutely wonderful, I highly recommend the fish, dim sum and hot and sour soup. All Star Donuts has delicious early morning pastries and for late night dining, Mels Drive In, was very clean and tasty. Now, the down side. The desk clerk upon our arrival was very rude. When we arrived at 3:15pm, he very quickly informed us that \"our suite would not be ready until 4 or 4:15pm.\" When I pointed out that our printed reservation sheet said 3pm check-in, he insisted that did not apply to the suites (the most expensive rooms in the inn have the latest check in time?). Finally, he decided to pick up the phone and check with housekeeping to see if our room was ready. IT WAS. He never apologized, simply acted as if we had really inconvenienced him handed us our keys and sent us on our way. I can't recall when I have ever been treated so poorly at a hotel, especially when I have reserved the most costly room on the property! The only other contact I had with the desk was when I called to inquire about a morning newspaper. Again, the same man, in a very disinterested tone said, \"the manager will bring the paper around 7am....\" I waited over 30 minutes then finally walked to the newspaper stand and purchased one myself. Don't expect great service at this hotel. In closing, I would like to give the highest praise to the \"Colors of Christmas\" performance at the Symphony Hall. If you get the opportunity to see it, you won't be disappointed!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Just returned from a week at the Cow Hollow after researching many other choices, and we're happy with our decision. We paid $125 per night less a 10% AAA discount ($112.50) for a standard king room. We had a car, so the free parking was a huge plus, especially for a 6 night stay. Our friends were paying $28 per night for parking at their hotel.\nAs others have said, the location is terrific, perhaps the biggest plus for the hotel. There are tons of great restaurants and shops within steps of your door, and there is much more of a local flavor than the Fisherman's Warf area. \"Mel's\" across the street may be more famous; however, the hotel restaurant, Bay Watch, was even better for breakfast. Excellent breakfasts at reasonable prices. \nThe room was average size for a city hotel, very clean with a very comfortable bed. The a/c heating system was very efficient; however it was also pretty noisy. Not noisy enough to keep you awake, but noticable until it blends into the background. The elevator was agonizingly slow (we're from NY, so maybe we're a bit impatient?), but there are only 3 floors, so the stairs are always an option. I guess when you list the speed of the elevator as a negative, things are pretty good.\nWe'll stay here again on our next visit, which is the bottom line for any hotel. Nice room, fair price, free parking, great reatuarant for b'kfst, in a great location.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We stayed as a family of four - parents plus two teenagers - at the Cow Hollow Inn for two nights in August 2006. We had read the positive reviews here on TripAdvisor and they were right. Apart from an unfortunate mistake when we arrived, when we were given the key to a room which was already occupied - and the desk clerk didn't seem too concerned when we went back down to reception - everything was good - plenty of space in the room, a nice bathroom and plenty of towels, soap, coffee etc, and a very useful garage. No breakfast, but Mel's DIner is across the road and there are lots of restaurants very nearby. It is easy to get to the rest of the city by bus - recommended.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "My wife and I spent 3 nights at Cow Hollow Motor Inn. It is located on Lombard St in a great area. It's very close both to Union Street and even closer to Chestnut St in the Marina district. This means you are in walking district to some the best restaurants anywhere, not to mention boutiques and shops.\nLocation and value are the key words. We paid $125/night for a reasonable but plain room, very good for San Francisco. There are no real amenities, except free parking, again something very unusual for this City. We parked our rental car and left it, as there are buses along Lombard to take you towards Fishermans Wharf, or Union Square. \nOur room gave a partial view of the Golden Gate view. One of the highlights of our trip was to walk across the Bridge to Sausalito, and take the ferry back. We actually bused to the Bridge, but it was really walking distance from the hotel.\nCow Hollow Motor Inn is not fancy, but offers a great base for a visit to San Francisco, without breaking your budget.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My wife and I stayed at Cow Hollow Motor Inn for 5 nights in May this year. We decided on this hotel after reading the reviews on this website and I have to say we were not disappointed! The location is outstanding from many different aspects, close to restaurants and shopping in both Union Street and Chestnut Street. The hotel doesn't have a restaurant but there is a breakfast and lunch place in the building called \"The Bayview \" which is very good and the food is good too. Across Lombard directly opposite is a Mel's Diner that is open from very early until very late, both the service and food is very good, both places prices are cheap as well. The Marina district is a good location to stay as it is close to the Bay and is about a 10 minute walk down Fillmore to get some good views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the harbour.The Muni bus, number 30 goes down Chestnut and will take you to Fishermans Wharf or into Downtown as well. The bus service is excellent and you save on having to find and pay for parking too. If you stay in a room at the front of the hotel (on Lombard) you may find the traffic noise a bit distracting, but even that is a small price to pay for such an excellent location and really helpful staff. The room we had was on level 3 facing Lombard and was big and so was the bathroom, it was very clean too. On the whole we would have no hesitaton either recommending or staying here when we visit San Francisco in the future.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "bargain :\ni've paid 110$/day, 2 weekend nights.\nlocation :\ngood neighbourhood.\nsuperb if you use a car since you have a parking place.\nduring my weekend stay i encountered almost no traffic.\nthough i walked from the hotel to pier 39, and enjoyed the sights on the way.\n( took me about 20-30 mins of walking, consider it is partially uphill, and the weather\n was excellent for it, i dont recommend it when its too hot.. )\nthere's a diner across the street - open from 6am.\nroom :\ntook a room with city view ( to lombard st. ) - its a nice view.\nnice and spacious room, allot of storage volume, \nvery clean, a/c working ( i only tested the heating ),\njust like in the picture.\nparking :\nfew parking spaces at the entrance floor.\n many parking spaces at the garage floor. ( both are free )", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "We stayed at the Cow Hollow last month and our experience was unforgettable. There free parking was great b/c we were able to commute where ever we wanted all over the city, The bus stop for #30 bus that goes toward Fishermans Wharf is right behind the hotel. As well as having great shops, restaurants and bars just walking distance from the hotel. Although our room was on the Lombard St. side the noise was tolerable considering we come from NYC. The rooms were impeccably clean and well maintained a very big plus! \nThe location was very perfect for us b/c unlike downtown San Fran we hardly noticed any vagabonds walking around our neighborhood, I never once felt like I had to look over my shoulders at any time we were walking around looking for something to eat. \nWe also discovered on our last night there that the hotel is also only blocks away from the San Fran bay where you can get a great glimpse of the Golden Gate bridge. \nIf you want to try a great asian fusion restaurant head to Betelnut on Union St. a couple blocks away from Cow Hollow, they have the most amazing Calamari!\nIn all if you want a very convenient place to stay for a very affordable price Cow Hollow is definitely a good choice!..HIGHLY RECOMMENDED", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "We stayed for 5 days in this hotel with our 7-moth old baby.\nIt was just perfect, especially if you consider the reasonable price. Great restaurants and shops just around the corner; not very noisy or touristic neighborhood, free parking, easy access (by car) to main city attractions.\nRoom was spacious and comfortable, and they had free internet acces (though it was not wireless). \nWe highly recommend it.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "My family spent a week at Cow Hollow and thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The hotel is in a fantastic location and the rooms were large and clean. We have a 2 year old and a 6 year old who easily jumped into the swing of hotel life here. We found a parking space every night and rejoiced over the fact that we didn't have to take public transportation with the children. I probably spent two months searching out the best hotel and I felt I did it when we booked at Cow Hollow. The AAA rate had us go to the local AAA here and join so we got a two for one type deal....membership at AAA for a year and a great hotel for under $100. There is a FANTASTIC doughnut shop at the corner, a great sushi place across the street and a laundry mat one block down. I really would recommend this hotel especially after I saw what downtown looked like :) You can't beat the price and LOCATION!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "Everything you need- apart from a fridge.\nHuge room, air-con, TV, excellent bathroom. . . and security for your car.\n30 minutes into central SF by 'bus, fantastic restaurants just around the corner, easy to find and on Highway 101. What more do you want?\nReasonable value at $125.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We have stayed at Cow Hollow numerous times over the years and feel that we are coming home every visit. The location is the best for a nice walk to the marina, Exploratorium, and Fort Mason. Chestnut Street has wonderful restaurants and delis, and movie theatre. We used the bus at the handy stop on Chestnut to get to the ballet, to the Caltrain station, Beach Blanket Babilon, Golden Gate Park, North Beach, Fisherman's Wharf and to the cable car stop. Even though Cow Hollow doesn't charge for their fabulous parking garage, we were delighted to be in a location that allowed us to have fun without the car and parking problems in the city. The staff are wonderful and helpful, rooms are great, w. king size beds, and the Bay Watch Restaurant is fabulous for breakfast right down stairs. The price is right. Everything about Cow Hollow makes it the best deal in San Francisco for these Houstonians!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "i stayed at the cow hollow the week of march 26th in 2005 and could not have been more pleased the room, staff, location, and price they were all superior! the in and out parking was great and the ladies at the front desk were always cheerful the pictures on their website are not up to date the rooms are much better than the ones on the website ! my room was large with a room bathroom all well kept and if you ask for one toward the rear on the third floor you will get a great view of the city \nthe cow hollow is located on lombard close to van ness the main drag of the city and also you are very close to the golden gate bridge and plenty of places to dine within walking distance and the neighborhood is safe\nvery satisfied!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 40}, {"text": "The Cow Hollow Motor Inn has become our home away from home. We visit San Francisco at least once a month and have stayed here exclusively! The motor inn is clean, the staff courteous and helpful, and the location can't be beat! It is in the heart of the Marina District, and you can walk everywhere. We would recommend this motor inn to anyone, and several of our friends who have stayed upon our recommendation are now making plans to come back soon!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Cow Hollow Motor Inn is a JEWEL in San Francisco! Affordable, clean and a great location. We have walked to the marina area, Palace of Fine Arts, etc...The location is excellent for those wishing to use bus transportation. We have stayed there four times and have a fifth time coming up in May! Cannot wait.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}]}, "291227": {"reviews": [{"text": "I stayed at the Ocean Park recently while I was attending an Irish language immersion weekend at the nearby United Irish Cultural Center. I was originally drawn to the motel primarily by the fact that it is right on the L-Taraval street car line, and very to near my destination, as I'd thought I'd need to use public transit (as it happened I ended up driving). The minute I walked into the beautiful courtyard, however, I fell under the spell of this charming Art Deco jewel. It's so very clear that the owners take pride in this place and want their guests to enjoy their stay. My room, which was a single queen on the courtyard, was absolutely charming, with striking diagonal wooden paneling on one wall and real Deco touches throughout. The little basket of quality toiletries in the bathroom was a nice touch that one doesn't often see in motels these days! The bed had a cozy pillow-top mattress, and the most wonderful, soft sheets! And I must add that everything was scrupulously clean. I still can't quite believe that I got such a nice room for only $84 in San Francisco on a weekend! About the only potential downside I could see (which doesn't bother me, but might some people) is the sound of the streetcar going by at night, but it's really not loud, and it doesn't run all night.\nThe location...just blocks from the zoo, and the beach and right on a streetcar line that goes to downtown San Francisco, is really nice for people who want to relax out of the hustle and bustle of the central area (but who still want to be able to get to downtown and other tourist attractions). It's also very easy to drive to without getting tangled in city traffic, which is a real plus for me! I will definitely plan to stay at the Ocean Park for the same event next year, and I highly recommend it to anyone who's looking for a really pleasant stay in San Francisco.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "I put my parents up here last time they came to visit, and they couldn't say enough good things about it.\nI wanted them to experience a different San Francisco, since they had previously stayed in the Union Square/Tenderloin district. They loved the quiet, residential neighborhood and the Ocean Park owners. They loved being able to go for early morning walks on the beach just two blocks away.\nI stayed one night with my parents in the small but very clean room. In the moonlight, the courtyard and gardens had a magical quality - no kidding! \nI would recommend this motel to anyone. It's a real treat!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Everything about this place was excellent, beyond reproach. The rooms were very clean and the property in general was superbly kept. The gardens and the courtyard were a haven in and of themselves, not to mention the price was very affordable and if you walked two blocks then you are at one of the greatest beaches around, nice surfing, not heavily populated or over-ridden with tourists and the L train is right across the street, giving you almost instant access to the city. We were lucky enough to get this place recommended to us by a close friend who knows the city well (bike messenger/ups employee) and I don't think we'll ever stay anywhere else. This made my stay even more pleasant than it could have already been in what I now consider to be one of the most beautiful cities in america. Thank god places like this still do really exist.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "I bring my family to SF once a year for our Memorial Day weekend San Francisco Zoo trip. Stayed here for 2 nights- very quaint \"old school\" type rooms, clean and relatively quiet. Corner store around the corner, supermarket shopping plaza about 5 minutes drive up the road, pizza place (decent pizza) and diner (great breakfasts) nearby.\nThe price was comparable to any other lodging in the area, the rooms were safe and clean (big plus when you are concerned about your kids), and staff friendly. The Zoo and beach are a short walk away also. \nNice little place for a family weekend getaway.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We found Ocean Park Motel by accident while looking for a place to stay while visiting our two daughters who are students at San Francisco State. Fell in love with the decor, the ambiance, cleanliness and location. The units with kitchens are \"retro\" and an added bonus! Owners are very gracious and caring. We stay at Ocean Park only now when in S.F.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "There is little to choose from in this area of San Francisco, and we were pleasantly surprised to find this charming motel! We shared a suite with family members, and the rooms were small but more than adequate, with a small fridge and microwave, and a coffeemaker. The decor was very nice and the motel was clean. The art deco architecture is unique, and its very close to public transit lines and only 2 blocks from the beach. \nIf you're not looking for anything fancy, I highly recommend this quiet lovely motel. The back garden is very relaxing. However--beware of neighbors sunbathing nude--we got quite a surprise looking out our window one morning!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "It's been a while since I've been there, but I remember it being a very nice place. It's a few blocks from the long long beach, and a few blocks from the zoo. Just hop on the Muni and your downtown in half an hour. \nThe hotel is designed beautifully in an art deco style, and has an inner courtyard with a hot tub. The rooms are clean but bland. \nIf I were ever in San Francisco again, I would definetly stay here.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "The location near the ocean beats the Wharf anyday! The garages protect your car from the salt air. Ocean Park is close to the Cliff House for a nice dinner overlooking the Pacific at sunset. Take your coffee and go for a walk on the beach--no better way to spend the early morning! Best sand dollar beach I've ever experienced!\nThe rooms aren't fancy by any means--almost rustic--but the floor heating and almost-cabin look add to the charm and overall relaxing atmosphere. The secluded hot tub beneath the stars at night is a jewel! Great location for going to the zoo and right by the bus and trolley routes. \nWe stayed at Ocean Park when I had a conference downtown--the drive was easy and parking at the convention was easier and cheaper than I expected. I was away from all the downtown big city experience. I had a convention on the beach and everyone else went to another big city!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 17}]}, "113940": {"reviews": [{"text": "My husband and I stayed at the Petite Auberge over Memorial Day weekend and it was so-so. There were some nice things about it and some not-so-nice things.\nPros:\nEveryone was very friendly and went out of their way to be helpful. We arrived before 3:00 so we had to wait about half an hour for our room to be ready. While we waited, the front desk staff gave us recommendations for good restaurants to have lunch. They sent us to a wonderful Mexican restaurant. The housekeeping staff and breakfast/appetizer hosts were extremely friendly every time we passed them. We went down to pick up a couple of bottles of water on our way back one night and the breakfast host was down there cleaning up and he offered us some cake to take back to our room and some wine. He chatted with us for at least 20 minutes.\nThe hotel definitely was charming. We liked the way it was decorated. It really felt like a quaint French inn. \nThe location was perfect. We were close enough to Union Square and the cablecars without being in the middle of the crowds.\nWe loved the cookies and complimentary beverages that were always available. It was nice to grab a soda or bottle of water and a couple of cookies on our way back in after a day of walking the numerous hills. The wine and cheese in the evenings was a nice touch.\nCons:\nThe room was very tiny. We booked a cozy queen and \"cozy\" is an understatement. We were constantly bumping into each other. There really isn't enough room for 2 people and luggage. The bathroom only had a very small shower stall. I kept banging my elbows on the sides. \nThe included breakfast was nice but we were only able to take advantage of it one out of three mornings we were there. It started at 8:00 on weekends and holidays. We had some early tours booked and had to leave by 8:00 so we couldn't have breakfast at the hotel. Breakfast was one of the selling points of the hotel but we ended up having to go out and buy breakfast twice. That was a big disappointment as well as a waste of money.\nThe noise in the mornings was unbearable. We were awakened at 5:30 a.m. two mornings (including Memorial Day) by garbagemen. It sounded like they were out there for about half an hour. After that we couldn't go back to sleep. \nMany times we walked by the front desk and there was nobody there. We had to walk next door to the White Swan if we needed help. That was a little inconvenient. It also made me feel a little uncomfortable to think that there was nobody there in case of emergency. \nOverall, the Petite Auberge was all right. My husband liked it for the most part but I probably would choose another hotel for our next trip.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I surprised my wife with a trip to SF for our anniversary, and the Petite Auberge delighted her and scored me some \"hubby points.\" The hotel was charming, all the staff (from front desk to housekeeping) were friendly, helpful, and aiming to please. Men, don't let the feminine decor scare you away; I found it welcoming, homey, and quite masculine-friendly (think \"European\" rather than feminine). There were many nice touches, including the wine and appetizer reception, very good full breakfast, and many more. I don't \"get\" the complaints about alley noise--I think I heard some dim, distant cluttering by delivery people, but not nearly as noisy as other hotels I've been in. The \"cozy queen\" room was not as small as I expected based on other reviews. My wife says she can't imagine staying anywhere else in San Francisco. Forget the big hotels and stay at the Petite!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I chose this hotel because of the great reviews on tripadvisor.com. It is also on the list of top US hotels. When my partner and I got there, we were a little dismayed by the size of the room, and more so by the little bathroom which looked old and worn. The television is hidden in the cupboard, and you would have to swivel it 90 degrees to watch from your bed. Unfortunately, the swivel board is not designed to turn 90 degrees (perhaps only -45 to 45 degrees), so we ended up watching television at an angle.\nService at the hotel is also lacking. The bed sheet was dirty, and we requested for it to be changed. Instead of changing the sheets, a stack of sheets was left on our bed for us to change ourselves. \nAnother case of questionable cleanliness is the sighting of a rat running across the breakfast room in the evening. So needless to say, we did not have any of the \"gourmet\" breakfast the next morning.\nI definitely would not recommend this hotel to anyone, and I certainly will not return to this hotel.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "My fianc\u00e9 and I stayed in this warm and wonderful little gem of a hotel for a week at the beginning of August and I cant rave about it enough! The staff is friendly, knowledgeable and accommodating, and treated us like family. Everyone, from the concierges to the bellboy to the members of the housekeeping staff, was just so nice! The fresh cookies in the lobby were a real treat as well as the unlimited coffee, tea, cold water bottles and soft drinks. \nThe queen room with a fireplace was just the right size, big enough so two people wouldn't feel crowded but small enough to feel cozy and intimate at the same time. The bed was on the firm side but very comfortable, the pillows plentiful (we asked for extra ones with our reservation) and the fireplace just the thing to come home to after a long day's worth of sightseeing (August in San Francisco can be cold!). Bathroom was very clean and very nice with a tub, great water pressure, fluffy towels, two bathrobes, hair dryer, Aveda toiletries and hand made soaps. \nBreakfast was excellent, with good strong coffee, a choice of teas, cereals, oatmeal, baked goods (muffins, scones, biscuits, croissants, breads, etc.), boiled eggs, sausages, fresh fruits, frittata (not quiche, this didn\u2019t have a crust), milk, butter, cream cheese, honey, jams and juices served buffet style. This isn\u2019t your usual hotel breakfast, and it left me so stuffed that I hardly ever got hungry again during the day.\nI wouldn\u2019t recommend this hotel for parents with young children (rooms are smallish, no child-friendly amenities) or business travelers (no work space), but for couples it's an excellent (and very romantic!) value for the price. I can't wait to go back again!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We've just returned from a 5-night stay at the petite auberge and would definitely reccomend it, with a few reservations.\nOn the plus side, the hotel is in a great location, just a short (though steep -well it is in SF!) walk from union square and even closer to a cable car stop. The staff were without exception friendly and helpful and had some great restaurant suggestions. The breakfast and freshly baked cakes and cookies were wonderful and the complimentary water and soda should be taken up by all hotels.\nThe room was clean, comfortable and had everything we needed, as did the bathroom (nice Aveda toleteries too). Both were very small though - no a big problem as we didn't spend much time in the room, but still worth noting. Our sole real problem with the hotel was that at around 5.30 am each morning the refuse collecors seemed to make it their mission to make as much noise as possible. Perhaps the Petite Auberge should invest in some decent sound proofing?", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I stayed at the Petite Auberge because it was on the Conde Nast Gold List. I am still wondering how it made it on the list. Our room was not big enough for two people. You bumped your elbows on the sides of the shower because it was so small. But the worst thing was the noise. We were there for two nights. Each morning at 6:00 a.m. it sounded like the garbage man was dragging the garbage down the alley. To make matters worse, a clock alarm went off in the room next to us at 6:30 a.m. Because the walls were very thin, we could hear it as if it was in our room. There was no one in the room to turn off the alarm, so we called the front desk. It took them 30 minutes to turn it off the first morning. The second morning the same alarm went off again. (It was never fixed from the first morning). We had to call the front desk again to come and turn it off.\nIt may be cute with a good location and breakfast, but I go to a hotel to sleep and that's not what happened. I would not recommend this hotel to anyone.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed at Petite Auberge for three nights during our recent (first) visit to SFO. We found it to be a charming little place with a gracious and helpful staff. Everyone was so nice, from the people working the front desk to the kind gentleman who helped us with our bags to the ladies who took care of housekeeping and setting up the breakfast every morning. The room was small, but very clean and comfortable - all we needed was a place to sleep at night and shower and dress in the morning and it was more than adequate. The complimentary breakfast was fabulous! We thoroughly enjoyed the fresh fruits, baked goods, quiche and other yummy delights each morning. We only made it to the nightly wine reception once, but had some good wine, tasty snacks and great conversation with other guests. The location was very convenient - we were able to walk pretty much everywhere or easily catch public transportation if we were going beyond walking distance. We definitely would stay there again and recommend it without hesitation.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "From the moment I walked in I felt welcomed, beginning with the delightful person at the front desk. The rooms are decorated nicely, with lots of \"at home\" touches, such as books that aren't nailed to the shelves -- they can actually be picked up and read! The breakfasts are included and quite nice, and there is wine and cheese in the afternoon. There is a little conversation area downstairs, and a private little patio adjacent to the breakfast room. A very pleasant experience.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husband and I just came from California and we stayed at the Petite Auberge French Country Inn for two nights. We booked the \"cozy queen\" room which I believe is one of the smaller of their rooms. The price was $150.00 per night plus tax. The hotel is quaint, neat and clean and within a short walking distance to cable car transportation to the Fisherman's Wharf, Pier 39 and Chinatown. And it's within walking distance to Union Square. The problem we had with this hotel is that the room was so small that there was no place to lay your luggage other than on the bed. There is not much moving around space in the room either. The bathroom is tiny too but was very clean. The hotel offered free continental breakfast in the morning and wine and cheese at 5:00 each day. If I would have known I would have booked a larger room and I believe those come with fireplaces. But, even with that, I believe the price would have been even higher than what we paid for the cozy queen and I think for what you get, it's too much. \nAll in all, though, it's in a good location and if you like cozy and tight and French country inns, the Petite Auberge is the place for you.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "I brought my wife to San Francisco for her first time for our anniversary from April 21-25, 2005 and selected the Petite Auberge based on the pictures and reviews I found online. Our experience with the Petite Auberge was EXCELLENT. We were very pleased with the friendly, helpful, and thoughtful staff, from the front desk to the maids, to the food servers at the free breakfasts. The room was beautiful, the extras provided by the staff for our anniversary trip (wine, Happy Anniversary balloons) without being reminded were very thoughtful and appreciated. The location of the Petite Auberge was much better than I had expected. Two blocks from the Powell Street Cable Cars, and two blocks over and three blocks down from Union Square (my only suggestion is that the Petite Auberge advertise this great location better on its website since I think it would be a plus). At breakfast, all the other guests we talked to were also very pleased with the Petite Auberge, I heard no complaints or criticisms of this great place to stay in San Francisco. If we come back to San Francisco, we will DEFINITELY stay at the Petite Auberge. Thanks.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My wife and I spent four (4) nights recently in the Petite Suite. It was a lovely room with a gas fireplace and a seperate entrance. The room was very quiet, and quite large. The morning breakfast and afternoon wine reception were both wonderful, and the staff at the hotel was extremely helpful with restaurant recommendations, tours, and transportation questions. The hotel location is great - only several blocks from Union Square and the cable cars. We will definitely stay again at the Petite Auberge rather than larger San Francisco hotels that we had stayed in during previous visits toSan Francisco.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We visited in November 2004. My wife and I were very impressed with the total experience. The breakfasts were fantastic and the afternoon treats were great! The overall atmosphere was cozy and great, right down to the outdoor patio nook. \nWhen I read reviews about staying there, lots of people talked about the small rooms. We were offered a larger room if we wanted, but were very happy with the small room. The bed was very comfortable, and the room had everything we needed as well as nice extra touches right down to rosemary mint shampoo and Nivea moisturizing creme. \nWe've never stayed in a place that seemed structured for interaction between guests and found this nice. We got informal hints from other guests who had visited some of the tourist sites just a day earlier. You can't get more current, visitor-friendly tips than that!\nThe location is great as well. We didn't rent a car and didn't take a cab. We simply got a 7 day MUNI pass and caught the nearby (1 and a half blocks) cable car (at Powell and Bush) or nearby buses to our hearts content. Unlimited rides, no hassles with parking anywhere. Even the BART station which took us to and from the SF Airport was easily accessible. \nI also appreciated the free wireless access available to us at the White Swan Inn. As sister inns, the front door key for one got us in the other so it was easy to check email anytime we wanted. \nI write a weekly column for the Winnipeg Sun and have contact with many folks through speaking engagements. I don't make recommendations lightly, but anywhere I mention our trip to San Francisco, I'll be mentioning this place. Some hotels are little more than a pit stop for the rest of your trip. This became an integral, enjoyable and cozy part of our memory of San Francisco.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "We just can\u2019t say enough great things about this charming little bed and breakfast! Our experience at the Petite Auberge was no less than outstanding! We stayed 3 nights for our wedding October 1st and were pleasantly surprised. There is always an element of risk when choosing lodging over the internet from out of state. When they opened the double French doors to the \u201cPetite Suite\u201d I was overwhelmed at how absolutely darling this place was! It had its own balcony with a table and chairs and pretty potted flowers. Inside there was a cozy fireplace and sitting area with books and magazines, and a huge four-poster bed with a fluffy down comforter and pillows (a real treat in a hotel). Another pleasant treat was the bathroom that had a huge tub, outfitted with handmade oatmeal-mint soap, an assortment of Aveda bath products, and Nivea body cream. The mix of antique furniture and shabby chic d\u00e9cor really added a market touch of romance to the atmosphere of the room. The day we checked in, there was a bottle of champagne and white \u201cjust married\u201d balloons in our room, not to mention the delicious box of Belgian chocolates that were all gifts from the hotel. The Petite Suite also comes with a stereo, CD player, and VCR in which you can choose from a list of movies and CD\u2019s to borrow for free. There was also a mini-bar stocked with soda and bottled water which was also complimentary. It\u2019s refreshing to see a place that doesn\u2019t nickel and dime you for every little thing. Overall the quality of the room and the hotel in general was a sweet and unexpected surprise.\nNow let\u2019s talk breakfast! YUM with a capital \u201cY\u201d! Breakfast is served in a wonderfully furnished European-style breakfast room which brought back memories of our traveling abroad. The food was excellent. No continental breakfast here! There was a different variety of homemade quiche each day; the potato curry was my favorite. There was also a nice variety of fruit, homemade muffins, pastries, chocolate croissants, hot and cold cereals, juice and milk in addition to hot maple link sausage and fresh country French bread with high quality preserves and marmalades! Phew! In the afternoon, the hotel offers a wine reception where guests can meet by the fireplace in the cozy den and have complimentary red and white wine, assorted cheeses and the most fabulous homemade bundt cake! Not to mention that there were freshly baked cookies available all day in the lobby, fortunately for our waistlines we were too busy to take advantage most of the time!\nThe staff was impeccably efficient, genuinely thoughtful and friendly and helpful, not only at the Petite Auberge, but at the sister hotel next door called the White Swan (which seems lovely as well). My highest commendations to the young concierge named Andy. He was so personable and knowledgeable about the city, and he was also \u201cthe master of ALL public transit\u201d. Not only did he give us lots of great suggestions for fun things to do around town, but he knew every single bus, BART, and trolley line that could get us there! He was a real gem and a true asset to the hotel. Our wedding went flawlessly and the hotel staff was very helpful when we needed assistance. The location was fantastic! We felt the area was safe for walking around at night. It was only a brief, two block walk to Union Square and about 3-4 blocks from China town. Equally convenient was the fact that one of the main cable car lines was only a block away from the hotel. There are plenty of good restaurants within walking distance and many excellent ones just a short cable car ride away. Location of this B&B was premium, couldn\u2019t ask for better. \nOverall I give the Petite Auberge 10 stars! We plan to return every year in October for our anniversary and I can\u2019t wait! If you are looking for a quaint, boutique hotel whose staff goes above and beyond, this is the place, look no further. I hope you all will enjoy it as much as we did!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}]}, "81444": {"reviews": [{"text": "I have stayed in many a JW\u2026 and have always been satisfied with the rooms\u2026 but lemme tell you, if you are planning on staying here\u2026DEMAND a renovated room or a huge discount!! I can only blame myself for requesting a very early check-in \u2026 the only room available for early check in was on a \u201clow\u201d floor...exhausted I accepted\u2026I was never told the room was not renovated. The room was clean, and typical \u2026but NOT A JW!!! The only reason I didn\u2019t complain is due to the fact the room had the JW bed and beddings, Bose radio and a plasma screen TV \u2026 aside from that\u2026. NOTHING in the room was reminiscent of a JW. The carpet was worn, the furniture was dilapidated, the \u201cfinish\u201d on the sink and bath tub were actually cracking and peeling! I think I got a mini derma-abrasion from the rough towels provided. I recognized the bath products from a Hilton Garden Inn I stayed in last week\u2026 I never found the mini-bar\u2026The in room coffee maker was inadequate.. no name coffee with powdered creamer\u2026 How can sister hotel Ritz Carlton have such a fine coffee set up with Brand name coffees & real cream\u2026 and JW get play-school props?? Amazing!!! When I tried to use the complementary town car service, I was told by the driver his trunk was full and could not accommodate by belongings\u2026 strange as I was his only passenger?! I must give this hotel props though\u2026 the location cannot be beat\u2026the staff\u2026although they neglected to alert me that the room was an old Pan Pacific room, were very accommodating and pleasant. The common areas were beautiful as are the renovated rooms \u2026..Should you be lucky enuf to secure one.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Last April, Marriott took over the previous Pan Pacific Hotel, a luxury hotel on the corner of Marsh and Post streets just one block away from Union Square. The choicest of all locations in our opinion. We had stayed at the Pan Pacific and thought it fine, but already...in just 5 months, Marriott is showing a deft touch at improving the property. Your greeting at the front desk is full of smiles, your room immaculate with valet services and a turn down service. Breakfast was the best hotel breakfast we have ever had and the doorman and garage attendants couldn't have been more accomodating and friendly, An absolute hit with us and already a big improvement. Marriott has two hotel properties down by Fisherman's Wharf. This is their first luxury property in the City of San Fran. And they can be proud of it already\nArroyo Grande, CA", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "I stayed at the JW Marriott Sept. 4-8th with my mom. I booked this hotel through Priceline for $90 a night so this was an exceptional deal considering the rooms go for $200 plus a night. They were gracious enough to accomodate my room request of 2 doubles and non-smoking (although the hotel was scheduled to go non-smoking at the end of the week anyways). They also gave me a late check-out (2PM instead of noon).\nThe room itself was very nice. The beds were extremely comfortable, and the bathroom was very nice, although I would have forgone the large sunken tub for a roomier shower and a second sink. (With 2 women getting ready in the morning, a second vanity is always nice). The shower was pretty small and was hard to maneuver in. Water pressure was just okay. The tv in the bathroom was a nice touch. \nOur rooms were always cleaned when we returned at night and turndown service was available each night. I did call the front desk the first morning because I was having trouble with the hairdryer. Someone was at my door with a new one in just a few minutes. \nAlthough my requests were always pretty simple and mostly direction oriented, the concierge was extremely nice and always happy to help with a smile. \nThis seemed more like a hotel suited for business travelers, but it works just fine for tourists as well. \nI would recommend this hotel. There are several starbucks within a few block radius - it's just 2 blocks from Union Square and the Powell Cable Car turnaround, and near lots of shopping.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We stayed at the JW in San Fran for 3 nights. We really enjoyed it. it is a chain hotel, but feels very luxurious and personal in a way. Check in was extremely gracious. I booked this through travelzoo, so my rate was very good (160/night) On the trevalezoo web site it said to mention upgrade posiibility at check in. We were upgrade to city view room. It is a nice room that has been updated with new carpeting and new decorating etc. I hate to have seen what a non-view room was as our view was just average....at least we could see some ocean and some hills in the distance. but there were also buildings right next to us. The be is huge and comfy. but it is the bathrooom that is to behold...marble marble and more marble. The seperate shower is a treat, bu the tub would need to be changed...looks out of place in such a beautifull bathroom. There is a small television as well. In the room there is a plasma gateway...which is very nice indeed.\nMy only complaint is bout housekeeping. I think they are understaffed. we had to call for a few things ( stain on Pillow sham) and each time it took FOREVER for service to come. In my opinion, that is not acceptable for a hotel which claims to be 5star...right?\nthe bar area is nice, with 3 oversized fireplaces...but plan on ordering unless you wan to be made to feel out of place if you just want to read by the fire.....strange service approach!\nall in all we loved Sanfrancisco and the JW was a great, central place from which to visit!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Fantastic location! I couldn't have been happier with my JW Marriott experience. \nI stayed 3 nights with my girlfriend to celebrate our anniversary.\nWe arrived early on a Thursday and not only were allowed an early check-in but also were upgraded. After check-in I asked the doorman for a breakfast recommendation and he had the hotel towncar drop us off at Dottie's True Blue Cafe. When we got back to our room, Vivian at the front desk had a bottle of Merlot and a handwritten card to congratulate us.\nThe JW was the best choice for us!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I booked this reservation expecting the \"JW Marriott\" brand to be the flagship of the Marriott chain, and an example of a high end hotel. This was not the case. In general, the hotel looks like it has not been touched since the 1980's. There are cheesy brass and mirrored fixtures everywhere. The marque of a great hotel is how well the small details are addressed. In this case, the carpets were worn and dirty, the baseboards and trim in my room were scuffed and dirty, and the walls had marks all over them. My $12.95 per day internet access was HORRIBLY slow, and the mini bar in my room was never refilled. Its time for a major renovation for this hotel. \nFrom a service standpoint, the staff was terriffic! All of the people we encountered did a great job of taking care of us, and really anticipated our needs. There were no service issues at all. \nAll in all, this hotel is worth staying at, as long as you don't pay more than about $170 a night.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I booked the JW per the tripadvisor reviews. We travelled with our children (7 and 8) and my inlaws. The hotel is spotless - particularly the bathrooms! The decor is lovely and the staff is really wonderful! We ate breakfast at the hotel which was very nice (1/2 price for kids), but didn't eat any other meals there. The location couldn't be beat - better than staying right on Union Square, not as congested - but right around the corner! One caveat, it is an atrium design - the bar and lobby are on the 3rd floor - our rooms were on the 6th floor. Saturday night was very loud due to a roudy bar crew - I called the front desk and the noise quickly died down. If you sleep lightly - higher is better. Rental car tip - the hotel contracts with Hertz - there is a Budget very close to the hotel that was 1/2 the price of Hertz... GREAT HOTEL!!!! Great experience!!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I've stayed at the JW Marriott, starting when it was the Pan Pacific many, many times over the last several years. for business. It's centrally located to downtown SF ( a few blocks off Union Square). It's large enough to have all the amenities you want as a business traveler (decent room service, reliable, in-room high-speed internet (at $9.95/day; though the hotel often waived this for me without my asking) and a very comfortable bed and bathroom. A good desk and chair to work at. A fitness room that is mcuh better than your\naverage hotel fitness facility -- more equipment, well-miantained, cheerful (not in some dingy basement.) But a little more intimate than some of the bigger, glitzier hotels.\nI like the decor, which is modern, Asian-inlfuenced all done in a gentle, warm neutral palette. I understand from the staff, however, that it is being renovated beginning in July 2006 to be like other Marriott's. I hope they don't ruin it's charm. However, it was beginning to be in need of a renovation, so this may not be a bad thing.\nThe staff is friendly and unpretentious; efficient without being over-present. If you want to be fawned over, then you might want to spend more and stay at the Four Seasons or the Ritz-Carleton or the Fairmont. But I have always liked that this was a little more low-key, while still being elegant.\nIf you ike the upper end of the mid-range, and something a little more intimate without shorting you on amenities, this is a great choice.\nTo be seen what Marriott does with. When I last stayed there in May, it was essentially the same.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "I am actually staying at the JW Marriott right now. My vacation is scheduled to end Sunday, but I wanted to get this down while it was fresh in my mind.\nThe hotel is a nice hotel. However, I must agree with a previous poster and say it is a little dark and drab. I think because of the Asian theme. It is not as beautifully decorated as other JWs such as the one in Atlanta or the one in Cancun Mexico. Even though this is the case, it is still decorated nicely.\nThis is what I liked about the hotel\nStaff: Upon arrival we were upgraded to an executive level corner room. Everyone from the housekeeping staff to the concierge is very helpful. The staff is always offering to help.\nRooms: Again, I don't particularly care for the whole cream, brown, black decor, but the rooms are large with very comfortable beds. I will say it appears the furniture could use some changing out as the tables in our room had a multitude of scraches as did the chest outside of the bathroom.\nRoom Service: The food was exactly as ordered and was good. Of course room service is expensive, ( Breakfast for 2 was over $40!) but it was really good.\nLocation: Hotel is close to everything. We went to see a play at the Lorraine Hansbury Theatre and all we had to do was walk 1 block up from the hotel.....SWEET! Union Square is only 2 blocks away and Chinatown is only about 5 blocks away. You are also 1 block from the street car line that will take you down close to the Fisherman's Warf.\nThe Bathroom: Great!!!! Towels are so nice and he products on hand are good too.\nCleanliness: The entire hotel was spotless.\nWHAT I DISLIKED....\nSmall LCD TVs - These TVs are too small to be in these large rooms. Although they are clear, it is still very hard to see. Doesn't matter to me if there is a TV in the bathroom or not, but the main TV should be large enough to see.\nDecor: Like I said earlier. I did not like the color scheme. Made the hotel too dark. Needs color. I know it's the Asian theme, but if this hotel wants to be known as the JW Marriott and not the Pan Pacific, the decor has to change.\nThe robes: C'mon. I have never seen a JW with the waffle robes. The robes need to be the deep, plush, soft, long terry robes. These little robes barely covered me and I am not a big woman.\nOverall, the JW Marriott is a nice hotel and I would stay here again. Especially since I got a military rate of $130 per night which was great!.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Was eager to try the new San Francisco JW Marriott (formerly Pan Pacific) after great experiences at other JWs worldwide. Overall, my stay was mediocre and below expectations. \nWHAT I LIKED....\n* Very comfortable bed -- comparable to the quality and comfort of a Westin or Four Seasons bed. Blows away Marriott's standard fare, and even their new Revive bed \n* Excellent bathrooms -- with separate showers/baths, good lighting, and lots of amenities\n* Hotel car -- which was available almost every time I needed a taxi. Saved a boatload of money, though I didn't like being reminded to \"take care of the driver\" each time I used it\n* Great location -- with awesome shopping, attractions, and restaurants surrounding the hotel in every direction\n* Friendly staff -- all of the staff I encountered (housekeeping, front desk, bell desk, and room service) were very friendly \nWHAT I DISLIKED....\n* Construction noise - which started every morning between 6-8am. Avoid rooms facing Post or Mason Street if you enjoy sleeping. Stay instead in the back corner of the hotel, though even there you'll hear a bit of noise due to the JW's horrible windows. Annoying!\n* Small LCD TVs - standard rooms come a 23\" Gateway LCD TV, which is ridiculously small given the size of the room and table it sits on. Can't a so-called \"luxury\" hotel afford 26\" or 32\" units?\n* Mediocre service - was checked into a smoking room after requesting nonsmoking. The next day while I was at work, the hotel moved me to a nonsmoking room without warning and neglected to move half of my luggage. Was locked out of my old room and had to visit front desk to figure out what happened. Good intent, but horrible execution\n* Dull decor -- interior atrium is a bit dark and drab. Marriott really needs to freshen up the design\nOverall, the JW Marriott has a ways to go before it can compete with the top hotels of San Francisco. I've recently stayed at the Omni, Fairmont, Four Seasons, and Mandarin, and prefer all of them to the JW (though admittedly the latter two are in a different league).", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "From April 8-April 12th, my fiance and I traveled to San Francisco. We stayed in the Pan Pacific hotel located near Union Square. It is absolutely perfect and we will never stay anywhere else when we visit San Francisco again. It is a bit pricey, but it is totally worth it. The concierge and valet are very friendly and will do anything for you. We lost our cell phone the first day there and they called all the airport shuttles and the airport to track the phone. Eventually our phone was returned from a cab driver and delivered to a valet at the hotel, who held on to it until we returned from dinner. Out of 21 floors, we stayed on the 20th floor. \nThe room was large, the bed was extremely comfortable, and the bathroom was amazing! In the beautiful bathroom were robes, a small television, big mirrors, a telephone, a large tub and a separate shower. We also had our own personal butler simply by pressing a button. Our butler brought us sugar and salt for our food, 10 extra hangers, extra towels, and even gave us bath beads/salts for our bath. The hotel staff members are experts on San Francisco. For every question we had, and we had a lot of them, the staff had a prompt reply. They supplied us with maps, directions, and recommendations. Even after they stopped a taxi for us, they wiped down the seats to make sure they were not wet since it had been raining a lot. Every time that we wanted to go eat the concierge recommended great places. The hotel's restaurant was great for breakfast also--even though it was a bit pricey, it was the BEST we had in San Francisco. One day we rented a car, which our hotel set up for us. The car was from Hertz, which is literally right across the street and was luxurious -a 2006 Toyota Avalon with everything. \nIf I HAD to name two cons: flat screen tv could have had a better picture and we would have liked the hotel to have a pool (even though we had access to one with a fee).\nIt was great, we didn't want to leave the hotel, and we loved our visit!\nTHANKS to everyone at Pan Pacific for making our stay in San Francisco remarkable!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed here last July (see my review) and had a horrible experience. After we got home, I went to the hotel's website and much to my surprise, it listed the managers for each department and included their contact information. I contacted the Director of Room Operations and explained our experience (via email). Our hats off to Jim Bolinger (the Director of Room Operations) for his quick follow-up and sincere concern about our experience. He replied to our email within a day, apologizing profusely for our experience and offered us a gift certificate for a free night's stay. This is the type of service that is lacking with so many other establishments. For most hotels, you are lucky if you get a general information phone number that sends you to a corporate call center, but with this hotel, contact information for each manager is listed right on the hotel's website.\nDuring our return visit, check-in was flawless and the reception person was quite friendly. Our room was spotless and extremely comfortable (though I'm still not sure what people need with such a large room when they are on vacation in a big city, but in any event). The horror of our previous stay was erased and we had a restful night's sleep.\nThe Concierge offered us a spot on suggestion for a place to hear live Blues music. He sent us to Biscuits and Blues, about a block and a half away. The music was great and the food was delicious! The Concierge's recommendation for breakfast the following morning was just as good.\nI'm glad we went back to give Pan Pacific another try. We were delighted by our experience and plan to make this our hotel of choice for those quick \"big city\" getaways.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We are just back from the Pan Pacific in San Francisco and it is pretty hard not to like. \nHere is a quick review: \nLocation: Excellent - not on Union Square - but only one block away and handy to everything downtown. \nRoom: Furnishings are of an excellent quality - Excellent bedding (new and well laundered) - Upgraded Mattress - extra long tub - bathroom exceeded expectations - Room came with two robes rather than the more standard 1.\nButler service - didn\u2019t use it.\nCar service - was excellent - used it 4 times for dinner transportation - everyone was polite and I didn\u2019t receive any resistance when asking to use it.\nConcierge: was excellent. Very good dinner recommendations within my price range / service expectations and cuisine preferences. They were also able to get me very short notice reservations at Garry Danko (a AAA 5 diamond restaurant).\nFront Desk - polite and efficient\nMaid service - unobtrusive and efficient\nValue - $200+ a night service levels at a $150 a night rate.\nNoise - San Francisco can be fairly loud - a la Manhattan. I had a 15th floor room and it was very very quite.\nFinal thought - Pan Pacific is not the most attractive of hotels from an architectural standpoint. However the rooms are impeccably clean; excellently furnished and the staff are very competent. It is a quite and very reasonably priced.\nFood recommendations:\nGarry Danko - 5 star cuisine in the $200+ range for 2\nRue Lepic - near Pan Pacific - French home style cooking - standard Bistro fare - $70 for 2\nAfternoon Tea - Neiman Marcus Rotunda Room - $50 for 2.\nBreakfast - Sears Fine Foods Union Square - excellent portions - really well prepared - good menu - two blocks from Pan Pacific.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We recently chose the Pan Pacific as our destination for two nights of celebrating our anniversary. After extensive research of the area and the many hotel choices, we chose the Pan Pacific after receiving a great deal on the internet. We were pleasantly surprised and extremely happy with our choice. We were upgraded to a higher floor after explaining that it was our anniversary. We were welcomed to a large room with extensive views of the city, along with a complimentary plate of fruit, cheeses, and crackers. The room was spotless and the bathroom was beautifully decorated with marble, mirrors, and even a television to watch while soaking in the tub! Each time we returned to the hotel from a walk, we were greeted with \"Welcome back\" and each morning we were greeted with \"Good morning\" and smiling faces. The staff (especially at the guest registration desk and the doormen) were so great to us, the doorman even remembered our name. They also provide complimentary car service (during certain hours), and the driver was great recommending restaurants for us. For those that like to work off the excess calories they have ingested while on vacation, the hotel has a very nice gym with 3 televisions, water, and complimentary fruit to snack on. Overall, this was a great stay at the Pan Pacific and we will definitely make it our hotel of choice from now on when visiting the city.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Two-night stay in early December 2005. Service levels, unfortunately, depend greatly on the individual employee you encounter. I was checked into a standard room with a non-working TV and two double beds (I'm 6-4.) When I returned to the desk at 11:35 PM, with all my luggage in tow, I said, \"We'll have to try again - the tv won't turn on with either the remote or the button on the TV.\" Without looking up or giving me any eye contact, the clerk said \"We'll have engineering go up in a bit.\" This is at 11:35 PM. Not the answer I expected or was looking for; certainly no apology or empathy. So, I escalated with \"Well, given that I'm 6-4, I'd prefer a king bed anyway, so let's go ahead and try another room.\" The clerk's response: \"We don't have any king rooms left.\" Said in a flat tone of voice, still without eye contact. Lucky for me, the clerk who had originally checked me in (with good hospitality) came out at that moment and recovered nicely for the other clerk, immediately placing me in what PP calls a \"junior suite\" but what is actually a larger corner room with a king bed.\nIf this Pan Pacific property reminds you of a Hyatt, with its vertical interior atrium room arrangement, it's because it's a Portman pre-Hyatt design. Lots of thick walls, thick marble, thick circles. The rooms themselves are large and reasonable, but dated. Bathrooms are generous but very \"Family Affair/Buffy/Jody\" in their decor - too much almond/beige, including all fixtures. \nThe TVs in the rooms are far too small and, with only standard-definition signals coming in, the result is a too-soft, smeared picture.\nThis is not a hotel to stay in for any views of the city.\nAdditional snarky service was experienced at the hotel bar and by the concierge. My colleague asked the concierge if he had any tape to secure a box. Without looking up, the employee rummaged in a drawer, produced a roll of plastic tape, placed it on the counter, and went back to their paperwork. For this class of hotel, one expects at least \"Certainly sir, here you go;\" \"Would you like me to secure that? Do you need it sent anywhere?\" was evidently beyond the comprehension of the employee.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husband and I have traveled extensively and always stay in nice hotels but I must say that the Pan Pacific was one of the best hotels overall we've ever stayed in. It was centrally located with great restaurants, theaters, and shopping within walking distance. The staff was extremely knowledgeable and professional and were very gracious. The check-in was easy and pulling up in front of hotel if you have your own car was convenient, considering that many SF hotels are a disaster in this area! The room was large by SF hotel standards and the bathroom was \"to-die-for\"!!! The bed was comfortable and the room was quiet even though we were facing a busy street! This hotel is gorgeous from the outside in and extremely clean everywhere. I don't know if it's been recently remodeled but it seems like an almost new hotel. We only stayed one night(Sat., July 9, 05) but we are most assuredly going to stay again!!! P.S. Morten's Steakhouse is one block away with great food though it was a bit noisy!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Where do I start? The Pan Pacific is one of the BEST hotels I've stayed at in San Francisco. Booked through Expedia for (I think) $140 a night for a Superior Room. Got at the hotel at about 2pm, and they checked me in early, which is great. Check-in was extremely quick. I also took an upgrade to a Pacific Suite for only $300 for my 4-night stay. I LOVED the suite I was upgraded to. \nNow about the suite: \nOpened the door and heard lovely jazz music. Walked in and saw the living room. Very nice TVs and Bose Clock Radios. Also a very nice first bathroom. I then opened up the sliding french doors to the bedroom. Great beds, not too soft and not too hard. Just right! Great desk with egronomic chair. The view was great but I could see some buildings. I woke up one morning to a guy staring straight into my room from across the street. He was pretty far away, so it's okay. Very nice master bathroom with a small but good television in it. Very nice overall!\nNow about the service:\nService was very prompt. Didn't order any room service so I cannot comment on that. Conceriege was great. Asked for recommedations on good steakhouses and recommended the Morton's right down the street. Housekeeping was great too, as well as turndown service. Great doormen, all greeted me by name by the third night. Opened the door for me every time I stepped up to the hotel even if they were talking to someone else. \nLOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION:\nThose three words came to mind when I first came to the hotel. One block from Union Square, 6 blocks from Moscone Center (where my conference was being held), and restaurants right when you step out the door. 10% off Macy's Coupon when you check-in which is great. Starbuck's is only a block away which is EXCELLENT since I practically went there like every two hours. Walgreen's was about two blocks away, which is also EXCELLENT for getting soda, snacks, and other stuff. \nRESTAURANT:\nWent to the hotel's restaurant for three mornings in a row for their breakfast buffet. No omelet bar, but hey who needs that? Pretty good for the price.\nOVERALL:\nI really recommend this hotel to anyone coming to San Francisco. Great location and prices through Expedia.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Stayed at the Pan Pacific. My only advice to any readers of this site is : Stay there! I found this to be an excellent hotel in every respect. Beautiful accommodation and location could not be more convenient. On my next visit to S.F. I will stay there and if this hotel is not available I will change my travelling dates. Excellent - this hotel was a highlight of the holiday", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We just returned from a very relaxing weekend in the city. I'm a frequent travler to San Fran and have stayed in many hotels all over the city and the Pan Pacific is one of my fav's. It's location is unbeatable - right off Union Square. It is a little less hetic being a block away from Union Square, but still very close, so within seconds you are in the middle of it all. I liked how the lobby was on the third floor; it made it very calm and away from the hustle of Post St. I enjoyed sitting by the fire in the lobby enjoying a drink. Our room was awesome, very large! The bed was wonderful, one of the best hotel beds. The bathroom was also awesome, with a separate shower and tub, all surrounded by black marble. All in all it was a great weekend shopping, relaxing, but the best part by far was the Pan Pacific.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I was looking forward to staying at this hotel after reading the reviews of it on Trip Advisor. I was never so disapointed in my life. For the price of this hotel I expected alot. I didn't get it. This hotel is not attractive in the least. The rooms were cold and sterile, all white, plain. The 2 beds in the room were tiny, not even doubles. They were each like a slightly bigger twin. The only nice thing was the bathroom. But how much time do you spend in there? The worst part of the trip was the bellhop pounding on our door at 1am, he said he was there to check us out and take our bags? I guess someone wanted to check out in the middle of the night, it wasn't us. The bellhop was confused so we called down to the front desk. They could care less, they didn't know what was going and frankly didn't seem to care. No apology, nothing. Also, parkiing was $42 per night plus 14% TAX. If you want a 5 star hotel experience in San Francisco go to the FAIRMONT, they know how to treat their guests right.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "While some may view the Pan Pacific as more of a business oriented luxury hotel, I would like to cast a different light... \nDue to unusual circumstances, my girlfriend and I now find ourselves on opposite sides of the continent. Meeting up is a big event, and we had planned a trip to San Francisco. I poured over the reviews and pricing in attempts to find a luxury hotel that would fit our style without devastating my wallet. The comments made by previous guests often referred to the attentiveness of the Pan Pacific. Attention to detail by the staff was said to be on par with the Ritz Carlton. After finding a reasonable rate online, I booked a reservation for two nights in a \"Superior Queen\". The first night of our stay also happened to fall on my girlfriends birthday. I contacted the reservation department at the Pan Pacific and let them know the special circumstances surrounding our stay. \nArrival: \nThe Pan Pacific was located right in the heart of Union Square. Plenty of shopping and public transportation to get you around (it was nice not to worry about parking $$$). The main lobby is gorgeous, with an ornate statue and a view all the way up to the roof skylight. Twin glass elevators shuttle you to and from your floors. Very classy without being too swanky. We arrived earlier than our check-in time, with baggage in hand. We were given a warm and friendly welcome and I was addressed by name frequently. I was a bit disappointed that they did not acknowledge my girlfriends birthday. They happily checked our baggage in and told us our room would be ready shortly. We returned in an hour and I realized that my initial disappointment was a bit premature as the receptionist proceeded to wish her a very happy birthday. She then informed us that we would be upgraded to a suite. I was beaming to say the least. The bellhop then showed us to our room. He was smiling and courteous and insisted that we use our personal valet service (a switch on the wall that when flipped,notifies your personal valet to call) you when flipped should we require the least bit of assistance. \nThe room: \nPERFECT! Everything about the room just screamed class. It was absolutely spotless. Carpets were brand new, and the linens were gleaming white. The suite was cavernous by my standards. The bathroom was all marble, with recessed lighting, and separate bath and shower. The vanity had a full size mirror, makeup mirror, various appliances, and even a TV. There was an elegant circular glass table in the dining area. The TV by the bed was sufficiently large, but not so big as to block the window. We were graced with a corner room on the 18th floor, and each of the large half-moon windows provided wonderful views of the city. Again, I can't stress enough how clean the room was. Everything looked brand new. The style could be best described as minimalistic. Neutral colors and not overly ornate and gaudy. I could definitely see the Eastern influence. Very eye pleasing and calming. The feather bed was the most comfortable I had ever laid on. In fact, just sitting there for a moment made a nap seem very tempting. As I was giving into temptation, there was a knock at the door... \nThe service: \nUpon answering the door, I see that the valet has brought us a bottle of complementary champagne. I am so far above satisfied at this point that it's hard to put into words. My girlfriend seemed VERY happy, and so was I. After being persuaded out of my nap, we decided to explore the city a bit. Not knowing exactly how to get around, we thought we'd talk to hotel information. The concierge was both friendly and knowledgeable. She showed us the trolley car and bus routes, let us know what we would have to pay, and even penciled routes on a map. What a great city. After a long day, I slept like a baby in the feather bed and awoke with a huge appetite. My girlfriend thought it would be fun to order room service. Though ridiculously expensive, I have to admit that it was a great idea. The breakfast menu was varied enough so that we could both get exactly what we wanted. She picked out an omelette while I mulled over getting a Belgian waffle. Alfonso (I wish I could remember more employee names) took our order over the phone and embodied exactly what I loved about the Pan Pacific. His friendliness and sincerity was infectious. He greeted me by name, wished me good morning, complemented my choices, then asked if there was anything else that he could do for us. Without prompting, he let me know precisely when the food would arrive. As promised, breakfast arrived in 20 minutes. The gentleman who delivered the food made sure that everything was to our liking and even offered to setup the meal on the glass table. He made sure to ask if everything was how we wanted it before he left. The food was delicious, and it was obviously all made from scratch. After breakfast, we lounged for a while into the afternoon. Breakfast, combined with towels and gift-wrap made quite a mess. Housekeeping had skipped our room because of the DND on the door. I called to let them know we would be gone for the afternoon, and they happily agreed to schedule a room tidying. When we returned that night, the room was as clean as it appeared upon check-in. We felt ashamed that they had even gone to the length of picking up a multitude of packing peanuts from one of the corners of the room. Once again, I was very impressed. \nThe next morning, we were obviously very sad to leave. The room had become very comfortable, and I felt myself becoming accustomed to this level of pampering. Checkout was quick and painless. I received a genuine thank you for my choice to stay at the Pan Pacific. I should have been the one thanking them. I will be returning.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}]}, "81204": {"reviews": [{"text": "Stayed at this hotel for two nights in late Oct. and really enjoyed our stay. Loved our room - spacious, very comfortable beds, and nice bathroom. We stayed on the 23rd floor, near the elevators, but it was incredibly quite. Had great views of the city (check out photos)! Hotel is in a great location - about 10 minute walk to Union Square and China Town. One thing - if you bring a car, don't pay their outrageous overnight parking fee (I think it's around $45 per night), There is a parking garage across the street that is only $28 ner night. I would definitely recommend this hotel, especially if you are a Starwood member.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "This hotel is a nice clean hotel which huge rooms in a great area of San Francisco! It is very new and recently was in the San Fran Chronicle about the design of the windows (Sunday, Oct 29th issue). You can walk to Union Square in 10 minutes or walk down the Embarcadero and hit Fisherman's warf in about 15-20 minutes.\nWe only stayed one night but enjoyed our stay and if we went back to San Fran would stay here again. \nWe were upgraded to a Junior Suite (we are Gold Starwood members) and the room was just awesome! It had an amazing view and a great size bathroom and sitting area.\nWe had breakfast with our room and the breakfast was very good.\nDefinately if going to the area book here!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We spent 3 nights at Le Meridien in San Francisco in October 2006. It is a beautiful hotel with great service, huge rooms, and in a very good location. \nOur room was very spacious with a king bed, 2 upholstered chairs, a side table, large desk and desk chair, and large armoire with minibar, drawer space, and a large TV. The closet was huge and out of the way. The bathroom was VERY large, newly refinished with a marble tile and vanity, lots of mirrors, and a great shower with massage and hand-held options. The toiletries were luxurious and the towels and robe were a soft, fluffy treat!\nThe service was excellent, and everyone was very pleasant. Two staff at the concierge desk all weekend, just there to cater to our needs. They knew everything, had great advice, lots of maps and brochures. Very knowledgable and pleasant. We paid about $120/night through Hotwire, which was an incredible deal. The staff never made us feel funny or unwelcome despite our low internet rate (I've heard people report this about other hotels in the past). The concierge didn't look down on us when we asked about cheap, touristy things like bus routes, and treated us like any other customer there.\nRestaurant and room service are incredibly expensive - $65 for breakfast for two, which was delicious, but nothing extravagent. Starbucks is across the street, and the bar across the street also sells a good breakfast at a much more reasonable price.\nThe hotel is across the street from the Embarcadero Center, a business district with lots of shops, fast food, cafes, etc. Two Walgreens are blocks away. Chinatown is about 5 blocks up the street, the Ferry Building is a few blocks the other way. North Beach begins a few blocks away, too. A wonderful location!\nMy only criticism of this hotel is the odd bathroom door - on a runner, like a closet door, so it doesn't close tightly. The bathroom door always has a gap open. Not a good thing if you want some true privacy in the bathroom!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Great room, great (though narrow) view of bay & Ferry Bldg, easy access to Saturday morning farmers market, and an amazing array of fresh stuff. The place is expensive, but for the location, view, and service -- worth the splurge. Parking is a rip at $49 (tax included). Didn't check the fitness facilities: who cares when you're splurging? Get your exercise walking to City Lights bookstore, Brandy Ho's Chinese food, or along the Embarcedero after glutting at Cowgirl Creamery and the bread shops inside the Ferry Bldg.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "This hotel used to be the Hyatt on Battery and was recently purchased by Le Meridien. I have stayed at the hotel several times and love it. The bed linens are luxurious, the rooms are always clean, and the views are great. I think that the price is a tad high, but the quality of the gym, rooms, and location makes it worth every penny. Best hotel gym that I have seen in an SF hotel. This hotel is central to the Financial district which makes it perfect for business trips. This is my first choice for all business trips in SF.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Most of my recent stays in SF have been at the Mark Hopkins, but after my last, very disappointing stay there, I decided to try the much hyped, new Le Meridien (formally the Hyatt). I've previously preferred being closer to Union Square, however, on recent visits to the City, I discovered The Ferry Building, and can honestly say that I'd much rather be within walking distance to it (I can literally spend a day there!). There's also the Embarcadero right next to the hotel, so there's no lack of nice shopping choices in the immediate vicinity.\nThe hotel itself is gorgeous. Not in a grand, over the top way, but very simple and elegant. Nice art deco decor throughout the lobby and bar(s). My room was a fabulous surprise. I booked a studio room, but was shocked when I entered and realized it was much more like a suite. There were 2 separate rooms (living, and bedroom) and a nice sized bathroom with gorgeous fixtures. The best part was the small terrace which gave way to both bay and city views. It was quite impressive! The only negative thing I could point out on the room was the fact that there was a shower/tub combo in the bathroom, which seemed really out of place in such a nice, modern space.\nThe hotel service was flawless. Granted, I didn't ask for anything unusual, but everyone I encountered was friendly and polite.\nI used the small, but functional gym. Nothing impressive there, but still, it was clean and had new equipment.\nBottom line... This is where I'll stay from now on.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Located in the financial district, this hotel is well within walking distance of the SOMA area (SF MOMA, Yerba Buena, etc.) and the Ferry building, a great place to spend a weekend morning/early afternoon perusing the farmer's market. It's only a short drive or cab ride to Nob Hill and the pier from which the ferry for Alcatraz leaves. \nThe public areas of the hotel are rather cramped and pretty average.\nOur room had a nice view to the bay--it is probably worth paying the extra $20 or so for the views. The rooms are really quite spacious and very clean, with very comfortable beds and a nice sized closet. The TV sits a bit too low in the entertainment stand, but it all works well nonetheless. There is a nice Nakamachi stereo system that sits on top of the entertainment stand. The bathroom had a tub/shower combination and Le Meridien brand toiletries. I would say that, on balance, the rooms are very comfortable, though they could perhaps use a little freshening up--maybe new furniture, or at least, new coverings for the sofa and armchair. \nWe ate breakfast at the hotel--we got it free as part of the deal--and it was excellent, though of course, would have been outrageously expensive had we paid. The breakfast/dining area--the Park Grill--is quite nice, with a little outdoor terrace and plenty of space between tables.\nThere is nothing about this hotel that makes it an absolute standout, but for the money--we paid 199, all in--you would be hard pressed to find a better option.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We stayed here for 2 nights to celebrate our anniversary. The hotel upgraded us to a junior suite on the 23rd floor overlooking the bay. Needless to say, the room was impressive: great bath amenities, nicely appointed suite, and an impeccable service to match. On our last night, the front desk sent up a bottle of champagne and chocolate-dipped strawberries, very toughtful and a nice touch. The hotel was centrally located, walking distance to restaurants, Chinatown, Fisherman's Wharf, etc. Since the hotel is in the business district, parking is expensive. There is also no pool and wireless internet (cable still available). Overall, this is a great property and staff were quick to help with smiles all around.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "I stayed three nights at Le Meridien San Francisco in August. The room was beautiful, wide and with a grat bed. The staff was very nice and helpful. \nThey gave me a room on the 22nd floor, with a nice view over the downtown and the bay.\nThe hotel is located in the downtown, near Jackson. Nice place to stay with lot of restaurants around and just a few blocks walking from Chinatown. Just one objection: the parking was veryexpensive (49$ per night). Anyway, you have a public parking in the next building with a 28$ daily price.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "LeMeridien's around the world are renowned for their lovely appointed rooms, and this was no exception. Nice beds, nice linens, curtains, and contemporary bathrooms. But the staff, who are all former Park Hyatt employees, seem jaded about the recent take over. When I checked in, one young lady made a comment about not having a bellman because it's Meridien, and that we might not be used to the service. \nAlso, when they saw that I booked on hotwire and got a discounted rate, they actually told me that I get whatever is left over, that's how it works. So they put me in a double room, which was no big deal at all, I just thought that it was inappropriate to imply that because I got a good rate and prepaid through hotwire that I would be treated differently. \nThe service only got worse from there - the next night the 'acting manager' wouldn't allow me to take a bottle of alcohol into my room, citing it was a State of California law. Um, what? I have stayed in many 5 star hotels around the world, and have NEVER heard of such a rule. I surrendered my bottle of alcohol, which they kept until I checked out. The night before check out, I called to get a wake up call for 4AM, and asked them to bring me my bottle of alcohol - she said that the note said that they weren't allowed to, under any circumstances. \nI know some people are reading this thinking I must have been a rowdy guest or an impossible to please person, but that is not the case, I am a physician, stayed in my room alone, and had no intention to consume the alcohol that was purchased in my room, in fact, I had already patronized the mini bar. \nBeautiful property people, however, don't let their poor management spoil your stay.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed here for a quick weekend get away using our Starwood points. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay. Our room on the 20th floor was clean, contemporary and spacious compared to the size of the room we stay in at the San Francisco W. We had a small but nice view of the Bay Bridge. Bring cd's so you can enjoy the room cd player. The toiletries were very nice. Very usable for both sexes. The bed was a sleeper's delight! The concierge was extremely helpful. The staff is attentive. We didn't eat at the hotel but enjoyed a nightcap in the hotel lobby after dinner. I highly suggest you have dinner at Jeanty at Jack's. It is one of our favorite (french) restaurants in the city. The tomato soup in puff pastry is a must! It is a leisurely stroll a couple of blocks from the hotel. Go to the Ferry Building for a light breakfast. There are a few places to buy coffee or tea, fruit, juice and a pastry. For lunch or dinner try the Slanted Door in the Ferry Building. North Beach and Chinatown are within walking distance, too. The next time we need another getaway, we'll stay here!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Le Meridien, formerly Park Hyatt is a fantastic hotel where service is top priority. The rooms are beautifully appointed, great bath amenities, plenty of space, awesome views. I booked through hotwire so didn't know where I'd be for my in-town getaway, and I loved this hotel so much, I'm returning at the end of the month. \nThe room service food is very good, however the menu is limited, could use some more choices. It's served perfectly, with all the little touches. Turndown service is excellent and the staff is really there to meet and exceed your expectations. The location is quiet at night and close to north beach, chinatown, ferry building, california street cable car, and union square. The bathroom was huge and gorgeous. You can't go wrong here.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I spend over 100 nights a year in hotels, and have spent several in this hotel. I'm sort of a hotel snob. If it were not for the free up grades I recieve at this property I would stay some where else. The service is good to excellent. The concierge desk, bar, and restaurant staff are fantastic, the front desk, bell stand, and housekeeping need some work. Druing the weekends the hotel and this area can be dead.\nThe rooms are on the dark side, the one that face the city can be dark to gloomy with little or no sunlight. Bay view rooms have wonderful bay views and are much brighter. The decor in the room are on the dark side as well. Hyatt had replaced the carpet, wall paper and added new beds, but the rest of the furnishings are over 20 years old and its shows. The marble bathrooms are luxuious with nice amenities. The lobby bar and lobby need to be renovated, most of the 20 year old furniture shows it age. There is no pool, spa, jacuzzi, or even a restroom near the small gym. Most of the photos you see on the hotel web site are of the newly renovated penthouse suite not the guest rooms. \nThis is a nice place to stay if you recieve the upgrades and services I get as a frenquent guest. But for the current rates I see posted I would stay some place else. There are several newer or renovated hotels in the city that offer more modern facilities, and services. Most of these hotels are around the same price range or are worth the extra buck. Le Merdian needs to do some major renovation to this property if it expects to keep offering the current high rates. Just a name change alone do not merrit an increase in rates, it's still the same old hotel in need of a face lift.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 22}]}, "501344": {"reviews": []}, "81511": {"reviews": [{"text": "I'm giving this hotel a \"neutral\" rating but as a budget traveler my expectations were actually exceeded by my experience there. I was looking for a cheap place that wasn't in the noisy downtown area and that didn't have postage-stamp sized rooms - and I got it! If you're frugal and don't mind not having an elevator, a lobby, or fancy furniture I think you'll be very happy with this hotel.\nThe downside: our room could have used better ventilation. There was no way to open the windows and get the air moving without sacrificing our privacy. The bathroom window desperately needed a curtain as it actually faced into the hallway/balcony. Since the bathroom had no fan(!) opening the window was the only way to keep the steam down while showering so I had to hang a t-shirt in front of the window. Kinda silly. The result was that the room was a bit muggy.\nAlso, as I mentioned, there is no elevator in this kind of hotel so don't stay here if you have trouble carrying your luggage up a flight of stairs. This hotel also does not offer much of a view and as you might imagine -- the furniture, carpeting, etc is not exactly brand new. Also also, HBO is supposed to be included but we didn't seem to have it (But, so what? We didn\u2019t go to San Francisco to watch TV.)\nThe upside: the price was shockingly low. This made it possible for me and my co-traveler to spend our money on more important things (like eating out and shopping). I booked the flight and hotel together through Orbitz rather than through the hotel itself so I would recommend doing that to get the best deal. Our room had 2 queen beds, a microwave, a refrigerator, dresser, vanity, and table -- and plenty of room for 2 people to move around. The location is EXCELLENT. A quiet part of Lombard right next to the Presidio. Very close to 2 bus lines as well as a nice French restaurant and a convenience store.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 16}]}, "115625": {"reviews": [{"text": "We booked the Huntingdon for the last night of a 12 day trip having stayed in a number of other of hotels (all of which were good to excellent).It was a disappointment.\nPros - Bellmen were charmign helpful and friendly (esp James) - couldn't be more helpful.\nLocation right in middle of Nob Hill\nCons - The service of desk/concierge - we arrived early and were told we could check in at 3 - this in itself isnt so surprising. However what was surprising was when our room wasn't available when we returned at 3.30. After being told they were checking to see if our alloted room was clean (you'd think this would have been done before 3pm) we were kept waiting for half an hour (despite being told it would be 5 minutes). At which point my husband enquired what was the delay only to be told that the hotel was full so we should be grateful to have a room (I must remember this for my clients as an excuse should I ever want to lose my job) and that we were only paying $300 dollar a room etc so should just wait. When my husband persisted in asking about a delay we were offered an alternative higher rate room (which my husband was then told and then telephoned in our room by concierge to emphasis how grateful we should be for this upgrade. WE NEVER ASKED FOR THIS UPGRADE merely the room we actually booked at the allotted check in time of 3pm!). It certainly gave a lovely start to our stay that we were basically being told as paying guests we were lucky to be there. \nBathrooms are tiny..shower bath and small sink/toilet unit. Given the size of room and wasted space this is baffling. Decor is slightly tired.. Hygiene also suspect - both my husband and I had bites on our bodies after staying here and suspect it may have been bed bugs from this hotel .\nThe spa -distinctly unfriendly and unhelpful attitude (the drunken women comparing breast size in the pool was also somewhat offputting). If you're paying top dollar for a spa treat, you want to be treated nicely in a nice ambience, not greeted in a surly way and then experience the kind of ambience I last saw 10 years ago in a Cyprus 18 -30 hotel.\nThe rooms walls are paper thin so not a good plan if you're a light sleeper as the goings on of all your neighbours are all too clear.\n Price for what you get its overrated -we also stayed in W which was comparable price and about 1000 times better in terms of quality of room. facilities and services.\nI'd not go back and I'd certainly not recommend it.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We have stayed at the Huntington several times and each time we have noticed a decline in the quality of the room and service. I first attempted to book a two bedroom suite for our party of five (three older children) and was told they did not offer them. I was told I \"would be better off\" getting two adjoining rooms and they would be of equal quality. After several days I called back to confirm that the two rooms had park views and were the highest level of room available; ie, no two bedroom suite. After a rather exhaustive conversation with the reservation assistant ,I was told there was a two bedroom suite but that it was not really worth the money. I assured him I needed the space and it was up to me to decide if it was worth it. Upon check-in I waited 5 minutes while the front desk person assured a guest on the phone that the room he/she was staying in was renovated and there were no other rooms available. Red flag number one. Our one bedroom suite, room 804 was nicely renovated and faced the park. The adjoining room was \"renovated\" sometime in the 70s and lacked any ounce of charm. I can't imagine renting that room-- room 803. But overall, the size of our rooms were nice and they faced the park. The noise level is high and we were woken by someone showering overhead at 4 am. There is no sound barrier between floors or between rooms so if you are not a heavy sleeper, beware! \nMy second complaint is with the concierge desk. Before arriving, I emailed my dinner requests to the concierge noting the restaurants and preferred times. They did not call back and I had to call them to confirm they had even received my email; and yes, they had booked one of them for a wrong night. Once in San Francisco I arrive at Kokarri for my first dinner (with my handwritten note from the concierge listing the date and time) and was told they had no reservation. After attempting to call the concierge and receiving a voice mail three times, the restaurant graciously seated us during a very busy night. The next day we asked for breakfast suggestions within walking distance of the Alcatraz pier. The concierge directed us to place that was at the wrong pier and not within walking distance; her response later was oops, wrong pier! \nMy final complaint is with the shipping/receiving deparment. I had a package sent and paid overnight charges to have it arrive during our 4 night stay. The front desk repeatedly told me there was no package. Once I returned home I found that it had been delivered- on the first hight of our stay-- but he could not find me in the system. While on the phone with him, he miracously \"found\" me in the system and asked what I wanted to do with the package that had been sitting there for 4 days.\nThe bright note to our stay was James, the bellman at the front. His kind smile and attentive service were the highlights of our stay. \nWe chose the hotel for its nice location and were willing to give up some amenities and nicer rooms for the level of service we had received in the past. Unfortunately the level of service now matches the decor of Room 803!", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "(April 27th 2-nights)\nThis was stop number 2 on our California/Las Vegas trip and we loved it.\nWe were worried after reading the reviews on here.....but we have learned in the past years that not ALL of the reviews here are right. My partner who is in the travel industry and I were both VERY impressed with this hotel. \nLOCATION: Its in a great area of San Fran and has the trolley stop right on its door steps. YOu can take the trolley for a 15min ride down to China town or switch trains to Union Square (shopping area). I will say that the trolly makes it easier then trying to walk up and down the hills in San Fran. We did it the first day and that was enough for us to get a one day pass.\nROOMS: The suite we had on the 10th floor had wonderful views of the city. Since the building is on a hill...we looked down on the whole city. Room was bigger then my living room with a nice comfy bed and pillows. The sitting area was a sofa,coffee table and 2 chairs. Again very rich looking. Small kitchen area (sink and mini bar). TV was great and lots of closet space. Bathroom had a shower/tub which was huge. The glass door made the shower seem even bigger. I loved the seperate toilet/shower area to the double sinks. \nTurn down service was amazing...with night cream for the face and a breakfast menu left for you to fill out. Complimentry Shoe shine if you left them outside your door.\nPOOL. Cute small pool. nice sitting area around pool to relax and read the paper. We never used the pool since thats not what we went to San Fran for. But at least we knew it was available.\nPARKING- none. But you can valet for 30.00 a night (which we did). \nSERVICE- Amazing. Wake up calls were on time. Check in and out was also great and fast.\nWe were super impressed with the care everyone has for you. Doormen knew us as we walked in and out and always helped with anything we needed.\nSo there has to be something wrong, right>???\nYes we found the carpet in the room COULD be changed and the hallways might get a little bit of an upgrade.....but it expected from such an old place.\nOVERALL this is a great classy place and we would stay here again. The location and service is worth the extra money you will spend and your stay will be full of luxury.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Similar to the disgruntled member from Florida - 23rd October ...we arrived at The Huntington in September 05 for 5 nights. It was to be the highlight of our 2 week (3 city) trip to the US. Suffice it to say we booked through Small Luxury Hotels of the World and after visiting the hotel website expected a wonderful experience and unashamed 5 star luxury. \nThere wasn't a lot of comment on Tripadvisor which with the benefit of hindsight probably should have told us to book elsewhere.\nOne after another the rooms we were shown were quite horrid, musty poorly furnished and very dated. The bathrooms were unbelievably bad. We were told the room we expected and thought we'd booked wasn't available and they couldn't offer us anything better.\nTired, a little anxious (as we had nowhere to stay) and very disappointed we decided to check out without actually staying there at all. \nWhen we returned to England we complained both to the hotel and to SLH.\nWe received a sort of apology from the Huntington offering us a refurbed room for a future stay at a reduced price, but very much doubt if we will ever return.\nWe would not describe it as a 5 star hotel. Interestingly Expedia only show it as a 3star hotel. We would not award (from what we saw) 3 stars and sometrimes wonder how hotels earn and retain their star ratings.\nWe immediately booked into The Four Seasons Hotel which was fantastic and for which I can only utter unreserved superlatives. Faultless and as a result our visit to San Francisco is now a terrific memory.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "My husband and I just returned from our wonderful week in San Francisco\nThe only disappointment we had was our hotel. We stayed at the Huntington Hotel. We reserved a luxury room with a view. I called the hotel the night before to confirm our reservation. When we arrived we were given one of the worst \"luxury\" rooms I have ever stayed in. The carpets, drapes and furniture, what little there was, were worn and dirty, the lighting was poor, the bathroom was miniscule and there was a musty smell in the room (which was #1203) I complained the next morning, we were changed to #1003 which was in the same condition! \nThat morning we spoke to the manager and showed him our reservation, he promised to change our room to a \"renovated\" one but when we returned to the hotel in the afternoon, nothing had changed.\nNeedless to say I was very upset because we had chosen The Huntington over The Campton Place and The Palace (which were the same price) because we had read that the rooms were big and beautiful!\nAfter a serious discussion with the front desk we were finally given a room that was clean and up to date(#1210) \nThe whole situation has left us with a terrible impression of the Huntington and we will never stay or recommend that hotel to anyone.\nMy advice to anyone who has plans to stay there... make sure you get in writing that the room you reserved is renovated or stay somewhere else.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Like my title states, this hotel was a huge disappointment. My husband and I were wrapping up a blissfil two-week drive up the coast and were scheduled to stay two nights -- we checked out after one. This hotel has certainly seen better days. After waiting several hours to check-in, we were taken to a room with a beautiful view but little else. The decor was dated, the bathroom was dirty, the amenities consisted of a bottle of shampoo and a small bar of soap worthy of a Best Western. Not even a box of tissue. Both of us were so dissapointed that we spent a final night of vacation at an airport Marriott rather than stay at the Huntington a second night. And yes, I did fill out the comment card which is something I rarely do. They offered me a room with a \"marble\" bath on my return stay. All I can say is that \"marble\" bath will be in a different hotel!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "676408": {"reviews": []}, "112347": {"reviews": [{"text": "I too had made a reservation for the Kensington and I too was sent to another property along with several others of a different party. This, apparently, is par for the course for The Kensington. The other property, The Steinhart, was just awful. No security, no service, no amenities. The permanent guests of this hotel were carrying out questionable activities in the room adjacent to mine. The kind of activities that would interest the police. I just wanted to get out, which I did. Of course, the man at the front desk was nowhere to be found when I went to check out early. The finishing touch? They billed me for my entire stay rather than the one night for which I was to have been comped by Kensington Park. These are all Personality Hotels. Some personality....", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We arrived at the hotel at about 9:30PM to find that the three rooms we had confirmed were not available, having been travelling for twenty three hours this was very disapionting. We were offered alternative accomadation that was not of the same standard, one of the hotels had a warning on the front door that said ; this building contains chemicals that are known to cause cancer and birth defects. Management was not available to deal with our problem so we had to find an alternative ourselves. The next morning the hotel manager accepted full responsibilty and gave us that night for free. Overall the hotel is very nice and in a great location , but very annoyed about what happened on our first night of a three week holiday in America .", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "After staying at 4 and 5 star hotels, I wasn't sure was to expect in a boutique hotel in downtown SF...after 5 nights...it was more than I expected. The stylish hotel lobby is right out of the 30's with a front desk complete with mail / keyboxes, a lobby with a grand piano and mysterious hooded piano virtuoso, complimentary afternoon tea or sherry, and a couple of spacious elevators complete with an antique uphostered sofa bench (the only thing that was missing the elevator operator to take you to your floor).\nThe room was spacious enough for the 4 of us who only wanted a place to crash after a long day out). We had 2 double beds which were quite comfortable (though we're used to queen beds). The bathroom was modern and towels, toiletries, hairdryer, etc...quite acceptable. Overall, the room and linen were quite clean though the furniture, carpet and bedspread could be updated to give this room an overall 4 star rating (queen beds would make this 5 star). The maid service was virtually unseen though you knew they were there each day...our beds were turned down each day when we returned...and our contents safe and undisturbed. This is a safe hotel.\nWe asked and received a non-smoking room situated at the rear of the hotel...while the view wasn't spectacular, it was certainly quieter than the streetfront side. The business centre was useful and equiped with a complimentary computer and printer. The 12th flr (didn't check the othe floors) had wireless internet access in each room if you have a laptop computer.\nThe hotel is right off Union Square and the centre of shopping, shopping, and more shopping. Turn left out the hotel lobby and you're standing where you can catch the famous cable car to Fisherman's Wharf or take a short walk to Chinatown. Being beside Union Square was a bonus when the hotel room seemed a bit small for parents and grown teenagers...the park benches were full of entertainment, sights and comfort...a great location for a hotel.\nBeware of panhandlers; while there were quite a few around, they aren't threatening. Stay close to Powell Street (cable car) a night...there are several XXX theatres, massage palours, etc. on the blocks west of Powell towards the Civic Centre and Asian Art Museum. This area is filled with the transient and homeless...which were again not overly threatening...but can be unnerving esp. to children.\nIf you're travelling in from SF airport, take the BART to Powell / Market Street station...its safe, inexpensive, convenient (i.e. no traffic congestion and costly taxi rides), and only 4 short blocks to the hotel. The BART station is a the foot of the cable car line and a great way to be greeted to SF. Don't bother renting a car if you're planning to spend most of your time in downtown SF....traffic, parking cost, and the cable car will certainly make you wish you hadn't. Buy a Citypass for a 7 day MUNI transit pass (which you'll need to ride the cable car) plus 1/2 price tickets to the SF Museum of Modern Art, the Asian Art Museum, the Exploratorium, and a choice of two other museums....definitely worthwhile expenditure. Plan to spend 2 hours (fast tour) and 4 hours (thorough tour) through the first 2 museums that I refer to...they're worth the visit....wish we hadn't started the Asian Art museum at 2 hrs before they closed. The Exploratorium is an excellent place for kids.\nFinally, for downtown SF and Fisherman's Wharf...dress for warmth. It is breezy plus bitterly cold once the clouds / fog rolls in. Further inland and south, there is a 10-15 degree temperature difference. If you want to see all of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz...take the harbour tour during mid-day when there is less chance for cloud and fog rolling in / out.\nHope this helps....enjoy!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We had never stayed at a boutique hotel before. We had stayed at the Grand Hyatt on Union Sq during our previous trips. This last visit though, we thought it'd be interesting to try something different. Admittedly, we were hesitant but we researched several boutique hotels on tripadvisor.com; and Kensington Park looked the most promising.\nTheir lower package price was no longer available on their website but we called them and requested it anyway. They were nice enough to let us have the lower rate. Children 13 and under stay free; additional guest above 13 are $10 each per night. They have valet parking w/in and out privilege for $30/day; but if you can, leave your car at home. Ours stayed in the garage for 3 days without us having to use it (we used the Union Sq garage which is located under the Square itself). Awful expensive, yes, but we expected that for SF.\nThe hotel is in Union Square. The Disney store is at the end of the block and Borders around the corner from that. It's an awesome location. Chinatown is within walking distance. If you're young and fit, North Beach is not too far either. You get to do a lot of walking in SF. \nThe hotel itself is decent enough. It is an old building and the elevators kinda creak like it's straining; but it's nice and the rooms are clean. The room we stayed in was not that much smaller than ones at the Grand Hyatt. We stayed on the 11th floor. There's no air conditioning but there's a ceiling fan. We left the windows open during the day. It didn't get hot; but it did get kinda cold at night. \nThere's coffee and OJ in the morning from 7-10. You get sherry and tea in the lobby from 4-6pm. There's this dude who comes in at that time to play the piano. Not sure who he is but he's just a regular dude wearing a hooded sweater with a backpack on his back; and he's a wonderful piano player. Tip him well. There's a computer on the 5th Floor which you can use for free to access the Internet; but you only get 30 minutes at a time (have to get the key at the front desk). \nThe TV isn't that big, it's got like basic cable channels, no HBO or premium channels; but doesn't matter because really, who wants to watch TV while on vacation in SF anyway? \nWe did have ONE problem when we first checked in. We had reserved a non-smoking room with two double beds and requested that it be on a floor no higher than the 6th. We even confirmed it via email two days before. However, when we got there, they were going to give us a smoking room. We protested and said that we reserved a non-smoking room. It wasn't on their computer but we showed them the email response from them confirming our reservation for a non-smoking two double bed room on a lower floor. \nThen ... we were told that they didn't have anymore non-smoking rooms with two double beds; and they offered to put us in a room with a King-size bed. OK... where were we supposed to put our kids? After a few minutes of looking on his computer, the guy said he could upgrade us to a royal court room at the same rate but it would be on the 11th floor. Having not much of a choice left, we took that offer. (Was kinda scared for the first day being on the 11th Floor but after that, kinda got used to it. But if you have little kids, you might not want a high floor since the windows do open -- even if it's only for like six inches high).\nBottom line: just make sure you get something IN WRITING before you go. That way, if anything goes wrong, it'll be your word against theirs!\nWe'll probably stay here again in the future.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "My family and I stayed at The Kensington Park Hotel in San Francisco from May 8 to May 13. We paid $110/per night for the first 4 nights booked through a discount travel website. We decided to stay an extra night to see more of San Francisco. The hotel staff added on an extra night for $149, the hotel's current room price at the time. We felt an extra night in the city was well worth the money and the staff made the booking changes very quickly. \nThis hotel has a great location. It is less than a block away to shops in Union Square. There are plenty of diners and restaurants that are easy to walk to. We especially enjoyed the food at Cafe Mason located on the corner of Mason and O'Farrell. During our stay, we walked from the hotel to Chinatown, Union Square, San Francisco Shopping Center, The Disney Store(Great for kids and Disney lovers and it's practically next door!), Market Street, the Cable Car turnaround, and other nearby stores. We also felt the location of The Kensington Park Hotel was very safe and our room was secure.\nOur room had 2 double beds and was very, very clean. It was nicely decorated, spacious(for San Francisco, very spacious), had comfortable beds, and was pleasant overall. The bathroom has a sink with counter space, a hairdryer, a toilet, and a shower/tub combo. The shower had great water pressure and was very nice after a long day of walking. \nThe room also had an iron with ironing board, closet with hangers, TV with some cable channels, armoire(holds the TV and has 3 drawers), a desk with chair, a living chair, and a nightstand with phone. Local calls cost $.75 each. We also had wireless internet in our room.\nThe hotel staff were very helpful and friendly. The housekeeping service was wonderful. Every day we came back to our room to find our beds made, fresh towels, and everything in its place. There is also afternoon tea or sherry available in the lobby, but we did not have any. We mostly traveled to the 9th floor for free coffee. Coffee, ice machines, and vending machines are on the 9th and 12th floor. Our room was on the 7th floor, so it was a quick elevator ride to the coffee.\nOverall, we enjoyed our stay very much and would stay here again.\n***I'd also like to add that you should be VERY careful when leaving your car unattended in downtown. There are certain times when it is okay to park your car at meters or on certain streets. Your car will be towed away during the restricted hours such as the times for street cleaning. Tow trucks are everywhere in downtown. Please look for signs that post restricted hours whenever you park in downtown. It's better to be safe than sorry. Have a great trip!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I don't know where to begin...I booked a double/double over a month in advance, paying extra for the Royal Court 'extras.' When we checked in, I was told we were 'upgraded' to Royal Court (when I had already paid for this 'upgrade'), but then told they were overbooked. We were offered a 'suite' in one of their 'sister hotels' (Hotel Diva) or a 'regular' double-double for less money. They never offered to upgrade us to a suite or 2-queen or king room (despite all of these being available). We took the offer of a suite at the Diva, all to find a microscopic room, microscopic bathroom, unsafe location in San Fran and a murphy bed as the 'second' double. We said this was not acceptable and took the downgraded room, to be closer to the Square. They never apologized for this error, which was theirs (blamed it on a new computer system), or offered any true upgrades for their error. While we were waging our complaints, we saw another group complaining about their room and a separate group complaining they were overcharged for parking. With all the hotels competing with this one for business, I would have expected better customer service. I will never stay here again.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I was surprised to find that the hotel outdid any review I had read. The staff is MORE than helpful & nicer than ever. Accommodations where wonderful. For those who are looking to stay in the union square area, it is Safe, Pleasant, Comfortable, Helpful, Real SAN FRANCISCO Charm ... I could go on & on & on. Feb. 2005 was when I stayed & I will certainly be returning to stay here again & again & again. I will also be telling all my friends & family about my wonderful experience there. ENJOY!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "604455": {"reviews": []}, "112373": {"reviews": [{"text": "Cute place - convenient location. We were really looking forward to some quite time. This hope was quickly eliminated in the very early hours of our first morning at the White Swan. We awoke to what we thought was construction going on in the room above us. We asked at the desk and they told us that there was a family with two children staying there. We told them of the noise and they said they would take care of it. The children and the noise continued throughout our stay. I have nothing against kids - have a few of my own. But when they start jumping around at 6am it is somewhat bothersom....especially when we're paying top $$ for the pleasure and our complaints were totally ignored by the front desk.\nNext time we'll stay somewhere else. \nM Winner - Honolulu, HI", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "After seeing the generally positive reviews on this site, my wife and I decided to stay here for a part of our honeymoon and we were very pleased. We wanted to stay in a cute, unique boutique kind of hotel and not a big hotel chain and that is exactly what we got. I'll try to break down this review to make it helpful.\n1. Room & Decor: We stayed in a Luxury King Room on the top floor after finding a great deal on it. If you like that old world, european kind of charm then these rooms are definitely for you. We liked the antique style furniture, wood floors by the entry, the little nook with the fridge, the separate vanity area and walk-in closet, fireplace, down comforter, soft linens, etc. It was plenty big. Like I mentioned, the decor is for those that like that old european feel, not for those looking to stay in a room from a hotel chain; it's not like a hilton, marriott, etc. It's definitely not modern.\n--Being a smaller boutique hotel, it does not tower over it's neighboring buildings; therefore, it does not offer much of a view. On the top floor we were able to see the tops of several tall buldings but that is it.\n2. Cleanliness: We were generally pleased with this. Yes, it is an older place so the bathrooms are not sparkling new; it has an older tub, toilet, etc. Even the carpets and such are older but they were vaccumed regularly. But it was definitely clean and hygenic. My wife and I didn't mind this at all because we were expecting it to be older, but we never had any problems with the cleanliness of it. I didn't give the place a white glove test but nothing stood out in our time there.\n3. Service: We had great service our entire trip. Turn down service was offered every night, linens and towels were changed promptly when requested, etc. Even when we refused turn-down service they still offered us chocolates.\n--On our first night the bellboy (I think that's what he was) noticed we did not have a VCR in the room and immediately went and got one.\n--The front desk probably got tired of all the questions about restaurants and directions that we asked but they were very polite and answered each one. We were given some great suggestions on places to eat (Cafe Claude, Mama's, Kate's Kitchen, etc.) and contrary to some other experiences on here, they called a cab for us right away when we needed it on our last day. I guess it depends on who is there.\n--When I booked the room I asked the front desk if they do anything for honeymooners and was told they would try and do something. I wasn't expecting anything but they were so gracious and had champagne, chocolates, and a teddy bear waiting there. \n4. No A/C: When booking the hotel room I called a bunch of boutique and non-boutique hotels and asked a few questions. I was surprised to find out that most of the boutique styled hotels don't have A/C. I was a bit nervous about this but it was not a problem at all (we were there at the beginning of July). With the windows open we were actually cold at night. Maybe it was because we were on the top floor but the breeze was nice and steady and at times, actually too cold. I googled the climate in SF and I found that Aug and Sept are hotter than Jun/Jul, so I guess we went at a good time, especially with the heat wave that just passed through.\n5. Location: Up towards nob hill, it is about a 10 min walk to Union Square (shopping, public transportation to almost anywhere in SF), a 5 min walk to Powell St (to catch the cable car, if you'll be taking this or other public transport a lot I suggest getting a pass, otherwise it's like $5 a ride, it was totally worth it for us), 10 min to China town. Since it is up nob hill, walking anywhere means going up/down hills. We didn't mind it but if you hate walking up/down hills this might not be for you.\n--Being away from union square I never had a problem with beggars or people I thought might mug me. We saw a few crazier looking people every now and then, but they never bothered us and from everything I've heard, the trouble is more down in tenderloin and some other districts on the other side of Union square. I actually saw quite a few college aged kids walking around the area. \n6. Breakfast: We really enjoyed the breakfast here, although I have had better breakfasts at other hotels. They offered a variety of sliced fruits (melons, etc.) and some standard fruits (apples, bananas, etc.). They always had hot oatmeal. They also had quiche. I had it hot and recently brought out all but one time, so I guess I had good timing. I can see why some people would have complained about the cold quiche. I at the last slice once and I think it had been sitting there for a while. It wasn't the best but it still tasted all right. They also offer a variety of cold cereal, orange juice, coffee, etc. They usually have some sort of breakfast meat as well, usually sausage or sausage patty. Once again, these items were great when hot, but sometimes they were sitting out for a while.\n7. The Cookie Jar: When you first come in and go up the small flight of stairs to the front desk, there is a cookie jar on an armoir at the top of the stairs. They usually stock that with great cookies/other baked goods and everynight when we came back there was some sort of dessert sitting by that jar, like bundt cake, lemon bars, etc. Needless to say we loved getting that little treat each time we came back.\n8. The elevator: Yes, this elevator is an old elevator; one of those where you have to close an outer sliding door and inner gate in order for it to work. This goes back to the old world, european thing. We loved it and thought it was the cutest thing (it is decorated well and we never had a problem with it not working; just remember to close both doors after you exit). However, if you're looking for something more modern this might not be the place for you.\nOk that was the longest review of all time. Overall we had a great experience there; we liked our room, had great service, and would definitely go back, especially if I got such a great deal again. But like I've said, it's for those who want that old, antique kind of experience. For those that want more modern, there are some other great hotels in SF that I'm sure you'll love.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 37}, {"text": "Stayed at the White swan Inn 2 nights the first week of August. The Inn is very cozy. The parking is right out front for valet and we got the parking package so it was at a discounted rate. They do ask for a 30 minute window to bring the car around. So no problems just plan ahead. The inn could use a bell hop but we only had one bag so its wasn't a huge deal to us. We had a 5th floor room. No view but still a great room. The decor was very floral and there is no AC but it really isn't needed. A ceiling fan would be a nice touch. The room even came complete with its own teddy bear available for purchase as a momento. The mornign breakfast was very good-usually a quice as well as cereal and toast. The evening wine reception is a nice touch complete with cheese and crackers. The study area where breakfast and the wine reception are is very dark but it is very quiet and has nice decor. I would recommend this inn to all.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "This was our first stop on our honeymoon and a great place to stay. Centrally located in Union Sq we were able to see all of San Francisco from here. We walked to Chinatown, Northbeach and the Waterfront/ The service from housekeeping and the bell boy were awesome but the front desk was a bit pissy (wouldn't call us a cab!!!) but we had fabulous service otherwise.\nThe breakfast was always yummy and the spread of fresh fruit for those of us watching out weight was appreciated. I would stay here agian.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "This is a great little hotel in every respect:\n1. Location: in the heart of town between Union Square, Chinatown and Nob Hill;\n2. Facilities: great little hotel with stunning rooms;\n3. Service: very friendly people and full breakfast and cocktail hour included in the room charge\n4: Price: hard to beat $169 per night for all of this. \nWe had a wonderful time. I will certainly stay here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Maybe we should have known this, maybe not. But this property has no air conditioning. Which is probably not a problem on about 300 days of the year. But when the City has a warm spell as it did on our visit, the lack of A/C renders the guest rooms and public rooms uncomfortably warm.\nThe staff seemed stretched thin on our visit. At the afternoon reception, the cheese wasn't put out till halfway through. The white wine was no match for the warmth in the common area. At breakfast the next morning, the quiches were not even remotely warm, much less hot. And since one was not replaced when empty, there was barely enough in the second one for the four of us to get more than a couple of bites anyway.\nWe had long been intrigued by this property. Maybe we just hit it on a bad day.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We spent 6 days 5 nights at the White Swan Inn. I chose it because it was a B&B and also because it had a fireplace in the room. Didn't have much of a view but that was alright with us. Room was a decent size. Bed was very comfortable. Had no problems sleeping. My only complaint would be the tub. Let's just say it wasn't \"SQUEAKY\" clean. Size of bathroom was fine though. \nThe breakfast every morning was very good and convenient, especially the day we rented a car and drove to Muir woods and Napa Valley. We were able to have breakfast as early as 7am and then walk a block to pick up our rental car. Also liked the evening wine service. Was able to meet other hotel guests and talk about where to go and what to see.\nReally liked the location of the hotel. Easy walking distance to China Town, car rental, cable car and Niketown/shopping. Had no problems with the lift. Hotel staff was nice and friendly and very helpful suggesting restaurants and sightseeing locales.\nAll in all, a nice place to stay.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My husband and I went back to San Francisco for our 28th wedding anniversary, and stayed at The White Swan Inn. I found it online and did some research on it before I booked the room. We were not disappointed! This little gem is perfect for those who want intimacy and romance. Very centrally located, and within walking distace to many sites. Our room had a beautiful working gas fireplace, and shelves lined with wonderful old books to browse and read. Along with an adorable teddy bear propped on the pillows of the bed. The room also had a nice separate area with a small refrigerator, sink and coffemaker.\nThe wine social in the afternoons were delightful, and all the guests seemed to very much enjoy chatting, sipping the wines, tasting the hor douvres\nand getting to know each other.\nThe only thing that would make this small hotel better would be a bellman ready to help you at any time to call a cab, with your luggage or anything else you may require. A Concierge would be a very nice plus too. We've stayed in other boutique hotels in San Francisco that had a Concierge, and it's extremely helpful.\nWe very highly recommend this charming amd romantic boutique hotel for anyone who does not want the hustle and bustle of a large chain hotel.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "My wife and I stayed at the White Swan Inn for one week of vacation and sightseeing. We enjoyed our stay thoroughly. The staff was exceptionally courteous and helpful. The room (a deluxe king) was roomy and comfortable with a charming and romantic fireplace with gas logs. Breakfasts were plentiful with hot and cold dishes. These morning treats were substantial enough to last a good part of the day. The evening wine and cheese presentations were delightful, as were our conversations with the other guests. The quirky cage elevator was at times charming \u2013 and at other times maddening when a guest forgot to close the gate-like door, thus making the elevator inoperable. We would recommend this hotel without any hesitation. It is situated perfectly for Union Square, Chinatown, and public transportation. If you are unfamiliar with San Francisco, be sure to ask the front desk for the hotel\u2019s list of 20 \u201cGuide Sheets.\u201d These are quite helpful in getting oriented to the area.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "I liked the White Swan, I'll stay there again. I found all the features cited by others very nice, e.g., breakfast, happy-hour, etc.\nBut in spite of all the glowing reports here, there are a few things to remember. First, the White Swan is a boutique hotel; it is not a 4 star hotel (in fact, they call themselves a 3 star). Accordingly, the decor is not of a particularly high standard, e.g., the beds are not of the quality one would find in a Hyatt or even a Marriott.\nI stayed in Room 41 on the front, friends stayed in Room 55 towards the back. My room was larger, but the bathroom was tiny. I mean tiny; the sink area was so small that I could not get my shoulders square in front of the sink. The bathtub was also narrower than the standard US tub meaning I had to shower standing a bit sideways. The bathroom also could have used a thorough cleaning (there was hair on the wall behind the door and a bit of black mold growing on the tile in the tub surround). That said, I don't spend a great deal of time in the bathroom.\nOur room had a few minor problems. One of the lamps was missing the bulb, the fireplace kept going on and off, and the toilet did not function properly. On reporting to the front desk, the bulb was replaced but the other problems were not addressed during our 3 day stay. On the morning of our departure the toilet gave up for good - oh, the poor room cleaner!\nMy major problem was the noise, not the basic traffic, but the garbage trucks early in the mornings. Soundproof windows do not cost that much and I do not understand why more hotels do not invest in them for at least the windows at the front. Reports from the guests at the back were that noise was not so much a problem there.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Good location, nice rooms and an excellent breakfast. Small bathrooms. If you know your way around SF, it\u2019s not a bad place to stay. If you\u2019re looking for assistance and service from the front desk, stay somewhere else. I did not get the friendly helpful service you\u2019d normally get at a B&B. Maybe they were having a bad week, but I found Nevin to be very arrogant and extremely rude. The day shift wasn\u2019t much help either.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husband and I booked a long weekend in San Francisco and after searching the internet for city hotels, we chose the White Swan because of its location and the amenities noted in the advertisements. In Fact we stayed two additional days. We were not disappointed. A little gem of a place in the heart of the city. Great location, quiet neighborhood street, safe. Wonderfully attentive staff , friendly and yet professional. Took care of all requests and even provided a surprise birthday gift of wine delivered to our room (with chocolates and balloons). \nOur room was sunny, nicely sized, with very comfortable furnishings, arm chairs by the fireplace and a loveseat by the windows. The bed and linens super comfy. Lovely gas fireplace . Tucked away in a little alcove was a coffee, refrig. stocked with complimentary drinks. and a wet bar. The bath was clean and well sized with a nice marble vanity. \nCharming lobby (with a jar of freshly baked homemade cookies everyday). An excellent breakfast every morning, in the main salon downstairs. This area is spacious cozy, set up like several drawing rooms in a country manor. There were also two outside gardens areas which were lovely, hard to believe you were in the city when sitting out there. \nThe evening wine and cheese social is very nice, allows you to meet some of the other guests, and compare outings and find out about points of interest. \nHighly recommend this charming establishment. Our future trips to San Francisco will always include a stay at The White Swan.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We have just return from our stay at the White Swan Inn, San Francisco.\nThe rooms are warm and inviting, but most of all, we found the staff to be extremely friendly, courtious and helpful. Not only did they answer any and all of our questions, but went above and beyond!\nJust as a side note, the amenities were excellent.\nWe look forward to returning to the White Swan Inn!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed in the White Swan just after Christmas, and had a great time. It was pouring rain in SF, but because the room had a fireplace, was big and had nice sitting chairs, it all felt very cosy. Great big bathroom with a deep tub (I brought my drain cover so it was SUPER deep.) Microwave and free drinks in room. The staff had good restaurant recommendations. Breakfast was excellent, and the wine hour was nice except the quality of the wine was strictly average (which management said they were looking to work on.) Fairly pricey, but worth it. I would also check out their sister hotel next door, Petite Auberge.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I gave this hotel a 2 star rating because it is not a Hotel... it's a large Bed & Breakfast with a few distinct problems. \n#1 The bathtubs are an absolute nightmare! Think \"YUK\" and you'll get a mental picture. They are so old that they're rusty and corroded around the drains. The hotel is supposedly redoing them next week, but what good did that do me? I got robbed out of my daily hot bath & wore flip flops in the shower so my feet didn't have to touch the black stuff. I asked to switch rooms, but the only one available with a refinished bathtub had a BROKEN FIREPLACE!!! Real classy.\n#2 If you have eyesight problems, don't try to watch TV. It's a million miles away from the bed.\n#3 The bed is REALLY comfy, but the rest of the room needs help.\n#4 Old, old, old elevator.\n#5 OK, ok... So it's within walking distance of Union Square & Chinatown. However, all the hotels along Powell Street (Westin St. Francis, Chancellor, etc.) are MUCH more convenient!!! If you want to stay off Powell, choose The Orchard.\nThe saving grace of this B&B is the yummy breakfast buffet, the SUPERIOR wine/ fruit & cheese sampling at 5:00pm, and the adorable bellman, Louis. \nThe only way that I would ever stay at this B&B again is if they sent me a voucher for a free night's stay AFTER they refinished the ALL bathtubs & fixed ALL the fireplaces. Otherwise, for the hefty $200 price tag, I'm at the Westin St. Francis.\nHope my reveiw helps!", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "this is an okay hotel, but a bit overrated on tripadvisor. \n* the room was okay, but the fireplace was not working, and even though we asked them to fix it, it never got fixed during our stay. there is no bath tub, just a shower.\n* the breakfast is alright, better than the breakfast at a holiday inn, but not as good as a bed & breakfast. \n* the elevator was terrible; it was old, and if someone forgot to close the door (it didn't shut automatically), nobody could use the elevator. several times, we had to use the stairs to get to our room on the top floor.\nwe switched to a different hotel (commodore) after two days.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed one night for a belated birthday and were a little dissappointed. The room was nice but \"used\". There were some trash on the floor under the bed, the two nightstands were broken and it didn't seem quaint but more like old. The fireplace was nice but the bathrooms are very small. The couch in the room sunk to the ground when you sat on it. The wine and cheese was ok. (We are from Napa so we are a little spoiled regarding wine.) The breakfast was very nice. All in all, it was ok but we would not stay there again.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 13}]}, "115644": {"reviews": [{"text": "The best thing that this hotel has going for it is its location. Situated in the middle of Union Square - the hotel was a short walking distance from all the shops and good restaurants. \nThe hotel was probably one of the worst that we stayed in in terms of decor - it was very dated and the rooms were very small with very old bathroom facilities. When we checked in we were told we had a lovely view from our room only to discover we were looking straight into a brick wall.\nThe staff were friendly enough but not welcoming in my opinion. They were much more friendlier in the restaurant part and served a lovely breakfast!\nWe didn't spend too much time in the hotel because we were busy exploring all that San Francisco has to offer so the fact that the hotel wasn't great didn't really matter because the location was superb. I think if I were going back to San Francisco I would consider staying in a hotel in Fisherman's Wharf because this is where we spent most of our time. Lovely restaurant up above the Chancellor Hotel though - great food but service a bit slow!!", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "General Manager Wes Tyler recently referred to the Chancellor as a \u201csimple hotel in a great location.\u201d Me thinks Wes is too modest. Certainly the Chancellor enjoys an unbeatable \u201cFive Star\u201d location on Union Square and the property itself is more of a three star hotel, longer on historic charm (the wide moldings, original bathtubs, wrought iron banisters) than luxury.\nBut simple? There is nothing simple about assembling a staff who take such obvious pride in their work as evidenced by keeping the place spotless and extending themselves beyond the call of duty to provide helpful suggestions about nightlife, restaurants, and transportation. There is nothing simple about the extra touches that make a stay here enjoyable\u2014fresh coffee and cookies 24/7, \u201cfour star\u201d sized towels, pillows and linens in a three star hotel, free wifi in the rooms, and in-room umbrellas in case of rain, or the option of a free newspaper In the morning from a menu including the SF Chronicle, USA Today, the Wall Street Journal or the NY Times. There is nothing simple about the manager asking guests their preferences and selecting a room suited to individual tastes. Or about the bowl of hard candy, the welcome bottle of local wine, or the rubber ducky in the bath. These touches require a certain obsession with being the best hotel possible, within the limits of the hotels architecture and age. This commitment to excellence, perhaps commonplace when the Chancellor was built, has become a rarity in our time. \nThe hotel is old but is by no means rundown. The paint our room was fresh and the carpet was new. Furniture has been updated.\nBut it is not the Marriott or Ritz Carlton.\nAs Wes frequently writes...do not stay here if you are looking for a luxury hotel. Rooms here are adequately sized but not spacious. Our room featured a queen bed, writing desk, small end table flank. The walk-in closet was huge. Since we were able to place all of our bags in the closet, we had more useable space in the room itself. Bathrooms are charming but not very large. There is no air conditioning. \nDo stay here if you are looking for lots of value for not much money...an immaculate room....and welcoming staff....and lots of little touches..... The Chancellor is rated by TA readers as one of the best value hotels around. Given the prices for other hotels in the heart of SF, we wholeheartedly agree. We spent more for dinner for two than for our room! \nWes, thanks to you and your staff for helping to make our trip special and for a reminder of the real difference a commitment to excellence can make.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "My boyfriend and I stayed at the Chancellor hotel for 5 days in August. We selected the Chancellor based on the TripAdvisor reviews we read beforehand and I have to say that we were not disappointed. This was our first trip to San Francisco and I don't think it will be the last - for all subsequent stays we will choose the Chancellor. \nLocation: You couldn't be better placed to explore the city. The hotel is right in the middle of Union Square, giving you easy access to great restaurants, shops and bars. We found it very easy to walk to all the key areas including Chinatown, Nob Hill, Fisherman's Wharf and the financial district and if we didn't feel like walking, then the cable car and cabs stopped just outside.\nRoom: Was exactly what I expected. Bearing in mind the price, you aren't going to get 5* luxury but I am exceedingly fussy when it comes to hotels and it ticked pretty much every box for me. The room was adequately spacious with nice furniture. The bed was very comfortable and they offer every type of pillow you could possible imagine. The bathroom was fine too with a great shower and free toiletries. The room was cleaned daily. It could get a little warm from time to time, but I found I was cold a lot outside so it was a relief! A tip though, I would request a room away from Powell Street as it could get noisy with the cable car right outside. We were relieved to have a room at the back!\nFood: We ate at Sears for 3 mornings running which I can highly recommend. However, we ended up using the hotel restaurant for the last 2 mornings and I have to say that I wished we had gone there every day instead! The food was very good quality, a great selection (from unhealthy to healthy), reasonably priced and the staff were very helpful. \nStaff: The reception and restaurant staff were exemplary, particularly Rory who was very helpful with directions, change and advice for exploring the city. The tour desk lady was also good, although a little abrupt at times. We found ourselves using the reception staff more as they always had a smile. The bar is serviced by their 'employee of the year' who was good but didn't seem to favour the tourists so much, more the regulars! If you want really friendly service I would go elsewhere. \nAll in all, this should be your No.1 choice for a hotel whilst staying in San Francisco! \nA couple of other tips for the city in general:\n- Book a night tour to Alcatraz - easily the spookiest way to explore the former prison and escape a majority of the crowds\n- A wine tour to Napa is well worth it - we used San Francisco Shuttle Tours and it was a brilliant day out with a very helpful tour guide ([--])\n-The bay does get cold so bring warm clothes and sensible shoes for all those hills\n- If you get time, hire bikes from Blazing Saddles and head over the GG bridge to Sausalito which is a beautiful little riverside town - very picturesque. \n- SF doesn't seem to have a late night life - we headed out for a drink at 10pm on a Friday night and everywhere was shut!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "After reading reviews on this site, we thankfully booked a room at the Chancellor through roomrate.com. By the positive interaction I had had with Wes Tyler, who is the hotel's general manager, and his staff prior to our vacation, I was already certain we were going to have a wonderful stay at the hotel. We rode BART from SFO to the Powell St. station. We had a bit of an uphill walk on very crowded sidewalks to get to the hotel but it wasn\u2019t too bad.\nUpon check in we were delighted to hear that we had been upgraded to a Romance Suite. This was a wonderful start to an amazing vacation. The lobby of the Chancellor is very lovely. Be sure to check out the elaborate crown moldings. The girl at check in was very welcoming and told us our room would be ready shortly. The delicious cookies I had read about were awaiting us in the lobby so I used our extra time to try one out-Yummy! We also bought our muni passes right there in the lobby. Soon our room was ready and we rode up the elevator to room 1502. I want to add here that contrary to some of the posts I had read, although our room was on the 15th floor ,we never had to wait more than a couple of minutes for an elevator. We were pleasantly surprised again by the Chancellor with a wonderful collection of gifts including a lovely wooden picture frame, chocolates, champagne, glasses and a thoughtful card congratulating us on our 20th anniversary (Thanks Wes!). We were so touched. The suite was two adjoining rooms that seemed to have been two identical regular rooms at some point. One had a sofa bed, two chairs, a desk, TV, and a full bath. The other had a queen size bed, armoire, a 2nd TV, side tables and ANOTHER full bath! Upon entering the room with the bed, we felt as if we had tiptoed into the twilight zone. It was so bizarre; the bed had our same Croscill bedding that we have at home! What are the chances? Besides this, the print behind the bed is the exact one that I have in my living room here at home. The armoire was also strikingly similar to ours. I guess Wes and staff really wanted to make us feel at home but I must say it was a little freaky! It is an old hotel with lots of character. I loved the enormous arched windows in both rooms as well as the crown moldings and walk in closet. There were also hard candies and magazines provided in the room which was a nice touch. Both bathrooms had a slight step up to them as well as VERY deep bathtubs. Although the tubs had handrails, I could see where the bathrooms could be very difficult for anyone with mobility impairments. The bathroom amenities included swabs, cotton balls, soaps, shampoo/conditioner (bring your own if like me, you don\u2019t like the mix), lotion, bath salts and an adorable rubber ducky (the ducky can go home with you, I asked!). The hotel also offered free wireless service in the room which my husband was very happy about. There was also free internet use in the lobby. In addition to the cookies, there were apples, coffee and fresh hot popcorn provided each day. There was also an extensive pillow menu that you could choose from with magnetic, snore stopping, bath and a variety of other pillows. We found the ones on the bed so comfortable that we didn't feel a need to try any others. The bed was also quite comfortable. Between the armoire, nightstand tables and the deep closet, we had more than enough room to store our belongings. There was also a safe in the room and a radio with an MP3 hook up. In the bathroom, there was a spa item menu that you could rent items from. Everything had to be returned by 12:00 the next day. There was a foot massager, bubble pad, a whirlpool machine and a variety of other items. I rented the whirlpool machine for my aching legs but it didn't seem to work very well, maybe because the tub is so deep. I let the girt at the desk know this and although I didn't ask for it to be done, I noticed I wasn't charged for it when I checked out.\nAs we entered through the door of our room after exploring the city the first day, there was a strange intermittent blinking red light greeting us. Could it be that we had truly entered the Twilight Zone? As it turns out, there is a very large blinking neon sign for Harry Denton\u2019s Starlight Room at the Sir Francis Drake right outside our room! We pulled the curtains shut which obliterated all but a slight twinkling rosy glow and fell asleep to the ding of the cable cars and the music of the night. We didn't find the light or the outside noise bothersome. We did have the window closed every night but the ceiling fan provided sufficient cooling. In case you don't already know, there is no air conditioning in the hotel! The trolley does stop right outside the hotel, but during our summer stay it was very busy unless it was early in the morning. There are many bus stops nearby and Chinatown, Nob Hill and North Beach are an easy (although sometimes hilly) walk. There are also lots and lots and lots of stores withing walking distance. We had a view of many of these as well as the square from our window.\nWe did have the pleasure of meeting the celebrated Wes Tyler during our stay. He was as nice in person as he seems to be in his responses in the TripAdvisor forum. There was a fire drill planned at the hotel later in the day and although he seemed busy, he still took the time to meet with us. We thanked him for our spacious room and the thoughtful gifts that were left for us. All of the staff at the hotel were very friendly and personable throughout our stay. Check out was very simply and quick too.\nIf you are expecting a luxurious, modern, state of the art hotel you will probably be quite disappointed here. If you are expecting abundant smiles and pleasant service, thoughtful (and quacking) amenities, wonderful architectural details in a historic building, and a fantastic location, your expectations will be exceeded!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "The one reason we booked this hotel is beacuse the manager (Wes) is one the very few who responds to adverse comments on Trip Adviser - how many others bother? We were also impressed with the responses he has posted - read them and make your own mind up - he tells it exactly like it is !\n We stayed here mid June 2007 & can only say that it lived up to our expectations. We had one of the refurbished rooms on floor 12 overlooking Powell Street & Union Square (see photo for the night time view). The room was clean & comfortable & the choice of pillow menus' is a nice touch! The bed was comfy, we slept well (with the occasional noise of the San Francisco Fire department rushing through town - but Wes can't control that) and the welcoming gift to mark our Silver Wedding was a lovely touch. As Wes says - the rooms aren't huge with acres of free space, but they do the job & are clean and comfortable.\n We made full use of the free coffee in the reception area, and took advantage of the free internet access at reception - just ask. Staff were helpful, friendly & courteous with any questions about getting around town. \n On arrival at San Francisco airport we took the BART train, which stops off at the bottom of Powell street ($5) and walked up the street to the hotel - it's only 5 minutes. You will find the occasional beggar shaking a McDonalds cup for change in the area - but that's big cities for you. \n We would highly recommend the Alcatraz tour - for those veterans of 'Escape from Alcatraz' it's just as I remember it! - however BOOK BEFORE YOU ARRIVE - we did and on the day we did the tour they were fully booked 7 days in advance. \n If you want to do a city tour we booked through the visitor info centre at the bottom of Powell Street (just by the BART station) and found the tour interesting - even passing through and pointing out some of the drug dealing areas in Mission - how refreshing !\n Overall, A most memorable 3 days & if you want somewhere that's ideally located, reasonably priced, clean & comfy I would recommend this hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "We had the pleasure of starting our honeymoon at the Chancellor Hotel as part of our three centre west coast US visit to San Francisco, Los Angeles and Las Vegas. I chose the hotel as it was recommended by Trailfinders who said their guests loved it, and despite extensive research on the net and Tripadvisor I could not see another hotel I would prefer.\nWe arrived at the hotel at 1.30 am after a nightmare 24 hour, 3 flight due to plane delays, journey from the UK (7 hours late). After taking a minibus from the airport we checked in and were warmly welcomed, no queue due to lateness of the hour. I had emailed the manager in advance and he had allocated us a high floor (14th) room with a view of Union Square as requested. A bottle of wine on ice and a lovely giftwrapped photograph frame were waiting for us due to this being our honeymoon. I must be in the minority as I did not think our standard room was small at all, average and above average compared to many UK hotel rooms (it was half as big again as the room we spent our wedding night in, in Scotland, although I appreciate many US hotels have larger rooms) and, given the massive walk-in cupboard with two luggage holders for storing our suitcases and hand luggage, I found the room spacious and not cramped at all. Nice sized bathroom with toiletries and bath salts as well as the renowned rubber duck! I also chose from the pillow menu the next day. I knew there was no air conditioning as it is listed against all the information you read about this hotel, e.g brochures, Tripadvisor, net info and hotel website so It's really not a surprise. We found the ceiling fan to be sufficent in October. We never had to wait long for a lift/elevator and I never noticed any \"shabbiness\" in the bedroom or public areas which other guests have remarked upon (and our visit was some time ago before renovations). Maybe I am lax in choosing not to inspect every surface and drapery looking for minor flaws but I was on holiday and it all seemed ok to me.\nThe location is spot on, right next to Union Square and 2 cable car routes. It's not far to walk to get onto the various bus routes either, Susan at the Tour Desk told us the buses we needed to get to Golden Gate Park for example. She also booked our return transport to the airport. We received two complimentary $5 cable car postcard passes on check in, but as we purchased the excellent value $18 3 day muni passes, we kept these as souvenirs. I loved riding the cable cars for fun as well as for getting places. We found the people very friendly and the city very cosmopolitan, I was surprised how much at home I felt. Had a lovely boat trip on the Bay under the Golden Gate Bridge and a separate ferry trip to Alcatraz which is unmissable - make sure you get the audioguide tour. An ex-inmate Darwin Coon was signing copies of his book on the day we visited Alcatraz and answering questions - an unexpected bonus.\nThe hotel does a nice breakfast and we used our 10% discount coupon given at check in for this. We also had to visit Sears Fine Foods next door given the high recommendations it receives but I found little difference between the two. We also had a good value breakfast at Lefty O'Doul's two blocks away and enjoyed visiting this bar at night too. Met some very interesting people! Alicia at the bar at the Chancellor was attentive and my husband had a few drinks here through our visit whilst waiting for me to get ready oh and to watch the sports on TV. Various complimentary foodstuffs and tea/coffee are available in the lobby although we never took advantage of these due to eating so well. \nLocation wise we much preferred the city centre location as compared to Fisherman's Wharf (an easy cable car ride away), plus you can walk lots of places, Chinatown is not far, and we used the buses, cable cars and streetcars to go further afield. I had added San Francisco to our trip after deciding against Hawaii and it went from being our third choice city to first place. I definitely left my heart in San Francisco and can't wait to go back. And we will be very disappointed if we don't get a room at the Chancellor.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "When planning my trip to San Francisco, I researched hotels for months. I chose the Chancellor because of location, price, and most importantly, the rave reviews on Trip Advisor. Not only was I not disappointed, I was totally blown away by the high level of service I received from the entire staff.\nThis was my first time traveling a long distance alone with my 15-year-old daughter (we're from the east coast), and I was pretty anxious about the trip. My daughter has type 1 diabetes and is insulin-dependent. She is also a typical teenager. Having read about the small rooms, I was somewhat concerned that we would drive each other crazy. \nI requested a quiet room on an upper floor and a refrigerator for my daughter's insulin. We were given a corner room on the 14th floor at the back of the hotel. I found the room size to be perfectly fine. It was very clean, bright, and not crowded at all. As others have mentioned, the closet is very large. We had room for all of our stuff, and knowing how changeable the SF weather can be, we brought enough clothes for a month-long stay! The room was extremely quiet with the windows closed. However, our location was perfect for leaving them open and enjoying the sounds of the city without being overwhelmed by the noise. I can't speak about thin walls because the room beside us was empty during our entire five-night stay.\nThe central location is excellent. We went all over the city and only used public transportation (get a Muni pass!) and foot power. Exploring SF this way really enhanced our experience.\nI cannot speak highly enough about the staff. One incident will stand out for me forever. The refrigerator in our room froze several cartridges of two types of insulin, and they could no longer be used. My health insurance company refused to allow me to use a co-pay when replacing the insulin. The total out-of-pocket cost was over $350! I was very shaken and upset. When I spoke to hotel staff, they immediately offered to buy the insulin for me. A member of the desk staff, Mike, walked with me to Walgreens, waited with me while the prescriptions were filled, and paid the pharmacy for the insulin. While we waited, he was very kind and reassuring. He told me over and over that I should not worry about anything and should just enjoy my trip. I am a single mom on a very tight budget. This meant the world to me. I will never forget that kindness. I get teary-eyed just thinking about it.\nWes has stated over and over on Trip Advisor that if you need something, just ask. My experience is proof that he means what he says. I wish I could give the Chancellor more than five stars because they earned it. \nWes, I know you read all of the reviews here. I wish I had met you in person. Thank you for everything. My daughter and I had a wonderful experience at your incredible hotel!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "Quite simply, the Chancellor Hotel was the perfect place to stay in San Francisco. Union Square is centrally located and a great place to stay if you want to explore other areas of the city.\nI saw the many reviews on here and emailed the Chancellor's GM, Wes Tyler, to let him know we were celebrating my fiancee's graduation. He put us in a newly renovated room (see the pictures I've uploaded) and had a bottle of champagne waiting for us in the room when we arrived.\nThe bed was luxurious, with plush covers - we found ourselves sneaking a daytime nap more than once. The room was light, very airy, cool (but not cold) during the day and night. Even though we were facing the main street (Powell), there was virtually no noise. The room had a large closet in it (room for suitcases, safe, and ironing board) which greatly helped.\nService was excellent throughout and all the staff were friendly and accomodating - Miguel at the front desk really helped us late one night by printing out a bunch of paperwork and faxing it for us.\nA few tips for SF travellers in the Union Square area - the service at Lori's Diner a short distance away was terrible, avoid it if you can. Also, although Union Square itself is nice, if you walk too far in the wrong direction you can find yourself in a pretty shady area. Of course this is no reflection on the hotel, which is in a nice area. \nChinatown is the perfect place to find tourist souvenirs for family and friends. You won't find better prices anywhere else, and Chinatown is five minutes away from the Chancellor.\nOnce again, stay at the Chancellor. You'll be happy and you'll be able to try everything San Francisco has to offer.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We were incredibly disappointed in this hotel. Please don't ruin your trip to San Francisco by staying here. First of all, the hotel is very, very shabby and there is NO air conditioning of any kind. You must have your window open to get any air at all, which means you must hear the street noise and traffic from the city streets below. Furthermore, not only was the open window noisy, but it also let in a bunch of flies which we could not get rid of. Our room was smelly, shabby, and noisy and there is no way I would recommend it to anyone. We go to San Francisco several times a year, and have done so for many years and I can honestly tell you there are many, many better places to stay for the same price in this lovely city. Avoid this place!!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "My daughter and I stayed at the Chancellor Hotel for six nights and it was perfect. Our room had ample space for two women with lots of luggage. The walk-in closet kept the room very tidy and had plenty of room for storage of our luggage. The single feather beds were very\ncomfortable. I especially like that the blanket was wrapped with two sheets. Not all hotels have caught on to this idea yet but the Chancellor has. There is also a down duvet on top of each bed. The room was cleaned daily. Coffee and tea are available all day in the lobby. I took traveling mugs and my own tea bags with me so just went downstairs and filled them up with hotwater and was set to start my day. (Americans aren't known for tea so I always travel with my own) The front desk staff were very helpful with giving directions. The Chancellor is in a perfect location for city transit.\nThe Street car stops right outside the door. Market street is a short\ndownhill walk from the hotel where all of the other buses we needed were. We never got lost!! We booked all of our tours on-line from home or from the computer available in the front lobby. The internet was always available to us when we needed it. We did purchase a Muni 7 day pass in the hotel lobby. My daughter had hers pickpocketed from her on our first day in the city. So please be careful. The pass\nwas the same price at the hotel as it is at the terminals. The woman that works at the information booth in the lobby is very cute and warned us about where to be especially careful in the city when it comes to pick pockets. We did pay a premium price for the room but went at a peak time. The hotel suited our needs and I would recommend\nit especially due to the location. On our last night we treated ourselves to spa treatments right next door at the Lux Salon. Very reasonable prices and delightful employees.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "This hotel definitely caters to those who don\u2019t care about their accommodations but simply need a place to drop off their luggage. The great location and quaint motif are sadly offset by the paper thin walls surrounding a sardine-small room and a lack of customer service. \nMy wife and I decided to go to San Francisco for our five year anniversary. On our first night we were unable to sleep due to the rice paper thin walls. We were able to hear the neighbors\u2019 television and the details of their conversation. A majority of the staff do not speak English but when you\u2019re lucky to find someone who does they have no desire to help you. I asked for information and assistance to book a show. They simply gave me a couple of numbers and told me to help myself. \nOn our second night my wife woke up at around midnight parched from the hustle and bustle of the day. I called the front desk to purchase\nsome bottled water. To my dismay they told me they don\u2019t offer that since they don\u2019t have room service. The restaurant and convenience store were both closed. I asked if there was a vending machine nearby\nand they replied that there were none on the premises. They directed me to go to a drugstore and begrudgingly I went in the middle of the night in my pajamas and a jacket I regretted doing so immediately when I was accosted by a vagrant asking for asking for money. He was relentless and wouldn\u2019t leave me alone. \nNeedless to say this will be our last stay at Chancellor Hotel on Union Square.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We lived in San Francisco for over thirty years and thought we couldn\u2019t be surprised by anything in the City. We were wrong. We were surprised and delighted by the Chancellor Hotel. We live in Mexico now, where we own a hotel ourselves. When we knew we were going back to San Francisco to visit family and friends of course we turned to tripadvisor, where we saw that the Chancellor had been named a Travelers Choice Best Bargain (like our own hotel!), so we booked it sight unseen. It was absolutely perfect.\nThe location is great. Right in the heart of downtown San Francisco on Union Square, it is walking distance to plenty of fine shopping and restaurants. The Powell St. cable car line goes right by the front door of the hotel and will take you over to the Wharf area in a few minutes. Or, make the walk to either North Beach, Fisherman's Wharf or Chinatown--all are an invigorating walk and part of the fun of being in San Francisco. Our room overlooked the street with a view of Union Square. At night we would open the window and listen to a street musician\u2019s saxophone echoing through the Square accompanied by the occasional clang of cable car bells. The faint sounds of Disney music coming from the Disney store a couple of doors away also made us smile during the day. The slogan on the Chancellor\u2019s comment card is \u201cA three diamond hotel in a five star location.\u201d Perfect description! \nSan Francisco, as can sometimes happen, was in fine form the week we were there. As if to beckon us back home, it was absolutely seductive with sunny but breezy days and crisp nights. The comfort of the Chancellor really added to that experience. It made us very homesick for our City by the Bay! \nThe Chancellor was built in 1914 and is a San Francisco classic. Rooms are small but very clean and comfortable with 40s/50\u2019s style furniture. Bathrooms are also small but modern. Each room we stayed in had a huge walk in closet, so despite the fact that the room was rather small, our luggage and clothing were completely out of the way in the large closet. There are great little touches like hair dryers, umbrellas (it is SF after all!), bath salts and powders, free dependable wireless internet and a pillow menu from which you can select from several types of pillows. When we checked in, we were even given a discount card for shopping at Macy\u2019s, which was a nice treat, since we had planned to do some shopping while in the States. In the lobby you will find free cookies, apples and coffee 24 hours a day. We only had the cookies once a day. Really. :)\nEven parking, which is always a headache in San Francisco, was made easy by the Chancellor. We had a rental car, and parking was a breeze at the garage just around the corner. Our room rate included the cost of parking there. We could have paid a few dollars extra for valet parking, but being from the City, driving and parking there is second nature to us, so we just parked & picked up our car ourselves. \nWe stayed several days at the Chancellor and then left to visit family in Sacramento. When we returned to the hotel two days later we were treated like old friends and even given gift cards good at Luque\u2019s, the hotel\u2019s restaurant, enabling us to eat breakfast or lunch each day for the rest of our stay. As they said at the front desk, \u201cWe like to take care of our return guests.\u201d (We did have breakfast at Luque\u2019s one morning, and it was great. Even better than the one we had at the legendary Sears Fine Foods just next door.) On our last night we were up late packing, as we had to leave at a ridiculously early hour for the airport. As we were trying to guess if we were within the 50 pound limit for each of our bags, on a lark, we called the front desk to ask if they had a scale. They did!! They think of everything at the Chancellor. \nThe staff was wonderful. From Kevin in reservations, to the front desk receptionists, to the people who brought pillows to the room on request, everyone was friendly and helpful. And the price was excellent. This hotel is truly a \u201cBest Bargain.\u201d You can probably find similar prices in modern box-like structures on the edges of the City. However, the Chancellor is a true San Francisco experience that allows you to be central to and part of one of the world\u2019s greatest cities for a reasonable price. We will never stay anywhere else when we visit our hometown.\nTony & Cheri\nLuna Blue Hotel & Garden\nPlaya del Carmen, Mexico", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "We are middle aged Australians who have travelled extensively. This is for other Aussies who may be visiting San Francisco in the near future and who have an appreciation of the impact of the currency exchange rate. This hotel is excellent value for money. It deserves all of its positive reviews. \nWe stayed four nights in mid Feb after New York and Las Vegas. We had made our booking some months ago using the hotel website and by doing so organised Lorrie's shuttle from the airport which was very easy. Going by other comments on TripAdvisor we requested a queen without connecting door, non smoking and elevated. We received a room on level 15 at the back of the building. Not a great view (had no expectations) but quiet and comfortable, with access to latest movies on the TV system. Free popcorn from the foyer to go with them. You will have heard of the complimentary coffee and tea as well.\nThe room had two chairs and a small table for drinks and a separate table with a customised chair that slips underneath had we need to use a laptop etc. The room was smallish but this does not detract from our assessment as the whole hotel has a lovely European feel to it. Bathroom is smallish as well but completely functional with a great shower.\nThe room and bathroom were neat and clean with no odours. The windows in the room were able to be opened however it was cold and raining when we were there and the room was at a perfect temperature. One morning we heard the screams of a small child next door but it was nothing ear plugs couldn't fix.\nThe staff was young, keen, helpful and friendly. The lady at the tours booth was very knowledgable on all touristy things. The location is perfect as you would have read with easy walks to/thru Chinatown to Little Italy and access to numerous restaurants. San Francisco is a wonderful city to visit and we highly recommend the Chancellor.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Finally getting around to posting a review of the Chancellor, a wonderful boutique hotel in San Francisco.\nA few months back, I started making plans to attend MacWorld San Francisco, which takes place every January. My wife and I had a baby girl last March, and she was 10 months old in January, making it OK for us to take our first \"baby-free\" vacation. :) After ensuring that my in-laws would be able to keep her for a few days, we started making plans.\nMacWorld started on Monday, January 8th, so we made arrangements to fly out there the Friday before (the 5th). My wife would stay through the morning of the 9th and fly home, after which I'd move to the official MacWorld hotel (the Marriott on 4th Street) for the remainder of my stay.\nBut for our time in SF together, we wanted a smaller hotel, a more romantic hotel than the gigantic Marriott. We started looking on TripAdvisor, epinions, and some other places, and found that the Chancellor Hotel got consistently good reviews, and was less expensive than many places in the Union Square area.\nThe one liability of the Chancellor seemed to be that some rooms were noisy, particularly rooms that had a connecting door to the room next door. However, people raved about the staff, particularly Wes Tyler, the general manager, who has a very noticeable presence on TA, responding to people's comments, compliments, and complaints.\nSo, I sent Wes an email, explaining the situation. I told him that this would be our first vacation since the baby was born, and that it was my wife's first trip to San Francisco in nearly 20 years. He responded quickly with an amazing offer -- if I'd book directly with the Chancellor, he'd upgrade us to a top floor suite for the price of a regular room ($125/night). Of course, we took that deal!!!\nSo for two months, we waited for our SF vacation, and January finally came!!! After a moderately-tearful departure from our little girl, we boarded our Southwest flight in Birmingham, changed planes in Las Vegas, and arrived at Oakland International in the late afternoon. After a harrowing shuttle trip (I will never use SuperShuttle again!) we arrived at the Chancellor around dinnertime.\nThe front desk clerk was efficient and polite, and got us checked it quickly. The lobby was understated, clean and pretty. A few comfy chairs in the front near the windows, with the bar and lounge at the back of the lobby, next to to the elevators. We boarded the elevators and headed up to the 14th floor to see our room.\nIt was, in a word, gorgeous!!! What they've done for these top floor suites (I believe there are 4 total) is to combine two regular rooms into a suite. So we entered into a living room, with a couch, a comfortable chair, coffee table, small dining table, and TV. There was also a coffee maker and refrigerator.\nThrough the connecting doorway was the bedroom, with a gorgeous four-poster bed, an armoire hiding another TV, and two chairs. There was also a gift package for us, consisting of a bottle of champagne, two Chancellor champagne flutes, and a boxed wooden picture frame with the Chancellor's name on it. Lovely.\nThe view from the room was very nice, overlooking Union Square from above. In the day time, you could also get a glimpse of San Francisco Bay between the skyscrapers.\nEach half of the suite had its own bathroom, with a large bathtub and Chancellor-labelled rubber ducks. We took one home for our daughter, of course!!!\nThat first night, the temperature had dropped substantially, and the Chancellor's heating system wasn't quite making it toasty on the top floor. A quick call down to the front desk resulted in a small space heater being delivered to our room. (On subsequent nights, the temperature in the room was just fine.)\nThe location of the Chancellor is as perfect as it could be. Right on Powell Street, a half-block from Union Square, directly on the cable car lines. An easy walk to Chinatown, which is what we did for dinner the first night. Also an easy walk to Market Street, and the connections to the BART and SF Muni transit systems.\nOn our last day at the Chancellor, we checked our bags with the bell desk after checking out of the room. My wife did some Union Square shopping while I headed over to MacWorld to check in, and to the Marriott to claim my room there. After an afternoon visit to the Anchor Brewing Company for their tour (highly recommended, if only for the SIX glasses of free beer!) we caught a cab back to the Chancellor to pick up our bags. The staff was again very helpful and assisted us loading our HEAVY bags into the cab.\nAll in all, highly recommended. The Chancellor is a beautiful, charming hotel in the perfect San Francisco location. If you can talk Wes into upgrading you to the suite, so much the better!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Great location, lovely top floor room, free internet and coffee in the lobby, helpful, friendly staff - what more do you need? Stayed here for 5 nights and really couldn't fault it. Would highly recommend", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "If you are looking for a great location, friendly service, and above average accomodations, this is your place. It is located right off Union Square and convenient to everything downtown. The rooms are a little on the small side and a little dated. They are however, comfortable and clean. There are also a few extras, some at a small additional cost, that make things nicer such as foot baths, tempur-pedic type pillow, aroma therapy type items. The beds were comfortable. They have an arrangment with a fitness center a block away that allows you free visits. The staff went out of their way to be helpful and friendly. All in all, this was among the best values I've found in many trips to San Francisco. As long as you're not looking for 5-star luxury, I would highly recommend the Chancellor. One last thought, like everywhere in SF, the parking is expensive. Check out some of their package deals that include parking.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I had the pleasue of staying at the Chancellor Hotel for 2 days during the Macworld Conference this year. It was my first time to stay here, but certainly not the last. I booked a quiet room on a higher floor, and they delivered. I didn't come to San Francisco for a view -- I came to see the city up front and personal, so having a big, fancy room with a city view was not important to me. \nI found the room (906) clean, well-stocked and comfortable. The walk-in closet with safe worked perfectly to secure my belongings while at the conference. An extra blanket and pillows were available in the closet, and many other choices of pillows and spa items are available from the front desk just for the asking.\nThe front desk personnel were very accomodating, allowing my brother and I to print out our boarding passes from the provided computer and free internet service. Coffee, tea and free cookies were also available at the desk -- no need for a coffee maker in the room.\nThe charm of this hotel is unbeatable. If you want something modern with extra large rooms and frills, this is not your place. Please, Mr. Tyler, keep the charm and uniqueness of this hotel in mind with your remodel; I like it just the way it is. Complainers can go elsewhere!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "A short note to add to the \"yes\" votes for this hotel. You simply cannot beat the location -- or the price. The staff were professional, knowledgable and courteous. The rooms were clean and comfortable. Your laptop won't connect with the wi-fi in the rooms? See the front desk, they'll give you an ethernet cable and you can log on sitting at one of several tables in the lobby area. Want some coffee or a cookie after a long day in SF? Help yourself to both in the lobby, compliments of the hotel.\nThere are any number of hotels that are grander and more luxurious (and I've been to many of both), but when it comes to the quality/price ratio and management that has figured out how to make the best of itself, this hotel ranks right up there.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Stayed at the hotel for 6 nights to attend Macworld 2007 with my wife. Got a package deal through Expedia and saved about the cost of one night's stay. The GM seemed quite responsive to questions and requests, so I thought I would drop him an email and find out for myself. I received a prompt response and got exactly what i requested (high floor room with a bit of a view, and breakfast recommendations).\nSo many people have already said great things about this hotel, so I'll probably repeat a few here. This is what stood out for the hotel in my mind -- some stuff might seem minor to most, but it's little things we sometimes take for granted:\n-- Polite, attentive staff: Everyone always said 'hello'.\n-- Elevators: My wife doesn't like elevators that feel cramped and old. These ones got my wife's approval. And not only that, they were fast, and there were two.\n-- TV: Reception was perfect, and included HBO. The last two hotels we stayed at had issues, and it's always nice to watch a little television after a long day on your feet.\n-- Free coffee in the lobby: not only free, but always hot! I've stayed at hotels that offer free coffee, but don't keep it very warm after hours. \n-- Free newspaper: always a nice touch.\n-- Location: Maybe the most ideal location in Union Square if you really want to be picky: For example -- 12 minutes by foot to Moscone, 15 minutes by foot to House of Nanking in Chinatown, and neither involve a big uphill walk!\nIf anyone is interested, our room (1403) was relatively quiet (the only thing you ever heard was the fire truck or police sirens), very spacious (for a boutique hotel), and had an OK view of the Square.\nWhat has been a bit of a tradition with my reviews is some tips that I could share that may help some fellow travellers:\n- Lori's Diner: Nothing special, but the food is priced well, especially since their website has a 20% off coupon. Google it and print a few for your trip.\n- Sushi joint: my favorite is Sanraku on Sutter. Sit at the bar, chat with the chefs, and watch'em work!\n- Chinese food: House of Nanking on Kearny. They rush the patrons a bit, but so what? The food is great and two people can leave with full tummies for $20.\n- Pub crawls: Thirsty Bear and 21st Ammendment are quite good. Try the watermelon wheat beer at the '21A'. The 21A is a bit of a walk from Union Square, but it is doable. Google for them both to check out the menus and exact locations.\n- Out-of-town excursions: If you are an Apple-fan, head south to Cupertino to see the Apple Campus. If not, head south to Palo Alto and have lunch at Stanford University. Free shuttle around the campus. We ate at Ciao! in the Terman Engineering Complex. Good food for a great price.\nEnjoy your stay at San Francisco!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 28}, {"text": "A few problems:\n1) When booking, we reserved room with two queen beds. Instead, we were told when we arrived there were only twin beds. We had three guests in our room, so one had to sleep in a cot.\n2) The room is very small, very cold, and damp. When we complained about the condition of the room, we were told that there was no heat available for this room, and basically just to stick it out.\n3) I became ill halfway through my stay. When I called down to room service to order tea, there was no response. I tried twice more before calling the front desk. No response from the front desk. I tried once more. No response.\n4) I walked downstairs, saw a note at the bar that said \"No room service or bar service, as staff is at a holiday party.\" Okay, understandable. I walked over to the front desk, where not one, but TWO women were standing chatting. I mentioned I called and that I would appreciate a pot to take some of the hot water available in the lobby up to my room. They said the kitchen was closed and they couldn't get anything for me. I walked up the block to Walgreen's.\n5) Overall, the service offered at this hotel is minimal. No concierge, no bellhop, no doorman. I couldn't even catch a taxi out in front. I walked to another hotel to do so.\nI would not recommend this hotel.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "We went to SF to attend a wedding reception at the Sir Francis Drake, which is directly across the street. You can't beat the location which is half a block away from Union square and opposite Neiman Marcus. The walls were a little thin, but it wasn't an issue at all - and I am a VERY light sleeper. The Chancellor is apparently one of the only older hotels in this vicinity that has switched out the windows, therefore minimizing the outside noise. Friends who stayed at the Drake were not happy with the price, accomodations or the noise, although the wedding reception and food was incredible. The only downside I observed was that there was not an A/C in our room, which typically is not a problem in SF, but might be in the summer months. Other than that, this was a clean, small room that was a fantastic find for under $140.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed for 4 night Dec.6th-10th. The hotel was exactly what I expected from the reviews. The rooms are on the small size, but adequate. The location is awesome. When people say \"If location is what is important\"--Well when you travel, I think location is the most important, especially in a city.\nOur check-in went without a hitch, and we didn't ever find that we waited very long for a elevator, as some reported. \nMy wife was cold one night, and since the hotel works on a boiler system and the temp. wasn't low enough for it to go on--a simple call to the front desk and they sent up a portable heater.\nThe only negative was that the walls are very thin when you have an ajoining room. The first night the people in the adjoining room had a baby that started crying at 4 a.m and didn't stop. Was up the rest of the night. They folks at the front desk offered to change our room until they realized that the folks with the baby checked out.\nWe had our children join us for one night on Sat. The Chacellor doesn't normally accept one night reservations for a weekend, but Will was nice enough to accomodate us with another room since we were already booked for 4 nites.\nAll in all, you cannot beat the value of this property. Great location and very pleasant staff.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I stopped over at the Chancellor hotel for 5 days in November with my boyfriend and overall sadly we were left disappointed by our stay.\nMy main criticism of this hotel relates to the poor quality of the rooms. The decor and standard of my room (and others that I saw when the maid was in!) were shabby and in need of repair, rather than charming or full of character. I may sound it, but am definitely not an overly fussy guest (!) having generally enjoyed my stays at different types of small/large/cheap/expensive hotels and accommodation, all over the world.\nReading some of the other reviews, to ensure that you enjoy your stay, I recommend emailing Wes the General Manager beforehand so that he will juggle things in your favour.\nIf you are not overly concerned by the standard of the rooms and location is everything to you, then this hotel is definitely for you. I think this hotel relies too heavily on its location in San Fran (and friendly lady selling refreshments in the lobby!) and should really consider investing in a significant makeover to the benefit of all its guests..", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "This hotel has an awesome location. Just came back Dec 9th after a three day stay. Only used the rental car once - walked or cable car everywhere. Hotel was neat and clean - staff courteous - But the room - oh so small. We had just been in a large room in LA and it was a disappointment. No in room coffee!! What a shock! PJs to the lobby. No fridge! Warm beer! And no view for those in rooms at the back - request one with a view - But the location made up for some of the inconvenience -", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "This was our second stay at the Chancellor . Our first visit having been enjoyable we opted for the Chancellor again. This time rooms were shabby with a feature of one being taped down flooring. Service was poor.with reception staff given to sharing private jokes while attending to guests.We were eventually given rooms of a slightly better standard and went on to enjoy the Chancellor's best feature...its location. It is unbeatable. Not included in my criticism of staff is the lady in the foyer kiosk. Want to know anything about San Francisco ? Just ask. ...and the maintainance man who told us all about the history of the hotel and in particular the old cocktail bar .He also showed us round it .", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "Having studied the reviews of the hotel on this site i was confident i would enjoy my stay at this hotel.\nI checked in at about 9pm and was checked in quickly. My room on the 5th floor was clean and adequate for my stay. I was disappointed with my view, facing i think the rear of another hotel and some fans, but not everyone can have a front facing room!\nThe hotel served a purpose for an excellent price in a excellent location. \nCheck-in could have been more informative, but there were lots of information leaflets and booklets in the room. I had a cookie while i checked in (but only because i knew about them). However when i checked out, the guy was excellent, offered to hail a cab, offered coffee etc....\nThe Chancellor was clean, comfortable and quiet and i would stay there again.\nFell in love with San Francisco and will return....", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed at the Chancellor from 3rd to 7th October 2006. It was a fantastic location (so much better than staying near Fisherman's Wharf) right on Union Square. We had a room at the front which can be a bit noisy so bring some ear plugs if you're a light sleeper! We recommend going next door to Sears for breakfast (can be long queues on a Saturday) they offer a great variety (the fresh fruit bowl was enormous). The rooms are a little dated but clean and perfectly adequate. If you're after 4 star this isn't it but it's great if you want somewhere with a good location at a very reasonable price.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "I find it difficult to judge the value of the room we had in this hotel because I usually stay with friends when I am in the Bay Area and I therefore have little recent experience of SF hotels. However, I was disappointed since most of your reviewers like this hotel a lot. I have to say in fairness that the main problem we experienced may have been peculiar to the room we had. I was very tired when we arrived and the first night I slept until 5 am when I was awakened by an irritating hummng noise but I didn't worry too much since it went away at about 6 am. However, the next night I was awakened in the early hours by the same noise and we got little sleep for the rest of the night. I tried unplugging various things but to no effect and I eventually decided that the noise was coming from an electrical device outside the room and located behind the bed. Again it went away at 6 am. I would have asked for a room change but we were leaving that morning. At departure I mentioned our bad experience to the staff and they said they would certainly have given us a room change, but I am sure they were aware of the problem with that room. As for the rest of the hotel I can say that it was satisfactory: our room wasn't particularly small, and the decor was OK except for the carpet which had seen better days and which had some strange white marks on it as though someone had tried to clean it with bleach. There were no coffee making facilities in the room but coffee was freely available in the lobby. The location of the hotel was wonderful. My only other gripe is that about a month before our stay I tried to book a room online using the hotel website but I was told that there were none available but because of the reviews the hotel receives on Tripadvisor I persisted and I obtained a room through an agent but this may have increased the cost - the Chancellor was the most expensive hotel on my recent visit to California. I would only say to anyone thinking of staying at the Chancellor 'Great location, but just make sure that you don't get Room 903.'", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "We spent two nights at the Chancellor. The location was great for us- but the hotel was not what I expected after all the great reviews on this web site, which is what I used to make a decision about which hotel to stay at. The rooms are awful. Small is not the only problem. The people are friendly, but I need more than that from a hotel. I would not choose this hotel again. Also, they tried to put through a hold on my card for expenses that was higher than any other hotel I've stayed at did under the same conditions. We were pre-paid for two nights, taxes included, so I can't figure that one out. They said it was computer generated? Never happened to me before, and I would never stay here again.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 27}, {"text": "We stayed in this hotel for four nights at the beginning of our holiday in California and one night at the end. This hotel is in a great location near Union Square. The staff are friendly and there is coffee and cookies in reception all the time. Everything is very clean and welcoming.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Stayed in the Chancellor at the start of a self booked fly drive on the West Coast.\nStaff were friendly and very helpful.\nRoom had a great shower, large walk-in wardrobe space and a comfy bed - just what was required.\nWe looked out over Union Square and Powell / Hyde Cable Car Line. Location for shopping and Chinatown was great - you could walk to both and for Fishermans Wharf / Telegraph Hill etc you could just jump on the Cable Car.\nHotel had hot coffee / tea making facilities in reception area with Cookies all day and muffins in the morning.\nWould stay again and have recommended to my parents who are doing a similar trip next year.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "This was my first time in San Francisco and I chose the Chancellor because of the good reviews on this site. \nFirstly, the room wasn't as small as I had been expecting, going by other's experiences. But then again I was on my own so it probably was more spacious. I had come from a stay in a New York hotel, where you literally couldn't turn around without tripping over the bed or your suitcase so it was a welcome change! \nBathroom was great, loved the oversized tub and shower water was always hot and had good pressure. \nI did feel that the wall between my room and next door were a little thin - one night I could hear murmurs of conversation quite loud and was expecting a full night of it ahead. However, it seemed like friends left the room soon after so wasn't too noisy. \nI had a room on 14th floor so noise from below wasn't a big problem. Even though it was warm, I kept window closed and could turn fan on if it felt warm. \nService downstairs was friendly...only problem I had before checking in was getting a confirmation email that confused me completely. I had booked the room for 7 nights and had been given an average price per night. Then I got this email a couple of days before with a totally different room rate for the first 2 nights and then another rate for the remaining 5. When I worked it all out in my head, it came to the same total amount as the original price I had agreed. It just confused me - I wish I hadn't got that subsequent email when everything had been agreed on booking. \nOnly other snag is that I came back one day at around 4 o'clock to dump some shopping and rest for a while before heading back out. My room was just about to be cleaned so I couldn't really go in. It wasn't a big deal, I said I'd come back in 20 minutes and it was done by then. As I was on an upper floor, I suppose it was just the time of day when the staff could get to it. \nBut it's a minor gripe when the room was always clean, the staff were accommodating at all times and the price was good for the great location in San Francisco. \nI'd definitely recommend it and would stay there again if I'm ever in the city again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Hi All!\nWe just got back from out trip and spent 3 nights at the Chancellor 9-14-06 to 9-17-06. Everyone on the list was right that Union Square is the best area to be in. We visited Fishermans Wharf but way way too crowded. \nThis was our first trip to San Francisco and we are so happy that we went with the Chancellor. All the reviews were wonderful and Wes Tyler is the best General Manager I have ever worked with. Unfortunately we did not get to meet Wes in person though I feel like I know him already from this list. He is always so helpful and never pushes the Chacellor. If someone seems to want something different he will recommend other places. That impressed me. \nWhen we first pulled up to the Chancellor I thought this area is really old I hope I didn't make a mistake. Even though it is very old, it is so unique and does not look old inside or smell old like some places do. It is very clean, very elegant but in its own way. The rooms are smaller but not that small. We had a bed (which I slept great in which is unusual for me - the buckwheat pillow I picked from the menu helped!! I'm buying a couple for home). We had the usual dresser, desk, tv, side tables, 2 chairs and a table by the window. We also were able to put 2 of those fold up suitcase holders in 2 corners of the room for our suitcase. So to be able to do that it can't be that small. \nHe put a couple nice extra's in there for us plus their usual amenities, jar full of hard candy, umbrella (thankfully we did not need it), iron, ironing board, safe, qtips, cotton balls, shampoo, lotion, bath salts, and shower cap. Also a pillow menu and menu with massagers too if you want to use for a small fee. \nThe bathtub is unreal. You can be on one end and try your hardest and you cannot touch the other end. It is that long. And deep.....I was trying to fill it up but after half hour finally gave up and took my bath,,,,,I think in a half hour I did not even get it half full. Yep that is how deep it is. \nWe asked for a back room so it would be quiet. Well it was not totally quiet but that was a good thing. We went to sleep with the faint sound of a jazz horn playing. HOW COOL IS THAT?? I wish I were bak there now....it seems so long ago, not just a week. \nMy big worry was air conditioning...I am an air conditioning addict and was so afraid it would get hot and stuffy. Was I surprised. Its nice to have the window open and small breeze, no bugs or anything to worry about there. But at night it actually got so cold we had to close the window and turn the paddle fan off. Believe me I was most surprised by that. \nThough the streets and muni system did confuse us a bit, I do think that the Chancellor is a good central location. We could walk 2 blocks over and 2 blocks up to Chinatown,,,that was fun. \nEveryone working at the Chancellor is extra nice . You can tell it iis not just a job but that they really take pride in working there and its as if they are welcoming you into their home. \nI will always highly recommend the Chancellor to anyone going to San Francisco. \nI'll put a trip report on the San Francisco Forum within a week or so. \nOh how can I forget the most important! The cutest little yellow rubber duckie is in the bathroom with the Chancellor Hotel on it and you get to take him home. Okay guys you may not be thrilled but some of us women are....:) Now to put my pictures on.\nKathy\nOhio", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "The hotel is clean and comfortable (with a \"pillow menu\" should need it!!), but it's main selling point is it's position - perfectly located in the heart of San Francisco, just across the road from Union Square, and on one of the excellent tram lines.\nUltimately, SF has so much to offer you should spent little time in the hotell, but when you do, the Chancellor is perfect as a well-run city-centre hotel.\n(Just as a word of advice, we almost stayed in a hotel in the Fisherman's Wharf area of the city - glad we didn't; this area is a bit tacky and \"seasidey\" with little to really offer other than trips to Alcatraz, which is not to be missed. Much better to stay around Union Sq, and take a tram ride.)", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "As a travel agent, I had 4 hotels in mind for my recent stay In San Francisco. I selected the Chancellor, and I'm So thrilled I did!.\nFrom the moment we arrived until the moment we left (Just today), the staff were very friendly and were quick to provide any assistance needed. The hotel rooms are kept very clean, with a huge walk in closet, equiped with umbrella, iron, Board, safe, and plenty of hangers. The bathroom in our room (1500), didnt' have a window, and was a tad on the smaller side (typical for the older hotels), but it served our purpose well, and I must add the towels in this hotel are the BEST smelling towels ANYWHERE! \nThe hotel does have access to an all night parking garage, just about 2 blocks away, which requires you going several blocks in reality to get there, because of the one-way street situation, however you can request valet parking for a few dollars more. (might be worth the grief if you would rather not deal with busy traffic). No car, in my opinion, is necessary in San francisco, unless you plan to take a trip out to Napa or other surrounding areas.\nThe hotel is right next to \"Sears Restaurant\", serving its Famous pancakes. \nThis hotel is not only surrounded by great shopping and restaurants, but you are only about 5 blocks or so from the main entrance of Chinatown, a great convenience!\nThe Cable car runs right out front which makes it great when you are coming back from the Wharf or other areas, you can jump right off and be at the hotel.\nThis hotel is a gem! You will be spending almost half of what the other hotels across the street charge (Sir Francis Drake and Crowne Plaza), but you will be getting the same location, and possible more of old San Francisco Charm in your hotel.\nYou truly can't go wrong here!!! Thanks again to the manager and staff for making our stay a great one!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "After much research, I chose this hotel based on price and the reviews from other tripadvisor members. I was extremely happy with my choice. I don't think there is a better location, if you want to be in the heart of things. Everything is at your doorstep - the cable car stops at the corner, hundreds of great shops and a multitude of restaurants and diners, all within walking distance.\nThe service was wonderful and the staff were extremely helpful. Of course the complimentary internet access, coffee, fruit and yummy cookies are great perks!\nThe rooms are a little small, but VERY comfortable and clean. Sears next door is wonderful for both breakfast and dinner...try their famous pancakes!\nI would definitely recommend this hotel; I think it is great value for money compared to other pricey hotels in the area.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "The Chancellor was exactly as described on tripadvisor.com (and the main reason we booked it). It was very good value for the money (we reserved the park and breakfast package) the rooms were clean and confortable and the staff was professional and curtious. The parking for the hotel was located around the corner and it was too much of a hassle to park (however, a car is not needed while you are in SF) The hotel restaurant was a little pricey, but afterall, this is San Francisco. A recommended restaurant is the Marine Memorial restaurant around the corner on about the 12 floor...you get a great meal, a wonderful view of the SF skyline and almost no one is there (many people believe it is a private club, which it is not)\nWe would definitely stay here again and look forward to visiting this incredible city again in the near future.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "The hotel had an old San Francisco feel that created a wonderful atmosphere and ambience.\nI booked with the Chancellor primarily because of the reviews on Trip Advisor, and I wasn't disappointed. This is a great hotel. I requested a room with lots of light and a view if possible, and I received it. The staff was incredibly helpful and the food (I only had breakfast) in the restaurant was very good.\nAs for the room (I was in 1003), it was on the small side. For one person it was quite comfortable but probably not what you are looking for if you want a romantic getaway. I loved the bathroom with the huge soaking tub and the window that looked out onto the fire escape. There was wonderful natural light in the bathroom which is something you won't find at other hotels. I could picture Sam Spade crawling out the bathroom window and escaping down the fire escape when the person he was investigating arrived back at his room.\nThere was a big window in the room which i always left open a bit. You could definitely hear the street noise, but I got used to it quickly and it created a feeling that i was really in the city. The flashing pink sign from the starlight dance hall across the street softly flashed through the window at night. Someone might find that irritating, but I found it charming and it didn't interfere with my sleep.\nThe free wireless worked perfectly for me.\nThe bed was very comfortable.\nThe closet was spacious, but the drawers on the chest under the TV did stick , and I figured out I couldn't close them all the way.\nThe staff were all sweet, solicitous, and polite. I was only there for a few days but they recognized me and treated me with familiarity.\nThe lady selling the tours I would call the \"Tour Nazi.\" She's very intimidating, but I think she is an independent contractor with the hotel. HOWEVER, the assistance she did give me was right on target and just what I needed. Just be prepared for her firm, no-nonsense manner.\nUnfortunately, I had to cut my stay short in San Francisco and at the hotel. I had to check out earlier than planned. I gave the front desk the appropriate notice, and they didn't blink an eye about it or give me any grief.\nI could go on and on about the hotel. I would definitely stay there again. However, just because there are well-deserved high reviews of this place, don't expect a luxury hotel. This is a hotel for mature, reasonable people who want a nice, comfortable place to stay in a great location.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "As three female friends travelling from Australia we thoroughly enjoyed our 'Three to a room' Chancellor experience! We knew from other reviews that the rooms were small so it was no hardship when the third bed was moved in. We simply moved the beds, put the suitcases in the large walk-in robe, moved the chair and table and rolled out the extra bed for the 4 nights we stayed there! It wasn't a problem, in fact we enjoyed the feeling of having a 'sleepover' . We were charmed by the hotel, the staff and the welcome we received. We loved being able to get coffee and cookies at any time of the day or night , we loved the noise of the cable cars and all the sounds of a big American city. We wanted a real San Francisco experience and staying at this hotel gave us everything, friendliness, character and easy access to all the sights. We will definitely recommend this hotel to all of our friends and hope to stay there again on our next travels through San Francisco.\nOne final tip if you are going 'three to a room' is to request a corner room - Rm 500 was great for us.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My wife and I stayed here in August of 2006, and found the Chancellor to be good value for money.\nI do not feel like to write a huge review here as the many great posts are largely accurate:\n- The location is brilliant \u2013 I don\u2019t think that you are likely to find a better location anywhere in the whole of San Francisco. Shops, bars and restaurants are all on the doorstep, and Sears Fine Foods is next door. This is a perfect place for breakfast or brunch.\n- The price is very competitive.\n- Free tea and coffee is a bonus although once I had to wait for fifteen minutes when the bellboy went and restocked all three flasks. Cookies are very tasty. This service may only be available because there are no facilities in the rooms.\n- The free Internet is great and the two times I used it I didn\u2019t have to queue. Note there is only one PC for guests to use.\n- The reception staff were friendly and helpful. \nHowever, there are a few things that all potential guests should be aware of:\n- The bedrooms are described as \u2018European\u2019 and \u2018boutique\u2019. This is just flowery language for \u2018small\u2019, \u2018poorly laid out\u2019 and \u2018in need of modernising\u2019.\n- On a number of occasions we waited for quite some time for the lift only to find to full to capacity. We then just used the stairs and still had time to pour ourselves a coffee before the lift finally made it to the lobby!\n- Our room was not spotlessly clean as so many guests state. In fact, it was not clean at all. The skirting boards were filthy, as was the whole content of the walk-in wardrobe. My photo shows just how dusty the tissue holder in the bathroom was. It must have taken months of not being cleaned to get into this state.\nI\u2019m writing this fully aware that Wes will write a \u2018management response\u2019 saying that had I made him aware of dirt and grime problem during my stay it would have been sorted out, but room cleanliness is vastly different from reporting a faulty lock or broken light bulb.\nAfter weighing up the pros and cons, I\u2019m really not sure whether I would choose to stay here again or not.\nI hope that everyone finds this to be a fair and reasonable review. My two star rating simply matches the TripAdvisor description of \u2018Okay, but some problems\u2019.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 45}, {"text": "My girlfriend and I stayed at the Chancellor on our roadtrip. Our first issue was stopping the car and it was difficult given the tight streets with the cable car tracks right in the middle. We had to do a big loop in order to drive up facing the right direction, but that\u2019s just San Francisco. Stopping in front of the hotel for the valet parking was difficult when we arrived in the evening since the whole block was full of parked cars despite it being a no parking zone. Eventually, we got the valet to take my car to their undisclosed parking location. Be aware that you need to give 20 minutes notice to get your car back. There was a mix-up one time when I asked for my car and they somehow brought the wrong one. But the error was corrected quickly and the staff was friendly. The valet parking cost seems like a lot but considering the price of the rooms and the nature of driving in San Francisco, it\u2019s quite reasonable.\nThe room was a touch on the small side, but given the location and history of the building, it was a minor concern. We were provided with a spacious closet that included a safe which was a nice touch. The bathroom was fine and the little touches made it feel cozier (like the rubber duckie and the not-often-provided cotton swabs). Watch the lip walking into the bathroom though because you might trip or at least hurt your toes. Another nice touch to the room was the pillow menu. We couldn\u2019t be bothered to ask for different pillows, but knowing that they had a varied selection of interesting pillows was comforting.\nThe Chancellor had one computer in the lobby for public internet use. The set-up seemed like the computer was off-limits, but all you have to do is ask to use it. The room is set up for wireless internet access, but you need your own laptop of course.\nOne really helpful thing was the map they provided. It had all of the major tourist attractions and really made it easier for us to plan our trip.\nAll in all, we were quite comfortable at the Chancellor and the staff was very friendly (including answering our questions about the 4.0 earthquake that happened while we were in San Fran). Considering the charm of the building coupled with the excellent location next to Union Square, the Chancellor proved to be a good choice for our vacation.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "The place just keeps getting better and better. We were a bit exhausted from a long drive, and we were ready to get checked into our hotel. We made our way into a nice lobby with friendly staff and complementary cookies. There were lots of other little touches in the room that will leave a lasting impression but I will leave that for you to discover.\nIt is nice old style city hotel with the benefit of some modern conveniences such as movies on demand and wireless internet in the rooms. I suppose the rooms are a bit small, but we had a big closet in our room with luggage holders, so we never felt cramped at all.\nThe breakfast is very good. We spent five nights and had breakfast five mornings.\nWe were on the 10th floor, so maybe we were above a bit of the city noise that others have complained about, but we found it to be very quiet.\nIf you like the idea of a hotel with some character in a great central location, I highly recommend the Chancellor Hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My son and I stayed at the Chancellor Hotel and had a lovely experience! The rooms were charming -- very clean and quiet. Before making this reservation, I noticed that at least one party thought her room was too small, but I found it very adequate in size. I was somewhat expecting to be turned off by the size of the room based on her comment, but it was not a problem at all for two people. The staff was outstanding. We actually ordered breakfast as room service two mornings and it was delivered promptly. On the second morning, I noticed that our breakfast order was still on the doorknob, so I called about it. The polite gentleman who answered the phone in the restaurant apologized and assured me that I could order right then and he would bring it up to our room in 10 minutes. That is exactly what happened, and we were not at all inconvenienced. It was an absolute pleasure dealing with the front desk. Tthe valet was also very helpful, hailing taxis for us both mornings. The front desk also gave us excellent recommendations on places to eat. They handed us a good map of San Francisco when we checked in, and they recommended a total of three restaurants that were all outstanding. I would definitely stay there again. Oh yes, the showers were great too! I would recommend this place to anyone. It was a great location too -- just a few blocks from Chinatown and right next door to Borders.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Wonderful property. Very nice room (1201). Cable car stop only steps away. Extremely friendly staff.\nLoved the complimentary yellow rubber duck. Thanks so much. Will recommend to friends.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We (two 50ish & two 20ish) recently returned from a tremendous holiday in California which commenced with two nights at the Chancellor Hotel. We had booked two rooms months in advance and the accommodation more than met our expectations. \nWhat a tremendous start to a memorable holiday. The hotel has a fantastic location right across from Union Square. Whether walking or cable car - everything is right at your feet.\nThe Chancellor hotel is gorgeous. It reminded us of something right out of an old movie - classy! From the lobby to the roof top, this hotel has true charm.\nWe were absolutely impressed with the service, cleanliness and the attitude of everyone. The d\u00e9cor of the rooms reflects the architecture and is refreshing and relaxing. \nThe hotel Manager, Wes Tyler, has his heart in this San Francisco hotel without a doubt! If you plan on going to San Fran ..stay at a hotel that reflects this great city.\nWe have recommended the Chancellor to everyone heading off to San Fran and, with any luck, we will be back soon. \nMerci\u2026we absolutely loved it!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "We spent one night at the Chancellor. We booked two rooms to celebrate my parents anniversary. The rooms are small but so what! They are very clean and comfortable. My husband and I travel a lot and we have never been in a hotel where they give you a choice of pillows! We had a drink at the hotel bar with our drink coupon before we went to a play. Bar has a friendly atmosphere. Location of hotel is excellent and in a safe place. We loved the Chancellor and will be back. The staff was great and helpful. We didn't know about the cookies until we reread the reviews. The ONLY thing missing was a coffee pot in your room but they did have free coffee downstairs. The hotel had everything one needed and I can't wait to revisit!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Couldn't think of a better place to be based in order to explore this wonderful city. Just across from Union Square, the Chancellor is central to just about everything San Francisco has to offer. The staff were welcoming at all times - even when we checked out at 4.30am - and the little extras such as free internet, cookies at reception and a welcoming bottle of wine in our room made for a great stay. \nWe were able to do just about everything from here - made tour reservations in the hotel lobby, found out where the nearest laundromat was and where to get baseball tickets - although the amount of time we actually spent at the hotel was miniscule compared to our time out trekking the city. Would definitely recommend to others.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Holidays are very important to us, so we always invest a lot of time and research when booking our hotels. We are so glad we took this time out, as the many great reviews of the Chancellor pursuaded us to choose it over many other locations around the city such as fishermans wharf, nob hill and chinatown.\nFor those of you who are still undecided, please choose the Chancellor Hotel. It's location on Union Square is perfect if you want to tour the city, spend time shopping, eat/dine or even take in a show. The cable car stops just outside, and you are also close to other means of transport.\nWe had a fantastic view of Union Square from our room as we emailed Wes Tyler ahead to request this. Wes replied within a day, superb customer service which beats many Five Star hotels I have stayed in.\nThe hotel itself admittedly is basic, but I liked this, you must remember that this is a base camp and you rarely spend that much time in your room. Don't be put off by this, the hotel is clean, staff are friendly, food is great and beds are very comfortable, they even provide you with a pillow menu!!!\nThe iron and ironing board were a godsend as my travel iron has seen better days and a digital safe is also included.\nIf you are on your way to San Francisco, we hope you enjoy it as much as we did. It's truly a unique and wonderful city.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 24}, {"text": "This hotel has such a great location it's difficult to really consider other faults, but I had a few during my stay which are worth mentioning.\nFirstly I arrived during the penalty shoot-out of the France-Italy World Cup final. Despite the cheery greeting by reception there was no offer for help with luggage at all. They must love their soccer!\nSecondly the room was a bunker. It was located on the second floor and so dark (due to having a window overlooking a fire escape and surrounded by walls) you needed to have the lights on during the day. Lastly room service wasn't available on the day I was there (apparently only Weds-Sats only!.\nOverall great spot but shame about the other negative points.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We stayed in San Franciso for four nights and, as expected, found it very noisy and busy, particularly around Union Square. But the hotel was a gem! We slept brilliantly (wish I could say that now we're home with jetlag!) and the pillow menus were great - I slept 3 nights on a buckwheat pillow, lovely. Free coffee, cookies and apples in the lobby were very good. Some nice touches like a token for \"buy one get one free\" glass of wine at the bar. We booked the romantic package for the first night which enabled us to have a great room on the 15th floor with view of Macys and Union Square - so pretty at night. I must admit we didn't find the hotel staff as friendly as Seattle but they were approachable and helpful. \nThe rooms are fairly small - but that wasn't a problem - and the deep bathtub was lovely (and yes, we did keep checking it to make sure it didn't flow over!!). The closet space was very useful although the rail could do with a dusting(!!). Apart from that, the room was very clean and well maintained.\nDefinitely recommended for a central place to stay in San Francisco.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husband and I just returned from an anniversary trip to San Francisco and a four night stay at the Chancellor Hotel. We enjoyed our visit and the hotel very much. \nAs many have said, the rooms are a bit on the small side. But so what? You're in San Francisco--you won't be spending THAT much time in the room. The room was comfortable and clean. Amenities were above and beyond what you find in some of the larger \"chain\" hotels. The deep tub w/bath salts--and the rubber ducky--made for a nice extra after a long day of walking up and down (and up and down... and up and down) the steep hills.\nThe hotel is in a very convenient location for taking public transportation, making it very easy to get around. If walking is your thing (it isn't really mine) the hotel is close enough to everything that you can walk easily. You can grab a trolley car in front of the hotel, or easily grab a cab (we used both the Muni system and took cabs---both were effective from this hotel).\nThe staff was very friendly and helpful. We made tour arrangements in the lobby and that was great. Susan was very helpful. The tour company picked us up at the hotel in the morning and dropped us back off at the end of the day. Very convenient.\nThe bar is small and cozy and is a great way to either start or end your evening. Alicia, the bartender, was very helpful and gave us dining and sight-seeing tips. It was nice to be able to visit with other guests in the bar area.\nI would also like to thank Wes Tyler. I e-mailed him prior to our trip and told him it was our anniversary and asked if we could possibly have a room with a view. We arrived to find ourselves on the 15th floor with a view of the water and of Union Square. If that wasn't enough, on the day of our anniversary, we returned to the room to find a nice little surprise waiting for us. We appreciated (and enjoyed) the sentiment very much. \nI'm not sure when we'll be back in the area, but I will certainly recommend the Chancellor to interested friends.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I usually Priceline hotels often staying a 5 stars for 2-3 star prices. SInce I was traveling with my sister-in-law and did not want to share a double bed with her I went the more traditional route. Based on reviews from TripAdvisor I picked The Chancellor. From my intial call to make the reservation, to their personal call to confirm the reservation a few days ahead and answer any questions, to the treatment we received during our stay, I was very satisfied. The staff were very friendly and helpful. The location could not have been better. The room was clean and I enjoyed the bath salt's. If they could accomidate 4 to a room I'd be there this month when I travel with my husband and kids. Excellent experince.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Alright, I've been reading reviews on TripAdvisor for quite some time now and have\nnever written a review myself simply because i never deemed it necessary. Not in my interest you might say.But I really must show my appreciation of how much of a find the Chancellor Hotel is if you really want to have a good time in SF for a budget price yet still have a comfortable room and good service.\nNow i'm a fairly young guy- mid twenties, but I'm pretty picky. After booking the hotel I was expecting a good location, clean and efficient rooms and a decent bathroom, not much else. But after staying there this past weekend with my girlfriend, I was really impressed on how much they've kept their standards high. We had a romantic time, even had a view, and the room has EVERYTHING you need. Safe, extra towels, extra covers, MP3 player, etc. . .\nThe rooms aren't huge, but they aren't tiny either. European is a good word for it, but the spacing is just right for two people and the beds were comfy. (I've lived in Europe for a few years so I can say that). \nLocation is great, right across from Francis Drake Hotel which has a cool bar with a view in it, and right near the trams. Almost everything is accesible. Plus the staff were very helpful, even when one dude at the front desk had lost his voice completely the poor guy still strained his throat to tell me (very quietly but politely) good dinner spots on the map. Honestly, I was very impressed. And that's really not easy.\nWould definetely stay there again and have recommended my picky friends to stay there aswell when they go to SF.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Just got back from staying at the Chancellor Hotel from 6 thru 12 June. Most reviews were right on the money and this hotel is the best bang for your dollar. Clean rooms with a great location and a staff that is so helpful. Matthew gave us suggestions for two restaurants that were reasonable and had very good food. L'ottavo (Italian food) on Sutter St. just a few blocks from the hotel. Foleys (Irish Pub) on O'Farrell only a few blocks from the hotel. We also got a 3 day Muni pass for $18.00 for the Trolleys and public transportation. This was great because we would hop on and hop off all day as we saw all the sights. At the Chancellor you can pick up the Trolley just a few doors away. We also had fun renting a tandem bike from Saddles down at the Wharf. We took the bike path along the bay and up and across the Golden Gate Bridge and back again. If we had to do it over again we would have continued down to Sausilito after we crossed the bridge (as this is all down hill) and then take a ferry back to the Wharf. Just a reminder that the seats on these bikes are small so your butt is going to be sore during and after the ride. The bar at the Chancellor is small so you can talk to other guests and locals and share their experiences both good and bad. One couple told us how wonderful Muir Woods was but their tour didn't give them enough time there ( a little over and hr) . The tour would have cost us $44.00 per person so we rented a car at Thrify on O'Farrell for $29.95 per day. When we got there they also gave us an upgrade for the same price. We hiked for 3 1/2 hrs early in the morning and had a calm wonderful morning among the huge trees. We then drove up to Sonoma (wine country) then down to Sausilito. We continued on and toured areas in San Francisco and drove down the famous Lombard St. Can't wait to visit San Francisco again and definitely would stay at the Chancellor again!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We stayed at the Chancellor Hotel for 10 nights from 30th April. We had no problems checking in, they had given us a room with twin beds as requested on the 8th floor. The size of the rooms has been moaned about here but the room was not too big, not too small. Our room was cleaned every day and sheets changed too. I cannot fault the cleanliness of the hotel at all - the maids did a great job and were very friendly too! \nLocation wise this is just the best you can get - slap bang in the middle of shopping, restaurants and transportation. Some people have commented on the noise if you are at the front of the hotel and open your window. We hardly noticed the noise at all and to hear the cable car bells as they go by only adds to your experience of San Francisco in my opinion.\nUpon ckecking in you are handed some leaflets detailing tours that they can book for you - we went on the Muir Woods and Sausilito tour which I would definitely recommend. A coach picked us up from the hotel and dropped us back 4 hours later after seeing some great sights.\nThey have a computer in reception which offers free internet access which is brilliant - most hotels charge the earth for this! They also offer free coffee, tea, cookies and popcorn :)\nWe would have no qualms in recommending this hotel to anyone who wants a clean, friendly hotel in the centre of the city. Enjoy!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Trip Advisor comes through again. I was meeting a bunch of girlfriends in San Francisco for a reunion. One of them found the Chancellor. What a great location. The rooms were small by U.S. standards, and I'm glad it wasn't hot (no air conditioning). My best friend and I shared a room with twin beds and were quite comfortable. Hotel was clean and nice.\nThe hotel staff was VERY friendly and helpful. On the Thursday evening of our visit, there was a manager's reception, with beer/wine and very tasty hors d'oevres.\nTo top things off, we all LOVED the rubber ducky in the bathrooms. Would definitely stay here again.\nDON'T MISS Sears Restaurant - right next door. GREAT breakfast.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My wife and I stayed at the Chancellor for 10 nights. Before I left, I emailed Wes telling him that this was a belated honeymoon stay and asked for a nice room with a good view. We weren't disappointed with the room we were given. Also found a nice gift had been left in the room for us which was much appreciated!\nThe staff were always curteous and helpful. The location couldn't have been better and the information desk ran by Susan was a bonus as you can get everything including advice, cable car passes and stamps for postcards! The restaurant and bar at the hotel was very convenient and we had breakfast there once. Unfortunately we didn't know that we had been given a card with credit on (it had been left in the room for us when we arrived and didn't know what it was for until we checked out).\nThe rooms were reasonably sized and very clean (very important for us). I don't know why people have complained about the size of the rooms in previous rooms OR the noise! If you want a central location, of course you are going to hear a bit of activity outside. Having said this, we weren't disturbed by it at all. It was so convenient to be able to pop out in the evening for a late snack.\nWe also hired a car for the weekend and because of the great location of the hotel, only had to walk a couple of blocks to get to hire car companies. Also, the cable car lines run right past the hotel which is very very convenient!\nThis pretty much confirms what most people have been saying about this hotel. It is not one to be missed at such an affordable price.\nOverall, a big thankyou to Wes and his staff. I would definitely stay there again and would most certainly recommend this place to others visiting San Francisco!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "This hotel is in a convenient location with friendly service, clean rooms, a friendly\nstaff and a great rate. The hotel is very old and the tiny elevator, narrow hallways, stairwells and smalll rooms provide a certain european charm. (The room even has glass doorknobs)\nOur room had a king-size bed and while it was firm, it was probably one of the most comfortable mattresses Ive ever found in a hotel. Keep in mind that the rooms dont have air conditioning but the ceiling fan provided comfortable circulation. (the City is rarely warm enough to need A/C). The room features free wi-fi internet, a large walk-in closet, safe (no-charge to use) and a hotel umbrella for rainy days. \nThe bathroom is updated in all-white decor, spotlessly clean with nice touches like a \nyellow rubber duckie and thick monogrammed bath towels as well as bath amenities \nlike cotton swabs, Q-tips, shampoo, conditioner and a shower cap...items usually found \nin the very best hotels. \nMy husband and I stayed only one night as we were leaving on our honeymoon cruise the next day. This hotel is in a prime location. From SFO we took BART to Powell (fare: $5.15) and walked a few blocks to the hotel. The next morning we took the F-line streetcar from Powell, down Market to Embarcadero, got off at Pier 27 for the cruise ship.\nBecause of our short stay we cant report much more other than to say that after \nstaying in many hotels on countless trips to the City, we are glad to have found the \nChancellor Hotel because we will definitely stay there again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "We just returned from a 5 day trip to San Francisco and the Chancellor and we echo the comments made by almost 100% of the respondents here:\n1) The Chancellor is perfectly situated: it sits in the absolutely BEST area of SF. Close to the cable line, Union Square and ideally situated in the middle of anywhere you want to be.\n2) The staff at the Chancellor ARE the BEST. We ask a lot of questions and these guys (and gals) never tired of answering us. They actually seemed to love providing data on how to catch various bus/cable car/street car lines, good restuarants, etc.\n3) The Hotel is awesome. We loved all the things other people mentioned like extra deep tubs (especially after walking all day).\n4) Loved the cookies 24 hours a day, the decaf, regular coffee and tea, as well as apples.\n5) I walked for blocks in every direction around Union Square...I checked out every hotel. Chancellor is the best...hands down. Oh, there may have been \"fancier\" places...but they felt so...cold. The Chancellor did just what we wanted it to: it made us feel like we were part of the San Francisco \"family.\"\nAnd our time there was in a word...wonderful.\nThomas", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "I stayed at the Chancellor Hotel while on vacation in the Bay Area, and I was very impressed. The location, room rate, services, staff, and the cookies available in the lobby were great! My room was spotless, and although I was apprehensive about noise when I first opened the door to my room (I had one on the front), I found that the windows a very good job of soundproofing (basically all I could really hear was the cable car bells).\nThe hotel is right on the cable car line and about 10 seconds walk from Union Square, so the location cannot be beat if you want to be near shops, cable car, good restaurants, and a lot of the theatres. Parking is close by and works well (you drop off your car in the parking garage and it's parked for you). \nI have to say that I researched various places quite carefully prior to booking at the Chancellor (actually I spent about two hours looking at various places, with a wide range in price). What tipped the balance in favour of the Chancellor is that the general manager has taken the time to actually respond to comments on this web site: I felt that the service and general level of attention would be better than elsewhere, given that he is obviously concerned about how his hotel is perceived. \nAnd I was right. \nI'd recommend this hotel, especially for first-time visitors to San Francisco.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Just got home from our trip ~we stayed at the Chancellor Hotel for 5 Nights! The location is outstanding we loved having the cable cars right outside our door and some very nice restaurants makes it even better! Our stay in the hotel was great upon check in we were early and so the front desk staff took our bags as we ate in Luques Restaurant in the hotel, great food and service and very comfortable! By the time we were done eating the staff indicated to us that our room is ready if we would like to go freshen up, which we did! We were on the 11th floor corner view of Union Sq. it was beautiful! Our room was as expected from previous posters we enjoyed the tall ceiling/architecture and large bathtub the beautiful drapes (as some other posters mentioned the bedspread was worn, BUT that did not interfer with our stay). Prior to booking our stay I had personally contacted Mr. Wes Tyler the Hotel Manager and mentioned to him it was our 25th Ann. and on arrival we had a bottle of sparkling wine, a some extras! LIKE that is going above and beyond! All the extra's like the candy jar, pillow menu, coffee/teas in lobby and the fruit was an added bonus! We were hardly in our rooms but we slept very well on the white crisp sheets did not find it warm in our room at all and no noise! Suzie at the tour desk was very helpful (I wished I had not booked our tours online as she was very knowledgable. All in all we had a great time, so many laughs and we will return without a doubt & will book at the Chancellor hotel great value great location! Thanks for all the memories! OH the weather was outstanding for the whole week!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We were celebrating a 50th birthday on our first trip to S.F. and were very apprehensive as to where to stay and which hotel to choose. After discovering tripadvisor we chose the Chancellor Hotel and couldn't be happier that we did. It is right in the heart of everything... shopping, cable cars, near Chinatown, the financial district, the Ferry building and a short ride to Fisherman's Wharf and Ghirardelli Sq. There are great restaurants within walking distance (Millenium - vegetarian; Mela - Indian;) which the front desk staff recommended. \nPrior to our visit, I e-mailed the hotel and asked for a room with a 'view' since my bf was celebrating his birthday and we wanted a nice view of the city). Upon check-in, Mr. Tyler, the hotel mgr. had a bottle of sparkling wine waiting for us in our room. What a great touch! You rarely find such courteous and thoughtful people these days. It's the small things people take note of and this hotel does these quite well: the pillow choice, the complimentary coffee and tea in the lobby, cookies and apples for snacks with the coffee and tea. You just don't find these types of amenities anywhere anymore. Not once did we run into any hotel staff (even those cleaning rooms on the floors) that they didn't greet us with a warm friendly hello.\nThe rooms are pretty much as described by others on here and on the hotel website. This is an older hotel but very well maintained and probably the BEST value for the location. We typically don't spend a lot of time IN a hotel room when we travel... it's a place to sleep and rest before heading back out to see the sights. Cleanliness is what we value most and this is the one thing that we found the Chancellor to do VERY well. We didn't notice that the rooms or the bathrooms were all that small. There is a BIG closet and a safe in each room. We do quite a bit of travelling and this room (for an older \"boutique\" hotel) is quite nice... and an AWESOME value for the location.\nWe had the valet parking package which is a good value. It takes about 20 minutes to retrieve your car, so calling down to the front desk in advance is recommended. The only thing I would say that needs updating is the bedspreads -- as they are quite worn and outdated. However, we will be back for another trip and WILL stay a the Chancellor again. It is rare to find hotel that seems to do the little things to make your visit enjoyable AND memorable.\nAs far as other recommendations -- buy your tickets in advance for Alcatraz. We didn't and they were sold out... next time! beachblanketbabylon.com is a riot. If you haven't seen it -- go! A day trip North or South is well worth it. Our trip to Sausalito was very nice. Be sure to stop at the last exit heading south on 101 before the bridge for some awesome views and pics of the Golden Gate Bridge...drive all the way up to the top of the mountain and climb up to Hawk's Hill. Simply stunning scenery. Walking around the Castro district was a lot of fun and there were plenty of nice bars and restaurants. We would highly recommend Thai Express... great food and value.\nAll in all the trip and stay at the Chancellor was a very pleasant experience. Highly recommended.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "It is a bit difficult to rate this hotel, because one wants to make sure the traveler is not expecting something luxurious. This hotel is not fancy, but it has everything you need and should save you money if you get an on-line deal like I did. I stayed for four nights at $125/night, and that came with a gift card worth $28 for the restaurant. I also got a 20%-off coupon for the restaurant for when my gift card ran out. The lobby is attractive (contrary to what one reviewer thought), with oversized, comfortable couches for seating (Anyway, just look at the hotel's photos, that's how it looks.) The restaurant is very nice, and the food is very good. I did not have lunch there, but the breakfast was great -- much more variety and better food than I expected. My room was number 604, and it looked a lot like the one pictured in the other traveler's candid photos. The walls were off-white, and there were two pictures that were attractive. The window treatments were lovely. The paint was clean and fresh-looking everywhere. There was a huge, walk-in closet with plenty of wooden hangers and two large, metal luggage racks. The closet would probably help to make up for the smallness of the room for a couple staying for an extended period. As a single traveler staying for a few days, I did not find the room to be especially small. Shampoo, conditioner, kleenex, bath salts, shower cap, soap, and hair dryer (and appropriate outlets) were supplied. The soaps were nice -- glycerine for hands and face, and a thick round cake for the bath -- the same as in fancier hotels. New soap was delivered when I didn't even need it. The towels were bright white, and the bath towels were thick. The bathroom was immaculate, and everything worked really well. There was a swing-arm, magnifying mirror, and the bathroom could be lighted by an overhead, incandescent fixture, or a fluorescent one over the large mirror. One feature I really appreciated was the massaging shower head. The bathtub was very deep, and the guest was offered various spa ammenities at additional cost. The closet door featured a full-length mirror. There was free wireless everywhere, and free internet in the lobby (It was pretty popular.) There was an iron and ironing board, a free in-room safe, and an umbrella for use during my stay. Several different complimentary newspapers were available in the lobby, as were coffee, cookies, and apples. The heat in my room worked very well. The large window could be opened, and there was a ceiling fan over the bed. My room had a noise (like a din) coming from outside, but it did not disturb my sleep. My room was not on the street side. The carpeting was nice. My bed felt comfortable to me. Room service was available, but I did not use it. The room type that I had really does not make a great first impression, but I think it could easily have been made more appealing -- different bedspread and fabric on the chairs perhaps. I notice the suites have light fabrics on the beds and chairs, and this looks prettier. (A room decorated like the one I stayed in is pictured on the website, though, so there should be no reason for complaints.) I was not crazy about the dark wood on doors and elevators -- that may have contributed to the few negative reviews about appearance -- but perhaps that is part of the historic ambiance. There was no mini-bar, but there are Walgreens everywhere, and the one closest to the hotel is open 24 hours if snacks and drinks are needed -- and, of course, that is usually preferable to paying exhorbitant prices for such things in a hotel room. The reviewer who thought you could get a better room for the price was wrong. The location cannot be beat, and the ammenities are truly fine. I was staying with colleagues for a conference, and I boasted of many perqs that their much more expensive rooms did not offer. The TV was certainly large enough, and the reception was perfect. I had little need for the staff, but when the public-access printer had no toner and I wanted to print out my boarding pass, one clerk was most helpful in a joint quest for a solution (I should have asked his name, actually.) I would not choose this hotel for my honeymoon, but it is perfect for travelers wanting to stay in a safe, picturesque area and have money left over for nice dinners and events rather than spending it on trappings they will spend little time admiring.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 27}, {"text": "Fabulous European-style location at Union Square. Compact, well-appointed rooms and bath. Loved the pillow menu! Quiet room with a view (13th floor). Bed was comfortable and the umbrella in the room was a god-send! Free local phone calls and use of business centre for internet was appreciated. The complimentary coffee in the lobby in the morning even tasted like coffee -- a nice change! It was very convenient to be able to get a daily transit pass for cable cars and MUNI right in the lobby. Highly recommended. Will definitely return.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Hi, I spent one enjoyable week at the Chancellor in October 2005 on a cycling holiday in San Francisco. It would certainly be amongst my first choices of hotel for a return trip. I had a clean, spacious and comfortable room on the top floor (recommended as I imagine the street noise could become annoying on the lower floors). The staff were friendly and helpful, even allowing me to keep my bike in my room which saved a lot of hassle for myself (and probably the staff) when I left the hotel for the early morning bike rides. I didn't like the breakfasts there much and prefered to go over the road and 100 yds up Powell street to a cafe that opened around 6 a.m. (I was jet-lagged) and served good and cheap nourishment (even porridge - great for the chilly mornings). There's a huge bookshop a few doors down from the hotel where I was able to buy all the maps and guides I needed (hint: if you want to cycle in Marin County there's a small bookstore/cafe in the center of Mill Valley that sells a wonderful little cycling map of the area - I didn't see it anywhere else). Anyway, to summarise, a nice, friendly, good value hotel with all the shops, cafes and restaurants you could ever want within a few blocks - but ask for a room near the top.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My wife and I loved the Chancellor. We selected it on the basis of the excellent reviews on Trip Advisor and the fact that it was the only hotel where the manager made a point of answering the few bad reviews. We thought this would be a well managed hotel. We were not disappointed, the room was perfect, the service wonderful in all categories and the location in the very heart of the city extraordinarily convenient. This hotel is truly a very well managed operation and we highly recommend it. Other guests to whom we spoke shared our point of view.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Great Hotel, Great Location. Only complaint were that the bed was a little worn and tired. Staff was great, location great. Nice little hotel, and best value I have seen in San Francisco.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Excellent value and location. Although rooms are small these are well serviced and comfortable.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "The Chancellor gets an A+ from me. It is apparent that the hotel is well-managed in every detail, and has a staff that knows their jobs and cares about making you feel like you're a welcome guest. In the lobby there is a plaque with a picture of several employees that had been there for 25 years. I chose a room in the front because I wanted to be able to open the window to let in the fresh air and to hear the sounds of the city below. There is a diagonal view of beautiful and bustling Union Sq. With the double-paned window shut, it was quiet except perhaps for the squeaking cable cars. I loved sitting in the arm chair and table near the window and enjoying the free newspapers and coffee and cookies in the morning. I also took advantage of the free access to the modern health club and pool around the corner. The parking garage, one street away, was quick and easy. I had a great 11-day stay at the Chancellor.\nSan Francisco is one of the most unique and beautiful cities in the world. In addition to all the outstanding tourist attractions, shopping and restaurants you see in the brochures, the whole city is an attraction. The waterfront is unspoiled and spectacular, especially the views from the walkways along the Marina, where there is plenty of parking space. You can explore the neighborhoods on BART, the Muni, the buses, or the wonderful antique street cars, whimsically gathered from all over the world, that run along Market Street. Enjoy.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 29}, {"text": "This may be the best value in the US for a hotel in the tourist center of a tourist city. The Chancellor has a 1920s feel. The rooms are nothing fancy and on the smaller side, but they have a lot of character. The bathroom, for instance, has a real high-sided tub with shower, not a modern shower. If you want luxurious and up to date, best go elsewhere.\nIf you like an older feel and want value, this is the perfect hotel. I booked online and paid $89 (pretax) for my room-- not a special rate. The room had a partial view of Union Square. The wireless access was free-- I was on business and this was very useful. The hotel has an arrangement with a neighbor health club for free use. The staff was friendly and helpful. Everything was clean and well-kept. If I had paid $200 a night, I would have been satisfied. I was almost a little fearful of what I would get for the price, but wow...", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "This hotel is on the cable car line with stops just outside the door. The ride to Fisherman's Wharf is about 15 minutes and great fun. The hotel is across the street from high end shopping and within walking distance of some great restaurants. The staff was wonderful, they did everything possible to make sure our stay was enjoyable. I have two less than wonderful comments: 1. Our room, 1208, was in need of updating; sad carpeting and bedding. 2. Our room was not air conditioned. This was not a problem since temperatures were mild and we left windows open. However, even on the 12th floor, street noise often was distracting. That said, though small and dated, the room was clean with nice toiletries and two comfy chairs. We would definitely stay there again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I only stayed here for one night as a vacation day before a business trip. Since my company wasn't paying for the hotel on my day off, I choose to use a discount hotel website that doesn't tell you the name of the hotel before booking. Basically, it is a place to sleep that is indoors. I'm 6'5\" and the bed is 5'10\". The TV is the exact version my 87 year old grandpa has, except smaller. On a bright note, they had free cookies at the front desk - on a sad note, they were not good. The bathroom is clean, which is always a good thing. The room itself is very small - it reminds me of my dorm room from college, except with uglier carpet. That's about all.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "The Chancellor Hotel is a wonderful hotel. Its location is fabulous - right on the Powell Street Cable Car Line and in the heart of Union Square, and its easy to get to all San Fran has to offer. The Staff are excellent and bend over backwards to help you in any way they can. The rooms are clean and nicely decorated and a pillow menu is even offered to guests!! I felt very welcolme and comfortable in the Chancellor and recommend it to everyone visiting San Fransisco.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We spent five days at the Chancellor in early January of 2006. The location is fabulous, and the rooms, while not large, are certainly adequate (I've stayed in smaller ones nearby). It is modestly priced for the area, but has comfortable beds, and some nice amenities (multiple pillow choices for example, a room safe, hard candy in jars, wi-fi in room, to name a few). The staff was very accomodating (at arranging cabs, etc., or in helping me figure out how to connect to their wi-fi). There is a cozy bar that's open until about 9 or 10. Coffee and cookies are pretty much available all the time.\nWe didn't eat in the restaurant, but there are lots of great places to eat at most price ranges nearby.\nI've stayed in four hotels in that area in recent years,and this is the best combination of comfort and value. \nIt is not airconditioned, which is pointed out in the materials, but there are ceiling fans and windows that open to allow the almost always cool SF air in if you are hot-natured. When windows are open,the sounds of the city come in, which I found soothing, but tastes differ on that. When the windows are closed, its amazingly quiet to be on such a busy street. \nAll in all, we highly recommend it, and hope to go back.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "This was our first stop on a road trip we had planned from the UK using tripadvisor to decide where to stay. We arrived very tired and jetlagged and found check-in excellent and quick. The spotlessly clean room was exactly according to our requests at the time of booking and was not huge but well designed with a good-sized walk in wardrobe so it felt cozy rather than cramped. The bed was extremely comfortable and the road noise muffled suffiently by the double glazing. However we did experience noise from neighbouring rooms on a couple of occasions due to the very thin walls.\nBreakfast was good value and we really appreciated the location. It was easy to get around the city with a cable car stop right outside and bus stops down the road. There were also several good bars and restaurants in the local area. Overall, the hotel was a great base.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Excellent location - 0.5 block from union square, right on the powell st cable car line, a few blocks from powell st BART/MUNI station.\nRooms are not huge, but for a city centre hotel they're certainly acceptable. \nAs noted in other reviews, the bathrooms are quite small compared to some places - full bath with shower over, basin and WC, and enough room to stand two people if they're quite friendly! - but the hot water was plentiful and the shower powerful. I don't go on holiday to stay in the bathroom, so the size doesn't matter much!\nFurnishings in the room were in good condition, bed was comfortable, all electrics worked and room was clean. Housekeeping staff were quietly efficient.\nModern amenities are provided within the constraints of what is clearly a historic building; there's a modern TV with video on demand, free WiFi, room safe, ironing board etc. But a ceiling fan instad of aircon (I guess aircon is not an issue given the SF climate?) and no coffee making in the room (available in lobby, or in Borders bookstore next door)", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We stayed at the Chancellors for a week in September -I'd chosen it after reading reviews on here and was NOT disappointed.\nThe place is small - the rooms are small and there isn't much of a view, but its advertised as a boutique hotel, with small rooms and charm. It certainly has bags and bags of character. The staff can't do enough for you, especially in the bar where they showed genuine interest in our day, recommended restaurants and routes and helped us try out a few new cocktails. \nYou can use the internet for a dollar for as long as you want if nobody else is waiting. There is coffee available all day for the jetlagged to wander down and collect at 5am if they can't sleep. The free cookies tasted fab, loved the rubber duck in the bath and the pillow menu. The foot spa rental after a day of sightseeing is inspired.\nIn summary, don't go for luxury - its clean, functional, quirky, comfortable but, for me, the friendliness of all the staff and the ability to pop back in the afternoons for a rest and a free cuppa, plus the wonderfully central location made this a bargain gem and really made our holiday.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "If you can climb the streets of San Francisco and then spend the evening with no way to even heat water for tea, much less have coffee, then be the Chancellor's guest. I requested a microwave, and the dead-pan answer was that they had coffee and hot water 24 hours a day in the lobby. Not good. And the notes from others about no climate control should be taken seriously. Chancellor will respond that the windows can be opened. My window jammed when I locked it to get some safety from the antiquated fire escape, and I called immediately for someone to come and free the lock. When I check out the next morning, the lock was still jammed. Staff attitudes are questionable: chambermaids friendly enough. Desk staff, bartender, appear as if trained to avoid eye contact, and not even return smiles, much less originate them.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "We stayed at the Chancellor for 4 nights from 11 Nov 2005.\nBooked on the net 3 months before travelling out, we checked in no problems and our requested lower level floor with a Union Square view was satisfied.\nThe room was clean and tidy with plenty of storage, bed was very comfortable and bathroom was small but very functional great deep bath and powerful shower with a rubber duck to keep you amused!\nI found all the staff to be very friendly and knowledgeable, a real non-chain appeal permeated throughout our stay.\nThe bar in the lobby was very layed back and friendly with a good selection of Californian wine and plenty of beers and spirits, free nuts and pretzels on request along with a couple of plasma TV's showing the latest news and sports. The bar area was being renovated whilst we checked out (mid Nov 2005).\nThe Chancellors location cannot be faulted for visitors wanting to stay in the heart of San Francisco within 5 mins of all the main shops and cable car stop.\nThere's a choice of at least 3 restaurants within 30 seconds walk of the front door, handy when you've had a tiring jet-lagged day sightseeing.\nTaxi fare to and from SFO international was about $40 including the tip.\nAs for visitor tips - there's one I would definately recommend. Buy a MUNI Passport ticket to cover your stay. If you're in town for 5 days buy a 7 day ticket, believe me you'll save money!!\nExample: 2 people making 2 return trips on a cable car in one day would cost $40 ($5 each single trip); buy a 1 day MUNI Passport for $11 each and that covers your trips plus you can use it on buses and the tramcar along Market St.\nWish I got one on our 1st day !!\nThis would only apply to overseas visitors but one thing that we thought was a bit annoying upon check out was that our credit card was already charged before we had agreed the bill. This meant that a refund of a service back to our card was made in US dollars which the card company make a charge for to convert back to your currency, so if they inadvertantly charge for something you didnt use or buy then you are out of pocket anyway.\nI wouldn't hesitate to recommend a stay here - I would definately book again for the nice atmos and the very central location.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "We just got back from a one night stay at the Chancellor Hotel on Union Square. We live about an hour away and came into town for a party in the city and didn't want to drive home. Here are my general thoughts - both good and bad.\nThe Good\n1. Kudos to management for coming here and reading and responding to the comments on this site. I think that says a lot for the management and, regardless of what else I say here, they are to be commended.\n2. The Chancellor is in a great location in San Francisco and is a good value for the money. The bed was comfortable and the room, while somewhat small, was clean and fine for our purposes.\n3. The staff was very friendly and professional.\nThe Bad\n1. There is nothing management can do about this, but be advised that the bathrooms are really small. They have a deep tub, which *is* a nice touch, but there is really only room for one person in the bathroom at a time. The pictures posted on this site are accurate. \n2. In the case of the rooms facing Union Square, the lack of air conditioning was a real issue for us. Granted this is San Francisco, and it rarely gets ridiculously hot, but here is the dillemna: We were on the 13th floor facing the street. More quiet than the lower floors I would imagine, but there is still plenty of street noise. So you can keep the window closed, but then the room gets really, really stuffy and the ceiling fan just doesn't do enough to rectify that problem. You COULD open the window, but it is on the fire escape so there is a potential stranger access / safety issue that is not unreasonable in a major city. There *is* a little bolt to hold it closed, but it is not big enough to allow any real air in the room. EVEN if you did either the full open window or the small latched opening, it would be useless as you would have to open up the blinds to let the air in...and there is a huge Harry Denton's Starlight Lounge neon sign directly opposite the higher floors and flashing outside all night long. So you have to choose between stuffiness (which is made worse by the smallness of the room/shower and the warmth of that filling up the room) and the neon light flashing in your room all night long. My wife and I both woke up due to the warm stuffiness in the room several times throughout the night.\nThere it is...warts and all. I think that the Chancellor is a good value hotel in a great location with a good staff and responsive management and would recommend it with the caveats listed above. There are nicer places to stay in SF, but not at this price in this location. \nBy the way, some people we know stayed at the Mosser 1/3 mile away. YECHHH!", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We stayed for 7 nights in mid-September 2005 & had a great holiday. We picked the Chancellor based on Tripadvisor reviews (no other hotel nearby could offer the same good value combined with great reviews) & for the location, and we were not disappointed. I booked by contacting the hotel direct, months earlier, & got a confirmation e-mail shortly afterwards. \nMy requests for a quiet room, facing the back, high-up, with no connecting doors were met (the only noise we had was a loud radio or TV one evening, but it stopped before we went to bed). The view at the back of the hotel was still quite striking, especially at night. Hotel itself has some character, with a beautiful art-deco type mirror behind the bar. Lifts were effective; we did use the stairs a few times, but 15 floors is along way! The room was quite big enough and (like Wes, the manager, whose responses on Tripadvisor are highly entertaining) I found it no problem using the toilet ! No A/C needed - ceiling fan was only needed a couple of times, and we left our windows open during the day. Room was very clean; the shower very effective; the bed comfortable; the safe worked (2 other hotels we used on our holiday had faulty safes); the choice of pillows a terrific idea (as a sufferer of back & neck pain, this made a real difference to me); the laundry came back promptly; the bar service was good. \nThe staff were excellent: check-in took about 30 seconds; bags were taken up to our room immediately; the housekeeping staff were friendly and always said hello (in Vegas, they avoided any eye contact, and one rarely saw them); when we needed a light bulb replacing and I wanted a special pillow, the staff responded immediately; all the staff smiled & made us welcome; the lady at the tour desk may have never actually smiled, but she was polite & helpful; the restaurant staff were efficient most of the time (though on 2 mornings they were slow and forgot part of our order), so we ate breakfast at the hotel 6 out of the 7 mornings. The food was good, and the free coffee (including de-caff.) & cookies much appreciated. There was a 'meet the staff' evening one night, with free food and wine, and we got to meet Wes, the manager - if they hold one while you are there, I recommend you go. \nLocation of hotel is brilliant: cable car stop just outside; short walk to Powell St cable turntable, metro, BART and bus stops; ATM in hotel and one next door; Sears for breakfast 2 doors north; Lori's diner for good burgers c. 200 yards north; Wallgreens chemist/store on same block; loads of shops around Union Square; some beautiful architecture in the area, and good restaurants; several film locations (Vertigo, especially) nearby; many of these places, and other tourist destinations, are easily walkable from the hotel.\nWe would highly recommend the Chancellor. We plan to visit San Francisco again one day, and we will book again with the Chancellor, with no hesitation. Thanks to the users of Tripadvisor for helping us choose it, and thanks to Wes and his staff for an excellent stay.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "We stayed at the Chancellor hotel from the 23rd until the 30th and had a great time there.\nThe staff were all very friendly. Special kudos goes to Mr. Tyler, who made our trip especially incredible with an incredible room and even a bottle of champagne! Not only that, he even had an article from the local newspaper for us when we checked in about the Nascar race we were going to the following day -- I couldn't believe he remembered about that when all I did was make a quick mention of it (he arranged the car rental for us to get there, too). If only all hotel managers were as dedicated and friendly as he was...\nThe room was not small. If some people think it's small, they haven't been to European hotels...I've been to a five-star hotel in Europe that had way smaller rooms than this.\nThe special personal touches like the rubber ducky were all very welcome and nice.\nEven though we went in the summer, we didn't have a problem with the lack of a/c -- we even kept the windows closed and just used the fan without any problem. It was pretty chilly outside.\nThe second elevator started working again two days before we left, so that is no longer a worry to people that this bothered (though it's not a big deal anyway).\nOverall, it was great -- and the price was great too. I can't say enough about how nice of a stay we had. The service was definitely on the five-star level.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We spent a week (6/21-6/28) at The Chancellor and really enjoyed everything about it. We had a corner room facing Powell Street. We had been concerned about the lack of AC, but it was never a problem. With the windows (room and bathroom) opened, we had a wonderful breeze. The cookies (in the lobby) were wonderful and the location is perfect. We bought a 7 day pass and did everything with the use of public transportation. We took a city tour, Muir Woods and Sausalito, and Montery/Carmel bus tours...all were good and picked us up from the hotel.\nDinner a John's Grill was great ...about a 3 block trip. Other good places to eat in the area are Uncle Vito's (great pizza) and David's Deli.\nThis hotel is a great choice.....", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "My wife and I were staying at another hotel while on business and decided to stay the weekend at the Chancellor (we booked it before we left). Unfortunately the hotel did not live up to the reviews. The room was small (not unexpected based upon other reviews), the room was very old and in need of a major renovation (a little surprising), the elevator was still broken (wow - I had assumed that would be fixed... how long do these things take to repair? and how many months ago was that first posting about the elevator being broken?). Staff - were marginal. They weren't so friendly / helpful but not bad either. \nOverall, the hotel didn't live up to the other reviews. Going back and looking at them now makes me think that they almost look too good to be true. The hotel is not a diamond in the rough, it is a budget hotel. Not terrible, but not good either.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "For a recent trip to San Francisco I checked out hotels quite extensively and chose the Chancellor. I could not quite believe that the price quoted was so reasonable (including parking too!!) for a hotel in such a prime location. However, reading all the posts here gave me the confidence to go ahead and book - I'm really glad I did and a big \"thank you\" to everyone who has taken the time to add a review to this site - even the ones where people had issues, it's all useful info.\nThe hotel is great, excellent value, excellent location, fantastic staff.\nThe room, a corner room at the front on the 12th floor, was certainly large enough for 2, as was the bathroom. Everyone raves about how clean the rooms are, and they are kept immaculately clean. Did not get a chance to try the restaurant (which is open for breakfast and lunch) but did sample the coffee and cookies in the lobby - a really nice touch.\nI think the best bit for me was the staff. Everyone I met took such a pride in their hotel and the part they played in making it the great place it is. What struck me most was how friendly staff members were - without being over familiar or cheeky, it made me as a first time visitor feel like a frequent and valued guest. \nThe manager often states in his replies to negative posts that the hotel is 90 years old and makes no excuses for that. It does show, I have to say, in some areas but I think in quite a nice way - if you are looking for long, wide, spacious corridors on every floor, then look elsewhere, but anyone expecting a 5 star experience should also expect to pay the 5 star price (and probably still not have such an enjoyable stay after all!!) ((reading this again before posting, I've stayed at some so called 5 star hotels that were far worse in several areas than The Chancellor)) The hotel is clean, smart, welcoming, efficient and very comfortable. We were only there for a few nights (wish it could have been longer) but during that time we wanted for nothing - everything you could possibly need in a hotel room was there - bathroom items (including the rubber duckie - I don't quite get that one, but it obviously means a lot to some people!!!!!) phone, TV, extra pillows, umbrella in case it rains (it didn't, but I know it often does!!), coffee, cookies, laundry, safe, wireless Internet (free!!!!!) - I could go on, but if you got this far you probably don't want me to!!\nI think that this being a family run hotel says a lot - they have seen what works in other hotels and learnt from that, and we the guests get the benefit. \nThe manager says that all the staff read these reviews, so this is a chance to say \"Thank You!\" to everyone. I always think that the best compliment you can pay an establishment is to return over and over again - I certainly intend to, and will recommend this hotel to as many people as I can.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "A BIG BIG thank you to all Tripadvisor members who recommended the Chancellor. Thanks even to those who tried to nit-pick because it caused the general manager to reply and it was obvious from his replies that he was very proud of his hotel. I thought, \"This just HAS to be a well-run hotel.\" - so I booked it.\nI was not disappointed; the Chancellor met all my expectations and then some. My wife, who is very fussy about rooms being clean was very pleased with the cleanliness and comfort of our room. We stayed eight nights and had a great time in SF. The hotel is near to: cable cars (just outside), trolley busses and trams (a short walk to Market St) and the shops. It was dead easy to get to Fisherman's Warf even when the cable-cars were were busy over the Easter holiday - we just took the F-Line from Market Street.\nOne of the lifts was not working while we were there, due to renovation, but it caused us very little inconvenience.\nThe staff were very polite and helpful and one of the reception staff TWICE helped me out when I had got into a mess with shuttle-bus bookings.\nI live a LONG LONG way from SF but, if I ever get to go there again, I shall definitely be booking into the Chancellor.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "My husband and I, both celebrating our 40th birthdays, checked into the Chancellor Hotel around 11:30 pm on 3/26/05. We were weary and jet-lagged after a flight from the East Coast. Check-in, thankfully, was quick and simple.\nMy hubby walked through the door of our room on the ninth floor before I did and said, \"Wow, you ordered champagne!\" I hadn't ordered it. However, I had mentioned our celebration as I was making our reservations. This was a most thoughtful gesture on the part of the hotel.\nAs we popped the cork on the bubbly, the sweet sound of a saxaphone on the street corner below wafted in through the windows that were open just a little, letting in a nice breeze. This was a sign of great times ahead for the remainder of our vacation.\nAfter days of walking, sightseeing and LOTS of hills, I made good use of the long, deep, soaking-style bathtubs. The rooms were on the smallish side by contemporary standards, but sufficient for two people. Everyone else has mentioned the coffee and cookies, and I agree they were tasty -- especially the cherry-chocolate ones.\nThe staff -- from the front desk, to bartender, to housekeeping -- was always friendly and courteous. One of the elevators was fixed and opened while we were there, but the other was then closed for repairs. The new one is speedy and quiet -- works great.\nOne bartender, Ty, encouraged conversation and it was through him that we met a young couple travelling from England. We ended up spending a day with them when we rented a car to drive to Napa (with help from the service desk at the hotel) -- a day that passed much too quickly. We hope to see them again, and we would not have met them if it weren't for the friendly hotel bartender!\nThis was a perfect vacation we will never forget!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "My partner and I got to the hotel on Friday the 25th for a three night stay. After a quick four block walk from the BART station, we were a little early for check in. Knowing that check in wasn't until 3pm (it was 10:30a), we didn't think it'd hurt to ask if our room was ready. It wasn't, BUT, this is where this hotel's sincere hospitality we've all been reading about started. The young girl at the desk was very apologetic to us about the room not being available, but she actually called Housekeeping to see when it would be ready. They gave her an approximate time for our exact room and she offered to hold our luggage. She recommended a couple of things to do in and around Union Square to pass the time and should check back later, all this time calling me by my last name. Within 2 hours, we came back (still waaay before the 3 o'clock hour) and happily said our room was ready. It's a great way to start a vacation. \nNo complaints whatsoever with the room. 14th floor, overlooking Union Square. Elevator wait, no problem. No air conditioner, no problem. Not the right pillow we wanted, no problem. Great towels, great closet, the ceiling fan a great touch. The window fully opened letting us take the views and the sounds all in. \nWe took advantage of the free cookies, coffee, apples, and candy (in the room). We befriended the lady behind the Tour Desk. I think her name was Susan. Despite what was previously said about her in a another post, she was genuinely friendly. She reminded us of \"Edna\", respectfully, in the movie The Incredibles. :-) She was full of recommendations and answered our questions before we even asked. This is where you buy the 3 day or 1 day Passport for the Cable cars, MUNI buses, or trolleys. GREAT value. She has the usual Cokes, bottles of water, aspirin, etc. for sale. You can also buy tour tickets from her as well.\nWe did eat at the restaurant there. Luques (?) I think was the name. It was Sunday morning we ate breakfast there. Good, fast, a little on the high $ide, but nonetheless worth it. \nThe location of this hotel, as said before, is unbeatable. Wether going north bound or south bound on the cable cars, the stops are literally 30 steps away from the front door. You have anything you want within 4 blocks of you. Shopping, a WalGreens, the Laci Diner (open until 3am on the weekends), Chinatown, BART, Market Street, you name it. And do take advantage of the public transportation San Fran has to offer. I have never been on a public bus in ANY major city before this trip, and when I did, I felt safe and relatively comfortable (even on a rainy Saturday night). Didn't take one single cab ride anywhere. Also there are plenty of bus stops within 2 blocks of the hotel going in any direction. \nWith San Francisco and all of her glory, every night we were still looking forward to coming back to the Chancellor even after taking in the sights and sounds. And every night we were met with \"Hi, how are you?\", \"Good evening\", \"How was your night?\", etc. Truly heartfelt and meaningful. \nWhat else is there to say? We will be back. Absolutely not a place to forget. Thank you!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "Well, the reviewer in front of me stole most of my thunder but it's worth repeating because this hotel ROCKS!! My wife and I stayed at The Chancellor for two nights on our way to our annual trip to Lake Tahoe. \nCheck-In:\nWe arrived at the hotel an hour or so before check-in time and were informed that our room was ready (yes!). We were shown to our room and what is waiting for us after our long journey from Florida? A very NICE bottle of champagne on ice. We felt like king & queen, what a great touch. I don't think they do this for everybody, but I'm not sure. I had had some previous correspondence with the GM about his comments on this board and his superior commitement to his hotel by e-mail.\nThe Room:\nWe requested a room facing Union Square and located on a high floor. Guess what - we were on the 14th floor and faced Union Square. We travel a lot and I have NEVER stayed in a room more clean, EVER. This includes The Ritz and a couple other 5 star hotels. The rooms are plenty big for two people. There was a small desk with chair, a queen sized bed, 2 cocktail chairs with table, a dresser, and 2 nightstands (i think). A large walk-in closet was great for holding luggage (we had a ton), clothes, and shoes. The bathroom was normal sized with a tub/shower, a sink, and a toilet (obviously). The bathroom had obviously been remodeled quite a few times over a 100 year period but maybe could use a little touch up. It was sparkeling and spotless, but the tile and floors could be replaced or touched up. This is my only mildly negative comment.\nPersonal Touches:\nThis is where this hotel really shines. We have never seen anything like it!\n-Fluffy, oversized, monogrammed towles and washclothes were heaven.\n-Rubber ducky in the bath was great.\n-High quality coffee in the lobby 24/7 - free!\n-Cookies and fruit in the lobby 24/7 - free!\n-Mixed hard candy jar in every room - free!\n-Pillow menu to die for. (they even have a pillow with music/speakers in it)\n-White noise and sound machines available upon request.\n-Foot massagers & bubble bath machines available for small fee.\n-Umbrealla located in every room (chances are you'll need it at some point)\n-Room safe with your personal access code.\n-Harry & David chocolate on our pillows on Valentine's Day.\n-Cieling fans in every room.\nI know there are more but I can't remember tham all. Needless to say, we were thrilled with all the above.\nLocation:\nCan't be beat! Walk about 10 steps and you're at a Cablecar stop on Powell Street (Chinatown, Fisherman's .Wharf, etc...) You can walk to Chinatown (it's a small hike). All the shopping around Union Square. Buy your MUNI pass about a half block away. Many great bars and restaurants within walking distance. What more can I say.\nStaff:\nAbsolutely great!! We NEVER walked through the lobby without somebody asking us \"Can we do anything to make your stay better?\" or \"How is your stay at The Chancellor so far?\" or \"Do you need any tour information?\" - You get the point. Everybody was extremely friendly and helpful. Smiles all the way around at check-in and check-out. You can tell it's a great big family atmosphere. I agree with the above review regarding the bartender, but would never let one employee blemish the entire staff.\nMisc.:\n-Elevators were being upgraded and it was really no big deal. We were on the 14th floor and only had to wait about 4-5 minutes a couple times. We justed talked to others waiting and learned some things we didn't know about the area.\n-We never ate int the restaurant but it looked nice. We did have a great meal at Sears next door one night.\n-We loved that the entire property was no smoking!!\nI think that about covers it but I'm probably forgetting some things. Hope this helps future visitors to San Francisco! Please stay at The Chancellor!! I would be happy to answer anybody's questions. I check this board frequently.\nMike", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "We booked two rooms last week (Feb '05) based on reviews we read online. All I can say about those rare \"unhappy\" traveller reviews is that they must only like cookie cutter chain hotel rooms! The Chancellor is a piece of Europe in the heart of San Francisco. Clean, outstanding location, wonderful staff, ambience, and affordable! We brought another couple from Florida as a surprise for his birthday. Unknown to me, the staff put a chilled bottle of very good private-label wine in their room with a congratulatory card. A really CLASS touch! They have traveled extensively and were very happy with the Chancellor. Everything about this hotel is good old fashioned guest service -- thick, monogrammed towels, genuinely helpful and friendly staff, jar of candy in the room, fresh apples and cookies in the lobby, rubber \"duckies\" in the bathroom for your bath(!), and even an umbrella in the closet should the weather require! The rooms are on the small side, but that is typical of a hotel built 100 years ago (pay attention here all you people who want 1000 sq. ft. rooms!!!). Nonetheless, it was very adequate for two people and CLEAN. The elevator service was slow because they are renovating, and 1 of 2 were offline. But we still never had to wait more than 4 or 5 minutes. I have waited that long in big hotels with whole banks of elevators. It is well worth paying a few dollars extra for the valet parking! I think the only thing that did not impress me was the bartender on duty that night in the lobby bar. He was very lethargic and lacked the enthusiastic personality the rest of the staff exhibits. Maybe he was having a bad night. If not, they need to replace him or give him some Dale Carnegie lessons! If you are a light sleeper you'll want a higher level room -- lots of city noises including the cable cars. And don't forget to review their \"menu\" of pillow options! The most unique thing I've ever seen in a hotel. Awesome, convenient location. The cable cars are a must-do, fun experience. If you want Hyatt, pay the money and go get your cookie cutter room. If you want a unique experience, stay here!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "After reading all the positive reviews on the Chancellor we decided to try it. We signed up for the family suite package as we were traveling with a child. Our one main criticism that actually made us leave was that there were no appropriate channels on the tv for kids, no vcr and no way to hook one up. I realize other people may not care about this but after a busy day of sightseeing, we like to relax and watch TV and we couldn't. I was surprised that there was no Disney channel or Nick or Cartoon network or any child friendly channel when they called it a family suite. It was also a bit too noisy for us as there was a street performer just under our window. We also had requested a refrigerator which was confirmed at least twice but when we got there we never got it. We moved to the Hyatt Embarcadero which all around was a better fit for us.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I must have read over 125+ reviews in this forum before taking a chance and booking The Chancellor. I now feel that I need to give back to this forum.\nFirst let's get past the cons of this hotel. If you are looking for very large room with extremely nice decor, you are not going to find it here. If you need to sleep in a room that is 100% quiet without any street noise, you are not going to find it here. If you are used to staying at a 5-star, this is NOT the place for you!\nMy wife and I just returned from a five night/six day trip to San Francisco (part vacation and part work ... for me at least!). We arrived early Tuesday morning (11/02/2004) and took the BART to Market/Powell station. Cost is only $4.95 per person. This is cheap in comparison to a shuttle for $12.50 or a taxi for approximately $40 plus tip. The trip was about 30-45 minutes long. Upon exiting the station, we needed to walk 4 blocks up a slight hill to get to the hotel. We arrived at approximately 9:00AM and proceeded to check in. We were told that the specific room that we had requested (queen with a view of Union Square) was not available yet, but we were offered the option of getting a room that was available immediately. Now tell me, when was the last time you arrived at a hotel that early and was offered an immediate check in? We decline and stored out luggage and proceeded to sightsee.\nThe location of the Hotel is on Powell between Post and Sutter. The cable car stop is located right outside the hotel, with the start point at Market and Powell. The cable car is fun to ride but access to different parts of SF are limited. Also, at $3 per person, the Muni system at $1.25 with at least a 90-minute transfer is really the way to travel around the city. Unless you are used to the stress of driving in a very congested city, don't even think about using a car around town (more about this later). Several Muni bus stops are located not more than 2 blocks from the hotel.\nAfter doing some sightseeing, we checked into our room at about 2:00pm. I must say, that ALL the employees of the hotel were extremely nice and friendly and willing to answer any questions and help in most any way. We should know, because we were constantly asking about transportation, eating and questions in general. \nWe wound up in a corner room (1003), located around the corner from the elevators and the ice machine at the far end of the hall. On one side there was another room (we did not hear anything next door for the entire time we were there) and opposite was the emergency exit to the fire escape. We overlooked Powell and were able to see Union Square from our window. The first thing that my wife and I did was race to the bathroom to see if we had a rubber duckie waiting for us and sure enough, there it was! The bathroom was on the small side, with the toilet such that opening and closing the door while seated would be difficult. The tub, however, was a large and deep cast iron one. Since neither my wife nor myself planned on spending any significant time in this room, we were able to easily overlook any shortcomings.\nThe room itself was much larger than I had imagined based upon the reviews that I had read. I was expecting a room slightly larger than a cabin on a cruise ship! We had a queen bed, a desk and chair and a table at the window with 2 additional chairs. Yes, it is true that there isn't any air conditioning (just a ceiling fan), but at this time of year, none was needed. And yes, the carpet was a bit warn, but it was clean and I didn't plan on doing anything other than walk on it. We did happen to get a glimpse of another room, and it did appear to be somewhat smaller than ours. I guess the corner room might offer a little more space.\nAlthough there was only a 3-draw dresser to store clothes, the closet in the room was a walk in! Plenty of room to hang stuff and store unneeded luggage. Also, it contained extra pillows, blankets and an umbrella, not to mention a digital security safe.\nThe Pillow Menu is for real! My wife and I tried a number of different pillows during our stay. Our favorite was the \u201cBetween the Knees\u201d pillow. We also asked for and received a noise machine. We kept our window all the time. We were able to hear noise from the street, but mostly during the day and somewhat at night (cable car, occasional car horn, and crowds). I guess it was heightened by the fact that many hotel workers were on strike and you could somewhat hear their chants. Bottom line, though, was that I was so exhausted by the time we came back to the room, that we both slept like rocks (the beds are comfortable and very, very clean).\nI actually booked my hotel stay on Travelocity. The daily rates provided by Travelocity were better than those that I received directly from the hotel ($99 TWTh, $125 F, $145 Sat). Travelocity even gave me a FREE night ($89 TWTh, Free Fri, $125 Sat). My 5-night stay was approximately $455 with taxes and fees. The hotel also has either on-sight valet or off-sight self-parking for an additional fee (I think for an additional daily fee of $30 and $20, respectively). You can come and go as often as you like. Travelocity, however, offered the on-sight valet parking for only an additional $18 per night. This beats the average going rate of $25, and that usually does not allow unlimited in and out).\nThe hotel\u2019s apple bowl is always full and on occasion even cookies are available at no charge. The apples were a great snack to hold us over until our meals. We did not try either room service or the hotel restaurant.\nThe following is additional information for those that are interested.\nWe rented a car for one day to travel outside the city. We went to Monterey and visited the aquarium (awesome!) and we took the 17-Mile drive in Carmel (wonderful views). The car rental place is located 3 blocks from the hotel (220 O\u2019Farrell). There was Alamo, National and Budget. I reserved using Orbitz (where I usually find the best rates) and got a Saturday daily rate of $30 (the weekday rates ranged between $26 and $28) for a compact. At the rental place, they offered us a convertible (Sebring) for an additional $10. It was just what we needed for a sunny drive. The drive was about 120 miles and took 2 hours. Since the rental place was closed by the time we returned Saturday night, we needed to park the car until the morning. The parking lot on the corner where we rented from charged only $12.50 for the late night special (in by 7:30PM out by 9:30AM). Very cheap!\nAs I said before, I would not use a car to get around in the city. Our stress level went from zero to 10 when we returned on Saturday night. Driving in an unfamiliar city at night is hard, to say the least. Then you have to deal with the wacky street directions, which do not permit left-hand turns across traffic on many streets. When we were only about 5 blocks from the parking lot, it took us literally 45 minutes to get there, making a lot of right hand turns!\nChina Town is located a few short blocks away. And above that is Little Italy. We had the best rotisserie chicken and pasta at Gira Polli, located at Union and Stockton. Not only was the food good and reasonably priced, but the staff was friendly and the owner Noreen spent almost 30 minutes talking with us after we had paid our bill! Also at that location, on Stockton, you will find a great Italian bakery (??) and an extremely good gelato place (Sue\u2019s Fruits?). There is also a magnificent church to visit diagonally across the street. For pizza, try Golden Boy. Pretty good (compared to NYC)!\nSince we live in a land locked state, it is always a treat for us to get fresh fish. Personally, my wife and I no longer go out to eat fish where we live. For the same amount of money, we splurge and get our seafood from Whole Foods (where we know that it has not been previously frozen) and cook it at home. Same amount of money spent, but it all went into the price of the fish! We ate sushi at a nearby restaurant (2 blocks from the hotel) on the corner of Sutter and Mason. Sushi is at it\u2019s best when it is made with fresh fish! Now, for the most part, Fisherman\u2019s Warf is a tourist trap. We did, however, go with some locals to Scoma\u2019s, which is rated as one of the best seafood restaurants in SF. Plan on spending about $50 per person, but well worth every cent!\nYou haven\u2019t been to SF unless you have had Dim Sum! Probably the best Dim Sum restaurant is Yang Sing (2 locations). Plan on approximately $20-$25 per person, again, worth every cent for the food and experience!\nWe also ate at a great french resturant called Le Centrale, located just opposite the gates to China town.\nFinally, the museums --- Most are free the first Tuesday or Wednesday of the month. Some others are free one day a week. The Legion of Honor (near the Presidio) is a great museum for those that are into paintings and sculpture. They have a very large collection of Renaissance artists and one of the largest collections of Rodan sculptures. The Exporatorium located between Golden Gate Park and the Presidio is an excellent hands on museum. My wife and I had a blast there! While in the area, there is really great Teih and Vietnamese food (real hole in the wall authentic!).\nWe also went to Alcatraz. I wasn\u2019t sure if this was going to be cheesy, but it turned out to be a very informative trip. The National Park Service runs it. We spent about 3 hours (including the ferry). Cost is $16 per person (including ferry and audio). Unfortunately we did not have nearly enough time to see many of the other museums that SF has to offer.\nOur only bad experience was at the very end of our trip. We took a taxi to the airport (SFO). The fare should have been between $36 and $40. Our driver told us that 101 was backed up with an estimated time of 1-1/2 hours. He took us around the horn (I-280) for an ultimate fare of $52. I do not really think that highway 101 had any traffic early Sunday afternoon. I guess when they ask where you are from, the response should always be \u201cfrom here.\u201d\nOverall, a fantastic trip. If we were to come here again, I would not hesitate to stay at the Chancellor again!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}]}, "224958": {"reviews": [{"text": "This hotel is on the corner of Sutter and Mason--just 1 block from Union Square. It is located perfectly for walking to Union Square, North Beach and China Town. Plus a cable car stop is on the corner of the hotel. The hotel is open to the public, but it to members of the Marines. Anyone who has served in any branch of the military is able to become a member. This is a big deal since non-members pay up to $189 a night and members pay $69/night. This is a medium size hotel with a modern fitness center and pool in the basement. The 12th floor restaurant serves compimentary hot breakfast (made to order omlets on the weekends). From 4 pm to 6 pm the 12 floor bar serves complimentary drinks. My 4 night stay was perfect. The room/professional staff were excellent.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}]}, "80990": {"reviews": []}, "574449": {"reviews": [{"text": "I've stayed in virtually all the top San Francisco hotels (Four Seasons, Mandarin, Fairmont, Le Meridien -- formerly Park Hyatt, Palace, St. Francis), and the St. Regis, for me at least, is the best by a significant margin. The rooms are truly distinctive, with very cool technology and phenomenal attention to detail. The only negative relative to the Four Seasons (in my opinion the closest competitor) is the gym, which is fine but not quite up to Sports Club/LA, to which Four Seasons provides access. On the other hand, the pool is *much* nicer than the pool at SCLA (FS doesn't have their own pool). Food is also superior...the best I've had at any hotel anywhere (this includes breakfast, room service, and \"ame\", the hotel restaurant). I've stayed 3 times in the last 3 months and every stay has been great.\nOverall, highly recommended.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We recently spent a week at the St. Regis San Francisco (my wife and two sons 17 and 20). I can honestly say that my stay was one of the best experiences I have encountered in years. The service was impeccable, rooms magnificent, and location is within walking distance of shopping, dining, Moscone Center, and sights. San Francisco is one of the great destinations of the world and as such has its share of world class hotels; The St. Regis ranks as one of the finest anywhere. The rooms are modern, sleek, high tech, and clean; some rooms having magnificent views of the bay and city. As mentioned in other reviews, you really don't want to leave. We were treated as would be expected in a 5 star hotel without stuffiness or insincere over the top attentiveness, while at the same time, being responsive and attentive to our needs when expected. They refer to you by name, and to me, though not essential, is always impressive. If you like old world decor, this is probably not the place for you. The decor is very modern, with a Zen quality; light, simple lines, fresh, natural, peaceful. The bathrooms are luxurious, and bedrooms, though not huge, are spacious and comfortable. The beds are comfortable and fabrics rich. The most impressive thing (though when you first arrive it seems austere and cold), the staff is warm and attentive, and the Hotel's attention to subtle details, creats an intimate hotel experience, much different than what you get from the large, impersonal business hotels. The hotel meets and exceeds expections, and although not inexpensive, you don't feel cheated, we felt that we paid for superior service, decor, and quality, and we received it. Overall a great experience, as I look forward to our next visit.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I recently stayed at the St. Regis over a weekend and all I can say is returning home was depressing. The rooms are absolutely the best in the city. I have stayed at all the majors in S.F. and while the Four Seasons and W are wonderful they just can't compare with the St. Regis. Upon arrival I was upgraded to a suite with a separate living room. There was a 50 inch plasma in the main room, an LCD in the bathroom, and a 42\" in the bedroom! The service was timely and not overbearing. The staff at this hotel is extremely friendly. The hotel is quite new and some of the staff memebers seemed a bit awkward in the performance of their tasks (sort of like bieng nervous on a first date) but overall they were very helpful. The LCD controls in the room can take a bit of getting used to but really give you a lot options. From the bed to the TV's and amazing bathroom...I couldn't get enough. While this hotel is pricey, I can't recommend it highly enough and I will be going back as soon as possible.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "My family and I stayed at the St. Regis in San Francisco for 6 days and 5 nights. We had a room with a city view on the 18th floor. Since I was traveling with my wife and my 2 boys, 8 and 11 years old we got a room with 2 queen size beds.\nThe Good: The service was outstanding and everyone tried to do whatever we needed, when asked. The staff was very helpful with directions and one time we needed a nail clipper and we called the butler service and 5 minutes later the clipper arrived with an emory board. We also called down for a DVD and we received \"Escape from Alcatraz\" in about 5 minutes after we called the butler. \nThe realistic: The rooms are beautiful, the beds are extremely comfortable and everything in the room is controlled electronically, black out curtains, drapes, lights, etc. The decor is contempory with neutral colors. The rooms were average size, although for SF they were probably larger than most. The pool was not yet open, so that was a little disappointing for my kids. Also, I did sense that everytime we walked through the lobby that some of the hotel staff were not that thrilled that we had our kids with us.\nLocation was great. Close to all of the things that we wanted to do in the city.\nOverall: Outstanding hotel, great service, but probably not the 1st choice for a family. If you are traveling without the kids or on a business trip probably one of the nicest hotels in SF.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "When you pay $51.00 for overnight parking, $71.00 for breakfast for two (in the dining room; room service, we were warned, would be forty-five minutes in coming), and sleep in a Grand Deluxe Park View room priced at the same level, you expect certain basic amenities. A decent-sized closet, a coffee maker, and more floor space would all have been welcome. And while motorized drapes and flat screen TVs are diverting, at the end of the day you want a good night's sleep. This is what you don't get at the St. Regis, where the cardboard thin walls transmit every hallway noise with perfect audio fidelity. Especially annoying are the loud chimes that announce the arrival of an elevator. Even five doors down the hall from the elevator bank, the din is penetrating enough to waken a tired man throughout the night. Of course I could have asked the 24 hour \"butler\" for ear plugs...", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "We're San Francisco locals and stayed at the new St. Regis for Thanksgiving as a special treat. It was well worth it!\nThe room was wonderful, large, comfortable and beautifully furnished, great view of Yerba Buena Gardens and the Metreon (we were on the 18th floor). Shades, phone, music, lights, and climate are all controlled by a touch screen panel by the bed. A large, flat panel HDTV sits facing the bed (and sadly blocking some of the best view).\nThe bathroom is cozy but well designed. Deep soaking tub and separate (powerful) shower, but just one sink - which I always think is a shame. Double doors on one side of the tub open up into the bedroom allowing you to stare out at views, or just enjoy the spacious room while you soak.\nCloset space is adequate for a short stay but would benefit from nearby seating. The bar was well stocked with wine, but other drinks were poorly catered for, no snacks were included, and their was no price list. Also, bottled water was distinctly lacking in the room. But these were minor inconveniences and we spent a lot of time in the room and thoroughly enjoyed it!\nWe tried out the spa and gym (the pool had not been finished). The Spa service was exquisite, but the rooms felt a little unfinished and the area, especially the waiting rooms were cramped and lacking natural light. The locker room was very stylish and well designed. The sauna, whirlpool and steam room had not been finished, they looked adequate but not particularly noteworthy. The locker room would have benefited from refreshments - especially water. \nThe gym was on a different floor and not connected to the spa, which didn't suit my plans but probably isn't much of a problem for most people. Service at the gym was attentive (a little too attentive for me - unusual at a place this good). There were plenty of machines, mainly TechnoGym cardio, though a good selection of weight machines too. Very little space for stretching or free weights. I passed a door marked Yoga Studio but didn't go in. The gym has no locker rooms, shower, sauna, etc.\nPublic spaces are beautiful. Grand but modern. I love the fireplace between the bar and foyer.\nThe bar pours very generous whisky and makes a fantastic French 75. More of a scene bar than an intimate meeting place.\nWe ate at Ame for Thanksgiving Dinner. The food was incredible. Seafood is the specialty, with a Japanese flair. Had some of the best food I've eaten in the city (and there's a lot of good food here!). Thoroughly recommend. I expect we'll come back to the bar and restaurant even if we can\u2019t justify staying in the rooms again!\nRoom service for breakfast the next day was excellent if a little slow (45 minutes from ordering - which they warned us about). Eggs benedict and an omelet. Both perfectly cooked. Good coffee.\nService was good, though there are still a few kinks to be worked out. Staff weren't as familiar with the hotel as you might want (spa staff weren't sure where the gym was or what it was like, reception staff had trouble with the computers, it took people a while to answer questions). Nothing that a few months of experience won\u2019t sort out. Everyone was helpful without being intrusive (except at the gym!), and very professional. \nWe left feeling very relaxed and pampered, and wishing we didn't have to head home. We're looking for our next excuse to go back!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I travel to SFO every week and am a Four Seasons regular, excellent location but getting a bit blah!!\nThought I would give this new St. Regis hotel a try and what a treat. Read a lot of press about this new venture and saw it rise up over the past few years. Fantastic entrance and lobby, great staff although obviously new they did wondeful job and you would never know the hotel was just opened last week. The room was amazing, very luxurious and techy. I wish my NY apartment was designed like this. Elegant, clean lines, bright and airy and what a view of the water. The bathroom was a dream, great amenities and plush, did not look like a hotel bathroom. I did not have a butler but heard someone in the elevator rave about the service, maybe next time.\nThe new restuarant (can not remember the name) was alive and kicking and the bar was full also. I read about the Spa, sounds amazng but I never get the chance to indulge on my business trips, my wife does when she comes along. She has read aout the new St. Regis Spa and is planning to come along in December.\nAll in all this St. Regis is a treat and well worth the extra bucks. Its totally different than its NY sister but it fits the SFO scene. It will give the other high end hotels in the bay a run for their money, not a bad thing in my oponion.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}]}, "80797": {"reviews": [{"text": "We recently returned from a distressing stay at the Palomar. We were so excited to be staying there because of their reputation for customer service and the positive reviews. We booked over the hotel's central reservation line. They gave us a rate which was pricey, but included parking and breakfast. When we checked in they said that I was mistaken and that only parking was included. I tried to clear this up but was told there was no manager on duty and to call the central reservation line (they confrimed a note on my file on their computer system, that my understanding was correct but said they could do nothing to help me, and that I would have to sort it out at the hotel.) \nSo, no one was available either at the hotel or central reservations to help sort this out.\nIn the end, I wrote a note for the day manager. She was unavailable in the morning, but then left a voice message in my room saying that I was wrong. When I talked to her in person, and asked her to check the file, she found that there was indeed a note saying that the breakfast AND parking were included. If anyone at the front desk had bothered to check the notes on the computer reservation, they would have seen this (they refused to do this). \nHowever, it was too late, by the time it was sorted out it was well past breakfast. In the end, they offered a discount on a room service charge for the previous night. But, it did not save the siutation. I felt very disrespectfully treated, and ended up in tears. The customer service put a real pall on our stay, and I ended up spending a couple of hours of our precious vacation time trying to get them to honor the commitment their own reservation department had made. Very disappointing. A discount on a room service charge in no way made up for the disrespectful treatment, or their own lack of coordination between the hotel and their own reservations department.\nOverall: The other staff (concierge, bell and wait staff) were very friendly and helpful. The frontdesk and management were not helpful at all. \nThe hotel itself is unique, but worn around the edges. They allow pets, and there was dog hair on the ottoman in our room.\nThe location is very nice. The view from our room was to an internal courtyard that faced other rooms, we could not open the window to our room. \nThe restaurant for dinner had organic local foods and was wonderful. \nI agree with the previous reviewer...the pocket bathroom doors to the small rooms allow no privacy.\nOverall, I was so disappointed with the customer service and rudeness. I would not recommend that anyone stay here. It is a decent property, but when things like this happen and there is no commitment to correcting misunderstandings it makes the whole experience upsetting. Paying this amount of money for a room, we expect far better customer service. Also, we expect that what the promises of the central reservation department will be honored, and not argued about at the front desk. \nFor the price, there are better hotels with better customer service.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "We had a terrible experience. We had booked a double / double room, when we checked in, we asked for a cot for our son as the two teenagers sleeping in a double bed had not been successful so far on our trip. We asked if we could get either another room, or get a cot and were told that would be no problem giving us a cot. At 9:30 when we got back into the hotel from dinner, there was no cot. Upon calling to see when it was to be delivered we were told that they had run out and they would send blankets up for one of our sons to sleep on the floor. I don't know what happened between the 3pm check in and the 9:30 phone call - and we never did get a satisfactory answer, even after going past the front desk to the night manager. \nOther than that, the hotel was purely mid road at high end prices. The location was fine, but nothing spectacular. The room was ok, but not exceptional. The pocket door to the bathroom offered very little privacy such that others in the room could hear everything! Everytime the houskeeping staff cleaned the room, they only left two towels, so we were constantly calling the desk to get tow more towels sent up as there were four of us staying in the room.\nThe Concierge was fantastic - he always had a great suggestion as to a fun place to eat or how to get around. He was the best part of the stay.\nWe would not stay at a Kimton hotel again, we will go back to Renasainnce or Fairmont where we are always treated well, and they seem to want our return business. Plus we don't have to sleep on the floor.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 24}, {"text": "Just got back from a 6 night stay at the Palomar and was thoroughly pleased with the terrific service and the great location. The entire staff was extremely helpful, courteous and very friendly. They were always prompt in fulfilling all our requests and would routinely check back with us to make sure we were satisfied. The location is great for shopping; next door to the San Francisco Shopping Centre and two blocks from all the boutiques and big department stores that line Union Square. There was never a lack of great restaurants or entertainment venues close by (Sony Metreon, Yerba Buena Gardens, Museum of Modern Art). We'll be visiting San Francisco again in October and will definitely be staying at the Hotel Palomar.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Reading the last review, I feel obligated to post my recent experience at the Hotel Palomar. Maybe I'm not quite as \"picky\" as other people, but I found the customer service at the hotel to be excellent, as compared to the 200+ other hotels I've stayed at in the last 12 months. \nApparently the hotel was good enough to win the \"Conde Nast\" Traveler's 2005 Gold List of World's Best Places to stay, so I guess I'm not alone in thinking that it's a nice place to stay.\nBeing a \"road warrior\", I'm also an \"Inner Circle Elite Member\", so it's possible I get treated a little better than the average customer, but compared with my treatment at other chains (Intercontinental, Marriott, Starwood), I found the customer service to be more than adequate.\nCheckin:\nI arrived early at the hotel (approx 1 PM), and didn't expect to be given a room, but the desk clerk found one for me without a problem. Based on my \"Inner Circle\" status, I asked if I could get upgraded. Again, based on past experiences with equal status at other chains, I was more than prepared to accept a negative response. The desk clerk upgraded me to a jacuzzi suite, no extra charge. She was very friendly, smiling, and welcoming, traits that I unfortunately see a paucity of in the hotel business.\nRoom Service: I believe that room service at most Kimpton hotels is not quite at the same level as larger hotels, because they are boutique hotels, which are smaller in scale by definition than main chain hotels. That said, I think the quality of food I've ordered at Kimptons hotels exceeds their rivals.\nI did have breakfast at the hotel restaurant, and though expensive, it really was not any more than rival hotels (esp. for San Francisco). Service was fast and good, so no problems there.\nRoom: Clean, with relatively new appearing furniture (again, maybe I'm just not as picky as others - but I do stay in enough hotels to be able to judge quality of room accomodations). The bathroom had a jacuzzi with separate walk-in shower with Aveda toiletries.\nOverall: Considering I booked the room with a Travelzoo discount of 150 (with $25 discount towards restaurant meal), I would most definitely stay there again. And the friendly, welcoming staff was the icing on the top which is the feature that would lead me to stay there again.\nI think that the same Travelzoo offer also has free parking for those driving, and may be running through March (on the weekend). They also have \"Hot Date Hot Rate\" specials (like all Kimptons)", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed on a Friday night in Feb 2006\nI will start with the issues that reflect less preferential then on to my quirks...\n1) When you order room service at 10:30PM then \n a) the person that answers the phone should know the\n offerings\n b) the person that is to call you back (supposedly \n knowing the offerings) does so within 30 \n minutes\n c) When you call back after 30 minutes then you should \n get someone to answer the phone within the first\n 10 rings\n d) during this call (after 13 rings) the person \n should handle the problem promptly\n e) there should be more than the scant offerings of \n one (the only one) pot pie and a chefs salad \n f) When you order and they say that the food will \n be there in 30 minutes it should be there in \n less thank 1.5 hours\n g) The salad should be cold and not populated with \n brown lettuce, stale/dry cold cuts, and white\n tomatoes\nOn to my quirks...\nQuirk #1:\nI do NOT want a bell hop to touch my luggage\nI do NOT wnat a bell hop to 'push my trolley\"\nI do NOT want a bell hop to even know my name\nI am paying for the facilities of the hotel - the trolley is part of these facilities - I should not have a bell hop tell me that I cannot use the bloody trolley. \nIf I say I want to ferry my luggage to my room myself using the trolley then that s my perogotive - LET ME.\nQuirk #2:\nI do NOT want a valet to touch my car\nI accept that I generally have to tolerate this and\nso, when I do so, and I pay for parking as well as \ntipping the valet - then, when I call down for my car\nat 7:30PM then \n1) The concierge should answer the phone\n2) When I call the front desk and ask for my car they shouldn't tell me \"take a number\"\n3) It shouldn't take 25 minutes for them to get my car (NOTE: only one other car was brought in that 25 minutes and the next day - they had it within 5 minutes).\nQuirk #3:\nWe selected the hotel because it was \"pet friendly\".\nA pet friendly hotel should allow me to leave my pet in the room if I feel that doing so was safe and I am willing to take the responsibility. There was no indication of the requirement for attending my dog \nat all times until check in (not quite bait and switch as they don't tell -how- friendly they are). We had to take the dog with us - to our event requiring that we leave her in the car, further requiring that we drive rather than take a taxi, and eliminating the need to go to the drink-and-dance party as remaining 100% sober is the only way to drive.\nWhen I travel to europe, to a little burgh along the Rhine then I get better service knowing that there\nis no service available rather than feeling that the\nservice is available and isn't.\nWhen I travel to Singapore to a luxury hotel none of the issues raised above had been near visible - much less than occuring.\nWhen I travel to Mobile Alabama I get treated better...\nIn the future I will opt for the motels further away from the location of the event and take three rooms for the price of the luxury hotel be able to walk to the \nresturaunts for evening meal - leave my dog in the room and pay nothing for parking, need no valet, use the trolley all I want with no bleeding bell hop to tell me that I cannot ferry my own luggage to my room.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My girlfriend and I visited San Francisco for 4 nights and after looking around online a lot, we chose to stay at the Hotel Palomar. Here's my thoughts on it:\n- Once you have done your looking around online and found what you think is the best deal, go to the Palomar website and see what they are charging for the exact same type o room. If you call the number for reservations or go to the Kimpton Group website you can see they have a \"best rate guaranteed\" deal where they match the rate you found plus you get late checkout times and a room upgrade if available. The room upgrade is probably a little iffy according to other reviews on this site, but it did work for us. We booked a King Deluxe (their base room) and were upgraded to a Executive King room which is slightly larger and faces out rather than looking at the inner courtyard. The room is still not overly large (350 square feet) but the view was nice (Market Street, with Macy's etc. in view). I should mention that I wrote an email to the reservations people at the hotel asking for a room upgrade as well so not sure if the upgrade happened as a resut of the Kimpton guarantee or my email. Still, well worth a try. We got ours for $200 U.S. a night including all taxes which while not a huge steal was decent.\n- Hotel location is pretty decent, located right in the middle of the shopping district and centrally located for any touristy things you are plannin on doing. The one thing I would say is that while the immediate neighbourhood is good, SF has a big problem with homeless people and you will often see them in front of the hotel. This is true everyhere in the downtown area so not a big deal but still a little unsettling. It was always relieving to have the doormen open the oor for you as you approach and escape into the lobby.\n- Service was fine for us, though we didn't ask for very much. We checked in late in the evening with no problem and the bellhop was very friendly and informative. The desk staff were polite but never seemed to go out of their way to say hello as you walk by or anything. Maids were friendly and said hi and smiled whenever they saw you.\n- Design and decor was great. It is a beautiful hotel if you are into modern style and some nice luxury touches. There was nothing in our room that turned me off the place. I hate when you stay at a hotel and it seems nice but then you notice scuff marks on the wall or cracks in the bathroom tiles and so on. The king bed was super comfortable though if you or your partner are a restless sleeper it might be problematic as it was somewhat springy and when my girlfriend would turn over, I would bounce a little on my side. That said, it was a great sleep with wonderful linens and pillows. One of the best beds I have slept in, in a hotel. The TV was fine and the Sony CD player was very nice with some music and a light jazz station coming in very clearly. The bathroom does lack a little bit in privacy as it is a sliding door that does not latch or close. It is not see through or anything but when the bed is right beside the bathroom door you may hear more noises when someone uses it then you would prefer. If you aren't shy though, no problem!\n- Overall it was a pretty good experience. If we returned to San Francisco I would probably stay there again, though I would be tempted to stay in a different part of the city. We were there on vacation and it proved a decent home base from which to go out each day. Hope you found this useful as I know reading the reviews helped me decide!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 27}, {"text": "We arrived to check in after a lengthy car trip and were told that because of \"a strange event\" our deluxe king had been downgraded to a small room with a sofa bed. When we asked what the \"strange event\" was, we were informed by the manager that expedia customers are not guaranteed the room they book even when they prepay. I asked if they still had deluxe kings available if I were to book with them directly and they said yes. \nWe told the manager this was unacceptable, he said nothing. No apology, nothing. When we got Expedia on the phone and they talked to him, they said he was unpleasant. What stunned us was there was no apology, no recognition we were about to be massively inconvenienced, nothing. No comp, nothing. Stone-faced and unwilling to concede we were customers. It is as if we are doing them a favor staying at their hotel. We decided to go elsewhere and will never stay at a Kimpton hotel again.\nUnfortunately, poor service seems to be a hallmark of Kimpton. We stayed at the Vintage Plaza in Portland -- no wake calls, forgot to call town car, bad room next to heat exchanger. Kimpton is style over substance, with a sniffy attitude froms staff. Bad service is not isolated at Kimpton. Do them a favor and stay there or do yourself a favor and stay elsewhere.\nAwful, awful, awful.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "O.k. this is a decent hotel, and I'm not trying to say it's gross or that the staff is really rude or anything like that, but there seems to be a lot of fuss about nothing. First, the views from the rooms are terrible unless you can get a room that faces Market Street. If you don't, you're going to be looking at the side of a building. Second, if you get a room that faces Market, the windows are definitely not \"soundproof\" as the hotel claims...you can hear the people, trolleys, and subways very easily. Fourth, the bathroom was o.k. but small...if you get a deluxe room it's apparently better. Fifth, the workout room was dismal. The SF Holiday Inn in Pacific Heights has a workout room much better than that tiny little thing. We never tried the restaurant since it seems it also was much ado about nothing. The best thing about this hotel was the free coffee in the mornings...the coffee really was delicious. The beds are fine, but definitlely not worth going on and on about like the hotel would lead to you to expect. I had large expectations for this place and was highly disappointed. Maybe if your expectations are low, you will think it's spectacular. I wish I would have been back in my 23rd floor room at the Argent. All in all, the hotel is in SF, and if your room sucks, at least you know the city doesn't.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Just a fabulous hotel in the best location! Incredible service with terrific accommodations. I am an experienced traveller and it has been a very long time since I have seen a hotel that actually pays attention to the details!Room was large and very quiet, water pressure was just like home, duvet was a perfect weight, closet offered a variety of hangers, in-room safe, a flashlight in case of emergencies, sloping bathtub for a relaxing soak, plenty of towels and pillows, great stereo system complete with a CD. Design details included a granite threshold and bathroom counter, undermount sink, stepped ceiling, sheers, sumptuous bedding with a decorative turn down, monogrammed white on white towels, cotton balls and Aveda bath products. What a treat to see dogs in the lobby belonging to visiting guests! The management of this hotel could really teach the industry a thing or two on what it takes to treat people as guests instead of paying customers. We wouldn't hesitate to recommend this hotel to anyone who is looking for a home away from home.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}]}, "224948": {"reviews": [{"text": "Just a short note to explain to you why I will never stay in another Omni Hotel.\nI reserved a Signature Room at the Omni San Francisco Hotel through Hotels.com for 4 nights, arriving August 31 and leaving September 4, 2007.\nWhen I arrived at the hotel I was informed that they had over-booked their rooms. I was told that I would be put in a lower cost standard room, a room without the Signature Room complimentary services. Needless to say, I was not happy about paying the Signature price for the lower cost room, this because I had paid in advance.\nWhen I complained, I was offered a free breakfast. After I refused to accept the room they had offered, I was finally given a Signature Room. No doubt some other poor schmuck got stuck paying top dollar for a standard room. A first-class hotel would never have suggested downgrading a paying customer, regardless of how or how much they paid. But then, Omni isn\u2019t a first-class hotel.\nOnce I had checked into my Signature accommodations, everything was fine except for one minor detail. On Monday morning, September 3, while entering the bathroom in my suite, I stepped on a carpet nail that was protruding upward out of the carpet in front of the bathroom door. I didn\u2019t think I needed to be concerned about walking barefoot in my own room, not in a first-class hotel.\nI wasn\u2019t as angry about being injured by Omni\u2019s negligence as I was by their response. When I contacted the front desk and explained that a nail had punctured my toe and that I was bleeding profusely, their staff offered me a band-aid. Given the fact that I was in pain and limping, given the fact that I now had to contact my doctor to find out when I last had a tetanus shot, given the fact that I now had to worry about catching some horrible disease from the last person who impaled themselves on their carpet nail - I would have expected a first-class hotel to be more consolatory than to offer me a band-aid.\nAfter I returned to my room, the Omni staff sent me a note stating that they were unable to find the nail that had injured me. They insisted that I point out the nail to their building engineer, which I did. As their building engineer was pounded the offending nail back into the floor, he stated that he discovered 2 more nails protruding upward out of the carpet in the same general area. I wasn\u2019t aware that I was entering a \u201cmine field\u201d when I checked into the Omni hotel.\nBut the final straw occurred as I was checking out of the hotel. The desk clerk inquired as to my stay. I explained the whole sordid tale, the nail, the blood, the limping, everything. I then asked what was the best way to get to the Oakland Airport. To add insult to injury, she suggested that I walk 4 blocks to the BART station.\nOnce I returned home, I contacted the Omni management to complain. The hotel manager promised to send me a voucher for several free nights stay. This never happened. A first-class hotel manager would have been a man of his word.\nBut then, Omni isn\u2019t a first-class hotel.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "My stay at the Omni San Francisco started out poorly when I requested a double room (with two double beds) but received a queen room (with one queen). I asked for a rollaway bed, and ages later received a ridiculous inflatable bed not suitable for a comfortable night\u2019s sleep. I managed, but it was very uncomfortable. The worst part, however, came after my stay when I had a $300 charge on my credit card. I called to inquire about the charge and they proceeded to tell me it was for room damage. I had no idea what they were talking about and after further investigation, they told me there was a hole in the wall of the room we stayed in. I of course asked for the manager to call me, and was extremely taken aback at how I was treated. He was pompous and rude and immediately accused me of putting the hole in the wall. He assured me there was no way his staff would have missed the hole and rented out a room in such a state. I told him that they did, and that my friend (who I immediately phoned afterwards) actually saw the hole \u2013 but forgot to mention it to me (it was at the bottom of the wall near the baseboard in the hallway near the door, making it easy to miss). After I relayed this to the manager, he made a snide remark about how guests of his hotel are high-class and would call and complain if they received a room with a hole in the wall. Having no idea of the consequences of not reporting the hole, my friend didn't feel he needed to say anything and thus I never knew about it. The manager was horribly condescending and from his last remark implied that I was not a high-class guest and \u2018didn\u2019t belong\u2019 at his hotel. I again assured him that the hole was not from me and he had no proof. He again insisted that his staff does not make mistakes and would never rent out a room with a hole in the wall. I was not going to budge and insisted that he reverse the charge. After going back and forth for awhile, he finally succumbed and reversed the charge. However, I was left with a bad taste in my mouth. I should not have had to defend my honor, and I knew he thought I was lying even after he reversed the charge. Even though I got the charge reversed, I still didn\u2019t feel like I won. This hotel should not be four-star, as four-star hotels would never treat their guests like this. The Omni San Francisco is a third-rate hotel with mediocre customer service and horrible management. Yes, it was bad luck that I got that room, but my experience with the management was enough to make me write this review and encourage travelers to stay somewhere else.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 24}, {"text": "This hotel was and absolutely exquisite place...\nThe Lobby was beautiful, and the Hotel Restaurants were GREAT!!!\nRecommended even for families with children!\nAlso, it was in a great part of San Fransisco!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 56}, {"text": "A lot of reviews of this fabulous hotel say its in a quiet part of town (financial district) and coming from London you imagine this means that you'll need a taxi to get anwhere and the area will be quite eerie.\nWRONG.\nIf you have a pair of legs and can walk you can be on Market St/Union Square in 5-10 minutes.\nI'm used to big busy cities and there is nothing worse than staying in the throbbing throng with all the tourists. For this reason the location of the Omni is a real bonus. Far from the madding crowd but no so far to be any kind of inconvenience.\nIt is true that most of the guests seem to be there on business but its no problem. Dont eat there if you dont want to hear suits talk turkey. Go out and enjoy the many fanatsic restaurants in San Fran instead.\nTIPS:\nJoin the SelectGuest programme (a kind of clubcard membership) for free in adavnce and then you get a free paper and drink delivered to your room every morning at a time you specify. You also get the option of ordering light breakfast items at an extremely reasonbale rate. (cream cheese toatsted bage was about $3 or \u00a31.50).\nThe gym is stocked with complimentary water and fresh(ish) fruit. 'Nuff said on that one!\nFree internet service in the lobby.\nIf noise bothers you stay as high up as possible. (on the 5th you can hear the tram bells, on the 13th you can hear nothing).\nYou can buy your MUNI passes from the fornt desk at their face value.\nIf travelling without too much luggage do yourself a favour at SFO and use the BART rather than pay for a taxi. A jounrey on the BART is only $5.15 and the walk from Montgomery Station is less than 10 minutes. The BART was very safe and clean.\nROOMS:\nLook nicer than they appear in the photos. They're quite dark which is why the photos dont do them justice. It's all very faux-Georgian but tastefully done. Bathrooms are classy too.\nNot enormous amounts of storage but enough. \nAvoid the mini-bar.\nSERVICE:\nFront-desk and doormen were superb. Extremely friendly and helpful. Nothing was too much trouble.\nRoom service was extremely punctual with the selectguest drinks delivery. (you book a 15 minute slot and they there on the button every time).\nA Maitre D at Bobs steakhouse (attached to the Omni) was a bit stuffy but thats not their problem. Remember its mainly business people eating or using the bar there so I would avoid.\nLOCATION:\nYou're in the business district but this does mean the area is well served by espresso bars, jamba juice and diners for workers. Also, a tram stops outide the hotel which is handy.\nYou can walk most places very easily or use your MUNI pass for the transport.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My 3-day New Year's getaway at the Omni SF reconfirmed my committment to this luxury hotel chain. I booked a 2-night stay via Expedia at an incredible rate, about $120 per night. I normally opt for affordablility over luxury, but sometimes you just want to be pampered and are willing to pay a little bit more. For those occasions, you can't go wrong with Omni. They understand the what a true luxury hotel experience is all about. At Omni, the customer is always right, and the customer's needs always come first. Case in point- my room key did not work upon check-in (they had given me a room that was still occupied, oops), and when I returned to the front desk, they upgraded me to a 2-room corner suite for my trouble, apologizing all the while. This was followed up with a personal note of apology from the front desk manager the next morning - and a fresh fruit basket in the afternoon, again gratis. The suite (room 920) was gorgeous, with a sitting room, 2 flat-screen TVs, and a DVD player. One of the nice things about staying in the Financial District is that it's very quiet at night - no sirens, ambulances, etc.\nI joined the Select Guest program several years ago. As others have noted, I highly recommended joining for the free perks. I enjoyed the complimentary beverages (choice of 2 - try the coffee and hot chocolate together!) and morning paper, and was pleasantly suprised to find that this Omni also offered Select Guests a range of reduced-price breakfast items along with the complimentary morning beverages. For $3.75 each, we ordered the breakfast burritos, which were hefty and delicious, served with fresh salsa. Imagine - a delicious room-service breakfast in SF for under $5! I stll can't quite understand how this place made money off my stay....I guess it all averages out in their favor. \nStay here, you'll be glad you did.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "If I hadnt stayed at the Omni San Francisco in the past, or had such wonderful service at the Marriott Baltimore Waterfront last week, maybe I'd feel differently about my recent stay at the Omni, but I will now find a new hotel for future visits to San Francisco.\nYes, incidents are usually isolated, but I had a problem with the doormen upon arrival and departure (different guys), so feel comfortable stating that the service has deteriorated greatly. Not to mention - the pillows sucked! The so called feather pillow must have been stuffed with ping pong balls!\nI am not some princessy woman, but it is ridiculous that a woman travelling alone should be expected to remove her own huge bag from the back of a cab when arriving at a hotel of the caliber of the Omni. Especially while the doorman stands there commenting how the driver isnt a nice guy for not removing the bag. \nThen the bellman standing at the bottom of the steps watches you carry your bags down them instead of asking to help (or pointing out that the ramp to nowhere does eventually lead to the lobby).\nBut the worst - was when I asked the doorman to call a cab for my return trip to the airport and he suggested I take the house car \"for a couple of dollars more.\" Trusting the doorman at an Omni wouldnt scam me, I jumped in the house car. As soon as the driver told me the fee, I had to have him bring me back to the hotel! The cab from/to the airport was $27. The house car is $45. How would I justify that to my company??? \nI have to state the maid - Tina - was wonderful.\nI used to stay ONLY at Omnis when traveling to cities that had them - until 2004 when the receptionist at the New Orleans Omni made an innapropriate political comment when she transfered my call to voicemail. This return trip to the San Francisco Omni was probation. They failed miserably and I am done with the Omni.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I booked this hotel based on the reviews on this website. Everyone was right. This was the absolute best place to stay for our anniversary. My husband had made plans with the hotel, without my knowledge, and when we entered the suite we were staying in, there was 2 dozen red roses, in the most beautiful arrangement I have ever seen. Housekeeping had left us a note, wishing us a happy anniversary. We went to dinner that night at the resturant in the hotel, Bob's Steak and Chop House. I had the most unbelievable filet I have EVER had, it melted in your mouth. Upon returning from dinner, room service had delivered truffles to our room and housekeeping had performed the turn down service, and laid rose petals all over the bed and laid out our robes and slippers. It was terrific. I guess I'm saying all of this to show the attention to detail and how great the service is in this hotel. Room service was always delivered on time and still hot. Everything was perfect. I will never stay anywhere else when I'm in San Francisco.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed for 4 days over the Labor Day holiday weekend, and we had an excellent experience.\nI booked directly through the hotel website so that I could make a special request for a crib, as well as give them my Select Guest number. When we arrived, the crib was already set up and waiting in our room for us, together with a handwritten note addressing us by name and welcoming us to the Omni. There were a few baby toiletries tucked away into the crib, as well.\nI do recommend applying for a Select Guest number (you can do this online) beforehand, as it entitles you to a few amenities including late checkout. If you do it well ahead of time, I think they might send you a 50% off coupon and free room upgrade, too -- this happens either a few weeks after you apply or else a little after your first stay. (I'm not sure which, as we registered and made our booking at the last minute.) You can also buy these coupons on ebay, and they're fully transferable. (It says so on the coupon.) This might be very worth your while if you're staying for several days. If we had known about the Omni ahead of time, we would have planned ahead to get this.\nYou also get free morning beverages in your room for all the people staying -- 2 beverages per person. We had 2 adults and our two children (ages 3 and 1) and got coffee for 4 and orange juice for 4 every morning, for example. You need to remember to put the little Select Guest hang tag, which they give you with your key, on your door ahead of time to receive this. You will also get a morning paper (you choose which paper), as well as a scone-like cookies and milk every evening with your turndown service.\nThe room is fairly standard for a hotel room but quite comfortable. The bed linens are good quality, and the bathrooms are very roomy and marble. Everything is spotless. I was surprised the towels were not softer -- they're thin and not very comfortable, but they're serviceable and clean. We did request a room upgrade if they were available, and I was disappointed not to be upgraded for free (they said I could pay an extra $100 for a suite), but I certainly wasn't entitled to this so that's fine. That is the only disappointment of our Omni experience, and it is extremely minor.\nWe had two small children with us, and the Omni is fantastic for families with children. The kids got a great goodie bag with crayons, activity books, playing cards, and even a small digital clock that they could hang from their coats or suitcases. My 3 year old was delighted with the bag, and she can be a tough customer! You can also request a \"Kids' Suitcase\" from the front desk, and this is literally a small rolling suitcase full of things like an Etch a Sketch, electronic games device, card games like Go Fish and Old Maid, and several classic books (Goodnight Moon, some kids' chapter books). We had a babysitter coming in one night (not associated with the hotel) and found this suitcase extremely handy for the night we were away from the kids. You also are given free kids' straw cups that you can take down to the restaurant to have filled for free. We filled up with milk for the kids every morning and night, and they were fast and gracious about it even though we weren't staying for dinner or breakfast or anything.\nAll the service people were wonderful (with the exception of one woman who was just a bit brusque working the front desk at night. She wasn't rude though, just minimally helpful). The doormen were great. Bell service was instantaneous when we called for it. I had to ask for housekeeping to clean up a spill once, and they came to the room within minutes. The doormen refused our tips.\nOh -- and I was wary because I had read that the parking fee was $45 a day. When we pulled up, the valets asked us whether we preferred the $45 hotel parking or wanted to park ourselves at the garage a half-block away, for $7. There was no pressure at all, and they were not at all condescending. You can park at St Mary's Garage at the intersection of California and Kearny for $7 per in/out on holidays and weekends. It's very convenient, and the hotel told us about it themselves.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "The reviews on here were so good, I had to see for myself. It really is as great as everyone says! The beds are so comfortable and the rooms are decorated beautifully. The bathroom is large and they even give you an iron, a scale, q-tips, and cotton swabs! The maid even leaves a little note welcoming you.\nIt was so wonderful having a scone with milk sitting there waiting for us before we went to bed. The service is wonderful.\nHowever, there is a downside - the location.\nThe Omni is located in the Financial District and it is very difficult to find places to eat (unless you want Chinese food). It was Sunday night at 7PM and we walked around for at least an hour looking for a place to eat. We searched and even the nearby McDonald's was closed. We finally asked the person at the front desk who showed us where somewhere to eat was but it was closed.\nThe Omni is also not close to many of the sights but the Cable Car stops right in front of the hotel.\nThe food at Bob's had big, bland, and overpriced portions (in my opinion). Four shrimps with the shrimp cocktail for $15. \nParking is $45 a night but you can come and go as you please.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My husband and I (and our four month old baby) just stayed here at the Omni June 25-27. We were absolutely amazed at the level of service here - from every single employee. They all seem to be happy, they all seem to love their jobs! (I mean, TELLING employees to act this way is one thing, but how many places can boast that every single employee does it? Not even Disney can say that.) They even remembered us by name! The bellmen are top notch. The food in the restaurant is wonderful, and the atmosphere is rich. The hotel rooms are spacious and sumptuous, with every possible creature comfort taken care of. The ONLY criticism my husband and I had were the mattresses...... they seemed to slant up at the feet, making sleep a bit uncomfortable. But, like I said - we have a four month old, so what do we know about sleep? The hotel is wonderfully situated, close to everything - but not too close. We highly, highly recomment this hotel to anyone looking to be pampered. We couldn't possibly come back quickly enough. (I especially loved the attention paid to our baby...)", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "This has to be one of the best hotels I have ever stayed in! Room was spacious and clean, with a welcome note left from housekeeping. \nLocation is 10 minutes from Union square, 5 minutes from chinatown, 5 minutes from Montgommery Bart/Metro station with a direct link to SFO international airport ($5), 5 minutes from the main shopping district.\nAfter check-in staff asked us if we were here on honeymoon/anniversary, we found a bottle of champagne and chocolates in our room on our second day!\nMy stay here was purchased through Hotwire for $100 per night.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Wow! What an awesome hotel! The good reviews are true! We booked this hotel for four nights after reading all of the great reviews on this site. All were right on! Where do I start?\nCheck in was a breeze. We had joined Select Guest and received coupons in the mail for an upgrade and 50% off our weekend days....all of which were honored. We stayed in a Premier room on the 17th (top) floor. We had floor to ceiling windows with a great view of the bay. The room was very clean, bed very comfortable and even a note from the housekeeper! The bathroom was a good size with a large enough (and clean enough!) tub to take a bath. They include bath salts in the amenities which was a treat. With Select Guest membership we also received coffee and choice of a second beverage every morning. You pick the time and they leave it at your door or bring it in and set it up if you want. Hot coffee at our door every morning right when we wanted it was a real treat. \nThe staff there are all excellent. Everyone made us feel at home and anticipated our needs. There was always a staff member near the elevator to answer questions on your way out the door. A doorman was always present and even got us a car service back to the airport at a great price. \nLocation was very close to Chinatown and an easy (no hills....15 min) walk to the Moscone convetion center. Probably 10 mins to Union Square. \nMany thanks to all the staff of the SF Omni.....we will stay there, without question, when in SF again!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "We stayed from June 6th through the 10th. We arrived early, our Signature Room was not ready, but the front desk person (Carmen) quickly found us another room that was available. We attempted to tip Carmen for her efforts, but she declined. Adam escorted us and our bags to the room. The room (1623) was very clean, and quite beautiful. On our second day we received a voice mail message from Anna (General Managers Office) inviting us to attend the Select Guest reception. At the reception we met the General Manager, Bob Graney, we enjoyed talking with him, and if you are a Select Guest with Omni Hotels we recommend attending this reception. We were amazed that he (Bob) know his staff by name, and knows them personally. Speaking of the staff we would like to say that others who deserve recognition include: Sandra/Room Service, Martha/Room Service, Hugo, and Barney at the front door, and there were also several valets that were wonderful as well. The are many wonderful services that should be mentioned are free WiFi in your room, and free Fitness Room access (24 hours) we also loved the fruit, and water that was refreshed in our room daily. Once again we would return to the hotel in a heartbeat!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "After flying from the UK we selected the Omni for 5 nights to recover from jet lag and enjoy San Francisco. Can only reiterate what everybody else says - excellent. Room service burger was second to none and staff could not do enough for us. Being picky did not eat at the restaurant as it was a bit lacking in atmosphere compared to the competition - however concierge recommendations were first class and within a 5 minute walk. Most important thing however was a supremely comfortable bed !!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "My boyfriend and I stayed at the Omni San Francisco May 27-31st. We had a wonderful stay and I could not recommend this hotel more highly! The room was beautiful and spacious and extermely clean. I have never stayed in hotel room more spotless than this one. Even our spare toilet paper roll was wrapped in pink ribbon!!\nThe doormen were always at the ready to open the door or help if you had any questions. The service here is impeccable. We had a problem with our toilet one night and the service person arrived in less than 5 minutes and had it fixed immediately. \nThe location of this hotel is perfect. It's away from the hustle and bustle of Fisherman's wharf and the seedier Union Square. We rented a car and were glad we did as the lines for the cable cars were extremely long-being a holiday weekend. To avoid paying for parking, if you are there on a weekend and have the patience to find a spot, you can park overnight on the street if your meter isn't chargeable on weekends. Otherwise, if you park one block up at the St Mary's garage, it's about $20.00---which beats the $50 you have to pay to park at the hotel.\nI recommend this property to anyone who is going to San Francisco. EXCELLENT hotel and will absolutely stay here again!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "For the last three years, I have stayed at the Omni on business at least 3 or 4 times a year. \nThe Omni just keeps getting better. \nThe Service is amazing, room service is always excellent, newspapers at the door, internet service reliable and fast, the hotel staff from the front desk to the waiter to the cleaning staff - are cheerful reliable and extremely well trained.\nFriends tell me about \"new\" hotels in San Francisco and I'm ashamed to say that I have strayed once or twice - NEVER again. The Omni is by far simply the best hotel in San Francisco.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "This hotel is simply amazing. It is so beautiful and the employees were not only helpful but genuinely nice. The bar and restaurant are first rate. You must try the spinach salad, it's phenomenal. The rooms are spacious and elegantly appointed. This is a very posh hotel, but everyone is very down to earth so don't feel intimidated. I would HIGHLY recommend this and would defintely stay here again. 5 stars!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Hi, my husband and I stayed at the Omni overnight in mid-May. Our room was lovely and clean. I am a real stickler for cleanliness and was more than happy with their housekeeping. There were plenty of towels and the bathroom was huge. Will most definitely stay there on our next visit to beautiful San Franciso. We were there on a Saturday evening, and unlike another reviewer, we did not even notice that the vicinity surrounding the Omni was particularly quiet. We are in our late 50's and walked all through Chinatown to North Beach for dinnner and back again, returning after 11pm. Area felt very safe and we enjoyed the walk after our dinner. All of the staff we dealt with, front desk, doormen and parking valets were very courteous and efficient. The parking charge for your vehicle could make you weep though. We know better than to take a car into San Francisco but were forced to do so by circumstances. We were given a late check-out with absolutely no hesitation and the bellman kept our luggage for a few hours after that. We were so very pleased with our stay at the Omni. I will add that this was our fourth time in San Francisco and I think we enjoyed it even more this time.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Spent the Memorial Day holiday weekend in San Fran with my girlfriend & decided to stay at the Omni purely off of the reviews from this site. I must say this service really does work, we were not disappointed. Flew into SFO on Friday night & requested a town car to pick us up curbside thru the hotel. The cost was a flat rate of $60 door to door & they can charge it to your room. You could pay around $45 for the same ride with a cab but then again your pulling up to the Omni, not the Holiday Inn. First thing we noticed upon arrival was the professionalism & friendliness that you would expect from the doormen to the luggage attendant. For a relatively small hotel it has a grand entrance with brass & marble appointments all of which can be seen thru their website. Once we checked in we arrived at our rooms accompanied by our luggage attendant who pointed out all the features of our room. I chose the premier room which had a little extra room compared to the delux rooms they offered. The bathroom was covered in marble & had all the creature comforts of home including a great blowdryer, soft robes, lotions, sewing kit, etc. The room was very clean & the bed was soft & warm. The fitness room was great & offered bottled water for free as well as starbucks coffee, just go early because they run out quick. DO NOT rent a car if you plan on exploring the surrounding neighborhoods, parking there is rediculous & could probably ruin your trip. Everything you ever needed to see in SF is within walking distance. All in all the hotel was great & I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to plan a romantic getaway.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Spent 4 nights here with wife and 2 small children. It was delightful.\nWe stayed in the \"kids fantasy suite\". This suite (only 1 in the hotel) is not bookable on the internet, only by phone and consists of 2 adjoining bedrooms one of which has had all adult furniture removed and replaced with kids furniture.. bunk beds, soft toys, games, bean bags, posters etc. It was the perfect place to be after 11 hour flight from London. The children loved it. The adult room was very nicely decorated and comfortable. The staff also provided goodie bags for the children on arrival which was a nice touch. \nWe found the hotel to be very quiet and the soundproofing excellent. \nFront desk staff were very helpful. The location was good also. 10 minutes walk from downtown shopping areas, 5 minutes from Chinatown and convenient for all the trams. \nOne tip; it is worth joining the Omni frequent guest program before you reserve; it entitles you to a later check out and free breakfast drink and newspaper delivered to your room.\nI'd thoroughly recommend it", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "I stayed at this hotel and I have to say that it was the most wonderful experience! a beautiful hotel with fresh flowers every day, beautiful decor, wonderful elegant rooms and words cannot describe the level of service that I recieved. From the door man, front desk to the room workers the service was just exceptional. Tim, you are the man! \nI would definitely stay again at the Omni the next time I am in SF as it is the pefect distance to many of the local attractions.\nThanks for the wonderful stay\nMr. Lam", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Even though we live in the East Bay, we like to play tourist in San Francisco. Discovered The Omni while participating in the annual \"Dine About Town\" this past January. From the moment we walked in the door, we were transported to another era. Loved walking EVERYWHERE...Ferry Building (and the Saturday Farmer's Market), Red's Java Hut, a walk to SBC Park, SOMA, The Irish Bank, ending a full day at Bimbo's 365 Club for a fabulous concert, and of course a walk back \"home\". Have and will continue to recommend The Omni to everyone!!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Omni Hotel in San Fran... is beautiful however it is a bit remote if you are not in town for business. \nDuring weekdays you are in a bustling business district full of places to eat, have coffee or people watch however during evening hours and especially on weekends the area is quite empty. \nOn Sunday morning we stopped by 3 different starbucks stores that are located in the 2 blocks radius of the hotel until we found one (4th) that was open and that one obviously had a line outside...\nThe staff at the hotel is very accommodating. \nThe hotel lobby is stunning and the room was lovely, a walk-in closet was a plus. No complains about large windows or spaciousness of the room however the bath while quite nice and clean, lacked a hand shower or a flexible enough top shower where you can point it to the wall when needed. A squeaky pocket door separating the room from the bath was not the best either but that is an easy fix (call the staff resolved in minutes)...\nOverall, very nice hotel however if you are in San Fran... for pleasure pick a different area...", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I was really impressed with the attitude of the bellhop and valet as we arrived. They were so friendly and full of information. \nWe had a lovely big room with very spacious bathroom. Only a few blocks walk to Chinatown where we had dinner and then walked on to North Beach for drinks. We love San Francisco and prefer this location to Union Square.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "This hotel exceeded my expectations. It has a great location. We could walk to Chinatown, the shopping district, and many other places. They have a wonderful lobby and the doormen are excellent. The concierge was amazing and went out of their way to help us. The room was also great. It was spacious and the bathroom was great. I would reconmend this hotel to anyone.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "This hotel was excellent. The location was great! You literally are right in between Chinatown and fisherman\u2019s wharf! There is a trolley stop right in front of the hotel and a subway across the street. The service was wonderful and the rooms overwhelmingly exceeded my expectations. There room service is ok, but like any hotel they way overcharge you for food and water. There is a Walgreen\u2019s a block down Montgomery street and you can get a six pack of water or one large water for about 1/3 the price. The concierge was excellent and very helpful. Defiantly buy the Muni pass they offer it WILL save you a lot of money! My husband and I are just average people and we thought that since this was the Omni that maybe we would be treated poorly but not at all. We received excellent treatment. When my husband and I return to SF we will defiantly stay here again!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "I stayed at the Omni on Dec. 22-24 with hubby and two small kids. Service was great from the get go. My kids were delighted on receiving goody bags filled with toys and candies upon arrival. We were there on our anniversary and noted that on our reservation. When we arrived in our room, we had champagne and chocolate covered stawberries (and lots of it) waiting for us. Very, very nice. They really went out of their way to make our stay enjoyable. This was truly the best hotel experience I or my husband have ever had. I did not have a single complaint during my entire stay. I will definitely stay there again next time I'm in SF.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We made reservations for this hotel through priceline but I must say after our stay I think I will never stay at any OTHER hotel when I am in San Francisco. Being that my background is hospitality and hotels in particular, (used to work for and open Marriott Hotels, Starwoods, Sheratons and Forte) when I say this it the VERY BEST HOTEL that I have stayed in EVER that is saying a lot.\nCustomer service was ABOVE AND BEYOND Fantastic. To clarify yes the valet is $45.00 (in line with city parking) however we parked at the Chinese Catholic Center on Jackson st & it was $24 not far from the hotel either. The location is close to Chinatown & North Beach, although it sits in the heart of the Financial District the cable car stop is right outside your door so really no need to rent a car unless you have to also the Front Desk sells all day muni passes for $11 which is a really good buy if you will be traveling the city it is good for the cable cars as well as the buses. The rooms are spacious, nicely appointed the amenities are luxurious, linens are DIVINE, housekeeping associates were friendly and consistently available. Room service was expensive but the late night menu was delicious and they even allowed us to order desserts from the regular menu (although it was pass the cut-off time)\nFront desk associates were attentive & VERY, VERY helpful (Carmen in particular) complimentary in room wireless internet, complimentary business center with internet access, do yourself a favor & do as a reviewer before me recommended & sign up for the omni hotel frequent guest program the check out is at 5:00pm & every morning they bring up complimentary newspapers and beverages of your choice they do this also in the evening with milk & cookies (although I think this was done becuase we traveled with teenagers) Saying all this I was very impressed with the Omni Hotel and think that perhaps there is hope for our Hospitality industry in the Customer Service\ndepartment since the past 6 years I have seen a decline this hotel has renewed my inspiration for our Industry. WELL DONE!\nRespectfully Reviewed", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed at the Omni for 5 nights over the Christmas weekend. We had a blast in SF, and can attribute a lot of that to the great hotel we selected. The location was perfect. Comfortable walking distance to Union Square, Chinatown, the Embarcadero and Little Italy. We also walked back and forth to Fisherman's Wharf several times along Columbus Ave and other routes; it gave us a good opporutunity to explore different areas. Don't be intimidated to walk up some of the hills; you'll be sure to get a great view once you get to the top. Some more tips about staying at the Omni: 1.) Don't drive or rent a car, you won't need one. Bring good walking shoes and you'll be able to walk everywhere. We especially enjoyed walking to Chinatown for lunch (for really good, cheap Dim Sum, check out \"House of Dim Sum\") and to Columbus Ave in Little Italy for a mid-afternoon espresso at Cafe Puccini. Good for just relaxing after a day of sight-seeing. 2.) If you fly into SFO, just take BART to the Montgomery Street station. The Omni is a 10 minute walk from the Montgomery Street BART station and it only costs $5. 3.) Sign up for the select guest program through the Omni website. You get free drinks every morning, which doesn't sound like a big deal, but it was a great way to start out the morning - pot of coffee and OJ before you even leave the room. You also get turndown service which is great; the maid left us cute little notes every day 4.) If you like Jazz, definitely check out \"Jazz at Pearl's\", just a short walk from the Omni.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "My husband and I just returned from a Saturday night stay at the Omni with our two year old and were extremely pleased with the hotel. We have stayed in several hotels in San Francisco and our room at the Omni was by far the largest. We used Priceline and got a rate of $80, then upgraded at check-in for another $25 to a very spacious room that worked well for the three of us. I was really surprised to get such a reasonable rate in the middle of the holiday season in the city. \nWe followed the advice of a reviewer and skipped the $53 valet parking fee by parking one block up at the St. Mary's Square garage (on Kearney) for $6.50 for 24 hours. Hard to believe you can park anywhere in San Francisco for $6.50, but parking on the weekend in the Financial District was a great tip. \nThe other tip we used was to enroll in Omni's preferred guest program on their website before we checked in. Not only did it get us complementary beverages and a paper in the morning, but it allowed us to check out anytime before 5 p.m. the next day. We were able to do some shopping (and eat dim sum in Chinatown) on Sunday morning, then return to our hotel room and let our toddler take a nap before leaving town. The staff were very friendly and gave our little one a welcome bag of goodies when we checked in, and we were pleased to see other children at the hotel, although the rooms were very quiet. The Omni is ideally located within walking distance of Chinatown, Union Square, and the Ferry Building. We'll definitely stay there again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "My family spent five nights at the Omni San Francisco during the Thanksgiving week, and we had a wonderful time. I have been in many hotels in San Francisco before but never at the Omni. I\u2019ve heard great things about it from my colleagues and have read consistent, good reviews on the web. I decided to give a try for our family vacation, considering someone in the family is usually picky about hotels.\nThe room was very clean and well equipped with everything, including bathrobes. The marble bathtub was sparkling and the bed was very comfy. The entire staff was very nice. The room was serviced twice a day, and a complimentary beverage was delivered in the morning - with our choice of beverages and delivery time. There were two computers in a small room at the hotel lobby for guests to use the Internet though the guest rooms also have free high-speed Internet. Overall, I had better experience at the Omni than I had in other 5 or 4-star hotels I\u2019ve stayed in SF, thanks to its personalized service. All the good things you read from the reviews are true.\nBesides service, another reason we picked the Omni is its location. It is in the middle of everything and right on the cable car line. It is two blocks from Chinatown \u2013 very convenient for getting fresh Chinese pastries in the mornings. \nA few advices if you decide to stay at the Omni: (1) Sign up for the Select Guest program before you make the reservation. You can read the benefits on omnihotels.com. (2) Take public transportation (BART/MUNI) instead of renting a car. If you have to rent a car, rent it in the city and try to return on the same day, since overnight parking can be pricy. I like the MUNI Passport (for 1, 3 or 7 days), it is convenient if you ride cable cars a lot (we had to do that to make our 3-yr-old happy). (3) The hotel is big on great guest services, not on impressive architecture (like the Atrium of the Hyatt Regency) or in-house amenities/activities (such as a swimming pool) which is not a problem since it is close to many attractions anyway. \nWant be treated well on your next SF trip? Try the Omni San Francisco.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "This is a classic beautiful hotel with a wonderful location near the base of Nob Hill. Step out the timeless entry and onto a cable car or take a walk in nearly any direction to find delicious restaurants. Less than a five minute walk to incredible dinning and shopping. The Hotel itself is fantastic with large luxurious rooms and truly impressive customer service. Each and every staff member down to the housekeepers was friendly, professional and fun. Within minutes we felt as though the Omni was our hotel and that we had stayed there many times (despite this being our first trip). Should anyone decide to take a trip to San Francisco and want a wonderful hotel to stay in, I give the Omni my highest recommendation possible!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Hi,\nSpent two nights at the Omni San Francisco at the start of our holiday (see Hilton Hawaiian Village, Waikiki(fab) and Holiday Inn Express, Hollywood (not so fab) reviews.\nBooked the holiday through Lastminute but ended up booking most of the components myself after reading the reviews of the hotels here on Tripadvisor they planned to book me into.\nThe Omni was a top notch hotel, very elegant,comfortable, welcoming and fantastically friendly staff. They even arranged their driver to drive us to the airport in their limo when we asked for a taxi (paid the same as the taxi fare but were much more comfortable).\nThe cable cars run outside so you can use them and tick it off of the list of things you must do there.\nWe had a late flight and asked if they could store our cases so we could do a bit of shopping but they insisted that we keep our room on until it was time to go at no extra charge.\nWill Smith was filming outside the hotel for the three days we were there so that also made our visit a little special.\nWe are from Glasgow so we are used to the cold but even to us hardy souls San Fran was bitterly cold, considering it was the middle of September. Unseasonably so by all accounts ten degrees lower than normal. So hap up well if you are planning a visit.\nTook in some tours using allsanfranciscotours couldn't fault them. Alcatraz was excellent especially using the audio tour.\nWee funny here - I phoned home from 'the rock' and with the time difference missed my son who had gone to work but managed to wake my niece who in her sleepy state picked me up wrong and told her mother I was phoning from jail, big panic all round!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "This is simply one of the best City hotels we have ever stayed at. The location was superb right in the heart of the financial district and within walking distance of everything. The staff were courteous and friendly and the free internet access was a nice touch and always accessible. It was all the nice touches that made you want to stay night after night including the turndown service,mints and lovely bathroom products. This was our first stop as part of a west coast tour and it started off our vacation. We WILL definitely be staying here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "We spent our first night at the Omni and second at the Hyatt Regency. Omni is at all levels, including service, decor and location, beats the Hyatt. Room is small but adequate and the bathroom is luxurious. They even provide bathrobes and morning newspaper. Service are great, people working there always carry a smile. It is a couple of blocks from the Union Square and Chinatown.\nThe only complaint was that guests across the hall was noisy! Would go back and stay there again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "My husband and I plus 12 year old daughter stayed for three nights at the Omni and had a lovely stay. The hotel is entrance is extremely impressive with lovely marble floors and lots of wood etc. The staff were very welcoming and extremely helpful with all our requests - Joey on the front desk was particuarly charming and remembered my name with no problem at all. Our room was extremely comfortable, at the end of a corridor with a welcoming note and fresh fruit and chocs left each night. Location is not bad either. Just over a block to walk into China town, Union Square 20 mins or so, and a good walk to Fisherman's Wharf - about 25 mins (this was no problem as we enjoy walking when we have the time!) Cable car does stop outside but we did not really try to catch as preferred to walk each day. Having tried to stay at the Argonaut down at Fisherman Wharf (fully booked and on seeing the hotel during our visit) I am really glad we chose to stay at the Omni. The hotel is extremely comfortable and offers a quiet and distinctly elegant stay. Whilst in San Fran we had an excellent meal in China Town at the Empress of China (recommended by the front desk) and also at the Stinking Rose (Garlic Restuarant) which I think was in Little Italy. Also breakfast at Mamas was well worth the queue outside. One tip is if you want to go to Alcratraz book on line prior to arriving in San Fran as this was totally booked up when we arrived which meant we could not go on the trip. Also had a fabulous tour with Mr Toad's tours in a 1920's wooden open bus and the trip over by Ferry to Solsalido was fab.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "You cannot beat the location of this hotel. We go to SF quite often and never stay in this area until now. The Omni will be the only place we stay when you are in this gorgeous city. You can walk to North Beach, China Town, Union Square or use public transportation for the other spots. The hotel itself is simply beautiful! The free internet access is a great perk. Who would want to fork out 20 bucks a day for internet after paying all that money for a room. Ritz Carlton, are you listening?????? The staff is very friendly and professional. My favorite is the housekeeping staff with daily notes for you. How's that for icing on the cake??? You can park eslewhere if the fee is too steep. There are plenty of parking options. The room is big and spotless. The bath salts add an elegant finishing touch. Too bad there are not that many Omni Hotels around. I want to be the frequent guest of this chain any day!!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "I was planning a 2 night stay in SF, and using tripadvisor...Omni turned out to be the best bang for the buck. So, i want to return the favor and put in my 2 cents since i was able to save a lot of $$$. First off, if you want to do a weekend getaway... I would suggest Sat, Sun and check out Mon..instead of Fri-Sun... the biggest money drain is the parking...$45/night...if you park at St. Mary's parking...it is $30/nite..M-F...but only $6.50 during weekends! So...by going on Sat, Sun..you save quite a bit.\nOk..the good: Very nice, clean, and classy hotel...service and attitude were top notch...doormen were friendly and eager to help... ladies on the desk were knowledgable and efficient. The room is average size, but the bathroom was very classy. No motel quality here...the shower is tiled natural stone...(marble or granite)...sink was nice granite, and huge framed vanity mirror...fancy shower curtains and nice tiled floor. I hate cheap crappy plastic bathrooms...\nThe bed was a double queen...it was pretty good as well...ive slept in better beds but this will do. Overall the room was very clean and well appointed.\nSigning up for the Omni select guest is worth it...you should do it well in advance so you get the additional coupons for upgrades and discounts. You must do this in advance to activate them...\nLocation wise...it is very ideal...next to chinatown 2 blocks, 4 blocks to Union square and 4 blocks to Embarcadero center and 3 blocks to columbus ave bars.. china town is up the hill but if you can make it to st. mary's parking lot...you can make it to chinatown. Honestly though, I think getting a hotel by fishermans wharf wouldve been a better location...but then, you'd get a Motel quality place for a Hotel price tag... i chose the hotel...If you have a baby or kids... fisherman's wharf would be a better fit. But if you like bars..i think Omni would be great since Columbus ave bars is just next door...very cool place. Awesome chinese food (dimsum also) at Harbor village in the embarcadero. (order the nobleman's chicken $80..a day in advance. Its called Beggar's chicken in Hong Kong...absolutely amazing) RG lounge is also good chinese food that's walking distance... peking duck is good...but Harbor village takes all the awards. If you like steaks...and not afraid to drop $50+...Bob's chop house is awesome. I loooove steak... breakfasts/lunch is more reasonable.... but they have all the best cuts at night. Defintely worth going to.\nThe BAD.. No swimming pool or spa... after walking up hills and blocks of concrete pavement... you'd want a spa to relax in. None. Bummer for kids. Hotel was sold out...so my select guest coupons and discounts were useless for upgrades...so call in advance. Parking is highway robbery.. they should have discounts for guests.. \nOverall... it is still a good experience. its no resort...its a business hotel, and maybe not a good pick if you have kids...but if you want a good place to sleep with your wife or girlfriend...close by to bars and great food. And without all the other complaints of moldy bathrooms, smelly beds, and crappy A/C... a nice respectable hotel like this is worth it.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "My boyfriend and I stayed at the Omni San Francisco from July 29th-31st. We chose the Omni because of its great reviews and rank on here. It met both of our expectations in terms of service, quality, and cleaniness. The hotel was easy to find, right on California St and the cable car stop was across the street from the hotel. Check in was fast and friendly. We were upgraded to a bay view room in the highest floor. When we stepped into our room we both were pretty satisfied with it. Our room was a very good size considering what we've heard about SF's hotel room sizes. Our bathroom was very modern and elegant. They even included bath salts, which was a nice touch that we both enjoyed. Closet size was decent, includes full length mirror, plenty of hangers, two bath robes, ironing board with ironer, etc. The hotel offered turn down services both in the morning and evening. The housekeeping even left us a little friendly note wishing us a nice stay in SF. The hotel offers complimentary drinks in the morning with newspaper of your choice. Another plus which we thought was hard to come by was the complimentary high speed internet access, since we've stayed at other hotels that offer internet access but charge $10 and up per day. Good hotel to stay in for business or pleasure, maybe even family's with young children since the hotel tries to cater to them with goodie bags as I've seen. However the feel does not give that vibe. Front desk also acts as a concierge to direct you around the city. Overall, we were satisfied with the Omni and would definitely stay here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I recently stayed 11 nights at the Omni San Francisco, first 8 nights May 30 \u2013 June 7, and then another 3 nights June 16-19. \nI was very pleased with my stay at the Omni San Francisco. The staff was very friendly and helpful, and the 24 hours business service; which means free internet and free access to Microsoft word, Microsoft PowerPoint and even a possibility to make PDF files as well; was very valuable for me. The room was big (400 sq. ft.), clean, quiet, enough with TV channels, and the turndown service with ice and some chocolate in the evening was very nice. \nDuring my second stay I was happily surprised when I came back to my room since the manager had given me some nice chocolates as a gift since I was staying a second time at Omni San Francisco. Before I went to San Francisco I sign up for Omni Hotels Select guest service and it meant that you every day during your stay received some complimentary water, soft drinks, coffee or tea in the morning. I also had a complimentary late check out until 5 pm without any problems. When I gave some tip to the housekeepers they wrote a thank note. I was very pleased with the excellent service at Omni San Francisco. \nThe Omni San Francisco is located in the financial district and is about 15 min walking to Union Square, and 35 min walk to fishermans wharf. \nTwo blocks away up on a steep hill is Chinatown located with its many restaurants. There is a Walgreens one block away on Montgomery Street and it is a MacDonalds two blocks away as well. One block away on Kearney Street is a good Thai Restaurant (Bangkoks best). \nOne of the reviews I read about Omni San Francisco said that it was boring and another review says that they should not stay at Omni again because the bar at Omni was not lively enough. If you are in San Francisco and is looking for a hotel there you should party, Omni may not be your kind of hotel. However, if you are like me, that you appreciate a hotel with friendly and helpful staff, excellent service, 24 hours free internet and business service; big, clean and quite rooms, good location, and close to many restaurants, you should consider staying at the Omni San Francisco. I highly recommend Omni San Francisco.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 24}, {"text": "Having worked in the hotel business for ten years in a previous career, I am pretty jaded by hotels and their marketing hype. The San Francisco Omni, however, exceeded the hyperbole and provided me with a very pleasant stay in a city not necessarily known for exemplary hotels. \nMy room was large and handsomely appointed, with a nice selection of amenities. The staff was friendly, gracious and unobtrusive, and the bar and restaurant were elegant spaces with good food. What more can you ask for?\nAll in all, this was one of the best hotel experiences I have had in San Francisco. Definitely worth a stay.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I was a little hesitant to stay in the financial district, but I'm very glad I did! My original reservation was in Fisherman's Wharf, but it's too crowded and touristy for my taste. This beautiful hotel is located right on the California Cable Car line. I was able to walk to Chinatown, Union Square, and North Beach. The one time we went to Fisherman's Wharf was just a cable car or bus ride away.\nI loved the marble bathrooms and bath amenities. Nice to take a soak after climbing the hills all day long. The staff was friendly and eager to please. The one mix-up I had regarding my package was taken care of quickly and they profusely apologized.\nI would not hesitate to stay there again. The Omni has spoiled me!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I was so happy we chose the omni hotel in san francisco. We were so please with all the attention to detail. It was a good size room with a very nice marble bathroom. We had fresh fruits waiting for us at arrival and a hand written note to welcome us to the hotel. The staff was wonderful and the location was great. It was within walking distance to union square and fishermans warf . Oh, one thing I forgot to mention the bed was so wonderful, I slept like a baby....We really didn't feel like we were at a hotel,we felt at home. I would recommend this hotel to everyone and we will choose this again for our next stay in san francisco.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Great Hotel if you want to be in the heart of San Francisco and yet away from all the traffic noise. This is in the Financial district which is only a few blocks away from Union Square. So on weekends everything dies down and you can enjoy peaceful suroundings. Very well appointed rooms, excellent service and way cheaper than some of the other big names that are not as nice on the interior. We had some loud partying neighbours and finally called the front desk at 11:45 pm and they took care of it immedately. Only issue is that Valet parking fee is $51 per 24 hrs - WOW! Suggest street parking on weekends which is free or the St Mary's Garage close by which is $6.50 per weekend night. You are out of luck on weekdays as parking is expensive everywhere.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I used to live in SF, so when I go back to visit friends.. this is the ONLY place I will stay. \nWhen I lived there, I had about 100 guests come into town for my wedding, and they all stayed at the OMNI. (Including myself) The service is amazing, the staff is the best and this is the best priced 4-5 star hotel in the entire city. (Unless you go South of Market, but it's not as CLEAN in that area)\nThe reason the hotel is so much cheaper that the other 4-5 star hotels, is because it is in the financial district. Most tourists want to stay in the heart of the tourist traps, but trust me the 3 extra blocks it takes you to walk to Union Square or Chinatown is worth it. I Promise!\nAll the beds have pillowtops and are so comfortable. The showers have multi-head shower nozzles for a great shower massage. The food is awesome and the decor throughout the hotel can't be beat! \nI highly reccomend, if you ever need to plan an event or diiner, to do it there! I had my Rehearsal Dinner there and it was WONDERFUL! \nI love this hotel and cannot say enough good things about it.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Stayed at the Omni with my wife and boy for 2 nights prior to Christmas. Have stayed in several SF hotels before and Omni certainly stands out. Room was v comfortable, albeit standard size, but bed huge, plenty of room for cot, good closet for all the bags and a smart bathroom. Room service exceeded our expectation and food was of a high quality whilst not being extortionately priced. As far as location goes if you are a visitor and given SF is a city to sample using your feet the Omni is in a great spot. Plenty going on up and down California to watch and get the feel, 10 mins to Union Sq, Chinatown is around the corner (although up the hill, but then where isn't in SF?) and you can walk to Fish Wharf in around 30 minutes or so via Colombus and North Beach. All round the Omni is a comfortable, classy, great place to stay, from which you can sample a wonderful city.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I was impressed by the service and the comfort that I found at the Omni - and I will be the first to admit that I am hard to please : ). This hotel had a knowledgeable, professional and friendly staff - their recommendations of a Chinese restaurant in nearby Chinatown or of a restaurant in close North Beach were spot-on when I made clear my price range and my expectations. The rooms had an understated elegance to them and there was considerable attention to detail - including a starched linen cloth at the foot of the bed for the slippers - a nice touch indeed. The location along the cable-car track put me at one end to Market Street and a connection near the top of Nob Hill brought me into either Union Square or Fisherman's Wharf in good time to enjoy the many things that San Francisco had to offer. Yet, being far enough away from the hectic activity of these places -- especially during this time of year -- made the hotel room a welcome refuge. Contrary to other reviews, I found the prices at both the restaurant and the lounge to be comparable and fair considering the location of the hotel in the Financial District and the level of service and quality provided. However, as I stated earlier, there are ample restaurants nearby from which you can choose. Finally, the use of a town car for a slightly higher fee than a taxi was an excellent touch. I travelled with 3 others who had a number of bags - and a Cadillac Escalade was ready at my time of booking to take our group to the airport. This truly is a superlative property. For the rate, it has to be the best value and the best comfort in San Francisco.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We live in a suburb of San Francisco metro area but because of a formal company Xmas party on Sat night 12/11/04 we decided to stay in the city and make a weekend out of it. I chose the Omni because of reputation, reviews, rating and price. Got it thru Hotwire, not inexpensive but a fabulous value. With Omni you can join their Select Guest Program before having stayed there. When in the program you receive room upgrades, amenities (continental breakfast, paper, bathrobes), and late checkout (5 pm). Prior to our arrival they upgraded us to a Premier View Room. The building is gorgeous. Lobby is dark wood and marble with beautiful furnishings. All of the hotel staff were professional, friendly, courteous and helpful. The room was on the 17th (top floor) and was huge. King size bed and a couch. Furnishings were similar to a very well done home. Bathroom was great also. The best feature, as promised, was the view. A panorama of Washington Square, San Francisco Bay, Angel Island and Sausalito. Wow!! We had just consumed half of the bottle of wine we had brought along when a bellman showed up with a welcome gift of champagne & chocolate dipped strawberries courtesy of the Select Guest Coordinator. Fantastic. Suggest parking at St. Mary's garage 1 block up Calif St with a weekend rate of a whopping $6 for 24 hours. Since the hotel was kind enough to furnish continental breakfast we only needed to split an omelet breakfast downstairs at the wonderful Bob's Chophouse. All in all, one of the best hotels I've ever stayed at and an amazing value on the weekend because it is in the financial district.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "This is almost certainly the best deal currently available in SF. From what I can tell, the Omni opened in 2001/2 (a $100m conversion of a 1920's office block) into SF's worst recession in decades. The result - a brand new luxury hotel with no guests. They appear to have slashed rates to get occupancy - $140 seems the norm at weekends (I paid $179 B&B). The rooms are beautiful and (obviously) brand new - the standard shoe-box shape but big and probably the loveliest you will ever have been in. Staff are also exceptionally friendly and keen to help. If you enrol in their frequent guest scheme (no charge, form on website) you get free coffee brought to your room each day and a 2nd free newspaper. Whilst officially in the financial district, its on the border with Chinatown and close to Union Square. Very strongly recommended.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 23}]}, "81409": {"reviews": [{"text": "What good is a review unless it gets down to specifics? With this in mind I hope readers find the following information useful.\n1) This is a very small, homey hotel (~30 rooms) a half-block from Union square on Post St. A terrific location, and across the street from the Westin St. Francis - the other end of the hotel spectrum (ie very large, very pricey). Location is 5 Stars. Easy walk up the hill from the Bart with immediate access to public transportation.\n2) Great staff - very responsive - very personal. 5 star attention\n3) Rooms - here's where it gets dicey. It's a 6 story hotel with guest rooms on floors 2-6. XX1 rooms (ie 201, 301, etc) are adjacent to the stairs and next to each floor's small common area. Breakfast and the wine/cheese/fruit evening bonus are served in the common areas on the 3rd and 5th floors, with ice available on the 2nd and 4th floors. That said, I stayed in room 502. Had we not been early risers, the noise from the breakfast area probably would have been problematic. I can't imagine what it would be like in room 301 or 501. In addition, (assuming all XX2 rooms have the same layout as ours), room 502 is tiny. I mean really really small. The bathroom is closet sized and the shower enclosure would be literally too small for anyone larger than ~180 lbs to bathe in comfortably. My daughter stayed in 503 which was almost twice the size of 502, had a full sized bathroom w bathtub, yet cost 10$ less than ours. I would strongly recommend avoiding 301, 302, 501, and 502 when booking at the Inn. Honestly, they shouldn't charge the same amount for the XX2 rooms as they do for the full sized rooms down the hall. My daughter's room was 4 stars, and ours was 3.\n4) Views - none. Nonexistent. Didn't bother us however if you want a view, stay elsewhere. 0 stars.\n5) Breakfast - typical juice/sweet roll/fruit/cereal/bagel/hard boiled eggs continental fare. Nice to have. You're around the corner from Sears fine foods if you want a big pricey excellent breakfast. For us, what the Inn offered was more than sufficient - and since it's included in the room rate, a nice perk. 5 stars.\n6) Wine/cheese in the evening. Again, very nice - social - and included in the room rate. We enjoyed it each nighht. 5 stars.\n7) Finally - the rooms don't have air conditioning. This is generally not needed in San Fran - but on the other hand I don't know how comfortable the rooms would be during a heat wave. There are ceiling fans with multiple speed adjustments available.\nWould we stay here again. Yes. Would I make sure to avoid the XX1 and XX2 rooms on the 3rd and 5th floors - absolutely!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "This is a fantastic place! My husband and I regularly go to San Francisco for business and decided for a change to try the Inn at Union Square for our visit a few weeks ago. The location is very central -- literally steps away from Union Square, and less than 10 minute walk from Powell BART station. The staff were wonderfully friendly and helpful. Complimentary continental breakfast and evening wine (excellent white & red) & cheese were delicious. The room we stayed in was very clean and seemed newly renovated with lovely extras like Aveda soap and thick bathrobes. We enjoyed our stay so much that we already rebooked for a Summer 2005 trip!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "I discovered this boutique hotel via an internet search in 2003. I had the occasion to travel on business to the Bay area several times in 2003/2004. Overall, the place is a charming, comfortable and pleasant place to stay. It is also a value.\nWhat first drew me to the Inn at Union Square were the internet specials they were running. I was able to get a room within the Federal government allowance. Adding to the value were the complimentary continental breakfasts in the morning, and the wine/appetizers in the evening. They also put out cookies at night.\nThe second thing that drew me to the Inn was its location. It's right in the heart of Union Square, convenient to shopping, restaurants, the financial district, and cable cars. \nWhat keeps me going back to the Inn is the continued value, the polite and responsive staff, and the guests I've met. If you haven't been to this place, it is in a narrow building with only about 5-6 rooms per floor. There are only 5 or 6 floors. On each floor, at the front of the building is a bay window seating or butler's area, overlooking Post St., where there is a table, fire place, and some counter space. This is where the breakfasts are served in the morning, and the wine in the evening. While sitting at the table with a glass of wine, I've often been joined by other guests who have engaged me in very nice conversation. So, the hotel gives you an intimate or kind of a small town feel in a large city, which I enjoy. \nThe rooms are nice, although some are a bit tired. Some have been renovated, but every room I've stayed in has been clean and comfortable, if not charming. \nI highly recommend this hotel! Look on their website for internet specials. If the website doesn't indicate availability or the rate you want, call the hotel directly. Sometimes the website isn't quite up to date and a better rate can be had over the phone. Enjoy!!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "I have stayed at the Inn numerous times, and booked again in late November. I had requested a quiet king suite two months in advance but when my husband and I arrived only a king, or a queen suite were available. We looked at both and both were very shopworn and cramped but we chose the queen suite. Upon taking our luggage into the room we clearly detected a strange noise near the head of the bed, and were advise by the staff that that was the dishwasher, which was on the other side of the wall in the kitchen \"but it will only run for another hour.\" It was 10 p.m. by that time and we were told the kitchen staff arrived at 6:15 a.m. We told the staff this wouldn't work and were advised we could get our deposit back.\nWe booked a hotel by phone down the street and upon leaving were told by the staff that they could not insure any refund afterall. The man kept telling us how new he was at the hotel. Furious, we trudged down the street to our new, wonderful Hotel Monaco. We told the \"new\" guy we would file a charge against them with BBB and ultimately they didn't charge us. Never again will I go to the Inn.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "This is probably one of the best values in a big city hotel I have ever encountered. Our room, while small, was very elegantly appointed and came complete with a CD player. Each floor had a small lobby where a continental breakfast (coffee, teas, juice, cereal and a good selection of pastries and muffins) was offered between 7A-10A and in the evening between 530P-700P wine and a selection of hor'dorves were also served. And it was REAL plates and silverware and linen napkins..not the paper and plastic stuff!There was evening turn down service and two chocolates and two small bottled water left to enjoy.The location couldn't be better..a few steps from Union Square. The staff was friendly and helpful. We would certainly stay here again!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Having read several positive reviews on this site, we readily booked The Inn at Union Square rather than the Westin St Francis (where we could have reserved a room at a conference rate ... exactly the same rate we paid at the Inn at Union Square). We had read some so-so reviews on the St. Francis, so we were anxious to stay across the street, at the same price, and have a better experience.\nWhen we arrived in the ultra-tiny lobby (about as wide as a cable car!) we were disappointed to learn that somehow the hotel didn't have the reservation we had made online. Luckily I had my printed-out confirmation from the web, so the desk clerk calmly ... but quietly ... worked on finding us something. I think he asked us three different times what day we were checking out. We started to get worried, but he then let us know that he was going to upgrade us to a suite instead of the standard room we had reserved. That pleased us, of course. We were given room #301.\nUpon entering the room, we were initially pleased. As with most San Francisco hotels, especially older properties, the room was small. But it seemed well appointed and we enjoyed having a window in the bedroom (at the back of the unit) and in the living area (at the front). The living area window faced directly onto Post and we could see Union Square, the St Francis, and could hear the cable cars. Windows opened to provide good ventilation (it was hot in the city when we were there!). \nWe realized, though, that the room appeared nice on the surface but really is in need of some new furnshings. The couch in the living area was absolutely worthless. I sat on it once ... and about sank to the floor ... no kidding. It was a hide a bed and clearly something was wrong with it. It sagged a lot and sitting in it was comical for a few moments, then downright silly. It was also badly stained (red wine ... I'm hoping it was red wine, anyhow). Luckily there were two club chairs to sit in instead.\nThe bed was nicely appointed, but very uncomfortable. I can generally sleep anywhere, but found this bed to be the quality of a Holiday Inn, Super 8, or EconoLodge bed. The linens were nice, but the support was extra-extra firm ... yet lumpy.\nThe rooms seemed clean on the surface, but there were plenty of dust bunnies and \"fuzz\" in the corners. It just looked like it needed a good head-to-toe cleaning. \nThe elevator went out on our first day at the hotel and we were told that it would be operational soon. It didn't bother us in the least as we were already using the stairs exclusively, but we did notice that the elevator stayed out the entire time we were there. \nDuring our stay we enjoyed the breakfast items (served immediately outside the door to our suite) and found the selection to be fine. Yogurt, croissants, fruit salad, hard boiled eggs, and bottled water & coffee were available. We enjoyed the evening appetizers one night (cheeses, chocolate, crackers, and grapes). I also took advantage of the complimentary overnight shoe shine service, which wasn't a \"great\" shine, but I did really enjoy having the service available.\nThe hotel's website lead me to be believe that use of the nearby Club One fitness club was complimentary. It wasn't. The fee was $15/day. I did that one day ... and I wouldn't say it is probably worth the $15. The other day I hoofed it a bit down to the Financial District and used my YMCA membership from home and got into that club for $3. It is one of the best YMCAs I've ever seen. Huge!\nThe location of the Inn at Union Square is fantastic. Great access to restaurants, Union Square shopping, the cable cars, and we walked all over the city from there. Would we stay there again, though? Maybe. Not definitely. We left feeling like it could really be so much more with just a bit more TLC and refinement. It isn't a bad place by any means. It just isn't what we had expected it to be.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "My husband and I spent a few days here in the summer celebrating our anniversary. We had read great reviews of the hotel but were very disappointed with our stay. The hotel couldn't find our reservations upon arrival, despite our copy of our Internet confirmation, so we had to keep checking back with the front desk to see if we were going to be sent to a sister hotel or could stay there. (It turns out we would have been better off had we been sent to another hotel.) We were finally put in a very inadequate room looking out at a brick wall. The hotel ran out of towels and facecloths so one day we both had to share one towel and one facecloth. We were disturbed by the staff knocking on doors looking for a customer's luggage they had misplaced. The front desk gave us an early wake up call on the wrong morning, and were 45 minutes late with the wake up call the morning we had to catch an early flight. The complimentary wine and cheese was a nice touch at the end of the day, but we would never go back there despite the great location.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 17}]}, "247005": {"reviews": [{"text": "From the reviews this looked like a great place so I picked up the phone to make a reservation. Got through to the central reservations for the company (the number on the website of the hotel) and had a very pleasant conversation, selected a room, and thought all was great... until I got the confirmation in my email and found they had booked me into Anaheim rather than San Fran/Fisherman's Wharf. So I called to cancel (of course) and then got the runaround about whether they had space available. I called central reservations and was told there was space available, but only for a minimum 2-day stay (I only wanted one night), but only the front desk could override. Front desk said they couldn't override... and that their schedule showed no space. Meanwhile I was looking at their own website's schedule which DID show space available. Front desk said he didn't know why the website said there was space. So bottom line: with a big outfit like this, that has multiple properties around the country, make sure you confirm where you are booked. Front desk's best guess of what happened to me? \"Perhaps he or she in central reservations hit the wrong button and pulled up Anaheim instead of San Francisco.\"", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "My wife and I spent 4 nights here in October and would certainly return. The #1 attraction is location. While locals might disagree ,we wanted to be in the \"touristy\" area. We were within walking distance of the wharf , ferry departure, Ghiardelli square and we were on the Hyde St. cable car line and city bus transportation. We were outside the fringe of more family and budget minded accommodations and near numerous restaurants and bar/pubs. (Gary Danko's restaurant across the street - reservations well in advance , expensive but well worth it). The room/apartment with kitchen and separate bedroom was certainly adequate. It was spacious and had a balcony overlooking the street. It was noisy as other reviewers have stated but we found the bedroom quiet at night. The staff was efficient and very helpful especially with restaurant advice and holding our luggage for us since we arrived well before check-in time. We continued our holiday in wine country and on departure day most major car rentals were within an easy walk.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My family of 3 just spent 7 nights in a one bedroom corner apartment (with sofa bed) on the 3rd floor with a balcony looking out to Alcatraz. Sounds great I know, however, you will read comments from others that they think the rooftop balcony is a great place to hang out - wrong for those on the 3rd floor. We could hear everything - even the chairs move. It was very annoying when we were trying to sleep at night and people were up there. The location of the property is great for seeing San Francisco and it is great having an apartment vs. a hotel room. There is a convenience store a block away for sodas and snacks. We never made it to the Safeway 4 blocks away. And yes, the trolley system runs up and down Hyde Street with a stop just out the hotel entrance - again beware, the trolley starts very early in the morning and sounds like a sworm of bees coming up the hill so there is no sleeping in. A bus line runs in front of the property so you have the added noise there as well. No one slept much the first part of the week. One day it was actually very warm in San Francisco and found out there was no air-conditioning and no screens on the windows so sleeping at night was difficult. Again, it was better than a small hotel room for us. I only have small complaints about the hotel itself. We had trouble with the t.v. remote in the living room most of the week and asked twice for a light bulb for a burned out lamp in the living room but we never got one. When asked about our stay at checkout time I mentioned the 2 things and got the impression they didn't really care so I don't know why they asked. Again they were minor things. Should we visit San Francisco again I'm not sure if I would stay at the Suites again or not. As I said, it was great having a living room, kitchen, bed and bath vs. just a small room with 2 beds - the noise is what would steer me away. By the way, when visiting be sure to purchase the 3-5 or 7 day trolley passes. One trolley ride is $5 and you can get a 7 day pass for $24 which was a good savings. Hope this helps.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "The Suites at the Wharf is on a good location especially for moving around the town. It is just up the hill from the trolley that takes you to Union Square. So the location can\u2019t be beat.\nI had a one bedroom Suite on the second floor that overlooked the neighbor\u2019s home that was being painted. So there was a strong odor of something. When I complained to the front desk about the odor they suggested they could spray aerosol spray to cover the smell. Having asthma I didn\u2019t take this option. The manager came up to the room and try to explain hotels had a tendency to have odors that were unpleasant. We went out and figured we would air the room out however the home next to the Suites was being painted. Because of the odor I landed up have some issues. The hotel doctor is very nice. He is expensive but nice.\nI asked for a room change but was told the hotel was full but I can call back at midnight and talk to the night manager. I called to request a room change and was given the option of a room directly next to the one I was in or one across the hall. I took the room across the hall because it didn\u2019t have an odor. My niece and I went out for the day and came back in mid-afternoon and the same odor was in the room again. When I called down to the desk the only thing they could say is that this is the odor of the hotel. \nAll in the staff hotel was not very helpful with the odor. On my last day there I found out that the hotel was painting rooms on the 3rd floor so the odor may not be there all the time.\nThe other issue is that the hotel does not have a concierge there all the time to assist with your plans or day trips. They have strange hours for days (9am-11am) and nights (6pm-8pm). The kicker was that they called my hotel room 3 days after I checked in asking me if I wanted my welcome kit. Welcome kit is nothing special it was the materials that I picked up at visitors center.\nDon\u2019t use the room service. The food isn\u2019t worth it. You can find great restaurants down on the Wharf or surrounding areas. Also plan to eat early and go to the grocery store and get snacks or drinks. There are no vending machines in the hotel. San Francisco seems to close down earlier in the winter than in the spring and summer. \nDon\u2019t take the suggestion for the nail salon in the book. There is a nicer and cheaper one on Beach St. The one they suggest is in the Point Center (stripe mall) it is the size of walk in closet and shabby. \nHighly recommend the trip to Alcatraz at night. The tours are more organized and interactive than the day trip and there are less people on the island so you can explore it a little more. \nHighly recommend the Muni pass. It\u2019s $5 one way on the trolley and $1.50 for the bus one way. The pass is well worth the cost. Also don\u2019t get on the bus in the AM before students arrive at school or workers go to work (hard to get on and off where you need). Same goes for after school.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "I had real trouble finding reviews of this property prior to our visit, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect.\nWe were delighted with our stay here and would recommend it to anyone wanting more than just a hotel room in a fantastic location.\nThe 1 bedroom suite we had was very spacious and had full kitchen facilities - dishwasher, microwave, fridge/freezer & cooktop (no oven). This allowed us to cook our own meals, which was great with two small children. Safeway and Trader Joes were 4 blocks away and we walked there. There was also a laundry downstairs.\nUnlike the last reviewer, we found the bed to be extremely comfortable. The bedroom did face the common area and the lights were on there all night, but the bedroom had both a venetian blind and a roman blind so it was pitch black with both those closed. We asked for a room at the back - meant we had no view, but it was lovely and quiet. The rooftop patio had great views, especially at night. Our kids loved having their dinner up there as it got dark.\nThe staff were always helpful and when we had plumbing problems, they were fixed within 5 minutes.\nThis hotel is in a great location, a couple of blocks up the hill from the Hyde cable car turaround. There is also a cable car stop outside the door. It was easy to walk down to Fishermans Wharf etc., even with two small children.\nIt wasn't cheap at $189 per night (through Expedia, which was cheaper than booking direct), plus $10 for a rollaway - but nothing is cheap in San Francisco! We felt it was really good value and would definitely stay here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "This hotel looks like it was an old, converted apartment building. Parking is tight and they charge you $20 per day. You have to leave the key with the front desk. \nThe air was stale and it smelled like mold/mildew. If you open an outside window it faces the street where the bus stop is. \nThe bedroom windows face the common interior hall, with lights on all night.\nThe bed is very hard and uncomfortable. \nThe bathroom is uncomfortable, the shelf above the toilet prevents you from sitting comfortably.\nIt is clean, and the staff was curteous but strict.\nI would not stay here again.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "It is very good option to stay in San Francisco touristic area. It is in Hide Street and you can take the cable car in hotel front door. It is also very close to everything in the area. The view from the top of the building is wonderful and you have some tables and chairs to apreciate the views and pic nic. The rooms are well equiped and have everything you need to enjoy your stay in San Francisco. Few blocks from the Hotel you have the Boudin bakery, Safeway Supermarket, and electrical cars equiped with GPS tours.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}]}, "224953": {"reviews": [{"text": "Just not good enough. I am not a moaner. I read the reviews. I bought the ticket. I got burned.\nThis place is cruising. There is a casual demeanour in pretty much all of the staff which indicates they are having it really good. Which is fine..unless you're the customer. Not good enough. \nAnd I am..paying more than $600 per evening so I do at least feel entitled to a view. \nTrust me..and by way of illustration only ..the concierge service on my visit..was almost inaccessable. Too too busy. I tried 5 times in person and by phone today to reschedule my weekend--this is a KEY reason I overpay for hotels when on business ie to get a concierge service that works rather than makes concilliatory noises . I won't bore this site with the details but its been utterly amateur how I've been handled.\nWhenever I called someone in this hotel whether on front desk, room service, concierge... they speed at breakneck/smallprint pace telling you they need to call you back. Not good enough.\nThe choice of food is not good enough either--its a short uninspring room service menu and theres 1 ..not very busy even on a Friday evening restaurant....where (and I only say this because thats what this site is about) the staff are just 3*. When I arrived I had to physically grab someone after 10 minutes milling about who in turn grabbed a girl who was in mid 'hilarious' conversation with a colleague.\nI genuinely have had 'paralllel universe' moments reading the other reviews of this place--eg I went to the back hotel entrance to get a taxi to Sausallito and was told there was none and I should walk out onto Market St and get my own--I did this and got a cab at which point a hotel employee appeared to close the cab door for me and seek a tip!!!! I promise you..it would be funny if it were not true.\n. I have stayed in Four Seasons all over the world (indeed had an incredible family vacation at Jimbaran Bay in Bali in April) so its not a rant.\n100% GENUINE CAR CRASH OF A STAY..AND I HAVE NOT EVEN TOLD HALF OF IT..\nIts just a genuine report on what has been a pretty abyssmal stay. Really, just not good enough.\nAnd to be clear I do not for one moment blame the people I have dealt with. Its a management thing and the manager of this place needs to check him/herself.\nNever again. ANd it also places questions around the utility of Tripadvisor.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "I got to stay here for three nights over Labor Day in 2006. I would do most anything to go back. \nPros:\n- Service. This doesn't even need to be mentioned - its ingrained in the Four Seasons reputation. Check-in was easy, Concierge was pleasant and recommended great restaurants within walking distance and booked us on Alcatraz Tours. Then Bellman was prompt with luggage and retrieved us additional soaps right when we checked in and asked. Lounge and Room Service staff was friendly and knowledgable, and the food was delicious. Example: we requested a wine bucket with ice. When we we returned, there was an ice bucket, with the wine already placed in it, with two wine glasses sitting on the minibar. Housekeeping was thorough. Example: One of my toiletries was almost empty, and when they cleaned the bathroom, the lined up the toiletries, and the one that was almost gone was placed upside down so the product would come out easier.\n- Fantastic location. Like anywhere in the City there are tons of restaurants and shopping, but this location is right in the heart of it all. We walked to Union Square and saw a live orchestra playing jazz music and enjoyed all the artists. It's only a block from the Powell cable car too. SFMOMA is right around the corner. Literally.\n- Quiet. Our room was overlooking Market Street - where there were picketers and protesters - but we did not hear any sounds from the street below until a siren went by. I believe they have mostly business travellers so the other hotel guests were pretty quiet. \n- Large rooms with deep tubs and separate shower and the L'Occitane toiletry products. Comfortable beds and really nice sheets. Frette?\nCons:\n- Price. Not exactly budget-friendly...\n- There were some \"trendy scenesters\" in the lounge area, so we only ate there once. We wore jeans though.\nI would love to return to 4S in San Francisco. If only my budget would allow!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "The Four Seasons San Francisco is a tasteful combination of modernity and classic romanticism - in decor, service and atmosphere. Just what I like. My husband (of 8 hours at the time) and I stayed at the Hotel for 3 days after our wedding in San Francisco. Our stay was the ideal ending to a milestone event. Here are the highlights: (1) Beautifully designed lobby and lounge area including opulent sofas and luminous table tops warmed by a cozy fireplace. (2) Extensive, 10,000 square foot spa/gym/salon facilities created solely for my pampering. (3) Customer service staff that jumped at the opportunity to bring 5 safety pins to my hotel room door. (4) Central location right on Market Street a few blocks from Union Square and BART. (5) A pristine, in-room bathroom with separate shower and tub and L'Occitane bath products (pure pleasure). (6) Spacious deluxe room with dreamy beds and strawberries and champagne by the chaise (6) And finally, if you're lucky, a view of San Francisco's skyline that makes you feel as if the world is yours. Sure it's expensive, but sometimes (not always) the best things in life are worth a little extra.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Although this is one wonderful hotel, it really is not nearly the best of the Four Seasons. We love hotels in this chain and have stayed in six different ones this year alone. The deluxe room was tight. Not near the space we have grown to expect from the Four Seasons. Bathroon only so-so; you actaully had to squirm to close the door in the toilet area of the bathroom. The elevator system is quite complex with changes necessary to get from the entrance to your room. Personnel, although friendly was sloppy and not as helpful as one expects from this excellent group of hotels. We wiull probably try something different the next time in SF.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "It is indeed an excellent hotel. I can have no complaints about the location, the spacious room, the comfortable bed, or the service. (I must say that when I am paying this much for a room I do not expect to be dunned $6 for a city map! ) But, overall, it could be a good hotel anywhere, there is little San Francisco character here. In town for a meeting on the expense account? This is probably the place. But for an experience of San Franciso? I think I'd look to the Fairmont or the Mark Hopkins next time.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Stayed at a few Four Seasons so I had high expectations of this hotel. Also after having stayed at the Ritz a mile down the road and the Argent same block and other nice hotels in SF, I was looking forward to how this hotel would measure up. The hotel itself is about as impressive as any hotel in terms of public areas and room quality. Service is top notch and nothing was less than perfection. Downside of the hotel is that kids cannot use the pool at LA Fitness which is connected to the hotel. However if that is a deal killer for you, the Marriott a couple of hundred feet away is available-complimentary. LA Fitness is as good as it gets for a work out facility. The location is great for kids because of it's proximity to the Metreon which has movies, free summer concerts on the lawn, the Zeum, great play area and bowling. Although you do have to go outside to access these kid friendly activities, it's convenient and a can't miss for the kids. Wife enjoyed Union Square shopping and the city of course has endless entertainment options. If you don't want to spend the $44-48 for valet parking, many nearby options for $20+. Since it's a city hotel, don't expect a warm and fuzzy feel to the hotel. It's geared for business travellers, but will also work for vacationing families who want to be right on Market Street. It is what it is, an impeccably run hotel with no bad surprises, but then again for the special weekend rate is $500 with tax,parking etc. for the basic room you shouldn't expect anything less. We spent the extra $ for a deluxe room so I can't comment on basic accomodations. Highly recommend.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "One thing I have never seen mentioned in connection with the Four Seasons in San Francisco is the extraordinary art displayed throughout the hotel. We stayed there this spring and, because the entire decor is so elegantly understated and integrated, it wasn't until we'd been there several days that I began to notice how unusual the art was. After I'd begun to look closely at the paintings and the discreet brass plaques identifying them, an employee noticed. She gave me an illustrated brochure with a map of the hotel and numbered locations of the various pieces. A guest can spend a delightful hour or so following the map. (My favorite painting hangs behind the reception desk--but my companions didn't all agree.) The accompanying photos of one of the few flower displays in the hotel show the simple elegance of the property. One of the paintings is visible behind the arrangement.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "The Four Seasons San Francisco is a hidden treasure, ....literally. \nThe really hide this hotel well, valet parking is off of Market street on 3rd street and lobby is on the 5th floor..... But once you find it you will not be sorry.... LOVED IT LOVED IT LOVED IT.\nAmidst the busy streets of San Francisco, the moment you walk into the hotel and take the elevator to the lobby, you feel like you have entered a whole new world.\nAll the staff, from front desk/valet/bell man/restaurant staff are extremely professional, helpful and you feel special. (Besides with the $ 500 nightly room rate, you expect this and will get the same if not more....)\nLOCATION: excellent location on Market Street, close to lots of shopping, walking distance to Union Square(more shopping), walking distance to ChinaTown, and if you care to venture further you can take a cable car down to Fisherman's Wharf, which is also close to the hotel. Be sure to pay the fare before you hop on the ride. $ 5 ONE WAY, the wait can be long in the summer. Best way to experience San Francisco is on foot or by cable car.\nROOM/SERVICE: We stayed in a deluxe view room on the 17th floor facing Market St and slept very well. The rooms are CLEAN, beds are comfortable and bathrooms are beautiful with L'Occitane bath products. Nightly turn down included bottled water and music in the room. Nice to come back to after a long day out and about.\nRESTAURANT: We got the bed and breakfast package with our stay and service was excellent. Food was fresh and hot. Staff was always polite, professional and greeting everyone that entered and left the restaurant. It was a nice way to start the day.\nPARKING : Be prepared to pay $48 nightly valet parking fee ( in/out privledges), no parking on nearby streets/ no self parking at the hotel either so if you drive you will be paying for parking. But it is the same in ALL hotels in San Francisco.... Honestly, you do not need a car in San Francisco unless you plan to venture outside of San Francisco. \nDAY TRIPS: Go to Monteray/Pebble Beach, beautiful drive along the coast ( approx. 2-3 hrs one way.) But, you may encounter fog/rain as this is common along the drive this time of the year. So Check the weather first !!\nCan't say enough about the Four Seasons...and now I understand why it is the #1 ranked hotel in Trip Advisor and Frommers....Five Stars all the way...Definately will return.\nI would recommend this hotel for business travelers or couples on a romantic getaway but not a hotel for families.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "My partner and I stayed at the Four Seasons San Francisco for our 15th Anniversary - January 26-29, 2006. I spent many hours trying to figure out where to stay for our special trip and I am so glad I chose the FSSF. Many past reviews made the location sound remote and unsafe. I could not disagree more. The hotel was centrally located near Union Square with fine shopping and dining all around. The cable car was nearby as well. \nThe hotel itself is quite plain on the exterior but very beautiful and modern inside. The lobby and all public areas are beautiful and immaculately clean as you would expect. The Seasons Restaurant and bar were both fabulous, overlooking Market Street. We had drinks several times in the bar and breakfast each morning in the restuarant. The Fitness Center was very nice but also crowded with traffic external to the hotel. As for the room, the bathroom was very nice with marble and L'Occitane products. The room was a nice size complete with Signature FS luxury bedding and a Sony CD/Stereo system - bring your favorite CD's. While the room was beautiful and luxurious it was rather stark. The colors were all muted - lacked warmth. I would recommend a room on the Market Street side of the hotel - the other side is considered 'Bay View' but to me looks more like a ship yard. \nOverall, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay. The service throughout the hotel was the Classic FS Intuitive that they advertise which in the end is what distinguishes them. The hotel sent a very nice amenity upon our arrival wishing us 'Happy 15th Anniversary'. Every time we leave a FS hotel we feel that we were cared for during our stay rather than just served. The service is very good but never sappy or patronizing - always Intuitive. We will stay at the FSSF again next time we visit San Francisco.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "Having just returend from a stay at the Four Seasons, I must say I was quite impressed with the accommodations, the dining including room service and the overall \"can do\" attitude of the staff. Never once was one of my request met with any hesitation.\nNeed an umbrella on a rainy day, no problem - just\nask the bell staff. Need a last minute restaurant reservation, call the hotel concierge. It just doesn't get any better than the Four Seasons San Francisco. As far as the review that says this hotel is a bad location - I can't imagine a more centralized location which is very very close to public transportation. Treat yourself to the luxury of this hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Stayed at the Four Seasons in between Xmas and New Year and everything was just as you would expect from this first class chain.\nCheck in was efficient, helpful and professional. The Premium King room on the 11 floor had views of Yerba Buena gardens and although described as \"San Francisco Bay\" was more akin to a dockyard about a mile away. That said though, the room was spacious with a hallway, huge bathroom and two wardrobes. The bed, as always at FS hotels was the best.\nWe ate in Seasons restaurant for dinner and breakfast and both were excellent. In-room breakfast was also very good, even down to a pot of English breakfast tea first thing!\nI loved the way that this hotel has a ground floor with security always at the door to greet you and belldesk. The real lobby is 4 or 5 floors up and is impressive. This floor also houses the restaurant, bar, concierge and front desk. Guests then take the elevator up to their floor.\nThis hotel is in an excellent location on Market Street. It is minutes from Union Sq, the various shops and the terminus for the cable car which has to be done once if you're visiting. We had considered staying in the Fisherman's Wharf area of San Francisco and thankfully we didn't! I couldn't recommend the Four Seasons more for a stay in San Francisco, and for around $400 for a premium room I think it's pretty good value, particularly when compared to room rates in other US cities.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Spent the holidays visiting family while staying at the Four Seasons SF. My luxury chain of choice certainly did not disappoint. Upon arrival we were offered a two notch upgrade to a large corner one bedroom suite for about half the rack rate due to the far less than full house during the holidays - still a monster tab but worth it considering a 19 year old was under tow and we needed some space. The room was well appointed with a few very minor exceptions noted below. As in other 4 Seasons locations, the staff is impeccably trained - pleasant, patient and responsive.\nThe bar and restaurant were comfy with a second floor view of the Market Street shopping and work bustle. While the holidays kept the hotel lobby traffic to a minimum, we found where all the action was - the fourth floor health club - a very well appointed workout facility with a serious local membership. This is a high end club for the downtown working crowd that happens to share its facilities with the hotel - not the other way around.\nWhile the hotel location is perfect for nearby pedestrian shopping in the Union Square area and in walking distance to the Financial District, its location directly on Market Street has its drawbacks. The street life there might be charitably called \"colorful,\" though the posted street side doorman acts as a vigilent sentry if some of the \"visitors\" stray to close to the hotel. The hotel has countered this in its design with a very private, almost secret, sidestreet passage to a sheltered well attended rear driveway vehicle entrance. Upon arrival at ground level either via the street sidewalk or the rear drive, one must take an elevator to the second floor, the true lobby of the hotel.\nOur suite had the usual Four Seasons accoutrements - a stereo in every room, cashmere throws on the bed, fresh fruit, a large modern marble bath, with an overall look and feel of relative newness. A few small peccadillos - the master bath water closet was accesssed by a door that so wide that it appeared to be for wheelchair access, but there was barely enough room behind it for the toilet much less a thin flexible person in need trying to close the door behind him or her. I found myself nearly standing on the toilet just to have room to get the door closed. Second issue: I find that many urban Four Seasons, including this one, have terribly underengineered A/C units. The units are not well integrated in the room. In this suite bedroom, half of the single vent blew wastefully into the window curtains while the other half focused an annoying draft on the bed.\nLast issue (and this is a beef I have with most of the luxury chains): if one is willing to pay astronomical rates for urban luxury, I do not believe one should be nickled and dimed (more appropriately, fived and tenned) for obvious modern needs like high speed internet access and phone service. Hotel phone charges in high end hotels should be declared illegal. Example: charge for dialing a 10 second wrong number in Texas - $12. \nWill I stay again at this Four Seasons, you bet - only I will be sure to bring my laptop for the local free wireless access and use my cell phone for everything except room service.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "I have stayed here 3 times. I have stayed at other Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton, and Peninsula Hotels. This is the best city/business hotel I have stayed in. Everytime is a delight. The concierge is excellent-always securing us difficult to get dining reservations or other great finds. Additionally, they have helped us with other travel plans by making hotel and restaurant reservations in Napa, Sonoma, and Monterey that were all excellent. The front desk is extremely professional and courteous. The rooms are excellent with nice bed linens and views. The lychee martini is the absolute best I have had in the world. They have a local car that can take you to your destination when available. You have complimentary access to The LA sports club which is a first rate fitness center. I wouldn't stay anywhere else.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I decided to stay overnight at the famous Four Seasons for my birthday. Although I am close, Mountain View, I figured it would be nice to be treated like a princess for the day. \nWe drove up and at first had trouble getting to the hotel because of a 'love' parade that was happening on Market. But once the valet took the keys from us, it was smooth sailing. What can I say, they hooked me up with a corner room on the 16th floor, although I only paid for a moderate room. I believe that I was given a deluxe view room. I felt so spoiled. Floor-to-ceiling, windows with a panoramic view of the city! \nWe headed down for cocktails at the Seasons Bar. The atmosphere was laid back and enjoyable. Then we went shopping in Union Square, which is only two blocks away. We came back and head to the gym, Sports Club/LA. My husband went swimming and played some basketball. We did not get the chance to use all the facilities as we had two friends coming by for cocktails and dinner. Rushed back upstairs to change and wow, there was a nice big slice of chocolate cake waiting for me with a big happy birthday on it! :) \nWhat a nice touch!\nWe all had dinner at the Four Season's restaurant. It was delightful. \nWhen we returned to our rooms, the bed had been turned down, the curtains were drawn, the light low, comforting music had been turned on, and waters place on both of our stands. We sank into the duvet covers and sweet dreams until the morning. \nThe next day I had a 90 minute massage at Splash. It was wonderful. The masseuse was worked my muscles into liquid puddy. Ahhhh! Check out was too soon.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "Our experience at the Four Seasons this past week-end was a definite treat of a lifetime. My partner and I celebrated her 33rd birthday in the city and I'm almost certain that our stay at the Four Seasons definitely takes the cake! The service was stellar and everyone in the staff was friendly but not to the point of being over bearing. Our spacious room on the 16th floor had an excellent view of Market and the bathroom was also big and immaculately clean.\nThis might have been our first stay at the Four Seasons but certainly won't be the last! Certainly a memorable experience!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "We love the Four Seasons because we are not overwhelmed with staff . Whenever we have a need, they are right there to make sure everything is taken care of for us. This hotel was very elegant. Getting to the registration desk was a little confusing, but the doorman makes sure you have the instructions you need. The main entrance to the hotel is on a side street. There is an entrance on Market Street that you would use when you are walking.We missed our chocolates at turn down, but the water was a nice touch. The hair stylist Sebastian was great, as was the colorist ,Angela at the Joseph Cozza salon in the hotel. The dinner menu was limited, but the quantity of food was generous, and delicious. For a large city hotel, the rooms were large and beautiful. My husband loved the complimetary shoe shine and the large shower, not to mention the wonderful bed and linens. The exercise facility is a health club, and it was quite busy with the club members. The swimming pool was a lap pool. so I did not get to lounge around the pool. That was a little disappointing.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Frommers reccommends the Pan Pacific. We stayed 2 nights at the Pan Pacific and 1 at the Seasons. The Four Seasons is the best. Childrens amenities were in our room on arrival. The kids room serivce menu is great. Location on Market near Union Sqaure and Nordstroms in good. \nUsually we stay at a Four Seasons but opted to try the Pan Pacific based on Frommers. Never again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "The Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco is fabulous; the rooms and hotel are beautifully decorated. The service is fantastic: room service is 1/2 an hour during peak times (and the food was hot), the turndown service is complete with a bottle of water and soft jazz, the doormen are extremely pleasant and very helpful. I can't say enough about it. We came back from our week there feeling extremely relaxed and pampered. Also made use of the town car several times, it's a wonderful service. Just take note that the town car is available on a first-come, first-served basis, so be down at the bell desk at least 40 minutes before you plan to arrive to your destination so you're not disappointed.\nThe food is excellent in the Seasons Restaurant, don't miss out on the ice tea and the open-faced crab sandwich, also the Chunky chicken soup! Lunch is a better bet as breakfast is very expensive, and the dinner menu seems limited. For lunch, go about 1 pm for a prime window seat that overlooks Market Street. The hotel is in a prime location, you can walk everywhere. The only downside is that the lobby is on the 5th floor, and the bell desk/entrance is on the ground floor, and trying to find your way around can be very confusing at first.\nMake sure and spring for a view suite; the suite is just a little bit bigger, and if you're spending that much anyway, what's a little bit more. A bottle of champagne (not sparkling wine, good quality champagne) and a plate of chocolates and strawberries were left for us for our anniversary.\nDefinitely worth the splurge for that special occaision. We are trying to think of a \"special occaision\" to go back next year. This hotel is a 7 star!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 36}, {"text": "The best Four Seasons of all, top notch.....", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Stayed weekend of May 28-30 as I usually do when in SF. Experienced another great stay. They didn't have the type of room that I wanted so they upgraded me to an executive suite. Since I had to wait they took care of our bar tab in the lounge that evening. Although I have not been there in more than a year my favorite newspaper was hanging on my door every morning. Whenever the bellman that assisted me upon arrival saw us he would greet us by name. These are some of the reasons I always stay at a Four Seasons whenever possible.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "My husband and I had a wonderful experience at this hotel. When booking our room I tried to get a Bed and Breakfast special that is advertised on the Four Seasons website ($385). There were no rooms available for that rate, not surprising, I guess, since I was booking only three weeks in advance. I ended up booking the package at $425 per night. The reservations agent said she would request a room on a high floor with a view. Wow, did she ever! We were given room 1609 which is a corner room and the view was great! The room was very bright and airy and the king bed was extremely comfortable. The bathroom was lovely.\nBreakfast was included in our package so we ate in the hotel each morning. The food was delicious and the service was very attentive. We commented to each other on how happy all the staff seemed to be. Everyone we came in contact with was helpful and appeared to take great pride in their work. \nThe concierges were very good at their jobs. We had never been to San Francisco before and they were very helpful to us. We had a top notch dinner at the C & L Steakhouse on their recommendation. Also, we used the \"house car\" on two occasions. Going to dinner in a chauffered black Lincoln sedan is much more fun than a taxi ! \nOverall, the experience was pricey but well worth it in our opinion. We will be back.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 31}, {"text": "I've stayed in quite a few hotels, and tend to be quite critical, but this is the first time I've ever had a hotel experience with no flaws whatsoever. The lobby is modern and beautiful, our room had a wonderful view, and the service was almost ridiculous in how thorough it was. When in the lobby/main hotel area, you will never have to actually have to open a door for yourself. And when we first arrived, I was lost as to where to go for about 2 seconds before a staffperson realized this and helped me. In addition to all this, the room had excellent modern furnishings, with a comfortable bed and very good room service.\nFor comparison's sake, I stayed in the Ritz a couple months ago. It isn't even in the same class - while a very nice hotel, it doesn't stand out among the very best like the Four Seasons does.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 29}, {"text": "This was our first trip to San Francisco. I loved it and it had a lot to do with staying at the Four Seasons. I can't think of one negative point. The rooms are very spacious, the service is perfect, the food is great. The concierge can help you with almost anything and they go out of their way to do so. I would go back just to stay with them again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I have stayed at the FS SF twice for business. It is a beautiful hotel, with clean large rooms, L'Occitane bath products, excellent service and very good food. The location is within blocks of Union Square (great shopping) and close to the business district. I dont think I will stay anywhere else in SF. The staff is accomodating and warm and the hotel is excellent, for business or pleasure.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Just got back from 3 nights at the Four Seasons. Enjoyed the service from all aspects of our stay. Special recognition to Gabe at the Four Seasons bar who made our stay very enjoyable. Introduced us to the terrific lychee martinis. Also, enjoyed the service provided by the doorman and the hotel limo driver. When dining at the Seasons restaurant, my girlfriend and I really enjoyed the blueberry jam and mentioned it to the staff. They gave us some to take with us. What service!!!! Restaurant reservations were made by the concierge for us without a hitch. Can't wait to go back.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My husband and I are frequent guests at the Four Seasons, San Francisco. Recently we opted to stay at the Campton Place due to the labor strike going on in the city. We did, however, go to the Four Seasons for \"brunch\" We were shocked at the horrible service and food. There are really not words for how appalling the service was at the restaurant. We generally love to stay there and enjoy it so much. We also generally greatly enjoy our meals in the restaurant. I would definitely avoid the Four Seasons while the labor strike is going on. The service has been greatly affected. The hotel felt deserted. We really hope that the Four Seasons gets things back up to par. We are returning in a month or so and will not be staying there (Campton Place instead) due to the horrible service we received this last trip.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Absolutely loved the Four Seasons. Went to San Francisco just for the day, but ended up staying the night and wanted to stay at a popular hotel, since there are so many hotels we'd never heard of, we didn't want to take a chance. We expected excellent service, a great comfortable and CLEAN room from a 5 star hotel, and we got it all, the beds were very comfortable we didn't want to get up in the morning, so if you need to be somewhere early just be prepared to cancel your plans or just put them off for a while. The staff was sooo friendly, always opening the doors and greeting you, even at 2 in the morning! And even though we didn't drive a BMW or Mercedes like everyone else there they still treated us as if we did. Unfortunately the only bad part was that there were protestors outside, but it didn't stop us from getting the room, they were outstide of almost every hotel. We didn't get to check out the whole hotel since we stayed there on such short notice and for only a day but I imagine it was just as nice as the pictures show. Also, we stayed in a Deluxe room for $329 and got a corner room, it was great because we got 2 huge windows on the 14th floor, we couldn't see the whole city or anything, but we're not picky like all these other psychos that complain about every little thing, so we appreciated what we got and thought it was a nice view. Hope you choose to stay at the Four Seasons and get the same great service as we did!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We are so picky with our hotels...we werent sure what we were getting at the FS San Fran. but decided to take a chance. The hotel was impeccable for a hotel, so clean I felt extremely comfortable. The linens were heavenly, the Loccitane products are a fab touch. The location CANNOT be beat...walk out front and your staring at Armani, Saks, Nordstroms, Starbucks......A short cab drive to ANY restaurant. Staff is 4 Stars! Loved the twice a day maid service. It was so nice to be out all day and to come home to this!!! \"A true haven\" from a most picky hotel user! Will not even think about staying anywhere else again! CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN!!!!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Stayed here on a quick overnight to San Francisco recently.\nInside, the hotel is gorgeous, the service great. The room was what you would expect from a Four Seasons and the bed was so very very comfortable that I was a little late for my meeting.\nBut somebody made a mistake when then planted this hotel in the middle of Market St. The neighborhood at night is empty/scary. Homeless, urban crazies. Not to the point where you can't go outside, but certainly to the point where you don't want to. Of course, there are no restaurants, shops, nightclubs, concert halls or theaters within walking distance, so you don't really need to go outside. But you end up feeling a little trapped in the hotel which is silly when one is in the middle of a major US city.\nI suspect that the developers were counting on the Internet boom to bring the neighborhood alive. Oooops.\nPlus, as has been pointed out, for the price (and the name) you think you'd be getting killer views of the city, but the hotel is located basically at the bottom of the south side of Nob Hill, and most of the rooms are on the lower floors, so there are really none of the views for which SF is famous. I knew this going in, but I expect that there are a lot of disappointed guests.\nAll in all, there are certainly better choices in SF for this price.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 27}, {"text": "This hotel is absolutley wonderful. I have traveled around the world, and this is one of my favorites. The hotel is extremlely private, secure, beautiful, quiet, luxurious, and all the other things you look for in a world-class hotel. I recommend this hotel to everyone I know, try to splure on a suite- the executive suites are a good deal, and absolutley to die for! If you can afford it- go for this one.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "After reading several reviews citing problems, I was concerned but determined to try the hotel. My king suite was the nicest room I have ever stayed in. The staff is top notch and extremely accomodating with late check-out. Rooms are immaculate and large. Fitness club is free and possibly the best I have ever seen. It is very safe with a 5th floor lobby requiring an elevator change to insure scrutiny of guests. Concierge and bell desk took care of everything I asked for, including reservations at top notch restaurants on short notice. Location is perfect for shopping, walking, and seeing SF without getting trampled. I felt I was treated better here than at the Ritz in Paris. Special rates can be obtained. Much better than the Clift House.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "Let me start with the positives:\nHotel is one of the most elegant, modern, and clean hotels you will ever find. The staff is amazing and the food was also superb. This hotel has it all and your hotel room will be perfect as was ours.\nThe Exterior - Make you realize that less than 2 blocks both ways of the hotel are disgusting bums and people sleeping on the street. After 8pm you can NOT just walk around. Across the street is Armani, BEBE, and other high end shops with homeless literally sleeping in front of the sidewalks.\nMy suggestion is to maybe stay in Nob Hill (Ritz?) Four Seasons is everything you could ever want in a hotel, but San Francisco needs to clean up their act.\nYou won't find that on Michigan Ave in Chicago or Fifth Ave in New York. \nIf you select the Four Seasons, get room service, sit at the bar and have the best hotel experience you've ever had !", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "After reading all the reviews of San Francisco hotels I decided to splash out a bit and opted for the Four Seasons. We were to arrive on a long journey from London with our three children, and would no doubt be completely exhausted and jetlagged, so why not go for the best? We were not disappointed. The rooms were absolutely wonderful, the best we have ever stayed in. The staff were all extremely helpful, including housekeeping who found my son's teddy bear, accidentally taken in the laundry one morning, and the concierge who could not possibly have given us more help or attention, the best we have ever experienced. Another plus is the location, practically opposite the Market/Powell cable car stop and two minutes from Union Square. We had a fantastic visit to SF, and will never forget our stay at the Four Seasons.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "If there is a 4 Seasons in a city Im in ...well, that's where I stay. With the exception of London (Claridges). Service is 1st rate. Always a \"can do\" attitude. They keep a profile on you, so they know what u like. They know to take at all the snacks my room (I'll eat them) Laundry service is the best. The SF 4 Seasons hotel is the best in the city. Bar none. Good size rooms. Great views. And the staff...when they make a mistake, which has only happened once in all my years with 4 Seasons, they say \"we are sorry\" in a big way. They forgot to give me turn down service one night. The morning maid caught it and that evening a fruit and cheese plate, plus a bottle of SChramsberg bubbly to say ,\"Sorry\". I accepted the apology..:-)...", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "OK, i have always loved staying at a Four Seasons property, believe me i have stayed at a lot. The service is always top notch but I am starting to get the impression that some of the newer properties are starting to feel a little too corporate for my liking. I first noticed it in Prague, nice lobby but the room was a real let down, the hotel in Los Angeles at Beverly Hills, dont get me wrong, I love staying there, the place is buzzing but again the rooms and bathrooms are not that great.\nSan Francisco should have no excuse, a new purpose built hotel. again nice lobby, but a really ordinary room (8 times out of 10 I stay in a suite) uninspiring bathroom.\nCome on Four Seasons, build them like New York or Hong Kong where there are stunning bedrooms and bathrooms where you dream of returning to.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "For my first visit to SF I chose the FS based on reviews here and on previous FS experiences I have had. I booked a delux cityview room and was located on the 17th floor of this downtown skyscraper (I believe the topmost floors are FS residences).\nThe public spaces of the hotel are flawless and beautifully elegant. To my eye the room was underdecorated (for the price) but very spacious.\nThe staff (and to my mind this is where FS scores over every other chain) are courteous and extremely well trained to deliver the best that they can. This at the end of the day is what I think you pay for with FS.\nIts not cheap but ultimately if you are worrid about saving 100 bucks this is probabaly not the right place for you.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}]}, "81394": {"reviews": [{"text": "We finally got to the Donatello\u2019s reception desk after a long trip through the pouring rain, with way too many suitcases to carry. The receptionists Chris and May made us instantly forget about the whole hassle! Never experienced such a Warm Welcome in a hotel before! We immediately felt at home.\nOur room at the Donatello\u2019s was just excellent; comfortable bed, sound proof room, impeccably clean, excellent heating/cooling system, convenient bathroom, and some extras that we appreciated very much: TV-set, radio/CD audio system, wireless internet access, terrace (!)\nIn the morning, you can go to The Donatello\u2019s lounge to enjoy some coffee, tea, orange juice and pastries that are really sufficient to get you a kickstart.\nApart from the fact that The Donatello\u2019s is located in the very heart of the city (a few steps from Union Square), this is a highly recommendable hotel, just like that! Believe you me, we are very critical, hard-to-please customers and hotel guests, but us going to San Fran from now on means booking a room at The Donatello\u2019s. This hotel means Quality, true hospitality and everything you could wish for.\nIsn\u2019t there really nothing on the down-side we could think of? Perhaps\u2026 We don\u2019t think that The Donatello\u2019s restaurant is worth the effort\u2026", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Stayed at this hotel for 4 nights in April 06 on a timeshare exchange and it is our 3rd return visit.\nLocation is excellent - 2 mins from union square and the cable cars/buses/shops. Rooms and facilites are excellent, lovely king beds, good lines and bathroom freebies, nice marble bathroom and high quality fuurnishings. Rooms are huge and generall feature an oversize sofa which is very welcome after a day walking around SF\nHowever they do need to soundproof the rooms as like other reviewers we were kept awake at night by the noise - however we moved rooms and that helped a lot. After staying at the Donattello we now know that there is a quiet and a noisy side - we moved to room 1415 which was fine.\nWe found the customer service standard to be very high and the concerige in the club lounge was super and very helpful. We did go to the bar one night but found it very expensive. \nI would visit again as the location is fantastic and the quality excellent, but next time I would buy ear plugs - however if you stay in the middle of a big city it will be noisy!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Although the room was spacious and well maintained the customer service left a lot to be desired. The man who checked us in was unfriendly and showed no interest in answering our questions. He was the same person who checked us out and the only time he showed an interest in our stay was when he handed us the hotel evaluation form. He even critized another front desk staff person who was trying to find out why I had not received the promised morning newspaper.\nThe Bellman and Concierage desk were helpful and couteous.\nThe room was lovely but could have used a few more amenities in the kitchen area such a tea bags, hot chocolate, etc.\nWe ordered a meal from room service once, a sandwich, which was not as it had been described on the menu but instead something that looked to be hastely put together without much taste or quality.\nAlthough the room smelled fresh, the hallway had a strong cigarrette order.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed two nights. The hotel lacked the ammenities you would expect from a four-star hotel, including an inadequate gym.\nAdditionally, we were charged for a movie we did not watch (we were walking around Union Square at the time). The issue boils down to the staff attitude - instead of accepting our complaint and just removing the nominal charge from our bill in a pleasant and orderly fashion, we spent ten minutes in a debate with two employees and left with the charge still intact on our bill. Consequently, we called and spoke with the sales manager who again argued the same point.\nNeedless to say, we will not visit this hotel again.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "I just got back last week of 7 days of vaction there. I traded my timeshare time so the price for me was an absolute steal! The staff was very friendly and always made sure that I was comfortable. They had top notch service like their consierge and the housekeepers were earger to make my stay the best. Little touches like bed turn down service and when the housekeepers were finished cleaning the room they sprayed it with a heavenly fragerance. The bellmen were very helpful, giving tips and advice on where to go and how much to pay for taxis or public transportation. All in all I had a great time and wouldn't hesitate to stay their again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "I also researched the Union Square area for a great hotel, and was very pleased with my choice of the Donatello. Our room was huge, clean, bright, airy, and we could step out onto a shared yet private terrace (5th floor room) complete with round tables and chairs. Amenities were outstanding. Bellman was very helpful as were the desk staff. We dined in the restaurant and had great Italian food. Location is ideal for Union Square area shopping and restaurants. Will book the same room next year when we return! Last year we stayed at Hotel Palomar (Kimpton Hotel) and the Donatello beats it by miles in every way, including price. Only minor drawback was street noise (we had an end room) but that's typical for many hotels in a big city.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "After seeing fantastic reviews on this forum, I booked this hotel for 2 rooms for myself and my colleague for a 5-night stay in early September for a conference. We checked in early and the staff were gracious and our rooms were ready. There was a slight issue with my air conditioning; but the engineering staff was attentive and offered me immediate alternatives. I loved the fact that the windows opened and allowed fresh aire inside!\nMy colleague and I were abruptly summoned back to our office in New Jersey after only 2 nights. When I spoke to the staff, there was absolutely no issue with our early departure. They were extremely understanding and helpful in returning us back to SFO airport in time to make our new flight.\nI would highly recommend the Donatello to anyone. The rooms were well appointed, extremely tidy, and the most spacious of any hotel. The staff were courteous, gracious, kind and helpful! The price was extremely fair for San Francisco standards!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "I did extensive research when looking for a hotel in San Fran and used Trip Advisor at length. I even cancelled a reservation at another hotel because of the reviews on here. \nI can't say enough good things about the Donatello, huge room, great sitting area with combined love seat/chaise lounge and coffee table. huge king size bed with great bedding and great room perks. the turn down service was such a nice added touch and we thoroughly enjoyed our evening chocolates. there can be street noise due to the location however it is mostly experienced on weekend nights. our room was right above ruby sky so at closing time we could hear people but it didnt'last long. after all, you are staying in downtown san fran so some noise is expected. all staff were great and the concierge will assist with just about anything you need. my stay at the donatello helped turn a holiday into the most relaxing, romantic, no fuss vacation. i will only stay at the donatello from now on...ps the \"ratty\" carpets have all been replaced with lush cushy new ones. i loved the donatello.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 27}, {"text": "Quite spacious, this is my new favorite SF hotel. One block to Union Square and some great restaurants within walking distance. We were able to get a parking package which helped with not having to pay for that expense. Although we weren't in the room a lot, when we did come back it was nice to have 2 couches to lounge on while mapping out our plan for the next day's activities.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I've stayed at several SF hotels 4*, 3*, boutique hotels and this is my new favorite.\nThe room was large compared to most SF hotels and very clean. I liked that the room had a bright entry way with a closet, mirror and dresser right off the bathroom. Then the room had large king bed, comfy couch and coffee table that doubles as a little dining table. The furniture is new with a contemporary feel and light colored wood. The room had a mini fridge and microwave with dishes and sink. The location is convenient to restaurants & shopping. There are plenty of places to eat within a block or two. Plus my favorite club, Ruby Skye is right across the street.\nI'm always an a budget so if I can get a great deal again, I'll be back.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Stayed here the 2nd week of August 2005. What a beautiful hotel, really stylish.\nAll staff I came across were helpful and courteous, Cocktail barman knew his stuff and when he left 1 ingredient out of a cocktail, gave me a free one. Ate at the restaurant, food and service was excellent.\nRooms were really clean and have a turn down service every night, which was an unexpected bonus.\nThis is one of the few hotels I have stayed in where the publicity photos matched the reality.\nLocation was satisfactory, just a few blocks from Union Square and the tram stops.\nHotel gave us some great tips on how to get around the city easily and helped us return our hire car.\nOk the carpets have seen better days and double glazing would be a benefit, but the many good points outway the very few bad ones.\nAn excellent hotel, we would definetly stay again and would recommend others to.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "We just returned from a week in San Francisco and stayed at the Donatello Hotel. I used to stay at this hotel in the late 80's and early 90's and found that the charm is still here at the Donatello. We stayed in the Presidential Suite on the 14th floor. This suite is in desperate need of a makeover, although it is immense in size. Living room, dining room, full kitchen, two bedrooms and 2 baths. This suite could easily sleep 8 with roll-a-beds. The view was nice, corner unit with huge windows overlooking union square. Union Square area can be very noisy at times and the hotel is older with single pane windows, noise level at night can be loud. The Club Donatello on the 15th floor offers continental breakfast, coffee and other refreshments. It is a nice touch in a well-appointed lounge with tv's, gym, sauna, jacuzzi and outdoor terrace area. The staff is always extremely helpful and courteous. Miguel, our valet attendant, remembered me from years ago, nice touch!!! He is an awesome person, make sure you say hello to Miguel. Zingari, the Italian restaurant in the Hotel has pretty decent food (although it is hard to beat North Beach) and the bar is nice as well. The Donatello offers live jazz every night in the lounge which is a awesome feature. All in all the Donatello Hotel offers great value and is close to everything in San Francisco. Our rate was $400.00 per night and included breakfast and valet parking, which will run you around $40.00 per night in San Francisco. I use my car alot while in Northen California, so it is nice having your car available at any time. I would highly recommend The Donatello, a nice, large boutique hotel located in the heart of Union Square.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "For a recent business visit to San Francisco, I chose the Donatello based on TripAdvisor recommendations. I'm glad I did. (It did help that it's also on the frequent flier iDine bonus list, at the moment, so I got airline mileage for staying here.)\nThe price was reasonable (well, for San Francisco). The location is excellent: 2 blocks to Union Square, and perhaps a ten-minute walk to Moscone. (It's across the street from the luxurious Pan Pacific hotel, where the rooms are three times the price.) The room was nearly everything I could ask for, with a coffee maker and fridge.\nWiFi access is available, at an extra cost -- though at $12.95 for three days, I don't feel gouged. I did have to talk to a tech to make my weird laptop connect, but he was friendly and patient.\nWhat turned this review from a 4-star to a 5-star was an example of the sincerity of the hotel's good service. I'd stupidly forgotten my cell phone charger at home, so I asked at the front desk if any guest had forgotten one in the hotel. (I know it's the most likely thing to be left behind.) They didn't -- they said they ship them to the guest, which is probably beyond the call of duty -- but the bellman offered to lend me his OWN phone's charger for the evening. Heck, he didn't need to do that. But it certainly made my visit a better one.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "I just returned from my 2nd stay in San Francisco in 3 years. The first visit was in late 2001 and I ended up at the Donatello Hotel after being very dissatisfied and leaving the Kensington which is down the street. I was so impressed with the Donatello on that stay that I booked them again when I had to travel to SF for a week this December. If anything this trip was even better than the first. To begin with the room was VERY spacious and well accomodated. It contained a king size bed, couch, bedstand, writing desk, chest of drawers, closet (with safe) entertainment center with spare shelves, tv, radio, clock (with radio), small refrigerator, sink, coffee maker, toaster, microwave, and plates/utensils. The bathroom is large and very nicely appointed also. Additionally the room contained such amenities as feather pillows, 300+ thread count sheets, ironing board, iron, hair dryer, etc, etc. All of the employees were extremely friendly and helpful. The room was well made up every day and turn down service came every night. Anything I asked for - extra towels, coffee, etc - was provided quickly and cheerfully. Any dishes and utensils that I used were taken and replaced with clean ones. And every morning the USA Today was waiting at my door. Twice I have stayed at 5-star Hotels and the service I received at the Donatello puts them to shame. My only complaint for the stay was that the Donatello does not provide high speed internet access as part of the package. They do have a 3rd-party commercial kiosk that also provides wireless access. Unfortunaly it is somewhat expensive and the service only worked 3 days out of 5. To the credit of the Donatello staff, they tried to help me resolve the problem and even provided me a new account for the service.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "We have stayed at the Donatello at least 10 times. The location cannot be beat and the value is uncomparable to other hotels in the Union Square area. One big plus for us is the off-street valet parking. A lot of the smaller hotels we have stayed at have only one or two spots in front which make dropping off luggage a pain, and in alot of cases you have to circle the block more than once to try again. With the pedestrian traffic in the city, this is made even more difficult. The rooms are very spacious as other reviewers have stated, with the microwave and such. There is also a stereo and VCR. Street noise can be a problem so it is best to stay in a room at the back of the hotel. Our last trip, two nights ago, we were give a terrace room (5th floor only), on the end, (on Mason Street) it was so noisy we were unable to sleep. This is the first time we have had sleep interupted. It was also Valentine's Day, so there was extra partying going on. If your room number ends with 01 or 02, which will be the end rooms, noise may be a problem on the lower floors. These rooms have extra windows in them which is part of the problem. The lower floors tend to be for hotel guests, and the upper for vacation club members. The staff is very friendly and helpful, and we see the sames faces each time, which is nice. For those of us that live fairly close, and get S.F. newpapers, they run ads with incredible rates including parking. We have also been given coupons for returning visits (199.00, two nights including parking). Sometimes it is hard to make reservations directly with the hotel at the last minute, but I have been able to get a room on Travelocity with a decent rate. For a small hotel, this is really a great place. We already have a date to go back.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I've stayed at The Donatello half a dozen times and want to share the benefit of my experiences with others. (I've also stayed in at least another half dozen SF hotels, including The Clift, The Fairmont, etc., so I have a good basis for my opinion.) The Donatello is about as good a value as you'll find in The City. That doesn't mean it's a budget hotel, just that it's not as elegant as some other places, but it's definitely well above average, with huge, well-furnished rooms (the largest standard rooms in SF). Room service is quite good, parking a little cheaper than at better-known hotels, service is fine, etc. One reviewer complained about street noise. I am a very light sleeper, so I can sympathize, but what do you expect in the downtown of a big city? \nOne of the best attributes is it's location: 1 block from Union Square, so you're near the action, but it's less noisy than being right on the Square. Simply reserve a room on the back (south) side of the hotel and as far from the street as possible, and you'll be fine. If you want a much above-average site, with good facilities & service, in a good location, and at a very reasonable price, you can't do better in SF.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 28}, {"text": "I just returned from a six night stay in SF last night. I was in town on business & was lucky enough to have been booked at The Donatello. They really have the traveler's needs in mind. The microwave, fridge & toaster are life savers for a traveler who has a packed schedule (business or leisure - or even attempting both!). Of course you'll be dining out for the most part (it's SF!) but for left overs & even some bagels, cream cheese & juice it's perfect. The room was a very good size & mine even had a patio! The only downer was the \"exercise room\" was quite limited - one cycle, one treadmill & some free weights.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Just got back from a trip that included four nights at the Donatello. We chose it due to the positive reviews we saw, unlike other hotels that had mixed reviews. Hate to break this record but there was one thing we didn't like about this hotel. The street noise - it was horrible! The windows are only single pane. Now I understand this is a problem with most older hotels in downtown San Fran. Rooms at the back may be better. But we had to sleep with ear plugs every night - and we were on the ninth floor! A plus noise wise is that we couldn't hear a thing from any other room. The other positives are the very large rooms (includes couch sitting area and mini kitchen with microwave, dishes, cutlery, fridge) new Euro furnishings in great condition, great central location, on-site valet parking, paper at your door every weekday morning. The morning coffee and donuts(!) is not worth getting up for (I would have thought a hotel this nice could have done better than donuts for the morning pastries!) but the fridge and coffee maker in your room lets you do your own continental breakfast fairly easy. In summary, the size and amenities of the rooms are great for people staying for a few days or longer but not a good hotel for light sleepers!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 20}]}, "268533": {"reviews": [{"text": "Now, I know it sounds a bit naff when you say the bedrooms are decorated like ship's cabins but, trust me, it's in the best possible taste at the Argonaut. The rooms are very stylishly designed a la boutique hotel, beautifully furnished and well-equipped with good tvs, cd and dvd players. Loved the quirky tiger-skin bath robes. It all just makes this stand out from the boring chain hotels that surround it. Try and ask for a room with a view, it looks right out over the Maritime Museum. The position right on Fisherman's Wharf is fabulous and it's very easy to get anywhere in town from here, cable cars are just round the corner and the trams are just a couple of blocks along. All this, coupled with excellent staff and service, makes it a regular stop for me when in San Francisco.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Everything I read about this hotel was true, including the reviewer that mentioned the thin walls. The staff are extremely helpful, the location is perfect, the wine/beer hour is fabulous, and the decor is beautiful - love the exposed beams. The downside, the rooms are very narrow and if you're on the interior you look out to a white wall and windows of other rooms. The worst thing however, from my personal experience, are the thin walls. We could hear word for word the conversation of the people next door. This wasn't so bad early in the day, but at ten through to 1:00am we were very frustrated. I don't know if there are quiter rooms, so ask about it and if not bring ear plugs.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "....thin walls! There is absolutely nothing that the staff could do on this one, but unfortuntately to me, sleeping is the most important part of the hotel experience. I am confident that the staff would have moved me to as many rooms as necessary to please me, but the trouble is that I was settled in bed, very tired and not willing to go through moving rooms at that point. The people in the room next door were not exceptionally noisy, but merely in a festive mood and there was a child also. I'm not even a 'light sleeper'. In the average hotel, I would not have been bothered by the noise, but I could hear the conversations next door...word for word...clearly...not muffled! The room was gorgeous, spacious, very clean,had free internet and the very kind staff had set me up in a room with a beautiful view of the Golden Gate Bridge. And my rate was under $150.00 per night including tax! Therefore, I will definitely stay there again if it is possible to select an end room with an empty room next door or perhaps a solo person. I hate to complain about this very lovely hotel, but since I lost a couple hours of sleep, I thought it would be helpful for readers to know this so that they can request quiet rooms if possible.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I have recently come back home after staying at the Argonaut and all I can say is WOW!!!!!!\nI was greeted by John and escorted to the desk and introduced. I arrived early from a very long international flight but the room was ready. Through my stay, 10 days I was referred to by name and always greated by a smile. The staff were always willing to offer suggestions where to eat what to do and were not into promoting certain resteraunts along the wharf. The whole exprience was fantastic. Yes the area has tourist written all over it but that gave the stay a great vibe. You could do tourist and I did or do low key you have the option at your finger tips. The cable cars were very close also the F line which will take you into Market st the shopping area and all the way out to Castro.\nThe wine hour is lovely way to unwind and meet other guests and their furry friend (They are a pet friendly hotel), just Wow!!!!\nMy tips: \n1. If you are in the city for a while invest in a MUNI 7 of 3 day pass (7 day US$24.00, 3 day $18) especially if you plan to local transport The trams, bus, cable car.\n2. If you are an international traveller, Macy's Department store (Union square) go to the visitor area floor 6 or 7 and get a visitor pass, you can get 11% of your purchases. Bring a drivers licence/ passport.\n3. The biggest treat. If you are a foodie Gary Danko is just up the road, the food is worth the price (Fixed Menu starts at $61) it is just out of this world, ever morsel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "We were leaving out of SF on a cruise and I had checked out the reviews of a variety of hotels. A fan of great service, I decided to give this property a try. Boy, am I glad I did! \nWe arrived well before check-in time and had a lot of luggage. Before we even got out of the cab, the staff greeted us in our van and started to help. We inquired about the possibility of an early check-in, and were personally escorted right to the desk by Kevin - an outgoing personality offering a personal warm welcome to the Argonaut service. Check-in was a breeze, no problem whatsoever with the early time, and staff was ready to help with questions about the area, recommendations for food, and even an unrequested weather forecast. The staff has some unique uniforms - which adds to the servicescape. Some shirts reminded some of us of the \"puffy\" shirt episode from Seinfeld - which the staff took in stride with playful yet respectful sarcasm. \nI travel quite a bit for work, and I've not yet had such a welcome at a property. From start to finish, the staff is a real gem. And, that's the highlight even before you get to see your room. I was a little worried about size - we had a group of 4. No worries. Rooms were fantastic - historic yet completely comfortable. Check out the pictures - you can see the style of the rooms. The pictures (in my opinion) made the rooms look smaller than in real life. And, what some feared might be overbearing in decor was actually quite warm and classy. Beds were amazing, and we had a window view of Ghiradelli Square. Couldn't have asked for more. \nWhile some properties are closer to Pier 39, Wharf and Cruise Terminal - skip the average properties and head here. Walking the area was easy and streetcars right adjacent to the property. Reasonably priced and close enough to everything, with spectacular service and impressive rooms. I didn't pass one staff member who didn't smile and offer a warm 'hello.' \nThis is my first Kimpton experience. It won't be my last. While I'm sure every hotel and staff are somewhat different, the impression was strong enough to have me checking for the Kimpton name wherever I go next. Hope they can keep the smiles and match this level of service - somehow, I think they will.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "San Francisco has been high on my 'must visit' list since I was ten...second only to Lightwater Valley, Ripon, North Yorkshire (a dubious theme park, where for a long time said 'theme' was factory farming...)\nSo after exploding the myth of cattle based recreation many years ago, the lure of San Francisco finally reeled me in this year on a mammoth road trip from LA to Vegas with my wife-to-be and two year old son.\nAnd, unlike a rollercoaster based on a rat, San Francisco didn't dissapoint...nor did The Argonaut.\nOn arrival, you're greeted by the oddly attired Valet (imagine what a Carribean policman would look like kitted out by Jean Paul Gaultier and you're not far off) who politely whisks away your car without any awkward 'tip me' glances...a nice touch. \nSimilarly, there were no pangs of 'how much do we tip?' when the bellboy unloaded our bags in our room. I should point out that myself and my wife aren't tight....just shy.\nThe room was as billed...great quality, nice exposed brick and headache inducing carpets all round....I loved it.\nDownsides: \nWe had a 'quiet' interior room that faced onto a void in the middle of the hotel...hardly inspiring in a city with so much to see...I would have paid extra to have a view...any view.\nThe bathroom was small and I wasn't impressed by the rather sorry shower curtain...in a hotel of this standard, I'd have expected glass...\nThe adjoining restaurant is seafood based, so if you're a fishetarian like myself, best look elsewhere for your tucker. (Breakfasts at the restaurant / diner directly opposite the hotel entrance were superb)\nMinor irritations for what turned out to be a great 3 night stay.\nSan Francisco was well worth the 23 year wait...highly recommended.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Always use Trip Advisor to check out Hotels so I thought its only fair to contribute to the system too. \nWe (husband, 10yr old son and myself) stayed at the Argonaut 16 - 21 October 2006. As we couldn't find the accommodation dates we wanted on any internet searches we booked direct with the Hotel - very efficient and got what we wanted - King room with bay view (Golden Gate) and sofa bed. On arriving we were allocated exactly what we booked. \nThe room was spacious, clean and lovely - nautical theme does work. The views from the room were lovely (see pics) over the bay to the GG bridge and the cable car turnaround - its close but was not noisy. My husband who is a bit of a twitcher was delighted to see humming birds on the bushes in the park opposite out of the bedroom window. \nThe Hotel is ideally suited - its styled as being in Fishermans Wharf but it is at the quiet end and right next to Memorial Park which was lovely to sit in and look over the bay - even a tiny bit of beach. Pier 39 is walkable even for me with a crocked knee! \nThe bell attendants were very helpful (showing us maps, advising on bus numbers/routes) and answering all and any questions. You are made to feel they are interested in you and its genuine not forced. \nThe Starbucks coffee in the morning in the lobby is nice - you can take them back to your room, as is the wine evening - you can take the wine back to your room too. On the first night my son was shattered and so rather than go out for dinner we brought a take-away pizza back - I checked if the Hotel minded - some don't like it but not the Argonaut, they didn't mind at all.\nWe ate in the Blue Mermaid twice for evening meals - very nice. The kids meals are huge - could have satisfied many an adult. For breakfast we would take a 5 minute walk along Beach Street to a diner called Lori's. Its in the Ghiradelli complex but has fantastic bay views. Good selection, good service and good prices. \nThings to do - MUST do Alcatraz - but book on line before you travel. When we turned up for the 2.15pm trip it was fully sold out as were the rest of the trips that day; people were trying to buy tickets off people and offering silly prices as they were only there for the afternoon. We also did a GG bay cruise and this was nice too. \nWe bought a MUNI pass (you can get this from the kiosk at the cable car turnaround just by the hotel). We paid $18 for a three day pass which lets you travel on buses, cable cars and pretty much all public transport. We spent one day hopping on and off buses and went all the way to the Pacific. Alamo Square with the victorian houses is really pretty (if you are a fan of the series Charmed then this is the place to visit for similar houses - I found out that the actual house used in the series is in LA - but as I was going there later in the holiday I got to see the Charmed House - Carroll Street, LA) and Union Square for the shops (Macy's Bloomingdales, Tiffany) is great. Recommend the roof top cafe in Macy's - the Cheesecake Factory - nice to sit out on the terrace but be warned the cake portions are HUGE. One portion would have feed three of us, but they do offer to box up leftovers so you can take it away with you.\n Oh one last thing if you do have a car, check some of the on-street parking. Up the side of the hotel you can park after 4pm until 10am the following day for free - there are some restrictions for street cleaning but these are clearly signed so we didn't pay anything for parking.\nLoved the Hotel, Loved the City, Loved the people. A wonderful place and would have no hesitation in recommending.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "The Argonaut Hotel is one of the finest hotels in San Francisco. It's a converted old warehouse on the corner of Jefferson and Hyde Streets--where Fisherman's Wharf meets Ghirardelli Square. \nOur room was great. The hotel's theme is nautical. On the website I was afraid it looked a little too much like my bedroom when I was a ten year-old, but upon arriving I was pleased to see that the whole thing worked quite well. The room was neat and large for a major city hotel room. Aveda products are amply supplied, and so is complimentary Starbucks coffee in the morning, and an evening wine hour from 5-6 pm that draws quite a crowd. The front desk staff and concierge went out of their way to help on even the simplest of matters. \nBUT...the walls in my room (I was on the interior side) were paper thin! One morning my neighbor's 4:30am wake-up call became MY 4:30am wake-up call. No big deal. I went back to sleep...until he called his son on the East Coast before he went to school. He had a cold and wanted to make sure his little buddy was okay. Heartwarming stuff, but I would have loved to hear about over a glass of Pinot during wine hour not at 4:45am. OKay not a big deal. It's not going to ruin our trip...\nBUT THEN... the next night around 2am I was the witness to a domestic dispute in the room on the other side. A woman was berating her significant other for a good two hours. F-bombs flew left and right. I was going to complain but my girlfriend was sound asleep next to me. I fell asleep around 4am. I'm a big boy. I'll handle it. But for some travelers with no tolerance for that sort of thing be warned that the walls in that second floor area are thin.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "During our honeymoon road trip, we stayed at The Argonaut for one night on 9/19. The location is awesome, and we had no problem pulling up at peak time in the afternoon and having our car picked up by the valet. \nOur room was decorated in a nautical theme, and had a view of the park next door and of the trolley turnaround. We didn't make it to the wine tasting that evening, but it sounded like a nice feature.\nBeds were great, bathroom was great, and the minibar offered playing cards and other trinkets in addition to just snacks. There was also a DVD player available and free internet service.\nOur window opened up, so it was nice to get some fresh air and to hear the sounds of the street. \nThere's a nice courtyard area with a couple of bars and restaurants right next door if you don't want to go far, and that park has a little beach with a great view of the Golden Gate Bridge.\nI'm already looking for excuses to stay here again on our next vacation. Highly recommend!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "The Argonaut is a fantastic hotel in a great location. The staff were always helpful and made us feel very welcome. Our room, albeit without a view, was great; spacious, very comfy beds, cool bathroom and a big TV. The restaurant attached to the hotel was great for breakfast and with Fisherwharfs and Pier 39 on the doorstep, we found it very easy to keep our four year old entertained during our four night stay. To be recommended for families - we would definitely stay there again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husband and I just returned from San Francisco and here are some of the highlights of our trip:\n1. Argonaut Hotel - This hotel is fantastic and the service couldn't be better. Each staff member was always smiling, gracious, and willing to help. The location is incredible as the cable car is directly across the street and everything on the Wharf is witihin walking distance. \n2. Pacific Heights Limo (Recommended on the Argonaut's website) - stellar service and a first-class, stress free way to handle airport transfers. Sam w/ Pacific Heights offers incredible service and took us on a day tour of San Francisco and Napa Valley. His pleasant demeanor, attention to detail, flexibility, and anticipation of our needs allowed us to have an amazing day of taking in the sights, dining on a cliff over Napa, and of having unparalled views of the Golden Gate bridge. I'd highly recommend Sam and Pacific Heights!\n3. Alcatraz - Incredibly interesting and there was an ex-Alcatraz inmate there autographing his book on his experiences at Alcatraz.\n4. Restaurants:\n Ton Khiang - Absolutely delicious dim sum in New Chinatown.\n Pier Market - great restaurant for seafood on Pier 39, recommended to us by a local\n Scoma - Incredibly fresh seafood, super close to the Argonaut", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "We stayed at the Argonaut hotel for 2 nights and loved every aspect of it apart from the noise level. I need to give credit where it is due. It is a very good hotel in an unbeatable location and the decor of the room and the lobby was superb. The evening wine tasting was also extremely pleasant and we loved it. It is located right next to Ghiradelli square and also Fisherman's wharf. \nHowever, the walls of the hotel are paper thin. We could hear our neighbours (who just so happened to be a group of giggly and loud women) on our 2 nights there. On the first night, it was not so bad, they went to bed at 10pm and this allowed us to drift to sleep after that. However, it was a completely different story on the 2nd night. The level of noise emanating from their room was intolerable. There were shrieks of laughter, loud conversations and we thought at one point of time, cigarette smoke coming from under the adjoining door (it was supposed to be a non-smoking room!). We thought it would end at 10pm but it did not. We alerted the front desk with our concerns but it did not work. I called again just before 11pm when it became aparent that we would not be able to sleep and requested a room change. The front desk was very courteous and kindly gave us a quieter room but at that time, the damage had been done. My wife and I found it difficult to fall asleep after that. So our 2nd night was pretty much ruined.\nWe informed the front desk again in the morning of our dissatisfaction that we were made to suffer when it was neightbours who were being inconsiderate. The response we got from the front desk was \"sorry...it is an old hotel\". Hardly satisfactory at all. I would have loved to address this to the manager but our shuttle arrived at that time.\nSo, it is a game of Russian roulette I think. If you are lucky, you would get considerate neighbors who would keep the noise down. Otherwise, bring a pair of ear plugs.\nBut the location of the hotel was unbeatable.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We had a problem with our hotel stay. The night clerk mistakenly telephoned our room at 5:30 a.m. on a Saturday morning. He was looking for the room that had ordered a car. We were on vacation and had hoped to sleep until at least 8:00 a.m. Neither of us were able to go back to sleep because of the noise from the courtyard below and because of the noise from the housekeeping staff. The housekeeping staff was very loud in the mornings. They knock loudly on each door and laugh and joke in the hallway as early as 7:00 a.m. This is okay if you are a business traveler. We were on a romantic getaway. This is not the place to stay if you are on a romatice getaway.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed at the Argonaut for two nights as part of a week-long trip to California for our 20th wedding anniversary. We were absolutely delighted with the Argonaut. The hotel is very unique and beautifully decorated. The room was lovely and the bed was extremely comfortable. We were very impressed with the professionalism of the entire staff and the location was great! Definitely the right place to stay to experience the wharf. We were also very impressed with the restaurant, The Blue Mermaid. The chowder was delicious and the breakfasts were gourmet. The attention given to small details was impressive. We had upgraded to a room with a view and were very glad we did. From our room we could see the Golden Gate bridge, the trolley car turnaround, and Ghiradelli square. Can't imagine anyone not being pleased with this hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We stayed in the Argonaut hotel from 13/04/06 - 22/04/2006\nThe hotel is superbly situated on Fishermans Wharf and great for visitors like us who wanted a holiday without driving.From the moment we got out of the taxi from the airport the hotel staff were superb for all our stay. Our check-in was quick and pain free, although we had to change our room after the 1st night as we were located just opposite the Irish bar and main street so it was very noisy, very early morning. Our room was changed without any fuss and we were moved to a Cannery view room which was fine.The rooms were immaculate and beds very comfortable. Colour scheme was great too.Bathroom was quite large and the shower was perfect.\nThe complimentary wine happy hour was a great idea and it was good that our 17year old son was offered water so he did not feel left out. All the staff were so friendly and helpful, especially Leo,the concierge. He recommended 2 wonderful restaurants to us which we would never have found and also pointed us in the right direction for the Baseball & Basketball games we went to. He even checked that there were tickets available for us. We had a wonderful holiday here and would love to come back again. We would not hesitate to stay at this hotel and will be recommending it to all our friends.\nBy the way the 2 restaurants were Izzy's which served the best Steak I have eaten in great surroundings & House of Nanking in Chinatown which was so popular we had to queue for lunch, but it was worth the wait. We advise you to check these out if you visit san Francisco", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed in the 4 star ARGONAUT at Fisherman's Wharf for 4 days end of Jan 2006. The hotel has only valet parking so we handed over cars and keys for $39 a night. The last day we waited for 1 hour for our car when I got really angry about the waiting time. Only then the hotel manager came and explained that somebody had taken the keys out of the valet office in the parking lot and stolen the car. But this was only the start - dealing with the insurance has become a real nightmare. It is now March 8th and we still haven\u00b4t had any money back or indication to do so from the insurance of the valet company. On the day of the ncident, we were advised by the valet manager to hire a replacement car so that we could continue our journey and were promised that the insurance would pay for this replacement car. He said that 'for reasons of liability' we have to pay with our credit card first and we wold only later be reimbursed. Well - the insurance now declines to do so and we will have to go to see a lawyer to enforce our rights. Lesson learnt? Don't go to ARGONAUT if you have a car and don't trust the valet company. Hindsight, we should have not continued our journey that day but insisted on settling or signing insurance claims on the spot.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My wife & I spent a week here, on the 4th floor with a view of the bay & Ghirardelli Square. \nFirst - the staff was great. Everyone was extremely friendly and very helpful. I understand that a guest may encounter an employee on a bad day, but don't let that color your opinion of the staff overall.\nSecond - The room was great. I suggest the 4th floor, as there is no one walking above you. Also, I suggest paying the extra for the view rooms, even if you don't plan to spend too much time in the room (otherwise you get a view of a tiny concrete courtyard, not too great). While other reviews mentioned noise outside, my wife & I didn't notice anything more than the occasional cable car bell. Yes, the room is somewhat small - but folks, this is a hotel. If I want bigger rooms, I'll stay home. How much space do you need to sleep and brush your teeth (and maybe shower once in a while)? The only issue I had, and this is minor, was the somewhat thin walls between rooms and the hallway. Some noise can be heard from adjacent rooms and the hall outside the door. But this was in no way a deal-breaker.\nThird - Great location. I don't like the idea of being stuck in the middle of all the buildings downtown or in other more congested areas of the city. This hotel's spot on Fisherman's Wharf was perfect for me, as I prefer being close to the water. If we wanted to go into town, we either drove or took the trolley. There are plenty of excellent restaurants within walking distance of this hotel; likewise Pier 39 & Ghirardelli Square are nearby.\nAbsolutely do not hesitate to book a room at the Argonaut, as long as you're looking to stay in the Fisherman's Wharf area. If you drive to San Francisco, be ready for the $36 per night parking fee. They will bring your car to the front door whenever you request however. And you will find similar costs at other hotels. Otherwise, this hotel should be on your very short list of places to stay in San Francisco. You will not be disappointed.\nBy the way - I rarely, if ever, review places/things/experiences I've encountered. But the great experience my wife & I had on our vacation compelled me to do so in this case.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "We spent three nights (Fri-Sun) at the Argonaut in mid-January as part of a SF to LA vacation. We were extremely pleased with the experience, especially the friendliness of the staff. For $199/night booked through the Kimpton web site, we found the Argonaut to be a great value in an expensive city.\nHaving lived in San Francisco years ago, I was hesitant to choose a place near Fisherman's Wharf. We were travelling with two teenagers who I figured would enjoy the wharf for an hour or two before getting totally bored. Did I really want to be stuck down at the Wharf? In a word, yes. Because we weren't stuck. San Francisco is one of the easiest big cities to get around (though it isn't cheap).\nOn Friday, we walked to Ghiradelli Square for lunch and a great bay view. Then we took the obligatory cable car ride -- starting literally steps from the hotel's front door -- to Union Square for shopping and sight-seeing. On Saturday, we picked up a rental car (to use on the drive to LA). While I was concerned about the cost of parking, I was more concerned about the exhorbitant cab fares in San Francisco. One round-trip cab fare would equal the $36/night parking fee. My concern about parking was alleviated the first day when one of the several helpful doormen tipped me off that there was plenty of on-street parking nearby and that you could leave your car there until 10 a.m. I was able to find a spot right next to the hotel on Hyde Street both nights we had the car.\nWith the parking issue dealt with, we used the car to drive all around the area -- from Telegraph Hill to Twin Peaks to Berkeley to Fort Point to the beaches to Haight Ashbury to Muir Woods. And getting back to the Argonaut was always easy. And you can't beat the location for cruising the Wharf from Pier 39 all the way to Ghiradelli, tacky gift shops and all.\nAs you can tell, we were not in the hotel too much, but when we were the experience was excellent. We checked in early (about noon) and were given a room way in the back of the hotel which was too far for my wife to walk to the elevator. We requested another room but none was available at the time, so we checked our bags and went off to Union Square. When we got back around 6 p.m., we were given a near replica of the room we were offered before but much nearer the elevator. The room was extremely spacious, clean and well appointed with a high ceiling and complimentary Internet access. It overlooked a patio area in the Cannery, which we viewed with a little trepidation. But aside from an odd bit of loud music one morning from one of the bar/cafes, it wasn't a problem. The fact is, they pretty much roll up the sidewalks on this area of the wharf at 10 p.m. in the winter months.\nOne big concern I had from posts on TripAdvisor was the thin walls. While we did not encounter any big issues with this, I can see how a noisy neighbor could pose a problem. One night our neighbor had a pretty rough cough, which was easily audible, but fortunately not so disruptive as to prevent us from sleeping.\nI am not big at staying at the same hotel time and again, but I would be hard pressed not to return to the Argonaut. The location is perfect and the staff is outstanding.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "This Hotel was fantastic, we had a room with a view of Alcatraz. The beds were comfortable and everything was very well presented. Would definatly go back again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Myself and my wife have just returned from a 5 day break in San Francisco and stayed at the Argonaut Hotel. We picked the hotel based on it's top 10 status on Trip Advisor. We were not disappointed, this hotel has loads of character and is one of the best US hotels we have stayed in.\nThe location is surperb which all the previous reviews confirm. It is just around the corner to the Hyde/Powell cable car turnaround point and only a short walk from the Hyde/Market cable car and also the streetcar service which goes right away to Castro. The ferry piers are also within easy reach. There is an abundance of restaurants/cafes/shops etc. Definately try the fresh crab from anywhere on Fishermans Grotto and the fresh clam chowder in a bread bowl from the boudin bakery.\nThe check in was quick, painless and pleasant experience. The hotel decor was nautical, modern, cosy and very well kept. The room was like it hadnt been slept in before and was spotlessly clean. We had an inside room with a view of an inner square. The room was longer than wide but plenty of room for two with a lovely nautical theme and exposed beams left behind by its previous use as the Del Monte warehouse. The room had a Sony Vega TV and DVD player, radio alarm clock and Aveda products in the bathrooms, umbrella in the wardrobe/closet (which we needed one day) and dont forget the quirky leopard print bathrobes.\nEvery night at 17:00 there is free wine provided of the monthly featured vineyard by the hotel manager and staff. It can get a bit busy in the lobby and fire area during these times but it is good to mingle with fellow guest and staff to swap stories and tips.\nAll staff we came in contact with were friendly, helpful and always had something nice to say such as \"welcome back\", \"Hope you had a nice day\" or \"Have a great day\". There was an asian girl who worked on the concierge desk who wasnt rude or unhelpful but not has friendly looking as the others.\nAll in all this hotel is clean, efficient, quirky, cosy and has bags of character. we will definately return to SF and when we do there is no doubt that we will stay at The Argonaught.\nSome tips which you may find useful. Buy the Muni pass for transport on the Cable cars, streetcars and buses, it will save you a fortune. We paid $24 for 7 days and had our monies worth and more despite not using 2 days of the pass. Go to Mamas on Washington Square for breakfast, you have to queue for 15-20mins but it is worth it. More locally is the Hollywood Cafe run by a chinese husband and wife due. Great american breakfast great service and you get to leave a message on a napkin for the wall. Do a wine country tour it is good to get out of SF and have a few! sips of wine. If you go to Alcatraz have the audio tour included its worth it and very interesting. Take a door to door shuttle to and from airport costs around $10-$13 each, buts it worth it. We tried to do public transport, we caught BART from airport costing $5 each plus a cable car to the hotel at $5 each. It took over an hour and was a bit of hastle with the cases, for another $10 we had a shuttle back, which was quicker and easier.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 30}, {"text": "My wife and I stayed at the Argonaut for a week.\nYou can't beat the location for a sight-seeing vacation. The hotel is located at the western edge of the Fisherman's Wharf area - out of the middle of the hubbub but close enough to walk to everything along the waterfront. The farthest waterfront destination that we visited was the Ferry building, and that's just a short trip on the F-line streetcars. The Powell-Hyde cable car turnaround is across the street and Ghirardelli Square is just a block farther. LOTS of restaurants within a 5-10 minute walk. Everything else is just a walk, cable car or streetcar ride away.\nThe rooms are in excellent condition and well cared for. We stayed in a double Queen with bay view - and there was a lot more room between the furniture and walls than most hotels. Housekeeping does a good job on each room daily. The WEGA TVs and DVD players make for nearly infinite viewing choices (a WB station on the list would be a good addition).\nThere are still a few quirks that the hotel needs to work out:\n1. The walls ARE a bit thin - if you have a loud neighbor you will know it. They could have knocked a few square feet off the room to make the walls thicker.\n2. The check-in area gets crowded in the evenings, and the folks behind the desk are a bit snooty. (The rest of the staff is fine)\n3. The business center PC/Printer combinations are expensive ($24/hour) and not well maintained. They should provide a printer-only solution with a USB connection and WiFi or Ethernet network connection so that we can use OUR laptops. It galls one to have to pay $6 just to print a boarding pass and have to fix the printer to boot. The free Ethernet internet connection in the rooms worked very well.\nOne cautionary note - the room safes are easy to use and will probably hold a standard size laptop but modern wide-screen laptops don't fit. Buy a laptop cable lock and put it on the shelf locked around the hangar bar.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "The Argonaut is located in Fisherman's Wharf by the water. It is charming with a cool nautical theme and a great staff. The hotel is very accommodating. We booked rooms for a short two night stay but then decided to spend our second night in Napa. The hotel desk staff graciously canceled our second night without penalty. We reserved two rooms, an interior queen and a deluxe room. The queen, as expected, was very small although the decor made up for the size. The deluxe room had a 'view' but unfortunately our window looked into the scaffolding of the building across the street. When you stay there, request a higher floor (3rd or higher) facing the water. Also, the Argonaut offers a lot of 'package' deals. If you are driving a car, check out the deals that come with parking. The hotel charges $36 a night for parking (I parked on the street to save the charge and the bellman still walked over to my car and helped me with my bags. Gotta love this hotel). A rate that includes parking is often a better option than a regular room rate (the packages also include breakfast etc). Fisherman's Wharf is one big tourist trap so the area is deserted at night.. but you can get to other neighborhoods quickly. Avoid eating in the area.. food is not great and charges are high. Snag a cab or the cable car to another neighborhood and get a great meal for a lot less. During the day, its an interesting area to walk around.. and again, you can grab a cable car and visit other neighborhoods. \nI am a big fan of the Kimpton hotels and this ia a great one. The decor makes it a lot of fun. I'd recommend it and I'll plan to stay there again in the future.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My teenage daughter and I stayed in the Argonaut Hotel for two nights. I chose the Fisherman's Wharf area because of all of the things to do, especially the Alcatraz tour. The Argonaut is a historical hotel that was originally the Del Monte warehouse in the early 1900's. It is directly across the historical Del Monte Cannery. They did a very good job of keeping the historical integrity of the hotel intact. The original beams and brick walls are exposed in the rooms. The service was excellent! EVERYONE was friendly- what a nice surprise. I guess I am just used to the east-coast grumpiness. The doormen(plural) would open the door almost every time, and say, \"Hi, how are you doing today?\" The beds were ultra-comfy. The bathrooms were very nice and offered Aveda bath ammenities(the counter-tops were big enough, and don't know what the earlier reviewer had brought with them that didn't fit!)There was also Starbuck's coffee for the coffee maker (bring your own creamers though as they offered only 2 small packets of a generic powdered creamer.) The Argonaut had a nice ,uncrowded,work-out room which came in handy after eating the Ghiardelli chocolate earlier that day. The Powell-Hyde cable car turntable was right around the corner- pricey but worth it if you actually used it as a means of transportation. Costs $5 one-way, $10 round-trip and $11 for a day pass. The Alcatraz night-tour was great. Was a cold and rainy night but added to the dreary history of Alcatraz. We didn't use the audio tour, and chose to venture around the building by ourselves and away from all the people taking the tour. Be prepared to be \"trapped\" on the island for 3 hours though. One last thing that I recommend doing while in the San Francisco area and if you have a car- go to the Winchester Mystery House in San Jose- it is worth the trip. Again, the Argonaut was the BEST hotel in Fisherman's Wharf. It is a Kimpton Hotel and I would definitely stay there again and be more likely to stay in a Kimpton Hotel after our stay. If you are a AAA member, you will be pleasantly surprised with the rates offered.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "We stayed at the Argonaut for 5 nights in mid-August 2005 (3 adults and 1 child). We chose the hotel solely on the strength of the Trip Advisor reviews. From the moment I sent my first email requesting reservation information from the Argonaut to the time I filled in the post-visit email questionnaire from them, my experience with the hotel has been wonderful. Everything about this hotel oozes quality. The staff are friendly, courteous and efficient and made our whole family feel welcome and valued guests. It\u2019s unfair to pick out individuals, but in particular \u2013 Tamara in reservations was extremely helpful, Vaughn behind the front desk was fantastic \u2013 my daughter especially liked him (and the treasure chest!) and Jonathan and Marque (two of the bellmen) were excellent.\nThe ambience is tranquil after the noise and bustle of Fisherman\u2019s Wharf and the quality of the furnishings and d\u00e9cor is very good. The room was marvellous and just as reserved with bay views. We had a wonderful view of the GG Bridge (fog permitting), the cable car turnaround and Maritime Park \u2013 we\u2019d highly recommend room 426 or anywhere in the vicinity. The room was exceptionally clean and housekeeping was very good for the whole stay. All the linen was of high quality and spotless. The free high-speed internet service was very useful. We had no problem with noise either from within the hotel or from the street below.\nOthers have commented on the Fisherman\u2019s Wharf location, but as the hotel is right at the end of the wharf, you tend to leave the noise and T-shirt shops behind as you get closer to the hotel. At all times we felt safe. Personally we found the hotel\u2019s position very handy. The cable car was very busy from early morning as others have commented, and we preferred to walk to the start of the F-line two blocks away. This took us straight to the Embarcadero and Market Street.\nWe didn\u2019t use the restaurant, but did find the Starbuck\u2019s at the rear of the hotel very handy. As for food, we ate at the Fog City Diner on the Embarcadero and it was fantastic \u2013 highly recommended for food, service and atmosphere. We also tried Cioppino\u2019s at the Wharf and were very disappointed. The tables were packed in, very noisy and absolutely no customer service.\nIn summary, we\u2019d recommend The Argonaut \u2013 an excellent hotel, reasonably priced with very good service.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We've chosen over Ritz Carlton after reading this review. That was a big mistake. \nWe checked in with 2-room reservation on Memorial Day weekend. They told me they only have 1 room reserved. I have asked for the manager and shown confirmation paper which he rejected saying \"Oh anyone can type that on a piece of paper.\" It was a computer print out of the travel agency. They insisted that they have to have reservation sheet in their format which we have no clue. (Be careful those guys booking thru internet or a travel agency!) \nAfter 2 hours of conversation nowhere to go, I've taken the room he said only one left. With almost 50% more than what we have confirmed. Oh, that was not an upgraded room, it was a simple, no view, interside, small room. We did not have any choice. He 'threatened' us by saying \"this is the beginning of holidays\", \"the last one can be taken at any time\" and \"I am the manager and I decide.\"\nThere is a continuation of this story. After checkin, I hooked my computer and checked rate in Expedia. It offered much lower rate. I went down stairs and told them to adjust the rate, which of course they didn't!\nI just wonder what if we stayed in Ritz Carlton... Would they have treated us this way? We believe the \"True Value\" can be revealed when there is a problem because that involves people. \nI don't recommend this hotel at all. If people choose this hotel, I hope they don't have any problem while staying there. Good Luck!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "After reading all the reviews on this site I knew we were in for a real treat. The hotel lived up to all my expectations and more. Our room was perfect in size. The bed and pillows were so comfortable. We had a room overlooking the courtyard and I can see how some may say it was noisy but music was off by 8p.m. everynight (weekends may have been longer) but who stays in there room all day and night anyway?? The music varied and was always pleasant and enjoyable. The staff from housekeeping to front desk to doormen were all terrific. Always friendly and very caring and making sure our stay was going well. The location couldn't have been better. It was a short walk to many spots and the cable car turnaround was right next door at Ghiradelli Square. We ate dinner one night in the restaurant and it was so good. We stayed here 5 nights and room was immaculately clean, bright and cheery. I thought the decor was fun and a great change from all the standard hotel rooms and colors. We only got to the wine hour in the lobby one time but it was good. We relaxed by the fireplace before getting ready to go to dinner. I can go on and on about it. Thanks for all the great reviews and helping me choose this hotel. I cannot wait to go back. If you have any questions feel free to e-mail me at Laurainc@optonline.net.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Nice hotel located right beside Fisherman's Wharf. Very clean and great service. Only con is that it is difficult to reach by car since the hotel is located on a one way street that is packed with tourist out shopping and eating. I would stay again. Just wish there was an easy way to get to and fro the hotel by auto.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I booked 1 week stay at the Argonaut based on its 2nd place ranking on tripadvisor, and a reasonable rate available from travelocity (about $110 per night after you deduct out the market value of the airfare included in the package). Overall this turned out to be a great place to stay. This review applied specifically to room 412, a single queen room.\nFirst let me say that we lucked out a bit. Those that have complained about their views from the \"internal\" rooms have a valid beef -- it's not pretty. But we happened to get an \"external\" room with views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Ghiradelli Square, and the Cable Car turn-around. Now some reviewers have complained of street noise (especially in the external rooms), which is something that I happen to be very sensitive to. But with the windows closed, almost all external noise was shut out -- at least to my (rather particular) satisfaction. If you want fresh air all night, you'll have to put up with some noise -- a fair enough trade.\nNow our first impression was not the most positive. The room was oddly shaped with a long corridor from the room's door to the actual sleeping area. Said sleeping seemed a bit small also. But after settling in we found that we found a place to stow everything we packed, and we quickly grew accustomed to the room and had no feelings of being cramped or confined. Clotheshorses and heavy packers may have some trouble with this aspect. \nThat being said let me dispense with the remaining (few) negatives. This room seemed far from the elevator (the hotel is shaped in a square, and the room was 1.5 sides of the square away from the elevator), but we subsequently got used to this. Parking at the hotel is by valet and insanely expensive (about $40 per night). We mitigated this by eschewing a car for most of our stay, only keeping a rental over one night. Even then the concierge kindly worked out a deal by which we could park in a nearby lot for $10 per night (the rental agencies lot), but we decided to just go with the convenience of the hotel parking for the one night.\nNow I'll move onto a seeming negative, that is really a positive -- the location. Fisherman's Wharf is a schlocky, touristy area. Worth a single visit perhaps, but not someplace you want to be all the time. But (and here's the positive), the Argonaut is on the EDGE of this area (or at least the edge of the schlocky area), so really you do not have to deal with Fisherman's Wharf unless you want to. The location is actually quite nice as you have access to the trolley, the streetcars (The F line specifically, which will take you many of the places you want to go), and buses. We bought 1 week MUNI passes good for all trolleys, streetcars, and buses, and made good use of them. We were able to go anyplace we wanted to go in San Francisco with little hassle. Ghiradelli Square, Fisherman's Wharf, and the Bay Cruises (including Alcatraz) are within walking distance. Lombard street (the crookedest street) is a short trolley ride (or uphill walk) away. Union Square, Japan Center, Chinatown, Downtown, Coit Tower, The Castro, Golden Gate Park, Golden Gate Bridge, were all places we were able to visit using public transportation from the Argonaut.\nOK, so this review is getting long, so let me just tick off the other pluses of this hotel. The room and common areas were immaculately clean, the staff was some of the most friendly and helpful I have encountered in the service industry, the bed and pillows were very comfortable, there's a DVD player and flat screen stereo Sony TV in the room, and the restaurant served a good breakfast for a decent price (not a discount price, but reasonable for a hotel... notwithstanding the $2.50 coffee, which nonetheless was quite good). Also, for the beer lover, the bar next door has 72 imports on tap.\nIn summary, for the leisure traveler, I would definitely recommend the Argonaut hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "There were so many super positive reviews here, when my wife and I planned our San Francisco trip we chose the Argonaut Hotel. After our stay, it's easy to see why so many travelers rate this hotel #1 in SF. It starts with the doorman. Very courteous, but not in an annoying, over the top sort of way. We became instant friends. Step inside and the friendly vibe permeates the building. Every single staff member smiled and said hello.\nYou can't beat the location, with Fisherman's Wharf right across the street. You can walk the few short blocks to the Alcatraz ferry. BTW, get your Alcatraz tickets before you fly in, or you won't be taking the voyage till the next day. It sells out in advance.\nThe room was great. We chose the King Bay View room, and the view was amazing. Worth the extra few bucks. It was impeccably cleaned, and the nautical decor was a nice change of pace from the usual humdrum national hotel chain style. The King Bay has a very comfortable couch and ottoman. The late afternoon wine reception was a great opportunity to meet fellow vacationers and swap pointers.\nThere's also a great souvenir store across the street. We got quality fleece zip-ups for $11.99 each. There's also t-shirts 3/$10, you can't beat that. Dozens of great restaurants within walking distance to choose from. And don't forget to have your Boston Clam Chowder in a bread bowl!\nThe only thing you need to keep track of with the Argonaut is the minibar charges. I've seen this posted here by at least one other guest, and I'm not sure what the root cause is. But we were overcharged as well. After asking management to look into it, I discovered that we were charged for 2 bottles of vodka, which we never purchased. They quickly credited my account, and all's well which end's well. So, unless you are really going to use the minibar, don't accept the key.\nOh, one last note. Check out the packages at their website. We got the \"A Fantasy Awaits\" for 2 nights and the bottom line number was $499.26, which came with parking (which is normally $36 per day) two full day cable car passes, and room service breakfast. Take it from a man who can be a very picky customer, stay here and you'll be glad you did. We're booking again next year. \nThe 2 photos I've attached are the view from our window. Like I said, worth the extra few bucks!\n.......Doug", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "A friend and I stayed for 3 nights at the Argonaut. Problems started at check-in. We purchased the room through Hotwire (yes, I know there are no guarantees when you use Hotwire) for 2 adults. Being 2 single guys, we wanted 2 double beds. The front desk person said that the room was one King. I explained to him that we didn't want that, and the reservation stated for 2 adults, so we should be able to get 2 double beds. He said \"that's not the way it works\" and if we wanted 2 double beds it would be an extra $50 per night. I was very unhappy about this, and pleaded my case for at least 5 minutes to no avail. I didn't want to share a bed with my friend, so I begrudgingly agreed to the $50 per night charge. To make matters worse they put us in a handicapped room, where the room itself was fine, but the shower was terrible. There was such little water flow it took twice as long to take a shower, which wasted time which would have been better spent seeing San Fran. I also called 5 days prior to the reservation to request 2 double beds, directly to the Hotel (which took 4 calls to get to the right person) and they then said that I had to call Hotwire to put in such a request, which I did, again, to no avail. I have used Hotwire a bunch of times in the past, and getting the amount of beds I want has never been an issue until now.\nAs far as the Hotel itself, it was nice - clean, modern, and a great location. The room was also nice - exposed brick, comfy beds, and we had a view out of our window of the Cable Car turnaround. The 5 O'clock wine hour was fun also. The bottom line however, if you are going to be rated a 4 star property, regardless of how I purchase my room, don't hold me up at the last minute just because I want a room with 2 beds.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My wife and I, along with her parents, stayed at the Argonaut for 4 nights in March of this year. I was traveling on business while the rest of the folks were playing tourist. \nThe staff of the hotel was helpful and friendly during our stay. Despite our late check in (11 p.m.), everything went well with the bellman, valet parking ($36 per night, not including tax) and the front desk staff. Also, they gave us a late check out at 1:30 p.m. without a hassle.\nThe rooms featured a nautical theme, which was somewhat \"SpongeBob Squarepants\" in appearance but it's all new so it was fine. The rooms aren't wide at about 10' across but they are deep. Our rooms looked out over the Cannery, which was okay. Interior rooms, however, would have a view of a wall with windows in it about 20' away. We'd recommend that you get an outer room, if possible.\nThe hotel was quiet at night, which was a surprise given the number of kids and families that were there and the outdoor activity at the Cannery (restaurants and shops). The bed was quite comfortable and ranked right up there as one of the most comfortable hotel beds that I've slept on. The hotel offered high-speed internet access as well as a fairly comfortable chair and desk set up. \nThe family tried the hotel restaurant for breakfast but it turned out to be a disappointment. We'd recommend that you eat out while there. The surrounding area has a bunch of restaurants of varying quality (Starbucks is nearby, too). For dinner, Scoma's is a good, but pricey, alternative.\nThe first morning there, I exited the hotel and looked for a cab but there were none in sight. The doorman then informed me that a complimentary \"shuttle\" was available for trips downtown from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. The \"shuttle\" turned out to be a chauffered Lincoln town car that was available on a first-come, first-serve basis. This came at a complete surprise to me. I used this service two of the three mornings that I was there and it was great. \nFrom a wheelchair-accessibility standpoint (my wife is in a wheelchair full-time), the hotel is quite accessible. The front entrance is flat as is access to the front desk and the room itself. The hotel has two large elevators. The room was accessible as well. The bathroom was large and featured a roll-in shower that was as good as you'd find anywhere. It had grab bars and a fold down seat. The hotel also offered (on request) a small, portable shower chair, which turned out to be more stable than the one that we brought with us. The toilet was raised, per ADA standards, and there were grab bars around it. The sink was wall-hung so the wheelchair was able to scoot under it with no problem. On the downside, the carpet in the room (and in the hallways) has a thick pad underneath so my wife had difficulty in moving around the room under her own power. In addition, the bed was too high so transfers were a little dicey. \nAs for the surrounding area, Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39 are wheelchair accessible but, once you head inland, it's all uphill (it's SF). We were able to make it uphill for one block but did not try to make it up the next steep hill to Ghiradelli Square. There was a lift in a garage that, supposedly, was able to get you up to the garage elevator (which would then take you up to the Square) but there was no call button nor was it manned by anyone. If you want to tour additional areas of SF by wheelchair, a car rental or accessible taxi would be the way to go from this hotel.\nAll in all, we found the Argonaut to be an excellent choice for both business and pleasure and would recommend it for visitors to SF. The price of our rooms was cheaper than what you'd find in most other quality hotels in the city so it was a good value. Just remember that it is in the most touristy area of SF so you get both the benefits and the negatives of that activity.\nMy apologies for the long-winded review but I thought I'd get as much info as I could out for fellow travelers.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My partner and I are very fond of Kimpton properties, especially their knack for picking historical venues to re-do and make into special hotels. This property is not like many of the others. The design looks almost Disney-ish and is over the top with regard to the nautical theme, so be prepared. I would guess you either hate it or love it. We hated it.\nBut beyond the issue of design taste, there appears to be a larger issue with service and attitude here that we rarely have seen at other Kimpton hotels. We had booked a weekend of three nights in a deluxe bay view room with a king bed, paying an additional 100 bucks for the benefit. When we got to our room it had two queen beds so we knew we got put in the wrong place.\nUpon returning to the front desk we met Mason, who told us that we had paid for the view and not the bed configuration, and that he could put us in a king bed the second night. Bad form. So we said we'd be willing to do that, however we didn't expect to pay the upcharge for a room that wasn't what we had booked. The view is nothing if you are cramped in a bed smaller than what you have at home. Mason asked us if we had booked on Expedia as if we had made some second-rate reservation. We booked directly with Kimpton, so this was not the case, though we noted the show of attitude. Surprisigly bad... Thus began about 30 minutes of arguing, \"Can we see your manager...\", etc. - you know the drill... We checked out soon there-after.\nLong story short, they never apologized for the mixup even one time. Never once said \"I'm sorry.\" They acted like it was our mistake, and their official statement was that they do not guarantee bed type no matter what you paid for. I showed him my reservation and the fact that it said plainly Deluxe King room with a Bay View... It didn't seem to matter to them that we had it in writing. In fact if you do look on sites like Expedia or Travelocity - that is what you will find even today. When you have it in an email from Kimpton and they don't honor it...this is a reason to never stay with them again.\nThere is no way the Argonaut shoud have a number 2 ranking on TripAdvisor. This just isn't a classy San Francisco property or experience. I have this advice to the web-inclined for travel; If the place looks tacky in a little 72 dpi photo...well guess what - it only get's worse.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We stayed at the Argonaut hotel between the 4th and 7th of January, as part of a combined business & vacation trip. While I'm sure my wife and I have stayed at \"better\" hotels (more services, more luxurious fixtures, etc.) I can't recall having ever stayed at a hotel we liked more. \n- The staff was always friendly and positive, even when helping us search for some shoes we thought we lost upon arrival at 1am (but actually had in our bags all along)\n- The location is stunning. Yes, Fisherman's Wharf is a dingy tourist trap, but the grassy area in front of Ghiardelli Square and view out onto Alcatraz is one of the most beautiful sites in the world. (Look into what a similar location on Sydney Harbor runs...) Beiing near the grass was very important for our dog, but even for humans it's nice spending time away from the cramped space of Union Square.\n- The room was spacious...a place you could spend a lot of time in. Sofa with coffee table (!), desk, full closet, window that opened onto a courtyard (which our dog -- who stayed free, of course -- much appreciated).\n- At this point, it probably goes without saying, but I can't imagine a more dog-ideal hotel in SF. If you're thinking of going to SF with your dog, stay here.\n- Terrific bed! (Much better than the otherwise enjoyable Hotel Burnham in Chicago.)\n- Interesting but not overbearing decoration. As much as I love Kimptons, their decor can get a bit gaudy. The nautical theme worked well, especially with the exposed beams of the old building visible.\n- Amenities galore. Even by Kimpton standards, these were often a cut higher: Aveda and free high speed internet of course, plus DVD players in every room, free (Fetzer!) wine in the evenings, free car service in the a.m.\n- We got all of this for a very reasonable rate, but even at a much higher price it would still be a good deal.\nAreas for improvement:\n- They charge $5 to deliver a package to your room. C'mon guys, that's absurd.\n- No coffee service in the morning? Every other Kimpton offers this.\n- Sometimes the guidance of the friendly and positive staff was a bit lacking, as when they twice gave incorrect driving directions to the Ferry Building.\n- The food, selection, and prices of room service are really lacking.\nThese issues, however, are no match for the overwhelming positives that make Argonaut so terrific.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Well the hotel was every bit as good as the reviews we had read and as the hotel information suggested it would be and then some more. Rarely do hotels surpass their literature but this hotel did right from pulling up outside. The service, friendliness and helpfulness started at the door, followed through at reception and then the bellhop went out of his way to be friendly and helpful by offering to fetch us ice once he had unloaded our bags. He was also very knowledgeable about the area and immediately told us about the surroundings, coffee shops, diners and other amenities. His helpfulness continued throughout our stay as did every member of staff we had dealings. Even the cleaning staff go out of their way to welcome you as you walk through the corridors.\nAll the front office staff seem to have ear pieces and an example of the speed of service, even before being asked was when I witnessed a young boy drop his iced milkshake that split upon hitting the floor. The bellhop was immediately in contact with cleaning services even before the embarrassed parents could ask for help. No fuss was made or glaring looks as would have occurred at many other establishments.\nThe room we had, a large king deluxe was huge - as commented by other reviewers - it was as if it was new - the cleaning and servicing was first class. The room had a large settee and the desk was a good size and very comfotable swing/rocking desk captain's chair. The internet facilities in the room were first class without extra charge. the power unit on the desk was excellent and just the job to recharge camera batteries, cellphones etc. The quality of fittings throughout the hotel were excellent. \nAll in all so good I have already booked my daughter into the hotel for May this year and we shall definitely be coming back. A well positioned, well maintained hotel that understands service quality. If there were six stars it would warrant such.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Stopped here for 2 nights mid August with my wife and kids as part of a coast to coast self planned tour.\nOnce again, thank you Tripadvisor reviewers, it was exactly what i expected, Brilliant!! \nI cancelled my room in Union Square and am so glad I did. Fishermans Wharf is the toursit magnet of San Francisco, but so what, the location is great, so good, we managed to do all this in 48 hours!!..\n Bike the Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito and\n catch the ferry back for the wine tasting ( bike\n hire is next door to the hotel !! )\n Dinner at the Hard Rock cafe on Pier 39 ( 10 \n mins walk )\n Alcatraz tour ( 10 mins walk to ferry )\n Shopping at Ghiradelli Sq ( next door )\n Walk to Lombard St ( 10 mins )\n Cable car to Union Square ( next door to hotel )\nThe rooms are very clean, exactly as they look on the web, the bed is the best i have ever slept in!! The rooms have a pay bar which is well stocked, and at reasonable prices.\nI forgot about the leopard skin robes, thanks to the earlier reviewer for reminding me.\nAll staff were very helpful, they even looked after my bike overnight because i wanted to bike the bridge again early next day on my own!!\nI would have hated to have stopped in Union Square, Fishermans Wharf is alive and so near to the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz.\nWhen going back to SF, i will stay here again!!\nAny queries, please feel free to e-mail me!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I stayed at the Argonaut in early July based on recommendations in this and other forums. I would not recommend this hotel for anyone seeking a quiet or romantic spot or a luxury property. The hotel was packed with families and the walls are thin. We could hear all of the \"family\" noise from the room next door. The lobby was full of teen-agers and family groups. The teens monopolized the two computers in the lobby. Since this is a feature highlighted by the hotel, they should provide more computers.\nThe staff was extremely young. This might have been their first job. When I asked about switching rooms after the first night of our 4 night stay, they said that the family next to us was checking out that day so we decided not to switch rooms. They actually checked out the following day. And guess what, the next occupant of the room next to ours also had young noisy children. But at that point we were unpacked so it wasn't worth switching and besides we weren't in the room all that much. \nThe lobby was OK, but not what I expected from a 4 star hotel. For what we paid a night, I expected a more spacious room and more luxury in the lobby. \nThe rooms are strange; we had a deluxe king, which meant we had a view. However our room was a rectangular shape, long and narrow. Very narrow. The bathroom didn't have a normal locking door; it was a pocket door. This didn't matter to my husband and me but it is weird. The bathroom itself was fine. \nThe bed was very comfortable. The best thing about the room was that it had a multi-outlet surge protector power strip into which we could plug in (to recharge) all of our various equipment (2 cell phones, digital camera, Blackberry, and laptop). As we travel, we find that most hotel rooms do not have sufficient outlets.\nThe nautical motif was fine, but taken to the extreme. Our room and bathroom didn't have to be shaped and outfitted like a ship's room. \nThe location was very good in that it was at the end of the Wharf so it is not as busy as other hotels. It was convenient to the cable car and buses. The Wharf is tacky and touristy but sometimes that can be fun, depending what you are looking for.\nThe reason I am posting this is that a traveler seeking top accomodations at Fisherman's Wharf may be better off staying at the Hilton or Hyatt. I got to believe that they cost less money and the rooms are larger and quieter.\nI think this hotel would be fine for families with teens or for travelers who don't expect sophistication, quiet, and exlusiveness in a four star hotel.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "l'hotel \u00e8 in perfetto stile marinaro, con sensibilit\u00e0 e gusto degli arredi, ricostruito in un vecchio edificio storico. Le dotazioni della camera della camera e del bagno sono impeccabili, raramente ho trovato una cura al particolare cos\u00ec attenta negli alberghi di citt\u00e0.\nPer una tappa a San francisco \u00e8 perfetto.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 75}, {"text": "Mio marito ed io abbiamo soggiornato presso questo hotel per quattro notti ad agosto 2009.\nL'albergo si trova a Fisherman's Wharf, a pochi minuti dal Pier 39.\nLa stanza assegnataci \u00e8 risultata pulita e accogliente.\nLa connessione ad internet \u00e8 stata gratuita.\nIl prezzo della stanza non comprende la prima colazione, cos\u00ec come il parcheggio (USD 45 al d\u00ec).", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 86}]}, "80983": {"reviews": [{"text": "Just completed our five-day stay at the Hotel Drisco. Note that I\u2019ve rated it five stars, but that does not mean it was perfect in every way. Frankly, the full 5-star rating is for the service provided and not the hotel per se. Without a doubt, the service my wife and I received was superb down to the very last person, and I mean everyone \u2013 door man, housekeeping, maintenance, kitchen staff, front desk, you name it \u2013 insanely friendly, helpful, and courteous (and a special thank you to Victor \u2013 thank you so much).\nThat said, the hotel itself was not what I expected. I say that not because it isn\u2019t a nice hotel, but because the photos you see online don\u2019t tell the complete picture. I\u2019m also not suggesting they are misleading, but in total, I don't think they provide a full visual description of the environment. Below are a few examples, with the understanding I mean these to be observations (not criticisms) so you have a fuller understanding of what to expect than I did.\n1. The hotel is in a beautiful upscale residential neighborhood. You\u2019re surrounded by houses (many of which are mansions) and no commerce. This can be good or bad, depending on how you see it. In one sense, you feel like a resident of the city (good, IMO); on the other, you have no access to basic amenities (snacks, pharmaceuticals, etc) outside what the hotel provides (not so good).\n2. You are literally at the peak of a hill, which, depending on your room, can provide you a spectacular view of either the city or Alcatraz/Golden Gate Bridge. The potential downside, of course, is that you walk up/down very steep hills in all four directions. If you\u2019re using public transportation, be prepared for very steep climbs on return trips because the bus system is one block over and one block down from the hotel. One block over and down doesn\u2019t seem like a big deal until you\u2019ve trekked up and down it several times in a day over a period of days. Bottom line, the hotel is probably not ideal for folks who aren\u2019t comfortable climbing very steep hills regularly but would like to use public transportation as their primary means of transportation during their stay.\n3. The hotel is old. Beautiful old building and well maintained (functional, clean), but all the wood floors creak, many areas of the hotel have very uneven flooring, the hallway carpeting is worn down, the room windows are old and difficult to open/close, etc. Again, not a criticism, just an observation. I make this observation because the photos I saw of the rooms gave me the impression HD is a very modern hotel. Simply not the case. It seems more like a remodeled house that tried to retain its original flair. Probably better to think of it like a very large, charming New England B&B than a modern hotel. Depending on your travel habits and hotel preferences, this style may or may not suit you. If you\u2019re more accustomed to (and prefer) business hotels, I would suggest the Hotel Nikko downtown. Although it borders what looks to be a marginal area of town, it\u2019s 100% safe and in a really convenient location for getting around. On the other hand, if you like hotels with character and old-world charm, then I think you\u2019ll love many aspects of the Hotel Drisco.\n4. As for the room itself, great mattress and bedding. A hotel for me above all else is for getting a good night\u2019s sleep, and no issues there. Couple of annoyances, though \u2013 the Internet connection worked only intermittently and the front desk seemed unable to sort it out. I don\u2019t spend a great deal of time on the Internet when traveling, but if you\u2019ve got to send an email, find a good restaurant on Yelp, or get bus routes from the hotel to a point in the city (511.org), it gets annoying quickly when you can\u2019t get Internet access as advertised. Another small but relatively annoying thing \u2013 you\u2019re issued a room key and minibar key on a keychain. Again, maybe it\u2019s old-world charm, but I find it annoying. I don\u2019t always carry a backpack or other bag, especially when I\u2019m out exploring, so it annoyed me I had to carry keys in my front pocket. Would much rather have had a room card that fits in my wallet. Again, though, that\u2019s just my preference.\n5. Other points \u2013 limited but good breakfast in the morning: oatmeal, hard-boiled eggs, fruit, bagels, pastries, croissants, juices, cereals. Pretty standard fare, but good way to start the day. Apples in the lobby, water upon request, and a wine tasting each evening add to the charm and appeal.\nIn sum, the service at Hotel Drisco was superb, but the physical experience was different than I had originally imagined it would be. Neither bad nor good, just different than my expectations. Be aware of what to expect and you should have a very pleasant stay.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "We stayed at the Hotel Drisco in celebration of our daughter's law school graduation. Having visited San Francisco numerous times over the last thirty years, we have finally found a home away from home. Located in a quiet, safe neighborhood perfect for strolls and views of the bay, the Hotel Drisco has an extremely friendly, helpful staff and a European atmosphere. We stayed with our adult son in an airy two-room suite much larger than most. We were not prepared for the cool weather and requested heat for the room. In no time, a portable heater was delivered which took care of the problem beautifully. We recommend the Hotel Drisco without reservation.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 94}, {"text": "When I booked my holiday, the Drisco was your top rated San Francisco hotel. I am sad to see it has fallen to 6th position since. It deserves to be back at the top. We had an awful 24 hour flight thanks to American Airlines and its bungled booking system. We were so relieved that we had booked the Drisco. Their driver was wonderful and sorted out all our arrangements with regard to delays while we hung around in Dallas and Chicago. He picked us up from the airport at 12 midnight when we were past caring if we arrived in San Francisco or not. And then when we arrived at our destination, we had the most beautiful room which was ready and waiting with sheets turned back ready for us to fall into a deep sleep. I am so glad we chose such a wonderful hotel. It was like home from home and the attention to detail and helpfullness of the staff (particularly Roberto the driver) were very much appreciated. I have mentioned this hotel to all of my friends who live in California, but most of them already know the Hotel and hold it in high regard. What more can I say ??", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 81}, {"text": "We chose this hotel for its convenient location in Pacific Heights. We got so much more than we bargained for with a lovely breakfast, fun happy hour and terrific staff who bent over backwards to help us. This is a wonderful place that we will most certainly visit again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 64}, {"text": "A spur of the moment idea to celebrate our 39th Wedding Anniversary in San Francisco\nyielded one of our favorites hotels, ever--The Drisco.\nWe had tickets for a concert on a Saturday afternoon and thought it might be fun to spend\nthe night in a lux hotel to add to our celebration. A search on TripAdvisor brought my\nattention to the Drisco. Since we live just across the bay, we didn't need to be in a\ndowntown location. We preferred charm and personality over a corporate-type hotel.\nThe Drisco had a vacancy for us and I just happened to mention it was our Anniversary\nwhile speaking to the lovely man on the phone to make our reservation.\nWe quickly packed a bag and made the 1/2 drive across the Golden Gate Bridge on\na gorgeous, sunny day to the Pacific Heights area of The City.\nKnowing The City quite well, we knew we couldn't go wrong in Pacific Heights.\nWe were welcomed to the Hotel like \"old friends\" and were given an upgrade (because\nit was our Anniversary) to a gorgeous suite. What a delight!! It was a corner room with\na lovely vista out over rooftops across The City with soft, tasteful furnishings and an\nexquisite bathroom. We were so happy that we decided to spend another night!!\nAnd, to top it all off, they brought us champagne and chocolates!!\nWe had a very nice continental breakfast (included) the next morning, coffee and tea\nwere available 24 hours a day in the beautiful \"sitting room\", and they also served\nafternoon wine and cookies.\nWe loved every minute of our beautiful weekend celebration. We walked and walked\nand walked because in San Francisco there are so many beautiful places with beautiful\nvistas...The Marina Green to Fort Point...Union Street...Chestnut Street...Pacific Heights...\nThe Presidio...plus so many others.\nOn our second night, the fog rolled in to make the \"romantic\" feel complete.\nThank You, Hotel Drisco staff, for a wonderful weekend.\nYou will be our \"home away from home\" in the City from now on.\nP.S. Don't change a thing...everything is perfect!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 70}, {"text": "My wife and I just returned from our trip to Wine Country and San Francisco. We stayed at the Hotel Drisco the first night we got into San Francisco and then for 2 nights after coming back from Sonoma and Napa. We can't say enough good things about the staff (who were extremely helpfull, knowledgable and friendly), the hotel (clean, classy and great location) or the area the hotel is in (quiet, beautifull views and safe area). \nWe will stay there again the next time we go back to San Francisco, without hesitation!\n-Brad S.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 65}, {"text": "We spent 3 wonderful nights at this hotel and could not fault it. It is a beautiful hotel in a wonderful part of town. This hotel is in a residential area in the Pacific heights area so its location may not appeal to everyone but we loved it.\nWe were travelling with a 2 year old and this is the first hotel where we have ordered a crib to have it waiting for us nicely made up in the room. \nThe rooms was elegantly furnished, spacious and the bathroom was beautiful. We did not experience any noise from neighbouring rooms.\nThe front desk staff were very welcoming and helpful and we could not have asked for more. They were more than happy to provide information on walking tours and other San Francisco information.\nThe complimentary buffet breakfast was tasty and we also managed to enjoy the wine reception on two of the evenings.\nWe could not fault this hotel and would recomend it to anyone who is looking for a classy boutique hotel in a prestigious part of San Francisco.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "My husband and I booked a King suite at the Hotel Drisco for our wedding night after hearing wonderful things about the hotel from our photographer. The interior was lovely (perfect for taking \"getting ready\" shots for the wedding). Everything was clean and fresh looking and staff was pleasant. My parents were a bit dissapointed that after ordering a bottle of champagne to be delivered to the room after the wedding, the staff delivered the champagne too early. When my husband and I arrived to our room there was champagne in a bucket with water (no ice as it had all melted). I have to say, I was a bit dissapointed as well because the staff knew that it was our wedding night and I felt should have gone above and beyond to make sure things were nice for that very reason. For example, when my husband and I were out of town celebrating our engagement (at a different hotel) the person at the front desk sent a complimentary bottle of champage up to our room to congratulate us. The Hotel Drisco staff did not make any attempts to help us celebrate our wedding day or make it an extra special stay. \nAfter a long night of partying at our wedding we were ready to sleep in and order breakfast in bed. No such luck! The second the person above us woke up, we could hear them walk to the bathroom, flush the toilet, run the sink, etc. We were up at 6am after getting to bed at 2am--not the bliss I had in mind for my first day as a married woman : ) You really can hear the other hotel guests (and we had a corner room so I guess it was not as bad as it could have been.)", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We booked this hotel based on reviews here but were very disappointed. \nThis is not a hotel but really a guest house, B+B style place. If you like to feel looked after and comfortable then this is not the place for you. It is an old house so everything creaks, this may appear charming but at 4am in the monring if anyone moves it will be heard and wake you up. also the hotel has no air conditioning. Alot of houses in San Fran don't have air conditioning due to the cool weather but most hotels do. Even average hotels here in the UK will have air conditioning and its colder here than San Fran. So if you want some air you have to open the window which ensures you will be woken by the street noise, cars etc. The rooms are very small so they do get stuffy easily so you have to open the window.\nThe location is also not great. Pacific Heights is a very nice suburb but it is not within walking distance to Union Sq or Fishermans wharf so you have to taxi everywhere. There is no taxi stop nearby so you have to ask the front desk to ring you a taxi every time you want to go somewhere. \nFor a B+B guesthouse it would be of a good standard and the breakfast is very impressive in a lovely room, but it has hotel prices so is totally not worth it. \nWe didn't see it until too late but the Lonely Planet calls it a \"drastically overpriced option\".\nAll the positive reviews here are from people who stayed in suites not a standard room.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "My husband and I just returned home from a 5 day stay in San Francisco to celebrate our 10th anniversary. According to our budget, we could only afford one night in a really nice hotel, so I spent lots of time researching different hotels. The Hotel Drisco's reviews stood out among the others. \n We were not disappointed upon arrival. The neighborhood was quiet and beautiful. The staff were all more than gracious and helpful. The room was beautiful and well appointed. After a long, busy 4 days exploring the city, it was so nice to enjoy the bath amenties and a long relaxing soak.\n With the plethera of dining choices available in San Francisco, we had contemplated going out for breakfast after checking out, but we decided to stay and enjoy as much of this little gem as we could before leaving. The hotel breakfast had a wonderful selection of foods and we enjoyed a quiet start to our long day of travel homeward. \n All in all, we found the Hotel Drisco to be absolutely romantic and charming. Our only regret was that we couldn't have spent every night of our stay at the Drisco. We look forward to spending much more time there in the future.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I searched high and low for just the perfect hotel for our ONE and ONLY Night in San Francisco. We had traveled to San Francisco all the way from Virginia, and I was so looking forward to Staying at the Drisco. Whe we walked in, it was just like I had imagined, lovely, just like the pictures. I could not wait to get checked in and see the beautifully decorated early 1900's king size room, that hopefully had a city view like I had requested. Upon checking in I was told that they had given our room away to a guest that had wanted to stay another night. There was only one room left, but they would give it to us complimentry. They showed us the room, it was down a hall across from the front desk, it was very, very small, had a view of a window of another room, AND we did not have a bathroom in the room. We would use a bathroom down the hall. The bathroom was just for our own use, but it WAS DOWN THE HALL!!! I was sooo disappointed. It was later in the day, and we had been seeing the cites all day, we were tired and just were looking forward to relaxing and enjoying a beautiful room. I was speechless, as I was just so disappointed in our accomidations. \n The service was very nice, the breakfast very nice too, but I just could not get over my disappointment of the room, the view that did not exist, and the bathroom being down the hall. It just was very disappointing for our ONE and Only night in SF. I could of stayed anywhere in San francisco, but I chose the Drisco because of the reviews, location, and quaintness of the rooms that I had read about. I just feel like the Hotel should of offered us a room somewhere else in SF, (and there are many) in another one of the hotels the Joie de Vivre Hospitality boutique hotel's, that company own. \nAmy A.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 41}, {"text": "We didn't really know what to expect upon our arrival, but we were definately impressed with every aspect of this hotel! We checked in to find that we were upgraded to a larger room - when we arrived in our room, the radio was playing jazz - that was a nice touch. The attention to details throughout the property are impressive. The colors of pure white, soft creams and pale yellows are soothing. The linens and ammenities are of high quality. The location couldn't be more perfect for us, situated in Pacific Heights, walking distance to the best shopping and restaurants in the city. The breakfast that they serve was also very nice. We enjoyed our stay so much that we have already returned since this first visit - we will be back again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I just returned from a 3 night stay with my husband and my parents. There are only great things to say about this hotel. The rooms were charming, clean and very comfortable. The common spaces invited you to relax while reading the morning paper or over mid-afternoon tea. The staff was welcoming and very helpful. I can't say enough about the location. It is the perfect spot for seeing some of the the most breathtaking views of the city. Being so close to Union and Fillmore Streets made it easy to find a variety of great restaurants nearby. I would highly recommend this hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My fiance and I stayed at this hotel for 2 nights over the x-mas holiday. Firts of all, the location is beautiful, nestled in the middle of Pacific Heights, which is essentially several square blocks of mostly older mini-mansions. Parking was never a problem right on the street alongside the hotel. At check-in, we were told we were upgraded to a \"junior suite\" at no additional charge, and we didn't even request one. The hotel is very antique-looking and charming, with creaky wooden floor planks and all. The free breakfast buffet was very good (fruits, cereals, toast, muffins and fresh squeezed o.j.) and the staff was great. We were treated to nightly turn-down service and the staff went out of their way to make our stay comfortable (bringing us a space heater when it got a little cold and calling taxis for us whenever needed). My only complaints are that there was some renovation going on during our stay and it was quite loud, but it was quiet at night and we were out all day sightseeing so it wasn't a huge factor. Also, our upgraded suite was on the dining room level, which is essentially underground, so we had absolutely no view. Other than that, it was very comfortable and a decent value for San Francisco.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "My family and friends stayed at the Drisco for 3-4 days in November, attending a family event. We used 7 single rooms and a suite. All of our friends were raving about our selection of our \"headquarters hotel\" The rooms were elegant, the service first class, the amenities outstanding, the breakfast more than we could eat and the manager, front desk and housekeeping staff were extremely helpful and accommodating, meeting all our requests. I would recommend the Drisco without any hesitation. For my money, the top hotel in San Francisco in a great, quiet neighborhood.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husband and I spent four nights at the Drisco the first week of October.\nWhat a wonderful hotel! Everything was just beautiful. We had a suite with a king size bed, a large bathroom, and the most stunning views from the many windows.\nThe most delightful thing was to come in the evening and not to have lift a finger. The bed is already turned down, the shades pulled, and delicious cookies await you. Ice is left in a bucket, so you don't even have to get it yourself. \nThe hotel is spotless, and parking is plentiful is this residential neighbourhood. The breakfast buffet is very generous and the display of food very elegant. \nWe wanted to stay an extra night, even at the cost of paying a penalty to change our airline tickets, but to our regret the hotel was full.\nThank you El Drisco for wonderful memories!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "At the last minute before we left for our trip to San Francisco, I changed our hotel from downtown to the Hotel Drisco. We really liked the location of the hotel. It was so much quieter and felt safer than downtown. The staff was very friendly and helpful. The rooms are smallish but clean and feel posh. There are restaurants and bars on Fillmore street within walking distance and downtown is only a few minutes away by cab or car. I would reccommend this hotel. Very nice.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "If you are looking for a quiet & lovely hidaway from the hustle & bustle usually found in a big city, this is your hotel. Beautifully appointed rooms with fabulous admenities. Quiet nieghborhood within walking distance to quaint little shops and delicous restaurants nearby. My fiance' and I loved it so much we are spending our first honeymoon night there. The front desk staff was brillantly helpful. And because of their recommendation we found the prefect location to host our wedding reception dinner.\nRooms are uniquely restored in up holding the old fashion glamour known of its time.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Our stay at the Hotel Drisco was one of the highlights of our recent trip to San Francisco. Our room was very comfortable, spacious and beautifully decorated. We loved the delicious buffet breakfast in the sunny dining room every morning. The staff were very helpful and attentive. Most importantly, because the Drisco is in a residential neighbourhood, it's very quiet at night which we really appreciated. \nWe hope to visit SF again soon and would definitely stay at the Hotel Drisco.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husband, son and I recently stayed at the Hotel Drisco. We were treated wonderfully at this small, charming hotel in a great, walkable neighborhood. The staff excels at making one feel at home and well-cared for (even with a bouncy child). They deserve all the praise they get and a repeat clientele.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We were encouraged by friends who live in SF to try the Hotel Drisco and we were not disappointed. My husband and I have been coming to SF for 27 years and we have stayed in many premier properties but this was our first time in the Pacific Heights area. If you want to be near downtown and Union Square, this is not the place for you although the Drisco offers free morning shuttles to downtown. We loved the ambience, the view, the size of the room, the personal attention and the quietness of this charming jewel of a hotel in a beautiful residential setting. The service is friendly and attentive in this small luxury hotel without being presumptuous. We will definitely go back!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I had high hopes for our trip to San Francisco and staying at the Drisco ensured a wonderful trip. From my first contact with the staff to make our reservation, everything went incredibly smoothly. The staff is exceptional, always willing to go the extra step. They are professional yet friendly and if they can't answer a question immediately they will find the answer quickly. The actual number of staff is also impressive. The hotel is located in a magnificent area in SF and while it is not in the center of all the action, the view from the hills of Pacific Heights is far more exciting. The hills are rigorous but we also had a car and we had no trouble parking. You do have to move the car every three hours but the staff offered to do it for us if we weren't around! We had no trouble getting a cab as the hotel called them for us and they were there within 10 minutes. You are also near the Fillmore Street and Chestnut Street shopping areas which are a lot of fun. Our family stayed in a lovely two bedroom city view suite, which gave us ample room and stunning views. The bathrooms are large and well appointed. The continental breakfast and wine and cheese hour included for all guests makes the Drisco even more special and affordable. The dining room and sitting rooms are quite comfortable and inviting. We stayed a week and were extremely happy and would not even think of staying anyplace else when we return to SF.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "What a treat! We came to San Francisco on our way to Carmel for our honeymoon. We were there for one night. \nThis place is top notch. It is considered 3.5 stars but we felt like we were at a 5 star hotel. The staff was friendly and helpful, like we were family. They upgraded us to a suite and it was over the top. The bellman was experienced, graceful and very accommodating. The rooms were clean, beautifully decorated with every attention to detail. Any request we had was met promptly and with class. We stayed at a \"5 Star\" in Carmel Valley and after the El Drisco, we were so spoiled! It didn't hold a candle to El Drisco.\nExcellent location away from the chaotic city down the hill. If you like walking, the neighborhood has the most beautiful homes. Caution..lots of steep grade hills so don't attempt if you aren't in decent shape. \nWe will stay here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My wife and I stayed here for a week on our honeymoon. After navigating the complicated streets of downtown San Francisco (ie: Market Street), we arrived at the hotel ready for a break from the day of travel. Check in was simple and the staff was courteous and helpful. Although they don't have room service for meals and there isn't a restaurant around for blocks for a quick meal, the front desk offered menus to places who would deliver within an hour. The restaurant we ordered from wasn't magnificent by any means, but it beat trying to find a restaurant after only 1 hour in the city for the first time. \nHonestly, I was ready to leave San Francisco and we had only been there for 1-2 hours!!! Luckily, after winding down in a very quiet room with a city view, windows open with a cool breeze, and an extremely comfortable bed with enough covers to keep you warm through a blizzard, the next morning was a new day! \nMaps are essential if you have never been to S.F. We had a rental car and although parking was terrible in the city, at the hotel, parking was a breeze! Only a few steps away from the hotel and never had to pay. (Best parking is on Broderick St. towards Broadway or Jackson). Even if you plan to leave the hotel and use the MUNI system during the day, the hotel staff will move your car for you every 2-hours to avoid a ticket. This was nice! Check out CITYPASS for great deals in San Francisco.\nFor the best rate after getting on-line quotes, I called the hotel to see if they could do better. Their rate was cheaper than any online site and I didn't have to mention a quoted price. Since we don't drink and there was complimentary champagne for our honeymoon, the staff substituted another drink in its place which was really nice. The buffet breakfast was a blessing each morning from 7AM to 10AM. Ice and cookies are served to the room each day around 5:30PM which my wife and I looked forward to when we got back each day from the city. \nSeveral changes/improvements we would recommend.... 1. Offer heat in the bedroom, even during the summer. It can get cold, even with the windows shut. (They do offer to turn it on for you, but we didn't see the need or trouble for them to do so just to \"get warm\"). 2. A more consistent staff meaning same faces, same place. What I mean by this is the front desk seemed to have a different person working it every time we passed throughout the week. This in no way hindered service and all were nice, but it's good to be consistent. 3. And lastly, more water pressure in the tub/shower. It was enough to get by, but we like a little more pressure.\nLocated in a very quiet neighborhood, easy parking, great views, and a charm found only in select places, we recommend Hotel Drisco to others and plan on staying here for future visits.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I just wanted to add my two cents. My wife and I purchased three nights at the Drisco from one of the luxury deal Web sites and stayed there in late October-early November of 2004. We had a suite with an unobstructed view looking southward -- nothing particularly spectacular, but still quite nice in that it gave the room a very airy feel. And the room itself was drop-dead gorgeous, just like the photos they publish on the Web site. It was very clean (and the hotel cleaning staff were very nice too), and we felt quite taken care of there. The breakfast was wonderful, probably the epitome of \"continental breakfast\" -- everything was fresh, and the atmosphere was first-rate. The front desk staff was a little hit or miss -- sometimes imperious, other times very accommodating -- but that was a minor quibble. It was so nice to be away from the downtown noise; the early morning hours there were downright serene. As another reviewer mentioned, parking is hard to find, but it's not impossible.\nOne thing I'm picking up from all the other reviews -- if you're going to stay here, you probably need to get a suite. There are a few horror stories among the reviews, and it seems like all these bad stories come from those who didn't have a suite.\nIf we can afford it or find another deal, we'll definitely be staying at the Drisco the next time we go to San Francisco. The hotel itself was one of the high points of our trip.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We spent 4 nights at the Drisco in early March, which was 3 nights too many for us. I'll try to keep my comments brief. We had stayed at a terrific \"boutique\" downtown hotel (the same chain) the previous 4 nights and really looked forward to a change of atmosphere in a residential neighborhood - and boy did we get one. \nThe room was booked directly through the hotel website. We were given a hot, dark room on the 3rd floor overlooking an interior courtyard - the spectacular Pacific Heights views we anticipated were nonexistent unless we hung out in the hallway or on the roof. Through the window, we were in earshot of every noise from other hotel rooms and the adjacent apartment building - frankly, I prefer street noise to flushing toilets, baby crying, coughing, sneezing, and various other bodily functions. We had no fan and no AC, and the room was ridiculously hot even though it was 55-65 degrees outside every day. The bed was like a rock. Yes, the room was pretty and the bathroom was large, but who wanted to spend any time in a hot, dark, loud room? Strangely, every other room on our floor had a \"theme name\" posted on the door - ours didn't - and I don't think they would take my suggestion for a name. \nFront desk hotel staff were aloof. They promptly reminded us that the rewards program we signed up for on the chain's website does not include this hotel; I guess I should have read the fine print. The continental breakfast they serve is on par with any other chain, nothing spectacular, and we felt rushed by the busboys. The business center, while comprehensive, charges you $4 for every 20 minutes of computer time and $0.20 per page to print. I felt nickel-and-dimed, especially since the downtown hotel we had just checked out of included these services at no charge.\nPacific Heights has lovely homes and unparalleled city views, but be forewarned: parking is nonexistent on weekdays (resident permits only). Restaurants and shopping on Fillmore and Union Streets are not far to walk to as the crow flies, especailly since they are downhill. However, the return trip is a strenuous, extremely steep climb up a 300' hill. Bus routes are at the bottom of the hill, so be prepared to seriously exert yourself every day. None of this is the Drisco's fault - but it would be nice if they offered some sort of shuttle service. Speaking of shuttles - if you book any bus tours from the Fisherman's Wharf area, they will not pick you up or return you to the Drisco since the hotel is far from the downtown area and situated on the hill. Bottom line: bring money for taxis.\nPerhaps the Drisco would be OK for a one night stay to see the Pacific Heights neighborhood, but next time I will remain downtown.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "We just returned from a 3 night stay at the Hotel Drisco. The hotel is very nice and is in a nice neighborhood. Parking is not difficult to find, but be aware that there is only a 3 hour limit on parking anywhere near the hotel without a permit which the hotel does not provide. The bellhop was nice enough to move our car for us when we were gone all day. Initially we got our room for $195 from hotels, when we arrived we were dissappointed to find out that this is for the very least desirable room on the basement floor of the hotel. The room was tiny and it was very hot that day and this hotel does not have air conditioning. Be aware that these rooms look absolutely nothing like the ones in the brochure or the website. We did upgrade to a suite which was very nice and comparable to the pictures on the website. But we did have to pay an additional $70 (they tried to charge us an additional $139/night). The service was very good and the bellhop and maids were very nice. There was one particular person at the front desk who was very stuffy and not welcoming to us. The breakfast was very average. Probably would not stay here again but the suite was very nice.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "The Hotel Drisco had excellent customer service. For example, the staff knew our names, worked around our schedule to clean the room, and were just friendly overall. We stayed in a suite and it was simple, but beautiful, and had a great view of the city. Also, the bathroom was spacious and completely updated. Further, we particularly liked the fact that it was located in a nice, quiet neighborhood and we could walk to Union Street. The only drawbacks were 1) parking can be difficult because it is a residential street, and 2) there wasn't room service (in terms of food - although they do have breakfast items available in the mornings). We truly enjoyed staying there and hope to return everytime we go to SF.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}]}, "576787": {"reviews": [{"text": "I stayed here two nights (Wed + Thurs) in April. Overall, this hotel is fantastic, and certainly a 5-star.\nThings to like:\n1. The most comfortable bed, hands-down, of any hotel I have stayed at in the country (and I have stayed in hundreds the past 15 years). Their beds beat the Westin Heavenly Bed, Sheraton's, Marriott's new bed, etc.\n2. Beautiful 42-inch plasma screen. Click the functions button on the remote and you can quickly adjust the \"stretch\" or \"no-stretch\" for analog channels (like Fox News) for your own preference. The HD channels (local networks, ESPN, Discovery) are awesome!\n3. Great shower with a cool pivoting Grohe-brand dual showerhead, with plenty of water pressure. You can pivot the hole dual-array down and towards the wall when first starting the water to avoid freezing/scalding, get the temperature the way you like it, and then pivot it back up high. It can pivot high enough to keep basketball players happy, and low enough to keep vertically-challenged people happy.\n4. LCD screen in the bathroom is a nice touch.\n5. Front desk staff quickly remember your name for the next time you walk up.\n6. Boston Acoustics clock radio has great sound, and was pretty easy to adjust it's alarm.\n7. Wireless Internet is free in the rooms (but not in the Meeting rooms...see below).\n8. DVD player and electronic safe are tucked below the TV cabinets's \"bar\" in the top two \"drawers\".\n9. Meeting facilities on the second floor are top-notch, with very helpful staff. The bathrooms in the public areas are so nice that they keep a stack of fresh cloth towels instead of paper towels or blowers to dry your hands (basket down below to toss them into).\n10. I am a Hilton HHonors member at a VIP tier (Silver), so I got the letter under my door the first evening offering a voucher for complimentary breakfast pastries in the restaurant each morning (regrettably, I did not partake).\nThings that are not-so-nice, or at least stuff to know:\n1. Self-parking was impossible mid-week. All local parking lots within a few blocks were ALL full...we checked. Pull up to the curb and use the Valet ($25/night) and save the hassle of looking. As mentioned in another review, getting your car will take more minutes than is typical for most hotel valet's...perhaps the valet parking is far away too. Plan to call from your room before you need your car to save some time.\n2. No Ice Makers found on any floor. Staff is very happy to bring ice to you, but if you like \"self-service\" for something as simple as ice, you'll have to adjust :)\n3. The elevators secure ALL floors, requiring you to swipe your room card. The only problem is the card reader is probably the least \"people-friendly\" card reader I have ever seen. You have to swipe your card in a direction that appears to be upside-down and backwards (to me) to get it to work. Several times I would swipe the card in all 4 possible motions with no luck. By the second day, I figured out the one side and direction to use and started getting better luck, but a second or third swipe was typically needed.\n4. There is no setting on the room A/C to have the fan blow continuously. I am a light sleeper, and to drown out traffic noise or activities in hallways, I love to set a hotel room's fan to continous to act as \"white noise\" and give me a deeper sleep. Even when the A/C is running, it is dead silent with no air noise. Other people might like it better this way, but I do not. Still, the bed is so darn comfortable (feels like several inches of pillowtop) I slept like a log anyway.\n5. Wireless Internet in the meeting rooms on the second floor is NOT free (different SSID, etc.) even though it IS free in your hotel room.\nFor a great business meeting/event, or a special occasion for a romantic getaway, the Conrad Indianapolis is outstanding, and definitely worthy of an expected 5-star rating.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "First of all, we had not planned on staying at the Conrad. I am an HH Diamond level member who was traveling in Indy with my mother. When we arrived at the Homewood Suites on the Northside (86th/Keystone), they did not have a room available. As we were going to be outspaced anyway, we requested that they call the new Conrad. The Conrad responded with an unbelieveable rate, and we were down there in half an hour!\nEverything is professional, and thorough there. The rooms are spotless, the service impeccable, and the furnishings tasteful. \nWe had a small, but comfortable room on the 18th (top) floor (there are indeed floors above 18, but they are private residences) facing west. \nGiven that my mother had traveled all night from California, and I from Hawaii - we were tired. They did not blink when we checked in around noon. We were given coupons for pastries at a downstairs restaurant (which, regrettably, we did not use).\nThe bell staff is professional, courteous and best of all WELL TRAINED. There is nothing I would rather see as a road warrior than friendly and well trained staff at a hotel. The same can be said for the valet staff.\nIf I had to find fault with anything ... it would be difficult ... however, we did not get the turndown service with the Fiji water. Admittedly, this could have been our fault as we napped from 6 to 8.\nSunday morning, we ordered room service. The food was good (predictably expensive, but what would one expect?), and best of all was delivered at EXACTLY the time promised when ordered. He said it would be there at 12:06 ... and at 12:06 there was a knock on the door. \nThe dual-head shower is a treat, as is the flat screen TV situated abeam the commode (for viewing while showering or bathing). \nWhen you check-in, a discrete phone number is assigned to your room so that you may accept phone calls without having to have them routed through the front desk. \nThis property is absolutely of the highest quality - one can only hope that the polish will remain after a few years in the business.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Just back from my first stay at the Conrad. Overall, it was a good experience. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I had been assigned a corner suite (living room w/ small bathroom, separate bedroom with full bathroom, TV's in every room, DVD players in Living Room and Bedroom) on the 14th floor. Check-In was quick, and I was up relaxing in my room in no time.\nAbout an hour later, an envelope was delivered to my room by a front desk worker. Inside was a letter from the Guest Recognition Coordinator welcoming me to the hotel along with my voucher for all you can eat pastries and beverages at the Vitesse from 6:30 to 10:30 AM. Later that night (after returning from a Pacers game), I came in to find the arrival amenity (a bottle of Fiji Water and a pair of white Conrad slippers) next to my bed.\nBreakfast at the Vitesse was great. No one else was there when we arrived (around 10), so we had tons of things to choose from. The staff was also kind enough to bring us a plate of fresh fruit to go with our pastries. I didn't eat at the Restaurant Du Soleil, so I can't comment on that.\nThe pool & fitness areas were nice and quiet during our stay. The TV's embedded in the cardio equipment helps to break the monotony, as does the view of the street out front. They have a good selection of quality free weights and machines, as well as medicine balls and mats to use for floor exercises and stretching.\nCheckout was quick and painless. The valet was a bit slow getting my car out of parking, but that was only because the paper ID tag fell off of my keychain and they weren't sure if they were mine or not. Overall, I had a great time here. The only problem I can think of is that neither of the doors had a \"Do Not Disturb\" sign, which would have helped when the maid came flying in around 9 AM on Saturday. Can't wait to stay again when I'm in Indy the next time.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}]}, "1175274": {"reviews": [{"text": "We stayed at this amazing hotel for 3 nights during our California honeymoon. They upgraded us to a 2-bedroom, 2 bathroom condo with a full kitchen, fireplace and unbelievable views of San Francisco Bay & Alcatraz. The hotel is a 5-minute walk to the famous Fisherman's Wharf where you'll enjoy some of the best food you've ever had. The hotel has a car service, which we took advantage of since we're from Florida and not used to all of the hills. They served a complimentary continental breakfast and had a wine & cheese hour each day. This hotel made our first trip to San Francisco extra special and we can't wait to return.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We have been several times in SF and have stayed in many hotels. This was excellent experience. Professional and helpful staff, nice location. As visitors from Europe we would rate this place as real 5 star hotel, if you wish to have kitchen, bicycles for city tour, transfer within 3 km range, complimentary breakfast, afternoon tea and wine, internet. And, surprisingly for USA hotels, all above mentioned - included in your room rate. \nThere is nice wine shop in Ghirardelli Square with good quality wines. Be sure to mention your guest status to receive discount.\nDefinitely this would be place I would recommend this place for all kind of travelers.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We made reservations to stay at the Fairmont at Ghirardelli Square over 4 months ago. We carefully chose that location because of its walking proximity to what we wanted to see, as well as its amenities (kitchen, laundry, etc) which fit the needs of our young family. We had read the TripAdvisor reviews and were very excited about our upcoming stay there. Then 48 hours before our arrival we were contacted by Fairmont at Ghirardelli Square and told that they were overbooked. They were moving us to the Fairmont at Nob Hill. We tried to speak of it to them in terms of moving us being a choice for us to do or not, but it became clear to us that despite our longstanding reservation that they did not particularly see it that way. \nTo their credit they arranged for us to stay at the Fairmont at Nob Hill and they picked up the room charge. Was that generous on their part? Yes, it most certainly was generous. Was staying at the Fairmont Nob Hill a convenient or satisfying experience for us? No, it was not. If we had wanted to stay at a business oriented hotel, not within walking distance to many major attractions, without en suite kitchen or laundry, and not particularly friendly to young children -- then we would have booked at the Fairmont Nob Hill in the first place. \nI am not implying the Fairmont at Ghirardelli Square was not generous in agreeing to pick up the hotel charges for the less luxurious and more inconvenient accommodations they provided to us. They were. I appreciate that many hotels would not have done as much. However, we were never given the courtesy of even being told why our reservation of 4 months was not being honored. Instead the tone from the Ghirardelli was more one of we should be content with what they chose to give us. It is that aspect that seems quite inconsistent with a #1 rated hotel.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "This is my third stay at this property. I booked a 3 bedroom city view months ago. When we arrived, we were downgraded to a 2 bedroom unit. I needed a 3 bedroom for we had 6 people in our unit. I was very disappointed that the manager had overbooked the hotel and had not called prior to our arrival to discuss this situation. Our stay was nice, however we booked a 3 bedroom unit so no one would disturb anyone if they got up early. I think Fairmont could have handled this much better. We were sent a dozen cupcakes and a bottle of wine for the issue but I feel if you were staying at the Ritz Carlton, they would have handled this issue with a better comp. \nI am returning in December but am now concerned this could happen again. No one likes to sleep on a pull out couch in the family room.\nOne final note....on our second night, we did not receive housekeeping. We were gone all day so there is no excuse for this.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "622833": {"reviews": []}, "108981": {"reviews": []}, "1189576": {"reviews": []}, "1023853": {"reviews": []}, "557377": {"reviews": []}, "2008152": {"reviews": [{"text": "I planned a girl\u2019s long weekend with 5 friends who flew in from around the country. We had a terrific time, but there were some serious hiccups along the way that marred the experience. I made our reservation several months in advance, and was told that Travaasa would charge one night for each of the 3 rooms I booked at the time of booking. When I checked my credit card a few weeks later, I found that they charged me for the total experience, instead of the just the lodging and classes I had booked...which was three times the amount they were supposed to charge me. Once I called, they apologized and refunded the overcharge to my card. I told the representative that this error made me nervous, since sight unseen I had convinced my friends to fly to Texas for this trip, and I didn't want things to go wrong. I was assured this was an isolated incident, and they would work to make sure everything would be wonderful.\nWhen we arrived the resort was very attractive, and the pool was lovely. Our rooms were not in the building I had reserved because we were told it was being remodeled. It would have been nice to have been contacted about this. There was a big variance in the size of the rooms, despite all being the same price, and some people were not happy to have such a small space. \nWe enjoyed the setting, the classes, the pool, and spa. The spa treatments were outstanding and facilities were lovely. The food and service were above average at the restaurant, but the hours were very limited and even the bar closed by 9:00 or 10:00 pm. Because the resort is so far out and roads are windy and dark, it's not optimal to go to an outside restaurant or bar late at night. The housekeeping service was spotty. Twice rooms were not cleaned, and we had to request for housekeeping to come. They left cookies in one room but not in the other two on one occasion, and on two other occasions they left one cookie in rooms with two guests...were we supposed to share the cookie? The topper was our last evening, when the single cookie left in our room appeared to have a bite taken out of it. We thought it was so ridiculous that we took a picture of the half-eaten cookie wrapped in a pretty bag with ribbon.\nThe real problem started our last evening, when we tried to do an early checkout, since several members of our party had crack of dawn flights and we were leaving very early the next morning. To call the night front desk staff incompetent would be an vast understatement. All six bills were incorrect, and they didn\u2019t seem to be able fix them, even after 45 minutes of explaining. They asked that we come back in the morning, when the day staff was there. So we woke up extra early to try and fix the errors, but they still couldn\u2019t figure out the problems. We had to leave to make flights, but we were assured that the accounting staff that came in at 9:00 am would be able to rectify all the issues and they promised to email us the corrected bills. Only one person received a bill. Two others had their credit cards charged the wrong amount. It took several phone calls and emails over a couple week period to get it all straightened out. Three of the emails I sent to Travaasa staff went unanswered. I was really embarrassed that the trip I planned had these kinks my friends had to suffer through.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "111393": {"reviews": [{"text": "Let me give you the male perspective. It isn't worth the price! Yes the location is scenic, yes the spa is cool but hell NO it isn't worth the price! The food was fine. The wait staff seemed as if they came from a diner. I've been to several over the top spas and when I recently read this one was one of the best in the nation, I laughed out loud!! Now for the worst part, I used 500,000 amex point for this luxury vacation. oh well, should have done some more research!", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Just returned and I can't believe this place gets the second highest rating of all spa's in the country. What comes up for me is that they have no idea who they are and what they are trying to be. Let me tell you what is great about the place then we'll get to the shortcomings. The food is superb. The portions don't matter because you can order as much of everything as you want. Try it all, it's great and for the most part healthy with calories and fat content clearly marked on every dish. Classes were good and so were most of the instructors. Liz and Catherine were very nice and knowledgable. Now for the downside....the food servers other than Stacy are unbelievably bad! No knowledge of the food or personality or manors for that matter. Just pathetic. Wait until you experience the \"whatever, I don't know\" attitudes or the \"we are out of that, haha and I'm sorry\" Have you ever known a place that charges these outrageous prices and then says \"Sorry, we didn't think everyone would want that so we didn't buy enough food\" every night? Seriously, be sure to be at the dinner table 5 minutes before they begin to serve so that you have a chance of getting what you want. No smiles, no \"how is your stay\"? Nothing that would lead me to believe that anyone even cares how your stay is. Just going through the motions and taking the money. Spa facility is nice but again the staff is at best averge. Nothing special, just going through the motions. Spa services are below average and rushed. Beds are old and dated as are the very small cabins. I've been to many, many spa's and exceptional resorts around the country and this one wouldn't even make the top 20 in my book. Save your money and time with this one.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Warning!! \nDo not buy Lake Austin Spa's Gift Certificates.\nThey do not honor them after a year. It is a bad policy.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "My sister and I have been all over the country trying to find the perfect spa getaway and we found it! The facilities are clean, \ncomfortable and welcoming. There are such a variety of spa treatments to choose from that was the hardest part! \nThe staff in every area was amazing. This is a perfect getaway for a group of us or even alone. Best kept secret in Texas!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husband and I just returned from a 5 day, 4 night stay. (Aug. 5 - 9) Overall, it was a relaxing vacation - we never left the property so all we did was eat (the food was a highlight - very fresh, very tasty), workout (the variety of classes was nice) and go to the spa (nice facilities, clean and neat). The only drawback was the high price. We felt that it was very expensive - the room was nice, but nothing special. While the spa was nice, it was also very expensive. My husband also commented that it would be better for a girls getaway rather than a romantic couples' escape - I think the atmosphere and the decor gave him this feeling. Overall, we felt that we could have eaten well, done similar activities and stayed at a comparable property for a lot less money.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Just came back from a 5 day stay at the Lake Austin Spa, and it was terrific. The location is beautiful, and the spa treatments are great. I am in the hospitality industry, so I can be very picky when it comes to hotel rooms, hotel service, etc. I can honestly say that the service here was top notch, and the rooms and spa were well maintained and spotlessly clean. We had a garden room which had two queen beds, lovely terracotta tile floors and a two sink bathroom with plenty of room for all of the toiletries and makeup that two women could bring with them. The food was also great. Some have commented that the portions are small, and this is true if you compare them to the supersize plates that we in the US are used to. \nWe spoke to a number of people who had been to Canyon Ranch, and many preferred Lake Austin for its more personalized attention. I would definitely return here!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I thought some of Lake Austin Spa was great. The grounds, the spa. Some of what wasn't so great, bad attitude by kitchen staff when you ordered room service, a fireplace in my room that didn't work properly, waiting over an hour to get an iron & ironing board, very small portions of food. I have been to a lot of spas. I thought it was too overpriced for what it was. The cottage rooms were kind of quaint but not what I would expect out of a place that is supposed to be a luxury resort. Also you can't sleep in here. My cottage was across from the main building, so you hear the delivery people & employees slamming car doors early in the morning. Go to Rancho Valencia in Rancho Santa Fe, California instead, now there's a high class resort, where you have privacy.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 24}, {"text": "My husband and I recently stayed at Lake Austin Spa and had a wonderful time. This is a great destination spa. I have stayed at Canyon Ranch Tucson, Miraval, Sonoma Mission Inn and Ojai Valley Inn and Spa before and I would rank them in this order:\n1 - Miraval/Canyon Ranch (tie for first)\n2- Lake Austin is a very close second and much more bang for the buck\n3 - Ojai\n4 - Sonoma\nLake Austin was definitely less expensive than Miraval or Canyon ranch and just missed being the same league by only a hair. This is quite impressive given the place has been totally renovated and upgraded over the last 3 years. One of the guest we met said that the placed used to be, and I quote, \"a dump.\" Well, it's not a dump now. It is actually a great place to go for top notch service and services in a great spa setting.\nThe fitness classes and lectures were great. The brand new spa was beautiful. The service was impressive. All the staff was so helpful and friendly. The food was amazing! \nIf you are a guy, though, know that there are not many male guests here. Very different from Canyon Ranch or Miraval. There is a definite female feel to this place. Great place for the girls to get away together.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "Just returned home from Lake Austin Spa today!!!\nBest spa facility and treatments we've had in years.\nWhat a great 4 nights me and the lovely wife just experienced. She wanted to go to Lake Austin Spa Resort last year for our 4 year anniversary but we choose another location and were disapointed with the experience. So this year for the 5 year anniversary we decided to try Lake Austin Spa this year; that turned out to be a FANTASTIC decision.\nWe actually were only planning on spending 3 nights but they were offering a speical with a free night so we jumped on that. EVERYTHING was WONDERFUL- the staff go above and beyond to accomidate. My wife needed a refrigerator in the room for her medication- they had a fridge brought up with-in the hour. It's not everday that you recieve service like that so I just wanted to thank Lake Austin Spa for that. My wife and I are both spreading the word. If you are going to a spa....seriously consider Lake Austin Spa Resort.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I stayed for three days at Lake Austin Spa in June, 2004. The location is lovely. The lake and the adjacent hills are picturesque. It's small and quiet. There are lots of activities run by a very personable staff. But guests can just relax if they like. The spa facilities and services are first rate. The food is good as well as healthy (although portions are small--the room service menu is more hearty). My room was terrific. Rustic, homey decor. The staff were all very pleasant and helpful. They allowed me to check in hours early on my arrival so that I'd have more time to enjoy the facilities.\nI hope to go back again--when I can spare the cash. The rates are high, as almost every guest I spoke to commented.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I visited Lake Austin in October. I read the reviews on this site before I went, so I was a bit apprehensive about making the trip. However, I am happy that I did not take the reviews too much to heart. I really had a great time. Lake Austin is like a cozy home away from home. The resort is not large, so you do not feel as if you would get lost in the crowd. The size was just right for me. The accomodations were comfortable, the setting was serene, the food and spa treatments were excellent. I felt as if I was the only person that mattered at any time. The pampering was great.\nAlthough they were well attended, I had no problem signing up for classes. I also was surprised at the variety of activities that such a small place could offer. The staff was very professional and courteous. I could choose to be alone if I wished, but it was great meeting new people over dinner at the friendship table.\nOverall, I would do this trip again. Sure, it could be less expensive, but after comparing packages at other places, I think Lake Austin was a comparable deal. I have no regrets!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "Please take note...Lake Austin Spa is a beautiful, quaint and quiet place to go for pampering and relaxation. However, for the price it is neither outstanding nor extaordinaryl. \nAlso because they have a mandatory three night minimum and rooms are billed per person, you actually have very little price flexibility in building a suitable package. Even for double occupancy, you are billed PER PERSON for the room (that means billed twice for the same room and the total was over $3,000). \nThe Spa itself is lovely, but a spa is a spa is a spa....if you can't stay away, then you do better staying somewhere else and going for the day...you get the same \"extraordinary\" service!", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 40}, {"text": "I agree with the other reviewer. The setting was nice, and the food was very, very good, but it was not what you'd expect for the price. The facilities, and guest rooms seemed outdated, and small (including the weight and exercise rooms). And, it was difficult to get into classes at more popular times. In fact, we signed up for a yoga class the night before, but were unable to get in. The service was not bad, but not what you'd get at a similarly priced hotel, or resort. I did enjoy the spa treatments, but if I returned, I would return for the treatments and stay somewhere else. Don't get me wrong -- we had a very relaxing weekend here, and enjoyed ourselves. It's just too expensive for what it is.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 26}, {"text": "My wife and I recently visited the Lake Austin Spa Resort. It is a beautiful spa with top notch facilities including the newly-opened Lake House Spa. The facilities and setting are really the star attractions. The spa treatments are fine but nothing out of the ordinary for a spa of this type and the staff, both at the spa and throughout the resort,did not impress us. For the prices they charge, we expect seamless, sophisticated service, not college kids and flaky locals. The food and accomodations were very good and the setting borders on the spectacular. Guests not familiar with Austin should know however that Lake Austin, while technically a lake because it is dammed at each end, is really a stretch of the Colorado River and looks like a river rather than what most people would think of as a lake. In the late fall, winter, and early spring this stretch of the lake is generally quiet but during the warmer months (May-September) the lake is very popular with motor boaters and water skiiers and the noise that accompanies them. The lake is also lowered for several weeks during the winter (mid-January-February) in an attempt to kill some of the hydrilla weeds that have been an increasing problem so the property is not nearly as appealing during this time. Overall, the resort has a lot going for it but I don't think it merits the accolades it seems to have received in the travel magazines (they must have a good PR company) and certainly doesn't merit the exorbitant rates. I'd like to see the resort offer some reasonably discounted packages or deals but perhaps they don't feel the need to do so. Until then, we won't be back.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 50}, {"text": "This is not a real health spa. The menu is teeming with meat, cheese, butter, and oil. Veggies come soaked in butter or oil. The tofu is fried. They are very skimpy with the veggies. Everything is pre-made, so it's impossible to get salad dressing on the side. They run out of food every night, so if you like choices, you must get to dinner early. The wait-staff is unfriendly and uninformed about the menu. If you ask for a modification, they look at you as if you have two heads. \nThe accommodations are not luxurious. There is no real hiking. The fitness classes are all at the \"beginner\" level- even those marked as \"intermediate/advanced\" are geared toward the novice. If you want a workout, you must get your own, in the gym, on an elliptical or treadmill. \nI would not recommend this spa to anyone.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "108980": {"reviews": [{"text": "Although we found no previous reviews of this property, we decided to try this Hampton Inn this August for a 5-night stay. The value is definitely there and the attitude of the staff is outstanding. No, it's not fancy but it's well-maintained and clean. The bed was great and the shower was terrific. The continental breakfast was the usual array of pastries, cereal, etc. but there was an attendant who kept things in perfect order and offered a friendly greeting. The pool was immaculate and most welcome to escape the summer heat. This hotel exceeded our expectations: we have paid more in the Arboretum area for far less. It was a great choice and we plan to stay there again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "1675976": {"reviews": []}, "1889883": {"reviews": []}, "114938": {"reviews": [{"text": "I've stayed at a number of places in Austin including the Marriott, the Omni, the Driskill, the DoubleTree Suites. But after experimenting around I find myself returning to the Four Seasons. The first couple of times I stayed here I wasn't that impressed with it as a luxury hotel, but I realized once I tried other places, this was the preferred hotel to be in Austin. \nI think it is the unassuming simplicity of the hotel that threw me off initially - it is not over the top or extravagant in its' decor. But it is immaculately clean, has straight forward service and is consistent in its quality. While it is a mature hotel (less of the 6th Street crowd) I feel comfortable bringing my wife and young children to stay on nonbusiness trips although the regular guest rooms are not really big enough for more than 2 adults and one child.\nOverall, I try to stay here when I travel to Austin. The Driskill has more character, but also seemed to be a popular spot for high school or college functions. The Omni was very ordinary and not on the lake. The Marriott is right by the highway and is also a definite step below the Four Seasons.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I went to Austin for a two day business trip and arrived at the Four Seasons only to find that they did not have a room for me. It was 11:30 PM at night and such a disappointment to have to be shipped somewhere else at such a late hour. I did go back the next day (only because the hotel I went to was sold out that night) and was upgraded due to the situation the prior evening. This was a nice gesture, but the thermostat in the room did not work and my room was heated by the sun for hours. This problem was not fixed while I was there. I had to wait 1 hour for room service to bring my dinner, the staff at the bar were so busy I was only able to order one drink in the 45 minutes that I waited and it was never delivered to me, the towels that were left in my room DEFINATELY weren't fresh, there was hair on the toilet and in the middle of the night I was woken up by a cricket that had found it's way into my room. Upon checking out of the hotel, I expressed my disatisfaction with my stay and asked for a possible reduction in rate. The clerk looked at me like I was crazy and stated \"I can't authorize that and my manger is out of town.\" Obviously this hotel is popular; but for this homegrown Texas girl, I prefer service over myth.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 19}]}, "287572": {"reviews": [{"text": "Stayed the weekend in Indianapolis. Hilton gaarden Inn was great. I came with 2 teenage girls and we had a great time! The hotel staff was very helpful about every thing we needed and places that we wanted to go. We felt totally safe staying in downtown and loved seeing the city. Thank you to the staff at the hilton Garden Inn for being so nice and helpp!!! Would stay again!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "BOOKING IT: We only live a couple hours away from Indianapolis so this was a last-minute decision to get away as a family. On-line the rates were over $200 due to an expo in town, but we called the hotel itself and secured a rate of $159., their rack rate.\nGETTING THERE: The hotel is very close to I-65/70. The hotel itself is well-marked and easy to find. \nTHE HOTEL ITSELF: Outside is made of limestone, Neo-classical period. It is a historical building, the Fletcher Savings and Trust bank constructed it in 1914. In 2002 the Hilton Garden Inn bought and restored the building and opend it in 2003 so everything looks recently remodeled. Inside: the style is sleek and modern, but with the old bones of high ceilings and marble columns. Look up to see the beautiful mouldings. The fireplace would be nice to warm up at in the winter, a nice feature in the lobby! \nOUR ROOM: We loved having room 1522 and would consider it an upgraded room since it was a corner room and so there was more square footage and an additional huge window ! The color scheme is sage green, soft gold and cream. We had two double beds since we travel with our two small children. The bathroom must be handicap-accessable since the door was extra-wide and grip bars were provided in the shower/tub. Our room had a view of Monument Circle, very pretty with the fountain at the base and lots of flowers next to the fountain. The bathroom counter was granite, as was the wall in the shower/tub. Attention was paid to detail, the window treatments are elegant and also have sheers and room-darkening panels. Also, the towels were folded to fan out and toilet paper folded to a point. BONUS: Our room had a microwave and small refrigerator with cabinets to store any food items you brought! So, go ahead and pack that microwave popcorn or if you get in late they sell microwavable meals downstairs! \nSTAFF: EXCEPTIONAL!! The nicest, most helpful people! We are used to working with polite staff, but the group here welcomes in a warm, genuine way and we were asked several times if there was anything we needed. \nPOOL: The reality is better than the internet photos. In reality wall-sconces give up-lighting which is flattering as opposed to the internet photo which looks like it would be florescent lighting. The pool was empty every time except once, we visited five times. There are no slides or diving boards, so bring your own pool toys if you have kids. The pool goes from 3-5 feet and jacuzzi looks like it could fit 8-10 people. A nice feature is that the fitness center looks out to the pool. This is good because: 1) Parents can work out while older kids swim. 2) The fitness center is small and having a wall of glass makes it seem bigger. The fitness center had a bike, stair stepper, weights, treadmills, etc. (Don't forget your room key, you'll need it to unlock the pool doors.) The pool is well maintained, it smells of bleach and we saw several maintenance workers come in to check things, turn on pool lights, etc. Plenty of towels are provided and even a bin to leave used towels. The women's bathroom (I didn't venture in to check out the mens, sorry!) is one big room with plenty of space. A hair dryer is provided and tissues. In one corner is a shower scrubbed to the point that it looks like no one has ever used it. The shower curtain looks new. It could be convenient to swim or workout, then take your shower & get ready right there. \nEXTRAS: Next to the pool is a coin-operated laundry room in case you like to do laundry during your stay. (We don't, so we are assuming that the machines work properly.) In case you forgot the soap, they sell forgotton items and snacks, etc. at \"Pantry Pavillion\" next to the front desk. \nWe did use the business center once. It is well-lit and organized. We had no problems using the Internet in our room and printing off our documents in the business center. \nRoom service is available, I would strongly recommend dining outside the hotel. We are big fans of PF Changs, Starbucks is across the street, there is even a micro-brewery nearby, \"Rock Bottom\". My husband had a business meeting at the hotel's \"Great American Grill\" and noted that the staff were doing their best, but the food itself was not \"great\". Eat elsewhere. \nWe walked to the Circle Center Mall. I would not want to walk there in high heels or in freezing/rainy weather, but in July it was a lovely walk. Bring comfortable shoes. \nWe also recommend the nearby Children's Museum.\nOVERALL: I would say this is a 4-star hotel for families, business travelers, disabled, and singles! If they wanted to move up to 5-star, I would recommend a jacuzzi tub in the bathroom, a cd player, some bathrobes, up-graded bedding (the bedding if comfortable and brand new, but it isn't like sleeping on a cloud such as the Westin's heavenly beds.) and better hotel food service. I would highly recommend this hotel, we have stayed in many hotels in Indy and this is the best 4-star we have found! Uh-oh! The secret is out!! \nTRAVEL TIP: Request the corner rooms!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "Just returned from a stay at this hotel, overall I had a great experience and will definitely return for both business and personal stays.\nThe room was nicely decorated and well appointed. My room included a comfy king size bed, granite counter top in the bathroom, large windows and a very open, spacious feeling due to the 12 foot ceilling. Other conveinces included free internet, a coffee maker, microwave and small refridgerator. The maids do a great job of cleaning up as well.\nThe staff was extremely friendly, helpful and professional. Everyone from the bellman, to the bar tenders and the front desk staff made every effort to make me feel like my business was important to them.\nThe location can't be beat either. It is less than 1 block from the Circle, and also close to the mall, Conceco Fieldhouse and many restaurants. As a single woman who often travels alone for business, I felt very safe at this hotel.\nHaving the business center was a great plus too. There are 2 computers along with a color laser printer and copier/fax machine. The best part was that this was all free.\nI only had a few minor complaints. The exercise room and pool were on the small side. I had dinner twice at the hotel restaurant, American Grill, and found the food to be kind of gross and overpriced.\nIf you want a quick bite, skip the hotel restaurant - Giorgio's Pizza is directly across street - great food and reasonably priced.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "I really wanted to give this hotel 5 stars-everyone was so nice-but there were some missing elements. First, the good. Nice big room, beautiful bathroom, reasonably comfy beds and again, I can't say enough about how lovely everyone was! But-they need to do something about the linens. The sheets werent too bad but they had those horrible synthetic blankets and bedspreads-they need to replace them with duvets, and it would be nice to have some bathrobes.Don't bother with breakfast, the buffet was terrible. \nOther than that, lovely stay with wonderful people.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "Spent two nights at the hotel for a meeting nearby. Starbucks right across the street, nice breakfast buffet in the hotel lobby, and two blocks from the Circle Center Mall. Spacious rooms with free wireless internet access. Will return with family for a weekend outing!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Great hotel, we stayed here for 2 days in November. Had a great time, really nice hotel. But the valet can sometimes take up to 20 minutes to get your car, I would recommend finding your own parking, they havge one across the street for self parking. Overall a nice experience.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "My two children and I went to Indy to see the LOTR exhibit at the State Museum and decided at the last minute to stay downtown. I did not have a reservation, but I did have some Hilton Honors points to spend, so we called the Hilton 800 number. They put us in the Hilton Garden Inn and it was beautiful. Expected to be put in the usual \"freebie\" room somewhere near the boiler room, but they gave us a spacious corner room with windows on two sides and a view of Monument Circle. It was a cold and rainy night, so we didn't venture out, but a call to the desk got us the name and menu for a great little pizza place (affordable, too) across the street that delivered our dinner. Being alone with two kids and not wanting to leave them alone in the room, I must have called the front desk six times for various things and they never once lost patience with me or acted like I was nuts. The only down side was the ventilation fan that blew loudly all night unless you turned the heat off and then it got too cold, which made it difficult to sleep. Well, and the internet access was down. We would definitely stay here again!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed here over New Year's weekend and loved it. The room was nice and clean, we heard no noise from the hallway or other rooms, and the bed and pillows were so comfortable. The only complaint is the breakfast buffet, it could use a little work. But,other than that everything was great. The Hilton will be our first choice when we come to Indy.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed at this hotel for 2 nights in April while attending a convention. The hotel is very nice with a beautify lobby. Rooms are small yet well appointed. Rooms and bathrooms were very clean and came complete with a refridgerator and coffee. Room service was very prompt with good food and reasonable prices. Valet parking is expensive ($19) but they have a self park just around the corner in the Bank One parking garage that is $12 a day with in and out privileges. Room rate is fairly high but is well worth the location and quality of the property. May be able to get discounted rates but since we were attending during a large convention, all hotels were at peak rates. Would definitely stay there again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "The Hilton Garden Inn in Indianaoplis is a fabulous hotel. I stayed based on recommendations on this site and was not disappointed at all. For starters, the location is convenient and overlooks a beautiful monument/circle that you can see from several of the rooms. It feels like it's right in the center downtown and it's an easy walk to a bunch of great food places, a nice mall and several of the sports venues are right nearby.\nI was in town for business and, from the second I walked in, was greeted by pleasant, friendly staff. My original room was right outside of the elevator area and I wasn't crazy about all that foot traffic. So I went back downstairs and a member of the desk staff immediately offered to help me and, upon hearing my concern, reassigned me to an awesome corner room that directly overlooked the Soldier's monument - no problems.\nThe rooms are a great size and you don't feel like you're walking in a circle - they have beautiful high ceilings as well. The bathrooms are also much bigger than the closets you find in some hotels. Both the room and bathroom were incredibly clean and well-situated - better than any other hotel I've been in. The beds are comfortable and the rooms come with complimentary high-speed internet. The housekeeping staff is through and accomodating of special requests (i.e. I left a note on the bed that I didn't need the underblanket and it was neatly folded on the unused bed for the rest of my stay)\nThe restaurant is top-notch - I had some pasta on my first night and you couldn't have told me I wasn't in an authentic Italian restaurant. The staff are friendly without being pushy and there is generally just a relaxed, cool vibe all throughout the hotel. When you need help, it's there but there isn't a constant \"can I help you? can I help you?\" that gets annoying.\nThis is just a really cool place and, even as someone who isn't crazy about hotels in general and is very picky, I can't recommend it enough. The environment is comfortable and the staff is wonderful.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "We went to Indianapolis for the 1st and 2nd round of the NCAA tournament this past weekend. We were fortunate enough to get a booking at this hotel with most hotels downtown booked! We stayed 3 nights and were in walking distance to the RCA dome (4 blocks). The hotel staff was very friendly and courteous. William was always concerned everything was going well and asked how everything was when we were leaving. He also gave us a tip on when we can book a room for the Final Four next year. The whole staff went over and beyond their call of duty to make our stay wonderful. They let us do an early checkin and we needed this because a friend of ours didn't have tix to the first set of games and needed to stay somewhere during this time. \nThe rooms were very clean and quiet(not always the case at hotels). I am a frequent traveler and I found the beds more comfortable than usual. The rooms included a small, tall fridge and a small microwave, which was perfect for a short visit. It didn't seem as though we waited for elevators long either on such a busy weekend. The workout facility was perfect. There were two bikes, ellipticals, and two treadmills all in working order. It also included the dumbbells (small weight ones). There was a pool (not too big) and a very small hottub, which we didn't use. \nWe were very pleased with the hotel overall. I do not have one complaint. Oh, I enjoyed the warm, delicious cookies they had in the late afternoon on the hotel desk. \n** Sidenote: They had secure entrance in the evening along with a security guard.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "We had the priviledge of staying at the Hilton Garden Inn on 03/12/05\nwith our family. We stayed in the 2 bedroom suite. We were greeted by Tony who was very helpful and courteous! He helped my daughter find a secure place in the hotel for her concert grand harp and provided us with excellent driving instructions. Upon check out William was very helpful and let our children stay in the room an extra hour while I was tied up in a meeting. The breakfast that came with the room was a buffet and was good. The hotel was located right downtown in the circle center. We would definately stay there again and look forward to the next visit.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "We stayed here on Feb.25 while visiting for a Pacer's game. Hotel is very clean and the staff is very friendly. They have a pool, hot tub, and exercise facility in the basement which is very nice. The hotel is within walking distance of Conseco and Circle Centre Mall and to save money park at the Hallmark building on Pennsylvania for $8 a night. For breakfast I would recommend La Peep on the corner of New York and Illinois just about a 5 to 10 minute walk from the hotel. Highly recommend, good value for the price.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "We stayed at the hotel for the first time in December, and we were very pleased. It is literally steps away from Monument Circle, which was great for us as we were there for the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra Yuletide Celebration at Hilbert Circle Theatre. The bellman and desk person were both friendly and extremely helpful. If you are worried about paying to park, you can park yourself at the nearby Bank One garage, and the hotel will give you parking tokens to pay for parking. Be careful, though - the access to the garage isn't always open. Check with the front desk, or you may end up frustrated. The room was smaller than I anticipated, but it was very nice. Overall, we were extremely pleased", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We just returned from a two night stay at the Hilton Garden Inn and had a fabulous experience. We can't say enough about the service and staff at this hotel. It was top quality. The location is convenient for shopping and any type of dining that you desire. We would recommend this hotel without reservation.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "The Hilton Garden Inn is in a great location to access downtown Indy. My husband and I just spent five days in Indianapolis and never once took our car out of valet parking. The Hilton Garden Inn is a beautiful hotel with friendly staff. We will stay there again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Fabulous little hotel, awesome location, clean and attractive, tons of charm, wonderful service, great bedroom/bathroom and right in the best part of town. Absolutely loved it and would not have known a Hilton Garden Inn could be this great if not for the accolades by other reviewers. Thanks for the great tip!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Spent New Years eve at the Hilton Garden Inn with my wife and granddaughter and have a GREAT time! If your looking for a great place to spend the weekend, try them out. Staff is very friendly, hotel looks great and the indoor pool was a hit with the granddaughter.\nThere 2 blocks to Conseco (i think) and 1 or 2 blocks to the Mall. We parked the car and spent 2 nights there and had a great time.\nAlthough we live in Indy, we wanted to treat ourselves without having to drive an hour or two. We will be back in the summer when it's a little warmer outside.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I travel 90% of the work weeks. I stay in a lot of hotels. I have never been treated as well over the course of a multi-day stay. The desk staff was unflaggingly friendly and professional, calling me by name both on the phone and upon sight during the entire course of my stay here. The complementary HHHonors Breakfast included made-to-order eggs and kind and professionally attentive servers and chef. The decor was stunning. 27 million spent on renovating a 1900 era building shows in the long stretches of marble floors and the vaulted ceilings. If you go to Indianapolis, stay at this hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}]}, "582252": {"reviews": [{"text": "I often stay at Hilton properties. This business trip I booked the Homewood Suites downtown. What an outstanding property. \nI stay at Homewood Suites often since I do alot of work in the room. And I need some space.\nThis facility has been opened only a couple of months. It is in an old office/warehouse. My room on the second floor had 15 foot ceilings, brick walls, great furniture, and new appliances. The view was nothing, but the size of the room and the great flat screen tv was all I needed.\nThe exercise room is new equipment, typical for this change. No weight machines. The pool is fine.\nThe breakfast and evening light dinner area is large and roomy.\nThis is not the typical Homewood Suites. It is conviently located across the street from a mall. And there are great resteraunts within two blocks in any direction.\nI'll stay here whenever I'm in Indianapolis.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}]}, "120794": {"reviews": [{"text": "My 8 year old daughter and I stayed at the AmeriSuites Indy Airport Speedway June 23 - 26. The hotel is very close to the airport but you rarely heard the airplanes in your hotel room. :-) The beds were comfortable and the decor was new. Our room had a microwave and a dorm sized refrigerator. There was also an iron and ironing board as well as a coffee pot in the room. A four place setting was in the cabinet. \nThe cleaning staff did a great job and the front desk was very helpful.\nThey have a shuttle service within a 5 mile radius. The hotel was very prompt at picking us up from the airport. They also had no problem driving me to the car rental place that was not at the airport. The shuttle driver even gave me great suggestions on eating establishments and entertainment!\nThe hotel had a terrific breakfast each morning from 5:30 - 9:30. The selection was great - cereals, fruit, bagels, eggs, sausage - and even a waffle maker to make your own waffle. They had strawberries and whipped cream or syrup for the waffles. In the afternoon, they popped popcorn for guests to enjoy - as well as set fruit out.\nThe pool was not heated when we were there - but it was in the 90's that week so it made sense. The water was pretty cool for the grownups but the kids didn't seem to mind. :-)\nThere was a convenience store across the street you could walk to - but no restaurant on sight. However, you could use the shuttle service to go to a nearby restaurant if you wanted I'm sure. I saw a gentleman with a page long list of choices. There were also a few restaurant flyers in the room that advertised that they would deliver chinese food and pizza.\nThe weight room was larger than any hotel I have been in. They had many pieces of equipment available to use.\nTheir airport transfer service is 24 hours a day - on demand. They just ask for about 10 minutes notice and they are ready to take you to your gate. Front desk is open 24 hours a day as well.\nHotel is about 7 miles from downtown and it was easy to get there from the hotel. However, hotel does not provide courtesy transportation downtown since it is more than 5 miles. I was told a cab ride from the hotel to downtown would be $15 each way. \nHope this helps and that you have a wonderful time in Indy!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I stayed here for the Indy 500. The hotel is well located only a short distance from the airport - with a complimentary shuttle from the hotel. The rooms all include a kitchenette and are clean, modern and well layed out. \nThe hotel staff were all pleasant and the breakfast buffet was of good quality.\nThe only possible downside is the hotel has not resteraunt (except breakfast) and would probably require a car to reach any resteraunts. There is a gas station located just across the road though that sells some groceries.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "88171": {"reviews": []}, "1479845": {"reviews": []}, "111623": {"reviews": [{"text": "We stayed at this hotel March 28, 2003. We had spent the previous two night in Embassy Suites and were satisfied. They were run by the John Q Hammons group and it made a differnce. The hotel on the outside and the entry way is nice. The rooms were smaller and the bathroom was small and no fan. The in-room movie wouldn't work and the plug was a fire hazard. It took them 30 minutes and two calls to even check on the movie problem. The hot breakfast was average. The fitness room was only three machines and no weights. They do have an arrangement with a gym you can work out at. Get the code for the fitness room as the room key will not get you in. They had an alertercation in the pool area between two families that resulted in a univolved child being hit with a chair in the pool. Fortunately, the child was alright. The management did over half our bill but I would be scared to go back. The hotel was very full that weekend and the management cannot be held resonsible for some rogue guest.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 13}]}, "1206274": {"reviews": []}, "1762915": {"reviews": []}, "239806": {"reviews": [{"text": "The hotel is 3 min. away from Charlotte airport and directly located at the Interstate 85. Perfect if you are too tired after a long flight or you have to be at the airport very early at the morning. Room was clean (only the hair dryer was stinky!), staff was nice. Not bad for $67. If you have a PC, you can connect it to the internet in every room.\nThe neighbourhood offers some shops but no good selection of restaurants.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We recently spent a night here courtesy of US Air when a delayed flight made us (and about 200 other folks) miss connections. I had never heard of the Wingate and by the time the driver got us there I was tired and a bit apprehensive. BUT it was fine, clean and they actually gave us a suite (which at the Wingate means a bigger room with a kitchen area). The lady at the front desk was wonderful and quite helpful as we needed to find a restaurant in the area that was still open at 10:00 pm (not much choice here). This is a hotel that would be good for price conscious business travelers or families - it was clean and had high speed internet access.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 23}]}, "90003": {"reviews": []}, "1230421": {"reviews": []}, "1236680": {"reviews": []}, "674735": {"reviews": [{"text": "A solid 3 1/2 star hotel. They would be a 4 but they're missing some basics. (ala a bathtub in the room, etc.)\nBeautiful hotel rooms with very friendly staff but since it's new they have a lot of little issues that you don't expect for $350++ a night. Ie> TV didn't work properly; ordered a movie that started then stopped in middle; check-in computer not working; room keys randomly worked and we had to keep replacing them daily; phones didn't work consistently; 20+ minute hold times whenever you called a hotel department; no iron in room; very limited gift shop; etc. \nRoom-- The hotel is going for the ultra-modern look where everything in the room is square/very sharp edges that you're bound to stub a toe on or hit/cut you leg. I spent a lot of time in the room trying to avoid jagged edges, sharp tables, corners of chairs, etc. Not relaxing, but I finally moved some of the furniture. The bed was very comfy and you could fully control the temperature in the room. \nBath-- There is no bathtub in the room which is highly stupid for any hotel trying to have some class, but the shower heads were nice and big and shower space is big enough for 3 people. There is a wall shower head and another rainfall type of shower head in the ceiling. Great water pressure. The lighting in the room and bathroom was excellent and bright which I appreciated. (you could set the mood lighting at several different settings) The counter space in the bathroom was plentiful and there is a wall t.v. and phone in the bathroom which was a very nice touch. It had two deep sinks which I liked a lot too. Nice towels, robes and slippers were available.\nFree Internet was also a bonus.\nFood-- I personally found it extremely annoying that Wolfgang Puck thinks he's so special he doesn't have to offer simple items on the restaurant and room service menu\u2014ie> they don't have ranch dressing or other 'norm' salad dressings, don't offer sour cream with potatoes, no type of steak sauce, and lots of other basic items someone might expect in a high end restaurant because that's \"below his standards.\" (and I'm quoting) So basically he's telling me that his needs are more important than mine as a paying guest while he insults me. I'm not a picky eater but I'm not impressed with that level of business intellect. While his food is good, the menu is fairly limited and doesn't anticipate (or care about) guest's needs. Starbucks had more options than he did and the food was actually good for lunch there. \nClientale- I didn't see an issue with the clientale even though it is all over the place ala clearly a cheaper local crowed mixed in with business travelors, real gamblers, etc. The security level was appropriate for any casino property. (and they were friendly) I'm not sure who the hotel is really for actually-- tourists don't really go to Detroit as a destination; smarter gamblers go to Vegas or Tahoe; it's a not honeymoon destination; the hotel doesn't do any Broadway/concert shows. My best guess is that it's for locals and for business people stuck in Detroit who want to gamble. \nOverall the hotel staff freely admits they're a work in progress but if you're looking to fully relax definitely look elsewhere until they get all the kinks out and get it together in a few long months. \nRight now they're just a new hotel experimenting on the guests with the level of service provided and the rooms are way too expensive for that. If I were in Detroit I would probably go back but I definitely wouldn't go just for the hotel and/or the area.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "95302": {"reviews": []}, "782678": {"reviews": []}, "242702": {"reviews": []}, "246937": {"reviews": [{"text": "This is probably one of the best hotels I've ever stayed in. I booked my one night stay at the Blackwell after reading the glowing reviews on this site and I was still surprised at how nice the hotel was, especially in regards to their nightly rates ($109-$139 range).\nReally spacious rooms that had very nice decor and amenities. The in-room coffee tastes better then most coffee shops I've been too. The bathroom was really nice as well - expensive looking soap/shampoo and even a cannister of q-tips. The beds were ultra comfortable and the double workstations, both with their own internet connection, were nice touches.\nI'm not sure about the previous post about the poor event service, but I thought the service I received exceeded those of bigger named hotels. (Most of us are going to be there on short term business or leisure, not for an event, I assume). The valet parkers went way out of their way to help me and my overabundance of UPS boxes that were sent to my attention. Front desk was nice and professional as well - quick, but not hurried, check-in/check-out.\nI could've stayed closer to where my meeting was held at, but I deliberately chose this hotel and I'm really glad I did. Morning rush hour seemed non-existent compared to that of the NYC metro area, so staying an extra 10 minutes away did me no harm. I would definitely stay here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I am a way-too-frequent business traveller who never thought she'd find such a gem in Columbus, Ohio. Like most users of this site, I've stayed in accomodations ranging from scary to super-luxurious, and it never ceases to amaze me how some properties can charge so much money yet give their guests little motivation to return.\nI paid $139/night (plus tax) in early December 2004. I was there for five nights. The hotel was sold out for some nights during my stay. My double room on the 3rd floor had two stylish wood desks built into the wall opposite the beds, w/ proper desk chairs, drawers and shelves, separated by a TV console. A large armchair, table-height table with fold-down sides, separate bar with coffee and ice bucket, safe (big enough to slide my laptop into easily) and nicely-configured closet made this room VERY comfortable.\nEveryone I met during my weeklong stay here seemed genuinely committed to the enjoyment of my stay. How refreshing!\nHere is a list of more \"little things\" that made my stay here special:\n1. Arriving at 1AM, yet the valet and front desk staff were perky.\nI had self-parked in the wrong lot, and the valet suggested I let him worry about moving my car to the right lot while I headed upstairs to get settled in (and get some sleep before my 6AM wake-up call). The front desk called me to ask if I liked my room. Wake-up calls are human-powered and you can get a follow-up call if you want a few more minutes of blissful sleep in the comfy beds.\n2. All areas of the hotel are clean, clean, clean and undamaged.\n3. Free, fast, reliable Internet.\n4. Ice service nightly, with BIG, delicious chocolates.\n5. No stains on carpets, furniture or linens. Nice bathrobe.\n6. Good selection of stationery and pens in room.\n7. Room service food was OUTSTANDING, excellent presentation.\n8. Whenever I called the front desk, the phone was immediately answered.\n9. My FedEx package was waiting for me in my room.\n10. Multi-function alarm clock was easy to figure out ;o)\nAll this service and perks for $139/night. Miraculous for this price range.\nWasn't there anything at all wrong with this hotel? Probably the only negative is that the hotel parking is valet-only, but the cost was included in my room rate and I never had to wait if I called 10 minutes before. There is a parking garage 1 block away, but I am not certain that it allows overnight parking.\nNice breakfast buffet included. I think the rate would have been $109 per night if I did not want parking and breakfast. \nI wish every business trip could be this pleasant.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "100518": {"reviews": [{"text": "THe hotel itself is very nice. THe rooms are large and a fridge/micro is in the rooms. There is a convience store across the street as well. Each room has free high speed internet. The only downside is the breakfast is kind of lame. The typical continental, plus you can make your own waffels. The staff is very nice and courteous. Would recommend to those that are in the area to stay here. Our rate was 58/night king.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 14}]}, "121915": {"reviews": [{"text": "This hotel was great. Even though I live only a little more than an hour from Charlotte, I was attending a concert at the Coliseum and I didn't want to drive back the same night. This hotel was conveniently located right next to the Coliseum. It took minutes to walk to the Coliseum. I will definitely stay there again. The lobby was gorgeous and access to the rooms center around the lobby (kind of like some of the Embassy Suites hotels). It was nice to have a bedroom and a living room complete with a wet bar. The pool area was nice also.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}]}, "100613": {"reviews": [{"text": "We stayed for 2 nights at this hotel and found it very pleasant. The pool was nice and warm and we liked that it was indoor/outdoor. The spa could use a cleaning (don't look into the trap while sitting in there unless you plan to be plagued with sick thoughts-it was black with gunk). The rooms were very clean, the front desk staff so polite and the morning breakfast hot and fresh! It's really nice that TGIFridays shares the parking lot. We will definately stay again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I was very pleasantly surprised with my two nights at Drury Inn/Suites. Many familiar hotels were booked due to college graduation, so I selected Drury. Staff was very cheerful and friendly, rooms very clean and comfortable (bed was rather hard, though). Perks included free hot breakfast buffet (scrambled eggs, sausage, french toast & the usual continental breakfast offerings), free long distance telephone for one hour every evening, free high speed internet. Rate was only $64.99/night (king bed). They also have some suites at the hotel, but I'm not sure of the price. Hotel is on a main drag in the University City area, directly next to a Friday's restaurant. Only negative was driving into the parking lot - The entrance is off a side street, and there's a small center median that blocks your turning left into the hotel. When you think you'll do a U-turn around it... there's a \"no U-turn sign\" there! You have to pull into a small street behind the hotel, do a 3-point turn, and come back out onto the road to pull in the parking lot. Fortunately, once you get your access code at check in, you can get through that rear gate without the funky maneuver. All in all, I'd gladly stay there again, especially for that price.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 32}, {"text": "I stayed at this hotel while on business for 4 days in North Carolina. \nI was very surprised and pleased with the hotel when I arrived. Based on the rate I really didn't expect much, but felt a bit guilty because it was worth much more.\nThe rooms were very clean and well appointed. The high speed internet in the rooms and the data port made my running my business away from home very easy.\nThe breakfast was a step above continental in that it included hot food as well. This is an excellent hotel if you are visiting for business and need the communications without the worry of being nickle and dimed to death for additional services.\nThe guest laundy was a plus because I got snowed in and had some extra time on my hands which allowed me to get all laundry done before I left.\nThe pool and hot tub are small but really all you need since most people were not using the facility.\nAll around I would strongly recomend this hotel as a comfortable convienient, clean well managed location in the university district.\nThere is a TGIF on site and a shopping mall across the street with places to eat and pick up things you may have forgotten to pack. Office Depot, Wallmart, Sams Club, Verizon store, and an electronics store plus much more.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 30}]}, "100632": {"reviews": []}, "655612": {"reviews": []}, "100524": {"reviews": []}, "301309": {"reviews": [{"text": "My wife and I stayed in the Dunhill for 2 weekend nights in June. The hotel is an older property, and I believe part of an Historic Hotel Registry. It is located right in the heart of \"uptown\" Charlotte, in the midst of a rejuvenated downtown area, with many restaurants, bars, and shops nearby. \nI asked for a room on a higher floor to avoid some of the street noise, and the front desk accomodated my request, but there was still quite a bit of noise in the late hours. I don't really fault the hotel for that -- it's to be expected when you stay in the heart of a burgeoning nightlife scene. And the prime location was part of the Dunhill's attraction. What I did have a problem with was the heat. Try as we might, we couldn't get the room to cool down. With the amount of noise coming in through the windows, I assumed that someone had left one partially open, but both the bathroom and bedroom windows were sealed shut. The air conditioner was already turned on high on the lowest temperature setting, and even when we closed the curtains for several hours to keep the sun out, the room still never cooled below the mid-high 80s. To be fair, the weather outside was mid-90s, but I expected at least a 15-20 degree differential, especially with curtains shut and windows closed. I had a very difficult time finding anyone at the front desk to help me with the problem, as twice I tried to find someone. The first time no one was around for a good 5-10 minutes while I waited. The second time, on our way to dinner, the clerk would not pause from her phone conversation to acknowledge me or tell me she would be with me in a moment. Ten minutes later, we left for dinner late, frustrated, and with still no end in sight to the conversation (which was with a customer whose reservations had been lost and who was due in town the following week). When we returned, the room had cooled off only slightly, and we were really too tired to ask to move rooms. We planned to check out the next morning and move to a different hotel, but having made the reservations through Orbitz, I knew they would be non-refundable. Since we were going to be out and about all day and until the late evening again, we decided we'd just suffer through it again if they couldn't fix the A/C issue. When we went down that morning to speak with someone, the only staff member we could find was preoccupied with a wedding party. In short, the issue was never fixed and we did not enjoy our stay much at all. \nThe hotel is well appointed, though it shows its age in places. The bathroom was clean and tiled, with a decent shower/bath, though it was even hotter than the room (perhaps because its window directly faced the sun for several hours). The sheets are average--a little scratchy for my wife, but I didn't notice. And I was disappointed in the service in my brief attempts to converse with them. They may be understaffed, or I might have just had bad timing. Trying to be fair-minded, I really think we would have enjoyed our stay much more had the A/C been working at even a reasonable level. And we might not have noticed the problem if our trip had been in April or September. If that were the case, I would probably have rated the hotel a 4--a boutique hotel with some charm at a very reasonable value. However, our experience really did cast a fairly negative overall impression in our minds. I would not personally stay there again, or recommend it. It's kind of a shame, really, because otherwise it seemed like a fairly nice hotel. I can see how others visiting in more temperate months might really enjoy it.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "Most recent stay was 3rd week of March 04. As usual, always nice. I had a small room during this stay but still nice. Poster beds, turndown service with chocolate covered strawberries (yum), and complimentary soft drinks, juice, and water in the refrigerator.\nBreakfast at the resturant and room service for dinner. Excellent each time.\nCan be noisy on a weekend night from the crowds in the street. Not much to do after 10:00 and quites down quickly.\nHave stayed here three times and enjoyed a wonderful stay on each occassion.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "The Dunhill Hotel, was the friendliest and warmist hotel i've ever stayed in. The staff were fantastic, they talked to you like friends rather than guests. With warmth and interest. I wouldn't stay anywhere else. It was a home away from home, but without all the work. Very personnal and lovely.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "Wonderful!! Our first time at the Dunhill, and it will most definitely be the first of many stays to come!! The service was stellar- we were greeted immediately upon entering, helped with our bags, treated with respect, friendliness and the utmost of care!! The room was cozy, very clean and comfortable. The environment felt comfortable, safe and the staff was always friendly, from the front desk staff to the valet parking attendant!!!We cant wait to return- we've found our new favorite get-away!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husband and I recently spent our 1 year anniversary at the Dunhill and we were impressed from the moment we walked in the front door. We were greeted by name and made to feel welcome from the start. After arriving in our room, we received a call from the front desk asking us if everything was to our expectation and if we needed anything. She, also, informed us that there would be live jazz that evening in the restaurant. We had dinner at Monticello that evening and the food was wonderful, as well as the service. We concluded the night with after dinner drinks in the lobby listening to live jazz. We would definitely visit the Dunhill again when we visit Charlotte.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "I have stayed at the Dunhill 4 or 5 times on business over the last 2 years and enjoy its convenient location. The staff is friendly, the bell service prompt and the rooms traditional and cozy...some larger, most small.\nI would recommend going out in the Uptown Charlotte area for coffee and meals. Dozens of cafes and restaurants/lounges are within walking distance.\nThe little touches of this boutique hotel are nice: Bose alarm clocks, chocolate covered strawberries at night, plush robes and unique soaps and shampoos. The last time I stayed there they offered complimentary coffee in the lounge in the morning and a small selection of nuts/snacks in the early evening.\nI would stay there each time I visited Charlotte.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 32}, {"text": "Instead of just writing a novel on my experience at this hotel, I would prefer to highlight the pro's and con's in hopes of helping someone make their decision on staying at this hotel or not. \nROOM: \nNo coffee maker. ~ $15 for pot of coffee via room service.\nDecorations were very old-style, dark mahogany. \nBed was very hard. Thin, tearing bed-spread. Old bed, felt like grandma's bed.\nTV was small and too far away from bed. \nBathroom had literally NO counterspace. They did a make-shift glass shelf that sits directly above the faucet handles. That is it. The shelf is inches wide and about a foot long. Just enough room for a simple man's toiletries, but certainly not enough room for a woman's toiletries.\nThe decor in the bathroom? I just kept asking myself \"why bother?\". \nThe entire room just didn't jive with me. I didn't get a cozy sense, but that's just me.\nCan hear traffic outside of my room, I was on the 4th floor.\nFree USA Today newspaper at your doorstep.\nThere is no \"Guest Services\" book in the room. I had to call and bug the front desk girl several times regarding items that I'm sure I could of found in a hotel services book. I found that odd. \nSERVICE:\nFront desk very helpful at all times. Restaurant staff was hit or miss. Bell man was very nice.\nFOOD:\nRidiculously expensive restaurant inside the hotel but it is not associated with the hotel. I had a very mediocre salmon with two glasses of house wine and my bill was $60. The salmon alone was $30. Give me a break! It was also farm-raised. I would not recommend eating in the restaurant simply because it is overpriced and not worth your dollar (or even your company's dollar). \nPARKING:\nForget about parking. Use either valet (kind of difficult to even find where the valet is, there isn't a sign and it's on the side of the building, not the main entrance) or park yourself, but then you'll have to walk with your luggage quite a few feet to the nearest elevator.\nWORK OUT FACILITY:\nThere is none. Although they say you can go to the gym across the street somewhere and pay $15/day. No thanks. \nSUMMARY:\nBasically this hotel is all about location. It's in the heart of downtown Charlotte. If you need to be in that area, stay in the hotel. But don't expect anything fancy or new. It's an older building, older rooms, and in general I found it very hard to get around inside the hotel and out. Just not a convenience-driven hotel. \nI would not stay here again. I would of rather stayed at the Westin, but that was too expensive for my company's taste. I only stayed at the Dunhill because it was close to my work. \nI've stayed at many \"cute, quaint, cozy\" hotels that were older, out-dated a bit, but they had character and I felt very comfortable in my room. I just didn't get that sense with this hotel, although the free chocolate covered strawberries in my room every night was a treat!", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 34}, {"text": "My friend and I were in Charlotte for a conference on September 12-13, 2004. On the recommendation of TripAdvisor I booked us for one night at the Dunhill. I couldn't have been more pleased. The staff is extra friendly and helpful. When we got to our room we noticed that there was quite a bit of noise coming from a club adjacent to the hotel and we had to be up very early the next morning, so we asked to be moved to the other side of the building. They immediately moved us, in fact, they moved our bags for us while we went out for dinner. The rooms are beautifully appointed and the bathrooms are large and very pretty. The only recommendation we would have is that they need more towel racks to place used towels on. The complimentary chocolate covered strawberries waiting for us in the room were a nice treat.\nParking, conveniently adjacent to the hotel, is free with validation by the hotel. Their restaurant offers a great breakfast for $3.99 and the lunch was also very good, but stay away from the shrimp and crab seafood salad. I would highly recommend this hotel and would go back. I wish we could have stayed longer, Charlotte seems like a nice city.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 25}]}, "223199": {"reviews": [{"text": "Had stayed at the hotel 12 weeks over 6 months. In that time had found the service to be adequate, and the rooms moderately clean. (I had found it surprising that after staying this many times, the staff never learned my name nor recognized me as a frequent guest.) However, during the last visit several problems were experienced.\nUpon check-in, discovered that my room had 3 of 5 light bulbs out. I removed them all from the lamps and left them on the table for the housekeeper the next day. Upon returning from work, the burned out bulbs were still on the desk. This required a trip to the front desk with the bulbs to get new ones. \nThe worst experience, though, was in the garage. The garage is dark and has no security cameras. Entrances to the hotel are only on 2 floors so if you do not get a spot on those floors, you must walk down dark and remote stairwells. On this trip, I returned to my car in the morning to find that overnight someone had broken the window and removed the ignition in an attempt to hotwire it. Shaken, I returned to the front desk to be handed a phone to call the police and a Hampton incident report to fill in. I did not expect the hotel to take any responsibility (park at your own risk), but I would have liked to have had someone express apology or sympathy for the incident. I received no acknowledgement from the hotel management that anything had occurred and was offered no support in getting transportation arrangements due to my disabled car. This was the treatment after having spend 60 nights in the hotel in 6 months.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "We took Special Education students on a senior trip weekend to Charlotte the second weekend of April. This hotel was perfect for us. Located near the center of things in Uptown, it also had a shuttle that picked us up from the train station and took us to shopping, museums, and dinner. What a savings over taxis. The rooms were very clean, with upgraded, firm but soft mattresses and queen doubles. The complimentary breakfast even included eggs and sausage. The staff and shuttle drivers were helpful and even kept the pool and jacuzzi open late for our students when asked. I left my cell phone charger plugged into the desk, and they shipped it back to me at no charge when I requested. We definately recommend the Uptown Hampton Inn.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I found the hotel to be an excellent value. The rooms were clean and comfortable, with nice views, good cable, and free high speed internet access. There's an indoor pool and hot tub for the kids. The free breakfast included both hot and cold choices, and coffee was available all day. Free parking is offered on site, but with most downtown attractions (including Bank of America Stadium and the new Charlotte Arena to be opened in 2005) and restaurants within a safe 10-15 walking distance we found ourselves not needing the car (plus, the hotel offers a free shuttle service). The hotel's partner, Hilton Garden Inn, is next door and offers a restaurant that's open at night.\nWith such a small city area, why pay more (or in some cases far more) for a hotel that's only marginally closer to \"downtown\". The Hampton provides a great room at an excellent value.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "A sleeper of a hotel. Primarily geared for business, it's clean, the rooms are almost pristine. With a free continental breakfast and only five or six blocks from downtown, it's a good bet.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "223195": {"reviews": [{"text": "The luxury pillow top beds, Egeyptian cotton sheets, soaking tubs, marble sink/vanity, separate shower, upscale bath products, challenging golf course and wonderful golf course view, superb spa and spa products all put the Ballantyne in the upper echelon of resort hotels. No complaints whatsoever with the room or its amenities!\nTurn-down service did just that..turned down the bed, but didn't pick up or replace a single wet towel.\nDinner, however, was an entirely different story! The main restaurant, Traditions, seemed understaffed\n...there were 2 waiters, and two tables seated, but both tables waited laboriously for service. We were seated by the security guard, who directed us to the restuarant when signage was inadequate, when she realized there was no one else to seat us! Service was slow, with waiters in this restaurant going to other areas to relieve workers for 'smoke' breaks, etc. The food, when served, was very over cooked and dry...Halibut and grouper done to a crisp (and not in a good way!)\nWhile I would not hesitate to stay at the hotel again, I would make dinner reservations elsewhere.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed for our first anniversary at Ballantyne. The resort is very isolated, so I asked reservations for a package that included a breakfast in one of their restaurants on property. I was told about their Sunday brunch and chose it, and it was again mentioned at check in when the clerk told me about their restaurants and amenities. I booked a King bed in a golf view room with private balcony. At first we were put in a room with no balcony, but they did transfer us to a better room, after we called. There was no bell man to help with our cases, and we moved ourselves after traveling and being exhausted and having to return to the desk again. We had cocktails at the bar downstairs, and the bartender was accomodating. However, when we tried to relax in the grotto pool that evening there were six unattended children playing and screaming. An attendant did walk through the pool and fitness area that we spoke with close to closing time, but noone came to attend the children. We retired with a headache instead of refreshed or relaxed. We could hear people running up and down the halls and screaming for a while when we went to bed as there was a celebrity on the property. There is a large gap at the bottom of the door, and there is nothing quiet about the room if there are people traveling the hallways. I requested a non- feather pillow because I am allergic, and we were brought only a large stiff decorative sham pillow which was already on our bed. I tried to sleep on some towels since this bulky pillow was too large and stiff for anyone to sleep on, but I ended up sleeping with nothing that night. The next morning we lounged finally in a more quiet pool and got ready for our Sunday brunch together on our anniversary. When I called the front desk to inquire which of the restaurants it was in, I was advised that it was 11:00 am, and we had \"missed\" our breakfast. They failed to mention at any point that the breakfast I paid for was a regular breakfast and not the Sunday brunch they kept mentioning that I thought I booked with the room. The manager wouldn't refund the money so we could go eat elsewhere. The only option she would give was to credit us for half the charge of their Sunday brunch which was the amount we'd already paid and us dine there or have a la carte room service. Neither was appealing, and I was very disappointed. Since that was our only option we took the credit we'd already paid for and dined in the brunch room and paid the difference. I have had much better at McD's. The service was pitiful, and had our sever come back to our table to check on us more than the initial once I would have shown him the wiry hair I found in my smoked cheese. My orange juice was warm, and the single mimosa my husband was able to get also was very warm. We had one glass of water, and the server never returned until we put our glasses upside down on the table. Horrible! We checked out happily, and we will not stay there again. I should have opted for the Grandover Resort in Greensboro. It is a true top notch classy reort, and there the golf and brunch is world class, as is their service. Ballantyne at best is probably a good hotel. Also, the golf course was good, but the golfview from the room was only ok. Overall, it was not a special anniversary thanks to Ballantyne, unless you want to spend too much money for sub quality!", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "The Ballantyne is a lovely facility with large rooms and a beautiful bathroom. The service, unfortunately, does not equal the facility. For example: my wakeup call was 30 minutes early (5:45 am); the bell staff stood around rather than assisting people moving in and out; off the 3 check-in personnel available when I arrived, 2 were busy taking messages for personal calls coming in for other staff members; the hotel allowed another group to completely block a hallway so that our group could not get to our evening reception on time; and a maid came into my room without knocking. Hotel management needs to wake up and improve training and supervision of the employees.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 30}, {"text": "The staff at this hotel set it apart from other hotels. You are treated like Royality and the spa is fabulous. Food is very good. We had our ageing Mother with us and they suplied a wheel chair as well as being so very woderful to her needs. I loved staying at the Ballantyne!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "What a shame.....a beautiful building and great location for locals that would like the \"resort retreat\". True customer service is lacking. The management is far from professional and the staff look and act like junior college students. We went down to the main lounge to have an after dinner drink and some dessert....I do not have enough time to give you the full story, but when staff and management allow customers to walk from one end of the hotel to the other to get their own dessert to enjoy in the lounge, something is missing and it starts with upper management!! We stopped at two of restaurants in our venture asking about dessert and not one person offered to take care of us, they just kept sending us down the hallway until we reached a \"pub\" setting where they had only 3 mediocre selections. Very disappointing.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 26}, {"text": "I stayed at the ballantine resort for 2 nights & it was a wonderful experience. The staff was attentive & gracious, the amenities were outstanding & the spa was to die for.I recommend this resort highly.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "My husband and I spent two nights at this hotel and while the hotel is attractive and clean, it missed the mark in service and amenities.\nSeveral requests that we made to the staff were ignored. The room was small, with very uncomfortable bedding and no mini-bar. They provided an iron and ironing board, but the ironing board was so short that you got a backache just using it for a quick press.\nThe bell staff was unresponsive, standing around chatting instead of helping. The room service breakfast was good though, and prompt.\nOverall, we were disappointed with the Ballantyne and will probably not stay there again.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 30}, {"text": "We had the pleasure of staying here 2 nights and then 2 nights at the Westin in early November. We were expecting Ballantyne to be a nice hotel, and the hotel exceeded our expectations. \nParking was free, convenient, and very easy.\nCheck-In was quick and easy.\nWe had a King room overlooking the golf course. \nThe view was nice. The room was exceptional. This has to be probably one of the nicest rooms I have every stayed in.\nI don't know if the rooms have been recently renovated, but they were exceptional in decorations and cleanliness. The rooms are very spacious. The balcony was a nice extra. The bathroom had a separate shower and tub.\nWe ordered rooms service very late one night (1 a.m.). It wasn't cheap, but the food was very good and the serving size was more than enough.\nThe staff was great. Very, very friendly.\nIt is a little farther from downtown from other hotels, such as The Park, but the drive time was probably equal to those others and was much easier because it is all interstate.\nWe did drive to the Southpark Mall and probably would not choose to stay in this area because of all the traffic, etc. There is another, larger mall very close to the Ballantyne that is very nice, with MANY restaurants surrounding it. \nNext time I visit Charlotte, I will definitely stay at the Ballantyne", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "We went there for a girl's night out package and a bed and breakfast package. It was not until we returned home and our credit card bills sent did we realize that one lady have been overcharged by $700 and the other by $400. Charges were placed on their bills for items like golf that we did not even do. The accounting department refused to take off the incorrect bills and wanted all of use to resend our credit card info....it has been over a month and the issue has not been resolved.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 42}, {"text": "Stayed at the Ballantyne Resort for five nights. I was very pleased with my stay. The rooms were beautifully appointed and the bathroom amenities were great. The spa at the resort was equally beautiful; although, I have had better stone massages. Spa/salon appointments were hard to get. You need to make them well in advance. I usually stay at a Four Seasons hotel/resort when I am away from home and I found this resort to be a great bargain in comparison. I have already made reservations to stay at Ballantyne for another trip to Charlotte. Yes, this resort is not located near downtown Charlotte, but it's only about a 10 min. drive from the Southpark Mall. If you must go to Charlotte, this is the place to stay!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "We stayed for one night while traveling. The hotel is very well maintained and the staff was very friendly. My wife used the spa and enjoyed her massage. The room service was as good as room gets. The lobby is above average and the bar was very good. Reminded me of a Ritza Carlton in a lot of ways.\nNow, all this said... it was our first visit to Charlotte. A wonderful, modern Southern jewel. However, the hotel just seemed out of place. It was smack dab in the middle of a commercial development park. Yes, there was a golf course behind the hotel, but a mall was adjacent to teh hotel. This resort belongs in a more secluded area and just didnt seem to \"fit\" in its location. I understand Charlotte is growing, but the city planners need to take some lessons on approving resorts of this nature.\nIn conclusion, a wonderful resort, top notch, great value, but it just seemed lost.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "We arrived in Charlotte having booked our weekend at the Park Hotel (which was highly rated) by all travel sources. Very disappointed...very minimalist room with a sliver of a window overlooking a shopping promenade. Although a 15 minute drive from downtown ...the Ballyntine Resort made our stay in Charlotte a pleasure. Excellent service, beautiful rooms (very light overlooking the golf course), an excellent spa (great services), respectable dining, fine service. Highly superior to other choices in Charlotte - highly recommend!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "I picked the Ballantyne to rendevouz with my Sweetheart in Charlotte and could not have been more pleased or delighted! The accomodations were wonderful - from the moment you step into the marble foyer you know you're in for a treat! I'm always on the look-out for romantic places to stay - and the Ballantyne didn't disappoint! The staff was extremely accomodating - one little glitch at check-in but it was handled first-rate by my bellman who \"took charge\" of the situation and professionally got me in the room that I had reserved. The view of the golfcourse from the balcony was a treat - and those spa robes!! Yummy!! \nAm looking forward to a return visit!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Our night away from the kids was wonderful. We were treated like royalty!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "a lovely resort...we stayed during our visit to relatives in S.C. for the thanksgiving holiday. nice amenities like the spa and pool. rooms are comfy with lavish marble bathrooms w/ separtate shower and tub...service was 'okay.' we'd had better, but for $150. per night--what the heck. 24-hr in-room dining--not a great menu--limited, but convenient. we recommend the resort for value and amenities. the only problem was on our third night's stay, loud guests congregated in the hallway 'til 2am. we had to call the fromt desk 2x--other that that slight glitch---enjoy the stay...it's a good $ value!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "Excellent. This resort has been recognized by Conde Nast and rightfully so. Beautiful accomodations, excellent golf course/driving ranges and spa. The pool and facilities are also very good. Definitely a first class hotel and I would return without hesitation. Highly recommended and excellent value for the dollar. Guaranteed that you would not be disappointed.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "Read that this is the only resort in Charlotte, which I did not know since I've never visited Charlotte before this trip. Lovely hotel with a golf course view if your room is facing the back. One of the 18 holes is right behind the hotel and it is nice to watch the golfers up close having a great time. \nI had a room facing the front and it simply faces the main road. The bathroom has a deep sunken tub and a separate glass enclosed shower. I was upgraded as a Starwood Platinum member and given an extra parlor/living room which in essence is another room but without a bed.\nI didn't eat at the hotel restaurant so I can't comment. The only negative I have about the hotel is that the health club wasn't up to par for a true resort. The treadmills were not top of the line but rather the narrow older kind which was a disappoint me to me since I do like to run. However, the stair climber seem fine and there were other equipment for upper body workouts that was also fine. \nThe grotto pool is very nice and during my stay, it was not crowded at all. There is a 2 continous individual lap pools available and a sitting area outside the pool that faces the golf course. \nOverall, a very pleasant stay.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My husband and I went to the Ballantyne resort from July 1-July 5, 2005. We had a wonderful time!!! The hotel is gorgeous, and the rooms are beautifully appointed. You may never get out of the wondeful bed in your room. Make sure you have a bathrobe in your room--it is very comfy! The lobby was excellent, housekeeping was excellent and they were very friendly. The turndown service was nice too. \nThe Spa is great. There is a short Puerto Rican massage therapist with short black hair who gave me one of the best massages I have ever had. I think her name is Teri but I am not sure. \nAnyway, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by booking there. I will hopefully be going back soon. Also, they have an excellent military rate--make sure to ask for it if you qualify.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I have stayed in many hotels in the last month, and the Ballantyne is absolutely the best of them all! The directions were easy to understand, the property is beautiful, the lobby is first class, and the rooms were gorgeous. The marble entrance led to a spotless, beautifully decorated room. The beds, covered in fluffy duvets, were very comfortable, and the drapes were effective in blocking out light. \n Every person on staff was friendly and helpful. What a wonderful place to stay! I only wish we could have more time to enjoy everything!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I resently stayed at the Ballantyne Resort and I had a wonderful experience. My family and purchaced the \"Girl's Night Out\" package and it was wonderful! From the moment we walked in the door we were greeted by smiling faces that were eager to meet any needs that we my have had. The rooms and the spa were wonderful. However, the only thing that I did not enjoy was the food that was included in the dinner portion of our package. I did not enjoy any of it from the appetizer thru the main course. However, the breakfast buffet was good and there was alot of variety. I will definitely be returning back to the resort in the near future.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "My husband and I snuck away for a quick weekend retreat and loved our stay at Ballantyne. \nBeautiful rooms (excellent beds, beautiful decor), wonderful marble bathrooms with large garden tub & seperate shower. Great Sunday brunch.\nExcellent spa! Highly recommend.\nGolf course is just so-so...very busy/slow public course - the greens aren't in great shape. We would not pay to play here again.\nThe hotel staff needs improvement, slow room service & totally out of the loop on recommendations for local restaurants. \nAll & all a great experience, I would recommend this hotel.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 25}, {"text": "I just spent a weekend at the resort and I was blown away by their amazing Spa and pool and health facilities(Conde Nast rated), one of the nicest gold courses I have ever been on, elegant rooms with beautiful views of the 18th hole...I felt I was waking up at the US Open!\nI was warmly greeted in the lobby by a memeber of staff with a warm and pleasant southern manner upon arrival. \nI also had a pleasant dinner in Traditions. My husband and I loved the intimate dining room! We could actually have a quiet conversation and the meal was wonderful.\nHighly recommended!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "My husband and I spent 4 nights at the Ballantyne, 2 of which were for a conference. The resort looks great. \nThe pro's: marble bathrooms, thick fluffy towels, fluffy duvets, soft bathrobes, beautiful view over golf course, good food at cocktail party, balloons in the room from the hotel for our anniverary, nice bellmen\nThe con's: no concierge (in a \"resort\"!!), front desk staff overwhelmed with smallest tasks, front desk could not recommend resto's (offered Denny's for supper, for breakfast responded \"Charlotte isn't a breakfast town\"), minibar generates charges if the sensor pad is bumped, thermostat in room set at 50 degrees and room still hot, door has large gap on bottom and side which lets lots of hall noise in, view over parking lot is UGLY, no soda in hall vending machines, no newspapers on weekends, calls to front desk go unreturned, no showercaps, had to ask housekeeping for glasses and shampoo, room had not been cleaned by 3:30 pm, no customer service training for front desk folks", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 28}, {"text": "My husband and I just returned from a wonderful stay at the Ballantyne Resort in Charlotte, North Carolina from May 22 - 26. Our goal was to golf and relax. Mission accomplished!\nOur Arrival\nBallantyne Resort was the perfect place for us and the staff were superb. The location of the resort was very easy to find off a major highway. The entrance is magnficent with a beautiful waterfall and bellman at hand to greet you. Since we had our clubs in the car, the bellman offered to call to the golf shop and have the clubs put in storage for us so we wouldn't have to carry them from the parking lot. Service was always imminent. The check in was effortless and the staff were very organized.\nThe Room\nThe bellman (Frank) was very knowledgeable of the area and offered so many suggestions for dining in the area. He took us to our room that overlooked the 18th hole of the golf course. The room was more than comfortable with a king bed and comfy chair and ottoman. The bathroom was gorgeous with a soaker tub and a separate extra large shower. Marble floors and granite counter tops are gorgeous and extra towels, powerful hairdryer, nicely scented soap, shampoo/conditioner, bubble bath, and creams were ready to be used.\nCloset space and hangers were ample and an iron and ironing board were very useful. A safe was also in the room.\nTurn down service occurred each evening and it was nice to have the chocolates on the bed along with the next day's weather forecast.\nOverall the room was immaculate and the cleaning each day was excellent.\nLocation\nI must say that this was one of the safest areas I have been to. My husband and I enjoyed walking across the street to the various shops and dining areas. A 5 minute drive in the car takes you to additional shops and the choice of dining is extensive. We enjoyed a movie at a local theatre. Although the hotel was not in the heart of Charlotte, we preferred this. We did drive to \"downtown\" Charlotte and found it to be very congested. The outer areas have so much more character. The architecture of the shopping areas were so different that I enjoyed walking around there rather than the large malls.\nPool/Fitness Centre\nWe enjoyed the pool and hot tub each day practically in privacy. My husband enjoyed 1 of 2 lap pools that allows you to swim against a current. The location of the pool allowed you to walk directly outside with a view of a manmade lake on the 18th hole. The fitness centre was well equipped including televisions.\nGolf\nWe enjoyed 2 days of golf at the resort with morning tee times. We were not teamed up with anyone and the pace was excellent as you really did not have anyone in front or behind for at least 2 holes. The afternoon can get busy as they had a number of golf tournaments throughout our stay. We preferred the morning so we would have the afternoon to do other activities. The 18-hole course is immaculate. Since we had a view from our room, we were able to witness the grooming of the course each day. We really enjoyed the on-site golf and clubs were cleaned after each use. The addition of a cooler on the golf cart with ice is a very nice touch.\nWithout a question I would recommend this hotel and resort to others - - in fact I have been telling friends and family since we returned yesterday.\nService was outstanding and the staff are to be commended. A few examples - - I went to the front desk to get directions to a movie theatre. The concierge recommended a nicer theatre close by and provided directions and printed the movie times for me. On another occasion, a gentleman was setting up for a conference and I was walking around taking pictures. He stopped and said if I was taking pictures that I may want to go outside, to which he pointed to an area, that was used frequently for weddings as the backdrop was beautiful. Regardless of where you were in the hotel, staff would drop a friendly hello.\nWe enjoyed our stay and we look forward to returning to the resort.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 30}, {"text": "This was my first stay at the Ballantyne Resort & Hotel. Check in was fast and friendly, staff were very attentive to our needs. The hotel was immaculate. The decor is everything that is boasts and more. It is absolutely beautiful. We got a very good deal on a king suite overlooking the golf course. The entry to the rooms were marble, and the bed is AMAZING. Down comforters and pillows. Separate shower and tub. There is also a refreshment center in the rooms ( $$$) Overall, I thought that this was a lovely place to stay, and we would stay here again, on our next trip to Charlotte. It is definitely 4 stars and better. (which I rarely give)", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 26}]}, "1566903": {"reviews": []}, "1510383": {"reviews": []}, "94136": {"reviews": [{"text": "Stayed here 2 nights on a leisure trip. Due to a late flight, did not end up arriving until well after midnight. However I was greeted and told I'd already been checked in and my key was ready...the entire transaction took less than 30 seconds, a nice surprise. Room was clean and adequate. Staff was agreeable. Nothing outstanding about this place, but nothing horrible either...in general a pleasant place to stay. My only complaint would be the quality of the room service food was below average considering the prices and the adjective-laden prose describing it on the menu.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "So-So service: Got such a great deal on priceline--hate to complain--however . . . just a few items that would have made out stay perfect. Phoned ahead to ask to verify room type but was told that we must wait until we arrived to request bed type and non-smoking--not much left after midnight! Asked housekeeping for extra pillows and towels--never arrived. Called front desk to add credit card so we could order room service--they said they couldn't take info over the phone. Funny though they could take credit card info over the phone if it is to hold a reservation!!! Rooms were small for this grade of hotel. Not many toilety items--no lotion, etc--only shampoo and soap. Good location and plenty of parking.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "We just spent 3 nights at this hotel over the Memorial weekend. Check in was very fast and the rooms were very nice. They were large and very clean. The beds were comfortable and we had extra pillows. We did not eat in the dining room so I don't know anything about it. There are several places to eat near the hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}]}, "1236686": {"reviews": []}, "1409115": {"reviews": []}, "223214": {"reviews": [{"text": "We stayed at the Residence Inn for the July 4th Sky Show. It was a great location to take part in the various activities and to see an awesome fireworks show. The whole event took place right outside the hotel.\nThe front desk staff was exceptionally nice, helpful and professional. The rooms were very clean and spacious. We noticed a problem with the TV in the living room shortly after checking in. We called the front desk and a maintenance worker was at our room within 5 minutes. After he determined the issue, he immediately brought up a new TV and replaced it. We also requested extra linens and towels at 10:30 pm, after the fireworks show. Our request was fulfilled within five minutes. The staff was so responsive. Something you don't see a lot anymore, but it matters so much!\nWe plan stay there again next year. Thanks Residence Inn for making our holiday even more enjoyable!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Stayed there in early July 2004...in fact, we were there for the fireworks on the 4th. This was a fantastic spot to view them from. We actually went to the roof of the parking garage where we could watch not just the downtown fireworks, but also those in the various suburbs miles away.\nThe lobby and restaurant have an upscale look, and the room was what you'd expect...spacious, clean and comfortable, nicely appointed but not a style knockout. Staff was pleasant and helpful. The continental breakfast offered a lot of choices. \nWe were not in town for a game, obviously, but this would be a super location if you were.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Stayed for four nights in March '05 and was pleasantly surprised by the Residence Inn as well as Charlotte in general.\nMy room was spacious, with a living room, full kitchen and seperate bedroom. The complimentary breakfast included hot food (eggs, bacon, saugsage and pancakes as well as muffins, cereal, bagels, etc. During weeknight evenings, there is a managers reception that includes two free beers and hot appitizers. The hotel is within easy walking distance of the convention center and football stadium.\nThe only two downsides of the hotel were: 1) no hot tub/pool, only an exercise room; and 2) views from one half of the hotel look into or at a three story parking garage.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}]}, "1863291": {"reviews": []}, "777199": {"reviews": []}, "647565": {"reviews": []}, "1027025": {"reviews": []}, "249793": {"reviews": []}, "258165": {"reviews": [{"text": "We have stayed at the Drury several times when attending conferences in Columbus. Our recent weekend at the Drury was the worst hotel experience I've had in a long time. Upon check-in we were given a \"nonsmoking\" room which was just a smoking room with a nonsmoking sign on the smoking floor. I called the front desk and requested to be moved and was told there were no other options since they had overbooked the hotel by 30 rooms - who overbooks by 30 rooms?! We were then told the room would be treated for the odor and all fabrics (bedding, draperies, etc) would be changed the following morning. Finally at 2:00 the next day it was \"cleaned\" - however, the bedding was not changed (the same snag in the sheets was still there), the coffee pot remained dirty, and towels/washcloths were still in the shower. I am left wondering what exactly was cleaned, let alone treated for the odor. Beyond this, our refrigerator was broken, they did not have enough parking spaces in the garage despite the fact that you pay for parking, there is not enough seating for the breakfast, and they were out of blankets - so kindly offered to give us one in the morning... haha! I would not recommend this hotel as it stands right now - especially since the front desk was observed mocking customers over the phone and overheard saying they were sick and tired of the complaints! I imagine they would hear fewer complaints if there were not so many problems, beginning with booking the number of rooms you have available, not 30 extra!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "we were here for the national pta convention which was in the convention center adjacent (through a dedicated elevator and locked door). the staff was very accommodating and helpful and always smiling! the rooms was large enough for two women with a lot of stuff from exhibitors, luggage, and laptop. two cans of soda an a bag of microwave popcorn was provided each day along with toiletries. the microwave and mini-frig were a great asset and appeared to be cleaned on a daily basis. breakfast hours were long enough for even late sleepers and provided enough variety for several days. for those who did not feel there were enough choices, several stands were open in the convention center food court for breakfast and all were open for lunch. happy hour provided a nice get together time. i look forward to the next time i have to attend a convention in columbus. we will certainly stay here.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "I stayed in this hotel with my significant other about a month ago. We were commuting from Washington D.C. to Milwaukee, WI and found Columbus a good \"Middle Point.\" This is when we stumbled upon the Drury Inn. \nWe recieved a room with a King Size Bed over looking the sitting area. At first we were a bit worried about noise because there was a huge convention of girl dancers going on, but we did not hear a peep all night! The bed was the most comfortable bed we have ever slept on in the hotel. Not to mention the room was fully loaded! It comes with High Speed Internet, a MUST for Internetaholics like me, a refridgerator with a diet pepsi and can of pepsi for free, a microwave with free popcorn and a very comfy chair. The room was spotless and we were very pleased with it.\nOther perks of this hotel included an indoor/outdoor pool which is the first of it's kind i've ever seen. You could either swim inside, or swim under the glass to the outside! Very neat. You also get 20 min, or even more, of long distance for free, along with free drinks from 6-8pm and a free breakfast!! Lastly, this hotel is very close to resturants and the convention center.\nThe ONLY pet peeve I have with the hotel is that the parking area was extremely full and I had to park in a \"non\" parking spot that I paid 10 bucks for. \nIf you are thinking of booking a hotel in this area, GO WITH DRURY!! I only wish they had more hotels throughout the US!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "We've never stayed at a more wonderful place. The staff was very friendly & accomodating. The Manager (Scott) was ready to do what it took to make our stay the BEST!! Rooms were very clean.\nWe had Free drinks from 5-7:30p.m., Free 1 hrs worth of long distance per day & the most WONDERFUL breakfast ever. Also connected to the Convention Center, that was great. Give it a try you won't be disappointed!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "We were in CMH for a dance competition. I was with my two kids, and felt very safe in the hotel. The security system is something I have never encountered anywhere else. The access to the convention center had security devices as well. \nSpeaking of the convention center access, it could not have been better. We had LOTS of stuff to carry, and it was no ordeal to do so being that close.\nThe staff was so helpful! There was more than one staff member who offered help without being asked, and expected nothing in return. Our room was immaculate.\nBreakfast was better than I make at home, and I CAN cook! What a relief from the plastic hotels where we have stayed before.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed at the Drury Inn for the Nov23/24 weekend for a high profile dance competition \u00c2 the Ohio Star Ball. We chose this hotel because of its excellent location and proximity to the Columbus Convention Center. The hotel may not have its own restaurant but it\u00c2 s definitely close enough to other eating establishments \u00c2 i.e. the food court in the Convention Centre which is attached to the hotel, Max & Erma\u00c2 s, and the fabulous Damon\u00c2 s Grill, which are both just across the street from the hotel. My husband loved the fact that they had free Internet access in every room. He initially had problems with the Internet but immediate & most helpful troubleshooting from Drury Inn\u00c2 s technical support eventually fixed the problem. Security was also great in the hotel. Until this trip to the Drury Inn, I\u00c2 ve never found a hotel bed that I\u00c2 ve actually found comfortable & had a good night\u00c2 s sleep (and I\u00c2 ve done quite a bit of traveling). Great beds! Another neat part of our stay was that a hot breakfast was also included. Here I was thinking it would be the standard cold breakfast of dry cereal, muffins, bagels but was I ever thankful for the warm breakfast of Belgian waffles (make your own \u00c2 cool!), scrambled eggs, sausages, French toast, etc. With all these great things, I have to honestly admit that the only \u00c2 dreary\u00c2 part was the ladybugs in our room. There weren\u00c2 t hundreds of them (maybe about 20 max.) but we got used to them \u00c2 after all it\u00c2 s not like they were mosquitoes. All in all, we definitely plan on coming back.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 18}]}, "1200977": {"reviews": []}, "1479195": {"reviews": []}, "223748": {"reviews": [{"text": "My husband and I loved this hotel. We were there for the weekend and staying here made our trip even more enjoyable. Everyting was great, rooms staff, and location. Price was also well worth it.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "98810": {"reviews": [{"text": "If you are going to stay in El Paso and have a car, stay on the west side. (sunland Park) The hotels are cleaner and newer and the area is safer. I like this Holiday Inn because they have little bungelows and a nice pool. The people at the front desk is very nice and helpful too. I think almost all the hotels in El Paso are overpriced and dirty. They take total advantage of all the Mexicans who come over and spend all their money at the malls. I can get a better room in Dallas for half the price than El Paso.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 13}]}, "1415082": {"reviews": []}, "878115": {"reviews": []}, "1157336": {"reviews": []}, "819653": {"reviews": []}, "223750": {"reviews": []}, "105281": {"reviews": [{"text": "The hotel is opposite to Mud Island Entrance, you can walk there as they have a pedestrian bridge and monorail. And it is 7 blocks from Beale street, next to Main street and close to Confederate park. The hotel is a 14 story building, some rooms are facing the river (and cost more). Over all the hotel is pricey (about 100 dollars per night incl. tax). The view is great, we saw Mud Island River Park, the Pyramid and the river in the back. Unfortunately there are several interstate exits between the hotel and the Pyramid and the windows of the hotelrooms are not soundproof. You can not avoid traffic noise. The train/trolley is very noisy too. Right outside the hotel are trolley and busstops. The hotel has indoor corridors. Our room was very spacious with 2 queen beds and so much space still left. We had an airy feeling. There are 2 chairs and a table in the room and of course TV (big screen) with over 70 channels. Adjacent was a spacious dressing room with ironing board and a safe. In one corner there is the sink. Adjacent the bathroom. They provide shampoo, lotion, sewing kit, shower cap and hairdryer. The bathroom is very tiny. But it seems to be newly renovated and they have real tiles on the walls! Our room could be extended into a family suite to 2 adjacent rooms. Furniture is in dark colours and blankets in brighter colours. Windows are hughe and can be opened. The lobby is a very long and narrow room. At one end you find the elevators and chairs, this end leads to a Greek restaurant. Then there is the concierge center with a security desk and security personel. Very friendly staff. Part of the room is a tiny business center (small table with internet access for free). The rest of that long room is breakfast area with lots of tables and chairs. Parking is provided in the surveilled parking garage(basement and upstairs). The basement parking garage is what you would expect from a downtown parking garage, dark, dirty, damp, full of unused stuff. I don\u2019t like place like these. From some spots of the parking garage access to the elevators was dark and not well lit. Breakfast had a good variety of cereal, toast, muffins, eggs, even gravy and biscuits, oatmeal and more. There is staff to clean the tables and put more food on the cupboards. You can heat eggs or milk in a microwave. Fresh fruit is provided too. There is a sign that says fitness room is on 9th floor. I can recommend this hotel if you do not get disturbed by loud traffic noise, otherwise stay somewhere else.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Good overall. Relatively easy access from I40. Reasonable price. \nAttached parking garage included in price. Clean, spacious room. Nice view of the river from our 15th floor. Decent continnental breakfast. \nWithin walking distance of the Peabody Hotel (the ducks), downtown trolly, and restaurants. Beale Street sites are a long walk away, but not bad. We even hiked to Sun Studio which is much further away.\nLittle shortcomings: The hotel representative who made our reservations volunteered a room at a lower rate, but when we arrived, that rate was not indicated on the confirmation. The hotel clerk gave us a blank stare when I mention it. I also had to return to the car in the garage to get our tag number before we could register. I should have been told this was needed when we made the reservation, and mention should have been made then of a $1/day fee for a room safe (which could be removed by request at checkout). Many elevator floor buttons and indicators were not lit. There was no ice machine on the 15th floor, but the desk clerk directed us to one on the 14th floor. A soft drink machine was out of some items. Our TV remote was missing, but it was quickly replaced when I made mention of it.\nWalking around the downtown area was not entirely comfortable, particularly as darkness approached. Memphis seems to be in the midst of revitalizing its downtown. There is evidence of a sincere commitment.\nRecommendation to inn management: Provide an info packet with a little map to the local sites and restaurants within walking distance. Hotel clerk directions were not always clear, particularly when it came to distances.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "114850": {"reviews": [{"text": "As a native Memphian, I have attended many functions at the Peabody, and I have generally been underwhelmed by the quality of the service and general attitude of the staff. Now, having stayed overnight, I can attest that the rooms are substandard, like the service. The rooms are very small, especially the bathrooms, and, although the rooms have been renovated recently, the quality of the furnishings is not what you expect for the going rate for this hotel. \nThe Madison Hotel is a boutique hotel just around the corner from the Peabody, and their rooms and service put the Peabody to shame. The decor in the common areas is art deco and very nice. Also, the hotel restaurant at the Madison is highly rated. \nOther hotels to consider downtown are the Marriott Residence Inn, which has a great art deco theme like the Madison, and Talbot Heirs, which is like a B&B in a renovated building, with each room a different decor and floor plan.\nDowntown bistro restaurants are McEwens, Lolo's Table, and Stellas. They are all very nice, and the bar at Lolo's is a favorite with our downtown office.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "We often stay in grand old hotels, and I had looked forward to the Peabody for a long time. My eight-year-old son and I arrived at exactly the same time as Lisa Marie Presley and her then husband, Nicholas Cage... my son was impressed by the snapping paparazzi anyway. I made an on-the-spot decision to use valet parking and it was well worth it, though somewhat overpriced. \nWe had inadvertently timed our visit with the 25th anniversary of Elvis' death, and given that seredipity made a pilgrimage to Graceland, which was NOT (and I swear I am not exaggerating) nearly as hot and crowded as the Peabody lobby. \nWe paid more than $200 for a much smaller than average room with a very dirty bathroom. We were too tired to do anything about it that night, but the next morning I stamped my foot and demanded that the head of housekeeping get herself up to our room, where I pointed out makeup on towels, hair in the shower and crumpled tissues all left by a previous guest, not to mention mold in the grout and so forth. If this had been a $75 Best Western room I think I could overlook some of this, but not for two hundred bucks. \nHappened to come down the \"duck\" elevator just before the arrival of the ducks... it opened onto a red carpet with velvet ropes which held back hordes of tourists. There was a guy in the elevator with us wearing a yellow shirt and he looked out at all those folks (decidedly NOT hotel guests) and said \"Quack.\" Which was quite funny. But the hotel management needs to do something about non-guest tourists packing the lobby so badly that the Peabody's paying guests can't even get across the room. We only caught a glimpse of the ducks. \nI noticed on the description on this website that it claims the hotel was fully renovated in 1981.... 24 years ago! I was told by the front desk staff to be sure to request a newly renovated room for our next stay. I think they said anything below the fifth floor, but you might want to check that. After I complained long and hard (though politely) for more than half an hour, a manager gave us ten percent off our bill. \nWe've been back to Memphis half a dozen times, but we never did go back to the Peabody and I don't think we ever will. Our experience there was an all-around and expensive disappointment.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Arrived for check in at 13:00 told our room wasn\u2019t ready but we could check back in at 16:00. 16:00 arrives and our double has been given away. Eventually admitted mistake and offered us a double, but now we could no longer have a double with a bath, only a shower. It's gone 17:00 and we are on our third room change after the Manager kindly upgrades us to a double room with a bath (exactly what we had order, paid for in advance, and had supposedly reserved at 13:00).\nFront of hotel staff rude and seemingly disinterested in customer service. Rooms are in desperate need of modernization. This is by a long way the worst 'premium' hotel that I have ever stayed in.\nOn the plus side the location is very good if you want to stay in central Memphis.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "This is our 4th stay at this hotel in the last year. Several months ago we stayed in a nice corner room, no problems (very loud though last year--was Memphis in May, lots of party people outside the hotel late into the night). \nThe end of that trip we stayed at the Peabody again. Something smelled a little odd (cleaning products) when we arrived at the room. We got settled in and went out, came back and the smell was stronger. Finally went to bed and found that the previous occupant must have done a full body rub of Ben Gay and swam in it on the bed. The bed was soaked with that smell.\nCalled the front desk and we were moved that night to a clean room. Also given brunch for two for the inconvenience. Brunch was excellent and we had an awesome server.\nLast week we started our trip at the Peabody. In our room the couch was dirty and stained, the bath had mold growing in the tiles and lots of cracks, and the shower never drained properly, had about a foot of water standing when we got out. We had paid $149 for the room.\nOur agent had reserved us a room for the end of our trip there for $149 as well. They tried to charge us $229 but corrected it immediately.\nI mentioned that the manager had told us they'd upgrade us to a corner renovated room for our rather gross room the weekend before (she never made note of it in the system as promised). We did get a beautiful room but it still had a little grungy feel to it. I went to get an extra pillow out of the closet at bedtime and it had makeup stains and hair (not ours) on the pillow. No robes in the closet, nothing over the top about the room. It was an upgraded suite. Glossy magazines showing off the hotel were covered in something sticky. Gross. The bed is very very comfortable though.\nTheir hospitality book mentions a full business service center with internet access. We went down to the (surly) concierge who doesn't say hello or ask how she can help you and I said I wanted to use the business center to check email. She said it's closed on Sundays (book says it's open)...and what did I need to use it for (sigh)...to check email (again I told her). Moving at the pace of a snail she said she'd have to find a manager because it was closed on Sundays (that was mentioned a few times). I said it sounded like too big of a deal for her and we'd pass. The hotel tacks on a $7.95 \"hotel fee\" to your room at check out. I called and had to smile when inquiring what that fee covered.. \"internet use\"..\"newspaper\"...we just add it on to the bill for various services.\nWhen we checked out I mentioned the concierge issue to the check out person. She said the concierge is the one who is supposed to let guests in to use the business center on Sundays--and it's not a problem/issue.\nThe lobby at the Peabody is beautiful. There is usually two cocktail servers working way too many tables and it's a busy place. \nValet is $21.00 a night at the Peabody.\nWe had just spent three days at the Hermitage Hotel in Nashville prior to our last stay at the Peabody. The Hermitage Hotel is one of the best places ever, top notch service from everyone and the concierge was incredible so the Peabody was quite a let down. Peabody was a zero on a scale of 1-5 for concierge service. Hermitage a 5+.\nWe won't stay at the Peabody again. Thought about the Madison. We drove by and it looked beautiful, the website looks great but the reviews here are really mixed.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "I stayed at the Peabody for a conference and was disappointed at several turns with facilities and service.\nFirst, let me say that the lobby and ballrooms are lovely and evocative of Versailles. Do not leave the lobby as it truly goes downhill from there.\nThe hotel was overbooked and gave our group smoking rooms. I don't smoke, but am not an obsessive anti-smoker and usually have no problem in this situation. THESE ROOMS WERE VILE! The smoke smell was unbelievably oppressive. No one had attempted to air it, Febreze it or even spray a bit of Glade. For the days I was there, I avoided my room until absolutely ready to sleep, as did my travel mates.\nCheck out was at 11AM, and we were giving a presentation from 10-11:30 and asked for a noon check-out. They would not accommodate us, so we had to drag our luggage down to the bellman and after we presented, we lugged it down (stairs) into the changing rooms in the basement-level fitness center. I travel a great deal and rarely request late check-out, but have not had such a direct refusal.\nBeware of extra charges. The hotel imposes service fees for your stay on top of the room fee and taxes. Also, in the coffee shop, I was overcharged. I asked for cappuccino, but the machine was broken. That did not stop the young women for charging me cappuccino price for a regular coffee. \nAs others have mentioned, if you do not valet park, you will be traveling a considerable distance through many heavy doors. I would suggest using the valet if you are forced to stay here b/c this is the venue chosen by your company or professional assn. As one collegue put it, it was probably a four star \"in the day,\" but no longer.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "This place was a joke! From the moment we arrived I had an idea that it was not going to live up to it's illustrious reputation. We had spent the entire day driving up from New Orleans and were quite tired when we arrived. We also had no cash on us so I decided to skip the valet parking so we could hit an ATM for tipping the bellman instead. Well, take my advice and get the valet parking because we ended up parking in their parking garage and regretting it. You have to go through about 5 sets of heavy doors that are not automatic with all your luggage in tow. It was awful. Then when we finally arrived at the desk to check after walking 20 minutes from the parking garage the woman at the desk was rude and snooty. I was extremely fed up and wanted to just get up to the room. Then they did not even help us with our luggage up to the room! The room was small and lacked any sense of being a luxury hotel. The bathroom was tiny and the room was not cozy in the least. Needless to say, we wanted to go out but found that there was no one to offer us advice on where to go or even directions to any attractions. The next morning when we tried to check out we called and requested a bellman to come get our luggage. We waited 20 minutes and no one ever came. I just never got the feeling that this place gave a hoot about a guest. I will never stay there again and would suggest the same to anyone that is planning a trip to Memphis. You'd be better off at the Heartbreak Hotel!!!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "The Peabody Hotel looks good from the inside, but my stay there was awful. I stayed on the conceirge level, and the rooms were nice - service was good on that floor. BUT... we visited each bar and restaurant at the hotel and the service was absolutely horrible. Very slow and we noticed especially in the steakhouse, that every single table was filthy dirty, nothing had been washed off before they seated the next guests... we sat and waited that long for service to notice!! Over 2 weeks since my stay, I was reviewing my credit card bill, and there were at least 4 different entries of charges on different dates following my departure. Of course, I called immediately and received the same calibur of service from the accounting department. I currently am still trying to resolve this issue with them. It angered me so much that I am now writing my first review of any hotel online. This hotel is definitely not worth the price. At least the ducks were great!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "OK, to walk in, you think the hotel is going to be top-notch! Well, the best part, was the ducks! And that is unfortunate. The lobby is beautiful, and very nostalgic...But, the rooms definitely leave something to be desired. They can't do too much because of the historic status...but the rooms were not clean enough. Nor were they decorated well enough or big enough. Then, when check out time came...we had to wait FOREVER for an elevator. The hotel is ddefinitely worth seeing the downstiars are, and ducks, etc. But I would not pay that amount to stay there again.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "We stayed at the peabody two weeks ago and were quite disappointed with our accomadations. We stayed on the 12th floor, supposedly the best, but in reality they were a glorified holiday inn room. THe room was relatively small. THe bathroom was large in area, for what reason I am not sure because there was no tub, just a shower, toilet, one sink, and a piddly black and white television with terrible antenna reception. The bathroom had hideous wallpaper that was creme color dotted with red squares and there were no wallhangings to detract from this barren wallpaper landscape. The bathroom also had extremely poor lighting, meaning almost a complete lack thereof. I was delighted to see the selection of toiletries left for us. They had black and white photos of ducklings on the bottle. We also had duck-shaped soap and a complimentary 'wine' bottle of peabody spring water. Very cute!! Staying on the exclusive '12th floor' meant we had access to a communal lounge with happy hour apps and a complimentary first drink. The appetizers were good, however the smoking lounge was closed for construction, as was the roof---so to smoke a cigarette we had to go down to the mezzanine level--an annoying inconvenience. Service was good-our bellboy was very helpful and friendly. The lobby and mezzanine area really are beautiful and it is fun to see the ducks in the fountain. If only the rooms were on par with the rest of the hotel. One more thing---the buffet. The peabody was acclaimed to have the best brunch in Memphis. We were very excited about it but soon were disappointed. THe rooftop was under construction so instead the brunch took place on the mezzanine level in the ballroom. This was not a problem as the ballroom itself was very ornate and elegant. The price for brunch was $30 per person which was extremely overpriced for what is offerred. A $30 brunch should not feature BBQ ribs, Fried Chicken, and battered catfish as its main meat selections. This was somewhat disconcerting to me. The buffet also featured a large station of cold shrimp, salmon and sushi, which was not what my tummy wanted after a late night on beale street. The buffet did redeem itself with its excellent deserts, including strawberries dipped in white chocolate. Overall, our \"grand suite\" cost more money than our suite at the Bellagio in Las Vegas---which had three bathrooms!!! So get ready to get disappointed if you are expecting five star accomadations, and settle for more like a really expensive Holiday Inn with cute toiletries.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "1676324": {"reviews": [{"text": "We have stayed here twice. Both times have enjoyed the place. Taxi from airport or station is easy and quick - but make sure you watch the fare. Seemed safe at night - but we aren't about much after mid-night.\nFoyer can be noisy, but not a real problem. Double check on laundry work - they don't work every day (but told us it would be back - when it wouldn't). \nA nice walk from the Hotel to Beale Street - if you like walking - flat and easy. Some useful shops about. Go to the Peabody Hotel for the ducks, and generally just mooch about. Its fun - and it is Memphis. We met a top boxer on our explorations.\nIts on the Trolley Track so very easy to get about. Quick cheap trip to Beale street and most other spots. Easy access to Graceland - by Tour. Best way to go - pick-up / drop-off. Great breakfasts and a good - if cold - bar, that sreves very nice well priced items for dinner. I love ribs and Memphis is the place for them. We ate on Beale - at a Bar where Elvis was on. Sat in a little balcony type table - half in / half out of the place. Free entertainment - good food - Blue Moon Beer - what more could you want. My wife had a margarita. \nTip - if you have time and just want to relax - take the trolley ride right around the City. Its cheap and easy to catch and fun. If walking - ignore the grifters/panhandlers. They are annoying, but part of the territory. \nFront desk is good - but you may need to \"push\" your needs. They can take their time ... They may also have \"extras\" if you ask - ie tickets to Gracelands, free brekkies, and other nice things. \nMemphis has the 3 Kings - Elvis (of course); BB; and Martin Luther. A lovely old city to explore.\nCorner rooms are best and ... if you have wifi it will probably pick up the hotel next door - free - rather than go to the Lobby ! Also had a good coffee set up in room.\nAll in all - YES - I'd go back.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "225338": {"reviews": []}, "105192": {"reviews": [{"text": "My wife and I planned a Memorial Day weekend getaway to Memphis. I'd never been before, and she'd only been for a business trip. So we wanted to do all the quintessential Memphis things: Beale Street, Graceland, barbeque, etc.\nWe'd had good results with a Sleep Inn on two recent trips to New Orleans. So, when I saw there was a newly-built Sleep Inn between Front and Main Streets in Memphis, five blocks from Beale, I booked our room. \nRate:\nA non-smoking queen was $88/night for Friday and Saturday nights, with the rate dropping to $79 for Sunday night. This rate was obtained directly from the Sleep Inn website, and was better than the rates I obtained at Expedia or Travelocity. I thought this was very reasonable, considering it was a holiday weekend. This hotel was also quite a bit less expensive than other area hotels. The website also warned of a $5/day parking charge. \nArrival / Check-in:\nWe had some difficulty finding the hotel. The directions indicated it was at \"40 North Front Street,\" which it is. However, the directions don't mention that the hotel is set back from the street, with a large parking lot in between the hotel and the road. So we missed it the first time by.\nOn our second pass, we realized that we needed to turn down Court Street from Front, and found the entrance of the hotel.\nThe desk clerk was friendly and efficient, and checked us in without problem. He pointed out that the Main Street Trolley ran directly behind the hotel (along Main Street, of course) and that it cost $1.00 per ride. He told us about the hotel's continental breakfast, served from 7-10 AM each morning. \nThe clerk gave us a parking pass and reminded us about the $5/day charge. The parking lot is shared with the Springhill Suites hotel next door, and also seemed to be shared with an adjacent office building. The lot was nearly full on Friday afternoon, and parking seems like it could sometimes be a problem. On Saturday and Sunday mornings, we noticed that cars were parked along the curbs and under the hotel entranceway -- basically, every possible space was filled with vehicles. \nThe Room:\nThe room looked identical to the rooms we'd stayed in at the Sleep Inn CBD in New Orleans. And when I say identical, I mean identical. The strange curved wall outside the shower stall, the pocket door in the bathroom, the open-style closet with a round cutout above -- all the same as the New Orleans hotel.\nIn any case, the room was a clean, standard, middle-of-the-road hotel room. Queen-size bed, with a small dresser/desk and 20-inch TV, and two nightstands. The doorless closet had a single luggage shelf, a closet bar, and a shelf above. A chair under the desk and one next to the window finished out the furnishings.\nAs previously mentioned, the toilet and large shower stall were separated from the rest of the room by a pocket door. The water pressure and temperature was always excellent, and the vanity area was compact, with a single sink.\nThe room had a somewhat noisy window A/C unit. Our second-floor window looked out onto Main Street and the trolley. Street noise was not a problem. \nOnce nice feature of this hotel, again shared with the New Orleans location, is the large staircase from the lobby to the second floor. With a room on the second floor, like we had, we were able to avoid the slow elevators on most trips. \nAmenities: \nThe hotel had free wireless access, and I brought my laptop with me. Although it was a nice amenity, service quality was spotty. The wi-fi signal in our room never got above around 33%, and faded in and out. I find that wired Ethernet is generally more reliable in hotels than wi-fi.\nThe hotel had a small exercise room and a business center, neither of which we used. \nThe continental breakfast was sparse, nothing more than bagels, muffins, and cold cereals. The breakfast area was clean and well-decorated, and the hotel also had a few patio tables just outside on the Main Street side. The clerk neglected to mention that the breakfast stopped at 9 AM (instead of 10 AM) on weekdays, so we missed breakfast on our last day, Memorial Day. No great loss. \nLocation, location, location:\nThe location of this hotel was ideal. Beale Street, Peabody Place and Autozone Park were easy walks, down the brick-paved Main Street. Main is closed to vehicular traffic, reserved for the trolley and for horse-drawn carriages, which are plentiful in Memphis.\nThe stops for the trolley are less than 50 yards from the door of the hotel. The Main Street entrance to the Sleep Inn is locked 24/7, requiring a room key for entry. Across Main Street, Court Square features shops and restaurants, including the excellent Blue Plate Cafe. \nOn the front side, the hotel is separated from Front Street by the above-mentioned parking lot. On the other side of Front, it was an easy walk to Confederate Park and the Mud Island River Park.\nWhen driving, it was only two blocks from the hotel to I-40, and easy to get to all the major roads and highways in Memphis.\nSummary:\nBy their very nature, hotels like the Sleep Inn are not fancy -- but we prefer to save our money for restaurants, bars, and attractions on vacation. We basically like a hotel to be a clean, safe, convenient place to sleep -- and the Sleep Inn at Court Square meets these needs, no question!!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "The location was just perfect! The Main street trolley at the back door, Mississippi river at your front door. Beale street just a short walk away. Staff was friendly & very helpful. Rooms, although, slightly smaller than the \"normal\", were very clean. No problems at all.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I got stuck in this place by the Springhill Suites next door. Apparently they had given my room at Springhill to someone else. Very dissapointing. The sleep inn was dingy. The carpet was moist. The shower had mold in it. There was no real closet just a pressboard lean-to with a pole for your clothes. I had dreams of bugs crawling all over me. What a nightmare! I talked to Springhill about my evening and they miraculously found a room there for the rest of my stay at no charge.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "This hotel is moderately priced, suitable to most budgets, and you'll get your money's worth. The staff is helpful and polite. You won't walk into a grand welcoming ceremony, but you have a hospitable group of people who are eager to help. Don't go here for a five-star experience, but if you just need a nice place to stay on a bit of a budget, you'll do well to stay here.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}]}, "672520": {"reviews": []}, "111855": {"reviews": [{"text": "The Embassy Suites on Shady Grove is nicely situated in upscale East Memphis, near many fine dining and shopping establishments. (Ruth's Chris, Flemings, sushi bars, Owen Brennans', PF Changs, and indepently owned restaurants)\nThe hotel is very open on the inside and gives a garden like feel, complete with little ducks and koy swimming in the lagoons that run throughout the hotel. The rooms are all suites, with the front living area and fold out sofa, phone, dining table, microwave, fridge, sink and bathroom in the front and the bedroom in the back. They have black out curtains so you are not bothered by early morning sunlight. \nRoom Service was prompt and efficient. Grisanti's is the restaurant downstairs and has been an Italian staple in Memphis for years. \nThe cooked to order breakfasts were nicely done. The coffee at breakfast every day was too weak and the stryofoam cups were way too small. The hot tea selection was good. Juices, fruits and breads were fresh and of a good selection. \nWe were there during some children's sporting event so the place was packed in the mornings. One would have waited 20 minutes or more for a waffle or omlette on the weekend in the \"cook to order\" line. Sunday everyone had checked out so this was very nice for us as we didn't care to wait in line. \nEvening cocktail hour (\"on the house\" with your room key) is a nice touch and good gathering time for business or relaxing. \nThe only real complaint was that housekeeping did not pick up dirty dishes outside of rooms within a reasonable time frame. When we checked in to our room, the dishes from the guest before were outside our door. Our dinner room service dishes were not picked up by 10 am the next morning when we checked out. One other thing, the housekeeping staff park their carts right in the middle of the hallways, so we had a hard time getting our luggage around them and to the escalators. On one occasion my mother and I had to move the cart ourselves, and they are heavy. The housekeeping staff seemed routinely oblivious to this. \nFront desk staff and management were very friendly and accomodating. We will definitely stay here again and would recommend to others who are not on a tight budget.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Just returned to the UK from visiting Memphis for my 40th birthday, read all the hotel reviews before selecting the Embassy Suites for a 5 night stay.\nI can tell you from the moment we arrived, we wern't disappointed.This has to be one of the best hotels we have ever stayed in throughout the USA, and that includes the Paris Hotel in Vegas and the Disney Carribean Beach Resort in Orlando!\nThis hotel definitley deserves a 4 star rating.\nThe hotel knew it was my 40th birthday, and decided to leave a very nice goody bag with various local souvenirs and visitor information on Memhis tourist attractions.\nThe hotel provides an excellent free breakfast with multiple choices for breakfast that will appeal to all tastes, this includes continental style and full cooked breakfast.(my 16 year old son loved the omelettes cooked to order).\nAlso in the evening there is a \"Happy Hour\" from around 5:30pm to 7:00 pm where a variety of free alchoholic and non alchoholic drinks are available free of charge.\nThe hotel is set around a very pleasant water feature, with it's own ducks and fish!\nI must take a moment to praise the staff at this hotel as everyone made sure that the guests stay here is wonderful...in the middle of our stay we even had a message left on our room phone asking if there was anything that was needed and to make sure that we were enjoying our stay....how many hotels take the time to do that?\nThe day before checkout, the ladies on reception even rang Memphis airport to check flight times and provide us with gate numbers.\nWe took a few trips to downtown Memphis, but was really glad we stayed out of the centre, as some parts were quite rundown.\nThe Embassy Suites are located about 15 mins drive out of town, set in a very affluent area called Germantown. Many of the corporate bosses live in huge houses in this up and coming area, there are also plenty of shopping and restaraunts within walking distance from this hotel.\nIf you have a car when you visit Memphis, I think this place is the best place place to stay by far.\nMy lasting impression of Memphis will be the really friendly and helpful people we met along the way and this really nice hotel.\nWould definitely stay at this hotel again!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}]}, "223886": {"reviews": [{"text": "The bottom line: we didn't check in.\nI'm sure the people who work there are nice. However, I confirmed a king bed *with a balcony*. I put the request in \"writing\" on the internet reservations and I also reiterated it when I called a few days before check in to confirm. I was told no problem. I thought I was getting a king bed with a balcony view.\nThe disaster started when we tried to find the hotel-- and I lived in Memphis for years! The hotel is on Main Street, but no cars can drive on Main Street. The hotel is located in a strange location and no one tells you to park at the Sleep Inn. \nMy husband dropped me off where we saw the hotel (about 25 ft from the car to the hotel) and as I was walking to the hotel (and after hubby drove off to find the parking lot), I realized I was in what the locals call \"that homeless park\". The balconies overlook the homeless... and I'm not kidding about \"that homeless park\".. the Junior League goes there to feed the homeless a few times a year. People were actually on the balconies looking at all the homeless people.\nI got to the door, only to find it was locked \"for the safety of our guests\". So I had to walk around the hotel to get to the front desk where I find that you can't book a king bed AND a balcony (I no longer wanted the balcony anyway after seeing where the balconies were) and that they had booked me a queen room with a balcony. Kings were no longer available.\nAt that point, my husband was so frustrated because he couldn't find the parking lot, and I was frustrated at my total miss on this hotel, combined with the fact that we felt completely unsafe... we left.\nMy biggest issue is: when I said I wanted a King and a balcony, why did the clerk assign me a queen without bothering to mention it?\nI guess not everyone will have a five star experience.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "I stayed at Springhill Suites Downtown - Memphis in September 2002. My sister and I met for a long weekend and found this new hotel to be extremely clean! The staff was friendly and the location was PERFECT - just blocks away from BEALE Street!! Also, the Trolley line is just behind the hotel in a nice park-like setting with carriage horse rides traveling up and down the street! The breakfast is included, as well, and I just can't say enough nice things about Springhill Suites - Memphis!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "105151": {"reviews": []}, "223752": {"reviews": [{"text": "i recently stayed at this hotel and while yes the people were very nice at the front desk and the room was ok this is not a place you want to stay especially if you have children. We were to stay 3 nights and left a night early we felt so unsafe. no one tells you Graceland is in the \"Getto\" of Memphis my advice would be to stay closer to beale street in the heart of memphis do not stay anywhere near Graceland!!!!! we read the previous reviews and thought it would be good but we were decieved this is not a place you wanna be. Definatly visit Graceland but don't stay anywhere near it. There are two big gangs that are very close by and target tourists so im warning you from experiance to stay elsewhere. i wish someone had warned us because we didn't want to go outside once it was dark it was that scary. We were also warned people could knock on our doors so to be careful and look for photo id yep not what we expected!! so please take my advice and find a better place.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "This Days Inn really rocks! Elvis music can be heard in all of the public areas, including around the famous guitar-shaped pool.\nRooms were immaculate; the super friendly staff takes great pride in their work.\nPet friendly? Anytime Madison, our adorable dachshund son, entered or exited the room, he was greeted by \"oohs & aahs\". If we had stayed more than the 2 days, I think he would have turned into a bobble-head, from all the excess attention.\nAside from the excellent service, the location cannot be beat. Are you are seeking to stay near Graceland? Any closer and the tour will pass thru your room! Downtown is a short, direct drive away, without many twists or turns. Easy access to all major highways.\nI did not eat breakfast, however, my husband said it was very nice and the dining area pleasant.\nWhat more can I say except, \" Thank you, thank you very much\".", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "What other posters have said, each one is true. The staff is wonderful, very kind, considerate, my hats off to them. However, this poor hotel needs major renovation. The cost wasn't bad, and the location they say is everything, and definitely that is a plus. Playing Elvis movies 24-7 is a good idea, however, this hotel needs some MAJOR cleaning. Mildew in the bathtub. It's a shame, this could be a really great place with a little TLC.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "645386": {"reviews": []}, "224856": {"reviews": [{"text": "We were fortunate enough to stay here on three separate occasions in three weeks. The first time was when we arrived late in the evening from London, the staff were very helpful and we were check in promptly.\nThe free breakfast is better than most places where you would pay, cereal, pastries, juices, eggs etc and plenty of it. It seemed to be a bit busier at the weekend when it is served a little later.\nThe hotel is opposite Lake Union as there a number of restaurant in walking distance including a highly recommended fish restaurant and an \u2018Outback\u2019 steakhouse.\nDO NOT pay for the hotel parking, there is plenty of free safe parking in the streets at the rear of the property. \nAll in all a great place, we shall certainly stay there again when in Seattle.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We have a beautiful view of Lake Union and the Space Needle. The suite is lovely, clean, and is reasonably priced for a 2 bedroom, two bathed, kitchenette, and tv room suite.\nWe love to walk and we are doing just that, considering the distance to downtown and Pike's Market. The area is quiet and serene...so all is perfect. I would like to have a food store of some size nearby and do note that a Whole Foods is under construction nearby.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "This is the place to stay if you want more than a hotel room. For about the same price as many hotels with small rooms, we were able to get a great two bedroom, two bath suite with living room and kitchen. Free breakfast with all sorts of hot and cold quality food. They don't serve lunch or dinner, but excellent restaurants right across the street. (According to brochure in room, two restaurants deliver to the hotel, but I didn't try the delivery service.) Some people may be concerned that the hotel is not in the center of downtown, but I found it very convenient without a car. The hotel runs a shuttle service every half hour during the day and early evening. I was only able to get a seat once, but that wasn't a big problem because frequent bus service downtown and to University of Washington. Also easy to get a taxi. Also some people might find the hotel decor a little bland, but it was certainly clean and well maintained. I noticed new beds being delivered to the hotel so in the future I would expect an even more comfortable stay.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Had a great one night stay at the Residence. This was our first time there, i booked three rooms for our family( we were there to take our Mom to the Fred Hutchinson cancer centre unfortunately), and the Residence is only a stones throw away. All rooms were very well maintained, very clean and comfortable. We never had the opportunity to cook there but we had all the equipment if we wanted to. Highly recommend the location at the Residence over Silver Cloud for restaurant access. We LOVED Daniel's broiler across the street, and the chowder at Dukes was great too! The breakfast buffet in the morning was good with a wide variety of food. Highly recommend if you're looking for value for your money and don't need an over the top hotel at over the top prices. We will definitley be back when we visit our Mom. they give discounted rates for long term stays.\noh, and if it's importnat to you as it is to us, they also take dogs for an extra $10 each a night in any room!! no problems!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "This hotel was a fairly typical Residence Inn with an especially nice and helpful staff. The 1 bedroom suite was spacious and clean. The breakfast buffet is inlcuded in the price of the room and they serve a colossal assortment of breakfast foods of average quality. They also serve a free meal on Wednesday nights. There are several good restaurants with great views on Lake Union which is just across the street. Although the hotel is a couple of miles from downtown and the market, we were able to schedule transportation to and from all the major sites on the courtesy van. Seattle Center and the Space Needle are just about a half mile or so walk. It's on a busy street but there's always a sidewalk to walk on. The walk back to the hotel is downhill and easier than the walk there.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "We had reservations at another hotel in town, but decided against it once we read the not so positive reviews on this website. I browsed the reviews on other hotels and noticed the positive feedback on the Residence Inn. This hotel was very nice, with a great view of Lake Union. It is also right on the bus line to get to Pike Place Market, approx. 5 minute bus ride. The free breakfast was nice, but we opted to make food in our room. The room was fully stocked with everything a person would need to make a snack or even a meal, except the food of course. The staff was so nice too. I am so glad we switched our reservation from the other hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "We stayed in this hotel before cruising from the seaport in seattle. The hotel was lovely. The service very polite and breakfast buffet very tasty. They had shuttle service to downtown needle and farmers market. Great resturants across the street. We will stay again if in the area.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed at the Residence Inn Feb. 26, 05 after bidding and winning it for $60 on Priceline. Our suite was more like a small one bedroom apartment and was clean and comfortable with 2 TV's, basic cable plus free high-speed internet. The staff was friendly, the breakfast buffet was way above average and the location is great if you have a car, since it's slightly off the beaten path and near but not really walkable to downtown. Note: Do not use the $15/day hotel garage--there is ample free street parking behind the hotel and the neighborhood is safe, even if it is across the street from Hooter's (and their stupid 'dude' clientele!). All in all, a nice place to stay, even at non-Priceline prices!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Terrific hotel -- wonderful location. The Front Office Manager is also great. Accomodations are better than I expected -- hotel was just redone in Nov. of 04 --- clean, beautiful lobby, terrific indoor swimming pool, jacuzzi and gym. Employees can't do enough for you. Newspapers set out everyday, coffee in the lobby at all times. Directly across the street from Lake Union with all the restaurants (I mean, directly across the street from the restaurants, instead of how Silver Cloud Hotel is --- that hotel advertises that it is across the street from Lake Union restaurants but it really isn't. While it is across the street from the Lake, it isn't the portion with the commerical restaurants and harbor!!). I wholeheartedly recommend this hotel. The fact that I went on Priceline and got it for $55/night is almost inmaterial as I'd stay there now regardless of the web site I secure the reservation off of).", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "I spent a week here in early June with my wife, 2 year old, and my in-laws (yeah- recipe for disaster, right?). On the contrary. We had a great time and part of it was due to this excellent hotel.\nI'm the trip planner of the family, so I pore over every scrap of info I can find when trying to choose the right hotel. I thought I wanted to stay in the downtown area, but I needed a suites hotel because of the family. I figured I'd be compromising by choosing this hotel because on the map it looks somewhat far from downtown.\nWell, this place was great. First, the staff- always, and I mean always helpful, courteous, and professional. Next the facility- clean, modern, large enclosed atrium in the lobby gives an airy, bright feel, pool, laundry, etc.... The rooms are furnished in a basic fashion, but it fits. And the location turned out to be wonderful. Across the street from Lake Union, which is just beautiful (no hotels are on the edge of the lake so this is as close as it gets). Excellent restaurants right next door. Leave your car in the underground garage (for a fee) and instead take the free van shuttle to just about anywhere you need to go in Seattle (example- we used it to visit the Market, the Needle, and the zoo). Tell them when you are ready to be picked up and they are there for you. And, I walked to Pike's Market in about 20 minutes, so don't look at the map and figure it isn't close enough. \nOther hotels I considered were the Westin, the Marriott, Inn at the Market, and a couple other small properties. After seeing those places in person (I always check out my runners-up choices to see if I picked the right one) I felt good about choosing the Residence Inn. I've never reviewed a hotel before, even to complain, but this one deserved a mention. It was as good as I've ever experienced.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "We enjoyed 5 nights in a roomy suite. We paid an extra $10 per night for a lake view and it was worth it. (Total w/o taxes about $139.) The staff is very friendly. We did not have a car which saved $15 a day and we used the free Marriott shuttle which takes you to any downtown location and will pick you up somewhere else if you wish. We did not use the full kitchen but may when we return. The hotel will even order groceries for you. The breakfast is somewhat of a zoo unless you get there early, and while there were scrambled eggs every day, meat (sausage) appeared only two of five mornings. There is a nice lounge with a small library. There are plenty of nearby restaurants (be sure to get chowder at Dukes). There is no bar so if you want cocktails or wine bring your own. Starbucks coffee is always available in the lobby.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}]}, "252350": {"reviews": [{"text": "We live in the Seattle area and booked this hotel because of the wind damage and we were without power for more than a week. We stayed here for 3 of those nights in two different rooms. I guess I was surprised that this hotel was rated so high as most locals have not even heard of it. We only knew about it because our son does not live far from here.\nThe hotel was totally booked during this time period because so many people were without power. The front desk people were overwhelmed because of all the calls, etc. but they handled it very well. The rooms are good size, the bathrooms are very nice. It is done rather modern style - but not cold. The restaurant downstairs does mainly appetizer type food, but the soups/salads, etc. are very tasty. They have \"wine tasting\" in the evening, but it is not like the Kimpton Hotels - you get a voucher which allows you to have a small tasting of a red and a white wine. \nWould I stay here again? Yes, if my power went out. But if I were a tourist coming here to Seattle for the first time? No. This hotel is a distance from downtown Seattle - 10 minutes by car when traffic is good. Is there anything else in the neighborhood? No. If you have a child or relative that is going to the University of Washington and you are here to see them and be involved in their activities - this is the perfect place for you. If you are here to experience what the \"vibe\" of Seattle is - pay an extra $50 if you can and stay downtown Seattle. It is so different. The restaurants within walking distance of downtown hotels are incredible. There are excellent restaurants in this same area as the Watertown (Tilth) but it is a cab ride. Also, as one of the previous reviewers stated - if this hotel is full - it is noisy. We were about 5 doors from the elevator, but I could hear it bling everytime the elevator hit our floor. Also, the people above us must have had children that were busy - they hit the floor at 6AM and it sounded like floor hockey above us for the next 2 hours until they took them for breakfast. If you aren't on one of the top floors looking south - you look at a busy street.\nThis area is an interesting area of Seattle. We love it and have bought a condo in this area where we plan to eventually move. However, it is an area of transition - it is not a typical area of Seattle. There is not much to do or see here - you are dependent on transportation to see the \"tourist sights\". That is why I would recommend this hotel as a \"hotel\", but this is not what I would like you to think all of Seattle represents.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Our first two days at the Watertown were great. We enjoyed the complimentary breakfast and the chocolate chip cookies in the lobby. It was a good value for the price we were paying....until our 3rd day.\nWe left at 7am in the morning and when we returned at 3pm I was surprised to see a maid's cart on the floor. I didn't think much of it until we went in our room and saw that the room wasn't made up. We were in town for a wedding that was starting in 2 hours, so we picked up a couple towels from the floor and started getting ready. While I was in the shower housekeeping stopped by. My husband explained that we were getting ready and to come back after 4pm. A few minutes later we got a call from the front desk saying that if we didn't get our room cleaned right then that it wouldn't be cleaned at all. Finally the front desk said that the room would be made up after 6pm. That was fine with us, since we were going to be out until late in the evening. To our surprise at 4pm housekeeping showed up again. We were almost ready, so told them to come back in 10 minutes and we would be gone. Two minutes later the front desk called and said that the maid had left and that our room would not be cleaned up. \nThe conversation went back and forth with the front desk. Even at a Motel 6 I expect to have my room made up. In the end as we were leaving I gave the front desk my blackberry number and told them to have the manager call me if they were unable to get our room cleaned. The clerk at the front desk (who was giving us some serious attitude) got off the phone (with whom appeared to be the offsite manager) and announced that she was going to clean our room and to not exepct much since she wasn't a trained housekeeper.\nWe returned to a room that appeared to be cleaned, except for that there were no bath towels in the room and instead we were left with 5 bath mats! Maybe that was the clerk's way of getting even with us.\nThe front desk appeared to be staffed by college students and not once between Thursday and Sunday did we see a manager or someone who appeared over 25 years old. I really question who is in charge here. I shouldn't have to argue with a clerk over whether my room is going to be cleaned, especially when I was gone for 8 hours during the day. \nI did contact the manager when I returned home. They did say that my experience should not have happened. They offered me $20 off a future stay. No thank you. I'd rather stay some place where I can be assured of clean towels and no attitude!\nIf everything is going well and you have low expectations, I think the Watertown is a fine place to stay. But if anything out of the ordinary happens (like housecleaning not being able to get rooms clean by 3pm), good luck!!!", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "This was my third stay at Watertown Hotel. Every stay has been absolutely wonderful. I am so glad I found this Hotel on Tripadvisor. \nThis past weekend, two girlsfriendds and I stayed at the Watertown Hotel. My girlfriends who have stayed at the Fairmont previously, said they preferred the Watertown Hotel espcially for a girlfriends shopping weekend. Getting to the highway was easy and convenient.\nThe room rates are reasonable, the parking is free and breakfast is included. Which gave us a great start to our power shopping day! The room size was perfect and the tall mirror is great for checking out our shopping purchases and the vanity on the outside of the bathroom was great!\nAfter a long day of shopping, we watched a movie on the Xbox - all provided by the hotel.\nOne of my favorite perks is access to Starbucks coffee all day/night. \nAll three of us had an absolutely wonderful time at the hotel. \nThanks again Watertown! My girlfriends said they would definitely return to your hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Ok kind readers, its time for a reality check. \nLocation: This hotel is located in the Northern part of Seattle near the U of W. If you have business with the school, or you are visiting your kid in college, this would be a good place to stay. But, if you are a tourist or businessperson, I don\u2019t think this hotel is for you. \nI arrived in the evening and I must tell you that my first impression of the neighborhood was that it was kind of scary. The hotel has lots of security and management wants you to know that this place is locked down tight after dark. There are signs throughout the underground parking lot warning you not to leave anything in your car and that the hotel is not responsible for any losses you incur. Oh well, so much for warm, fuzzy-feeling first impressions.\nBecause this property is near the university, the restaurants around the hotel cater to student budgets, so you have lots of nondescript ethnic eateries from which to choose-Thai, Indian, Mexican, Chinese, Pizza, Subway. Typical other businesses you\u2019ll find in the area are barrooms, piercing shops, bodegas, record stores, recycled clothing stores, smoke shops, second-run movie theaters, and hair stylists. Now you get the picture?\nRooms: Think dorm room decorated by Ikea. Even though they cleverly added a big mirror to give the illusion of space, I found the rooms to be small and Spartan, but very clean. While the beds are indeed very comfortable, there is no blanket between the sheets and bedspread, so you must use the bedspread to stay warm. Since we all know that hotel bedspreads rarely get washed, I found this to be pretty gross. \nI\u2019m not particularly impressed by hotel toiletries because I bring my own stuff when I travel, but you might be charmed by little bottles of Aveda shampoos. \nThere is some kind of gimmicky ala cart menu (not food related) that I have never seen before in a hotel. I really could not be bothered with it, so I cannot offer an opinion, or even tell you what it is.\nThis property offers free breakfast and free internet, both plusses, but overall, there is coldness to this hotel. It has a very pronounced industrial and institutional feel to it. What makes matters worse it that it is not affiliated with any chain, so you don\u2019t even get travel points.\nCall me old-fashioned, but whenever I come to Seattle on business, which is quite often, I usually stay downtown. This time, I\u2019ve learned my lesson, I won\u2019t stray again.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "We recently returned from a holiday visit to Seattle and we stayed at the Watertown after reading all the positive reviews on this website. As many have already said, this truly is a \"unique urban hotel\". The rooms are clean and modern, with microwave, mini-fridge, coffee maker, and FREE highspeed internet access. We had one of the suites so our room had a fairly large sitting area as well. Complimentary continental breakfast is included (which was fairly good - bagels, muffins, toast, cereals, etc), in the afternoon the front desk has a basket filled with fresh baked cookies, and the evenings offer complimentary wine tasting and you can order appetizers or a light meal (cost for the food). We had a light dinner at the hotel one evening and it was quite tasty! The \"ala cart\" program is great - and free! We tried out the spa cart which included everything you need to relax after a busy day of meetings, sightseeing, or shopping.....plus you can either keep your cart for your entire stay, or exchange your cart the next day and give a different \"theme\" a try. As mentioned there is no room service or restaurant on site (only the bistro area for breakfast & the evening wine tasting), however there are many restaurants within a few blocks walking distance. One of the best meals we enjoyed was at Mama Melina's - recommended in previous reviews of this hotel and the reason we decided to try it out. It was fantastic - the food, the ambiance, the music, everything about this tiny family run restaurant was enjoyable. It is casual and it is busy, if you go on a weekend you may want to make reservations. If you stay at the Watertown I'd highly recommend a meal (or two!) at Mama Melina's....even if you stay elsewhere in Seattle I'd recommend an enjoyable evening here.\nOur only complaint about the Watertown was the beds & the noise level on the streets outside. The beds are a mattress on a modern wooden frame - no box spring. They look sleek & match the modern room decor but we found it uncomfortable. The location of our room was on the NW corner of the hotel and the street noise (traffic, university students out on a Friday night, etc) was often loud enough to wake us during the night. Perhaps a different location in the hotel would be better, although I think you'd need to be right in the SE corner. Now if you are a sound sleeper...you probably won't find this to be a problem. For us it was an issue and we ended up shortening our stay at the hotel and eventually moving to another downtown property. Please note we were at the Watertown over a weekend & it also happened to be Halloween weekend so there were LOTS of students out & about partying. The situation may be entirely different during the week.\nOverall the Watertown truly lives up to its claim as a unique urban hotel with friendly staff and excellent value. I would recommend it to others and simply caution them about our noise trouble (which of course the hotel has no control over). Also...if you check out the Seattle Visitors Bureau website they have a coupon you can print for discounted rates at the Watertown (www.seeseattle.org)", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed at the watertown feb 2003 and were very impressed. They have a lot of cool perks that go above and beyond what most hotels would offer. The decor is all brand new and very stylish (what Ikea wants to be), and all very pretty. Be sure to request one of the complimentary carts - we requested the \"spa cart\" and got a lot of enjoyment out of the bath salts and gadgets. You won't get a cart unless you request one. The complimentary \"continental\" breakfast includes some cool items like hard-boiled eggs and french toast. The gym is very small but the bicycle rentals were a lot of fun. Oh yeah, and instead of the usual vending machine, they have a little \"store\" at the front desk for middle of the night munchies, so you get to buy them from a real person and you don't have to worry about having the right change. Overall this was a very pleasurable experience. Would definitely recommend.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I am a frequent traveler, to the northwest and other parts of the country, and of the countless hotels, B&Bs and Inns that I have stayed in I have never experienced customer service as I have at the Watertown in the University district in Seattle Washington. As I said I am a seasoned traveler, and have become somewhat picky with my accomadations but the staff at the front desk took care of my every whim almost instantly. One girl gave me reviews area resteraunts that sounded like she was more of a food critic than a front desk agent. I was amazed by everyone that I encountered on my stay and will surely be returning the next time that I am in town!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I love the Watertown. I stay there every time I'm in Seattle. Myself and my girlfriend spent our third weekend there last month and were as impressed as always by the generous and delicious buffet breakfast, the loaner bikes they have for guests, the clean, bright, airy feel of the lobby and rooms. This was for our first time getting one of the more expensive rooms, and gasp, what a great room! A corner room, with jacuzzi tub, spacious, hip colour scheme. We were both loathe to leave the room. And those spa/ games/ music carts... what a nice touch. Worth the cab ride from town every time.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I stayed at the Watertown this past weekend. Overall, I was impressed with the property, but thought the breakfast and service needed improvement. \nRoom: Fantastic view. Fairly comfortable beds (I have stayed in more comfortable hotel beds). Very spacious and well-appointed, including an enormous mirror. I thought the bathroom vanity area was nice, but the actual water closet (toilet and tub/shower) was completely neglected by the designers. The toilet and the tub were on top of each other in this tiny room. Although clean, this tiny room had no shower tiles and no color. I have been in hospital restrooms nicer than this area. It was cramped and sterile. The room had three bath towels, but only one washcloth and two handtowels which seemed a little parsimonious. The Aveda products are always a nice touch.\nCommon areas: Very tastefully done. Clean and inviting. The hotel has free internet access which was convenient to print out our boarding pass. Fitness area was nice, but very small. \nHousekeeping: No complaints. \nContinental breakfast: Needs some work. The french toast was cold and spongy and the pastries far from fresh. The cereal was mislabeled and the milk and orange juice were not kept on ice or cool. Better off getting a warm $6 breakfast at the IHOP a block and a half down from the hotel. \nService: At times the service was friendly and competent at other times, it was aloof and unhelpful. For instance, we asked for a map of the area because we intended to take out their free rental bikes (which was a nice amenity). They did not have a map of the area to give to us. It did not appear to be that they ran out of maps, it simply appeared that the hotel simply never contemplated getting a map of the area for their guests. The next day we planned to meet some friends in a different area of the city. We asked the front desk for a map, and again they did not have a map of Seattle to provide to us. To be fair, they did tell us how to get there, but it would have been nice to have had a map. On the other hand, the front desk quickly arranged for a Town Car to pick us up for the airport which was appreciated. I have to agree with the prior reviewer: there is a lackadaisical approach to the front desk staff. They are nice, but they really don't seem to be well-trained in professionalism or knowledge of the area.\nPerhaps, I would not be so critical of the service and the food if the room was cheaper. However, the high room rate was simply not commensurate with the service and the food that we received. \nWatertown is probably your best bet in the area if you are looking for a better than average hotel room, but don't expect great service, food or value.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My daughter is interested in attending the University of Washington, so she and I visited Seattle in April and stayed at the Watertown. It's only a few blocks from the UW campus - easy walking distance.\nThe hotel had many amenities that appealed to us and made it our choice over the cheaper hotels available in the campus area:\n- Bikes and helmets are available free of charge. We took a nice ride along the nearby Burke-Gilman Trail. However, their bikes were not in the best condition. They told me some were \"in the shop\", and those that were left were barely adequate. If you're a serious biker, I'd call ahead and make sure there are some good ones available.\n- Free \"carts\" of various entertainments were available. It turned out we didn't use any, but I can see how they'd be great for families with young kids in particular.\n- Free high-speed Internet.\n- Free shuttle to the downtown (and back).\n- Free breakfast, which isn't at Embassy Suites quality, but does include scrambled eggs, cereal, and scones. And there are chocolate chip cookies in the lobby.\nRooms are nicely sized and attractive. Also lots of cable channels available. The Starbucks coffee and candies were a nice touch too.\nThere is also a reasonably priced shuttle (Town Car!) service to and from the airport, so we didn't have to rent a car or pay for parking. Info is on their web site.\nOverall, I'd say it's a very good value for the Seattle area, and I'd recommend the hotel to anyone.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I have never felt compelled to write a hotel review before, but I just loved this hotel. I stayed three nights for business. The lobby and room were beautifully decorated, so clean, included free breakfast and wine tasting, cookies in the lobby and they will even loan you a bicycle! The staff was incredibley accomodating and they have these great carts you can order for free! They have carts with activities for kids, a relaxation cart, a movie cart, a book cart and more. They also serve a lovely assortment of teas and Starbuck's coffee in every room. The price was very reasonable. When I come to Seattle, I won't stay anywhere else.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Based on the great reviews here at Trip Advisor, I booked a stay here for over a week, and have mostly liked the place. The Watertown hotel has great bells and whistles, but first let's look at the basics:\n* Room size and layout - We had a suite--no complaints there. I especially liked having 2 sinks, one across from the bed and one next to the bathroom door.\n* Bed comfort - Excellent with a nice pillowtop mattress.\n* Cleanliness - Some hairs left behind from previous guest, but otherwise good.\n* Helpfulness of staff - Quite good.\n* Quietness - Here's where they fall down. We heard lots of noise from the room above. Very easy to hear footsteps above you. However, they appear to have double-paned windows, and you can't hear much noise from outside. On the weekend, there were a lot of teenagers talking noisily in the hallway, but the halls were quiet at all other times.\n* Temperature control - A bit difficult. The thermostat says high heat, low heat, high cool, low cool and fan only. Unlike a thermostat where you can set the temperature, it was challenging to get this room to stay at a comfortable temperature.\n* Water pressure in shower - mediocre but adequate.\n* Refrigerator - Tiny box fridge.\n* Free internet service with ethernet cable provided.\n* Free underground garage parking. Garage moderately difficult to maneuver in. Always found a parking space.\nTo sum up the basics, they were average to above average, but definitely not excellent.\nThere are other features, however, that further improve the quality of one's stay here:\n* Instead of nickel and diming you like a hotel that charges $3 to $6 for a small bottle of water, there is no bottle of water in the room. Instead, they filter the water for you in the room!\n* Free breakfast which my partner enjoyed (Foods listed in a previous review.)\n* Free happy hour wine tasting\n* Washing machine and dryer on every floor--free! (But be sure to take all your clothes out of the washer or dryer by 10 pm, or they'll get locked in the laundry closet. But if they do, a staff member will come upstairs and lock it for you.)\n* Their \"ala cart\" program. You can request one of a dozen or so carts. For example, their art cart has art supplies; their games card has board games, playing cards and music; and their spa cart has items including a hand held massager and aroma therapy.\n* Their gym is tiny but functional, and unlike other hotel gyms I've seen, this one lends you bicycles you can ride on the nearby Burke-Gilman trail.\nAnother thing I love about this hotel is the location, in walking distance from many restaurants, Trader Joes, Half Price Books, and much more. As a vegan, I especially enjoy three of the restaurants in walking distance--Chaco Canyon Cafe (vegetarian, half raw foods), Araya's (vegan Thai), and Bombay Grill (Indian Food--not vegetarian, but vegetarian- and vegan-friendly.)\nDespite my gripe about the sound proofing, so much is excellent about this place, that I would not hesitate to stay here again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "My husband and I were looking for a hotel in which to stay that was close to the University of Washington as we were going to a performance at Meany Hall. I just happended to see the Watertown's name on a map giving directions to Meany Hall and decided to look it up on the Internet to see if it would be suitable for us to stay there. The website was great and gave us a feel of what the property was like so I phoned and arranged for a room. Because I had CAA (similar to AAA, but the Canadian version), we were given a discount to $139.00 for the night. When we arrived and checked in we were very pleasantly surprised to find a charmingly modern room that had obviously been well thought out when it came to it's design. The room was nicely appointed with new furniture and the Aveda toiletries were certainly a bonus! The Watertown has a wonderful idea in its 'cart' system. Upon registration, I was asked what type of cart I'd like brought to the room. I chose a \"spa cart\" and when I came back after going for a walk, the cart had arrived complete with foot bath, massage wand, boom box and appropriate CDs for a calming and romantic ambience. I made sure I used everything!! ( There are many other types of carts from games, to art, to kids and even a grumpy cart if you need cheering up!) The bed was very comfortable that night and I got a good sleep. The complimentary breakfast the next morning was very nice - eggs, sausages, cereal, yogurt, danishes, toast, juices, soy milk!, skim milk!, tea, coffee, hot chocolate, bananas - and that is all I can remember although there were other choices too. The total hotel is very clean, fresh and well tended. The front desk staff was super and very helpful with lots of suggestions for whatever we needed. Another little perk they offer is bicycles they LEND out for those who want to take a spin around the university and surrounding areas. Lastly, the hotel has a free van that takes visitors to and picks them up from different venues around Seattle. We wanted to go to Pikes Market for the morning and Ivan the driver was so pleasant and courteous - even dropping us off at a particular spot we wanted to go to. All in all, one of our favorite hotel experiences ever. Because we like to go to Seattle 4-6 times per year, we have decided the Watertown will be our hotel of choice in the future.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "112429": {"reviews": [{"text": "After staying in Seattle at least six times and walking at least ten minutes from my hotel (even those attached to the convention center), this hotel was a blessing in disguise. I know other reviewers refer to it as \"vintage\" and older, but you could never tell that from the decor. I found it be be very above average and charming. Only 200 or so rooms, so never crowded. The rooms were larger than most, woth the exception of a small closet. The bed was comfy and had plenty of pillows. I had a corner room and the view was exceptional. My only complaint is that the ice machines are on every other floor.\nOnly two blocks to the front door of the convention center (under the canopy) and right in the heart of everything you need - Pacific Place Mall is two blocks, there are three - count 'em - three Starbucks within two blocks and a Barnes and Noble bookstore. Dragonfish restaurant is attached and has great seafood and sushi. Von's is one block away and the Cheesecake Factory is two blocks, as is The Oceanaire. Go \"downhill\" two blocks to get a great view of the space needle. Be warned - you can walk to Pike Place Market from here, but the trip back to the hotel has a vicious hill - wear good shoes or be prepared to take a cab.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "This hotel is probably one of the best in terms of location for shopping and restaurant etc. but the staff are a bit clueless. Every time I called down to the Front Desk with questions it felt like I was putting them out. Their tone of voice was no better than a 13 year old with a bad attitude! Not to mention when I checked in they yelled my room number out to me, not a good idea as a female travelling alone... The back breaker was when I called the concierge asking what time the mariners game started that day as I had tickets, he told me 7pm. When I got there at 7pm the game had been on for one hour as it started at 6:05!! Pretty basic information for a concierge to screw up on! When I had got back to my room the first day I was there housekeeping had still not been to my room, I had left at 9am and it was then 3:30. I called down to the front desk to find out what time housekeeping would be coming by as I wanted to have a nap before I went to the game. Their answer was they can come now or not at all as they leave at 5pm, how that was my problem I am not sure as they had all day to clean it... The restaurant was great, the service alright... The food was awesome and the prices are pretty good. Over all I would probably only stay here again based on location alone, it would have to be a good deal as well or I would stay at the Vintage Park or Pacific Plaza hotel.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I was more than pleased with my room, which was called a king suite I think. It had a marvelous bath (jacuzzi) tub and shower, nice bath products, comfortable bed and wonderful windows that opened all the way. It was also extremely clean. Really it was a great room and pretty reasonably priced for what I was getting. The TV was good, there was an interesting, decently priced minibar and a free paper, a good gym that was open 24 hours a day (which I love, I hate limited hours on recreation facilities, what if you can't sleep?) I kept thinking the whole time I was there that I was getting so much more that the guests at the Grand Hyatt for a much better price. They are across the street from each other.\nI had room service for dinner and for breakfast, both provided by the adjoining Dragonfish restaurant (Asian Fusion). Dinner was terrific, huge and hot. I think I ordered some chicken dish with noodles and vegetables (I don't remember what it was called) and it came with a salad. I also had a fancy cocktail which was tasty. I'd been there (to the Dragonfish) before, it's a really fun place for drinks. The breakfast wasn't good at all, undercooked french toast and missing strawberries, would not order breakfast again. I found the food to be quite fairly priced for room service and it arrived quickly both times.\nThe lobby is very attractive also.\nWhat I didn't like about this hotel is the staff. They are clueless and not that nice. The person checking me in (may have been his first night) was alright but not that friendly. The person checking me out made disparaging comments about the person that checked me in and kept answering the phone and helping other people when she wasn't done helping me. She was supposedly more experienced than the other front desk employees but seemed incabable of issuing me a credit for missing items (from room service). It must have taken me twenty+ minutes to check out and I was pretty much the only person needing assistance. There was another person there, he was much nicer but seemed to not be that savvy with the computers. There was also a dispute with the woman at the front desk about a complimentary bottle of champagne (it states in their in-room about hotel information book that it's included in the price when you get that particular room), she said that it was only for people getting a certain package but that isn't what their book says. I didn't really need the champagne but I really didn't like her attitude, like I was making it up or something. She is definitely not an assett for this hotel. \nThe main issue was getting my Coast rewards points for my stay, nobody seemed to know when they were to be awarded and the front desk lady didn't want to help me at all, she wanted me to call the 1-800 #, I think the other gentleman finally said that they would take care of it for me but I just checked and it wasn't done. I stayed there May 20th and it's now June 11th. So I did call their main Coast rewards # and that person said it should be fixed within 48 hours but she wasn't very nice either, making me not to keen to stay at a Coast hotel again. The server who brought my dinner was extremely nice and enhanced my positive experience but I think she worked for the restaurant.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "At midnight the attendant could not find my reservation, even though I provided a confirmation number. He had me wait for an hour while he assisted other guests. He was very rude and would not let me use the phone to call other hotels for vacancies. Later the manager offered me a night in one of their associated hotels; another wild goose chase with unreturned calls and false promises. PLEASE don't give this awful chain your business!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "I booked an executive king room for the night of 10/29/04 through Expedia. With this request it was advertised that I would receive a room with a jetted tub, separate shower, city view/corner room, bath salts, etc. Instead I received an ordinary traditional room with none of the above mentioned amenities. For all this I pre-paid $209.97 (taxes and service fees included) which was the price for the executive king and was never refunded the difference from a standard room. In addition I found the man working at the front desk to be unprofessional. When we arrived he was giggling uncontrollably and did not actually give me a map of the city when he himself offered one. I found the whole experience disappointing. I stayed at this hotel to be close to the Paramont theater. I will never stay here again. If you are looking for the same location and great service and value stay at the Grand Hyatt across the street.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 16}]}, "224783": {"reviews": [{"text": "We stayed here for the final 3 nights of our 5 day anniversary trip. My husband and I were highly impressed with the front desk staff, especially the concierge - who by the way, recommended great restaurants. Our travel agent must have requested two queen beds, but when we checked in they saw it was our anniversary and asked if we wanted a king. Of course we did! And they were very happy to oblige and we ended up in a great room with a king bed. The view from the room was great - although there was a lot of construction going on. The bathroom was immaculate and I loved the turn down service every night (including a bucket of ice AND chocolates on the pillow!!) \nWe loved the location of The Hyatt - we parked the car and walked everywhere. It was so close to anything you'd want to see - Pike's Market, shopping, The Underground, the waterfront and ferry's, etc. It was also close to a lot of great restaurants. The concierge recommended Wild Ginger to us (a Pan-Asian restaurant). It was FABULOUS! We absolutely loved it - but get reservations ahead of time or you may be waiting for awhile. There is also a cheesecake factory around the block, which we liked because it was something familiar for that first day. \nRuth's Steakhouse is attached to the hotel and we ordered from their our last night and brougt to our room. We weren't very hungry but didn't want to be starving at midnight, so we ordered their lobster bisque and some BBQ shrimp. I'm sorry to say I was severely disappointed. How hard is it to make those things? I didn't enjoy them at all! I wish we had just dragged ourselves out of our room to go to a restaurant, but we were exhausted from our day of walking around. \nThe biggest complaint I had was the cost of parking. It was absolutely ridiculous. Although, I'm assuming most downtown hotels would be about the same. We pre-paid for the hotel before we left, so we weren't expecting much of a bill. We did get Wild Hogs on demand in the room ($14.99 for a movie?!?), but other than that the only thing on our bill was parking and the cost came out over $100 for 3 nights! We were shocked. I believe it was $31 plus several taxes per night to park. The parking is really the only reason I'm giving it 4 stars and not 5.\nAnyway, the hotel was very clean and comfortable and the staff was very nice. The location is superb and I would definitely stay here again (but I would look at using a car service to and from the airport so to not pay the ridiculous parking fee).", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Letter sent to Hyatt Consumer Complaints:\nI am a busy mother of 3 young children. As such, I was looking so very forward to attending the Humane Education Workshop in Vancouver, BC on October 19-20. Although I intended to attend the workshop to enhance my proficiency as a university professor, I have no shame in admitting that I relished the idea of a few precious days all to myself.\nMy day started on a bad note when I was bumped from my flight in Podunk, Washington. Without any other feasible flight option, I found myself facing a 7 to 8 hour drive to Vancouver. I did not know it at the time, but my journey would include an emergency tire purchase in Ellensburg and a trip over Snoqualmie Pass during a Severe Storm Warning. I stopped in North Bend to rest after conquering the pass, and decided to make hotel reservations in Seattle for the night to rest my weary bones. I had stayed at the Grand Hyatt once before and LOVED it, so I decided to indulge myself and made reservations.\nI arrived at the Seattle Grand Hyatt shortly after 8pm, checked in without incident, settled myself into my room and then happily made my way to the nearby Cheesecake Factory for Avocado Eggrolls and decadent cheesecake. I had not eaten anything that day so to simply state that I enjoyed my dinner would be an enormous misrepresentation of my experience! (In fact, even with what was to come, having eaten that one extraordinary meal...made it all worthwhile!!)\nI practically skipped back to my room, looking forward to a relaxing bath and a good night's sleep. Alas, my key didn't work, so I made my way to the lobby to get another.\nWhen I arrived at the front desk at approximately 11pm, I was asked if I had another form of payment, as my card was not accepting the room charge. I did not have another form of payment. I do not use credit cards (I use only my Visa debit card), I don't use checks (who takes out-of-town checks anymore??) and never carry cash, except for the occasional $20.\nI immediately knew what was wrong. I use a small credit union and, for whatever reason, (I can only assume it is an anti-theft/safety measure) when my card is used outside my home area, a \"safety hold\" kicks in and the card declines further debits. I can only resolve the issue by calling my credit union (which operates 8-5pm on weekdays). They immediately remove the hold and make note in their system that I have traveled outside my home area. (I only know this because I traveled to Nelson, BC and Chicago, Illinois over the summer and both times had to call my credit union because of the afore mentioned \"safety hold.\" Fortunately, The W in Chicago was much more understanding of my circumstances than the Grand Hyatt ended up being.)\nI offered to call my husband to give them his credit card number to act as a guarantor until morning, but was required to have him fax his permission. We don't have a fax machine at our house and I absolutely could not ask my husband to wake my three sleeping children at 11pm to go hunting for a fax machine. I offered collateral (I have a very lovely MacBook that I can't live without and would have served as a SUBSTANTIAL motivator for me to pay my hotel bill!! I also have a shiny little Pontiac Vibe, which was already in their possession!!) I even went so far as to pull up my banking account online, showing the manager my account balance (which was approximately $1739).\nAfter all of my pleading, I was escorted by security at 11:30pm to collect my things from the room and was tossed out on my ear. Faced with no other option, I got in my car and drove back home, through the same weather conditions I had faced earlier. (I have BLISTERS on three of my fingers from gripping the steering wheel so firmly while battling the severe gusts of wind...it was THAT bad.)\nHaving endured my gripping tale, you might be wondering about the purpose of my email, aside from my seemingly obvious penchant for whining. My purpose is to ask a simple question.\nIs there no room for decency or compassion within the Hyatt corporate structure?\nSeriously. EVERY SINGLE SIGN suggested that I was a trustworthy person. I had really good evidence to support my claims. Yet, given the opportunity to be a shining example of customer service, your hotel staff chose instead to toss me out on my ear at 11:30pm.\nShame on you, Hyatt. Any corporation that would require their employees to stand belligerent, unsympathetic and utterly opposed to one simple and ordinary act of human kindness, does not deserve my patronage.\nThis, my unbelievably discourteous treatment at the hands of your little corporate minions, I shall shout from the rooftops.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "We scheduled a long weekend to explore downtown Seattle. Searching from sidestep.com, we found a flight+hotel package. Fair from the airport was about $25. When we arrived at our room, we were floored. We've stayed at many nice hotels, but this recently re-done room was clean, modern and comfortable. If you need a giant room, this place isn't for you. The bedroom, bathroom and living room were all the same size...which we loved. It made for a huge, luxurious bathroom. We've learned to tell everyplace we stay that we're celebrating our anniversary...we make it a point...making sure to call back to assure special touches have been added (usually for free)...we arrived to find free champagne & cookies. They put us in a corner suite on the 24th floor and the view was stunning! Ruth's Chris Steakhouse is attached downstairs (watch those bar tabs!!!) We tried to locate the hot-tub afterhours but it's within their own spa...which was closed. The gym was available, however, and the equipment was new, modern and the area was quite empressive. This hotel is within walking distance of every downtown attraction. The monorail will take you to the space needle. Argosy Dinner Cruises are HIGHLY recommended by me (again, you're celebrating your anniversary for special treatment). You will want to take a cab down to the Cruise Piers. Everything else is within a 15 minute walk from this hotel...even if you're drunk.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "The Grand Hyatt Seattle is a modern hotel located very close to the shopping areas of Downtown Seattle. The lobby is dimly lit. Parking is expensive at the Hyatt. There is only one restaurant, Ruth Chris Steakhouse, which serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.\nWe stayed in the Business Plan two double room, room 1523. For appoxiamately 10-20 USD more, you get these extras: Free wired internet and free breakfast- coupon(this will be explained later in the review). The restroom has a beautiful, vast, modern Kohler tub, a marble shower, one cup coffee maker (the ones which make one cup of coffee using a pod for coffee), etc. The restroom has White Ginger flavored Portico toiletries (which are very expensive), and NO toothbrushes (as always with most hotels these days). Also, they have robes (one in bathroom, one in closet) in the room.\nThe beds in the room are very soft. They give you SIX !!!! pillows on the bed. The \"Grand Bed\" also uses down comforters, etc). The room also has a TV, minibar, lots of storage, big safe, work desk, three chairs, power blackout blinds (they go down and are not see through unlike the other blinds in the room), and a photo of something.\nThey also give you USA today newspapers everyday.\nService is impeccable at the Grand Hyatt. They have surveys to make sure customer service is good, request forms in room (for room cleaning), and a wonderful concierge (Chuck was there when we were at the Grand Hyatt). \nRuth Chris Steakhouse is delicious, but pretty expensive. We ate there for breakfast. The eggs benedict is yummy. All \"main courses (middle of menu) are served with fruit and roasted fingerling potatoes and onions. They do have a problem though, with the drinks. They DO NOT post the drink prices or side dish prices. All we know when we were there was: coffee was FREE, orange juice was $3.00 USD, and toast was $2. Orange juice is included with the continental breakfast ( they will ask you which kind of juice you want).\nThe free continental breakfast, included with the business plan rooms, are not continental breakfast. It is actually a $15 dollar pass (each guest in room gets one per day, i.e. three night stay with one guest: three breakfast passes) which you can use to buy anything in the breakfast menu. \nI would stay again at this hotel. It is excellent, and very new. I will post pictures later....", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "My husband and I recently traveled to Seattle for a vacation. I checked out just about every hotel in Seattle before I booked the Grand Hyatt. This hotel was wonderful- one of the best we've ever been to. It's in a great location--near the Convention Center, lots of shopping, restaurants, and public transportation, and only a few blocks from Pike's Market. The rooms are beautifully appointed, with a very comfortable bed, lots of pillows, a lighted closet, and a really large bathroom with separate shower and soaking tub. We used the convenient valet parking, with in and out privileges. There is an attached parking lot for self-parking without in and out. The concierge gave us great dinner recommendations and provided maps and directions to tourist locations. There is a Ruth Chris Steakhouse attached to the hotel lobby. We went there for breakfast every day. They met all our menu requests for smaller portions and charged commensurately lower prices. We left the hotel for a few days of traveling and had no problem leaving some luggage in the hotel storeroom until our return The couple of glitches we had (maid forgot the towels one day, etc.) were immediately resolved to our satisfaction. We very highly recommend this hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We arrived at the Grand Hyatt around 4 pm on Thursday, May 25th. We were warmly greet and escorted to the check-in. Check-in was simple and quick. We were then escorted to our room, which was a corner suite with a decent view, if you like ugly rooftops. The gentleman who took us to our room was pleasant and very informative of the area. He showed us all the features of our room. Thirty minutes after being in the room we received a letter under the door explaining that the water to the hotel would be cut off at midnight and back on at 4 am. We did not consider this a problem as they stated they were flushing the system. At 10 pm we received another letter under the door that was a duplicate of the second letter. We woke up at 6:30 am as we were heading to LA on Amtrak that left at 10 am. We found that we did not have any water. We called downstairs and was informed that we would have water in 30 minutes. At 7:15 we still had no water but they offered to send bottled water to our room, which we declined. Ten minutes later the doorbell rang and we found 2 bottles of water sitting at the door. We were not sure what they expected us to do with 2 - 16 oz. bottles of water. At 7:30 we called the desk again about the water and was told they had water in the gym and we could take showers there. We asked if they had hot water and was told yes. Imagine our surprise when we got there and found they only had cold (ice cold) water. I then went down to the desk and was told that we would have water to our room by 8:30 that it was a long process to get the water throughout the hotel. I explained that we had to leave by then to which they did not reply. By the time I got back to my room, there was 2 more bottles of water sitting at the door. We immediately packed out belongings, we down to checkout and asked that they call a taxi for us. They told us they would get us a taxi outside to just go on out. They also offered us bottled water to take with us. Once outside we were informed they should have called for a taxi inside, so the gentleman outside was standing in the road trying to flag down a taxi instead of someone going inside to call. There was a gentleman who drives his a personal Town Car that was there waiting to pickup passengers for airport flights (no reservations required with this gentleman and he charges the same as a taxi) he volunteered to take us to the Amtrak station. We wanted to get away before they offered us more bottled water so we took him up on it. As we drove away the gentleman was still in the road trying to flag down a taxi while his co-workers watched. The wonderful gentleman with the Town Car charged us $5.00. We gave him $20.00 because we would have paid that or more for taxi.\nI'm sure the Grand Hyatt is a wonderful place to stay but when checking in, make sure they are not planning on turing the water off.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "I've used this very helpful site so many times that I've decided it's only fair to begin to contribute to it. This hotel has a lot going for it. First, a great staff, the equal to the best hotels we've ever stayed in, very friendly and helpful. Second, terrific rooms, or at least our room was. We had a very nice one bedroom suite on the club level with incredible panaromic views of the sound, the peninsula and but for an unfortunately located building next door, Mt. Ranier. The clunky tv in the armoire was a bit of a surprise in this context; the room cries out for a plasma on the wall--not that we would have turned it on with the views! \nHowever, the restaurant and lounge situation keeps this hotel from the 5 star level. First, if you think Ritz Carlton when you hear club level, forget it. You pay for what you might order from the extremely limited and basic drink menu, even for a diet coke, and the hor d'oeurve service is,well, unimpressive. There is only one restaurant and lounge in the hotel, the Ruth's Chris Steakhouse located next door (with an entrance from the hotel lobby). If you want a quiet drink, it is noisy and crowded and filled with people who perhaps have been there too long. If you want breakfast, you get a limp one page xerox of your egg choices. If you want dinner, you get steak. This is just lazy and cheap, and really a shame given the staff, the location and the physical plant of this otherwise fine hotel.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I stayed here for a week in May. My company was doing a show at the convention center, half a block away. I chose the Grand Hyatt out of all the convention hotels because I had stayed there once in 2004 and loved it. \nThis visit was even better, because I was there for a full week. Customer service in all areas of the hotel is excellent. When I'm on a business trip, I want to know the hotel staff will help me fix anything that goes wrong. I wanted a place with meeting space, in case I needed it at the last minute. \nI had a corner suite on the 23rd floor, with a view of the water from one of the smaller windows. I am now certain I don't want to live in Seattle, because it rained or was darkly overcast almost the whole time, in May! Luckily we were up high enough to have lots of (gray) light. The housing prices in California are depressing, but not as depressing as Seattle weather.\nI love the interior design, which uses natural materials in a modern, somewhat masculine way. The bathroom has a deep tub and separate shower. The light over the tub is on a dimmer. It would be better if all the lights were dimmable. \nI love the lavender and citrus-scented toiletries, but I know some people can't stand the fragrance. I was disappointed that the towels are kind of rough. I didn't remember that from my previous visit. I can't seem to find soft hotel towels anywhere but at Four Seasons.\nI had dinner with a friend at Ruth's Chris Steak House in the hotel. Yummy! Gigantic onion rings, flavorful sirloin steak, grilled asparagus...I had no room for dessert.\nI also had drinks with a client in the bar at Ruth's. They close at midnight on weekdays, which surprised me. They didn't rush us out, though. \nThere are two movie theaters within a block of the hotel. There are three shopping malls within four blocks, but they're nothing too exciting if you live in the Bay Area.\nThe corner suite comprised a sitting area, a narrow hallway, and the bedroom. The sitting area and bedroom are not separated by a door. On one side of the hallway are two sets of double doors, for the closet. The other side has the door to the bathroom. Like the bathroom door in a standard room, it's wood with glass inserts that are translucent but not transparent. There's none of that nonsense you see in W hotels, with their see-through windows between the bedroom and bathroom.\nI decided against a Regency Club room, because there are lots of fabulous places to eat in Seattle (Flying Fish, Etta's, Salumi). I did use the gym a couple times. For a windowless room, it is very attractive, in the same style as the rest of the hotel. I used the elliptical, treadmill, and free weights. They also have stairsteppers and weight machines. The cardio machines have tv screens. I especially liked the small fridge with chilled, moist towels. There's a watercooler and a tiny gym lounge with magazines.\nSome of my colleagues couldn't understand why I'd want to stay four extra nights in Seattle after my three-day business trip, but the Hyatt's customer service and luxurious beauty made it worth the money and time. There are many things to like about this place, but the staff is their strength. The customer service here rivals that at Four Seasons, even if the towels don't.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "This hotel is understated elegance at its best. There are no fine antiques or stuffy furnishings. Instead, the hotel boats calming neutral tones with tastefully clean lines. The bathrooms are sumptious with fine marble and granite. The separate shower, soaking tub, and waterfall-like faucet are exquisite. The views are also fantastic, especially from a corner suite (which I was upgraded to free of charge just for asking!). The rooms are furnished with rich fabrics and appealing details like fresh bamboo arrangements. The hotel's restaurant--727 Pine--is also first rate and housed in a fabulous setting. The fitness facility was also great--each machine has its own flat screen television. And, the high speed internet access was a nice touch in all of the rooms. Last, but certainly not least, the hotel is ideally situated in the heart of Seattle's best attractions. Be sure to peruse all of the available rates and specials online...there is a great range of rates you could pay and you certianly want to get a deal if! you can.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I spent two nights here a on business couple of weeks ago. The room was OK, although the bedding is full of feathers (pillows, mattress pad) so I had to expressly request that housekeeping not put back the pillowtop mattress pad. Huge bathroom, actually unneccessarily large for my needs. The minibar is computerized, so if you even move something to see what it is you'll be charged for it. Biggest problem was on checkout day, when I had breakfast in the restaurant and checked out before the cost was posted to my account. They faxed me a copy of my receipt, then double-charged me for the breakfast. It's been a week and a half and it still isn't straightened out. Odd for a Hyatt.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "This was my first time staying in a Hyatt and it was certainly a good experience. Checkin was excellent. As soon as the Lady realised how tired we were, she rushed right through everything and sent us straight off to our room.\nThe room was exactly as expected - a corner suite with a separate sitting room and bedroom area. The bathroom was excellent with a very nice bath and separate shower (decent pressure). Two televisions (4:3 CRT) and choice of wired and wireless internet (decent speed).\nLocation is very good - right in the centre by all the shops and other major hotels. Seattle is a fantastic compact city with almost everything in walking distance. Room service was quick, good quality and not too expensive. \nOverall would definitely recommend this hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "We arrived in the early evening in Seattle and stayed at the Grand Hyatt and loved the location! The staff at the front reception as well as the doorman that delivered sunglasses left in the rental car that went to valet parking as soon as we requested them were in the true Hyatt tradition of service. We had room service the next morning and everything was delivered perfectly - we would recommend this hotel to all our familly and friends when visiting Seattle!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Great Hotel but let the nitpicking begin....\nConstruction is underway outside the hotel front and naturally we got a room facing that side. Luckily minimal impact as we were out all day, but consider that issue.\nDowntown Seattle must be ridden with police cruisers since I counted a least a half dozen sirens heard thoughout the first night, hey it was Friday so who can say?\nRooms have gigantic bathrooms.\nBeds are pillowtopped on steroids. So much so that if you sleep anywere other than middle of the bed you will feel like you will fall off. Also any movement by one partner will result in jello like quivering of the bed which my wife certainly did not enjoy.\nHad room service which was really tasty and hot. Chili is great! \nOnly restaurant in the hotel is Ruths Chris which is awesome to satisfy any carnivore but probably vegans will have to just get steamed broccoli. Kids were welcome and the staff was very nice.\nWeird that the hotel really doesn't have a lounge unless you count the Ruth's, and Ruths is not a place I usually go for a drink. Luckily the hotel across the street has a nice bar.\nClose to all the shops. If you want to shop this is the place to use as your base of ops.\nIf you are a groupie the Cleveland Indians stayed here our weekend.\nGym is nice but strange, huge machine area but lots of wasted space. Minimal weight equipment but it is very modern nice stuff.\nGreat house staff, appropriate level of care and attentiveness. Belllguys remembered my kids all weekend and were super nice to them. (Did not see a lot of kids in this place however).\nValet guys are great.\nAll in all a great weekend and would stay here again. Wife wishes they had a pool and a proper lounge.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed at the Downtown Seattle Grand Hyatt December 8th - December 11th. As it was a special occasion we decided to take the advise of another reviewer and booked an Emerald Suite for our stay. All we can say is WOW! What a wonderful room and view. We were on the 29th floor and our corner room windows had views of Puget Sound with the ferries coming and going, the Olympics & the Cascade Mountains, and the Space Needle. Looking out on to the downtown all decorated for the holidays was truly lovely. What a great location too. Pacific Place (shopping mall) is right across the street and is attached to the flagship Nordstrom by sky bridge. I liked the fact that we had coffee and tea making facilities in our room even though there was a Starbucks in the lobby. Convenient for breakfast. If you are looking to go a little extra it is worth getting the hotel to book you driver to pick you up at the airport. The company they use are exceptional and what a nice way to travel. If I were to find any fault with the hotel it would have to be with the concierges. Although they were all very nice they weren't as up on the city as I felt they should be. This however did not really effect our stay. We would highly recommend staying in this hotel and hope to return for another stay.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Myself and my husband stayed at the Grand Hyatt for 3 nights at the start of November, and we absolutely adored it.\nWe were extremely tired after a long journey from UK so it was great to feel so welcomed by the cosy lobby and the friendly, pleasant reception staff.\nOnce we got to the room, we ordered room service straight away and it arrived extremely promptly, and piping hot. The guy that brought us our meal was so friendly and courteous too. We had crabcakes and buffalo wings (didn't fancy a heavy meal so late at night) and we thoroughly enjoyed both. As for the room itself, it was an absolute dream. It was spotless, very modern, exceptionally spacious and comfortable. It goes without saying that the bathroom was gorgeous. I loved the shower in particular and I reckon half a dozen people could have easily fitted in there (we didn't have the opportunity to try that out unfortunately!). We also loved the little fun extras like the electronic drapes and the doorbell! We had a fantastic view from the huge windows in our room of the bay and we could also just see the top of the Space Needle.\nWe ate breakfast every day in Ruth's Chris Steakhouse and it was absolutely superb. The corned beef hash in particular was out of this world, and it became a running joke between us and the server, because we ended up ordering it every morning!\nThe staff as a whole were all polite, helpful and did their job with a bit of humour too.\nWe found the location of the hotel to be excellent. It was our first visit to Seattle and we found it an easy walk to almost everything we wanted to do, particularly Pike Place Market and some excellent shopping areas.\nOn our next visit to Seattle (I'm positive we will return), we wouldn't consider staying anywhere else, except for Grand Hyatt.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed at the Grand Hyatt in a \"Corner Suite\" over Labor Day weekend and overall enjoyed a very peaceful and relaxing stay.\nPROS...\n- Location: The hotel is located in a great location. We didn't rent a car and were able to walk to the waterfront, Pike's Place, Chinatown, Qwest Field and Pioneer Square. There's also a free shuttle that circles the downtown area. Tons of restaurants and shops are located throughout the area and the mall that's kitty-corner from the hotel.\n- Service: We received a friendly greeting from every employee who saw us. Check-in and check-out were a breeze. Room and maid service were excellent! This is one of the few hotels I've stayed at were housekeeping understands what \"do not disturb\" means and doesn't make lots of noise while they're cleaning the other rooms.\n- Beds: These have to be one of the most comfortable hotel beds I've slept on. Although if your allergic to down you may want to look elsewhere since everything is down-filled (pillows, comforter, & mattress pad).\n- Decor: The decor of the rooms is beautiful, very modern and comfortable. We also had great blinds to block out the sun, which is great if you like to sleep in like us.\n- View: We had a great view of the bay (see attached pics) and the downtown area. We were able to tell what to wear and how busy it was just by looking out our window.\n- Star-gazing: We ran into 4-5 Vikings' players shortly before the game on Friday.\nCONS (very minor)...\n- Room size: We had a corner suite which basically has 3 separate rooms in about 400 sq. feet, so there's not alot of room to move around. This really only posed a problem for us when we were packing, unpacking, and getting ready to go out.\n- Smell: There was a very minor meat/grease smell throughout the hotel, my husband didn't even notice. I think it may be from the restaurant (Ruth Chris Steakhouse), but it carried all the way to our 26th floor hallway.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "My husband and I just returned from the Grand Hyatt Seattle after spending a night there for our 10th anniversary. We made the reservation online and booked an executive level room with access to the Regency Club, which we would highly recommend. Our room was on the 24th floor and we had a view of Lake Union to the north and the city to the east. The Regency Club is on the 27th floor, and serves free continental breakfast (fresh squeezed OJ!), has free beverages (soda and coffee) throughout the day, and serves free hors d'eourves from 5-8:30 p.m. If you can fork out the extra cash for the Regency Club level, do it! My husband is active duty military and so we received the government rate of $168, and it was worth every penny! A Gene Juarez spa is a block away, and while I was getting a massage, my husband created a very romantic setting in the room - roses that had been delivered to the hotel earlier in the day, and chilled champagne and chocolate and strawberries prepared by room service. The staff was exceptional - the bell hop gave us some interesting facts - the marble used in the entry way and bathroom is fossilized so \"if you look really close you might be able to see something.\" In the morning when I called the front desk to find out when check-out was, the guy answered the phone and said, \"Good Morning, Mrs. Callahan, how can I help you?\" The room was exquisite - feather topped mattress and down comforter, marble entryway and bathroom, and a waterfall faucet in the tub. Even a Starbucks in the lobby- score! Also a Ruth's Chris Steakhouse (best steaks in the world) in the hotel. We called down to the valet about five minutes before we checked out, and our vehicle was waiting outside for us. But it's true about the mini-bar, don't touch it unless you want to eat it or drink it, because it is computerized and you'll get charged for it! We didn't find this out the hard way - our bell hop gave us the low down. A great shopping distict is a block away or take a short walk or free bus ride to the Pikes Place Market about seven blocks away. All in all a fantastic hotel and one of the best Seattle has to offer!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We made reservations for an Emerald Suite at the Grand Hyatt for the night prior to and the night of our July 1 wedding. Several times prior to the date of check-in, my husband called to confirm various details (we wanted a bottle of champagne on ice for our July 1 wedding night, etc.). I checked in to the hotel on the day prior to our wedding. I requested the specific suite we looked at, which had a view of the Space Needle and the water. We were told we could not request a specific room until check-in, and when I did request it at check-in, I was told that was the room we had. It was not. We had a water and a city view. Still a nice view, but not at all what we had expected or were promised (the Space Needle and water view was requested). When we asked the bellboys (there were 2 standing around and no other guests in the lobby at the time) to help us with our bags, which were in our car in the garage, they argued as to who had to help us. Finally, one lost the argument and escorted us with a cart to our car. Upon arriving at our car, without saying a word the whole way, the bellboy threw our luggage onto the cart and haphazardly threw my wedding dress on top of it all. He then proceeded to bang the cart into the wall twice on the way back down to the lobby with no apology. When we got to the lobby, my mother asked him to step away from the cart and not touch our stuff. He started to argue with her. We got a different bellboy to take our items up to my room. When I got to the room I discovered that not only were we not given the room we had asked for (and been told we received), but the champagne for the wedding night was waiting on ice on the coffee table. I took it off the ice, called the appropriate number and asked them to please re-place it on ice on Friday, the night of our wedding. The night prior to the wedding, I ordered room service. A very simple order. After waiting for almost an hour for the food to arrive, it was incorrect. On our wedding night, my husband and I returned to the room to find the champagne where I had left it the day prior, on the end table next to the couch...no ice. At 8:53AM on the morning after our wedding, housekeeping rang the doorbell to the suite. Check out was not until noon. This was the part that upset me the most. 8:53 am the morning after our wedding! Not only did housekeeping ring the doorbell (the door to the suite is on the opposite end and in another room than the bedroom), they proceeded to enter. Repeat, this is the morning after our wedding. Ah! Needless to say, at this point we were ready to vacate this room that we paid way, way too much money for. The bellboy arrived to help with our baggage and it was the one from the day before that I had had such a bad experience with. He took our luggage and rolled it outside to the valet area. He left it and did not tell the valet which car it was to be loaded into (meanwhile, we were inside checking out). Upon check-out, I shared these experiences with the employee at the desk, he apologized and credited the room service back. After all of the various mess-ups that occurred, I will never stay at that hotel again. Not only that, but whenever I drive by it (I am from the Seattle area), I will be reminded of what a horrible experience I had there in the days surrounding my wedding. Thankfully, my husband and I were too happy with each other to let it ruin our wedding night. I would not recommend this hotel to my worst enemy. I cannot even express on here how deeply this whole experience disappointed us.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "I stayed here recently for the night of March 21st. I was impressed with this hotel which clearly was well cared for but they had a few weird policies that people should be aware of. \nOn the plus side, I was greeted by a very helpful friendly bellman when I arrived in my taxi. He took the time to note my name from my luggage tags so by the time he got me to the Front Desk, he announced me by name. I travel a lot but have never experienced that kind of attenttion to detail. My room was spacious and the bathroom was huge. \nOn the negative side: \n1. The toiletries were by Portico but rather than usual Verbena scent, these were in some new scent - something with Ginger. They were cloying and sickly sweet. I am a hotel toiletries junky and even I did not care about taking them with me!\n2. When I checked in, the Front Desk Man told me that that if I took anything out of the minibar (which had motion detectors for crying out loud) for \"more than 30 seconds\" then I would be charged a \"sanitization fee\" of, I think he said, $7! The fee would be applied whether I put the item back or not! What gives with that?? Not customer-friendly at all, in my view, given that I am paying over $300 to rent their room for the night. If I want to park my store-bought diet coke in there or peruse the ingredients on a package of potato chips for more than 30 seconds, I should be allowed to.\n3. The room service bill stated that a mandatory service charge of 19% had been added to my bill, a \"portion of which would be put in the waitstaff's tip pool\" - ie. clearly not all of it. I asked my waiter about it and he shrugged and said that I should mention it when I checked out. I hate it when hotels try and make money in sneaky ways like this. The hotel charged me plenty for that plate of eggs and I don't know why they felt that they needed to take part of the poor waiter's tips too. \nOther than that it was a very nice hotel in a central location.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 34}, {"text": "My husband and I just stayed at the Grand Hyatt and loved it. We were in Seattle for a meeting at the convention center and it was right across the street. It was the perfect location for shopping,too. Everything is right there and you are in walking distance of Pike Market Place. The hotel has a Starbucks, Ruth Chris Steakhouse and The Cheesecake Factory. Ruth Chris is also the hotel's main restauraunt and bar. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner there. The breakfast selection was terrific and of course the dinner was fabulous. We never had lunch there, but I'm sure it was good also. They have a great happy hour with half price appetizers from 4-6 and again from 9-11. The rooms were nice and the bathrooms were great. There is a coffeemaker in the room, a nice hairdryer, iron and ironing board and a safe in the closet. Everything you need right there. The staff was so nice and helpful, they really added to our wonderful week in Seattle. If we are ever back in Seattle, we will definatley stay at the Grand Hyatt!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We stayed here for our wedding anniversary Jan 28th. \nLoved the hotel, we were upgraded to a corner suite on the 25th floor without even asking. Everything about the rooms was top grade, especially the bathroom. \nThe service was first class.\nWe chose to self park ($22.00 per day), valet parking is $33.00.\nWe took a cab to the Triple Door in the evening ($3.50) and we walked back to the hotel afterwards, it's only a short walk and it wasn't raining for a change!\nWe would stay here again for sure.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed here for 4 nights during our honeymoon the week after Christmas. The service, hotel and everything was exceptional! We decided to valet our car because the self park had no in and out privelages and the valet staff were very friendly and helpful! The staff greeted us every time they saw us and our room was beautiful, clean and more than we expected! The bathroom was huge and the black out drapes were great! I would recommend this hotel to anyone, especially couples and honeymooners! It is also very close to a lot of shopping (Pacific Place, Westlake center, etc) We had a great time and we will definitely come back to stay here again and again!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "A standard room at this hotel is like an upgrade compared to others. The standard double queen room is about the size of any standard hotel room anywhere else, but the furnishings are beautiful and classy. The hotel and rooms have gorgeous lighting. Even in the entry way of the room, there is a sconce of amber marble that softly lights your return in the evening. The bathroom is a dream for those longing for a real soak in a tub. The tub is just right for soaking and the water covers your whole body. The shower is huge, enclosed in glass and the shower head has multiple spray settings and is high enough for someone over six feet to enjoy. Bathrobes, lots of soft towels and lovely bath soaps, gel, shampoo and conditioner. Good complimentary coffee and teas. The beds are comfortable with down toppers, pillows and comforters. Don't let the mini bar scare you. If you touch anything, but don't use it, you can let the front desk know that you did not use the item. Just avoid it if you don't plan on using anything and ask for a complimentary mini frige to be hooked up in the bathroom for you for your own beverages you can get at any drugstore or mini mart in town. I recommend you get the Regency Club upgrade. With this option, you get a key to enter the club on the 27th floor 24 hours a day to get coffee, tea, cocoa and soft drinks. Continental breakfast and afternoon snacks are offered. They're not substantial, but they're a nice little touch to stave off hunger before lunch or dinner. I found the staff from valet to housekeeping to be quite friendly, quick and attentive. We were there when the hotel was not busy. This hotel is right in the middle of downtown and once you valet your car, you don't need it to have a great vacation (yes, the valet service is expensive, so be prepared to pay $29-35.00 per day to park your car). This hotel does not nickle and dime, they are up front about their charges and do not charge any more than any other big city hotel. This is not Motel 6 folks! One concierge, Mr. Rice, has lots of advice on where to eat or play in town. The only cons about my stay is that the noise the rain makes on the windows is loud and the 5 Fwy. is noisy from any hotel that is within earshot of it. I give it 4.5 stars because it's not perfect, but close! I will stay here again. The best way to get the best prices to stay here is to go directly to the Hyatt web site and get their pre-paid reservation. You will lose out if you cancel, so only book if you're sure you're going to stay.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}]}, "1200603": {"reviews": []}, "100585": {"reviews": [{"text": "I stayed here in January 2005 and I thought the rooms were beautiful. I had an upgraded room for around $200/night and it was always clean and the furniture and linens were in great shape. However, I was not pleased with the valet and bell service. The guy standing at the door never opened it for us... even when it was raining and we had our hands full... He also did not once offer to help us as we struggled with our luggage when we left. \nOur room was quiet, the front desk was pleasant... but their internet service was not reliable. It only worked for 2 of our 4 days there and we were constantly on the phone with the customer service to find out why we couldn't connect.\nOverall I was pleased with the experience, but felt that the customer service, especially with regard to the bell hop could have been better.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "This hotel is absolutely wonderful. I am a 20 year old student, who came to Seattle with another friend for a wedding. We look like little 12 year old girls...so we were a bit worried that we would be discriminated against because this was such a ritzy hotel. This certainly was NOT the case!! the clerks at the front desk were so kind and extremely helpful. The entire staff was awesome, and they treated us like we were queens. The room was very clean and very nice. I really liked the whole \"chocolate on pillows\" turn down service, as well as the aveda toiletries. If we were 21 we would also love the complementary wine tastings. The restaurant in the hotel, Tulio's, is also another wonderful thing. The food is awesome and well worth the prices. I highly recommend the chicken and lemon risotto. The hotel is within walking distance of many different shopping centers and different tourist attractions. My overall experience was wonderful and I would definitely come back to this hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "123022": {"reviews": [{"text": "Most other people seem to have had a nice experience here, and I certainly don't wish to negate that. We saw a lot of families having a nice time. I wish I could say the same, but I cannot. I still feel angry about our experience here--not because a mistake in booking was made, but because the management was so rude about it.\nThe story-- \nAfter reading a lot of good reviews, I booked this hotel for 3 adults, requesting a suite on the main floor and a disabled bathroom. (We were traveling with my elderly and disabled mother, who was in a wheelchair.) I did a lot of online research and made several phone calls to verify these points.\nI was really looking forward to the hotel--the reviews were good and I thought my mom would be really happy. Yet when we arrived, exhausted from a day of air travel and driving, we were informed that our room wasn't a suite, had no disabled bathroom, and wasn't on the main floor. So I asked for the manager--and waited. \nThe manager eventually appeared. He didn't quite suggest we get lost--at least not directly --but he might as well have. His manner and words made it clear that we were a pain and a problem and it was a take-it-or-leave-it situation. I've backpacked in Europe, and roughed it in Mexico and China --- I've never been treated so dismissively. I had the clear impression he was trying to get us to leave. \nThey eventually booked us into another room which supposedly had a disabled bathroom. Did anyone come up with us to see to it that the room was okay? No. Was it okay? No. There was no disabled bathroom AND it was next to the venting outlets AND it smelled unclean. So we went downstairs to complain again--to no avail. \nWe would certainly have gone elsewhere but there was nothing available--believe me, I called a bunch of hotels!!. A few days later they moved us (at our strenous request) to a cleaner room. We were in town for family business, so we put the best face on it and stayed. I felt embarrassed--I had worked hard to find a place where our stay would be pleasant. My mother was also embarrassed--she went a week without a shower and thought the manager didn't want us because she was disabled. \nI was so angry I later wrote a long letter of complaint to the manager of public relations for the hotel chain. I stated my feeling that errors do happen (good people make mistakes), but in such situations it is appropriate to take responsibility and do what can be done to make your guests feel at home, rather than treating them like something the cat dragged in. \nThe response? A one-sentence \"sorry there was a problem with your reservation\" from the management. \nHands down, the worst travel experience ever. That includes the pit toilets in China.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 27}, {"text": "In early December of 2006 I booked a room at the Silver Cloud Inn, based on TripAdvisor reviews. We live in the Seattle area so we seldom stay at local hotels, but my husband's office Christmas party was scheduled for December 19 at the Space Needle, and we did not want to bother taking the ferry back home after the party. \nOn the night of December 14, a massive windstorm tore through the region, toppling thousands of Douglas firs into power lines and leaving over a million people without electricity. \nBy the morning of the 19th, we were exhausted from listening all night to our neighbors' clattering generator. My breath condensed in the 47-degree air inside our home as I packed my high heels and little black dress into a suitcase while my husband held the flashlight. \"At this point,\" I said, pulling the hood up on my parka, \"I don't care what the hotel is like as long as it has light and heat.\"\nWe arrived to find a fairly nondescript midrise building tucked in among the office parks that line the technology corridor on the east side of Lake Union. As advertised, the hotel had free parking in a covered garage secured by an electronic gate. One of the reasons we had chosen this hotel was its free shuttle service to various Seattle attractions, including the Space Needle. The desk clerk told us the van departed every half hour, so we made reservations for 6:30 to get to the party by 7:00. The other clerk was continually fielding phone calls that were clearly from local people looking to escape their dark, frigid homes.\nI was pleased that the hotel had honored a request for a room on a high floor. We had to negotiate a confusing warren of poorly marked corridors to find our way from the elevators to our room, but everything was spotless, fairly new, and quiet.\nThe room itself was a wonderful surprise. I had deliberately avoided booking a view room because I had not wanted to spend the extra money, but nevertheless our window overlooked part of Lake Union. Strangely, there was a second window that looked directly across a small recess in the building into a nearby (occupied) room a few feet away. We quickly pulled the curtain on that view. \nOur room was small but not uncomfortably so for two adults. There was a desk with high-speed Internet access, two overstuffed chairs, a coffee maker and and iron and ironing board, which we immediately put to use after packing in the dark. The bed was firm with lots of pillows and beautiful high-end linens. The bathroom was large and new and immaculate if not the last word in luxury. Best of all though, was the gas fireplace, which we immediately turned on to rid ourselves of the last remnants of hypothermia.\nWe showed up in the lobby at the appointed hour to catch the shuttle, and found ourselves waiting along with a large family who were all dressed to the nines. I overheard them grumbling that they were still waiting for the 6:00 shuttle and had restaurant reservations that they were concerned about missing. Finally the patriarch went to the desk clerk and asked her to call the restaurant to say they would be delayed. The clerk did so, ignoring a teenaged member of the family's shouts to \"tell them why we're late!\" Next to her, the other clerk was answering phone calls every 15 seconds, endlessly repeating, \"I'm sorry, we're fully booked. No, I don't know of any other hotels in the area that have rooms available.\" Finally, at 6:45, the shuttle van showed up and we all piled in, but moments later the driver came around and asked everyone who wasn't going to the restaurant to please leave so they could take the family directly there. Another van showed up about five minutes later and took us to the Space Needle.\nAfter the party, my husband called the number on the card the van driver had given us. We stood shivering outside the Needle for about twenty minutes and saw no one, so we called again. It turned out that the driver had gone to a different entrance than the one at which we had been dropped off, and had been waiting for us the entire time. He came around to our side in a few minutes and brought us back to the hotel.\nThe next morning we found a free Sunday newspaper outside our room door. After a couple of cups of coffee by the fire, we headed down to the hotel's breakfast room. Again, signage to the area was confusing, but we followed the smell of coffee and pancakes. Inside the breakfast room was an amazing scene: Dozens of families with children of all ages were crowded around the pastry trays, coffee urns and fruit bowls. Kids in pajamas and bunny slippers were making pancakes in the automated machine while their parents lounged in the easy chairs and watched football on the TVs. In the attached solarium overlooking Lake Union, the grandparents were drinking coffee and orange juice and reading the Sunday paper. It was obvious that the storm had turned what is basically a business hotel into a family room for local refugees. The hotel staff, though clearly overwhelmed during what is usually low season, handled all of it with aplomb, keeping the coffee flowing and the cereal bins filled. \nWe obviously did not experience the Silver Cloud Inn under anything like normal circumstances, but we were impressed with its excellent value and the grace with which the staff handled the unexpected onslaught of storm-weary guests. I would definitely recommend it to the business travelers for whom it is clearly intended. As other reviewers have noted, it is not within easy walking distance to the usual Seattle tourist attractions like the waterfront and Pike Place Market, and the shuttle van service still has a few kinks to work out, but it is clean, quiet (we had absolutely no idea it was jammed with kids until we went to the breakfast room) and an excellent value in an expensive city. The next time we are attending a late event in the city or there is a scary weather forecast, we are heading for the Silver Cloud!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Myself, husband and son enjoyed 2 nights at the Silver Cloud, Lake Union, in a suite facing the Lake. There was a very comfortable king bed, separated from the sitting area, with sleeper sofa, by sliding doors. The decor was tasteful and everything spotlessly clean. There was free internet and a whopping great TV on the wall (as well as a 'normal' sized TV in the bedroom area). There was a sink outside the bathroom - and inside. The lobby served around the clock beverages - the 24-hour little convenience store was useful - and the shuttle was an absolute godsend - saved us hours of hassle with the traffic - not to mention many pennies for parking. We generally tipped the driver $5 per trip - much cheaper than a taxi! Despite the slow lift, we cannot fault the Silver Cloud and would stay there again in a heartbeat.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Thanks to Trip Advisor reviews, we stayed at the Silver Cloud for 3 nights. It was one of our favorite stops in a month long trip. It has it all ... it was quiet, comfortable, roomy, great beds, spotlessly clean, lovely lobby, free parking, free internet, free and accommodating shuttle to downtown, extra nice continental breakfast in a large, lovely room, and helpful staff ... we even paid extra for the beautiful view of Lake Union. We honestly hated to leave! We had a great meal at Duke's nearby, also Daniel's which was VERY expensive... also a great meal at Anthony's downtown.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I had a great three-night stay here. I requested a lake view room on the top floor and received it. The room was clean, quiet and well-furnished with a mini fridge and microwave. \nThe staff were professional and helpful, but not intrusive. Free parking in the gated garage was a nice perk, as was the business center with internet, printers, and fax. The 24-hour mini-store was really convenient for drinks and snacks, and when I looked at my final bill I was pleased to see that they don't gouge you on the prices for water and cookies.\nThe location is great; close to downtown, Fremont district, UW, and next to the Hutch. \nI am a frequent traveler to Seattle and I liked the Silver Cloud so much that I signed up for their rewards program and will be spending all my nights there in the future.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "The Silver Cloud Inn - Lake Union is as good as the reviews appearing here. I planned a romantic getaway with my wife for the last weekend in March 2006. Well, when the baby sitting fell though at the last minute, we ended up going with our two kids aged 5 and 7. It wasn't the trip we had hoped for but it turned out to be a lot of fun.\nWe had a lake view suite which included a pull-out couch, king sized bed, fridge, microwave and TV in each room. Unlike the last reviewer, I really enjoyed the view of Lake Union. The sunsets and sun rises were well worth it for me.\nThe pool is great for families. It is bathtub warm and only 3 feet deep at the shallow end (which is pretty important if you are only four feet tall). There is also a whirl pool that was nice for a good hot soak.\nThe breakfast buffet was very good. We all enjoyed the make-your-own waffels as well as the selection of pastries and yogurts.\nOne of the best features for us was the free parking at the hotel and the on-demand free shuttle. Lake Union is very close to downtown. So, we were able to leave our car parked all weekend and just hop on the shuttle. They would drop you off where you wanted to go and come and pick you up when you were ready to come back.\nThe hotel is in a nice neighbourhood. We felt very safe walking at night. Across the street there are a number of very good restaurants right on the lake. We really enjoyed Duke's Chowder house (which was recommended to us by the shuttle driver). It had a kids menu, fast & friendly service, reasonable prices and good food. The noise level was pretty robust which is a real plus with kids.\nI have to say that I think I have found my hotel of choice in the Silver Cloud Inn - Lake Union.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "Let me echo all the wonderful reviews of the Silver Cloud Lake Union. First of all, it is all of maybe a mile or two from downtown. Given that they have a FREE shuttle to take you anywhere downtown or vicinity you might want to go - that's really no issue at all. Plus being outside of the downtown grid makes it more peaceful, more quiet, and much less expensive. \nThe room was comfortable and large for this type of small hotel. The indoor pool, while I did not indulge, seemed very nice and is open 24 hours a day.\nThere is also a free continental breakfast with, along with the usual stuff, make-your-own waffles, hard boiled eggs, and cheese. It's held in the third floor \"view\" lobby with a lovely view of the marina and lake.\nThe \"lake view\" room is nice, but you are on the opposite side of the street from the lake. So it's not like looking out right over the water. It's over the street, and the marina, then the water. So, in my opinion, it's not really worth the extra price.\nThe staff was uniformly excellent and helpful. The lobby is lovely with very interesting coffee table books on various places.\nI'd say the only \"complaint\" I had was the one main elevator was very slow. I often had to wait for a few minutes. Although, it's only 7 stories high so I did take the steps a couple of times. There is another set of elevators somewhere, but I didn't take the time to find them.\nIf you are flying into Seattle, don't take the shuttle service offered at the airport. It was like $28 and stopped at a number of hotels. The hotel offers a town car for $35. For an extra 7 bucks I prefer the private service.\nAnyway - stay here when in Seattle and save $$ compared to a downtown hotel!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed here one night and thought this place was lovely. It has a clean modern aesthetic -almost Japanese in style - that produces a soothing effect not unlike a spa. The room was spacious, light and airy, with full amenities. We really enjoyed our stay as brief as it was. We also stayed at The Sorrento which was wonderful as well - although on the completely opposite end of the style spectrum. I probably prefer the old world style of Sorrento, but Silver Cloud is a beautiful hotel with a lot to recommend it. I would definitely stay there again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My husband was a participant in the Head of the Lake Rowing regatta over the weekend of Nov12-13th. We have visited Seattle many times in the past, as it is my home town, and truly this hotel was the best in this price range. Our room overlooked the lake, view of the Space Needle, and Gasworks Park. We had a hide a bed sofa, and a very comfortable bed that was not hard(!) and the sheets actually stayed tucked in. It was very clean everywhere, from the carpets to the grout in the bathroom. Little things mean alot. The breakfast room was large enough to accomodate the entire Duke womens crew for their pre race meetings, and the staff made sure there was always hot coffe, cocoa, a nice mix of tes and fresh fruit, even after the girls came through. Breakfast was waffles, yogurt, bran muffins, fruit and more-very nice! The van took us all the way downtown exactly when we wanted. I wish there were more of these hotels where we travel to, and we travel often for pleasure. This hotel will be our base for Seattle stays from now on.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "August 05 - We spent a week at this family-friendly hotel during our first trip to the Pacific Northwest. We found the room was clean, staff very helpful & friendly, and the breakfast buffet was good and had enough variety for the week. We tried to eat out on the balcony as often as possible. We arrived on a Tuesday, to a lounge happy hour, where my husband was happy to sample local beers, and my almost 2 yr old son happy to nosh on fresh fruit, cheese & crackers. The outdoor pool was usually busy, but very nice. With the price of gas so high, we used the courtesy shuttle several times, and even arranged for it to pick us up downtown several times. The waterside room was definitely worth the extra $10 for the entertainment of watching the float planes plus the sunsets. Quick walk to several good restaurants, and even a small playscape for the little one to run around. Guest computers to check email also very much appreciated. We'd stay there again in a heartbeat.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I booked my mom here for two nights non consecutively. The first night she had a regular room which was just fine, nice bed, very safe. And the shuttle, what a wonderful extra. It picked her up at the train station and then took her back in the morning. She liked the free breakfast and the $99 cost - which is a good price for a clean, safe hotel (which this is) in Seattle. On the return, the shuttle picked her up at 10 pm (it runs til 11pm), and when we got there they had upgraded her (at no charge) to a Jacuzzi room, with a fireplace. She was in heaven! Very very nice room, nice staff, very clean hotel, lots of extras for the price. I highly recommend this hotel for anyone who wants to come to town and see a few sights - the free shuttle is such a great extra. Staff is pretty nice too.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Great location, near the City but not too close! Well situated close to I5 for trips out and about if you want a base.\nAlmost everything is complimentary. The breakfast buffet is great although it closes at 9.30 (we'd have liked it to be 10.30!)\nThe courtesy bus service is really good, when we stayed it was almost like having your own taxi service.\nRooms are clean, well appointed and large enough. Staff are more than helpful.\nI would recommend this hotel to anyone.\nAs a side issue, I didn\u2019t feel comfortable in the City at night (I have felt safer in New York). Nothing happened, it was just a feeling.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My wife and I recently spent a number of days at the Silver Cloud-Lake Union in Seattle Washington and were both pleasantly surprised. Both of us are seasoned travelers and chose the Silver Cloud because of it's price and locale. We were very surprised at the overal quality of our experience. \nThe rooms were spacious, well appointed and very clean. Granite countertops, a nice desk with free internet service, a small lounging area with sofa and table. The bathroom was contemporary, albeit a bit small, but very clean and modern. The free breakfast offered hot waffles, fruit assortment, good coffee, cerial, toast, juice and pastries. It was always a bit crowded but not to the point of being uncomfortable. This is a very nice option for families with children.\nThere's an indoor pool and a flexible shuttle service to anywhere in town, also a very nice option for the cost concious. This is not the Four Seasons folks but, if you're looking for a nice, clean place to stay in Seattle that's very reasonable, the Silver Cloud-Lake Union is a great option. It's also very close to freeway access as well.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "What a great little place! While this is not a luxury hotel with room service, the view, location, decor, amenities and service make you feel as if you did just as well. My family of five was very happy with our suite with a Lake Union view; you can see the Space Needle as well, and see the hotel from the top of the Needle too!\nMy family took advantage of the indoor and outdoor pools and hot tubs (first and third floors), free parking, 24/7 complimentary coffee and tea in lobby, and small lobby store (it even sells internet hookup cables if you lost yours, as well as maps, drinks and snacks). There is the great shuttle service to Seattle's best sights every half hour; if you want to go to other places, make a reservation with the front desk ahead of time. \nOur suite was non-smoking with a king and a hide-a-bed, two TVs with cable and game hookups, two dressers and end tables, large desk/work area with free internet, a clean large bath area with a sink inside and out, clean working mini-fridge, coffeemaker, sink with cupboard stocked with cutlery and dishes. The bed was comfortable. The decor was in golden neutrals and very tasteful (as was the whole hotel).\nThe expanded continental breakfast does get a bit crowded, but this is probably because the food is fairly fresh and tasty, with cheese cubes, hard-boiled eggs, pastries and make-your-own-waffles. You get to eat this in the very pretty atrium area on the third floor, with an outdoor patio area and view of the lake. It is best to be early to this, since I think the staff has a hard time stocking when the 8:30-9:00 rush comes. A side note: the atrium is a nice, quiet place to work or read any other time of the day. \nThere are only few negatives. There is no grocery or gas station immediately nearby, but as other reviewers have stated, the shuttle is very handy and the staff could advise you on how to get whatever you need. If you want a room with a view, make sure you book it that way and/or ask for it, since they are in high demand. To give them credit, I did not book the room that way, but they arranged for us to get the last suite with a view when we asked (we did have to pay $30 more, but it was worth it). The shuttle gets busy in the morning and evening hours when everyone wants it; plan accordingly and ask the driver what works between the both of you (remember this is a free service, so tipping is allowed). \nLastly, the hotel is near a large working marina and some tech businesses, which some people enjoy, others don't. I felt the area was clean, safe, gentrified enough to walk with my family to local restaurants (and a small playground by the Bluwater Bistro across the street - try the delicious dungeness crab mac and cheese), and even take an early morning walk by myself.\nWe would definitely stay here again, it is a bargain in the Seattle area.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We spent Saturday night on Memorial Day weekend and returned the following Wednesday night. This hotel has it all. A convenient location (less than a mile north of the Space Needle), clean, decent sized rooms, a great view of Lake Union and the Space Needle (it's worth the extra money for a view room - as long as you are on the fifth floor or higher), free breakfast (go early on weekends), free parking (warning-the spaces are small), and a free shuttle (runs from 7am-11pm on weekdays and 9am-11pm on weekends).\nOn our first night, everything was perfect. When we checked in on our second night, our \"non-smoking\" room (437) smelled of fresh cigarette smoke - surprising, since this hotel is supposed to be 100% non-smoking. Obviously, not all guests adhere to this rule. The clerk at the front desk was apologetic and immediately gave us a different smoke-free room (411). The room was fine. The view was not quite as good as our previous room (611), since the roofs of the boatyards across the street, partially blocked the view of the lake.\nThe free shuttle is a big plus (note-the driver accepts tips - we tipped a $1/rider, quite a bargain). They advertise they go to the Space Needle, Westlake Center, Pike Place Market, Waterfront and Pioneer Square. Each time we called the desk, they were ready to leave within 15 minutes. We called them from the McDonalds across the street from the Space Needle and they beat us to the pickup point at the front door of the Needle. In addition to the regular stops, the driver offered to take us to any of the local restaurants for dinner and even gave us coupons for free appetizers at Rock Fish.\nOn future trips to Seattle, this will be our hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Can't say enough positive about this hotel.\nWe had a suite overlooking the water and the tower. Got a web special for $129. Continental breakfast above average. Room well appointed with microwave, refrigerator, 2 Tv's and mini balcony. Free high speed internet access.\nWhat really makes this hotel is 2 things:\n1: the view of lake union - watch the seaplanes take off\n2: the complitmentary shuttle service. Every 30 minutes they run to the downtown tourist locations. When you are ready to be picked up just call the hotel and usually within 30 minutes they will pick you up. Very nice! If you are a cruise ship passenger they will even take you to the pier- this is a huge benefit. The shuttle drivers were very courteous. You don't have to tip them and they didn't expect tips, but I did tip them $1 per person each way.\nAnother surprise: free washer and dryer on each floor!\nHotel staff seemed very concerned about making your stay happy.\nIf there were any negatives, I would say that there is not a grocery or conveinience store nearby (however the free shuttle can take you). Also there is no hotel restaurant, however several are within walking distance.\nI considered the Westin downtown but passed on it and I'm glad I did mainly for free internet access, free shuttle, suite, and continental breakfast.\nOf note, I usually like to get hotels with priceline but this time I was happy to pay the extra to guarantee the amenities and extras.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}]}, "1755673": {"reviews": []}, "677260": {"reviews": []}, "72572": {"reviews": [{"text": "We had a nice stay in Seattle for two days in this hotel, until the moment we were checking out. We had noticed what appeared to be vagrants sitting in the unattended lobby a couple of times, including the early morning were checking out. My wife left our bags for a moment to get a muffin at the continental breakfast and when she came back to the bags, her handbag was gone, and so was the fellow who was sitting across from her. I was at the counter checking out and didn't see anything, but I did see the suspicious fellow sitting in the lobby as I move our bags. \nThe manager was not there, as it was a Sunday, and they have treated us like we're trying to pull a scam. They claim no liability for baggage untended, but they should at least take responsibility for making sure their lobby is clear of derelicts waiting to prey on their customers. From about 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. there is supposed to be someone at the front door, but outside those hours they have nobody there, and the clerks are unable to see who is coming in or leaving. The manager says they have security cameras, but I think she was bluffing to see if I backed off of our claims. None of the other employees there that morning knew of any cameras. Furthermore, the manager NEVER returned any of my calls as promised.\nWe feel we've been treated disrespectfully, and none of our suggestions have been taken seriously (ie the need for full-time front-door concierge/security). That part of Seattle has really become full of vagrants. BEWARE!!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "This hotel is located in Pioneer Square, though just a quick walk to the water front/Pike's Market. However, the immediate location is a bit rough around the edges and there is a very apparent homeless population. Once you've walked several blocks away towards the market, it gets noticeably better. The hotel is very nice -- our room was spacious and nicely decorated. There was a very toxic cleaning agent odor that required us to open the windows and leave them open. Otherwise, it was a nice big room with a good sized bathroom. Breakfast was great. It is served in an adjoining breakfast room/cafe to the hotel and includes cereal, pastries, bagels and then some. Above and beyond most continental included breakfasts. The parking is about 1 1/2 blocks away and costs $18 a day. It's relatively convenient, though when we returned back to the lot around 9 or 10 PM after attending a wedding, it was sketchy. There were a few shady characters lingering around the garage (it's locked and requires access, but once your key card opens the door, anyone can cruise in after you.) All in all, it's a convenient decent place for a reasonable price. If you're looking for luxury, this isn't it, but it's more than adequate.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We wanted to love the Best Western at Pioneer Square, and for the most part we did. Excellent location, very nicely appointed rooms, and great continental breakfast. Kudos to Best Western for this fine hotel.\nOur biggest beef from our stay there was a front-desk person who was quite rude and unbecoming for a hospitality professional. His conduct was inappropriate and distasteful - when we walked in, he was slouching over the desk, and looked at my father and I as if we were unwelcome. He was then surly to us over a number of subjects. This got things off to a rotten start. However, we found the rest of the staff to be quite helpful and friendly, so in the end, we were happy that we stayed here.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Excellent accomodation... perfect for a tourist's experience. The complimentary breakfast and coffee (\"Seattle's Best\") was a welcome accomodation--allowing us to begin sightseeing earlier with plenty of caffeinated!!!\nRooms were clean and the Victorian era building had loads of character. Quiet, convienent and a good buy. Close to the Pioneer Square and waterfront areas... good choice.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My husband and I have stayed in the hotel numerous times in the last couple of years and would never stay anywhere else. \nWe have recommended the hotel to family and friends who have also loved staying there!\nI have to say that from the moment you walk into the hotel you feel like someone cares for your needs and the staff is very courteous and friendly. The rooms were very well taken care of and extremly clean. The rates were excellant especially if you are there in downtown Seattle for just a overnight visit. \nMy sister and I stayed at the hotel while we had a three day shopping trip in Seattle and everday the room was cleaned with special goodies left in the room for us! It was great because transportation was right there so we didn't have to use our vehicle to drive places and have the terrible time trying to find parking...everything was RIGHT THERE!\nWe loved our stay and being pampered that we did not want to go home!\nThis is a WONDERFUL hotel with FANTASTIC staff that make you feel at home! I would never stay anywhere else!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "Having frequent business in the downtown Seattle area I am always looking for good deals at better than average hotels, and I have found the best one yet at the Pioneer Square Hotel! Spotless property, great staff, and excellent location make this hotel a sure winner! It is close enough to everything that downtown Seattle has to offer from art to entertainment that I have NEVER needed to take a cab anywhere. The courteous and knowlegable staff gave me great and up-to-date instructions on where to go for world class Jazz - just around the corner. This hotel really made my recent trips to Seattle very special and enjoyable, and I gladly highly recommend it to one and all!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "My wife and I decided to visit Seattle for the first time and booked the Pioneer Square Hotel online. When we arrived the staff was perfect; they noticed we were from out of town and offered to point out great spots to hit while we were here and even made us reservations for Salty's Seafood restaurant all at Check In!! The room was perfect overlooking the street and breakfast was great. We paid $143 per night and that was great compared to other hotels we looked at. I will definatley be sending my friends here.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I had planned a two-night stay for early October in the Best Western Pioneer Square Hotel after a train ride from LA to Seattle. After my first night (and seeing how much there was to do within walking distance), I added a third night.\nThis is not your typical Best Western. It is in a beautiful c.1913 building. The hotel is modern inside with wireless internet access, while retaining the charm with huge doors, beautiful woodwork, and high ceilings. It was absolutely spotless, and the staff was very friendly and helpful. \nHaving read many reviews, I know to expect no free parking (not an issue as I didn't have a rental); and that the rooms could have been on the smallish side. Mine was certainly adequate, with a larger-than-average bathroom. My window was on an airshaft, but as I chose the lowest priced room, I expected that too. As I use a hotel room to sleep in, not view scenery from, I had no issue with it. I did hear someone complaining one morning about highway noise as their room was on that side, so I was glad to have my quiet brick wall!\nThey offer a continental breakfast that is above average. There is a separate room off of the lobby with numerous tables, complimentary newspapers, and a staff of two to keep things clean & filled. \nSeattle is a very PC city, and yes, there are a lot of homeless found on the streets. But not one bothered me, and I had no concerns about walking to restaurants at night, alone. The streets are filled with people until quite late, as it is a very vibrant area. But it is not rowdy by any means. \nI would recommend this hotel to any of my family or friends. You are a block from the waterfront & ferries; Pike Place Market and the Monorail station are within easy walking distance. Taxis in Seattle are very reasonably priced and easy to find, and there is free city bus transport. Within a few blocks of the hotel, you have every kind of restaurant you could desire, many antique and art shops. \nIf I ever return to Seattle, I know I will stay at the Pioneer Square Hotel.\nS.Murphy\nNH", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Don't understand the complaints on this website about this hotel. We stayed here for two nights in late August and loved everything about it. First, the location was great. It was within walking distance of both the waterfront and Pike Place Market, and we could easily take the monorail to the Space Needle. (There are hills in Seattle, so if you have someone with you who has trouble walking, you may want to consider taking a bus or taxi.) Both the lobby and the room were nicely decorated, and the staff was very helpful. Being on Pioneer Square meant that we could go next door or right across the street to get a drink and/or something to eat. Of course, we didn't walk through the square at night because of the street people who hung out there, but that's just common sense. We were never bothered by anyone, and because this hotel is so well located we were able to easily enjoy this great city. If you're worried about street noise, call the hotel directly and ask for an \"interior\" room. We had an \"interior king\" and it was very quiet. We plan to return to Seattle, and when we do, we'll stay at the Best Western Pioneer Square Hotel again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "We stayed here Sunday, August 21st. Our reservation was made online, base rate of $158, directly with the hotel. Upon check-in, they indicated they were upgrading our room to a \"deluxe\". We were on the 4th Floor with a small balcony. The room was clean and adequate; nothing special. This is an old hotel in a district that I would not feel comfortable walking in the late hours. Breakfast was Continental, apathetic staff. Probably would not stay there again.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "We found this place online and made a reservation through third party booking, like many. We were just staying one night and sharing the room with friends. When we arrived we were politely greeted. Our reservation was for 4 persons per our confirmation letter. When they asked how many guests, we told them 4 and they said that the extra guest cost was $20.00 for each person per night. Our rate was already over $150.00 for a room with 2 double beds. We told them that our reservation was for 4 persons and they said their system said 2 persons. We went ahead and took the room. At this time nobody told us anything about parking and we had to ask. We were then given a key for the garage and told it would be $50 if we lost the key and $100 on Sunday if we left it in the car because the garage is closed on Sundays. Nothing more was said about parking. We left and went to the ball game returning late in the evening. We received our keys and went to the extremely small room. We walked in and it had a view of the brick building next door. The room was very clean. When we checked out the next morning we asked again about the rate and produced the confirmation letter. We were told that we were getting the best rate available and that we would have to take it up with the third party booking company. We then questioned the charge for the parking. We were never told about the $18.00 to park in the garage. We told them such and were told he was the manager and insisted that the person checking us in told us. We told him that he had checked us in and that he only told us about the key charged for the garage and never the parking amount. He then told us that he always tells guests and that he was the manager. He would not work with us at all on the price even though we were never told about the parking fee or that our confirmation letter showed 4 persons. So in turn we ended up paying $240.00 for a room that you could find at any budget motel. \nThe breakfast leaves something to be desired. The floor was filthy with food and the food was not well stocked, counters were dirty and the staff was sitting behind the counter talking. We walked up to the corner Tullys instead.\nI would never stay at this motel again. Having worked for hotels for the past 7 years, I do not know how they keep guests. If we treated a guest as they had we would be out of business. I would recommend customer service training.\nWe will never stay there again and we will tell many people about our experience. This is definately not what we expected from a Best Western.\nWe gave it a 2 because it was clean.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "It was a Sunday night in April, and we were in town for a concert, and after the evening crew gave a great effort, physically showing us a few of the different rooms (which were some of the smallest I've ever seen, with views of backend brick walls), they led us to believe when we asked about parking that we could either park on the street at no charge that night, or park in the garage a block up the road. When we were thinking about getting a parking pass to save hassle for later, they simply said, \"talk to the night shift when you get back and they will set you up\". \nAfter coming back that night, a young man was working who claimed he was new, and got his manager when we asked about the parking. When we asked for the parking pass, he wanted $15 and we refused telling him we were led to believe by the conversation with the evening shift that it was free. The manager told us that that wasn't his policy as he pulled out his hotel policy book and that we either had to pay the $15 or park on the street which started on the meter at 7 am. This was great news coming at 1 am and exhausted. We felt cheated. \n In an obvious bluff attempt he then proceeded to tell us that he would check the video tape (as he told us everything was recorded throughout the day) and if we weren't told about the charge he would give us our pass at no charge. When I accepted the offer staring him in the face, he then proceeded to go back on his offer and again refused to offer the pass running in circles, \"You mean they didn't give you the pass yet?\" Excuse me??? What? If I had the pass already, I would have been in a parking lot parking my car, and not in the middle of an argument about paying it. We had only been there checked in hours earlier and told the manager that we wanted our money back and would go find another hotel in that case. He refused. He would NOT refund us our money and we were forced to stay there that night. \nIt was late, we were tired and he was running in circles with his lame arguments, we decided to wake up at 7 am, pay the meter for a couple more hours, and leave. I wasn't giving this place another dollar. The next day we found another hotel near the space needle and were treated with the utmost respect and in subsequent visits will never stay at that dive again. \nThe only good thing, and the reason I gave a 2 and not a 1 was the one bellhop that showed us the small rooms and helped us with the door that would never swipe and really helped us out. The place is a nice location, but based on this experience, the lack of management skills, and others that I read that had the same parking problem, there are other hotels, and I would pass on the Pioneer Square Best Western.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "If you are looking for the perfect location to stay at in Seattle, consider the Best Western Hotel in Pioneer Square. Also called the Pioneer Square Hotel, it's located just off of the square in downtown Seattle. It's only a block away from the waterfront and within easy walking distance of both Safeco field (for baseball fans), the new Seahawks Football Stadium and Pike Place Market.\nAs far as downtown hotels go, the Best Western is a bargain compared to most hotels of this caliber. The rooms inside the hotel were of a decent size (not huge - but not tiny either) and clean. The staff was very friendly and helpful, and along with the location, they were the highlight of the hotel.\nThe only negative things I can think of is the fact that you do have to pay for your parking and that the complemetary continental breakfast was lacking in terms of selection and quality.\nHaving said that - a clean hotel room at a good price in the heart of Seattle is a heck of a bargain. I'll be back again!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "People ... the Pioneer staff on the inside ... make this 'boutique' hotel (ie tastefully reburbished and refreshingly small) such a great place to stay for a night or two. The staff are polite, friendly and efficient. However, people ... the panhandling bums on the outside ... \nare likely to take the shine off your stay. Pioneer Square and the area immediately outside the hotel entrance is over-run with the down and outs of the Pacific Rim ... many of them are friendly but others can be aggressive and quite intimidating at night.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "Fabulous location, near downtown but you do not pay downtown prices. \nThe hotel is beautiful, the staff is extremely courteous and helpful. \nThe rooms are gorgeous. Free continental breakfast downstairs. High speed internet access downstairs. It is right near the entrance to the underground tour. Walking distance to most everything including Safeco Field. There is a little bar next door where you can sit outside and watch people. It is also within walking distance (about a block or two) from the waterfront. I recommend it highly. We were carless so I have no comments about parking with this hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I was ecstatic to arrive at this hotel and find it to be as charming and quaint and wonderful as the reviews said it was. It's always an experience to choose a hotel in a city you've never visited, without recommendations from friends or family who have actually stayed there. \nIt was such a relief to find that I liked this hotel so much that I would stay there again--and I am!! My next visit is December 2003!! My cousin and I spent some time in this gem in the Emerald City at the end of July/early August, 2003. The weather, the city, and the accommodations were all superb. Our room looked out on a cobblestone, tree-lined street and our windows really opened to let in the fresh air! Some rooms even have little balconies. The room was great, beds were comfortable, the continental breakfast was just right. And the staff was very courteous, fun and friendly--I left a poster behind on the day we checked out and called in a panic from the airport. They located it and mailed it to me. If you're looking for a hotel with a restaurant and bar or entertainment on the premises, then this might not be the place for you. You can find that just a few doors away. But if you're looking for a charming place that's safe, yet right in the hub of the goings-on and nightlife of this great city, then this hotel is for you! I love Seattle!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Just got back from staying in Seattle at the Best Western Pioneer Inn Hotel! I was a little unsure of what I would find once we arrived in Seattle. I was told that the Pioneer Square area was 'interesting ' and lots of panhandlers. I live in Victoria BC, where panhandlers can be quite frequent. When we checked into the hotel, we were delighted. Our room was on the small side, but I didn't go to Seattle to hang out in my room! The hotel was SPOTLESS!!!!!!!!! The staff were all very helpful. The area around the hotel was interesting, not once approached by a panhandler.... that happened uptown around westlake center, and Pike's place Market. We attended 2 Mariners games, and walked both nights to and from the game to our hotel. We only used a taxi once, and that was from where the Victoria Clipper docks TO the hotel. Otherwise we walked everywhere, or took the Free Metro. Mostly walked. The two restaurants we liked best were: Il trattitoria Mitchelli's across from the hotel, and FX McRory's near the stadium. Both had excellent food and very nice servers.Definitely will tell all my friends that head to Seattle to stay at the Pioneer Square Hotel. I have stayed at other so called\"upscaled \" downtown Seattle hotels before, and next time I go... \nI will stay at the BW Pioneer Square.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I have stayed here on business several times over the last few years and give the hotel high marks. Due to its age, the rooms are of various sizes and shapes. The rooms were clean, comfortable, and tastefully decorated (although the fiber-fill pillows are too \"poofy\" for my tastes). Thus, if you wish a large or small room, the staff can probablyaccomadate your request. Despite its location next to Highway 99 (the elevated Alaska Vaiduct), the interior of the rooms are quiet.\nThe staff is friendly and provided great information on restaurants, transportation, and the like. The free continental brakfast is adequate, but does the job. Indeed, the Pioneer Sqaure neighborhood can be \"interesting\" after dark, but I have always felt comfortable about the hotel's location. Despite its challenges, the neighborhood is much better than it used to be.\nIf you want more traditional lodging, stay closer to the convention center. If you want llodging that porivdes a unique Seattle expereince, the Pioneer Square Inn is for you!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I firmly believe that the other 3-4 people posting comments about this hotel are either hotel employees or happy-headed folks who have smoked too many organic chemicals from Seattle's Fremont district!\n\"Diamond in the Ruff\"? You have GOT to be kidding!!! My wife, son, and I spent three nights at the Pioneer Square Hotel in late 2002. Although we had stayed downtown at other hotels on at least six other occasions, we figured that Pioneer Square Hotel lodging would allow us to walk to Seahawks Stadium to see the Hawks play, save us parking fees, and give us easy access to Pioneer Square and the waterfront.\nWhen we made reservations at the hotel, we were promised \"free parking\" during our three-night stay. Unfortunately, this was not the case! When we arrived, we were given a \"discount voucher\" for a parking garage four blocks away from the hotel which cost us an additional $25.\nI am sure that this 100-year-old hotel was, once upon a time, in the '90s (the 1890s!) very grand. Although the building has been \"restored,\" it still leaves plenty to be desired. The hotel itself is small, featuring only 75 rooms, and the lobby is the size of a postage stamp. There is a nice, wide, regally carpeted (red, if I remember correctly) stairway leading to the first level of rooms, but it appears that other portions of the hotel have been converted into a number of different businesses with separate entrances (e.g., a Yuppie bar which you can only access from Yesler Way).\nStaff was not discourteous, but they did not go out of their way to be helpful, either. The room was extremely disappointing: tiny, (REALLY tiny) with few electrical outlets. (Picture a small 10 x 15 foot bedroom with two outlets.) The bathroom was not much bigger than a broom closet! The room was definitely not a place that two or three people would want to spend much quality time! My wife and I definitely felt like giving this \"boutique\" hotel the \"boot\"!\nIn addition, the Pioneer Square / Yesler Way neighborhood near the hotel is generally unsavory after dark. We encountered several winos sleeping and/or panhandling in storefronts and on sidewalks in the same block as the hotel. Early one morning (1:00 am) we stepped around one of these \"street people\" urinating in front of the hotel entrance! \n(Nice advertisement for the hotel!)\nSince our unfortunate experience with the Pioneer Square Best Western, we have opted to stay in Tukwila or Renton when attending Mariners and Seahawk games. (We attend 15 or so a year, traveling from Spokane.) If you wish to stay at a Best Western, I heartily recommend the Best Western Southcenter in Tukwila: it's less than one-half the price of the Best Western Pioneer Square and actually does offer free parking; it has much nicer rooms that are twice as large as those in the Best Western Pioneer Square, and it is located in a reputable neighborhood. \nAlso, from the Best Western Southcenter, you can catch a Metro bus which takes you within three blocks of both Safeco Field and Seahawks Stadium for less than $2.00 each way (30 minute trip). This enables you to avoid the Seattle traffic and parking hassles.\nWould I stay at the best Western Pioneer Square Hotel again? Yes, but only if they paid ME!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "The staff at this hotel gave us some of the best customer service I have seen in a long time. Michael,desk clerk and Joseph, bell hop were outstanding. It is a historic hotel, almost 100 yrs old. Joseph will gladly tell you the history of the Pioneer Square area, which we enjoyed very much. Rooms are a bit smaller than regular hotels, because of the building's age, but they are very clean and tastefully decorated. It is very convenient to shops, restaurants, and only 1 block from the waterfront trolley. Great location to hop on the trolley and tour the waterfront. In the morning, they have a complimentary continental breakfast downstairs which includes bagels/cream cheese, muffins, fruit, cereal, juice, various coffees and teas. We really enjoyed our stay there and would definitely go back if in Seattle again. The staff was a standout in our eyes. Rare in this day and age.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "THE BEST WESTERN PIONEER SQUARE HOTEL SEATTLE, WASHINGTONWe stayed at this hotel based on USER reviews, most of which were excellent.We couldn't have asked for a more pleasant and helpful staff, especially Michael at the front desk.This is an older hotel with old world charm that has ungone more than 6 million dollars in referbishing and, they've done a GREAT JOB! Our room (#224) although small, had two double beds, excellent Cherrywood furnishings and gold fixtures in the bathroom. Although our room only faced another building, it was quiet and comfortable. They do have rooms on the street side, some with balconies that cost a bit more.They have a beautiful eight chair conference room (could easily add more chairs if necessary) with a computer for accessing the internet.The location is quaint in an older part of town with excellent access to almost anything. It is within a block of the waterfront, the waterfront trolley, ferry building and the walkway along the entire waterfront and shops. About 6 blocks from Pike Street Market, and there are numerous resturantsalone the waterfront.It is a \"fare free zone\" where public transportation is free. Parking can be a bit expensive but the hotel provides secure parking in a parking garage for only $15 a day which is a bargain. And, while we rented a car to go to Bremerton, Chittendon locks and the Space Needle, we could have taken buses or taxicabs to everything except Bremerton and saved money. If you do take a ferry to Bremerton, be sure to take the self guided tour of the USS Turner Joy, a retired Navy Destroyer. It is excellent. The Turner Joy was one of the two destroyers that were attacked in the Tonkin Gulf that led to the escalation of the Vietnam war.If you do want to rent a car, use Enterprise Rent-A-Car at 2116 Westlake Ave. They have the most pleasant and helpful staff I've ever used, their prices are competitive and they will drive you to and from the hotel and their office.The hotel has a very nice Continental breakfast and, on thept secrets in Seattle, \"Tina's Diner.\"Furbished like a 1950's diner, I can't see how she stays in business with the low prices and large portions of food she serves. We ate there for 2 lunches and one breakfast and although hungry, we never did finish all the meal. If you have a small appetite, share a lunch sandwich! They have a really pleasant staff too.By the way, don't miss the 2 hour Argosy cruise ship's\"Locks Cruise\" from pier 56. It takes you along Elliott Bays, through the Chittenden locks into Lake Washington with a bus back to the waterfront.All in all, we had an excellent vacation experience with great weather for four days with only one 10 minute rain shower. In fact, we had to start wearing caps to prevent getting sunburned.Pete HansenBillings, Montana", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 45}]}, "100581": {"reviews": [{"text": "I've stayed both here and at their sister hotel, Watertown, just a block away, within the last few months. While the general impresssion of the Watertown is a little more \"upscale\" in atmosphere with a few nicer amenities, the University Inn is quite comparable and for the $30 or $40 difference in price per night, I feel that the University Inn offers a better value. \nBoth hotels have comfy beds with lots of pillows and a high quality (possibly down) comforter, though I felt the quality of the sheets were a little below par. The towels are much larger and thicker at the Watertown. The University's bath towels are just too small and thin. Both had nice long counters in the the bathrooms, but tubs were just ordinary in both. Microwaves, refrigerators, in room coffee, wireless internet, breakfast and parking included in room rate for both. My experience was that the wireless service was much better at the Watertown, but that may have something to do with the room location. When we couldn't connect to the wireless at the University Inn, the front desk provided us with a \"wireless bridge\" to connect to our computer, and that did the trick. Service was flawless after that.\nThe staff at both hotels were very helpful and accommodating as stated by many others. There is one van which offers shuttle service for both hotels at the same time. That is, they pick up and drop off on the same route. I didn't use the shuttle service when I stayed here, but did use it at the Watertown and the drivers were extremely punctual and very helpful. By making a reservation ahead of time, we didn't have any trouble getting rides when we needed them. In fact, when we moved my daughter's two 75 lb. suitcases from the hotel to her dorm room, the shuttle driver handled the door-to-door transportation with a grin and no complaints! And if you're driving yourself, downtown is a very easy 10 to 15-minute drive from both hotels. You don't even have to get on the freeway, unless you prefer freeway driving to surface streets.\nBecause my daughter just enrolled at the University of Washington this fall, I plan to be staying in the area off and on over the next few years, so I wanted to check out other hotels in the area. I walked approximately 5 blocks over to the Hotel Deca (recently renamed from the University Towel Hotel) and was able to take a quick look at two of the rooms there. I believe the hotel was recently updated and/or remodeled and the decor was lovely, in a warm, old-fashioned sort of way. The two rooms we saw were corner rooms, so you know they were probably bigger than most and considering that, they seemed rather small. Bathrooms were tiny, with not much in the way of counter space. You could tell that the hotel building itself was older and had that \"historic, well built\" quality to it. Both rooms we saw were on higher floors and both had terrific views looking out toward Mt. Rainier. As I mentioned, though, they were corner rooms. The bellperson did say that almost all the rooms had nice views because of the octagon-shape of the hotel. I'm not so sure about that, though. The rates quoted for these rooms were over $200 a night, which to me, seemed overpriced for the area.\nSo to reiterate what I said before, I don't think you can beat the value offered by the University Inn and I will be staying either there or at the Watertown again on my next visit to Seattle!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I have stayed here four times as part of a fellowship program at University of Washington. Although I had been to Seattle several times before, I hadn't really explored the university neighborhood, and I was thrilled with this hotel's location. There are terrific restaurants and shops just around the corner, and the campus is gorgeous. It's also within walking distance to Lake Union, and there's a bus right outside to go downtown (about two miles) They have a shuttle, too.\nThe hotel isn't fancy, but it's well appointed and has a neat contemporary design and furnishings. The continental breakfast is fine, but the adjoining Portage Bay Cafe has even better food. \nMy boyfriend--who is the pickiest traveler I know--declared it the perfect hotel: great amenities, not too fancy, great price, and a great location. Best of all--free parking!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I have stayed in downtown Seattle many times for business, yet this particular trip, due to a great low rate, selected the University Inn. \nThe rates are much more reasonable than the hotels downtown.What a fab place!\nWe were povided a room in the newer wing of the hotel. It was clean and comfortable. The staff (it seemed as if all of the front desk folk were students) were friendly, fun, and full of great information and suggestions. We appreciated the mini-fridge and microwave oven in the room too.\nThe continental breakfast was adequate. Seating was at a premium for the whole affair took place in the lobby. If it doesn't meet your needs, there are plenty of coffeeshops close by.\nThe University district is full of great shops and restaurants and the UW campus is beautiful. There are excellant transit options to downtown and the hotel provides plentiful parking free of charge. There is fairlly easy access to I-5 and we were close to the Woodland Park Zoo, one of our destinations. The hotel was also listed as gay friendly in several guide books (they were!)\nWe would not hesitate coming back to this charming hotel!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I have 6-10 US and foreign guests every year and all have become addicted to the University Inn and its tonier sister, the Watertown Hotel. The key words for both hotels: comfort, convenience and service. Independently owned, these are not 5-star luxury but perhaps the best value in Seattle. Located in the University District, they are a great base for Seattle exploring. If you don't want to rent a car, no problem as the bus service to the \"U. District\" is excellent. You will not be disappointed.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "1199588": {"reviews": [{"text": "Reserved a double queen - well in advance - and held it with a credit card. Arrived to be told there were no double rooms available and we would need two seperate rooms. When I expressed my disappointment, suddenly the front desk said they had a double room, but were holding it for a family with small children. Since it was my adult daughter & me (Even though I hadn't seen her in 6 months), I reluctanly agreed to the two rooms so as not to put out the family w/ small children.\nArrived in the rooms to find them VERY stark and disgustingly dirty - no furniture - only pull-down hollywood beds, extremely stained carpeting and fresh coffee ring stains on the counter. No toiletries or coffe pot / coffee. Called the front desk to ask why no coffee / toiletries and what these rooms are used for because they are obviously not guest rooms. (The television was a tiny one tucked into the hallway, which you could not watch unless you stood in front of it!) They avoided my question and said they would send housekeeping over with coffee and etc. Again, no apology and treating me like I was putting them out. A housekeeping young man arrived with one coffee pot without a handle. Said it was the only one he could find and still had no coffee or toiletries. I asked him what these rooms were used for and he said they were really meeting rooms - not guest rooms.\nI went back to the front desk and said I was not told the rooms were meeting rooms and wanted the double room after all - it's what I had reserved and paid for. The front desk was extremely rude - especially the young man - and insisted they were no rooms - they were completely sold out. Once again, suddenly the girl at the desk said they had a double and would put me in that one. She then proceeded to scold me and said \"I gave you a choice and this is what YOU took.\" (??!!##) I had never been treated that way before and I was only wanting WHAT I RESERVED AND PAID FOR! There was NEVER an apology for the inconvenience they put ME through - they acted as if I was at fault. I did not simply walk in off the street - I had a reservation for a double room and the confirmation paper with me! \nThis definitely ruined our stay at Cedarbrook and I wouldn't recommend this hotel to anyone I care about. I think their 15 minutes of fame that Trip Advisor gave them has gone to their head. I'd like to know who at Trip Advisor decided to name Cedarbrook as \"Best\" hotel. FAR FROM IT!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I cannot understand all the positive hype about this hotel. Our stay was horrible and I would never wish our experience on any other traveler. It started with the restaurant. There are very limited food options at the hotel-room service, the bar or the small restaurant which is located in the lobby. Our room layout was odd and if we had chosen room service there would have no place to eat. Our beds filled the room and the only other furniture was a wall of built ins with two built in desks. It looked like a dorm room. \nSo we had to go to the restaurant. Our service was terrible as the diners arriving after us and sitting next to us were repeatedly served first for each course. We were made to wait for the same dishes that were served to the diners next to us who again arrived after we were seated. One dish was missing a key ingredient according to the description in the menu. Efforts to get the dish corrected were not successful as the waiter just denied that the ingredient was supposed to be part of the dish even though it was listed in the menu. The waiters apologized for the very long wait that we had for our food and offered me half a glass of sparkling wine as compensation for the inconvenience. We never complained about the service but left the restaurant feeling that we had received second class treatment at a very high price. \nBut the worst part of the restaurant was the obnoxious noise coming from the bar next to the restaurant. A woman and her group were screaming like they were in a cheap beer joint. Two other tables at the restaurant complained about the noise as it ruined the dining experience. The waiter told us that we were lucky that the bar no longer had a dart board. He said the noise had been much worse. No one from the restaurant made any effort to curtail the bar noise. Our dinner tab was over $100 for 2 people, 2 courses. We skipped dessert to get away from the ruckus in the bar area. \nThe next day we tried to schedule the shuttle and were told that the shuttle only ran on the half hour. The information sheet we received at check in never mentioned that the shuttle ran on a set schedule. We arrived at our scheduled time but after waiting ten minutes past our reservation time, it appeared that no one on the hotel staff remembered our shuttle reservation. When we asked about the shuttle, suddenly someone was found to give us a ride. We were the only people waiting for the shuttle so it seemed strange that we were just ignored until we had to ask about the shuttle. \nThe second night of our stay was a continuation of our nightmare at Cedarbrook. Around 3 or 3:30 am, our upstairs neighbors came home, apparently from the bar. They continually dropped something on the floor that sounded like bowling balls. No sleep was possible with so much racket and it went on for over half an hour. I was preparing to call the front desk to beg someone for help so I could get some sleep. But the noise had finally lessened although there was still noise coming from the room until 4:30 am. Sleep was out of the question and I was exhausted after a very long night. I noted that the hotel lobby was again very noisy on Saturday evening with all the noise once again coming from the bar. So I could only conclude that this is a party hotel for those who do not mind boisterous party goers setting the tone for this hotel experience and intruding on the rights of all other guests who want to have an enjoyable, relaxing stay. \nAfter trying to get some sleep, I tried to use the free internet. I found the service to be erratic. Sometimes it worked, sometimes I had no signal. It was frustrating to have such inconsistent internet service even if it was free. \nThe following morning we went to breakfast and the buffet was okay but not spectacular. The promised smoked salmon was missing and was never replenished. Upon check out, the hotel staff member did not ask at all about our stay. It seemed odd as I have always been asked at other hotels about my stay. I certainly did not feel my business was valued in any way by the staff who checked us out. \nThe shuttle was operated by the one staff member who went out of her way to make us feel welcome and she was very helpful. Unfortunately she was the exception in this horrible weekend at Cedarbrook Lodge. We will never return.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "613399": {"reviews": [{"text": "For a recent weekend getaway to Seattle, my boyfriend and I decided to live the high life and stay in a top notch hotel. After a LOT of research on the best hotels in the downtown area, we settled on Hotel 1000. Through Travelocity.ca, I was able to book a Parlor Suite for less ($350 CAD) than a regular room (approx. $350+ USD). Fueled by the excitement of the bath tub that everyone kept raving about, we couldn't wait for our trip.\nAnd it didn't disappoint one bit! Having read on the hotel's website that not all suites had the bath tub, I called ahead to request a room that did. I also let it \"slip\" that it was our anniversary, and not only were we greeted with a \"Happy Anniversary\" when we checked in, but we also found chilled champagne, a plate of strawberries, and a thank you note from the hotel in our room. \nThe suite itself was massive - literally larger than my apartment (which may not be saying much, given that I live in downtown Vancouver...but it was around 600 square feet). We entered via the sitting area, which had a comfy couch, large coffee table, desk, mini bar with Starbucks coffee and tea, and a 40\" plasma TV. We didn't use the VOIP phone to call anyone, but it was fun to play with - you can even request your car from the valet through the touchscreen display. Other cool things at the hotel included a doorbell that housekeeping would ring (no annoying knocking!), virtual golf downstairs (which we didn't try, but walked down to check out), and the sleekly designed ice bins near the elevator that didn't distract from the modern decor one bit. \nThe bedroom \"area\" is on the other side of a wall, and featured a king sized bed with incredibly smooth Thai sheets, two really comfy bath robes, another 40\" plasma, and a really wonky mirror that had circus-like qualities (don't look in it unless you're incredibly secure with yourself!). But the bathroom was definitely the piece de la resistance, with a stand up shower, toilet (which was in a stall with frosted glass walls and had an odd soundproof quality to it), Molten Brown products, big sink area, and plenty of towels. The bath tub, of course, was the best part of the bathroom. Water streamed down from the ceiling with amazing force (but no splashing), and there wasn't an annoying faucet in the way. Perfectly built for two, we were able to enjoy our strawberries and champagne in utter style, and even my boyfriend - who would never admit to taking a bubble bath - said it was amazing. Having booked the room for the whole weekend, we of course took another bath the next day! \nValet, while somewhat expensive, was incredibly convenient, offered in and out priviliges, and the staff was friendly and attentive. We ended up walking to pretty much everything though (even back from the Space Needle), since the location is so great - just a few blocks away from Pike Place, and really close to a number of amazing restaurants (we went to Union Retaurant and Il Bistro, both of which I would really recommend). We took the Monorail to the Space Needle/Experience Music Project, but I wouldn't recommend it unless you've never been on a subway/above ground train before (it cost $2 - or $4 for a roundtrip, which really isn't a deal at all - the system itself is slightly archaic, and the ride was literally 2 minutes long). \nI don't mean to ramble, but I just wanted to rave about this hotel (it's actually the first time I've felt the urge to write a review)! I've been to Seattle a number of times over the years, but this was hands down the best hotel that I've ever stayed in. I've stayed at a few upscale hotels in various cities around the world, but this one is definitely the perfect one for people who want someplace a little funkier, trendier, and dare I say - high tech!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "1152288": {"reviews": []}, "112412": {"reviews": [{"text": "My husband and I live in the Seattle area and we thought it would be fun to spend a night on the town and not have to drive home afterwards. We chose the Alexis because of its reputation-good enough for the Sultan of Brunei-and because of its proximity to Pike Place Market.\nWe found our room to be large but rather empty and stark. Being somewhat cavernous, we found, as we were trying to go to sleep, that every noise from the hallway echoed loudly in the room. We heard constant noise from the elevator traffic just outside our door as well as every knock on every door . We thought that by 2 a.m. the noise from the street below and the hotel guests would subside but we were wrong. The Alexis seems to be quite the \"Party Hotel\" on Saturday night. Finally, at 3 a.m. we gave up all hope of getting any sleep when the man in the room next to ours got into a fight with his partner.\nWe called the Front Desk and informed them that we were checking out and going home so that we might still get a few hours of sleep. We were appreciative that we were not charged for our stay, however, we were mostly disappointed that no one from the hotel management staff followed up with us the next day or EVER. After serveral weeks, I logged on to my \"Kimpton In Touch\" loyalty program and sent an email to their corporate office explaining our poor experience. Would you belive that we still haven't gotten a response! Kimpton \"Cares\" - what a joke. We will probably continue to boycott all Kimpton hotels for the rest of our lives!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Our family stayed at the Alexis Hotel over Thanksgiving weekend and had a wonderful experience. \nWe arrived early in the morning, and to our surprise our room was ready. The room was exceptionally large! As you entered the room, there was a long entryway. It included a desk (where my husband was able to get a lot of work done as it was quiet and separate from the main part of the room) and then a long decorative entry table. As you enter the main part of the room, there were two queen beds separated by another desk, two chairs with an end table (with quite a few magazines on Seattle) between them, the armoire with the tv, video game, and mini bar inside, then breakfast table and chairs. Up a few steps was the bathroom and a dressing room. The dressing room was about 10'x10' and had a wall size framed mirror. Very nice when getting ready to go out. \nSince we had our two children with us, the hotel brought up a rollaway bed so the kids could sleep separately. The rollaway was not the fold in half style, but rather a real twin bed. That was put in the dressing room. There was still plenty of room for all of our luggage in there as well.\nThe room was well appointed, and while we faced the main road, we did not have any problem with noise. We also never heard a peep of noise from other rooms.\nThe hotel bar, The Bookstore, was cozy and very nice. They have 64 single malt scotches, and some excellent cocktails.\nWe had a very good breakfast at the hotel restaurant, The Library. \nThe hotel lobby has a beautiful Chihuly glass art piece in the center. In the evenings, the hotel hosts a wine reception in that area with postcard painting. There are blank postcards set out with watercolors for guests to use. It was fun to see so many adults participating and mingling.\nThe valets were very efficient and always friendly.\nThe hotel location was perfect for us. We were able to walk all over the city center without a problem. About a block away was an internet coffee shop and also a drug store. \nWe needed a few extra things during this trip, and the hotel was wonderful at helping us out. It was truly a gem of a hotel and we look forward to returning!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Very fussy ex-meeting planner ... LOVED this hotel. From check-in to check-out, they did everything right. I had read on this forum that it can be noisy, so I requested a quiet room, and got one of the best hotel rooms of my entire life. The bathroom was triple the size of mine at home. The bedding was the highest quality; Aveda amenities; spa on premises; cute little bistro too; free pint of Haagen Daz coupon upon check-in was a nice touch. The hotel really is a work of art -- it's everywhere. To a person, every single staff person I encountered seemed to want only to exceed my expectations. And they love pets and welcome them warmly with a cute sign in the lobby. Terrific, helpful concierge. Perfect location right by the waterfront -- most downtown Seattle hotels were several blocks up. Unfortunately for them, there is big construction going on directly across the street of the front of the hotel, so be sure to request a room facing the opposite direction. This hotel was a dream. I didn't want to leave. Truly one of the very best hotel experiences of my life, and I have stayed at hundreds of hotels thru my work.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Love this hotel...great location and very comfortable. The rooms are very generous in size and the bathrooms are huge. The room service menu is great and they are FAST! The hotel is located near Pike Place Market which is nice..so you can walk all over the place. Everyone that works there is very kind and the Aveda Spa that located just off the lobby area is a great place to get a nice massage....\nI usually stay at the Monaco, but they were sold out...this was a perfect substitute..and I would return again!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My husband and I spent one night away from the children....and we chose to stay at the Alexis in downtown Seattle. The hotel is a small boutique hotel and the previous reviews were mixed. Our experience was pretty good. The room was pretty...not large but not so small that I felt cramped. I did not like the fact that the windows did NOT open...that made me feel a bit claustrophobic but I survived. The bathroom was a little on the worn side but the amenities were very nice. The bed was extremely comfortable with lots of pillows and a down comforter. My only complaints were that we wanted to speak to the concierge and found it difficult to get a hold of her. The street noise was a little on the loud side....but not enough to bother me. This is a pet friendly hotel and I was a bit surprised to see that there were many people checking in with large dogs! When we were checking in these two big dogs were barking away...luckily I never heard them once we got to our room. Nice for dog owners though. Overall a nice hotel.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed at the Alexis for two nights for our 5th anniversary, and ever since, we're spoiled for any other hotel. The front desk staff asked if this was a special occasion, and when I told them it was our 5th anniversary, they upgraded me to an executive corner suite, no extra charge. The suite was HUGE - I've lived in smaller apartments. The bathroom was a sybaritic luxury. The wet bar with microwave was a lovely, unexpected extra.\nThey brought us champagne and chocolates. It wasn't particularly good champagne, but hey, gift horses and all that. The valet service was particularly outstanding; our car was always ready the instant we set foot in the lobby, and the valets were always waiting to open our door the minute we drove up.\nThe complimentary evening wine service was quite nice. The wine selection was good, and we struck up several interesting conversations with fellow guests. That's one of the nice things about staying in a boutique hotel; you tend to get more interesting fellow guests.\nThe hotel isn't perfect; if you open the windows, which I like to do, it is on one of Seattle's busiest corners, so the street noise is pretty extreme. It'd be nice if there was slightly better room air conditioning, but I tend to not like to use that anyway if the windows open. With the windows closed, I noticed very little noise. It's true the hallways are dark and dingy, but who cares? Who spends any time in the halls? One thing that's really outstanding about the Alexis is that you don't really hear other guests in the halls, and you don't hear their doors opening and closing. If you stay in hotels a lot, you'll know what a big deal that is. Even in some very expensive hotels, the noise of the doors slamming is like cannon fire. Not here.\nWhat really impressed us was when I called down to request another towel. Instead of just sending a housekeeper with one towel, we got an entire team who replaced all our towels, brought fresh glasses, spruced up the room, turned down the bed, and I don't know what all else. I was blown away by that.\nMy only complaint? I can't stay anywhere else now. I've stayed at some of Seattle's most expensive downtown hotels since, and compared to the Alexis, they might as well have been Motel 6's. I love this place. (If you find a good rate online, by the way, call them to match it. They'll match any Internet rate they can verify.)", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Prior to sailing out of Seattle on a cruise to Alaska, we stayed at the Alexis Hotel. Having never been to this area of the country, we searched for lodging that reflected the flavor of the city and the Alexis delivered.\nWhen we arrived, we were greeted were cheerful, helpful bellmen promptly at our car to assist with luggage. The front desk professionals went over and above to make our stay a pleasant and memorable one. We were upgraded to a larger room at no additional charge. The rooms were comfortable with their simple, but elegant decor, along with high-end bedding.\nThe location could not have been more convenient to the waterfront (about 2 blocks) and Pike Place Market (4 blocks). The Art Museum and Aquarium are also within easy walking distance. Upon our return from our seven day cruise, we returned to the Alexis and they held our luggage prior to our flying out that same day so we could enjoy Seattle for a few more hours. Kudos to their entire professional and friendly staff. The Alexis Hotel is highly recommended by this traveler!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Stayed at the Alexis at end of March 2003 for two nites; a great boutique hotel, wonderful appointments and good-sized room. Great location, within walking distance to al the great attractions. I highly recommend.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "100569": {"reviews": [{"text": "The building the Sorrento in is very cool. Its a neat, old historic building.\nUnfortunately, for the price you pay, the hotel has an overall run-down feel. The night we checked in, there was one valet and one hotel desk clerk and they struggled to handle the 3 people that happened to arrive at the same time for check in. A simple request for some extra help was met with sorry I've only got one guy working tonight. Well for the 350 buck (275 for the room +tax +parking), I want some better service.\nThe room itself was very average. The bed was nice, but the bathroom was really poor. Tiles were dirty and very standard appointments. \nOverall, this should be a two star hotel that charges 125 a night. For the four star traveler, this was a horrible place and I would not stay there again.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "We loved the staff. Very nice people. We brought our puppy and the Sorrento was more that accomadating. My brother got married at the hotel and the wedding was beautiful and the good excellent. Room service pricey but good. Our suite was very large with great Westin type, comfy beds but I was expecting nice room decor. The service was top notch and I would recommend Sorrento for weddings or vacation stays.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I have stayed at hundreds of hotels around the world and most of the high-end downtown Seattle hotels. Just had my first stay at the Sorrento. I will never go back though I can see it's appeal for others..\nPros:\n Victorian look. \n Friendly staff - when you can find them. \n Small intimate feeling. \n Great quality food at the Hunt Club.\n Room Service breakfast was great quality (overnight cooked steel cut oats and whole grain pancakes).\nNegatives:\n A/C couldn't get the room temperature below 80F. When we arrived, the room was over 90 F. \n Cleanliness. Stuff still in the trash can in the room. A completed survey card still sitting on the desk in the room.\n Aged infrastructure. Toilet ran frequently during the night for minutes at a time. A/C is a window unit not central air. A/C was so noisy (chirps, rattles, etc.) it kept waking me up. I'm used to central air and not window units at high end hotels so this might not be a problem for you. \n Hunt Club restaurant (was original reason to stay actually). Very disappointed that the service was not nearly on par with say the Georgian at the Olympic Four Seasons (Fairmont now). Expected better treatment, better staff knowledge of their wine list, more attentive service. The food did taste quite good though and was reasonably priced for the quality.\n For a $250 dinner and $300 night at the hotel, I ended up feeling like I would have rather stayed home. I only managed a few hours of sleep. I've never felt that way before following the same routine at other Seattle area high end hotels or around the world.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "I had my wedding reception at the Sorrento. I also paid to have 10 guests stay overnight at the hotel. We received TERRIBLE service. When I called to complain to the coordinator regarding the service she never responded. I again contacted her citing my complaints...no response. I tried four times, I never received a call back. They totally ignored me after they had my money. My specific complaints: They threw away my wedding bouquet, did not have piped in music as they had promised, no alcohol was given for a toast, which we previously arranged (our best man had to go out and buy a bottle so the groom and I had something to toast with.) They had horrible decorations in the room (think jumbo disco balls on a plastic Christmas tree with fake white snow on it). Decorations that I gave to the hotel to use were never returned to me. The front desk clerk was curt and seemed like she had somewhere better to be. My family worried about my choice in having such an important event at the Sorrento because the Sorrento elevator is very tiny and slow, downtown Seattle is too far away to walk from the hotel and the inside of the hotel smells stagnant- like moth balls are dwelling somewhere. I chose to overlook these details in favor of what I thought would be intimate and romantic. I did not expect the undesirable service. I will never return.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 35}, {"text": "From the time we entered the parking area we felt that Sera, Celena, Chris and Cisco had known us for a lifetime. The Town car they offer for their guests certainly solves the Taxi issue and the Driver Chris was terrific for dining and sight seeing recommendations. \nUpon entering we had a cigar room odor problem and without question Adam changed our room and gave us aroom upgrade for our inconvenence.\nWe would recommend this Hotel any day any time. Super cudos to their management and support staff for making our stay very enjoyable.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We had read some good things about this hotel, ie: their beds and sheets, plus the \"quaintness\".\nWe only stayed one night, but when we arrived in our room, it was SO small. It had two beds, but there was barely enough room to walk around. We were there with our two children but since it was just the one night as we passed through on our way to California, we thought we could manage.\nHowever, when we tried to turn the air conditioning on, it did not work at all, in fact not a bit of air came out and the room was very hot and stuffy. We called down to the front and she said couldn't we just open the window? I told her that I had children with me and since these windows were low, ie only 2 feet off the ground, if I kept them open, one of my children was liable to topple out! She said then, that she would send someone up to look at it and within a few minutes, someone came up and he confirmed that, yes, it was completely broken. Since it was Sunday night, he said that there were no engineering people available to fix it, so they offered to put us in a different room.\nWe were pleased to be upgraded then into a suite, which was much larger, with a separate bedroom. Our kids both got their own bed and my husband and I planned to sleep on the fold out bed in the livingroom.\nHowever, when we finally got to bed, this fold out bed had no sheets, pillows or blankets, so we snitched some off the kids beds, but the mattress was SO uncomfortable that we finally ended up putting the sofa and chair cusions on the floor and sleeping there! The whole bed platform was slanted and the mattress was only a couple of inches thick. Really bad.\nAs well, there was a huge wet spot on the living room carpet that the previous guest had made and so we had to be sure to wear our shoes when in the room.\nAll in all, the room, even with the upgrade was not worth it, I would never stay there again.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Spotty, bad service mixed with overhyped atmosphere. Rooms were quaint, but the air conditioning was so bad that we couldn't sleep, even with it on HIGH, which was hard to acheive, considering that the knob was broken off. Our suite had the smallest shower I've ever seen and no tub. The second day, it took them until I phoned at 4 p.m. to clean our room. The \"fitness center\" is a joke. All of the staff was very friendly and completely ineffective, except the valet parking, which was the ONLY highlight. If you're just looking for a bed, fine. But for a vacation? We won't ever go back.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I was looking for a romantic getaway hotel in Seattle. The reviews on this site really influenced me to try the Sorrento as opposed to say the Inn at Market Place. This is a very nice property with many pluses, but my over all opinion is that it's nothing special, which is of course what you're looking for on these getaways. \nThe Sorrento has an excellent concierge who gave very good recommendations, even when put to the test. They also have complimentary Town Car service to and from downtown destinations. This is a really nice thing. The public rooms of the hotel are top notch. The lobby lounge, for example is warm and inviting. \nI opted for a Junior Suite which ran around $300 a night. The room is a very small divided into a small sitting area with a tv in armoir and a bedroom that is tiny. The king size bed barely fits in the room, you have to squeeze buy it to get to the bathroom. The bedding was spectacular with super soft sheets and a large variety of pillows. The bedroom had an oversized desk that abutted the bed. The bathroom was nice with white marble and a spacious walk-in shower. Unfortunately, there's no tub in the bathroom and that's a minus for me.\nSo here are there reasons for my average review: The room lacks any special aesthetic. The entire room is beige and boring and feels very, very cramped largely because of the poor layout. The bathroom is solid white. The room really needs the services of a good interior designer. The room temperature was impossible. They rely on small under window units that you just can\u2019t get right. We were either freezing or boiling. There are no views whatsoever. No evening turn-down service was provided, so no evening straighten up of the room either. No coffee or breakfast service provided. Seating was uncomfortable and dated.\nSo overall, this is a nice place, but more like a business destination than a getaway. I\u2019d say take the $300 you\u2019d spend here and spend it at Inn at Harbor Steps.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 17}]}, "1723585": {"reviews": []}, "100542": {"reviews": [{"text": "Stayed at the Mayflower for a 2 day business meeting on June 5 and 6th. Advice to meeting planners: Think twice of having a meeting if over 70 participants will be at your function. The hotel was overwhelmed. Initially, the Plymouth Room, their largest conference room, which is under the lobby is attractive, but can only handle 8-9 tables of 8-10 people. Secondly, the mens room is up the stairs, across the lobby and down the stairs on the other side-- only the women's restaurant is adjacent to the meeting room. Finally, getting everyone's luggage out after the meeting was too much for 2 people. Chaos ensued for those running to catch a plane.\nAs far rooms go, I was told I had an upgrade (Room 321). Apparently, I had a little more bathroom space. Unfortunately, the upgrade ended there, since I had a view of the hotel airconditioning unit, light well and having the hotel's mechanical power supply and hydraulic units kick on every few minutes did not allow a great night sleep. If you are given a room that looks into the lightwell, turn around and ask for a room that fronts the streets. You will be Sleepless in Seattle and highly disappointed if you dont.\nWhile most reviews, sound good for the most part, I want TripAdvisor members to be aware of some of the issues of this 80 year old hotel. \nFinally, make sure you allow for 15-20 minutes for valet. Your car could be blocks away. Oh, by the way, they charge $28.00 a day.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We spent four nights at the Mayflower in February 2007. We understand that the hotel was close to being torn down when it was rescued and completely renovated by a local group. It is now an independently-owned hotel in the style of upscale classic city hotels, entirely non-smoking and in the heart of downtown Seattle within several blocks of Pike\u2019s Market. For those who shop, it is convenient to major chain stores (Macy\u2019s, Nordstrom etc), and opens directly from the lobby into Westlake Center (an indoor multi-story shopping mall). Room costs vary and one can find bargain rates via the internet as we did.\nOur room had two queen beds, a large desk with drawers for clothing, an armoire with TV above and more drawers below, a coffee maker (with regular and decaf coffee and tea provided). There was no mini-fridge \u2013 though we did not ask to see if one might be provided on request. The bathroom had a tub/shower and single sink, with 3 sets of thick towels (for two people). The d\u00e9cor was tasteful and attractive \u2013 dark wood Chippendale-style furniture in excellent condition, tasteful carpeting and drapes. \nHotel staff was friendly and helpful. I communicated with one concierge by email and phone and she responded quickly and fully to my questions about transportation from the airport. The concierge on duty during our stay responded to our queries with enthusiasm \u2013 calling a place we asked about visiting to make sure they would be open, making dinner reservations on our behalf, recommending another excellent restaurant and suggesting a theatre performance that we thoroughly enjoyed.\nTransportation from the airport is available by taxi, shuttle, and Grayline hotel bus. The latter is by far the least expensive for one person traveling alone (less than half of the shuttle cost, and about a third of the taxi fare) but stops at the Westin Hotel which is a short 1.5 blocks from the Mayflower Park. The short walk is slightly uphill and is very easy with a small roll-on suitcase. The hotel has its own parking garage on site.\nThe hotel has an attractive bar and a restaurant, but no souvenir or other shop. For toiletries and the like, there is a drugstore a half block away from the Mayflower Park. For other items, there is the small but well-stocked gourmet Ralph\u2019s Grocery & Deli about two blocks away from the hotel on 4th Avenue. Ralph\u2019s has a good selection of local Washington state and other wines, cold beer, and makes sandwiches to order as well as selling other grocery items. The owner (Joe Cohen) is very knowledgeable and most helpful with choices of Washington state wine and port as well as other products in his store.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Mayflower Park Hotel Review \u2013 6/30/06 \u2013 7/2/06 and 7/9/06\nMy husband and I visited Seattle for the first time earlier this month, in conjunction with a cruise to Alaska. We always try to stay at historic hotels if possible, instead of the cookie cutter big box hotels where you would be hard-pressed to know what city or state you were in. We read the reviews of the Mayflower Park Hotel on Trip Advisor, then found their website on the Internet. I was hesitant about staying here at first, after reading Trip Advisor reviews about the small rooms and bathrooms.\nWhen I called to get more information, I was told by reservations that the deluxe rooms were about 100 square feet larger then the classic rooms. I knew through my research that all hotel rooms in downtown were very expensive, and I was pleasantly surprised to be told that with an AAA or AARP discount of 30%, the rate for the deluxe room would be $179 instead of $255. I reserved a deluxe room with a queen bed for 2 nights prior to the cruise, and for 1 night after we returned. I then received an immediate confirmation by e-mail.\nThe Mayflower Park was the best of all the places we have stayed in the Historic Hotels of America group. The restoration/renovation of the hotel is beautiful and everything about our stay was fabulous! We arrived from the airport shortly after noon, and were surprised to find our room ready for an early check-in. Check-in was a breeze and our luggage was quickly brought up to our room. Our room was beautiful and very large! Room 815, which was on the northwest corner, faces Macys to the west and had a view of the Space Needle to the north, although the flagpole atop of the flatiron building next door competed somewhat with the Space Needle view. We also had a small glimpse of the snow covered Cascades between the city\u2019s high-rises. This corner room was bright with 3 sets of windows, very spacious and beautifully decorated. Queen bed, 2 bedside tables, armoire with television, 2 upholstered chairs with a table in-between, and a desk with chair in an extended area that also had a wet bar with granite countertop, a small under counter refrigerator and a coffee maker. The coffee packs that were furnished were without a doubt the best hotel room coffee I have ever had! Bathrobes, hair dryer, ironing board and iron were in the closet (small) and the bathroom was also somewhat small, but beautiful with a new pedestal sink, large tub and a great showerhead. The only drawback here was the close placement of the toilet between the tub and the door. Not much wiggle room there! The toiletries that were furnished were top of the line.\nWhen the bellman brought our luggage, he told us that the rooms that ended in the number 15 (815, 915, 1015, etc.) were all the same large corner rooms. The front desk called a couple of minutes later to ask if we needed anything, and the only thing I requested was to have the same room for the following Sunday night, after we returned from our cruise.\nWe were able to walk just about everywhere we wanted to go in the downtown area. Pike Place Market was just 3 blocks away. See\u2019s Candies was 1 block. We also walked to Pioneer Square, the Smith building, the new library and the ferry terminal to Bainbridge. We took a city bus up to the Seattle Center, and then walked up to Lake Union for the Wooden Boat show. Weather was gorgeous!\nWould I stay at the Mayflower Park again? You bet! Would I recommend it to others? Yes, most highly and without a doubt! Service (front desk, concierge, bellmen and housekeeping) was excellent. Location was great. Room 815 was wonderful. I can\u2019t wait until our next visit to Seattle!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "My husband and I just got back from spending one evening at the Mayflower. It is a very beautifully decorated hotel. We arrived early and they held our bags for us and called us when our room was ready. When we went in the room our first reaction was good....we got the deluxe room/with parking, which is a queen sized bed (although it looked like a double) and a little sitting area. The down sides started at about 10:00 at night since our room was located right by a stockroom so basically until 12:00am/1:00am there was a very loud noise outside our bedroom of whatever or whomever was working out in the hallway. As well, we were on the 8th floor and we could still hear all the noises out on the street?? Insulation not so great? You could also hear doors slamming and water running.\nUpon investigating a bit found bathroom was very small....my husband at 6'1 had to crouch down to take a shower since the showerhead was quite low. \nThe check in/out agents were not the friendliest, but were friendly enough. I think that with the amount of $$$ this hotel charges it is more for the location than the service or quality of room.\nThe reasoning for my review is that we actually stayed at the Holiday Inn in Downtown Everett the night before at 1/3 of the price (it is only 1/2 hour from downtown Seattle) and the service was 100% better, as well as our room was bigger (king size bed) and the bathroom was double the size. So if you want to stay specifically in downtown Seattle then I agree the Mayflower is definitely a good location, but if you don't mind staying out a bit, try the Holiday Inn Downtown Everett!! Well worth it!", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I treated my wife to a night at the Mayflower Park for her birthday. They offer a great theater package that includes two tickets to the Fifth Avenue Theater (about three blocks away), valet parking and a room for the night. They also offer shopper and romance packages. First, you can't beat the Mayflower Park's location: it's in the center of downtown Seattle, adjacent to Westlake Mall shopping center and all of major department stores. \nThe Mayflower Park is a great, 1927 vintage hotel that has been renovated without losing its deco character. The staff are attentive and friendly. We received a call within 5 minutes of going to our room to see if everything was okay.\nOur room was tiny by modern standards, but it was decorated so well that you almost didn't notice. Since the room was small, so was the bed. But it was comfortable. We also had a great view of the city and the holiday lights. \nThe bathroom retains much of the original tile and has been renovated with high quality fixtures. All rooms include robes, irons, and coffee makers. The rooms seem well insulated as we didn't hear any noise from the hall or the street.\nThe hotel has a great martini bar Olivers, and an upscale restaurant, Andaluca. We had a wonderful, romantic dinner before going to the theater. The food was top notch as was the service and ambiance.\nThe only downside to the Mayflower Park was the lack of on site workout facilities and the elevators. There are only two elevators and they are small and extremely slow. \nBut other than that, I highly recommend the Mayflower Park for a weekend getaway or a base camp for exploring Seattle.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Stayed here on the recommendation of many co-workers, many native Seattle-ites. It was just lovely. It's always a treat to stay in a hotel that is part of the Historic Hotels of America and this one was a gem. Great front-desk staff who really made an effort to take their time with each person. The room, though smaller than modern hotel rooms, was tasteful and comfortable, and best of all--quiet! Our corner room gave us a view of the Space Needle and Queen Anne. And the bathroom was terrific--especially that old-fashioned bathtub that was deep enough for a good soak on a cold, wet evening. Oliver's, just off the lobby, makes an exquisite martini, too.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Mayflower Hotel was very nice and very convienient to points of interest and shopping. Room was clean and well maintained. Staff was professional and helpful. Found both Anduluca Restaurant and lounge excellent. They both mix superb drinks and food is out of this world; both worth a visit. My only complaint was that elevators are slow.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Subject: Mayfair Park Hotel\nLocation: Seattle\nTitle: Mayfair Park Hotel is Outstanding\nID#: 3547496\nThe Mayfair Park Hotel completely surpassed our expectations. When we made our reservations we explained that we had never visited Seattle, that my husband is in ill health with mobility restrictions. We requested a Deluxe room, with a sitting area, which at that time was not available. Imagine our pleasant surprise when we arrived on June 1 to find we had been upgraded to a beautiful corner suite with separate bedroom. The hotel is elegant with the best trained, pleasant staff we've ever encountered. The hotel is perfectly situated right next to the Westlake Mall and the monorail to the Space Needle. We had planned to stay 3 days but my husband's health problems made it necessary to cancel the last night. The hotel was gracious and understanding, allowing us late check out. We would recommend the Mayfair Park Hotel to anyone looking for a truly magnificent experience in Seattle.\nA TripAdvisor Member\nFt. Myers, FL", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "What a wonderful find! We found this hotel on the internet and it sounded nice, but didn't know if we might find some shortcomings that weren't divulged on their web site once we arrived. We were pleasantly surprised, as the place was just as nice (even nicer) than we expected. A very attentive staff, a classic old-hotel feel, yet equipped with most of the amenities you find in newer facilities. The location was perfect -- we couldn't have been more centrally located. Just about 4 blocks from the Pike's market, right in the heart of the downtown shopping and dining district, around the corner from the monorail stop to the Seattle Center (it was down while we were there, but they have a shuttle bus operating in the meantime). There's even direct access from the hotel to the underground bus line that's free within the downtown area. The beds were comfortable, the concierge very helpful...just a wonderful place to stay -- with the delightful character from an era that existed before the big hotel chains arrived on the scene. The only negative was the bar/lounge that's adjacent to the elevators. The drinks they served were marvelous, but unlike the rest of the hotel, they do allow smoking in the bar. So the smoke odor tends to drift into the hotel lobby/elevator area, which was unfortunate (especially since, being from California, we're used to hotels, bars & restaurants which are completely smoke-free). It would have been nice if they could have separated the bar from the rest of the hotel with doors, so the smoke stayed in the bar and didn't drift into the hotel area. Other than that, no complaints!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "The hotel is old, the bar is overpriced, the front desk people are unfriendly, the elevators take forever, there was pee all over the wall in my bathroom, the water pressure is horrible, the valet took forever, the pillows were rocks, the walls between rooms were paper thin, and did I mention the unfriendly front desk people. Need I write more?", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We stayed at the Mayflower Hotel for our 10th Anniversary. Staff was exceptional, from being greeted at the front steps, front office, bellmen, concierge, restaurant staff (Olilver's Lounge & Andaluca Rest.). Everyone on the Staff asked how our Anniversary Dinner in Andaluca's was. I don't know how they all knew, but we thought this hotel was (above & beyond) all others. We normally stay at Hyatt or Marriott which have always been good but the Mayflower Hotel is \"one of a kind\". The location is perfect, shopping so close & the Monorail to Space Needle is just out a walkway at the Hotel. Room was wonderful, we did upgrade from standard (small), but price difference was very reasonable! What else can I say-we are going back this summer.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}]}, "100565": {"reviews": [{"text": "We stayed at Hotel Andra this weekend for a special birthday trip to Seattle. We were not impressed.\nJason checked us in. When we asked him about parking he said \"there's parking on the street, fend for yourself\" in a very aloof tone.\nEveryone working there seemed really unhappy?\nOur room was DIRTY. Hair in the tub, stained bed covers, stained drips down the walls, the ceiling above the tub looked like it was going to fall in at any moment. There were crumbs on our coffee table when we walked in, and the bathroom sink was half full of water? Our toiletries were half used. It was weird I kept asking \"how much did we pay for this room?\"\nEven some of the selling points listed on the website were absent: spa robes, evening turndown, wireless access.\nIt suspect that this room used to be a cheap studio apartment, and they didn't change much to turn it into a boutique hotel. The tub and the tile in the bathroom was very old and needed to be replaced. \nOverall this was a big disappointment.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "As frequent business traveller to Seattle, I thought I would try this hotel as a potential new place to stay.... and I am now regretting doing so. \nOnce checked in and in my room, I tried to use the two telephones to make an urgent phone call only to find they were still 'barred' so I couldn't call out. Then 30 minutes later the problem still wasn't fixed. Not offering any solutions I asked to move rooms which was such a hassle for them, even though the facilities in my room weren't working. The following day I put laundry in to be done (at a ridiculous cost) and found only half my things were delivered back to me and no one seemed to know where my missing items were. On the same day a colleague also staying there had his laundry declared lost after it had been missing for two days. \nBy this stage I was quite stressed so booked an in-room massage for the evening asking for pricing in writing. The massge was good, but at the end of it I was told the front desk had quoted the wrong price and I was charged an additional $25.\nAdditionally no bathroom amenties aside from towels, were ever replaced in my room over a 4 day period.\nThe staff are nice, but the hotel is run like a backpackers inn!!", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "The room was considered a suite, but it was extremely small, while other members of our party suite's were much larger. The room was noisy from the street below. The staff was young and inexpierenced and not very helpful. The check in is very crowded and awkward as it is next to the elevators and is very narrow, bad design and the lobby very small. A good location, and great beds! But we would not stay here again.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "We went on a 10 day trip to Seattle and the surrounding area and stayed at the Hotel Andra 3 nights. The room was nice and even had a safe in the room for security while away. However, I would not stay at this hotel probably ever again. It is located down the street from a hospital and consequently ambulance sirens occur quite frequently. We were on the 9th floor and could easily hear every siren go by, all night long - every night. If you stay here, bring some earplugs as that's what we had to use to get a nice sleep. The parking lot across the street is used for Sat. night parties as well, for even more noise. Ice was out on our floor and reported, still no ice 6 hours later.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "We stayed here on our wedding night and while we enjoyed the modern decor and comfortable bed, the soundproofing in our suite on the sixth floor was terrible. Within in 5 minutes of settling into the room, we realised we could clearly hear the conversation of the couple in the adjoining room. We politely asked to move, but were informed that the hotel was booked. \nThe next morning before 7am we were awoken by the television from the adjoining room and needed no more than 30 seconds to learn the couple was up and watching the \u201cWater Boy\u201d, again we complained but noticed no change in volume from next door nor did we hear their phone ring. \nAt check out, we yet again registered our complaint and received no apology, the young clerk brushed us off by saying he would place it in the log book. To us this was quite unsatisfactory considering our previous calls and his offhand remark that he heard the same complaint regarding our room previously. If it is a problem, why haven\u2019t they fixed it and why do they continue to put people in the suite?\nAs another reviewer remarked, the only saving grace was the great food and service at Lola, that we can highly recommend.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed at the Hotel Andra over Labor Day weekend. The location couldn't be better. \nThe first night we were there, we stayed in the Andra Suite. The room was moderately spacious and well designed. The mini-bar was well stocked, but a price list was no where to be found. Room service was from Lola the restaurant in the lobby. The food was very good, and the prices were very high. Overall we had a great experience. \nWe unexpectedly decided to stay at the hotel a second night. After our great experience the first night, we decided to save some money and get the smaller Andra Studio because we didn't think we'd mind a simple size change, we expected everything else to be of the same quality. I can tell you the room size was pretty much the only physical change, but the service the second night didn't reflect it's four star rating. First, the window didn't open. Now this isn't a big deal to us, but when we called the front desk to see if there was a trick to getting the window open (because the windows in the suite opened), the gentleman told us that it doesn't open because of fire code, and all the windows on that floor were sealed shut. I know that's not true because we had stayed on the same floor the night before. We didn't appreciate being lied to. Next, we went to turn on the TV. It didn't work. We checked the plug, it was fine. We called the front desk. They said they'd send someone up to check on it. Forty-five minutes later, a girl from the front desk arrived, announced that maintenance was unavailable and that she was going to check it out. She walked over to the TV, pressed the same power button we had tried and checked the same plug we had checked (just like we told her on the phone). After she was unsuccessful, she told us that she didn't know what was going on, and that she'd try to find maintenance. Another twenty minutes go by, and she calls to tell us that eminence wasn't working and wouldn't be until morning. I told her that was unacceptable because we had plans to stay in for the remainder of the night and were going to watch TV. I requested a new room with a working TV. She told me there were no rooms available and that we'd just have to wait until eminence arrived. I explained that I found it hard to believe that they were sold out all of a sudden, considering we had checked in two hours earlier and they had all kinds of other room options available (including the suite we had stayed in the night before and the mid-range Andra Room). She then told me she'd have to call me back. They ended up moving us and the new room was just across the hall, the Andra Room (and by the way, the windows opened in it, too). This was the second lie of the night. \nIn the morning, we hit the valet key on the phone, to request our car. The front desk answered and said that she'd be happy to have the valet pull the car. We waited ten minutes and walked downstairs (that's about how long it had taken them the day before). When we got down there, there were two valets standing around having a personal conversation. After we stood there for ten minutes, holding the blue valet ticket and tip money in my hand, one of them comes over and asked if we needed our car. I explained that we had called and the front desk said they were going to call out and request the car. He said they hadn't and it didn't surprise him because \"it had already happened a few times that morning\". \nAll in all, I can't say much bad about the hotel, the rooms or the restaurant. I don't mind little things like the window not opening or having to change rooms because the TV doesn't work. What I do mind is being lied to repeatedly and a supposed four star hotel dropping the ball on customer service in such a big way.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I chose this hotel for a trip with a girlfriend because it is listed on the Small Luxury Hotels of the World registry. I was disappointed, as the other hotels listed with SLHW have been perfect in every way, and Hotel Andra was truly average. Fine, but average. We stayed for 5 nights. The rooms were fine, but not luxurious. The bathroom was tiny. One of the problems is that no one who works there is over the age of 25. They really need a seasoned, professional concierge who knows what he or she is doing. Here's just one example: I check out early on the morning of our departure, pay a reasonable but hefty bill (after 5 nights) and before turning away, ask the desk clerk for a map to the airport. She proceeds to argue with me about whether I need a map, and how easy it is to get to the airport from downtown Seattle. She finally says, \"well, I guess I could print you something off of Mapquest.\" This should have been a no-brainer.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I booked this hotel because: 1. the reviews here seemed pretty decent (except for the onion smell) and 2. their website made it look modern, hip and different. First impressions... great looking lobby, OVERWHELMING onion smell (in the lobby), arrogant front desk, cool elevators with televisions, attractive and modern room. At first, I thought I'd made a GREAT choice. It looked fantastic. But looks can be deceiving and like the saying goes \"beauty is only skin deep\", so was this hotel. \nLet me spew: we arrived quite late at night. Upon walking into our room, none of the lights came on. I had to fumble around in the dark to find a lamp. Our room was supposed to have a crib set up for our daughter, however it did not. When it was brought to our room, one side was separated and we were told we needed to read the instructions on how to put it together. It was 11pm, we had been travelling all day with a young child, and were really not in the mood to put it together. We DID NOT pay 200+ dollars a night to put the bed together!!!! We called down to the front desk and told them to send someone up to fix the problem. The same guy came up, but by then we had nearly sorted it out. This just seemed unbelievable that a hotel of this quality would do such a thing.\nOnce settled in bed, we were kept awake for hours because of the noise from downstairs. We could hear the music from the lobby/bar in both our room and the bathroom and we could constantly hear noise from the street (both valet and traffic, especially lots of sirens). I can honestly say that these were the worst 3 nights of sleep I've had since getting the baby to sleep through the night. While the bed was quite comfortable, the pillows were not. They were limp down pillows and just extremely uncomfortable. We decided to turn the a/c on to cool down the room, but it was horribly noisy and smelled like a baby powder scent was being pumped through (post-pregnancy supernose power smells everything!). I am not 100% positive, but I would hazard a guess that it was to help clear out the onion aroma. Regardless of smell, it was so loud we couldn't hear the tv without cranking up the volume, so we kept it off. Yet another annoyance. Speaking of tv, I was under the impression that our room was supposed to have a plasma tv but it was just a flat screen, regular one. \nThe room (Lux Suite) was clean and a fairly good size, including a separate sink/minibar area, desk, and couch. The bathroom was fairly small, and the toiletries were nothing special. There were lots of lights and lamps, which was nice. The hotel does have a small exercise room (just looked in) and a computer room with 2 computers, which I did use.\nThe location was pretty decent and within walking distance to most everything. The front desk staff was NOT at all friendly. They never looked up or said hi when you passed right by them to get to the elevator. The only people who were friendly, were 2 valet guys. We didn't have any issues parking or retrieving our car, like a previous poster mentioned. However, we did call down to get it out in advance. Valet was $24/night.\nWe never went to the restaurant, LOLA (didn't seem suitable for children), so I can't give a review for that, but it looked fine from the outside. \nThe day before we left, the cleaning staff hadn't cleaned our room by 2pm (we'd been out), so I called down to see if someone could come up before I put our daughter down. They decided to come back at 4pm after her nap. Needless to say, when they finally came back, my husband was in the bathroom, so I asked if they could give us a minute. They said \"no\" and that they had to leave for the day. I rushed him out of there, much to his dismay. I hope he left them a nice, and hopefully worse than onion aroma, if you get what I'm saying. :) This was just NOT the level of service I expected from a small luxury hotel. \nThe last morning, we were awake by 5am because of all the street noise/valet, so we decided to just pack up and get out of there. When we checked out, I was completely ready to let the front desk clerk know just how terrible our stay was, only he never even asked. Funny that!!!! Seriously, how can you not ask how everything was????? I was so amazed I just walked out shaking my head. Thank goodness for tripadvisor. I thought, at least I can tell people who might care!\nTo sum up this hotel... it is very nice looking inside. Once you start looking beyond the decor, you realize that they've taken an old hotel and spruced it up without properly insulating the walls from noise. They've put arrogant, uncaring people out as their representatives, who are disinterested in creating a positive guest experience. I don't care if it is the most gorgeous place I've ever seen, if I can't sleep and the staff are rude, it just ruins everything. Looks are NOT everything.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 33}, {"text": "I was really looking forward to staying at the Hotel Andra as I had seen it be annointed as one of the best new hotels in the U.S. by Traveler magazine. Unfortunately, my stay did not live up to the hype.\nThings started off bad right off the bat due to the awful valet parking situation at this hotel. The valet parking attendants were not to be found so we sat there for 10 minutes waiting for someone to show up and give us a claim ticket. Throughout the three days we spent there, the valet parking situation was a constant hassle. Sometimes no one was there; sometimes there was no space in front of the hotel to drop off the car because limos and other cars were parked there for the adjacent restaurants; sometimes even when someone was there it took them over 15 minutes to get the car brought around (and this was after calling them from the room ahead of time to have the car brought around). We discovered that the hotel is contracting this service out and will not be providing valet parking service on its own until the beginning of next year. This was a really annoying aspect of the hotel.\nWe tried to check in at 3 p.m. Mind you, we had called ahead of time since we were out shopping and asked if the room would be ready at 3 p.m. and we were assured that it would be. We got to the hotel at 3:15 p.m. and sure enough, the room was not ready. It was not ready for another 30 minutes. The front desk staff was aloof, unhelpful and lacking in social skills. There was only one front desk employee during the course of the three days that actually seemed like he enjoyed helping the clientele. The rest just sat there chatting with each other and barely looked up when anyone passed by. One night we discovered that the valet parking attedant was not outside to take our car because he was inside chatting and laughing with the two girls at the front desk. Needless to say, I was not amused. \nThe previous comments about the hotel smelling like onion is absolutely. . .TRUE. At night when the restaurant in the lobby gets cooking, you will smell onions throughout the hotel. We were on the NINTH floor and we smelled it in the hallways up there. Luckily, the smell did not travel into our room, but every time we walked through the lobby I thought I was going to hurl. It was that strong. Perhaps the front desk people at night were so much like zombies because they had to inhale that awful stench all night long.\nAs far as the room goes, I was very unimpressed. The bathroom was tiny and very hard to get around. The bath products were average at best. I decided to use my own that I had brought from home, and I almost never do that. To their credit, the bed was extremely comfortable. The pillows could have been fluffier though. We had a junior suite, so we had some extra space. There was a couch, coffee table and a small bar area in the living portion of the room. The room had absolutely no view, so we did not spend much time in the room at all. The air conditioning worked well, so that was a saving grace for the room.\nThe location is very good. It is central to shopping and the sights. Personally, I prefer to stay closer to the shops. I definitely recommend the Grand Hyatt Elliott Bay as a wonderful 5-star hotel with impeccable rooms, service and location.\nThe Hotel Andra was very disappointing. I kept trying to be optimistic and find positive things about the experience. But, quite frankly, there were very few things about my stay there that leave happy memories. I would definitely never stay at this hotel again. I just can't express how truly disappointed I am.\nBook me at the Hyatt next time!", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "As an add-on to a work trip, I booked two days at the Andra for my birthday, based on the web-site and positive reviews here. I must say, I left being a little obsessed with the place.\n1. I was upgraded to the suite, which of course is just a larger room with a couch. However, it was a very snazzy couch. I asked to see a regular room so I would be able to see what I paid for. It was a standard size room, but...\n2. The blue and beige Scandanavian-inspired color scheme is quite striking. I understand that in five years it will need to be redone or it will look both dated and frayed, but for now it is a cut above similarly priced entries.\n3. Fascinated by other problems with restaurant smells, I am almost disappointed to say I had no such problems. However, I did have breakfast at Lola. Expensive, but delicious. No octopus for me, but the smashed potatoes were scrumptuous.\n4. I cannot abide a hotel that doesn't have a computer room with free acccess. The Lola provides. There is also a workout room. It's small, but I overheard a staff member saying they are planning to move it to a larger space.\n5. My local friend told me they pumped a ton of money into this and it shows. But as always, it's the little things that make an impact. I liked the design of the paper coasters.\n6. Have you noticed that many new hotel designs don't provide for much in the way of drawerspace? Is everyone living out of their suitcases? I'm sorry, but I like to unpack.\n7. Parking is valet only, and quite high compared to the room cost. You can park across the street in a garage and save about $7 a day. But if you're like me and winging it carless, it's not an issue.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We chose The Andra for a birthday-weekend getaway because of the serene, modern and upscale atmosphere -- something special, something different. We were sadly disappointed when roof construction noise woke us at 7 am on a holiday morning. The staff was courteous, immediately moved us to a different floor in an upgraded room, but I left with that feeling of uncertainty. Why would they let that happen? \nMy uncertainty was totally erased when I got a wonderful return letter from the administration stating the construction crew had broken their contract (hours of work). They even sent one of the hotel's luscious robes to soften the blow. I would certainly give them another try based on the great response we got.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "First of all, the location of the Andra can't be beat. Walking to nearly every sight in Seattle was a breeze. However, I strain to compare this \"boutique\" hotel to the others I have visited on the west coast. The amenities were lackluster, the weightroom seemed like an afterthought, and the staff was astoundingly incompetent and insincere. They seemed to know next to nothing about the property or the city, and the management seemed to be hiding out in some alcove behind the desk. Overall, if you have money to burn and are looking for a staff to challenge your patience, you will not be disappointed. Wether that equals a happy stay because of the location is up to you.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 17}]}, "614244": {"reviews": [{"text": "Stayed here overnight just to try it out and got the half-price introductory rate... which I believe runs through March. The hotel is on the bottom floors of a condo tower in a location that's not quite in downtown and not quite by Lake Union. I self-parked for $30 in the garage the hotel shares with Whole Foods. The front desk staff wasn't at all rude, but it wasn't very friendly either. Just kind of made no impression. The hotel lobby is tiny and quite modern, nicely finished but no \"wow\" factor. They gave me a nice, regular room on the 8th floor, overlooking the other two condo towers in the complex and the parking lot for some shops/entry of the hotel. \nYou can definitely be a voyeur and look into all the adjacent condos if you choose (not that I did), they're that close by. \nThe room was fine, but not spectacular. The bed was okay, but not that comfortable. The room was crisp and clean, although the use of fluorescent lighting by the door gave the room an eerie, unattractive feeling when you walked in. The marble-tiled bathroom was very large, almost taking up half the room, and nicely done. A screen separates you from the room if you're taking a bath... ostensibly you could watch the flatscreen TV in the room from the bathtub, if they had turned the tub around. To actually watch TV, you now have to sit on the drain. Not a great design. Nice showerhead. Lots of water pressure. The doors to the rooms clunk loudly, so you hear everyone entering their rooms nearby. Still, I slept pretty well.\nThe restaurant is still not open for breakfast (I believe they start serving it in mid-March), but there is a Starbucks actually connected to the hotel lobby. The gym is across the courtyard on the 2nd floor of another condo tower... you have to go outside through the main doors of the hotel to access it. Not a great design.\nAll in all, I had a fine-enough stay. But I don't know why you'd stay here if you want to be downtown... it's a long walk. And it's not like there are great views or anything (the hotel is on floors 1-11). The rooms are nicely done and modern, but nothing I haven't seen before. And when the introductory rate ends, this will be one expensive hotel. Unless you love, love, love Whole Foods so much you need to stay on top of one, I'd say there are better places to stay in Seattle. But I can't fault them too much. I had no problems. It just wasn't as great as I had hoped... so I'm giving them 4 stars.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "100504": {"reviews": [{"text": "We arrived in Seattle from Florida and had made reservations at a sister hotel Vintage Park. The guest services at Vintage Park had much to be desired. Ex-no help with luggage. So we walked around the corner to the Hotel Monaco and immediately we were treated with a warm welcome and hospitality. We decided to switch hotels, and they had our luggage moved for us, upgraded our room, delivered a fish to keep us company-(I was missing my cats)and it was completely delightful. From the restaurant downstairs, to room service, to concierage guidance, & the very comfortable room. My husband is a nightowl, I'm a morning person....so the room worked perfectly. It had a sitting area with computer access and a seperate bedroom area with a curtain seperating the rooms. Two TV's--so no problem with varied intresets, and quiet time. The hotel is centrally located. All together a gem. Highly recommend.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We decided to give Hotel Monaco a try after reading the positive reviews here on TripAdvisor, and having had excellent experiences at Kimpton Hotels in other cities.\nI've stayed at several downtown Seattle hotels before (including Sheraton, Grand Hyatt, The W) and while I had positive experiences at all of them, I would certainly return to Hotel Monaco before the others. It was truly outstanding in all areas from decor, cleanliness, and especially the service.\nThe reservations and check-in process was flawless. I made a couple specific requests by email prior to our stay, and the staff always returned my emails promptly, ready to assist. We splurged and stayed in the Mediterrean Suite, which was wonderful. There was an emormous jet tub, and the room was spacious, very comfortable, and clean. The free internet access was also a plus. All other Seattle hotels I've been to have a fee.\nI was blown away by the friendly and competent staff at Hotel Monaco. Everyone from the front desk staff to the concierge to the housekeeping staff were incredibly friendly and helpful.\nThe only downside of our stay was that our hotel room smelled a bit of ciagrette smoke. I had specifically requested a nonsmoking room. When I called the front desk, they assured us that we were on a nonsmoking floor, but that they'd be happy to move us to another room immedietly if we were not happy. Because we so enjoyed our unique suite, we decided to stay rather than move to a smaller room. We were more irritated by the guests who'd stayed before us and smoked in a nonsmoking room than we were with the hotel, which made efforts to remedy the situation.\nFollowing our stay, I received a thoughtful and personal email from one of their staff members apologizing for the occurence and guaranteeing that the problem would be discussed with housekeeping in an effort to more thoroughly clean rooms of smoke in the future. I was extremely impressed with this timely response, especially because I'd never made a formal complaint about the room, I had just mentioned it briefly. We were offered a discount on our next stay because of the \"inconvience,\" but even without a discount, I would make Hotel Monaco my #1 hotel choice in Seattle.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I had really high hopes for the Hotel Monaco when we chose it as our base for a girlfriend's shopping trip to Seattle. But after our stay, I would say that given the competition in Seattle, it was just okay. \nThe hotel has a lot of nice features but little things that detract:\nThe bedding is super soft and luxurious with down comforters and pillows. But the mattress is a rock hard standard hotel bed that kept me awake both nights. \nThe furnishings are nice and the colors and patterns fun but the chair had a rip in it and the wall paper was peeling. \nWe stayed in room 815 and there was a noise like a fog horn that vibrated through the walls off and on through our stay. My guess is it's the water pipes but it was really annoying.\nOn waking the first morning we found that we had two packages of decaf instead of regular coffee. It took them 30 minutes to send up coffee and then they showed up with just one package. This is coffee town USA and you get one little package and 3 tiny dried creamers? There was supposed to be coffee service in the lobby but we never saw any. It must be cleared really early. It's gone by 10AM. \nThe wine reception is from 5-6 and boy you better get there on time because if you walk in at 5:50 like we did you get a look from the manager like you are trying to scope a 2nd glass. That and the food was a plate of goldfish crackers. Classy.\nFriday night the restaurant and bar were closed by 4pm for a private party. That was where we planned to eat since we'd heard so much about the fun bar. It was another bummer to add to the rest.\nAll over the hotel are posters that say things like the hotel is all about \"you\" and your comfort etc. But we felt neither catered to or comfortable. No one on staff ever asked us how we were doing or even said hello. We'll be looking elsewhere for our next visit.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I'm a little late in writing my review of this wonderful hotel. I just stayed in the Chicago Monaco which was terrible and I wanted to make sure I made note of how nice Monaco's can be WHEN THE STAFF TRIES.\nI stayed at the Seattle Monaco in January 2005. The staff went out of their way to provide a wonderful four day experience for me.\n1. The hotel room was huge, overlooking the new library. Immaculate and seemed soundproof.\n2. Front desk staff spent 1/2 hour writing down cool nightclubs they thought I would enjoy after the conceirge was gone for the evening.\n3. I casually mentioned an addiction to Coca-Cola to a member of the hotel staff and when I returned to my room my mini-bar had been emptied and filled with only Coca-Cola :)\n4. The goldfish was well maintained unlike the dead one floating in the pathetic bowl in the Chicago location.\n5. The doorman ran four blocks one night to find a cab (I guess they are rare in Seattle?) and then ran back to the hotel beating the cab to make sure he could open the door for me and give the cabbie directions.\n6. I was visiting my father who lives in Seattle and he came to the hotel one day. He has cancer and wasn't feeling well. The conceirge escorted him down the stairs to the mens room and then hung around until he came out to make sure he was okay to get back to the lobby.\nThe staff at the Seattle Monaco CARES. This hotel should be an example to the Kimpton chain especially the Chicago we-are-too-cool-for-our-customers staff.\nWell done Seattle Monaco. I can't recommend them enough!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We were recently in Seattle for two days and stayed at the Hotel Monaco. We had a basic room with a kingsize bed, and felt the room was sizeable. Loved the crazy print robes! They were a nice touch. Did not adopt a goldfish for our stay, but had a chance to visit with some in the hallway and lobby. Another nice, quirky touch that makes you remember this place. The bedding was some of the most comfortable that we have had. We also enjoyed the wine hour in the lobby, where we got a chance to meet some other people and share travel stories. Aside from a lackluster breakfast at Sazerac where our waiter was one of the worst we have ever had, we would highly recommend this place to travellers.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "If you like your hotel room expertly decorated with a touch of cottage-style whimsy and containing every reasonably-expected creature comfort, as well as service delivered with a smile, Seattle's Monaco is the place for you! At $242 per night booked directly from Kimpton's 800 booking number, the hotel is of exceptional quality and cleanliness. Although quiet at night for sleeping, the hotel is nicely located a 10-minute walk from Pike Place Market, as well as adjacent to and across the street from several excellent restaurants and many shops. One can even view the new Koolhaus-designed, architecturally-acclaimed Seattle library from the hotel's entry. The hotel is pet-friendly, conducts a wine tasting every afternoon, and has an outstanding New Orleans-style restaurant, serving small plates and entrees at reasonable prices. The Monaco doesn't ignore business travelers, either, as it has a staffed business center with several desktop computers, copy machine, printer, etc and also will provide, without charge, wrinkle spray and hand steamers for luggage-crumpled suits. There's no charge to check one's e-mail, either! The staff is the most thoughtful I've ever encountered; once the bellman even asked a passerby who stopped to smoke under the awning to move away from the hotel guests, as smoke was blowing in our faces. Also, on another occasion the front desk staff was \"dog-sitting\" a guest's dog behind the counter during the guest's absence. My only complaint: the menu outside the hotel restaurant listed grits on two of the breakfast entrees; grits are no longer served, a disappointment to a southern gal like me. Otherwise, an absolutely fantastic hotel with sterling staff!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "There's nothing I would change about our experience at the Hotel Monaco. We stayed for 5 nights and the level of professionalism was excellent. The room was large (by English standards) and the jucuzzi was enjoyable. We didn't think the room was garish - or the hotel for that fact. I had expected something very loud (especially after reading some of the reviews) but I was pleasently surprised. The staff and customer service were excellent. Upon arrival the hotel were hosting a fashion show and the atmosphere was fantastic. If we weren't so tried after our flight we would have stayed to watch. The hotel safes are free and were located in reception. The wine 'hour' was great and although we were only back in time for one of the sessions it was lovely to kick back and relax. \nWe did ask for a goldfish upon arrival although one didn't quite make it to our room. We could have followed this up by asking again, but we were just curious and, as we don't have children, decided not to pursue it. I have to agree with someone else review that the goldfish toys were a little tacky.\nAs for the location, it was excellent, although I wouldn't recommend it for those with mobility problems unless you plan to go everywhere by car. Downtown was approximately 10 minutes walk in one direction, Pioneer Square about 15 minutes walk in the opposite direction. The monorail is located downtown in the shopping centre/mall and is approx 5 minutes to the Space Centre (Space Needle, EMP etc). There are a couple of hotel restaurants located near to Monaco although we didn't try these. There are a couple of cafe type restaurants located a couple of minutes from the hotel for breakfast and lunch and a supermarket that stocked pretty much everything. \nOne thing I will say is that there were 3 or 4 homeless 'panhandlers' located a couple of minutes from the hotel. Although they didn't bother us we did see one physically grab someone walking by (although they were shrugged off and he didn't procede any further) and another tried to grab someone's bag. We were told (whilst in Vancouver) that the downtown area is notorious for people snatching women's bags. It's something that happens in all cities, so you just have to be as aware as you would be at home. \nWe were able to walk from the Space Centre to Queen Anne's District although this was a bit of a hike, but one we throughly enjoyed. If you get to Queen Anne's try and get up to Millionaire's row around 6th or 7th Avenue (well it was 6 or 7 blocks walk) as the view is wonderful. \nWe paid for a city pass which was only worthwhile if you manage to see most of the sights. We wouldn't recommend the EMP (Experience Music Project) which was quite expensive for what you got. We did take the 1 hour harbour cruise which we thought was worthwhile as we picked up a bit of history on Seattle. \nThe restaurant next door to the hotel was convenient and although it's not in the hotel there is a connecting door so it feels as if it's part of it. \nWe both agreed we had pretty much exhausted Seattle in the time we were there - but we were on foot since we didn't want the expense of hiring a car and dealing with traffic on the 'wrong' side of the road.\nI hope this review gives you some idea of the hotel and Seattle itself. If you decide to stay at Hotel Monaco, we hope you enjoy it as much as we did.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Last year I stayed at the Fairmont Olympic in Seattle; the Monaco gets close. Whereas the Fairmont is all about \"grandeur\", the Monaco is smaller, cosier and more personal. Staff is very friendly. My room on the 10th floor was spacious, quiet, and well-equipped. Large bathroom with Aveda products, king size bed with lovely pillows...and the possibility to get a *real* goldfish in your room during your stay. The hotel is well located for shopping and entertainment, the bar/lobby is lively and there is every week a free wine tasting. No doubt, a good choice for your stay in Seattle, whether on business or for leisure travel.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "281828": {"reviews": [{"text": "I cannot believe after reading previous reviews that we stayed at the same hotel. We arrived at the Fairmont, after travelling from the UK to discover they had our reservation for a delux suite, but were full ! \nWe were two females traveling together (mother & daughter) aged 55 and 75 and we were offered by the duty manager a small king room + sub standard sofa bed which we declined, we where then offered another small king room with a rollaway only suitable for a child which would have to be situated in the bathroom / dressing room. Finally we were offered a single room with twin beds. The Duty Manager acknowleged it was a single room but had no alternative to offer us !. Their compensation was room service of tea and toast at 8.00 p.m. !\nThe toilet did not work properly and tolitteries were hardly ever left, however, the ladies in congieage were delightful. We would certainly never return to this hotel again, the lobby area and Georgian Room is lovely but the rooms (which we saw 3) are definaetly not five star qulaity.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "The Fairmont Olympic used to be The Four Seasons as we were here the week after 9/11. And happily, there have been VAST improvements.\nTHE ACCOMMODATIONS\nWe were upgraded to a suite perhaps because they could not find our reservations. That was obvious. But nevertheless, the upgrade MORE than made up for the glitch. The room was beautiful and spectacularly clean. As the elevator opened to the 10th floor, (we were in room 1034), I was impressed by the beautiful colors of the hallways---a subdued butter yellow and a beautiful deep Tiffany blue. \nThe room had 2 TVs, a CD player with a CD of jazz standards. The great perk was FREE wireless internet. That was a HUGE thrill. Housekeeping service is given twice a day. (Turn down service at night.) \nMy only complaint is the A/C. There is a thermostat and fan control but they did not seem to work as the room was HOT. The windows, unfortunately, could not be opened. The vents were located on the window sill which was totally blocked by two curtains...well, you had to close them for privacy. Anyway, we kept the curtains open and the room just would not cool even if we placed the thermostat on the lowest temperature. I do believe that hotels have thermostats only to make guests feel that they can control the temperature but I am sure that the thermostat is controlled by the hotel. That really ---- because it was HOT at night and we could not use the nice comforters because it was too hot. My other beef is the pillows. They are very long and amazingly, very HEAVY. But when you place your head on it, it just gets FLAT. So we woke up with stiff necks. But the bed is wonderful and the beddings just superlative. PLEASE upgrade the pillows.\nWe took a peek at the standard rooms and they looked very nice as well. Shuckers, the restaurant downstairs is very good but the Bella Epicurean, a bakeshop on street level is simply AMAZING. Anything there is fabulous...and so good it's almost criminal.\nTHE SERVICE\nThe concierge was helpful and most of all, CHEERFUL. This we found to be STANDARD from the reservationist to the housekeepers. When calling for room service, the voice on the other line was super pleasant and accommodating. I asked for an egg white omelette with spinach and feta cheese---not on the menu---and they were more than happy to oblige.They were also very accommodating when we requested a late check-out time of 2:30. No problem. That was just an extra perk that they did not have to grant but did. They earned our business and loyalty right there.\nLOCATION\nPike Street is just about three blocks away and Pikes Market is walking distance. Nordstroms, Macy's, Sephora, Rite Aid, Tiffany, Cartier, Coach, Barnes and Noble, etc...ALL are walking distance.The hotel location is just great for me. I walked all over and had a great time. Try the restaurant on Union and 4th called Wild Ginger.\nWe will most certainly stay here again and would highly recommend the Fairmont Olympic in downtown Seattle.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "The Fairmont Olympic was acquired by Fairmont Hotels and Resorts fairly recently, and I must say that numerous traditional Fairmont standards of hospitality and amenities are still absent from the hotel. I am a Fairmont President's Club Platinum member, the most prestige status, and I did not feel that I was treated to those standards over the course of the stay.\nUpon arrival, we were greeted courteously by one of the head bellmen and valet parkers, Rick (being the most amiable staff member over the course of the stay, I voted him as the \"Employee of the Month\"). The hotel's exterior is extraordinary, with sweeping windows and pillars. Numerous high-end in-hotel shoppes dot the street front, such as Coach and Jeri Rice. The lush, manicured gardens boast some of the only green grass in Seattle in August, and the circular driveway is always alive with comings and goings of guests. However, disappointment strikes when one enters the hotel.\nMy first impression was that it seemed rather smoky. It also seemed quite poorly designed, considering that one must take an escalator up to the main lobby. Later, we discovered that the outdated elevators service the lower level (called the \"Arcade\" level), which has a convenience store and women's clothing store. I must say that my mood turned once we reached the lobby, which held the grandeur that I expect from these grande dames. Numerous lavish seats (though they do need re-covering) populate the lobby, with the scrumptious Georgian room off to one side and a grand ballroom on the other.\nCheck-in did not run particularly smoothly. Unlike most Fairmont hotels that I have come to respect, there was not a separate Fairmont President's Club check-in counter in full view. While the check-in representative was well-mannered, there was annoying confusion over our length of stay that persisted throughout it. Due to a change in room rates, we were booked under two separate reservations. These should have been linked prior to arrival, but instead posed confusion for us and the check-in representative. Furthermore, we added to our Fairmont President's Club profile long ago that we like to receive three room keys as opposed to two. This was not ready for us.\nAs I stated earlier, the elevators were quite outdated. Rather than having floor readers above them like most, there is a central panel that shows the location of each elevator. I found it quite an eyesore. The elevators also seem to lurch and are very unsteady, causing queasiness on my part. Luckily I only had to ride to the sixth floor!\nI would have to stay that the room was the greatest disappointment of our week-long stay. With my status at Fairmont I am used to only the best of the best: rooms full of character, views, and added amenities. This room had very little of this. Upon entering, my first reaction was that the non-smoking room was quite smoky; the hotel had not done a sufficient job of airing it out from past eras when smoking and non-smoking rooms were not allocated separately. The room also lacked art. A single, small piece hung above the shabbily-covered chesterfield in the sitting area which also served as my bed. The boring wallpaper did nothing to help the overall appeal of the room. The bathroom was equally as depressingly boring, and did not have Fairmont's regular bathroom amenities. I might presume that they were using the leftover soaps and shampoos from Four Seasons. The master bedroom was certainly nothing special either, and did not have a closet of its own. My family members had to walk through the living room to access the closet.\nThroughout the stay, we began to forget the depressing features of our room and enjoy the many amenities that Seattle has to offer. We found that the hotel was conveniently located to everything we needed to do, and the valet service was quite reliable. The New York Times was delivered to our door each morning and the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, USA Today, and local Seattle Times were at our disposal. The concierge service was quite helpful in finding us a local steakhouse. We had a chance to explore some of the ballrooms that the hotel holds, as well as the majestic Garden Room. The smokiness of the hotel continued to annoy me, however.\nWe had some minor issues with staff and logistics over the course of the stay. Firstly, we found it redundant to have to request a coffee maker, when we had never had to do so before at a Fairmont. In addition, the issue of the two separate reservations persisted through our stay. On the fifth morning, we found a check-out bill under our door, which was quite unwelcome. The housekeeping had not done its daily cleaning as a result of the confusion, and our room keys were de-activated. This was a major logistical flaw on the part of the hotel. \nI do hope that, as Fairmont continues to take over and Four Seasons disappears, it will live up to my high but reasonable standards for this generally spectacular chain. Olympic Hotel executives should consider examining the services of the Ch\u00e2teau Lake Louise, Fairmont Banff Springs, Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort and Club, Fairmont Southampton Princess, and others. Currently, I believe that the Olympic is in the conversional stage.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "We stayed at the Fairmont in Seattle on New Year's Eve, and I've intended to write a review for months.....better late than never! This is truly an incredible place. The service is beyond belief. Everyone knocks themselves out to make your stay memorable. We did the multi course dinner on New Year's Eve. The food was great, and the music was even better! We danced our way into the New Year, and I don't recall when we've had so much fun. I have no complaints at all..........just praise. By the way, if you're heading to Seattle travel on over to The Fairmont Empress in Victoria which is equally delightful. We took the Victoria Princess which is a pleasant short boat trip to Victoria. Thanks to all Fairmont employees everywhere for the exquisite stays. Hoping to return to Seattle this summer, and I'll be back! Fairmonts are expensive but worth every penny you spend. I've never left a Fairmont *anywhere* disappointed. You check out refreshed and sorry to leave.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Wow.. maybe it's the transition from Four Seasons to Fairmont, but for the value of stay that I received at the Olympic I would've been better off staying at a Motel 6 (they'd at least leave a light on...).My bride and I stayed here for our wedding night. We had heard from two separate recently-married couples that this place was great and they had both received free room upgrades. We were excited to see what the hotel could do for us.I booked a $360/night room expecting a lovely sweet and great service. That night we showed up (in our full wedding outfits) and checked in. We didn't *expect* a free room upgrade and we weren't given one. The room was disappointing - nothing special about it; standard cheaply appointed hotel fare. Our bed wasn't turned down (even though we had checked in earlier in the day and were now showing up after midnight). The bathroom was small. My wife wanted to take a bath but couldn't comfortably fit in the little tub/shower combo (she's 5'9\"). I tried calling to upgrade to a room with a better tub but they had none.We were starving after our big day so we ordered some food - wifey wanted french fries really really badly. Our food arrived on time and minus the most important item: the french fries were no where to be found.I went to open the in-room bar with the key supplied: Frozen lock. I didn't call the front desk because I wanted to make the night as smooth as possible and could do without a locksmith in the room. Thankfully I had brought a great bottle of champagne to the room earlier in the day.We had a great night even with all the distractions and disappointments this hotel interjected. Too bad we didn't stay at a place that *enhanced* our first night as a married couple. Oh yeah, in the morning when reviewing the bill we found one last thing to push us over the edge: One night of parking was $28! I guess the Fairmont likes to kick you when you're down.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Wow! What an awesome Hotel. My wife and I stayed in an Executive Suite with our two kids(ages 5&7) and this room was very adequate for us all. It had a nice view of the Sound. As far as location, it was great, within walking distance to all the shops and Pike's Market. The service was excellent! They met all of our needs. They even brought the kids cookies and milk before bedtime and left us chocolates. The pool is incredible! This is by far the nicest (and most expensive) hotel we ever stayed at in Seattle and it was well worth it. We'll be staying there again!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "This hotel is truly grand in terms of design and service. The service in particular is exceptional. The concierge was excellent, the front desk staff even travelled across town on an errand for me, and the porters had milk and cookies waiting in our rental car as we drove to the airport on a very early morning. \nThe rooms are also good value, particularly if you are able to stay at a discount rate which would make the cost not very different from more ordinary hotels in Seattle. Try to get a corner room which they sometimes happily provide for the cost of a regular room, if available.\nThe restaurants here are also very good, although of course the price of a meal is higher than most other dining choices. However, the seafood we had at the oyster bar Shuckers, which is a tourist spot in itself, was so good that we had dinner here two nights running. On our last night in Seattle, we tried out the fine dining restaurant, the Georgian, and were also very pleased with the food, atmosphere and service.\nThe lobby is very grand, and makes returning to the hotel a very pleasant experience. We noticed that most other hotels in this city either have very large lobbies with decor that is not in good taste, or small cramped lobbies that the management tries to pass of as \"hip.\"\nFinally, the location is probably the best, unless you really want to be close to the artsy area of Pike Place or the waterfront. We basically walked everywhere from our hotel because it was literally in the center of the city.\nI would stay here each time I am in Seattle.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}]}, "775880": {"reviews": []}, "100507": {"reviews": [{"text": "The valet parking is helpful, but as you can expect downtown, it was pricey($24/night, i think). The lobby is modest but comfortable - you'll note that there are no pictures of the lobby on the website, because it's not much of a selling point. The courtyard, however, was quaint and quite pleasant. The fountain is relaxing, and the brick facade with the hanging ivy is a beautiful entry.\nI had a courtyard view room at the 4th floor, which has no view of Elliot Bay. I think you need to be at the 6th or higher for a bay view. The room was enormous and comfortable, and the bathroom is spacious. The ceilings were high, as expected of an older building. The bed was a king size Tempurpedic, as advertised. If you've never slept in a Tempurpedic, I must say that it is similar to an Asian hotel experience - the bed seems very hard at first, but gradually (slowly) forms to your shape, for a rested sleep - it just doesn't seem like it at first!\nThe restaurant, Campagne, is an excellent (though smallish) French style restaurant, with a good wine selection, particularly the dessert wines (if there's any remaining, try the Cuvee Boytrytis-amazing!). Room service is offered from here, and I can only assume the experience will be as nice. There is a small coffee shop with morning bakery, and that was a delight first thing in the morning. The morning paper was at the door, and although the offerings included the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, I opted for the local paper. In-room wireless internet was complimentary, and signal strength in the room was fine.\nThe location is simply wonderful, literally across the street from Post Alley and well-known pub Kell's, and (in my opinion) a better, local favorite White Horse Pub - DO stop in and give this gem a try! As you can see from the pictures, the Public Market is at your doorstep, and the rooftop terrace has a spectacular view (lacking in most of the rooms). I wish I had a full day to appreciate the rooftop deck, because it was delightful first thing in the morning (again, I refer to the pictures). The energy in the area is wonderful, and you are walking distance to much that Seattle offers. Again, the Market, the hill climb, the Aquarium, Ivar's (a must for Seattle), are all a few minutes of downhill stroll (long enough to enjoy a latte on the way!)\nAll in all, The Inn at the Market is all about location, with a nice boutique feel. You can find something more comfortable, lower cost, better appointed, better restaurant, etc etc... but it is unlikely that you can find ALL these in one hotel for the price.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We last stayed at Inn at the Market, Seattle's boutique darling overlooking the Sound west of First Avenue, in 2001. At the time it seemed charming, luxurious, well-managed, and well-positioned to walk the downtown area. When we returned in June, 2006, we found the property in exactly the same state, down to the carpets and the paint job, only five years older. Like the dowager in Dickens' Great Expectations, this old dame hadn't moved in five years (OK, Mrs. Havesham didn't move in 20), and no amount of air spray could cover up the decay. The area around the hotel has likewise declined, such that a stroll towards Pioneer Square had all the patina of a Fellini film, replete with panhandlers, stoners, bikers, and guys with pants well below their plumber's line for ease of repulsive viewing.\nRestaurants in Pioneer Square appeared dirty and the famed Skid Row area has returned as a flexible homeless folks' hangout. Too bad a city as wealthy as Seattle can't cope with the needs of its least able. While I see a potential synergy between quarters for the homeless and the rooms at the Inn, I suspect the $500/night rates might prove a bit daunting.\nI continue to give stars for friendly, professional service, regardless of a property's physical condition, and the employees at the Inn are thoroughly helpful. But they can't take the cigar smokers off their own balcony, nor the drunk, nocturnally screaming frat boys from the adjacent streets. I hear the Four Seasons is opening a new hotel in the Fall....", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "It was great to stay so close to the market, with all the shops, restaurants, and food purveyors in easy walking distance. The hotel was very stylishly decorated, and the lobby area had just been redone (still smelled slightly of paint). Our room was unexpectedly large, and so was the bathroom. It seemed a bit of a waste of space to have such a large bathroom but only have a regular size tub with in-tub shower (and the shower head was not on a hose, which I missed). Still, it was trendily decorated in the Pottery Barn style, and clean and quite comfortable. Our room overlooked the harbor, which was great and made it a bit quieter.\nThe amenities, comfort, style, and location made it a great place to explore Seattle from. The staff could use some work in terms of turning this into a top-notch service hotel. Two examples:\n 1) The first night we arrived late (10pm) and asked about places we could get a bite to eat. First, the (young) man behind the desk recommended their own restaurant for desserts. I then asked if there were any nearby tapas places (and I pronounced it in correct Spanish \"tah-pahs\" rather than \"taa-paas\"). He just stared at me for a moment, then said there were a couple of places just down the street. Turns out, he was directing me to two strip clubs (he thought I said \"topless\"). I am a 46 year old woman, and was with my husband. Seems pretty unlikely that I would be asking about topless bars, and he must have thought that or he wouldn't have stared so. Didn't it occur to him to ask me to repeat myself, or to look puzzled and ask me to describe the type of place I was looking for? Inexperience, I guess. After wandering up and down the street, and seeing The Lusty Lady and Showgirls, but no tapas restaurants, my husband and I did get a big laugh.\n 2) There is no place to park near the hotel--you have to use their valet parking, where you drop your car off right in front of the hotel. The second night we were there, the street in front of the hotel was closed and we couldn't get to the valet area. We drove around for 15 minutes, trying to find a different way in. We finally had to move some police barriers on another street and sneak in to get in front of the hotel. The desk was apologetic, but shrugged it off. And it must happen regularly--in the morning it was clear that the street was closed due to bigger happenings at the market on a Saturday. How difficult would it have been for the hotel to move its little valet parking sign and the valets and have the guests drop their cars off at the corner, 30 feet away?\nThese are minor glitches, but for $300+ a night, you expect a hotel to work these sorts of kinks out of the system. \nOther than that, we had a nice time.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "The Inn at the Market lived up to the positive reviews. As tourists without a car, the location couldn't have been better. There are countless excellent restaurants within easy walking distance. Although it was very rainy, we were able to explore the area and race back to the hotel to warm up when we got too wet or cold (we're from SoCal and have little tolerance for weather). The staff was always friendly, and the view from the deck was glorious even on a dark day. The room was spacious, and the beds extremely comfortable. The hotel made our stay in Seattle great fun even with uncooperative weather.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "At the last minute (literally driving past it on way to another hotel) we decided to stay here. It was great! The staff were extremely helpful and accommodating, the room really comfortable and clean, and the location excellent. The atmosphere and location of this hotel made it a great choice (we had previously stayed at the Grand Hyatt which we were returning to). Our room was internal facing (last one left), and was a bit loud, but the tempur-pedic mattress was a huge bonus and fun to try! On our way to the 'hotel restaurant' (which is across the courtyard), the front desk staff suggested we try another one which turned out to be excellent. The view from the deck is great too. I'll stay here again!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My wife and I stayed at the Inn at the market for two nights. First it is only 150 feet to the Pike Market,and close to most other site seeing, such the Seattle Aquarium, Undergroung tour and the monorail that takes you to the space needle. We had a city view which means your room may face 1st Ave. We heard some noise, but it wasn't that bad. If you need total silence ask for a water view or a city view on a high floor. The front desk was wonderful, let us check in early. We checked our bags and they called us as soon as the room was ready. We found the room to be clean, and the bathroom was huge. Overall for the price,location and service, I believe the Inn at the Market is the best deal you are going to find.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "The location is absolutely wonderful-right on the Market with a rooftop deck that we brought breakfast up to the first day we were there. We also watched the sunsets over the bay from the deck. The rooms were very nice, and we had no problem with noise from the very busy street below. Service was good and we walked to everthing in downtown Seattle without any problems. Service was good. One warning-valet parking is $25/night-not a huge surprise to those who travel to major cities but could be a jolt to a first time visitor.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed at the Inn at the Market from 7/11/05 thru 7/18/05. The location of the hotel is perfect for sightseeing and getting around Seattle without a car (you don't want to drive in Seattle). Pikes Market is across the street, the waterfront within steps, the Monorail to the Space Needle a short walk, and plenty of great places to eat within a short walk or cab ride. The service and conceirge staff at the Inn were terrific. Very helpful in recommending and arranging sightseeing excursions (Mt. Ranier, whale watching, vineyard tours,etc.). A complimentary town car is available for trips within the downtown area. This was a great help with dinner reservations. The rooms were immaculate. Twice a day room service included turn down in the evening with fresh towels. The decor of the rooms was modern and elegant. Don't miss the roof top garden area for a great view of Puget Sound. This was a great place to unwind at the end of the day with a bottle of wine. I would definetly return to the Inn.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I visited the Inn at the Market for 3 nights on a business trip. Let's start with the Front Desk Staff; They were always helpful and personable...no attitude. They greeted every guest as soon as they walked in...great job!\nThe room was great! It had everything I needed including wireless internet, which worked perfectly. I worked while watching the ferry boats go in and out of port.....very calming. \nThe mattress was amazing, I wanted to walk out of the hotel with it but couldn't figure out how to get it out of the revolving door without anyone noticing. It was \"Tempur-Pedic\"...I know because I wrote it down. It was the most comfortable mattress I've ever been on. \nI woke up very early and walked right across the street to Pike Place Market to get breakfast and smell the fresh flowers that are set up each morning at around 8am. \nEverything about this place was truly what a hotel should be. I hope you enjoy it.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We had planned a special get away for a number of couples and worked in advance to enusure the multiple rooms we booked had attractive water views. When we got there, 3/4 of the view was of the blank brick wall of the adjoinging building but they still considered and charged as a \"water view\". When we requested something with a truely water view we were told thats all they had - take it or leave it. Disappointing service and attention - we would have strongly preferred accurate representations of what to expect even if it meant higher room rates. Buyer Beware!", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "The Inn at the Market is the perfect downtown location for Seattle sightseeing. Mere steps from famous Pike Place Market and the stunning waterfront -- not to mention you're within walking distance from the Seattle Art Museum, Benaroya Hall, Pioneer Square, wonderful shopping, and Westlake Center (where you can catch the monorail to the Space Needle). You're close to everything, yet you can find tranquility in your room or the guest deck overlooking Puget Sound.\nThe staff were nicely pressed and perfectly hospitable, if not downright friendly. Turndown service was prompt and tidy; the concierge raced up to our room to hand-deliver some band-aids for our aching feet (from all the sightseeing); and the valets were courteous and attentive. We did not use the room service from the nearby cafe and French restaurant, as there are so many great restaurants to choose from in the area.\nThe room was exactly as we requested -- and more. We were given a corner room on the 8th floor (their top floor) with a city view and a small balcony overlooking bustling First Ave. (Okay, so the balcony was tiny -- fitting, at most, four adults -- but none of the other floors had them!) The temperature is guest-controlled and had been set for us at an ideal temperature. The minibar was well-stocked and surprisingly affordable -- as far as hotel minibars go.\nAt the Inn at the Market we felt as if we had the best of both worlds -- the action of the city, and the comfort of home. We will definitely be staying there again... and soon, I hope!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "On our first trip to Seattle, my wife and I wanted a cozy, romantic room overlooking the water, and we could not have done better than the Inn and the Market. The genuinely gracious valet makes the perfect first impression as he guides you through the entry courtyard and up to the courteous and helpful desk staff. They immediately offered to upgrade our room at no additional charge, and even offered to let us see two different rooms to choose our view. The room itself was perfectly kept, and very comfortable. The temperpedic beds are among the finest we've ever encountered in an Inn. You should definately spring for a water-side view, well worth it! The fifth floor balcony (common area) is the perfect perch to enjoy the sunset with a bottle of wine bought from the street below. The Inn's location is perfect for those wishing to explore the historic Pike Place Market. The staff was also very forthcoming with impartial recommendations for dining and entertainment. I would definately recommend the Pink Door for Italian lovers and Campagne, which shares the courtyard, for a nightcap, coffee and late dessert, prior to returning to a thoughtful turn-down survice complete with chocolates! Save some energy to \"toss your fish\" with the most famous fish mongers on the East Coast. As an added bonus, the Space Needle is just a nice afternoon's walk away through the heart of Seattle.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "1513541": {"reviews": []}, "313573": {"reviews": [{"text": "We stayed for 1 night - the hotel is very well maintained, staff was very nice, location is great!\nBut, our room (702) was facing the Boston Library, and there was an engin noise coming out of that building all night long.\nI would stay again in his hote, buy stay away from room facing the library.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I had never stayed at this Courtyard since I usually stay at the Marriott Copley Place. However, with the Marriott priced at over $400 a night, we decided to try the Courtyard and I was very surprised by how modern, upscale and large the rooms were. As a matter of fact, it made me realize that the \"big\" Marriott across the street needed a facelift and that this Courtyard was much nicer in spite of the lower price! (They even offer free high speed wired internet access in all rooms!)\nObviously, the drawback to the larger hotels, is that it has a small lobby and \"restaurant\" that is more self serve than a real restaurant and that room service is provided by menus from outside restaurants. However, given that you are in Boston, you have many restaurants within walking distance and tend to only stay in the hotel for the night to sleep.\nI will definitely stay here again and highly recommend it for both business and leisure stays.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed in this hotel during the last weekend of October. It was amazing! It is by far the BEST Courtyard we've ever seen. We often stay at higher end hotels (Four Seasons, Ritz, Westin, Fairmont, etc), and this hotel was better than most of these properties! It is a small hotel (81 rooms) with a GREAT location, GREAT service, and GREAT amenities! It is close to everything-T station, Copley Square, hundreds of wonderful restaraunts, great shopping...everything! \nUsing Marriott reward points, we expected an average room. However, we were given a very large room that was much nicer than the room that is pictured online. During our stay, we made several different requests. Each one either met or exceeded our expectations! We visited friends staying at the Marriott Longwharf and felt that our room, location, and amenities were much better than the Longwharf (and less expensive also). Our stay even ended with a nice surprise....a Lincoln Towncar was available to take us to the airport for less than a cab would have cost us. If you are going to Boston, I would definitely check to see if the Courtyard Copley Square is available...you'll be glad that you did! When we return to Boston, this is where we will stay!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My company booked a room at the Marriot Hotel in Boston and I thought it was the Marriot Copley . I found out that I was at the Courtyard by Marriott accross the street. I was a little upset at first because I was in meetings all day. I never stayed at the courtyard before. I walked in and the check in was easy and fast. The front desk staff was very helpful. They had cookies and fruit in the lobby. A beer tasting ....never heard of that one at a Courtyard but I was educated while drinking beer. Who would have thought of that. I invited a couple of my coworkers staying at a different hotel and we had a wonderful time. \nI will stay here again. The location is great, complimentary wireless, the decor was very elegant for a Courtyard.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Stayed here at the end of a New England tour and for the 4 July celebrations. The hotel is really small for a Marriott, but it still has most of the things you expect. The check in and out was quick and hassle free, they allowed a late checkout without charge or fuss (so we could recover from 4th July celebrations!).\nThey do not have a car park but the valet will park / collect your car from a adjacent public park, there is a huge charge (like all hotels in Boston) of $40 a day. I really recommend NOT DRIVING in Boston as parking is a real problem and expensive. Taxi's are plentiful and fairly cheap the 'T' goes most places tourists want to see.\nThe hotel offers free broadband in the room so take your laptop, but if you need the internet and don't have one (like me), the hotel allows use of their office and internet for free as well.\nDidn't try breakfast at the hotel but it looked resonable and on a par with places outside.\nThe building is quite old and historical but totally clean and like new inside. The room we had was on the top floor (standard room) with good views across the city, tea coffee makings in the room and a fridge. Also had haridrier and iron / ironing board. Good size closet and plenty of drawer space.\nThe area the hotel is in is just off Newbury with shops / restuarants on the door step so it is great to have a meal and stroll back. Staff were freindly and efficient. Would totally recommend this hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed here for two nights in the middle of a two week trip to New England. We stayed saturday 3rd June and Sunday 4th June. I had read the reviews on Trip Advisor before we booked and I was not at all disappointed, in fact it surpassed my expectations. The room for us as a family of four (children aged 10 and 8) was of an excellent size (two large beds and still plenty of other space). One of my daughters slept on the windowsill, it was so large and had a padded seat (saved sharing with her sister and fighting all night long!), just wrapped her up in one of the enormous quilt covers. We had a beautiful bathroom and coffee making facilities (which were easily adapted to making tea if you take your own teabags!), had an empty fridge for storing milk etc. an ironing board and iron (not that I used it!) a hairdryer and excellent TV with lots of channels. We couldn't fault them on anything. The room was clean and very comfortable. The staff were excellent, very helpful. The visit coordinator sorted out Duck Tour bookings for me and a restaurant booking for the saturday night (The Atlantic Fish Company on Boylston Street, whch was also excellent and only a 5 minute walk from the hotel). We went to the Boston Tea Party event in the hotel on the Saturday, which was excellent - lovely choice of teas in real muslin teabags in beautiful china cups, accompanied by little sandwiches and cakes (complimentary), excellent and very welcome after a long journey from New Hampshire. My girls were extremely disappointed that we missed a Willy Wonka Chocolate evening whilst there (chocolate fountain), so we will just have to go back and try that out next time. Boston is a fabulous city, feels very safe and there is loads to see. We didn't see it all, so plenty to do on a second trip!! Forgot to mention as well that the breakfast is excellent, well worth the money. Children got to make their own waffles, which was great fun. Buffet was plentiful, with loads of choice.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We stayed here for one night on Feb 10th.\nThis hotel truly is top class for the the money. It is not too big in a convenient location.\nThe staff were very helpful in recommending restaurants, bars and what to do in the city in the short space of time we had.\nThe room served our needs perfectly and the bed was up to the usual Marriott comfort with the featherbed topped mattress and duvet.\nThey were serving a chocolate fondue in the foyer/breakfast area just after we turned up this was complimentary and good fun, I believe they do something similar everyday.\nWe had the continental breakfast buffet the following morning which was very good. Plenty of fresh fruits, yogurts, cereals, pastries, coffee & juice, particularly enjoyed the granola topped yogurt with the strawberries in the base!\nWe would stay here again for sure if ever in Boston again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "I work for a fortune 50 company and we held a worldwide meeting at this hotel in December as well as another smaller event in February. The location, the rooms, and most importantly the staff were phenomenal. They go out of the way to make you feel comfortable and at home while in the center of the city. My highest compliments to Eric Churchill, Hotel Manager, Barbara Bowers, Director of Sales and Juliana Roshi, the lead concierge, they went out of their way to work with us on pricing, conference needs, and the hospitality was \"best in class\". They went out of their way to ensure that our people had everything they needed and the hospitality events each evening were unique and enjoyable after a long day. You won't be disappointed if you stay here, the price, location and the people are the best.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "An older building, nicely restored, with plenty of character. The staff at the hotel was very pleasant. Our room was spacious and pleasant. Unfortunately, it was a low floor overlooking Exeter Street. This was a problem at night as there is a club next door which seems to attract some significant street noise around midnight. As with all downtown Boston hotels, parking is expensive.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "After a terrible experience at the hostel we were booked with (see review of Beantown Hostel) we rang around every hotel in Boston trying to find another place to stay. Marriott was one of the only places with a spare room (thanks to the Boston Red Sox playing against New York). Desperate we booked despite the fact that we would have normally never paid so much for a hotel room.\nWe weren't disappointed. The hotel was beautiful. The staff were very helpful and friendly. They even offer free cookies on check-in. Cranberry and macadamia were on offer while we stayed. The location was brilliant. A quick walk to shopping. Very close to the start of the Duck Tours. There are also a number of great restaurants nearby for dinner.\nDespite the fact that we were grateful just to have a room when we booked we were guaranteed a twin room. When we got there we were given a double (although the bed was huge). In response they quickly arranged for us to swap the next day, gave us a free breakfast and happily moved all our bags while we were out sightseeing.\nBoth rooms were very different layouts but both were very clean, had really comfortable beds, lots of towels and the staff were happy to provide more directly to our room (a problem that we had faced in other hotels). The rooms also had a bar fridge which I didn\u2019t see often while travelling around.\nBreakfast was expensive and we never would have had it if it wasn\u2019t free. However the breakfast was one of the best I came across during my travels. The food was hot, there was plenty of fresh fruit and the fact they make your omelette while you wait was a nice treat. The only problem is that if the hotel is really busy the staff can make you feel uncomfortable about taking a slow (multi-course) breakfast even if no-one is waiting for a table.\nThe laundry facilities were also a great help if you have been travelling a while. They were some of the cheapest I came across and the hotel offers free boxes of powder if you just go and ask at the front desk. \nThe hotel also had lots on. One night they had a free chocolate night at Lindor. Over the weekend they had a free afternoon tea which was nice. They also post the weather forecast in the lifts which came in very useful when planning on clothing for the next day.\nOverall I would recommend this hotel. It was well worth the price. The service provided by the staff making it five stars.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I stayed at this beautiful hotel with my wife for our 25th anniversary. We had the most wonderful stay at the Courtyard by Marriott at Copley Square. We had everything arranged by this beautiful young girl named Julyana. She called us ahead of time and I left everything on her hands. She did a great job. My wife was very impressed. The front desk staff couldn't be more friendlier. Young man at the front desk asked us everyday how our day was. I want to congratulate management at this hotel for hiring such an amazing staff. GREAT JOB!\nThe breakfast was lovely and very New England.I would love to stay at this hotel again. It is will be a great pleasure.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Chose this hotel due to location and reviews on Tripadvisor, and booked two king rooms using Marriott reward points for two nights each. A free, full service breakfast was included. Staff are young, friendly and professional, with the exception of an annoyingly loud, chirpy and fake friendly woman in the breakfast room who was easily annoyed and annoying.\nOur rooms were luxurious, with down bedding and the foam pillow I'd requested; our room layout made it seem more like a suite, my child's room was smaller. Both bathrooms were huge. The decor was upscale urban, modern edges, but cozy. Cleanliness met my exacting standards. Only quibble was not enough hooks for travel accessory bags and robes in the bathroom, and the breakfast staff seem to like to close up shop and stop making omelettes or replenishing the buffet items a bit early. They do accommodate any request, however, amid fake chirping.\nThe hotel is excellently situated for views, shopping, walking anywhere in a city that's made for pedestrians. We walked just about everywhere, and were greeted by a wonderful plate of cookies at the front desk upon our return in the afternoon. \nWe didn't pay cash for this stay, but I can say that this hotel is justified in its pricing, and well exceeds expectations of a Marriott Courtyard. I'd gladly stay here again and again, and plan to.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Just returned from Boston after attending a conference. Although the conference was headquartered at the Fairmont Copley Plaza, (and I stayed there before for the same conference) I decided to stay at the Courtyard based on Tripadvisor reviews. What a great choice! Just a block from Copley Square, the T, Newbury Street, and the Charles River, it\u2019s a great \u201chome base\u201d for exploring Boston. The hotel occupies the renovated 88 Exeter, a turn of the century hotel. The facility retains the charm of this older structure but is thoroughly updated inside. The rooms are just big enough with a great bed, large desk/work area, minifridge and coffee maker. Thursday through Monday there are special events in the late afternoon, we had tea on Saturday and Sunday and a chocolate tasting on Monday. The best part of the experience was the overall environment created by the staff. They were pleasant, engaging and helpful, from the housekeepers to the front desk staff and especially the \u201cDestination Experience Specialist.\u201d I don\u2019t know how Marriott trains their people but it works. Sorry Fairmont Copley Plaza, you\u2019ve lost a customer for good.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I recently went to Boston with 2 girlfriends from college and stayed at the Courtyard by Marriott Copley Square in Boston and we had a wonderful experience. The staff, from the minute we walked into the hotel was very polite, professional and helpful, considering we knew nothing about the city. We thoroughly enjoyed the wine tasting offered on Thursday evenings, and the convenience to everything (especially shopping) was great! The hotel is about a 1/2 hour walk to Fanuel Hall, but to get there, you walk through the Boston Commons, and eventually wind up on the Freedom Trail (which brings you right to Fanuel Hall and Quincy Market). The rooms at the hotel are large, and very clean, and very quiet, and the beds are very comfortable, and the room was beautifully decorated. The only issues that we had were that the room was a bit hot at night, even though we turned down the thermostat to 60, and the parking was not really convenient (and a bit pricey at $38 for 24 hours down the street.) However, once we parked, we didnt use the car again for the entire 3 days. i highy recommend this hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "This is a newly constructed hotel with excellent rooms and a great location. The staff is very friendly and the rooms have to be seen to be believed. This is one of the best Courtyard properties. Lighting and decor are incredible. Parking can be a bit of a bother, but that's really the only negative. You can often find great rates on this hotel, but it can also be very expensive. It's my choice when traveling to boston", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}]}, "321151": {"reviews": [{"text": "I stayed at Jury's for business on May 1, 2007. While traffic getting there was badly snarled by the Red Sox game, the hotel was more than worth the trouble. As we checked in, the staff was very accomodating and went the extra mile to make sure all of our needs would be met. My room was smaller than a lot of hotels I have stayed at before, but very well appointed. The bed was very comfortable, and all the pillows one could ever need were provided. The stereo was playing some soft music when I came in, which at first spooked me (did I just walk in on someone?!), but once I realized I was alone in my room I appreciated the comforting touch. The bathroom was very decadent, with a separate tub from shower, marble flooring, and more shampoos and soaps than one could possibly use in a night! The heated towel rack was a wonderful touch that I'm going to think about adding to my home. The full body shower head was great after a long car ride. The room would have been cramped for more than 2 people, but alone it was perfection. I would love to go back again. Every member of the staff said, \"Hello\" and anytime we needed help, any staff member we spoke with was eager to help in any way they could. They were all friendly, and not the average \"snooty\" types that you often run into in finer hotels. Thanks to all at Jury's for a relaxing stay.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I am from Boston and now live in CA where my wife is from. We visit Boston a lot and try to stay in different places. We've stayed in just about every area of the city at least once by now. \nI ranked this hotel excellent in the context of the price. The location is great. It is very clean, modern looking and had a bunch of nice touches thrown in that other hotels either don't have or want to charge you for (free internet, large-screen tv, dvd. etc.). The bar in the lobby is a lot of fun and all of the stafff was great.\nYou shouldn't expect a four seasons experience, but you won't pay that either. I read someone complained about the room being small. Ours was not. Sometimes I find if you book through expedia or hotels.com you do end up with smaller rooms. I booked with the hotel's website and found a good deal. \nWhile I\"ll keep trying hotels for the experience, once I start to repeat, this will be the first on my list.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "We made reservations at Jurys solely based on trip advisor's reviews, and it did not dissapoint. Why would anyone stay anywhere else in Boston? We are used to staying at the usual 4 or 5 star, especially Four Seasons, and I would put Jurys right up there. Frankly, I don't see the point of why you would pay an additional $200+ per night to stay at the Four Seasons, because all the amenities are the same as well as the service is above and beyond excellent. A couple of weeks before we arrived I spoke to Richard, the guest services manager about some restaurants and other things we wanted to do, and I guess I had mentioned that it was my wedding anniversary. To our surprise, upon our arrival, we had a beautiful display of champagne, chocolates and fruit awaiting us in our room. I don't even remember that I told him that, but he remembered! So, yes - we would definitely stay there again if ever in Boston, and you should too!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Large, quiet and comfortable rooms. Nice and comfy beds with nice and soft bedding also loads of pillows.\nVery clean and smart.\nFluffy and Large towels on a nice heated rail, lovely Aveda toiletries (we very very well stocked). Powerful Shower and nice large bath.\nFridge in room with complementary bottled water\nHotel staff all extremely friendly and helpful.\nFabulous turndown service with nice classical music.\nLively and friendly bar.\nEverything finished to a nice standard not just in the rooms but also reception and corridors.\nClose to everything, most things are in walking distance , it is also close to a T subway stop. \nI didn\u2019t want to go home", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We chose the Jury's Boston because of the reviews on Tripadvisor and were delighted they were right! There were several comments on Tripadvisor about the bed, well we certainly agree. The bed and pillows were so very comfortable that since I have been home I am dissatisfied with my own bed. The room was not huge but it had loads of closet space and the shower room was a good size. The tiled floor of the bathroom was very slippy if you were not careful, but the large fluffy towels and bathrobe made it feel very opulant. I would advise any traveler who likes a morning cuppa to take a travel kettle with them as I had to ask for one as they do not included a kettle or coffee maker as standard in the rooms. However they did find me a coffee maker for our stay, but that doesn't make the best hot water for tea (I know I am a typical Brit). The staff were very helpful and we enjoyed watching the locals in Cuffs bar downstairs. We were able to get to everywhere we needed within Boston from there. We had been to the Streisand concert at the TD Bankworth stadium and felt very safe returning to the hotel late.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I found this hotel here on TA and booked it based on it's reviews.\nIt's a very pleasant hotel in a very good location for seeing Boston.\nI wasn't sure what to expect as far as room size. Many reviews here mentioned the rooms being small. I thought the room was a fairly good size. It was nicely decorated and the bathroom was very nice.\nI'm not sure how this hotel got to be number 1 here on TA though. While it was nice enough I can't imagine that it is the nicest in the city. It wasn't inexpensive so I don't think of it as being a great bargain. It was a fine hotel that delivered. I would stay here again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We were doing a 5 city holiday in the USA and Canada, Boston and Jurys was the first chose. I booked this hotel through expedia, which was excellent, it gave me all the infomation I required to made a good decision to book this hotel. This room was with 2 queen beds and of very good standard, although the view was not good (this did not bother either of us as the exploration of Boston was the proirity) the room was very clean and tidy and housekeeping was excellent. The beds were very confortable and the bathroom was of good standard. The staff were kind and friendly and the Cuffs bar downstairs at the hotel was good. The hotel was in an excellent location to explore Boston (which to me is a good walking city) and if I did return back to Boston I would stay at this hotel again. very good keep up the good work.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I stayed here for a long weekend, just as the city had a snow blizzard. The room was one of the smallest rooms I'd ever stayed in and the view from the room was over the offices of the building it backed onto, for the price I was charged I felt cheated. The cleaning was to a high standard and towels changed daily. The reception and other staff were polite and the room service was good.\nThe food in the restaurant was first class and the waitresses equally so, but too expensive for anything other than breakfast which isn't even included in the room price.\nI'd stay in boston again but not here, this hotel is set up mainly for business travellers and the prices reflect that.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "From the moment we pulled up in a cab our experience was top notch. Even though thier computers went down our check in was a breeze. At check in they said they were out of non smoking rooms but were able to find one for me.\nThe room was sparkling clean. Beds turned down with music playing on the cd player and ice in the bucket. The Aveda bath products were a nice touch. The rooms are beautiful and comfortable.\nThe room was very quiet. I was sure we were the only ones checked in except for an occasional Red Sox fan in the elevator.\nThe bar \"Cuff's\" is quite a happening place with lines forming outside at night. This is my only negative. The night we checked in we went for a cold one and a late snack. The service was very good. The next night we met friends there and our waitress was non existent, at least at our table. She spent her whole time catering to a table full of young guys. I had to ask another waitress to order some appetizers, and I also went to the bar to get our beers. It was crowded but she serviced the guys table which was right next to ours three times.\nThe next night we went to the lounge on the second floor. It's very comfortable with sofas and tables and quiet enough to catch up with old friends. The woman working the bar was outstanding. She appeared at our table every time a friend joined our group. Each had a cocktail within minutes of entering. She should give a customer service lesson to the waitress downstairs.\nEveryone of the staff (except as noted) was exceptional. Don't hesitate to book here.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "The reviews on this website led us to choose this hotel. From the glassy entrance with wall waterfall to the comfortable beds we didnt want to leave. The staff were most friendly, the hotel is really stylish and it centrally located for everything. The breakfast was delicious with a wide variety of items. It was spotlessly clean. CDs players are in the rooms and free bottles of water are provided every night. We didnt have a bath but the shower room is something I plan on modelling my own shower on. Fabulous!! If visiting Boston I will definately go here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed here over a weekend for 3 nights from Aug 4th to 7th in a Superior King room booked through an online site about a month in advance. Before tax, each night averaged Cdn $200, a great price given what the hotel has to offer.\nThe location is fantastic. Situated in the Back Bay, it's about a 5min walk to several subway stations (Back Bay, Copley, Arlington) on both the Green and Yellow lines -- giving you a choice of starting points depending on where your destination is. The hotel is about 3 short blocks to Copley Square where the beautiful Trinity Church and Public Library are found. It's also just a 5-10min walk to a number of other destinations -- including the Prudential Centre, Newbury St. (great for shopping and late night dining), and the Public Garden. Anywhere you can't walk is an easy 10-15min subway ride away.\nThe room was very clean, relatively spacious, and warmly modern. It featured a wide entry area, with a large double-door closet and oversized full-length mirror. The comfortable king bed was flanked on one side by a bedstand, and on the other by a large desk. This work area would be great for business travellers (with a rolling office chair, and free high speed access). One corner of the room had a side table and chair for reading. The TV was housed in a large wooden wall unit with lots of drawer space, a CD stereo (CDs can be loaned from the concierge), and a small fridge, great for storing drinks and snacks -- and which they stock with 2 complimentary bottles of water each day.\nThe large marble-tiled bathroom featured a granite-topped wood vanity with lots of counter space, plus an additional glass shelf under the mirror for overflow. The tub was fairly small, but clean. Toiletries were Aveda, the towel-rack held oversized bath towels and was heated (didn't seem to do much for the towels, but a nice touch!).\nOther amenities included: Large in-room safe, ironing board and steam iron, bathrobes, umbrella for rainy days, two clock radios on either side of the bed, and a full-sized hair dryer. For turndown service, staff fill your ice bucket, leave chocolate on the pillow, and turn the stereo on to classical music.\nThe room was very quiet, never once did I hear any hallway noise. The downstairs sitting areas were very comfortable and in the mornings you can grab breakfast treats and coffee at the \"Barista Cafe\". As others have noted, the lobby bar is very busy, but wasn't a problem where we were staying (9th floor).\nWe easily checked our bags for a few hours on the last day, before setting out for Back Bay station to take the subway to the airport (40 mins door to door -- at $1.25 an economical option if you're looking to save on cabs!).\nOverall, this was a great hotel in a convenient location. I would not hesitate to stay here again if looking for lodging in the price range that I paid.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Boston Jury's takes you back to service that's not often seen these days. From the welcome of the doorman, the quick luggage service from my cab to my room and the wonderful air of personal attention, you can't go wrong with this hotel. Had a superior king, never wanted to get out of bed and the shower with additional jets is to die for.\nWish I had more time to stay, but plan on returning as soon as possible.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I recently stayed at the Jury's Inn in Boston and enjoyed every minute of it. Friends had raved about it as the 'latest thing' and while I wouldn't go that far, it was certainly a solid choice. The rooms are nicely appointed with comfy beds, spacious bathrooms (sep. shower and bath) and a practical work desk. Highspeed internet is free and Cuff's Bar downstairs is cozy. \nWhat really makes the hotel is the people. The staff are very pleasant and go out of their way to help you (I was unsure of the disabled room I was given when I checked in and within minutes was moved to an adjacent room) but the other guests are also interesting. Jury's is a UK chain so there are a lot of British and Irish guests staying here. All very entertaining.\nSo while this isn't exactly cutting edge in terms of concept or execution, it really delivers a very warm and friendly Boston experience.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed for two nights over Memorial Day weekend and were completely thrilled with the Jurys Doyle. The hotel was immaculate, including the public areas and our room. We had a standard room with a king size bed. The room was quite large and airy and the marble bathroom was also large. We enjoyed the heated towel bar and the provided robes. It was very nice to have a large golf umbrella in the closet available for our use and then for later purchase if we so wished. We enjoyed having new water bottles in the fridge when we returned from sight-seeing.\nThe location of the hotel was excellent. We valet parked the car and walked to all of our destinations with relative ease. The restaurants were excellent, as well, and I would not hesitate to stay here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I stayed at Jury's in December of 2005. I had not been to Boston for many years and did a lot research before choosing this spot. It was easy to get to (off the Mass Pike) and I happily let them valet park my car, I did not want to worry about it while in Boston.\nThe room was lovely, very comfortable bed, nice linens and a beautiful bathroom with all the trimmings. I ate dinner in the restaurant that night, fantastic! Later on when my friend arrived from CO via Logan, we got him something to eat at the bar, also great. The bar was quite full for a weeknight, nice scene (a little yuppie but friendly).\nBreakfast there was fantastic, our waitress was super friendly. We checked out but left our bags behind while we wandered the city for hours. The staff was excellent, the room beautiful -- the whole experience was outstanding.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My wife and I are back from a wonderful weekend at Jurys. I can happily confirm the positive commentary previously posted and add some of our own.\nLocation is ideal. The hotel is in Boston\u2019s Back Bay area, one block from the John Hancock building, a couple of blocks from Newbury & Boylston, a short walk (20 mins approx) to Faneuil Hall. Getting to the hotel is easy by car. It has about the easiest access to/from I-90 that you could ask, and they have valet parking (about $36 with unlimited in/out).\nService is excellent and friendly. Jean at the front door was helpful and very enthusiastic about the city. The same goes for Keith at the concierge desk, who pointed us to several excellent restaurants in the North End & Cambridge. Turn-down and room service were prompt, professional and friendly.\nThe room was most notable for its bathroom. We had a \u201cDeluxe King\u201d room. The room itself wasn\u2019t particularly large, but the bathroom was quite big (nice separate shower & bath tub). The bed was too comfortable, causing us to sleep through our morning agendas. We did not have much of a view at all (some rooms likely have beautiful views given the location).\nThe bar/restaurant were hopping while we were there; great if you want to join but the noise was somehow contained so that we were only as aware of it as we wanted to be. We saw several couples with young children and thought the hotel was just fine for families. We had breakfast in the room one morning; it was as good as any other room service breakfast we\u2019ve had. The gym was a small room with limited equipment. The wireless signal was strong and worked perfectly all weekend. The hotel gets the intangibles right (complementary bottles of water, surprise Easter eggs on Easter Sunday, a call to the room to be sure everything was ok, etc). Overall, we felt the hotel stood between a Fairmont and a Four Seasons in terms of overall service, features and attention to detail.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "My girlfriends and I stayed at Jurys for 3 nights and we were not disappointed. The service was friendly, efficient and respectful at all times. Our room was spacious, the washroom was large (we enjoyed the heated towel rack and Aveda products)and the beds were very comfortable although we would have been happier with two queens rather than two doubles. As first time visitors to Boston we found the location excellent - we were able to walk almost everywhere and felt very safe going to and from the hotel after dark. I would definitely return to Jurys!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Stay at the Jurys Boston. It's great.\nMy girlfriend and I stayed there this past weekend when visiting Boston for a romantic getaway of shopping, sightseeing, etc. We were thrilled. She stays at some of the best of the best hotels, the Ritz e.g., all over the country with her big shot job and she thought that the Jurys Boston was the nicest hotel she's stayed at so far.\nWhile planning the getaway, I got to know Jurys Boston's friendly and courteous staff while I made arrangements for our big weekend. They were always the most helpful, friendly and knowledgeable. \nWe stayed in an Executive Corner King on the 6th Floor--Room 638 to be exact. We were met at the door by the valet who promptly help us unload and took care of the car. The Valet and garage fee was an extra $36, which is competitive for Boston parking. We went through the impressive lobby and had our room keys in less than five minutes. \nWe entered our room and I immediately noticed that it was filled with welcoming light from three large windows. Also, I noticed that the vase of long stem roses I had arranged with the concierge the night before was waiting on the table and filling the room with fragrance. The stereo tape/CD player was also set to softly playing classical music.\nThe bathroom was finished completely in natural stone and marble with a walk-in shower and a large spacious bath. There were fluffy white towels and pristine white robes waiting for us. There is also a large closet off the bath with a safe. There was a king size bed that was absolutely clean and perfect, and the room just set the perfect mood for the trip. \nThe true test of a hotel is the bed. So many top hotels have terrible beds that are old and moldy. Not Jurys. I was so impressed with this bed that I wrote down the name of the mattress manufacturer, size and style and I plan to order one of my own. My girlfriend, the world traveller, was equally impressed. She says she usually wakes up from a hotel stay with a backache. \nThe bed was so nice that, unfortunately, we missed a few hours of sightseeing because we just stayed in the bed wrapped up in the hotel bathrobes (I also wrote down the manufacturer's name of the robes). Fortunately, we didn't miss much sightseeing in the end because outside it was freezing outside anyway. You wouldn't know it because this is no drafty old money hotel like others I've been in Boston. It was so warm and cozy in the room that I just assumed that the blue sky meant a gorgeous warm day outside. The insulated windows weren't cold, so how would I have known? Well, at other hotels, I would have known because of cold windowsills, drafts and condensation on the windows. \nThe concierge was also helpful in getting us around. We got breakfast at a place the concierge recommended and it was excellent as well. I've been to many hotels where the concierge really didn't know much about the area at all. A good concierge can make a huge difference in the success of your trip and Jurys's concierge was certainly friendly and reliable.\nI only wish we'd had time to stay for two or more nights. We didn't even get to eat at the restaurant on the premises or spend much time at Cuff's Irish Pub downstairs. On Saturday night, it was packed! It's clearly a popular place, and well decorated. The waterfall staircase and open fireplaces are elegant. In contrast, the hotel lobby was cozy and inviting. If you need to do work, this is a good lobby. It's not one of those giant echo-filled lobbies where one can get easily distracted. The lobby at the Jurys Boston is again well-lighted, and well furnished with sound-absorbant materials. There were many people this Sunday just sitting on the big comfy sofas reading the complementary Boston Globes. Had I had the time, I certainly would have joined them.\nIn short, we loved the Jurys Boston. Even though I'm curious about staying at other hotels when we come back to Boston, I'll be hard pressed to risk a stay somewhere else that might not measure up.\nJurys was the cleanest, friendliest, classiest and highest quality hotel experience I've ever had and I couldn't recommend it more. \nLastly, I only picked it because it was rated #1 on this site. I don't know anyone who's stayed there so I went completely based on what people on this site had to say. Nice going TripAdvisor!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "First stop on our honeymoon, and the best Hotel we stayed in. We spent 3 nights in this fab Hotel with virtually everything we came across, the best. Check-in was a breeze \u2013 with very friendly and knowledgeable staff. Our room, while not huge was exquisitely decorated with high quality furnishings and impressive attention to detail. As a few other reviews have mentioned, the bed was the most comfortable we have ever slept in. The bathrobes were of the highest quality \u2013 (you can purchase one @ $45) \u2013 and the shower was the large walk-in variety. The food there was also great. We ate in the Stanhope Grill the Hotel\u2019s restaurant on our first night the weather was unusually warm (89\u00b0F/30\u00b0C in Sept) so we dined al fresco.and were impressed with the quality of the food, the service and the value for money. On our second night we ate and drank in Cuffs the Irish bar, The food again was excellent and the atmosphere super \u2013 it\u2019s very popular with business people for a drink after work and is nicely busy in the evenings with a good vibe. Breakfast while pricey ($16.50pp) was the best we found. What else \u2013 well on our last day Hurricane Ophelia was in town so we used the hotel driver to return to the airport - $30 all in \u2013 when considering the trip to the hotel by taxi was $25 \u2013 this was good value for the sheer ease and comfort. We will go back to Boston, which we found to be a very friendly, manageable city, we will stay in Jury\u2019s again. Top shopping tip: if you haven\u2019t been in Boston before like us \u2013 take a left on exiting the main door and head for Newbury Street we only found it on our last day \u2013 the street is lined with upscale shops with a laid back atmosphere. Point to note - if you want to lie in \u2013 in the morning be sure to put the do not disturb sign out \u2013 housekeeping starts at 8.30am!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "We stayed in Le Meridien before and it was pompous, not doubt about it . but Jury's is a great location managed by real people. The location, two blocks from the Copley Place Mall is great for shopping, same distance to Boston Common and 10 mins walk to Faneuil Hall and Quincy's Marketplace.\nRooms are USA large, as expected. Showers not baths - no problem for us at less than $100 per night. Breakfast at $15.00 for the buffet is a little overpriced, but hey , who eats Hotel breakfasts in Boston when there is Paramount on Charles Street !! which is famous for breakfast.\nThe Concierge had a rental car delivered to the foyer for us with less than 24 hours notice, the cleaner loves cleaning the lounge of this hotel as it is \"her pride and joy \" How often do you hear this. the Bar has a line up on weekends because the atmosphere is so good. Yet, it is one of the quietest hotels in a city we have ever stayed in. One comment, the minibar is not stocked, but they have 24/7 Room Service - so no need I agree. The beds are amazing, the toiletries are Aveda. So ignore the last UK rating. Dont be ripped off by the more expensive options, stay at Jury's . They do what they say on the label, and don't make a big issue or try to be what they ain't !", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "This Hotel lives up to all the rave reviews.\nFirstly, the hotel is beautiful. Its fresh and new. The staff were excellent. They went that little bit extra for me and my fiance. For example, we had just landed in from a busy weekend in Las Vegas on the \"Red Eye\" flight at 7.30am. The Receptionist offered us a room straight away, even though we were not supposed to check in until 3.00pm. Its these extras that make a major difference between this Hotel and its competitors. \nWe stayed in the Commonwealth Hotel in Boston also (see my other review) but Jurys Hotel was vastly superior. The decor was great. There is a cool water feature when you come in the front door. There is a lounge also on the first floor beside another bar. \nThere is an excellent restaurant and Bar on the ground floor. Breakfast was also nice too. The staff were no problem when we ordered food in the bar one evening at 11.30pm.\nThis Hotel has a great buzz about it at night with young people/couples using the bars. An open patio type area backs out just below street level from the bar and is filled every evening with people chatting and having a few drinks. The Hotel also seems popular for conferences etc.\nIts sitauated well too, its just a two minute stroll to Copley Square. The T Station is a three minute walk away. The Hard Rock Cafe is a block away. Also close is McCormick & Schmick. They do a $1.95 menu between 4-6pm and this fills a hole if you are hungry.\nThe housekeeping staff were excellent. The Rooms were turned every evening and there was complementary drinking water in the fridge, which was welcomed after coming back from a long days sight-seeing.\nThe door staff were also excellent. It was no problem for them to advise where to eat, drink etc. Hailing a cab was also no bother for them.\nOne small draw back was the construction works outside which was certainly no fault of the Hotel. \nOverall, this is a great Hotel with plenty of value for money. Boston is a great city and i would recommend this hotel without hesitation. Ill definitely be back.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Great location; large, clean, stylish rooms; fantastic food, friendly service. The only downside was that our room didn't have a bath.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Visited Boston on 5th June and this was our first trip to the States. Encouraged by the reviews of Jurys on your website I booked our eight night stay there. We had an excellent time in Boston and managed to see all the main sights either on foot or by using the excellent public transport system. Jurys was well placed for the station around the corner at Back Bay and we managed visits to Rockport and Salem on the commuter trains.\nThe hotel staff were all very friendly and the room quiet and comfortable. The people of Boston were very helpful - whenever we stopped to consult our town map someone would usually come up to us and ask if we needed any guidance. \nWe have travelled extensively in Europe over the years but we will definitely be back to Boston next year and look forward to staying at Jurys again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "At first, the hotel seems to be a one of high standards and quality. However, staying there brought to light some matters and lack of finesse that you would not expect to find in a hotel that charges as much as it does.\n\u2022 A faulty water feature that made the main fancy staircase tricky to walk on \u2022 Room doors that cannot be closed without being noisy and most people seemed to end up slamming theirs, at all hours \u2022 Hair left in shower from previous occupant (and which was not cleaned after being reported and after the housekeeper had completed her round) \u2022 No soap \u2022 Beds are overly sumptuous, too soft and too high \u2022 The bedding and unnecessary accoutrements are too fussy and the pillows too soft (no choice is offered) \u2022 Rooms are quite warm if the window is closed and a/c not used (a/c is noisy to sleep with) \u2022 Toilet pans give splashback to men and plastic seats move around \u2022 Toilet paper is fragile/flaky and breaks up in your hand \u2022 No towel hooks where they are needed, near the shower \u2022 No trouser press even though there is plenty of room for one \u2022 No clothes caddy \u2022 Missing hair dryer \u2022 Few power sockets, some not where needed \u2022 No backup umbrellas \u2022 Expensive movies \u2022 Most annoying is the function room in the lower ground area which is not sectioned off from the Entry and Reception area (nor has any doors to it). The result of this incomprehensible design decision is that guests are greeted by a phenomenally loud wave of general cacophony from the 75+ people gathered there each time you leave/enter the hotel from early evening onwards. It was not clear if this room is for guests only or if the hotel hires the room out for private use.\nPerhaps the above would not become issues in a $40 a-night hotel, but somewhere that charges upwards of $185 per night should not be having any of these problems. Better attention should have been paid to the details that affect guests (such as the ones listed above) and not on niceties such as the entrance statue, mesmerising lift walls, a sand-blasted staircase or a cascading water feature, nice as they all are but add nothing to a guest\u2019s comfort or benefit. In my view, the hotel should not charge more than $80 a night until the above are all resolved.\nThe hotel can be commended for the following;\nGood overall design, style and d\u00e9cor \u2022 Room furniture \u2022 Bathroom quality and design \u2022 Knowledgeable and helpful staff (except grumpy concierge) \u2022 Handy location \u2022 Turn down service.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "In a word - Amazing! A beautifully designed hotel which combines traditional with contemporary. We were greeted by the pleasant Irish staff and escorted to our impressive bedroom. It was like sleeping on a cloud!!!!\nBathrooms and accessories are first class with a guest business centre boasting free internet access. Having had a problem with luggage we needed some additional toiletries and housekeeping promptly provided these free of charge.\nThe location is superb and we hope to go back and stay here again within the next year.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "After reading the reviews on Trip Advisor I decided to book the hotel and I'm happy I did. My family stayed at the Jurys over Spring Break and we were thrilled with the exceptional service and ammenties of this beautiful hotel. From the heated towel racks and robes in the bathroom to the most comfortable beds we have ever slept on! This is one of the nicest hotels for the price we have stayed at. After spending 3 nights in New York we drove to Boston and stayed at the Jurys and loved every minute of it. The rooms are well appointed and being that the hotel is only a year old, very new and clean. The staff was exceptional and I can't imagine staying anywhere else. My husband had work to finish up on our trip and was able to take advantage of the free Internet access both in the room and the Business Center. We all truly enjoyed our stay at the Jurys and definitely will stay there again!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "After checking reviews of Jurys on this site we decided to book the hotel for our recent trip to Boston (April 1st to 5th).\nNeedless to say we weren't disappointed, Jurys was an absolute delight from start to finish. After the warm \"Welcome home\" greeting from Jean at the front door things continued to get better with a free upgrade at check in, there was no waiting in line and within minutes of getting out of the taxi we were settling in our room. The room itself was very well furnished, nice big bed with the most comfortable pillows I've ever had in a hotel. Nice touch to find a couple of bottles of free mineral water in the fridge, no coffee or tea making facilities in the room may annoy some people but we never use them anyway. Bathroom was superb, all marble finish, spotlessly clean with lots of towels and comfy robes, also the Aveda toiletries were a definite touch above the usual standard of hotel freebies.\nHousekeeping was very efficient and the turn down service was a nice touch too.\nWe used the Cuffs bar on several occasions and found it very friendly and quite lively with a good atmosphere, staff were great and made sure we never went thirsty!\nWe very rarely use hotel restaurants as we prefer to eat out and sample the local culinary scene, but one particular night we were taking a pre-dinner drink in Cuffs and decided due to the weather to stay on and eat in at the Stanhope Grill. The food was superb and well priced too but it was the standard of service that made the evening - never imposing or over the top but you always felt that nothing was too much trouble, once again the staff were top notch. The buffet breakfast too was excellent and at $15 was reasonable, please don't be put off by the mental image of a typical \"buffet\" as this was well above the usual standard with fresh cakes and nice pastries to finish off.\nAnother big plus was the location of Jurys with a good spot in Back Bay, the refined shopping and cafes of Newbury Street are about a 5 minute stroll away, turn left out of the door and you have good shopping at Croxley Plaza also just minutes away. To Downtown Crossing and the more mainstream venues of Macys, Fileunes etc it would take approx 20 minutes - in fact there aren't many places that you can't walk to in reasonable time. I would recommend a trip to North End (\"little Italy\") to sample the atmosphere, if you can you must have cappucino with chocolate biscotti at Mikes Pastries on Hanover Street and I defy anybody to leave without buying a box full of goodies!\nAlso the usual draws of the Freedom Trail, Boston Common, Theatre District, Faneuils, Quincys Market etc are well within reach of anybody with reasonable mobility - we never had to use a taxi the whole trip.\nI think an earlier reviewer made an excellent point about Jurys, something like it being a \"smaller scale Ritz\"? Well this just about sums up Jurys, a nice size hotel in an architecturally novel building (the former Boston police headquarters) which avoids the impersonality and anonymity of it's larger contemporaries whilst giving a much warmer, friendly feel that pervades through the whole establishment.\nAll in all Jurys was definitely a \"Welcome Home\" from home to us in Boston and will certainly be again for future trips.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "I would really have to struggle long and hard to find anything wrong with this hotel. We were shown up to our wonderful room and our bags followed. The bed was huge, comfortable and the pillows fantastic.\nChampagne and chocolate covered strawberries awaited us as requested. The CD player was on and further CDs were offered. Three telephones, TV, safe, iron, bathrobes, hairdryer and the lovely toiletries. Even an umbrella in the closet for wet days! The view, from the seventh floor, was fantastic. Every evening the bed was turned down for us. \nThe hotel has internet access freely available as well as wireless and wire access in all rooms.\nThe staff were all highly trained and so considerate of their guests. They enquired on a regular basis if they could help us and offered suggestions for excursions. The concierge was especially helpful with car and restaurant bookings and directions.\nThe General Manager was a very friendly Dublin man whom we made a point to speak to congratulate him on the fine restoration of the building and the excellent staff. It is an hotel where everyone from the doorman to the General Manager were all glad that you were staying with them.\nBreakfast in the Stanhope Grill is wonderful. Do not pass on the buffet. This is THE breakfast. You just cannot eat after it until evening! It really sets you up for a day touring Boston.\nWe had dinner in the bar on Easter Sunday and were looked after wonderfully by Kahela ( I hope I have spelt her name right). Her friendly smiling, chatty manner made us feel right at home. She treated us like welcome friends every night we went in. She typified the manner and style of all the hotel\u2019s staff towards us. A marvellous group of people. Well done Stephen for training them so well in customer care.\nWe had dinner in the Stanhope Grill and the food was just great. The craic in Cuffs bar was great. I just loved sitting there and listening to the enjoyment of so many people and engaging in my favourite pastime \u2013 people watching. A REAL Irish bar \u2013 just don\u2019t run out of Guinness again!!\nThe location of the hotel is just right. One direction is Boston Common and the other is Copley Place and Newbury Street, another and you are at the Prudential Centre. Hard Rock Cafe is just around the corner as is Back Bay train station.\nThis is an hotel in a million. Perhaps I should not tell anyone about it so that I can always get in when I return, but I promised Stephen the manager I would tell everyone how good it is and how satisfied we both were with our stay. Do go there \u2013 it is well worth it.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}]}, "1201116": {"reviews": []}, "94330": {"reviews": [{"text": "This is a great hotel I was able to get a great rate from Berkshire Concepts, they got me a room with a great view, king size bed what more could you ask for. if your in boston try this place I think you will like it", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My fiance surprised me on our anniversary weekend (memorial day weekend) with a little getaway into Boston (our neighboring city and where in fact, we had both gone to college) since we were too busy with work to manage a more distant trip. \nI'd like to preface this by saying that given that since this was a complete surprise to me, I had zero expectations. I will be very frank - I have stayed in many hotels ranging from a Four Seasons to a Super 8; as well as many hotels in Boston. The #1 criteria for me are these: a.) Cleanliness and b.) Customer Service and c.) Value. If you're paying for grade A service, you are entitled to receive it, if you are paying for B service, don't expect A service. \nAt best, I'd say our room was small, though it was clean. I was surprised at the rates we were charged for standard size room. The bed covering seemed cheap, and bed itself was uncomfortable to merely sit on. Aside from that, it was about the size and aesthetic of a dorm room with carpeting.\nLocation - For people visiting, I would strongly suggest you stay closer to the city as this hotel is really meant for business purposes. The area completely shuts down at night and there is nothing to see once you take a stroll through the deserted courtyard. An empty wharf, a shut down warehouse and what appeared to be a seafood restaurant somewhere down the way. \nAll in all, we spent about 1/2 an hour in the room, surveying the contents and trying to make do with what was available to us. After seeing the completely deserted restaurant, and realized there really were not any available areas for even a quick snack we decided to try elsewhere. \nWhat made me give this review a 'Terrible' as opposed to an Okay or even a Neutral, was the attitude the Manager downstairs dispensed to us after we had very amicably explained our situation. We were not expecting a 100% full refund. That would have been nice, and in my mind, probably the best customer service they could have provided -- but CERTAINLY not the argument of \"you are from the area, you should know better.\" Instead of walking away from the situation with both parties satisfied, the manager on duty chose to charge us $50, openly claiming we had dirtied the room after we offered for them to come up and please look at the room we were given [for condition and quality], claim that our complaint or reason for leaving was bogus all in somewhat of a distasteful manner. I think, the charge may have been fair, I expected better manners, customer service and poise from a hotel that praises themselves in the regard in which they do on their website and I'm completely dissapointed that we have extended ourselves to what we thought was an A/B Hotel and was met with D or Failing service and paid for it. I only hope that sharing my experience will help the hotel reform their management or deter some visitors from wasting their time.\nIf you are a visitor to Boston, I have always, always had great luck with the Marriot Copley. You can easily find your way to the waterfront via cab or T and the rooms are easily 2x-3x the size with 3x the quality of what you are getting.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "The Seaport truly is a beautiful hotel with great decor, spacious rooms, and nice amenities. However, I've stayed several times (not by choice) and am blown away by others' glowing reviews, as I am constantly disappointed. Given that, the reason I've stayed is because it is the only hotel in the immediate area, and I've stayed as a guest attending a wedding in the hotel, as well as a couple other parties at the World Trade Center across the street. The location is prime for WTC visitors, and will be great for convention-goers. However, the check-in process is HORRIBLE. Each time (three, so far) I've had to wait over 1.5 hours to check in - with the line extending way past the lobby, restaurant, and gift shop. In addition, twice the express check-out feature in the room was \"unavailable\" due to technical difficulties. In addition, the staff is okay - not particularly knowledgeable, pleasant, or accommodating, but not necessarily rude, either. There is a lot of potential here, but they need better management to get the staff and logistics up to par. Also - parking in the garage was very unclear the last time I was there, so our spot was underground quite far from the lobby. I've been told that clearer signage has been put up since, however. I will be there again for another holiday party this weekend, and hope it will have improved. The worst part is definitely the 1.5+ hour wait for check-in during any event that may attract more than a handful of guests checking in at once (wedding, holiday party, corporate function, etc). At this time, it is EXTREMELY inconvenient in terms of location if you are on vacation - it is separated from Boston by a channel, and there is no convenient public transportation at this time, though the city is working on it (Silver Line bus transportation).", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "After reading the glowing reviews and a very attractive on-line room rate, we stayed here for the recent 4th of July weekend. Overall this is a very nice property with a courteous and helpful staff, but please be aware of the following: 1. Yes, there is a \"no tipping\" policy, but you're billed a 15% service fee for all incidentals to the room rate, including parking. So while the room rate is attractive, be prepared to pay an additional $24/night for \"self-parking\" (more for valet) and a $3 service fee. I asked why I was required to pay a $3 service fee to park my own car, and was told this was for the privilege of unlimited in and out of the garage. \n3. For smokers, this may not be the place to go. The entire building is smoke free and you must initial an agreement that you will be charged a $150 \"cleaning fee\" if you are found to have smoked in your room. If you smoke, be prepared to fill unwanted. \n4. For business types and conventioneers, the hotels has a choice location. For those on vacation, maybe not. The new seaport area has no public transportation so you either have to hoof it over to South Station to the subway on weekends (not pleasant in inclement weather) or take a taxi to the rest of Boston and back to the hotel. Business types and conventioneers have easier access to the World Trade Center across the street and the use of a free workday shuttle to South Station to reach the financial district a couple of blocks from South Station. Also, there will be direct foot bridge access from the hotel to the new Convention Center when it's completed next year (04).", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 23}]}, "1136705": {"reviews": [{"text": "Usually we stay at the Charles Hotel in Cambridge which we like the most in Boston. Unfortunately for us, this time we were not able to get a room there booked and had to try something new. Mandarin Oriental is ranked #1 among Boston's hotels on TA, the location is perfect, the name of the hotel speaks for itself. However, our stay was a major disappointment. \nFirst, good things. Both restaurants there are very nice, the food and ambiance are great. I highly recommend them, since you don't have to stay at the hotel to try their food. Again, the location is super convenient, adjusted to the Prudential Center and withing walking distance to almost everything. But this is pretty much it.\nNow ugly stuff. It looks like they simply do not treat all their clients equally. First time I experienced that when I had my luxury mani/pedi at their spa. My therapist (her name was Brandie) was totally inattentive and kind of ignored me during the entire procedure. Well, I don't like super chatty therapists alright. However, why wouldn't she at least give a try to be nice and courteous with her first-time client? I paid $200 for my visit for God's sake, so I'm fully entitled to get the right attitude! The funniest thing is that they had another client at the salon at the same time. The lady was apparently their old client and a generous tipper, so both her therapist and Brandie were super friendly with her, talking to her only and laughing. I felt almost invisible and it was pretty much humiliating. Last thing I must say about my spa experience, it was definitely NOT my best mani/pedi. What I finally got for my fingers and toes, haven't cost $200 at all.\nAnother odd thing about this hotel: they do not provide you with a key from minibar! When we called a concierge, he promised to get us one right up, however, we never got it. Fortunately we didn't really want to use minibar but still, it was a very weird thing.\nOverall, it seems that the staff there is not properly trained. They pretend they would do anything for you but in fact, you don't get what you paid for. For example, I dined in my room once. I was asked when they should have picked up the trail and dirty plates. I told them I was leaving around 9 pm. They said, ok, we'll clean everything up after you leave. However, when I was back to my room (10:30 pm) the trail was still in there. I called housekeeping and they assured me they would send someone upstairs right away. I left my room again and was back around 2 am. The trail was still there! Now I had to call them again and they finally cleaned everything up.\nBut the ugliest thing happened after the check-out. Our flight back was at 8 pm, so we decided to leave our luggage at the hotel and pick it up on our way to the airport. We had 4 pieces of luggage. When we came back, it turned out they LOST two of our suitcases! We had a taxi waiting (which is not free, by the way) and a plane to catch. However, they couldn't find our luggage for a half an hour at least. A bellboy who was supposed to handle this, was extremely rude and unprofessional!!! Unfortunately, I didn't catch his name, so I can't complain to his supervisors. The front desk staff kept apologizing while their co-workers were looking for my luggage but they sounded irritated and didn't even make an eye contact with me. Finally they found our suitcases but it cost us a lot of stress. I thought they would at least offer to pay for my taxi (a half an hour of waiting!) but they didn't.\nIt occurs to me they behaved the way they did because I look very young and am not pushy enough but too polite. Therefore I wasn't taken seriously. I supposed they would act differently should my husband be present there at that time. I find it totally unacceptable and unprofessional. The hotel is very expensive and some respect must have been included in the rate I paid.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 13}]}, "94344": {"reviews": [{"text": "Every March we usually stay at the Marriott on the wharf in Boston. It is a great time of year - the weather can be everything from the beginning of spring to seemingly like the dead of winter. When making reservations one year we were told they were sold out - and we were offered accommodations at the Marriott Custom House instead.\nI had visited the Custom House many decades ago as this is where various Federal offices were. I was more than surprised to hear that it had been turned into a vacation property and hotel rooms.\nYou couldn't have a better tourist address in Boston: right outside your door are the historic Faneuil Hall and markets and within a short walk plenty of restaurants, bars, etc. Even better now that the interstate highway is underground here.\nThe Custom House offers valet parking - but I believe your car is then taken over to the Marriott on the wharf. I'm not sure what the current price for parking is but I would expect that you could buy a good meal for whatever it costs. That was about the only downside to staying there.\nAccommodations are not just rooms - they are complete living suites, like what a nice condo in the centre of a city would offer. Sometimes it's nice to have a living room to relax in with a nice bottle of wine on a raw spring evening! At one time the custom house was the tallest building in Boston - of course that is no longer the case. Still, the views are quite good. And as an extra treat, guests can go up to the outside balcony near the top of the tower.\nThe Marriott Custom House is a bit pricy but given the location, amenities and uniqueness of the facility it is well worth it. We'll be back.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "The Marriott Custom House is the perfect base from which to explore historic Boston. The beautiful granite clad structure is part of that history and the tower is probably the city's most recognizable landmark standing watch over Boston Harbor. You can even take-in a historic actor role-playing in the regal \"counting room\" where armed sentries once stood on guard as tariffs and duties were tabulated. The Custom House was originally located directly on the harbor but centuries of development and landfill have added a few short blocks.\nBoston is a walking town. Don't rent a car in the city unless absolutely necessary. Parking fees are outrageous and public transport abounds. We took the train from the airport to within a block of the Custom House. Even more fun was taking the water taxi back to the airport at the end of our week-long stay. We never missed not having a car including our day trips via train to the JFK Museum, town of Quincy and beyond. You can also take a ferry to Cape Cod.\nThe hotel consists entirely of (80) one-bedroom, hi-ceiling, well maintained (time share) suites with king bedroom and pullout in the separate living room. There is a dining table and the kitchenette is perfect for basic provisions and leftovers but not conducive to any real cooking. Countless restaurant options at every price point are within a few short steps of the property including Quincy Market right across the street and the Italian North End and Harbor districts just a bit further. The accommodations are perfect for a couple or business person's extended stay but will get a little cozy for a family of more than three or four. The only inconvenience is the dimly lit cave-like bathroom. \nIncluded are some pictures of our suite and fabulous views from the north-east facing windows. (sorry, view images are not downloading--will try again later) You can experience 360 degree views from the outdoor walkout on one of the top floors.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Stayed here with husband and two teenage children for 4 days at start of November. Picked this hotel after extensive research and the reviews on Trip Advisor. Was not disappointed. Our room was on the 8th floor (I had requested higher but I believe these are kept for the Marriott timeshare people). Now, this is a Club Hotel residence - no restuarant and no real bar to speak off. This suited us perfectly. Room was a one bedroom suite at rate of 299 dollars a night. Bedroom not that large with slight view of harbour. Living area had pull out queen sofa which was perfectly adequate for the kids and a lovely little kitchen area was was perfect for making coffee and breakfast smoothies (have to add that kitchen is pretty well stocked with appliances). 2 Tvs also. Staff unobtrusvie but room always well cleaned. Lounge on frist floor served buffet breakfast in morning but with Quincy market just across road there is no need to eat in hotel. Downside is that the Black Rose pub across the road can get quite noisy at night and it is about a 10 to 15 minutes walk to Newbury street or the italian quarter. On the plus though it is just beside the harbour with all its lovely restaurants and right beside a T stop. All in all I found this hotel perfect for our needs - that of a family of four. Also, the kids were able to use the Pool in the Custom Harbour (Wharfside) for free as it is a sister hotel. Would be very happy to recommend this hotel. \nRegards, Dublin Trip Advisor Member", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "The acclaim is universal; the service, the location, the rooms. What no one has mentioned is the birds!\nAfter a week in Maine we needed just one night for a family of four. When I asked the Marriott Waterfront if there was an alternative to renting two seperate rooms at their hotel for my wife, me and two college aged daughters, they recommended the suites in the Custom House, 650 sq. ft. of room. And the price was right, only $315.00 a night. We could not possibly have imagined how delightful the stay would be. \nWe occupied one of only two rooms on the 21st floor, each a suite occupying half the footprint of the building. I believe our floor was the only one that had private balconies. Not one but two overlooking Boston. But back to the birds, posted on the door of each balacony was a warning that the building was the site of a peregrine falcon nest and sure enough, we shared the 21st floor with these beautiful birds. \nWhile one daughter read on a ledge 21 floors above the bustling town, the other daughter was busily photographing the falcons in their comings and goings. At one point the obviously unfazed falcons were seen working over a crab they had caught in the harbor, all of about 30 feet away. \nOur entire stay was more than we could have expected but the highlight was our neighbors. Don't forget to look up when you are sight seeing on the 26th floor because you might see the real tenants of the hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "We stayed at the Marriott Custom House for 4 nights and had an excellent stay. We were on the 16th floor in a 1 bedroom unit with fantastic views of the city. The hotel is in a great location with easy walking distance to; many restaurants, shopping, harbor, subway and tourist attractions. An auto rental is not needed if you plan on staying in Boston. No need for a taxi, we took subway right from the airport and ended up across the street from the Custom House all for only $1.25 per person. The room was excellent, lots of space, comfortable bed, large bathroom and 2 TV\u2019s. The staff was very friendly. Don\u2019t forget to go to the top floor and see the 360 degree view, its great. The only downside was the bars letting out at 2 am in the area on Friday and Saturday with very loud noisy drunks walking the streets. Except for the drunks, (my wife wasn\u2019t happy but I slept through it), we had an excellent stay.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "The Custom House was amazing. Our room was a huge suite, just as pictured on the website. Our room was 1 of 2 located on the first floor. This room is basicly in a museum. You walk up one level from the lobby into the Peabody Essex Museum, turn left - and there was our suite. The staff at this hotel was phenominal, answering any and all questions. The front desk staff was also very helpful with late night dining suggestions. I tried to tip one particularly helpful member of the staff when we checked out - and he respectfully declined. The location is perfect, and literally adjacent to the aquarium subway stop.\nTo prevent confusion: I had seen some other reviews that said daily maid service was an extra fee. This is only if you are using timeshare points to pay for your room. If you reserve through the marriott website and pay a nightly rate, there is free maid service just like any other hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "What can I say? Historical, beautifully decorated, emaculate, excellent service all the way around (shout out to Troy at the bell desk), observation deck, centrally located, etc etc etc. We stayed in a 1BR 1 BA suite that was spacious and comfortable. The bed was incredible and the bathroom was something you would find in a home not a hotel. Plus it was very well priced. The downside? I was only in town for a day, I wish it was a week.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "My wife, sixteen-year-old daughter and I stayed for three nights, April 17-20. We loved it. The facility has the weighty feel of history and that's a wonderful asset in historic Boston. The suite was very nice and we loved the location; steps from Quincy Market, Boston Massacre site, State House and Freedom Trail etc. Boston is a \"walking\" city and the Custom House is a great stepping off point. It's nice to return to at the end of the walk also. My family is clamoring to return and I'm certain we will. Note-hotel parking is costly; on-street parking in the area however is very difficult. Perhaps investigate local, cheaper, overnight parking. Once in the Custom House you will probably walk to most destinations.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "This place is tops. As a business traveler, I get a little jaded -- after all, one Marriott is just like the other, right? WRONG!\nThis place is clean, quiet (don't know what the bad reviews about noise were all about) and the staff puts the personnel at a Ritz-Carlton to shame!\nFirst it's much like staying in a national monument. The architecture is outstanding and the building, put up in 1847, is solid as a rock (read quiet). I never heard my neighbor during three days there.\nThe top three floors: Game room/laundry with the inner workings of the huge clock, workout area and then the observation deck are incredible.\nThe staff does whatever it takes to ensure you are satisfied -- in fact, elated -- with your experience there. Karen, the concierge, looked up all the information I needed and then, learning that my wife is coming back with me next week, called her at home and gave her the proper web sites to check on attractions before she arrived in Boston. It was her idea, not mine. The front desk is always asking if more can be done for you.\nThere's no pool or restaurant, but you have privileges at the Marriott Long Wharf, two blocks away.\nI AM going back to the Custom House next week. I can't imagine staying anywhere else when in Boston.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I had to write when I read all the negative reviews about the rowdiness and noise at the Custom House. Hey folks the resort is in the center of the city, you have to expect a little noise. I have stayed in New Orleans and Chicago in the past few years and guess what, they are noisy too. New Orleans was even kind of scary. The Custom House actually used to be the custom house where the government collected tariffs on ships' cargo. Marriott has converted it into a timeshare hotel. The building is the oldest skyscraper in Boston and the architecture is pretty cool. The units are relatively small and lack full kitchens, but are well appointed. The staff keeps them spotless. The views of Boston harbor from the higher floors are spectacular. The resort offers organized activities for guests every day. We last stayed there 4th of July week and there was plenty to do in Boston. The Pops concert and fireworks on the Esplanade are fantastic. Resort guests have access to an awesome pool at the Marriott hotel across the street. The resort is adjacent to Faneuil Hall and across the street from the aquarium. There is a subway station literally outside the front door. You won't need a car because you can walk or take the subway nearly everywhere in the city. There are great restaurants in the North End, a ten minute walk from the resort. The staff is friendly and very helpful. If you like to visit the city, you will have a wonderful vacation at the Custom House.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We stayed 2 nights at the Marriott Custom House in Downtown Boston, I would thoroughly recommend staying at this hotel - even though it is quite expensive. We stayed on the 21st floor with views of Boston Harbour. The Custom House is situated less than 100 metres from Fanueil Hall and 10 minutes walk to Downtown Crossing (the shopping district). The only downfall of this hotel is there is no room service or pool. A beautiful hotel with friendly staff in a great location.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I recently stayed at the Marriott Custom House (March 19 - March 22, 2005) for a long weekend family vacation in Boston. I have two small children and was very comfortable at the Custom House. While I did not see any other families at the hotel, the Custom House staff could not have been friendlier and more accomodating. We were offered a crib, a roll away bed - whatever we needed. The room (or one bedroom suite/villa with kitchen) was clean and spacious. We had a gorgeous view of Boston Harbor from the master bedroom and the living area over looked Fanieul Hall. Despite other reviews about the noise from Fanieul Hall and problems with heating - we did not encounter either. In fact just the opposite. The concierge and front desk staff was extremely helpful. The parking was convenient - we had our car on a moment's notice. Our stay was so enjoyable - I look forward to staying there again. It is conveniently located to many attractions. We walked with the kids to the aquarium and the Children's musuem. Fanieul Hall is literally steps from the front door of the Custom House. We also took advantage of the Game room on the 24th floor - again the views were spectacular!! The game room had a pool table, foosball table, snack machines, and a nice wooden train table with trains, tracks and blocks. It was a nice diversion from the room and my kids had a ball.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We just spent an evening at the Marriott Custom House and couldn't have been more satisfied. Everything was outstanding. Marriott has refurbished this landmark granite building into a spectacular small hotel. Operating as a time-share condo unit of Marriott Vacations, you can book a unit for about $230 that is an excellent value for Boston. A full queen-sized pull out sofa in the living room, and a separate bedroom with a king bed. The fridge, micro, full dishes and sink are great for breakfast or a midnight snack. The views from our room were absolutely incredible--because the clock tower is so tall, we had an excellent full view of the harbor, the financial district, Fanueil Hall/Quincy Market. Everything--the best shops, restaurants, nightlife, museums, marinas and parks are literally at your door step. The location is the best in Boston. The staff was very helpful, and the hotel featured a great game room with free airhockey, billiards and a trainset for the kids, a nice exercise room and free washer/dryers. On the 26 th floor there is a skywalk from which you can see the whole of Boston and surrounding area. There are full exchange priviledges for the restaurants and big heated indoor pool across the street at the Marriott's Long Wharf. Believe me, the access, time savings, and two rooms for the price of one, and the incredible full views of the city from your room (bring binoculars!) can't be beat!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 22}]}, "234752": {"reviews": []}, "1159285": {"reviews": []}, "94337": {"reviews": [{"text": "I had an extra night in Boston on a recent business trip because I couldn't get a flight back to the UK ... so decided to give myself a taste of something nice rather than the corporate hotels usually booked. Since it was a Friday, the rates were attractive too.\nChecked in no problem and the room (basic one) was a very good size, well kitted out and nicely furnished for both business and leisure use. Very nicely styled and very comfortable bed. Since I was on my own I had room service for dinner, it was excellent.\nThe thing that let it down however was as follows: my room had curtains hanging off their track, one of the bathroom lights didn't work, the next morning the lighting circuit fused and I had to use a different room to wash and shower, then they got the time of my car to Logan airport wrong, then there was no one to help with luggage ... for a five star hotel these things were tatty. On top of this the staff were just too casual, not professional and efficient enough.\nI really wanted to like this hotel, the rooms are great as is the location, but little things add up to big frustration.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "My husband and I just returned today from our stay at XV Beacon and I have never run so fast to tripadvisor to write my review for any hotel, but this one was so exceptional I wanted to make sure that I got it right in before I forgot any of the details of our stay.\n I am reluctant to \"share\" this rare find with others but it is truly one of the best hotels that we have ever stayed in. We usually stay at 4-5 star hotels and found this hotel to compare with the likes of the Ritz Carlton and Four Seasons, but with more character and a truly amazing staff.\n First, it is a smaller hotel with a TON of character. From the minute you walk into the lobby to the moment they bring your car to go home, you feel as though you have your own staff to help you.\nMichael, at the front desk, is fantastic and even upgraded our room upon arrival. The room was fabulous, with 5 huge windows, a fireplace, sitting area (with a very comfy couch for 2), a walk in closet, and a four-poster queen bed with fine linens. The bathroom featured a 4-inch TV, a towel warmer, a jacuzzi tub with a \"rainfall\" shower head, AND \"Fresh\" shampoo's and lotions (which is a skin care line I LOVE from Sephora). The room itself was very cozy, comfortable and romantic - great for a short stay without the kids.\n We ordered room service from the restaurant downstairs for dinner and lunch, and have to say it was one of the best in-room dining experiences we have ever had. The portions were very large and not too expensive for the great tasting food. Try the Chicken breast entree, the Fed burger, and the salads. My husband had the lobster bisque soup and said it was the best he had ever had. I wish that we had tried their breakfasts but we'll save that for our next visit.\n Also, they have a new Lexus sedan that you can use as your complimentary transportation while you are there. We did not use it, but if we had wanted to go to dinner downtown the driver would have dropped us off and then we would have paged him to pick us up!! Very nice touch~\n We were at the Beacon because we had an appointment at Lahey Clinic today. We stayed over last night and then checked out today. Our appointment ran until 12:30 at the clinic,so we asked if we could have a late check-out so we could come back and have a rest and some food before we hit the road for home. They, of course, said \"yes\". We ended up checking out at 3 pm and they were MORE than accomodating with our requests.\n We WILL MOST DEFINITELY stay here again. This is our new Boston hotel. You are definitely missing out on a wonderful and luxurious experience if you pass by the XV Beacon.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "After reading the comments by other guests, I highly disagree with the negative comments and fully believe this hotel is one of the best in the country and the world for that matter. The service was unparallel. Everything was wonderful during our stay. I mentioned that our kids would be traveling with us and to our pleasant surprise, there was hot cocoa and cookies waiting in our room when we arrived! How about that for service?!! We mentioned that we were tired from our flight from London and the front desk manager (Andre) sent us a complimentary bottle of wine. I can't tell you how much we felt welcomed at XV Beacon. It was luxurious and elegant--- and don't understand how anyone could believe the few but negative comments on this site!!! I would recommend to stay here and see it for yourself.... it is the hidden jewel of Boston!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I've read rave reviews about XV Beacon for years, so when my wife and I visited Boston I had to check it out for myself. From the moment we were greeted by the bellman at the front door we were made to feel like the only guests in the hotel. Our room was imaculate and the bed was heavenly. We had dinner in the Federalist - the lobster bisque and beef wellington were amazing. \nWe left the hotel only once so my wife could shop on Newbury and were dropped off and picked up by one of XV Beacon's mercedes sedans. We were scheduled to stay for one night but ended up extending our stay one extra night. We didn't want to leave and can't wait to visit again. XV Beacon is not to be missed when visiting Boston.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My wife and I just spent three days at XV Beacon with our baby. I was really looking forward to the stay because of the terrific reviews and ratings the property always gets in the major travel magazines. From start to finished, we found XV Beacon simply average, which is a major disappointment considering that we were paying $450 a night for a studio suite. We found the room to be in need of an update (the TV in the bathroom looked like it was from 1985). The linens were not at all comfortable and seemed completely ill-fitting for the bed. (Note, if you're looking for a comfy down comforter don't look for it at XV Beacon!). It's nice that they give you a business card with a private fax line....if only the fax line worked! (I missed two incoming faxes in my room.....). Also, although it may seem a bit picky, we were repeatedly annoyed that the doorman was never to be found when we were coming or going from the hotel....just one of those \"little things\" that's a pain in a hotel that purports to be a \"Leading Hotel of the World\". All in all, we were disappointed with what we found to be a lackluster hotel.....", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We stayed at XV Beacon on October 21-23. We chose it based on it's proximity to our friend's home in Beacon Hill. I was nervous after reading some bad reviews, but arrived with a very optimistic outlook. Upon arrival we were greeted by the doorman who took our bags & car. All standard procedure & just fine. Check-in was also smooth, but neither here nor there. Our room was the \"Traditional\" category and was clean & adequately appointed. There was no cd libabry as suggested & the toiletries were not \"outstanding\" as others had mentioned. The TV in the bathroom malfunctionced & the shower leaked tremendously as other reviewers noticed. When we returned to our room at the end of our second day we found it unmade. The front desk's reply to our telling them was, \"oh really\". It was eventually made up. Aside from the staff at XV Beacon being generally cold, unhelpful & unpleasant, our friend was treated very horribly. She left the hotel on Saturday evening after cocktails at The Federalist (no great scene). She jumped in a waiting cab & was followed by the doorman who insturcted her very rudely that he had called the cab for someone else & forced her to get out. He refused to flag down a passing cab or assist her in any way. Regretably she didn't get his name, but if she had & we reported it to management I am sure they would not have cared. XV Beacon certainly does not merit it's distinction as one of the \"Leading Hotels of the World\". I wouldn't have cared about the mediocre treatment (except for the doorman incident), but at $400+ per night, the staff should be a bit more polite & attentive. Also, we are vely low key travelers. I imagine that some of the other more demanding guests at this hotel were even more disappointed with their experience.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "I just spent a portion of my honeymoon at XV Beacon and I regret having made the reservation. Upon check-in, our room had a broken switch for the fireplace, the glass on the fireplace was covered in soot, the small tv in the bathroom was hanging out its wall mount by its own wiring, the bathrobe had a tennis-ball sized hole in the armpit, the blanket on the duvet had a hole in it, the curtain rod detached upon contact, the bottom-drawn window shade detached upon contact, and the curtain on the wall had a large tear. I am not kidding. In the days that followed, room service got our breakfast order wrong three consecutive mornings as well as one evening, our room was rarely turned down in the evening despite requesting it again and again, the drain in the bathtub was malfunctioning to the point where we showered up to our ankles every morning in water despite repeated requests to fix the problem, nobody at the front desk wished us a happy honeymoon, one front desk clerk still didn't know our name or room number despite a six night stay, the teapots from room service were always badly chipped, and worst of all we returned one evening to our room to find that the stereo components had been pulled halfway off their shelf with their cords yanked out. We wrote a polite letter to the GM halfway through our stay that went unanswered for a day and a half until my travel agent called and addressed him. Only then did he send a note to us, but he failed to ever apologize and he never followed-up on making personal contact despite promising to do so. He did send us a bottle of sparking wine -- wow. When we checked out, our bill included 5 breakfasts despite the fact that breakfast was included. Don't believe the hype about this hotel -- they don't care, they are not enthusiastic or proud of their jobs, and their leadership is clearly lacking. For $400 per night, do yourself a favor and head elsewhere -- unless you want to be treated like you don't count because that's how we were made to feel...and we were on our honeymoon!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "Our stay at XV Beacon in June, was allright. The hotel is located nicely in downtown, with a friendly staff. However, for $300 per night I expected perfection. The decor is a bit drab, building feels old, elevator is awfully slow, and the air conditioning is weak (a big problem considering our summer stay). There are a lot of hotels in the area, for the money we paid we were probably better off somewhere newer.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Spent almost a week at XV Beacon in prime season - we had one of the larger rooms facing onto Beacon, which put it in the $500 a night range. Unlike the comments of other reviewers, it really wasn't too noisy at all... The location downtown was hard to beat and the concierge and staff were amazing. Loved the mercedes shuttle, which was cheerfully offered. The room was very tastefully decorated, had a SUPERB mini bar - quite nice bathroom. The bed could have been better and I share the other reviews griping about the air conditioning... it was working, but the room was on the cusp of being too warm to sleep comfortably. We were a little apprehensive about the Federalist restaurant - it looked rather drab, but the food and wine list were world class. The cranky old elevators take a little getting used to. Overall, we liked it... not sure it was good value, but we left with a positive impression.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I stayed a few weeks ago at this hotel and I heard everything! The walls are thin as paper as i heard every conversation from the room next door. I apprectiate that some builings in boston are older, but if you own a hotel you must do something ot soudnproof it!!!!", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I have to say that after staying at some of the best five star accommodations in the US as well as in Europe and Asia I have a warm place in my heart for 15 Beacon. This hotel, while being one of the priciest in this area, does not disappoint. I felt right at home, and being a young single woman who travels quite often for business this is saying a lot. The concierge and Front Desk seemed to pick up on my attitude as well as taylored their advice about Boston directly for me. The staff was friendly but was certainly not intrusive and the room was immaculately clean. I love the amenities and even though I am Very picky about the products I use on my hair, etc I still love the products they offer in all of the rooms! Overall, I will never hesitate to stay at 15 Beacon and will always highly recommend it!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We booked a few nights at XV Beacon with the intent of spoiling ourselves at Christmas. The decor and welcome by the staff was quite nice, the bar is great fun and well served, and the location is excellent for sightseeing in Boston (e.g., just up from the Common and tourbus stops). We were very disappointed, however, with the staff's reaction to an incident that housekeeping was directly responsible for. After returning to our room, we discovered that my eyeglasses were missing. We reported this to the staff, who unfortunately were unsympathetic and disinterested. After taking our concerns about the loss as well as the staff reaction to the manager, it was deduced that our room attendant had tangled up the glasses in towels to be sent to the laundry. The laundry service took a full day to return my glasses to me, and when they did, the glasses were filthy, damaged, and ultimately unwearable. At no time did the any of the hotel staff, including the manager, apologize for the incident or offer any sort of recompense (we would have even appreciated a drink in the bar). Given the high cost of this hotel and the reviews we had read about it before booking there, we were very surprised and disappointed by this treatment. Needless to say, we will take our business elsewhere in the future, as there are many other lovely and welcoming places to stay in this area.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "What an elegant gem of a hotel! Stayed here for only one night, but the quality of the staff was evident in such a short stay. The room was absolutely perfect in detail- from the gas fireplace to the tv in the bathroom. Can't say enough about the details in the room compared to other top hotels we have stayed in around the world. It feels more like an upscale apartment than a hotel! And breakfast in the restaurant was perfect. The location is also convenient- walk to all the tourist places- or just stroll on Beacon Hill. We'll stay longer next time!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "First, the good stuff: this is a super-stylish hotel in a wonderful location, near the Boston Common and state house. I stayed in a standard room, and the decor is first rate. The finishes are beautiful -- wenge woods and stainless steel -- and witty (check out the mantel above the fireplace.) Very comfortable bed. Lovely molding and trim. Lots of gadgetry -- definitely more of a masculine hotel than I'm used to. I imagined Mr. Big of Sex and the City living here. \nNow the not-so-great stuff: For all of its stylishness, I didn't find this a particularly comfortable hotel. The standard rooms are small and feel cramped. And the room -- in fact the entire hotel -- is very dark, made worse by all that dark woodwork. Unfortunately, the hotel is wedged in among a lot of taller buildings, so not a lot of natural light can get in. I tried opening the curtains, but my room looked straight into an office building -- so close I could see the family pictures on the employees' desks! Maybe the larger rooms or ones on higher floors don't have this problem. But you'll probably pay through the nose for them.\nThe lobby, or what there is of one, is also small and dark. There's seating, but only for waiting while checking in or out. I didn't try the Federalist for dinner, but I did have breakfast there. It's a beautiful restaurant, and I'm sure the darkness makes for some romantic dinners. But for breakfast, I would have preferred a lot more natural light. \nI wish I could rave about the service, as other reviewers have. But although it was fine, there was nothing warm or special about it. I had to laugh at the turndown service. There was a knock on my door, and when I opened it, two young women were outside: \"Turn down. You want it?\" Now that's Boston directness! But at these rates, you have a right to expect something a tad more refined. The doorman was good, though.\nBottom line: I would say this is worth doing once, as a splurge. But I don't think it's a hotel I would return to. It's a treat for the eyes, but not the soul. My search for the ideal Boston hotel -- for the perfect combination of style, comfort, space, service, location, and price -- continues.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "We stayed at Beacon XV based on the rave reviews re: service and although we were given a room upgrade and the room was nice, we were very disappointed in the service. Each of the problems taken individually were not big, but cumulatively they were aggravating and impacted our stay in a negative way. There was not a safe in our room despite two staff members assuring us it was there (the bellman finally came up and said it must have been picked up for service). The LCD TV in the bathroom did not work, they promised to come fix it, never heard from anyone. The fireplace shut off after five minutes. In the morning they delivered the wrong newpaper and breakfast was late and incomplete. Additionally my shoes were not returned from overnight shoe shine and when we called the front desk they said they had no record of picking them up. They eventually found them but coincidentally we met a woman who laughed about the hotel delivering a pair of shoes to her room that did not belong to her husband. Who wants to pay $400 a night for such lapses in service? In the past we have stayed at the Four Seasons and been quite pleased with the service, which is where we will stay when we return to Boston.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My boyfriend and I stayed at XV Beacon at the end of June and with so many choices in Boston, we researched before finally picking this hotel. The hotel is centrally located and our expectations were exceeded, to say the least. The hotel decor is minimalist but they maintain a historic ambience. The staff was pleasant and helpful. The room, though small, was impeccable. They cater to business travelers but include added touches like an in-room fireplace and towel warmer plus a complimentary bottle of water with turn-down service each night. The mini-bar is well stocked but you will pay, as usual in any nice hotel. The hotel restaurant, the Federalist, is one of the top in the city but was never crowded when we were there. The bar was a nice place for an after-dinner drink and we did not have to fight for a seat at the bar. The hotel provides a car service and not only were we able to get the car whenever we desired, but the drivers were courteous and informative. The work-out room is small but had ample cardio-machines and a few free weights. The rooftop deck should not be missed with panoramic views of the city and harbor. We will stay here again when visiting Boston.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "89575": {"reviews": [{"text": "After I rec. My bill totalling $2,000 for 3 nights, I had to decide: Was it worth it??\nNot exactly.......The room was out of the 1980's w/ no updating since....The yellow flowered bed spread looked like it was a leftover from K-mart. The furniture was just\nbasic/no ambiance. The hotel is beautiful, but I wanted to walk in & say WOW!!! Hotel staff was accomodating.....My hard earned $$$$ should have been spent elsewhere in Boston...", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "The hotel, where we stay frequently on business, has recently cut back on extras and is not worth the money. There was no doorman to open the double doors when we arrived, the prior request for a large room was not honored, the New York Times was delivered twice, although The Wall Street Journal had been requested, ice was not delivered at all, turn-down service did not arrive until 9:20 PM (too late to be useful),and the swimming area no longer has continental breakfast set up in its lounge. Molton Brown toiletries are a thing of the past. We were told that the hotel is under new management which may explain the change. For the cost, travelers can do better than The Boston Harbor Hotel. The rooms with a view of Boston Harbor do have a wonderful view. There is construction in front of the hotel(for years) and walking across the street is not easy. The waitress at breakfast had an unpleasant, unfriendly attitude.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "Priced about the same as the Ritz, I would say it is no contest to take the Ritz. First, is the noise from the Big Dig that is going on right in front of the hotel. Second, is the awful restaurant, Meritage, that should be shuttered for pretensiousness and overcharging for airplane quality food. Third, is the beds and bedding that need a thorough redo. Last is the breakfast area that is too small and uncomfortable as it is their bar and not well-suited for a business breakfast.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "I stay at this hotel quite often is it is in a good central location with nice views. The staff are quite friendly, especially room service which is timely too.\nThis is a hotel which was built in the eighties but, gentle reader,it does not seem to have had much investment since.\nRooms are pleasant but not five star. No shaving mirror in the bathroom (bizarre but true). No bathroom scales. A TV set out of the Fred Flinstone era (do the owners not know about flat screen TVs and DVD players?). A radio/alarm clock was similarly antique. I could not find a TV channel guide.\nOne serious gripe: arriving at the downstairs cafe for dinner, I was told that it had \"stopped serving food\", this at 8.30pm. If I wanted food, I should go to the gourmet restaurant or to my room. I complained and they did manage to bring me dinner. Apparently, the \"official closing\" is 9.00pm which is still absurd for a hotel that is supposed to cater for busy executives. The 9.95 dollars internet access is an outrage. why not charge for electrity too?\nThat being said the hotel is still better than its major rivals and I shall probably return.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "My girlfriend and I stayed here early this month for four nights. Cant actually describe how highly I rated this place. Everything about the Harbor oozes class, from the door man to the room service, its just perfect. We had a harbor view room. Now while the hotel isnt cheap about 440 bucks a night including taxes, it really is worth the money. The hotel really makes the effort to know its guests. At the start of our trip they had thought my girlfriend and I were married but as soon as we clarified that, it was rememberd everytime, even down to phoning for room service. \nThe location is perfect very near Quincy for all the wonderful places to eat. We also dined at the in house restaurant The Meritage on the Saturday night. Although we only decided to do so very late that evening we were taken care of. The following day we were thinking of heading to Wrentham for some shopping and Nathan the concierge was more than helpful. He sorted out the bus trip for us without any problems. For my girlfriend the best part was one day, she enquired about where the nearest post office was. She was just expecting to be given directions, but not that, they offered and took her in the hotel car to the office. That was something totally unexpected but was the mark of the quality of the place.\nThis is one hotel I cant wait to get back to stay in again. If you get the chance stay there you wont regret it", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "The Boston Harbor Hotel is beautiful. It has a good location and a wonderful breakfast. The rooms are plentiful in size and nicely appointed. The beds are not the most comfortable I have slept in. They are very average like a regular hotel chain. You would expect a little better for such a nice place. Bathrooms are very roomy. Service is good. We would stay their again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My wife and I stayed at the Boston Harbor Hotel for a few days during our vacation in August 2005. We were only planning on spending two nights at this hotel on our way through, but ended up extending our stay because of the excellent service and atmosphere of this hotel and the fun we were having in Boston.\nFrom the moment we drove up to the front of the hotel we were treated first-class. We were tired after a day's drive down from Montreal and probably didn't look like first-class guests, but we were treated as if we were the only people at the hotel. We received an upgrade to a Deluxe Harbor View King Room. I opened the curtains and looked down on the multi-million dollar yachts tied up outside the hotel, and the live blues band playing on a barge floating in the water. The room contained a very comfortable bed with fine linen sheets and a down duvet. There was a desk for me to check email from my laptop. We were given complimentary wireless service. There was a sofa and a large television. A beautiful welcome package of snacks and sodas was waiting for us, and there was a personal letter from the manager of the hotel with tickets for a complimentary breakfast included. \nThe concierge was helpful in suggesting things to do in the area. We enjoyed the Aquarium and a very interesting harbor cruise as well as walking around the historical district and markets. Some excellent shopping only a few blocks away in a large downtown mall. The subway system is very close to the hotel, and you can take a water taxi directly to the hotel from the international airport. \nWe really didn't want to leave, and we will be back again!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "I stayed here for the first time in early September. The trip was a 50th birthday present for my husband. From the second you arrive at this hotel, you know you're a very special person. From the doorman to the reception staff, housekeeping to bar staff, these people cannot do enough for you. We stayed in a harborview superior king and it was fabulous. The room was large, beautifully decorated and spotless, ditto the bathroom. I had ordered Patriots tickets (my husband's a big fan) and the staff were as excited as he was when the concierge produced the gold envelope from the ticket agency.\nThe hotel is so welcoming and comfortable, it's like staying with (rich!) friends. The pool and hot tub are great to wake you up in the mornings and the barman makes one of the best Bellinis I've ever tasted. We've already booked to go back for the New Year weekend, staying in a suite this time, and I can't wait. You'd have to be insane to stay anywhere else in Boston.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "My best friend and I (young professionals) stayed here after purchasing the Girls Luxury Weekend package. The package was very nice and worth the money if you're looking for a special treat. Our room had a beautiful view of the harbor, the spa experience was pleasant, and the food and drinks were terrific all weekend. Our experience was everything we expected it to be and the service was generally very good. Two complaints prevent me from giving this hotel an \"excellent\" rating: First, although I booked our room a month in advance, there were no rooms available with double beds. As a result, one of us was stuck with the sleeper sofa, which was comfortable, but obviously not ideal. Second, the package indicated that the hotel's car service would be available to us. Such was not the case. It was already booked for the evening and when we inquired of the concierge, he spoke to us in a somewhat condescending manner (the rest of the staff, however, was wonderful). Beyond those minor glitches, the experience was positive. I would go back again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We stayed in a deluxe harbor view room with our two children in March, and overall, we enjoyed our stay. We picked this hotel for its location because we planned on visiting the aquarium, the Children's Museum and Quincy Market. Also, it seemed to be a little more upscale, and that sounded good to us. \nWe booked a \"Frosty Weekend\" special, in which you get a free room upgrade, if available. We spent quite a long time at check-in trying to get that upgrade that sounded like such a sure thing when we booked the weekend. They eventually found us a deluxe harbor view room, but it took a long time. The package also included free aquarium tickets, free IMAX tickets, free parking for the weekend and free hot chocolate from room service. I think it was a decent deal (paid about $350/night for 2 nights).\nGood stuff: The view was great - the harbor, the boats and the planes across the harbor at the airport (that was a huge hit with our kids). The airport is nothing great to look at, but the water makes up for that. Most employees were very nice and helpful. The food from room service was excellent. We were a 5 minute walk away from the aquarium. The pullout couch that our kids slept on was surprisingly comfortable. The bathroom was gorgeous and huge. Overall, the hotel is gorgeous - the lobby and all the central areas were so nice that I felt like a total slob in my jeans.\nCould be better: Check-in was not smooth. The room was kind of long and dark, and the overall decor wasn't quite as fabulous as I expected - but there certainly wasn't anything wrong with the room. The concierge was kind of worthless when we asked her for a suggestion of what to do on Saturday night. Our son drank his milkshake way too fast and threw up all over the bathroom - probably not the hotel's fault, but thought I would mention it in the \"negative\" paragraph. \nAlso: The Children's Museum is a LONG walk from this hotel, despite what you may have heard. Of course, it was March and it was freezing, but nonetheless, it was a long walk.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I paid for a city view, but got a harbor view room. Large bathroom, writing desk, closet. Twice-daily maid service really makes a difference, with turndown. Staff who recognize you. A very nice gym & pool. About 5 blocks from the metro, which is 2 stops from the airport. Within walking distance of downtown. Very nice views of the harbor. Overall, this was a very pleasant 2-night stay, and this is a place I'd be happy to return to.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I stayed with family as the Boston Harbor Hotel and was impressed with the lobby, it's antiques and ambiance. The staff are very attentive. I believe, however that the rooms are a bit on the small size for what you are paying. \nThe city view king deluxe at $420 is advertized as a junior suite but I would call it just a good sized hotel room. Suites I've stayed in at other local hotels feel much more spacious. And the view is not nearly as nice as the view from the Westin/Copley. If you want a great city view, stay there. \nNow, the real reasons to stay at this hotel are the spa services. You can't go wrong with a late swim, soaking in the jacuzzi followed up by an early morning facial and a massage. The gym is great because it's not too big and has all the right machines. The spa services are top notch. \nThe Meritage restaurant is highly rated and the views from the tables facing the water are not to be missed. The food is very good but get ready to open your wallet. \nThe hotel location is now great - still a little of Boston's \"Big Dig\" going on but it is much better than a couple of years ago. Faneuil Hall, Haymarket, South Station, the Financial District, the Waterfront are all within a 15 minute walk from the hotel. The North End isn't that far away either. \nI would stay here again soley for the spa.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "The Boston Harbor Hotel is a great place to stay...The nice/friendly employees coupled with the amazing views and surrounding attractions makes it a location that any Boston area visitor should not ignore. Without a doubt, one of the top 3 hotels in the area...if not the best. Don't miss your chance to enjoy their hospitality.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "This trip was a surprise gift from our son's who live in the Boston area. Stunning view from our bedroom. Outstanding service in restauants and health club/pool area. One of the managers, Wendy, was charming and made our stay one we'll remeber for a long long time. Once they finish with the construction and plant the trees for the park in front of the hotel, this place will be THE place to stay. Congratulations to the staff and to our boys for a relaxing weekend getaway. It was much needed!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "During the night of 10/02/04 several floors were evacuated due to a fire warning. Once outside the hotel no information was given and the staff were totally uncaring. Once we were allowed back to our rooms there was no organisation and other guests had to ensure that the old and people with children got to the elevators first. Good service at this hotel is dependant on tips and guest in nightclothes do not have money.\nI wrote with full details to the General Manager but did not get a reply.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "My husband and I travel frequently, and always stay in first-class hotels. The Boston Harbor stands above all the rest, in quiet elegance, customer service, ambience, you name it! \nWe had a beautiful suite that afforded us great views of the harbor, dotted with sailboats and yachts. The room had floor to ceiling drapes, a well stocked mini bar, large screen television in the living room, beautiful bathroom, large, very comfortable bed. We enjoyed good service in the casual restaurant, and wonderful cocktails in the bar. \nIf you have budget constraints, save until you have enough to enjoy a night at this hotel. You will never forget it! On our next visit to Boston, this is where we will stay.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "When looking for a hotel to spend our Annivarsary, we were torn between the Nine Zero Hotel, and the Boston Harbor Hotel. The price difference was minimal. Seeing that the BHH was supposedly a 5-star property according to some sites, I selected it. Boy, was I disappointed.Now, don't get me wrong, the location, and the facility was superp. We were upgraded to a corner Harbor view deluxe room with was very nicely furnished with an incredible view of both the harbor, and the City, from 3 very large windows on two sides of the room. The room was clean, and modern, except for a small 21\" tv, that was dwarfed by the size of the room.Check in was smooth, although I got ripped off with the cab ride from the airport. DONT TAKE A CAB!!! The \"T\" station is only a block from the hotel, and it takes you right to the airport for 1.25. Its only a 5 minute ride, and the cab was 20.00.Now, Ive read all the write ups that boast of the incredible turn-down service at the BHH. Having been up since 4 am, we got back to the room at 930pm to turn in, and the room had not been serviced. In fact, they removed my minibar key, so we couldnt even get a drink. Why would they do this when we just checked in? I called down to the desk, and we were asked to vacate our room for a bit, so housekeeping could service the room. When we got back, the bed was turned down, and robe and slippers in place. There was a pitcher of ice water on the desk as well.The next morning, we set off to tour Boston, and when we returned that afternoon, only the bed had been made. None of the trash had been taken out from the night before, nor had the ice or water been changed. A bit frustrated, we changed and went out for dinner. We returned at 11pm, and again, the room had not been touched! By this time, im totally pissed, and just said forget it, and we went to bed. Sunday am, I am awoken by constant knocking on the door by housekeeping. She totally disregarded the fact that I pushed in the DND button. When I called to complain, we were sent a voucher for the breakfast buffet.Looking for some redeeming quality, I was sadly disappointed by the buffett. Very basic at best, and my wife's omlette was served on a dirty plate. There were several dirty plates in the stack at the buffet, and the wait staff just didnt seem to care.Needless to say, the BHH is not a five star property. The facility itself may be, but don't expect 5-star service. As a travel agent for 15 years, I would never send another client there where Boston offers so much more.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Step inside the doors of the Boston Harbor Hotel, and you'll be transformed into a world of quiet opulence, luxury, and relaxation. The hotel offers impeccably clean and well-appointed rooms, exceptionally comfortable bedding with down comforters, spacious, sparkling marble bathrooms with additional telephones, great views of the city or harbor, fine dining, and superb service. The rates are somewhat high, but not outlandish, and to many, is in fact a small price to pay for a much-needed escape. The staff are dignified individuals, but I did not feel they were \"snobbish\" in the least. Most will do whatever they can to accomodate you. You can request a free room upgrade depending on what they have available, and can request early check-in and late check-out (you may never want to leave!) Each room comes with a mini-bar refridgerator. The hotel does not have soda machines and is not on top of any mini-marts - so be prepared to bring your own drinks, visit the bar, or order room service, if you find $3.00 per can excessive. The hotel does allow pets of all kinds. The spa and pool are exceptionally nice and clean, and I've returned there several times since my last hotel stay. Locker rooms are also clean and orderly. The massage therapist I always request is Ray, and he does an excellent job. (Note that half hour massages can be requested - they usually automatically sign you up for an hour, so be careful you specify what you want! I find the half hour massage to be sufficient and just as fufilling as the full hour, and the price is more reasonable. Snacks are available by the pool. There is a full service health club available, which you may use free while staying at the hotel, or join seperately. (All massage patrons that are non-hotel guests receive complimentary use of the spa and health club for the day.) There is live entertainment on the wharf in season at night. The dining is superb, but again, be prepared to pay. The hotel does have a complimentary shuttle car as available, which will bring you anywhere in Boston free of charge (remember to tip, however!) Note that this feature is not advertised - you do need to request it. The water shuttle from Logan arrives directly at the hotel, which is a nice alternative to sitting in traffic. For those desiring public transportation, the blue line subway (at the aquarium) and red line (at south station) are within five minutes walking distance. The hotel is located in the heart of the big dig, and the accessibility to downtown will be much easier when this is complete. Overall, it's ambient hotel with fine accomodations, available to those willing to pay on the high end of hotel room rates. (Remember, booking online will get you the best rate possible!)", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "114134": {"reviews": [{"text": "I stayed at this hotel for 3 nights and had a great expiriece. Location is perfect to enjoy yourself in the great city of Boston. Berkshire Concepts made it affordable for me, I got a room for 150$ per night. Thank you Berkshire Concepts!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 74}, {"text": "Perfect location in the middle of the best shopping, and walking distance to Boston Commons. From the minute we entered the front of this hotel I felt like a queen. Classic elegance abounds, and the staff was supreme. My double room was nicely appointed - from the marble bathroom with Aveda products, to the crystal and brass chandeliers, and the chocolates from turn down service. This beautiful place is amazing. Love the old wooden doors, and open stairway. This is a gem of a place, and perfect spot. We enjoyed sitting in the main lobby by the fire as we munched on the cookies and hot chocolate. My tween daughter and I had a great weekend of walking the shops, and ice skating on the Frog Pond. This hotel is at the center of everything. Incredible place and staff committed to service and detail!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "From our arrival to the departure seven days later there was not one thing that was not of a five star standard or beyond. The door staff, reception staff, especially Ashley and Meghan were outstanding! They could not have been more helpful or friendlier. The location in relation to Newbury Street, the Metro, sites and shopping is extremely convenient. The Prudential Centre, Lord and Taylor, Saxs on 5th are all within a very short walk. Our room was whisper quiet, large and comfortable. It was spotlessly clean and well equipped and refreshed each day. Bottled water was provided daily and there are fountains on each floor to minimise the plastic bottle use. Evening turndown provides Lindt chocolates as well. There are bananas and tea and coffee in the foyer by the open fire each morning, hot chocolate and cookies each afternoon. The business centre and gym are excellent guest facilities as well. We ate in both restaurants, the chowder in the bar was delicious, the more formal \ndining food was very good too, as was the service. The cocktails are delicious! We were so \nsad to leave this hotel. They certainly have the needs of the guest at the forefront. There is not one thing they could improve. Continue to maintain your standards Lenox staff, other hotels should visit and learn from you.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "We very much enjoyed our stay at the Lenox! One thing to note is that there is Valet parking which is very expensive because there are very few options for parking nearby. This hotel has a great location close to shopping and many great restaurants are close by. The room was almost palatial, very clean, and had wonderful views. This hotel is quite expensive for my tastes but you really do get every penny's worth for your money.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Myself and my good lady had the pleasure of spending New Years Eve ( or First Night as the Bostonians call it ) at the wonderfully located Lenox Hotel. The Hotel is located in the slick back bay area of Boston - 2 minutes from Newbury street ( where all the designer shops are ) and a ten minute walk from Boston Common. \nThe splendid service starts at the front door when the helpful and always cheery doormen greet you and direct you to reception. Check in was swift and professional and in literally 7 mins we were comfortably housed in our tenth floor room. \nOur room was small but we really did leave the booking late and were simply happy that they could accomadate us at all. Saying that the room was great - Very much along the lines of a standard Four Seasons room - it was warm ( essential in Boston during their present winter ), had a well stocked bathroom ( with nice Aveda products ), the bed was very large - all in all it is defintely one of the better rooms I have stayed in. One minor odd issue was that there was a 2 inch gap under the door leading out to the hall - we simply put a bed throw at the foot of the door and this sorted the problem. I suppose its just an odd querk in such an old building. \nBTW - the building itself is very old but the hotel marrys this with some clever modern and cool additions ( lovely cozy cocktail bar and seperate restaurant for example ). \nWe had breakfast in the Azure restaurant on new years days and again recieved first class and warm service. Nothing was a problem. The waiters seemed to be young but were not lacking in all the skills to make the client feel welcome. For the record - I had the \"continental breakfast\" - priced at $13 - I had lots to eat and it was all very fresh and filling. But if the weather allowed I would venture out for breakfast to the many diners/ restaurants within short walking distance. 15 mins walk away is the paramount cafe in Beacon Hill. The best blueberry pancakes I have ever had!\nI would recommend this Hotel to anyone looking for comfort ( and in fairness luxury ) at quite reasonable rates. Our rate of $225 for new years eve was more than acceptable to me.\nAs the governator says \"ill be back\"!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Located off Copley Square, in the Back Bay area of Boston this lovely hotel is one block from Newbury Street, the Prudential Shopping Centre and Copley Place Shopping Mall and close to pickup points for the Trolley bus tours of the city.\nThe rooms are luxurious, the beds turned down every night and Lindt chocolates left on your pillow. The bathroom has good toiletries, hair dryer and super soft terry bathrobes. You will also find a complimentary copy of USA Today waiting for you each morning.\nFrom the moment you arrive at the door you can feel the difference.\nThe staff were fantastic they booked our trips, leaving tickets in our room while we were out sightseeing, they advised the best shopping areas and restaurants. But a special mention has to go to Jimmy the oldest bellboy (84 years old) in Boston who is a mine of information, could have spent hours just chatting to him.\nThe whole experience was fantastic, will definitely stay here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "When I was living in Boston as a college student almost two decades ago, I never really noticed the Lenox at the corner of Boylston and Exeter, even though I lived just 5 minutes away (on foot) from it. It is a rather low key property.\nDuring this last trip, after reading a Fodor's review, I decided to stray from the safer choices of Ritz-Carlton and Fourseasons, to try out this low-key, \"charming\", historic property.\nIndeed, the hotel is architecturally nostalgically charming, but it isn't in tip top physical condition. As a previous reviewer has noted, the hotel is \"a little faded\".\nWhat was most unimpressive, however, was the service. Almost all of the hotel's staff seem to hate their jobs; they rarely smiled. While they weren't particularly rude, their service attitude was grouchy at best and weren't particularly helpful when asked for travel advice and/or recommendations. The doormen's daily dose of \"smart\" comments were also particularly annoying. \nOn the morning of the second day of our stay, we spilled some moisturizing lotion on the bedcover. We left the soiled part of the bedcover face up on the floor next to the bed. When we returned that evening, we found that the chambermaid hadn't cleaned the lotion off of the bedcover and had simply put the bedcover on the bed face down, with the lotion now soiling the sheets. This was particularly disturbing.\nLenox also goes overboard with its \"environmental activism\". It encourages guests, to the point of almost forcing it on them, not to change bath towels or bedsheets daily, in the interest of saving the environment. Bed sheets are changed once in 3 days, but guests are not informed beforehand. I only found out on the last day of my 3-night stay when I found a card hidden in a bedside table drawer telling guests that the Lenox is concerned about the environment and would only change sheets once in 3 days, unless requested otherwise. \nGuests should be notified of this when they check in, not through a card hidden in a drawer. All this environmental activism seems more like a ploy to reduce operating costs to me. It's a real shame that they have to use the mask of environmental activism to achieve this.\nOne more tip for those who rent/bring cars with them: while car valet at the Lenox is free during the day, the hotel charges $38 for overnight parking. There are several car garages in the vicinity that charges less than half that for overnight parking. Otherwise, if you are an early riser, just park overnight in the streets for FREE. However, travelers should note when street cleaning days are, during which days, parking between 6am and 8am are not allowed. Also, FREE street parking ends daily at 8am Mon-Sat, so you would either have to move your car and valet it for free at the Lenox, or feed the parking meters.\nMy recommendation: stay at some other hotel while in Boston. For a truly charming historic hotel, with great service, if budget is not an issue, try the Ritz-Carlton in Newburry St would be my top choice. Another Boston hotel with great service: Fourseasons Boston. If looking for a hotel in the vicinity of the Lenox, try Marriott or Westin at Copley. For a less expensive alternative in the vicinity, try the Colonnade in Huntington Ave.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Considering the amount of money charged per night, my boyfriend and I were very dissapointed with our three night stay at the Lenox in May. \nNegatives:\nIt seems that all a hotel needs to be rated 4 stars, is some Aveda hair care products. When we arrived, the hotel had overbooked the king sized bed that we reserved and gave us a room with 2 double beds ( We were able to switch to a room with a king bed the second night). The room itself was dark and faded. The mattresses in the first room we stayed in, were horrible and sunk in the middle. Pillows were uncomfortable, unless you like those pillows you buy at the price club that have absolutely no support for your head. Requests for extra pillows to be brought to our room were not met. No one answered the phone at the reception desk 2/3 mornings when we attempted to pick up our car, so we had to go downstairs and wait for our car. There was also no coffe maker in the room. \nPositives:\nLocation was great. Hotel room was clean. Lobby was nice, Hotel bar was popular. Aveda hair products.\nAll in all not worth the money", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Was there for a conference and stayed 6 days. Staff was lovely and very friendly. Knew all the great dining spots in the North End. HIGHLY recommend Mike's Pastry - get the chocolate filled cannolis. Visit the original Pizzie Regina's in the North End as well - particularly on a Red Socks game night. Too fun! Lenox sits next to French chocolaterie and Lord & Taylor. Great little Whole Foods type market in the neighborhood as well. \nWasn't able to get a corner room but the front desk manager offered a wonderful room on the 11th floor with a fabulous view (finish line for the marathon was just below). Room was large with 2 double beds. Burned out light over the vaniety was fixed almost immediately upon request. Concierge kept up with the Spurs game for us! \nWas always greeted when I entered the lobby and asked if I needed assistance. Kate was wonderful and was lucky enough to catch her on last day at the hotel. Too bad for the Lenox to loose her! Even the house keeping attendants and room service staff greeted us in the hallways and wished us a nice day.\nEasy access to ATMs, the metro, and cabs - though the cab drivers were rude if you weren't spending $10 a fare with them. They hate driving you to the convention center. \nDidn't eat at the hotel restaurants or visit the bar - though Lenox is apparently THE PLACE to go for prom night dance. \nIf you are into charm, location, and feeling like you aren't just another conventioneer, then the Lenox is your perfect escape in Boston.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "When my sweetie and I need a little romantic recharge, the Lenox is our favorite spot. Amazing views, fluffy pillows, perfect mattresses and a super friendly staff from the Bellman to the General Manager melt any of the world's stresses away. We would be hard pressed to stay anywhere else in Boston. It's a close walk to multiple major public transportation routes and/or the best walking neighborhoods of the city. Fine shopping, restaurants and culture are a stone's throw from the front door. The building with all its colorful charm and architectural detail lets me feel like I'm stepping back in time. It's just beautiful. We've stayed many times in the past and will continue to do so.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Stayed here for 4 nights at end Nov/early Dec 05 and absolutley loved the Lenox. In excellent position 2 mins walk to Prudential Centre shopping centre and Newbury Street (posh shops) 1 block away. Plus the public common and gardens are just 10 mins walk. Boston is fabulous to walk around as so compact and very safe. Our room was excellent, overlooking the Boston library, bathrooms are small but no smaller than most London hotels and we found the bathrobes were a nice touch. We were very imressed with hotel and staff were pleasant and polite. There are loads of shops, bars and resturants which were all reasonable. Back Bay is a relaxed part of Boston and well recommended to British visitors if you dont want the rush of NYC. Well recommended is the old town trolley tour which shows all the sites, we would have liked to have down the duck tour but it finished the day we arrived. Flights with Virgin were fabulous and hotel is only a 20 min ride from airport. Well recommended. Thanks Lenox.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "This is my third time to stay at the Lenox and every visit has been wonderful. My first visit was August 2002 for one night. I returned Oct 2003 for one week. This visit was for one week over July 4th, 2005. After three visits I felt compelled to write a review. Before I wrote this, I read some of the previous ones. They are all true. If you are looking for a modern hotel skip this one. This is an old hotel that is very charming with tons of character. The lobby is gorgeous and each of the rooms I stayed in were very nice. The location is perfect, one block from the T stop and close to the best shopping. The bathrooms are small and the rooms vary in size. The beds are comfortable and the rooms are very clean. The hotel is environmently friendly. Each of the rooms had at least one large window with a nice view. The corner rooms have windows on two sides and a beautiful fireplace. The windows open so you can hear the sounds of the city if you want. The staff is always helpful and kind. There are no mini bars in the rooms but each floor has a coke machine and cans are $1(what a bargain.) I would recommend the duck tours and the Boston walking tours. This hotel sets the mood for a wonderful historical vacation.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed at the Lenox 3rd to 8th September 2003 and overall we were quite disappointed, considering some of the good reviews we had read prior to booking. The hotel is a bit of a paradox, some areas/aspects are very good, whereas others are quite shabby. \nOverall, I would say that the hotel exudes an air of faded grandeur.\nOn the plus side, the location is fantastic and right in the heart of the city. We had a junior suite and the rate we paid was reasonable, as the room was quite large. In addition, unlike one of the previous reviewers, we found the beds to be very comfortable. The City Bar and the Azure Restaurant were quite excellent and the standard of cleanliness and decor seemed to be at odds with the lobby and other public areas - I suspect these two areas have been very recently renovated and are kept in tip-top shape because they are also frequented by non-residents.\nOn the down side, the lobby and elevator areas were quite scruffy and made me feel like I wanted to check out before I had even seen the room. The first impressions were even worse when we exited the elevator, as the corridor/hallway was dark and gloomy and it looked like the carpet hadn't been vacuumed in quite a while. On entering the room, I must admit that it was quite spacious and reasonably tastefully decorated but it was a little gloomy with a terrible view of a side alley and Lord & Taylor's roof. It also had quite a musty smell, even for such an old building. After a quick inspection, we found that the room and (large) bathroom were actually quite clean so the immediate urge to leave subsided. As we arrived quite late in the evening, we went out almost immediately for dinner. On returning to our room, we decided to have a night cap, only to find that room service ended at 11 p.m. and there was no minibar in the room. The guest information booklet informed us that vending machines were located in the hotel but these were not very well stocked and my husband ended up going out again to purchase some soft drinks. By this time, I had ventured in to the spacious but shabby closet which had an even mustier smell than the bedroom and was topped off by some very unattractive stained polystyrene ceiling tiles and I must admit the urge to check out returned. After a disturbed nights sleep (due to noisy air conditioning) we decided to try the Four Seasons because last time we were in Boston we stayed there and although it was expensive it was excellent. No such luck this time as the hotel was fully booked, due to the fact that Bruce Springsteen and his entourage were in town.\nAnyway, we decided to stay put and I must admit that after the second night, we became accustomed to our surroundings and overall we felt that although the hotel was by no means excellent it did represent good value for money and the location was a bonus.\nRegarding the staff, on the whole they were friendly and helpful but not paricularly enthusiastic; with one exception. On Friday and Saturday evening we met Jimmy, a guy in his eighties who has worked at the Lenox for a long time (I think he said over forty years). He may be one of the \"Old School\" but despite his many years of service he was still well turned out (smartly dressed) polite, entertaining, enthusiastic and knew the meaning of the term \"Customer Service\". I must say he brightened our stay.\nWe would only stay at the Lenox again if the rest of the hotel was totally refurbished to the standard we saw in the City Bar and Azure restaurant.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 13}]}, "89585": {"reviews": [{"text": "After staying at the hotel for a wedding, my room was broken into and a significant amount of Jewelry stolen. The Boston Police Department has since found the thief and has a video of the gentlemen leaving my hotel room. Through this terrible ordeal the 4 Seasons has been unbelievable. They have claimed that it is not their responsibility and refuse to insure my belongings. On top of everything, I was shocked when they didn't even bother to comp my room after I had to deal with a police report all day. Do not stay here unless you want to deal with a rude and terrible staff at a 2-3 star hotel. Try the Taj", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We went to the Four Seasons expecting perfection and got quite the opposite. We were told our room could accomodate four people, but was only big enough for maybe two. When we asked for a cot, the sheets had stains on them. The bathroom was only accessible from the bedroom in the suite, so the two sleeping in the very small living room had to walk through the bedroom and wake everyone up to use the bathroom and shower. When we called to ask for a room change, they said they did not have two rooms available. Then, we called another hotel to change and as soon as we told the manager we were changing hotels, all of a sudden, rooms were available. It was ridiculous. They were only willing to help us when they thought they were going to lose our business. Then, they refused to give us the free breakfast we had booked for and made us pay because we were leaving early. This is not a five star hotel BY ANY MEANS. It felt like a two or three star hotel and was very disappointing. We stay at five star hotels consistently, generally staying at the Ritz Carlton or the Mandarin in New York City. We expect a five star hotel to meet our standards. Aside from the lobby, which was nice, the rooms, hallways, and service was disappointing and less than mediocre. If you're looking for a good stay, go to the Liberty. Much nicer, more comfortable, and brand new.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Stayed at the Four Seasons for two nights over a weekend for my husband's birthday. We stay in Boston 6x per year and generally stay at the Ritz Carlton Boston Common (sleeker decor, bigger gym) but decided to give the Four Seasons a try since they have renovated the rooms pretty recently. We have to say we now prefer the Four Seasons. Here's a summary:\nThe Check-in - they were waiting for us and had all our information ready. The room they booked matched our preferences exactly (view of park, high floor, no connecting doors). When we went from the reception back past the doormen, the doormen were already greeting us by name (must have gotten our name through their earpieces? either way it was impressive coordination). \nThe Room. The style is still traditional, but there was a huge plasma tv and a very comfortable bed. The atmosphere is cozy. And the view, directly over the Boston Common, is incredible. \nThe Restaurants. Had dinner upstairs at Aujourd'hui. Food was incredible, wine list is fantastic, but alas the service is slow. This was the only downer of the trip - there was a good 20-minute break between our salad course and the entrees arriving, which they attributed to a large private party of 20 getting in front of our order. This shouldn't happen at a restuarant of this quality. We did get a nice call from the director of food and bev the next day apologizing. \nWe had lunch the next day for 6 at the downstairs restaurant Bristol Lounge. Again, service was a bit slow, but the food was excellent and they were extremely good about accomodating our large party on late notice. \nThe Gym. Small workout area but not too crowded. Very nice pool area with a direct view over the park - looked like it was a great place for families to hang out. \nOverall, this hotel has all the services and amenities you would want, but want really makes it the best in Boston is the service of the porters, front desk staff, concierge, and management. Plus, the location is just perfect. Right on the park, easy walking distance to shopping.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I had the opportunity to stay at the 4 seasons for the Boston Marathon. It was my first time to Boston (where I had wanted to go since my early twenties, (48 now)!. I have to say the 4 seasons made this the best experience of my life. From the pickup at the airport to the drop off I was simply amazed! Everyone was so nice, Daniel the concierge helped me get a tour of the city prior to other relatives arriving and referred me to 5th Avenue Limo Service. Use them please, they are great! The driver was so knowledgeable and darn I cant remember his name! The service, the room, the ammenities were all above par. I have to admit the only thing i did not like was the darn curtain in the shower. seriously, all hotels that r 4 or 5 star even 3, need to have shower enclosures! the bedding was excellent, the executive suite overlooking boston gardens and boston common - oh my - the view and listening to the people out on the street was great. you can open a window from these rooms and feel the ambiance of the city. I will stay at the 4 seasons probably every time i return to boston!!! kudos to the hotel management!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Just returned from a visit to Four Seasons Boston and the service was excellent. We arrived early in the AM from a red-eye flight and the terrific woman at the front desk (Eliva?)not only let us check in early but upgraded us to a newly renovated room. The doormen,bellman,concierge and staff at the health club all were first rate. Health club facilities were great, enjoyed the newly renovated steam room and sauna. Of course, as is typical of the Four Seasons the bed was sublime. We have stayed at this property in the past and never been disappointed. Last year due to some of the negative reviews about Four Seasons Boston we stayed at Beacon XV- what a mistake! The service at Beacon XV is truly awful, does not even compare.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husband and I recently stayed at this hotel with our 21 month old son and found our stay a little disappointing. The view from our room of the public garden was fantastic, however, the view of the interior of our room wasn't so great. It looked drab and boring. There was no sense of luxury at all. The sheets were scratchy and the pillows too high to be comfortable. The bathroom reminded me more of a motel rather than a hotel. And the room service portions and prices were incompatible. Too little food for too high a price. The hotel definitely is in need of updating. We did use the babysitting service and were happy with the results. We had a competant sitter who was wonderful with our son. The location of the hotel is great. The service is good. But for $625 a night...we were expecting something a little nicer than what we got. All in all, the hotel really wasn't that memorable. I don't recommend staying at this particular Four Seasons.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "The highlights are the excellent location, impressive restaurant/lounge, friendly staff and good pool/gym facilities. We stayed in a deluxe king room which was graciously upgraded from a moderate room. Adequately decorated but not the expected over-the-top luxury. Wireless internet access was a plus but not complimentary. The bed was very comfortable and the marble bathroom with L'Occitane items and comfy robe was a treat. The spa-like swimming pool and gym area was delightful, serving complimentary fresh fruit and thick, plush terry towels. The attached lounge and restaurant were impressive with terrific views of the Public Garden. The red brick exterior of the building has surpisingly little character for such a charming, historic city. Overall, an above average stay. Considering the hefty room rate ($325+/night) and uninspiring room decor/exterior, not Four Seasons fabulous but clearly better than most.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "My husband and I just returned from a weekend at the Four Seasons in Boston and have mixed reviews. I must say that the hotel in is a really wonderful location and that the staff are very accomodating and pleasant. We were however very disappointed with the condition of the rooms. They were clean but very dated and drab. They are in desperate need of a facelift. They have begun the renovations and offered us the updated suite for 1200.oo a night. Clearly no bargain and not worth it. They did switch us to an executive suite with garden views that was better than our original room, but still not updated or appealing. The views were lovely outside our window, but not so inside. Overall, we enjoyed out stay, but feel that this Four Seasons has some \"work\" to do in coming up to par with the others.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I just completed a five-night stay at the Four Seasons Hotel Boston. The hotel is housed in a non-descript eight story red brick building located on prime real estate facing Boston Common and the Public Garden. The location is ideal. You can walk to many of Boston's best attractions and businesses. I stayed in a standard room on the seventh floor situated at the rear of the hotel. You'll pay more for a park view room over looking Boylston Street. My room was clean, comfortable and spacious. I wouldn't describe my room as ostentatious or luxurious. The bathroom floor and shower were marble with a tub and shower (curtain) configuration. I found the staff well trained, helpful and professional.\n The service in the work out/pool area was very polished. The hotel even washed my work out clothes and delivered them to my room the next morning. This is one of several complimentary services provided by the hotel. I also utilized the free overnight shoeshine service and town car transportation (after 5pm-two mile limit). These are services some hotels typically \"nickel and dime\" you for. The high speed Internet connection in my room was problematical and frustrating at times, which required several calls to the hotel tech support person.\n The hotel has two highly rated restaurants and I ate in both of them several times. The acclaimed Aujour'dui was recently renovated and is a very elegant place to dine. I ordered the four course-tasting menu paired with wines selected for each course. Expect to pay around $250 (tax and tip included) for the wine dinner for two. The lobster bisque was incredible, followed by salmon, lamb and dessert courses. The peanut butter mascapone dessert was rich and favorful. Our waiter only exhibited a bit of attitude when we requested a minor substitution to the tasting menu. After checking with the chef the change was approved. The less formal Bristol Lounge also has been remodeled and is a good place to meet for drinks or dinner. The piano bar and fireplace all add to the ambience. The wait staff was friendly and had no problem with making substitutions to the menu. Expect a three course meal for two with a glass of wine to run around $100-120 with tax and tip.\n If you're into gourmet desserts try Finale, which is located on the street behind the hotel. For a few laughs try The Blueman Group, tickets $56/person. The theater is within walking distance.\n The FSHB is located in a premier location for doing business or for pleasure. The staff was upbeat, cheerful and professional. My five-night stay was enjoyable.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "I have stayed at many Four Seasons before, but the property in Boston is getting exhausted. There is construction day in/out. I will continue to stay in other Four Seasons, but not Boston...", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "FSHB is one of the best hotels in the country. Its employees are pleasant, professional, and well trained. They always have the guests' best interests in mind. The hotel is beautiful, the rooms spacious, clean, andextremely comfortable. The restaurant, Aujourd'hui, is among the best in the city. The food is exquisite. Room service and brunch are also wonderful. This is the best Boston has to offer!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "258705": {"reviews": [{"text": "We stayed at this hotel near the end of a pretty long, tiring book tour. In 30 days, we'd slept in 20 hotels and this one was HANDS DOWN the best. Huge standard rooms w/ a thick curtain to seperate the office space from the bedroom space. Oversized desk (in the photo, that's a 15 inch laptop), free wireless access, wonderful quick room service (even though the guest services book says they don't have service between 2:30 and 5PM, we ordered at 4PM with no problem), great L'Occitane toiletries, toilet is seperate from the tub and sink. Very helpful, cheerful staff, the area is near great shops and dining. I honestly can find no fault with this hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "The friendliness of the staff at Hotel Commonwealth began as soon as we pulled up to the front door--the valet was exceedingly pleasant and helpful, hard to believe given the brutally cold weather. The front desk clerk was equally welcoming and immediately checked us in. Our room was just beautiful and looked exactly like it was shown in a virtual tour on its website, and at an extremely reasonable price. The entire room was in excellent condition--extremely clean, no wear and tear to be found. The room was large with a nice view, lovely furniture, 2 closets. The king-size bed and many pillows were heavenly. The bathroom was bright and clean and had plenty of towels.The room provided an iron, ironing board, lots of hangers, the usual bathroom items....and bathrobes--really nice ones!They provide turn-down service, accompanied with delicious cookies! The maid was gracious and very friendly.We had dinner at a restaurant inside the hotel, Eastern Standard--it is one of the most beautiful restaurants I have been in--great food, top notch service. Overall, our entire stay was a pure pleasure, from beginning to end. It's a beautiful hotel with outstanding service and it's in a great location. Just to let you know--I am extremely critical and I found nothing to complain about here--really!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "this hotel seems to be not very well known yet, but it's wonderful. small, boutique hotel on the campus of boston university with all the amenities: two lovely restaurants, Great Bay and American Standard, beautiful linens, comfortable beds, nice furnishings. great location for bu and fenway park. prices vary dramatically depending on if the red sox are in town since you can literally see the stadium from your room.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We've stayed three times at Hotel Commonwealth. Two of them were for going to Fenway Park to watch the Red Sox, and the third time was for an easy getaway. Hotel Commonwealth is centrally located, so you are close to everything after a reasonable walk.\nThe rooms at Hotel Commonwealth are superb! Everything is new and very clean. The two queen sized beds were a great find. The sparkling bathrooms are mostly made up of marble, and are filled with L'Occitane products! Every night turndown service came and left delicious cookies and chocolates from the hotels Temper chocolates. \nDining was really good, but maybe not great. Eastern Standard was a nice restaurant, but just had a very limited menu. Good plate of offal didn't appeal to me and I wasn't ready for my father's liver and onions!\nWe overall have had nice times at Hotel Commonwealth. We haven't had as much luck with dining, but other options are nearby. We will be planning to go back to Hotel Commonwealth again in the near future.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "My wife and I decided to take a weekend getaway up the road in Boston. In looking for a hotel, I wanted something nice, but not terribly expensive. I thought the rate for the Hotel Commonwealth (about $ 199 per night) seemed a little steep-- but not really for Boston where a night at a first class hotel like the Ritz or the Four Seasons can run up to $ 400. Plus, the Commonwealth is right next door to one of our favorite Boston restaurants (Petite Robert Bistro), with lots of bookstores in the area, so we decided to give it a try. \nWe were not disapppointed. And the nightly rate was well worth it for the excellent service and marvelous accomodations we enjoyed. This is an exceedingly well run hotel; everyone from the front desk staff to the bellhops to the parking attendants seem intent on doing their jobs to their full ability. They were extremely friendly and efficient, and made us feel pampered and welcome indeed!\nThe hotel is only about two years old, so the facilities are in excellent condition-- and everything is spotless. Our room was HUGE-- twice as large as some comparable places we've stayed. Amenities and facilities are excellent. Our only complaint was a slight problem we had with regulating the temperature: hot one moment, cold the next, but eventually we got it all right. \nDo yourself a favor next time you're in Boston and stay at the Hotel Commonwealth.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "Our friends stayed there previously and my wife and I had read about the hotel in T+L and in-flight magazines when we travel, so we thought we'd give it a shot. We were amazed at the service, the L'Occitane products, and how big the rooms were. We had a parlor room called the Commonwealth room and it was all we had wished for: two tvs, drapes that pull and split the room in two and so much more. We will recommend to everyone we know when they travel to Boston.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "My wife and I stayed at the Hotel Commonwealth for New Year's Eve. We booked a wonderful package that included admission to the First Night events as well as a spectacular brunch the following morning. We were impressed with check-in where we were surprised with a champagne toast! We departed for the nights events and were given great directions from the doorman. Upon returning at the end of a long night, we arrived back at the hotel. We entered the lobby and we were greeted by a wonderful young lady who wished us both a \"Happy New Year\". At the lift we were greeted by a security man who called the lift for us and also wished us a Happy New Year and told us to have a \"wonderful night\". Impressive, smiles from everyone! The service here is second to none. The rooms are pure heaven, the beds are the most comfortable I have ever slept in. We will stay here when in Boston and reccommend this hotel to anyone considering Boston for holiday.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I stayed at the Hotel Commonwealth one night. When I left in the morning I forgot my jewelry on the night table. I called back to see if they could get it for me. Apparently the maid had already cleaned the room and guess what... they couldn't find my jewelry. I was dumb-founded by the way they handle it. The maid claimed that we had left our door ajar. Hmmmm... Basically they told me that I should have locked up my jewelry in the future and that was that. I advise no one to stay at this hotel, apparently the customer is never right.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "No complaints about this hotel, but if you're looking for charm, style, uniqueness...you can probably do better in Boston.\nWe booked one of the larger rooms facing Commonwealth St (the most expensive room, which I believed is called a \"commonwealth\" room). This room is great if you're traveling with a child or third friend, as it has a large office space with sleeper couch than can be divided from main bed with a curtain.\nThe good: very quiet and comfortable, outstanding bed and pillows (slept wonderfully), modern comfort, clean, marble bathroom, toilet in separate room from shower, L'Occitaine bath products.\nThe criticism: Not nearly as elegant as the marketing pictures would have you believe. Pseudo elegance, like a Disneyland fascade. Certainly NOT your lovely botique hotel. If you're looking for classic style, you'd probably do better in one of Boston's older hotels. See \"candid\" photos to see the unfortunate decorating choices.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "My family stayed at the Hotel Commonwealth for 3 nights in October of 2005. Based on the reviews in Trip Advisor, we were not disappointed. The four of us stayed in a Fenway room with 2 Queen beds. The beds were so comfortable including down pillows and a down comforter wrapped in Italian Frette sheets. The oversized room was wonderful for a hotel in the city. Amenities such as the L'Occitane bath products and the chocolate covered graham cookie were a special touch. I've read other reviews from others complaining that the hotel isn't in the heart of the city or close enough to the action. I thought the location was great, Newbury street was 3 blocks away filled with shops and restaurants. The Kenmore T station just steps away from the front door was so convenient. We were there to see the whole city not just a specific area so this worked great for us. Granted the view of Fenway stadium wasn't a beautiful view, but if you're looking for a competitive rate, large room, comfortable beds, and nice amenities, the Hotel Commonwealth was superb. We would definitely stay there again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Our family stayed here 2 nights in September based on a positive review in the New York Times. We reserved a Junior Suite. It was a clean, gorgeous and spacious room overlooking Fenway Park. Hotel is steps away from Kenmore Square T station. It was a very nice, safe hotel in the middle of the city. Large bathrooms, solid housekeeping. We will definitely return!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I give this hotel my highest ranking. I went to a Boston Red Sox game and our family saw the famous 4th of July Fireworks. The service was excellent. The staff, doormen, and receptionists made us feel very welcome. We arrived early after a red-eye. At registration, she took our cell phone number and made an excellent recommendation for breakfast. As soon as our room was ready, she called us so we could get a nap and be ready for the Sox game. Everything was very clean, comfortable, and Deluxe. I would have expected to pay even more for these accomodations and amenities! The T-train from the airport had a stop just underneath the hotel! Transportation was easy. We used the T-train and our feet only! We want to return and we will definitely stay here.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "My daughter and I stayed at the Hotel Commonwealth at the end of May, 2005. We happened to overlap with commencement weekend for Boston U and several other schools, which stressed the check-in desk and also bumped the rates a bit--Be aware of college schedules when you book into Boston! This hotel is really convenient for BU!!!\nThe room was very nice, beds were outstandingly comfortable, bathrooms are spacious, Occitane amenities are great, tub is small and not at the same standard as the rest of the facility. Free bottled water and cookies with turndown service are nice touches. Rooms have DVD players and there is a list of movies available in the hotel. The Barnes and Noble across the street rents videos very reasonably (2nd floor). \nAccess to the MTA subway is incredibly convenient. \nThere is a very nice French restaurant in the next block on Commonwealth: Petit Robert Bistro. The hotel restaurant was also very nice. There is a coffee stand in the hotel--it's well intended, but you get more and more for your money across the street at the Barnes and Noble Starbucks. \nDo not use the concierge for tickets to Fenway Park--you can do much better on the street, as there are crowds of people selling tickets just on the corner as you walk to the park. We were charged top dollar needlessly. Live and learn. \nThe downside for the hotel is the view (freeway or construction on Commonwealth), and perhaps the dinky tub. Otherwise, it is an excellent value and a comfortable and quite luxurious stop, by hotel standards.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I recently stayed at the Hotel Commonwealth on business. Although the service was good and the hotel is fine, the location was a disappointment. The nice shopping, convention center and quality restaurant are in a different neighborhood called Back Bay. Back Bay would have been a much nicer area to stay in. \nIn the future, I would rather stay in the centrally-located, more exciting location. Just because you are on a business trip doesn't mean you shouldn't be able to go out and enjoy the city!", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I had a reservation for the night of the 23rd of Sep to attend the Red Sox game. I brought my family of 4. When I arrived I was told that I was charged for the night of the 22nd as I was a no show. Somehow, somewhere, something was messed up and I do not feel that this was my mistake. I contacted the reservations manager and she told me that there was nothing that she could do. I feel fairly secure in saying that the room in question was not going to be rented that night as there was not that big of a crowd in the hotel. I was not talked to in a very customer service oriented manner by the reservations supervisor and I was very upset, therefore, I did not call her back or continue the conversation. A message was left on my room voice mail that I was only going to be charged 140.00 for the night I didn't stay there. In my opinion, I shouldn't have been charged at all. I made the reservation for the 23rd of Sep, not the 22nd. I am very disappointed in the way I was spoken to and the treatment as far as this situation. If I had known this is the way it was going to be, I would have packed up and went to another hotel. It's very expensive to take your family anywhere these days and these folks made it even more expensive. Thanks for all your help and I will be sure to tell everyone I know about my experience at the Hotel Commonwealth in Boston.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "We were guests the first week they opened. Great boutique hotel with large, well appointed rooms. Great Back Bay loaction is wonderful and convenient to the Commons, Newbury St., the universities, medical centers, shopping, ...and one block from Fenway. Not all the kinks were worked out that first, but the staff made up for the \"inconveniences\" with effort and enthusiasm......a good sign for the future. We will be back.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}]}, "223103": {"reviews": [{"text": "If you're going to Memphis and want a hotel in the heart of the city, this is a good choice. It's a short walk to everything downtown. Peabody Place is across the street, for shopping. Beale Street is right outside your door for nightlife and dining. The rooms were nice and clean. You do get a little noise from the bands on Beale Street, but I didn't have any trouble sleeping. The hotel staff was friendly and helpful. The complementary breakfast buffet was very good. They also had a free business center where you could check your email etc. A lot of other places will charge you. If you stay downtown and would like to see Graceland, I suggest you take the Sun Studios shuttle. We rented a car and drove, but if we would have known about the shuttle I would have chose that option.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Frequent visitor to downtown Memphis and have stayed at many of the downtown hotels. This hotel is the choice for my family primarily because this hotel's staff is the most professional, courteous, and accommodating of all the hotels we've experienced in Memphis. Their suites are more spacious than most in the area. Beyond that, the hotel's common areas and our suite are always fresh, clean, well maintained, the property is situated in a great convenient downtown location, and a better value than most of the other hotels.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}]}, "105238": {"reviews": [{"text": "Arrived at 1am that is why we stayed one night. Will never stay here again. I really find it hard to believe how anyone can say this hotel is wonderful. They said how clean it was. The first thing I noticed is how dirty it was. The hallway carpet on the way to the room was almost black. After reading the reviews, you would think this place was great. I guess these folks have never stayed at a nice hotel. If you call a suite, sticking a small fridge and microwave next to the TV, well then I guess you got what you paid for. The staff knew we had three people and yet the rooms only had two sets of towels. Had to return to the front desk at 1:15am to request another set. The bathroom cabinetry was broke and left laying in the middle of the bathroom. The security lock had been ripped off of the room door. The bed a big stain on the side of the box spring. There hot breakfast is some dried out saugage patties and scrambled eggs. How can this be Memphis #1 choice hotel. Avoid this one!", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I found Hawthorne Suites on the internet and booked our rooms. I was a little skeptical, but when we arrived, we were pleasantly surprised. I asked for a room with a king size bed and we got a SUITE with a king size bed and a kitchenette. Normally, I would not consider a kitchenette, but it was a welcome surprise. The kitchenette had a full size fridge, microwave, dishwasher (yeah!!) and 2 burner range. It really helped us defray the cost of our meals!!! Also the staff was wonderful. Ms. Anna Tran (who works nights and weekends) was a wonderfully helpful young lady!!! Also the Hawthorne has a full breakfast buffet every day (scrambled eggs, cereal, toast, fruit, homefries and sausage, as well as coffee and juice). Monday through Thursday there is a complimentary happy hour type buffett (one night it was pasta, another night a baked potatoe bar). It was enough for a light dinner. all in all a great experience at this hotel and I recommend this...", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}]}, "310409": {"reviews": []}, "1474319": {"reviews": []}, "223774": {"reviews": []}, "105180": {"reviews": []}, "1147150": {"reviews": []}, "1751278": {"reviews": []}, "1821731": {"reviews": []}, "566439": {"reviews": [{"text": "We thoroughly enjoyed our three-night stay here. We found the staff uniformly to be friendly and helpful. Being quite a new hotel, everything is new, but it was obvious to us that it is also being well maintained.\nOur two-room corner suite on the seventh floor was large and well equipped, and includes a small kitchen area which we did not use. Such small touches as a jar of wrapped candies and a bag of microwavable popcorn made us feel welcome. We hooked up our laptop to the ethernet cable for free high-speed without a hitch. There's a tv set in the bedroom as well as in the large living room-kitchen room.\nThe full buffet breakfast is very good with quite a variety of food. We were impressed by the fact that there were three employees on duty there, all dressed in white aprons, who moved about constantly to replenish the food, plates and silverware, and to clear the tables. They were very friendly as was our room housekeeper.\nThere are evening snacks and light meals (e.g. soup and cornbread) available with a schedule posted in each suite. This was our first stay at a Residence Inn, even though we are Marriott \"Silvers\" and stayed here on points, and we are quite impressed with the amenities offered.\nA manager on duty \"lurked\" and wandered about quite regularly and approached guests, including us, to ask if we were enjoying our stay. We stayed overnight recently in a Marriott property near BWI airport that we concluded had lax or non-existent management. The Residence Inn is positive contrast indeed.\nAnd now a word about \"location.\" While I can understand the concerns expressed by others, all I can say is that the two of us near-senior citizens found the location excellent for several reasons. There is a Dunkin' Donuts next door and a Mickey D's up the street, although with the food offerings in the hotel I don't know that anyone would need them. A few steps further down the block is a drug store with a wide variety of foods, wine, etc.\nIt's about a two-block walk to the actual Inner Harbor area, and we had no hesitation walking up the fairly major street on which the hotel is located as late as 10:30 p.m. \nAs far as nearby restaurants, there is a Legal Seafoods within three blocks or so that has a good reputation. There are many restaurants in the touristy Inner Harbor area, including a Ruth's Chris. We wandered over to the McCormick & Schmicks (very mixed reviews on that one) and took advantage of their $1.95 appetizers Happy Hour (3:30 to 6:30 which we had previously enjoyed in Seattle). \nThere are also multi-storied shopping malls in the vicinity that look like smaller versions of similar malls in Shanghai and Singapore.\nAs retired leisure travelers we spent a couple of hours in the National Aquarium after walking around the Inner Harbor extensively. It's probably best to visit later in the day as we did when there aren't so many school classes. The second day we hopped a bus within a block of the hotel, bought day passes for about $3.50 each, and spent several hours in the Walters Art Museum, a terrific collection from many eras funded by a philanthropist, then hopped a bus to see Fort McHenry before returning to the hotel.\nWe used Shuttle Express to get to and from the airport for $20 return trip each. I don't know exactly how much a cab would cost - the hotel and I think a previous poster estimated $25 - and wonder if it was a significant enough saving for two of us to make up for waiting time as they filled the van.\nIn summary, this hotel met our needs perfectly and it would be our first choice if we return to Baltimore.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "This hotel wasn't quite what I expected in terms of location, parking, and the usual quality I expect with Marriott. The hotel is located in the inner harbor \"area\", but the reality is that it's two blocks up, and one block over from the area. While that's not a substantial distance for walking (about 10 mins), there is a noticeable difference in terms of the surrounding environment. This Residence Inn feels more like it's in the city, rather than near the harbor (and no, you cannot see the harbor from this hotel). In fact, when I asked the employee at the front desk if it was safe to walk home at night from the Inner Harbor, she replied \"well there's an Orioles game tonight so there will be plenty of people around and you shouldn't have a problem\". She was right. On both nights (both game nights) there were plenty of people and we were fine, but I still had an uneasy feeling about the location (which I did not have in the harbor area). \nParking is valet parking only ($25/night). We were unable to retrieve items from the car ourselves, and needed the valet staff to get our car out of parking in order to pull something out of the car. Kind of an inconvenience as it took 30 mins and the staff wasn't too happy about the hassle.\nThe hotel had only been open for 3 weeks and was definitely very \"fresh\" looking; however the quality just wasn't there. For instance, the sheets & pillowcases on the beds are rough (and I don't just mean a little). My 7 yr daughter actually asked me why the pillows felt so scratchy. It was seriously noticeable. Housekeeping also seemed somewhat non-existent. We came back from a day out and had some new towels sitting on the couch, but the beds weren't made, trash not taken out, room not vacuumed, etc. \nSo overall, while we able to stay at the hotel for a decent price ($179/night for 2 Queen Bed Studio), I wouldn't stay here again. Nothing about this hotel spelled \"disaster\", but the lack of quality, hassle with parking, and semi-questionable location was enough to have me look elsewhere next time.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Just came back from the Residence Inn/Inner Harbor. We stayed in a studio suite. The room had normal Residence Inn amenities. The rooms are not luxurious but nice, clean and practical. Great for singles, couples or families. The only two reasons why I gave the hotel an above average instead of excellent were: 1) The view (pretty non-existent from our room) and 2) The bedspreads (or lack of). I can appreciate the fact that the hotel wants to use a no bedspread/comforter policy due to the fact that the bedspreads in hotel rooms are truly unsanitary BUT there were no extra blankets in lieu of the bedspreads. We had to turn off the airconditioner to make up for the fact that we would freeze without proper covering. If I had to chose dirty covering over NO covering....NO covering would win. I can appreciate why they don't have covers...I just wish extra clean blankets were provided. The breakfast was great. Eggs, grits, waffles, cereal, juice, sausage, coffee, danish, yogurt, etc. were all provided for FREE which is a nice perk! The hotel itself is two blocks away from the inner harbor. Loved the location. If you are flying in....don't waste your money on a car. Many things in walking distance or reachable by taxi or water taxi. The hotel staff were very friendly. There is a small sitting area with a television in the lobby which comes in handy when you want to take a break. I would caution readers to be aware of the fact that they are many homeless people in the area of the inner harbor which can be very disheartening to those of you who have a caring heart. Just wanted to prepare you. There is a shopping mall (Harborplace Shopping) two blocks down as well as other retail establishments. For extras there is a CVS next door AND a Dunkin Donuts for all coffee lovers. If you want to make reservations, do it as soon as possible. I think the word is spreading. This hotel is brand new, has kitchen amenities, free breakfast and studio - 2 bedrooms SO it is a hot commodity! Have fun!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}]}, "93892": {"reviews": []}, "625154": {"reviews": []}, "1449313": {"reviews": []}, "111408": {"reviews": [{"text": "We just returned from Baltimore yesterday. We were only there for one night for a business conference. The Inn is in Fell's Point which is about 2 miles from the main downtown area of Baltimore (aquarium/convention center/big hotels). It is in a quaint section on the Wharf with lots of pubs and restaurants, some cute shops within minutes of walking. The staff are extremely friendly and helpful. The rooms were quite spacious and recently renovated, very clean and comfy. We had views right out over the marina. A welcome bottle of wine awaited us on check-in and they even brought me some milk in the evening on request ( complimentary). There is free high speed internet in the rooms and wireless access throughout the common areas. Our own ethernet cable was not working and within minutes they brought one to our door. And an excellent abundant continental breakfast awaited us in the morning which we enjoyed in the English courtyard garden. While I was in a business meeting all day, my husband was able to do work in the common area while enjoying the complimentary coffee bar. Free parking My friends stayed in downtown Baltimore and paid about $300, the Inn is under $200 and well worth it. Any other business meetings in Baltimore, I have no doubts I would stay here.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My husband and I planned a last minute trip to Baltimore for our first anniversary, the Inn had only garden view and cobblestone rooms available at short notice. We decided on a cobblestone view room with a King sized bed (#136), the bedroom was beautiful, nice desk space for letter writing (might be a bit tight if you were a business traveler trying to work from the room), comfy chair/side table and nice armoire that allowed plenty of space to unpack in drawers. The room has exposed brick walls and large arched windows covered with beautiful wood slat shutters which served as the only window dressing. The whole feel was very cozy and rich feeling but by the end of the weekend I was wishing for some sheers so that we could open the shutters and take in the view of the beautiful day and surroundings without being on display to the occasional person strolling by. I also would have appreciated a luggage stand in the ample bedroom space, a vanity space or a mirror on the desktop would have provided a place other than the bathroom to get ready. A final word on the bedroom, we didn't find an alarm clock, although wakeup calls are offered. We really liked the mini-bar set up in the room as well, it featured a wide array of snacks ranging from typical mini-bar fare to more gourmet items like homemade brownies and cookies. As for the closet/entryway/bathroom area of the room we found that this area more closely resembled the house we were getting away from for the weekend. The closet was a good size, although the sliding hinge was very squeaky, the bathroom was asthetically pleasing, with a nice soothing asian spa look. The shower was a bit dark without a dedicated overhead light, and the hooks and hangers seemed too flimsy for hanging even moderately heavy cosmetic kits on, the nicely arranged tray of toiletries also took up the bulk of the countertop so there wasn't a ton of space to spread out makeup or hair products, there was also a waterstain on the ceiling. This space felt more quickly slapped together than the bedroom, it immaculately cleaned and beautiful, but it felt more realistically like a home bathroom than a hotel. As for the noise levels at the hotel, I think that they were nearly booked, but it was nice and quiet, and it didn't feel crowded, service still felt very personal. We were a bit concerned about the cobblestone location, but there was hardly any traffic (foot or car) and the sound of the occasional car on the cobblestones was muted and actually soothing. We really enjoyed nearly everything about this hotel, we loved the location in Fells Point, and it was perfect for a quick, relaxing weekend getaway. The manager Ian also had lots of great tips about places to eat, which was helpful. We will certainly stay here again, and would recommend it highly.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Very good location, near restaurants and bars in Fells Point area. Very clean room, well appointed, good value for money. Attentive service, decent continental breakfast. We had a really nice weekend in Baltimore and Henderson's Wharf Inn was a perfect place to stay.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "This hotel is amazing!!!! The rooms are extremely clean and have a great view of either the garden or water (we stayed overlooking the water). You will get the best night's sleep you have ever had. The beds are so comfortable, you fall asleep when your head hits the pillow. The bathrooms are immaculate and beautiful, you'll feel like royalty. The continental breakfast consisted of fresh fruit, cereal, and pastries. There was also unlimited coffee and tea 24 hours a day. The bottle of wine upon arrival makes for a nice touch.\nFell's Point is a great little area to walk around and shop, eat, and drink. There are more bars than you can count, but it is a place for all ages. The Inner Harbor is only a water taxi ride away, which is the easiest way to get around.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We stayed at the Henderson's Wharf Hotel for two nights. It was one of the best experiences I have ever had in a hotel. The front desk staff was extremely friendly and helpful. All parts of the hotel are lovely, from the lobby to the courtyard, hallway, and of course, the room itself. It had the nicest (not largest) bathroom I've ever seen in a hotel with what had to be nearly brand new fixtures and a gorgeous sink / bowl unit that I've seen at Home Depot for several thousand dollars. The decor in the rooms feels more like a bed and breakfast. We had a courtyard view room as all the harbor view rooms were booked. There is coffee and tea available all the time and a really luxe continental breakfast every day. The location is very quiet but still convenient to all of Fell's Point and to the Water Taxi stop.\nMy only caution is that this is a hotel / condo combination. All condos are on the upper floors so all hotel rooms are on the first floor. Either view you choose (harbor or courtyard) is lovely, but with the curtains open you have really no privacy. The courtyard is limited to hotel guests, but the harbor view faces directly onto a public pier / sidewalk so you will get people walking by your room exactly at your eye level. So...just be aware!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "I really can't say enough good things about the Inn at Henderson's Wharf. My husband surprised me with a trip to Baltimore for my birthday last month and our stay at the Inn was the highlight. We couldn't have found a more perfect spot for a romantic weekend getaway.\nBuilt in a former tobacco warehouse, the Inn itself simply oozes charm and ambiance. And from the moment we arrived we were treated to outstanding service as well. Everyone was friendly and helpful. Kelly, at the front desk, checked us in early and found that her \"favorite\" room was available. It was a huge corner room with views of the marina and the harbor on two sides. The exposed brick walls, the king sized feather bed, the decor, the fresh flowers...everything added up to a wonderful setting. In addition a complimentary bottle of champagne was delivered later that day. I didn't think it could get better.\nBut it did. The breakfast buffet is simply awesome. Ideal for anyone who wants to eat healthy. It was a sumptuous display of fruits, pastries, cereal, yogurt, cheeses, crackers, hardboiled eggs and juice as well as coffee or tea. I loved it.\nThe Fells Point neighborhood is quaint and full of pubs and cute shops as well as great restaurants. And it's only a short ride by water taxi to the Inner Harbor.\nEverything about our stay was fantastic. The accomodations, the service and the location. If you are looking for a unique, one of a kind, inn with all the ammenities,the Inn at Henderson's Wharf is just the place. We can't wait to return!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "My wife and I stayed at the Inn this past weekend, based in part on the near ecstatic reviews on this site. I have rarely seen such unanimity about anything.\nThe Inn is pleasant but rather ordinary.\nOn the plus side: the location is quiet. On the other hand, it is a little remote if you want to go anywhere in Baltimore besides Fells Point. And, being along the water has its disadvantages: the Inn is adjacent to a well-used jogging and walking path. Even in March, walkers, dog-walkers and runners passed by our window constantly, beginning at around 8am. Also, there is construction going on across from the hotel's entrance, and while we did not experience noise or dust from it during our stay, it did not make for the most graceful entrance.\nThe continental breakfast is plentiful but quite ordinary, with store-purchased items and tasteless fruit, and no real cream to be found for the coffee.\nDuring our weekend stay, the fire alarm went off twice, once at 3am and once at 8am. I have no idea whether this was a recurring problem or not; the housekeeper just sort of shrugged when I asked her about it.\nThe rooms are large and well-appointed, although the closet was not well engineered. There are more cable and satellite stations than I have ever seen in a hotel room, and brand new LCD tvs to match. On the other hand, there was no clock in the room that could be read in the dark.\nIn short, the Inn is pleasant and newly renovated, although it lacks neither the amenities of a full-scale hotel nor the charm of a bed and breakfast.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "2196840": {"reviews": []}, "83070": {"reviews": []}, "258669": {"reviews": [{"text": "We missed our flight in Denver due to snow, so we had to find a room at the last minute. Everyone who worked at the hotel was so friendly and accomodating. The shuttle drivers were awesome, at the airport quickly and ready to go when we got to the lobby in the morning. They were so helpful at a time when we were extremely frustrated at the Denver Airport and Continental. All I can say, be sure that you are checking your bags 45 minutes in advance or Continental will sell your seats. We love Continental but not in Denver. The Continental agents thought an acceptable solution was to put my family (with 2 small kids) on the next flight at 2:15am. No thanks - we'll just spend the night.\nThe Embassy Suites was a life saver! The room was clean, check in quick, restaurant good, great customer service all around.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "After cancelling our reservation at the Drury Inn East (please avoid this one at all costs), my family and I ended up staying at the Embassy Suites DIA. The staff was helpful and courteous, the inside of the hotel is lovely, the rooms are spacious, clean and quiet, and the breakfast buffet was very good. Additionally, the hotel has a nice pool area and gym. Would highly recommend.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed at this hotel on Sunday night July 17, 2005. While it is typical Embassy Suites, though only three years old, its appeal is that it is off Tower Road only about three miles from the airport. While there are several other new hotels at this exit, the fact that we could sleep three people using the sofa sleeper in the living room made it worthwhile.\nThe other important point is that if you have an early morning flight as we did, that you can drop your car off at the rental car area (about one mile away) and the hotel courtesy van will pick you up there and then bring you back to the hotel. The shuttle from the hotel runs every half hour to the airport and it is free.\nThe only minor issue is that hotel management promised fruit and pastries would be left outside our room, since we would be missing breakfast. This did not happen, which was not the end of the world.\nIf you use Priceline (which we did not for this stay), those hotels are actually about nine (9) miles from the airport.\nCheers.\nMarius", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I stayed at the Embassy Suites Denver Airport for one evening in early February owing to the recommendations of this site. As a frequent traveler who happens to be blind, there are two things that I take note of at hotels: 1) the way in which staff provides assistance and generally interacts with me; and 2) the presence of Braille signage, particularly for hotel rooms. I have to say that this hotel certainly met my expectations on both counts. While I could tell that this may have been the first time some of the staff had served a blind guest, everyone (from the shuttle driver to the folks in the restaurant and lounge) went out of their way to be accommodating, without coming across as being patronizing and overly helpful. I have to single out Sharica in the restaurant as being particularly noteworthy for her professionalism and excellent customer service.\nThe only small criticism I would have is that when my friend who I was traveling with (who uses a guide dog) inquired about whether there was a grassy area to relieve the dog to the person checking-us in, they indicated there was none close by. However, a walk outside the front door revealed that this was not the case. I will classify that as a possible misunderstanding. That aside, I will definitely be staying there again on my next trip through the Denver airport area.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "The hotel itself is newer and very clean. The lobby is lovely. Our suite was very well decorated and a nice size. We had a great view of the city lights and mountains. The granite counter tops, high speed internet connections, microwaves and mini bar are a nice touch. \nThe location of the hotel is perfect. It\u2019s very close to the airport- yet we were not bothered by the noise. \nThe problem with this hotel is its staff. \n- Terrible check in. Service was slow and NOT friendly. He did not tell us about free breakfast or \"Manager's\" hour. \n-Luckily I had stayed at other E.S. and knew about free breakfast. We also figured out (on our own) that the Manger\u2019s reception was going on. However, we were not greeted in any way by the staff (who were just standing around). And when my husband went to the bar the bartender was not friendly. Even after a few tips he still never smiled or made eye contact. \n-After the manger\u2019s reception my husband and I decided to take a dip in the hot tub. Big mistake! The pool area is inside and very well kept. However, the hot tub is outside and the water was freezing! The staff had not turned the temperature up it was colder than the pool. \n-We decided to go back to our suite for room service. The food was very good however it was a hassle to try and place the order. It took my husband several tries to communicate that we wanted mozzarella sticks and small pizzas. However, the salmon pizza was worth the hassle. \n-THE NEXT MORNING HOUSKEEPING ENTERED OUR ROOM AT 7:45 am AND WE HAD THE \u201cDO NOT DISTRUB SIGN\u201d ON OUR DOOR!\n- Breakfast. The omelet bar was very good. The cook at least smiled and was friendly. However, again not greeted by staff members (who were just standing around). The muffins were stale and the coffee was not super hot. However, it is still better than most hotels\u2019 breakfast. \nTo sum it up- a very nice property with staff you can\u2019t stand their jobs. Not once (with the expectation of the cook) did we have a staff member make eye contact or smile. \nWould we stay here again? Maybe because the rooms are nicer than other hotels closer to the airport. We just hope the hotel gets new management.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "We did an in town stay so our kids could do the hotel thing....This is a great hotel with easy access to DIA. The staff was adequate and the rooms were new and clean (and best of all...quiet). The reception/cocktail area sports a huge coal mine type structure over the bar. The breakfast was made to order and very good. The pool area is geat. Clean and well maintained. There is an outdoor hot tub and adjacent indoor exercise facilty. A very good stay and I would not hesitate to do one of the park n fly rates when flying out of town.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed here twice. Once on our way to the airport and once on our way back. They kept our pickup for 2 weeks for $10.00 while we were gone! Great deal I found at their website. Their rooms are big quite and clean!!! Comfy beds and a great breakfast!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "2322597": {"reviews": []}, "1653655": {"reviews": []}, "578192": {"reviews": []}, "218788": {"reviews": []}, "657868": {"reviews": []}, "1737951": {"reviews": []}, "120056": {"reviews": []}, "83088": {"reviews": [{"text": "I am sending writing this review regarding a completely uncalled for experience my husband and I had Thursday, April 19th and the Brown Palace. Due to the completely horrendous nature of this experience I feel it necessary to relate it to any and everyone that I am able to contact.\nMy husband and I travel quiet often to the Denver area for both personal and professional reasons. My husband is a CPA with his own well established firm and I am an engineer for a Fortune 500 company. We are accustomed to top rated luxury hotels and all of the 'extra' amenities that they offer. Our normal choice in Denver has been the Hotel Teatro. We decided on our last trip that we would give the Brown Palace a try - having heard a few good comments on it and wanting to try something different. At the time I made the reservations I was out of the country and booked online using Expedia simply for the ease of the transaction.\nI requested a King non-smoking \"superior\" room using the Expedia service. I have never had an instance in my past use of Expedia where my room was not reserved as I requested.\nMy husband and I arrived at around 11:00 PM Thursday night. We had chosen to drive to Denver from our home in Southwest Kansas as the timing of flights would not allow for us to make it to appointments we had scheduled on Friday. Admittedly we arrived rather late in the evening and were a little worse for wear after a 5 hour drive. We were both in jeans and button down shirts - so nothing disrespectful. I mention this because I immediately got the feeling that the front desk associate did not feel we were dressed appropriately to grace his establishment. When we arrived there was no valet available at the entrance to take our car. We pulled it in to the parking area across the street and had to go and look for someone to make sure we were in the correct place and they would take care of our car. At this time no one offered to take our luggage so we ended up carrying it across the street to the lobby ourselves. I mention the car incident simply to state how our lack of service began. And in case the front desk associate was worried about my lack of formal attire I believe my Mercedes SLK would be an indication that I would pay my bill.\nThere were no other issues checking in and we went up to our room. Where we were greeted with possibly the smallest, dinkiest hotel room I have ever seen. It was a corner room with a double bed (not a Queen - I sleep on a Queen every night and can tell the difference). You could barely walk around the bed, the only lighting was little tiny book lights on the head board and the bathroom was dank as well. My husband and I were completely appalled. We had paid the price for a King \"superior\" room and were greeted with a double bed in a room that makes the Motel Six look palatial. \nMy husband called the front desk and was told there was nothing they could do.\nI called the front desk back after consulting with him for a few minutes and stated that the room was completely unacceptable. This is when the front desk associate decided to give me legal advice that I had \"signed a contract\" and agreed to stay in that room. That happens to be one of the lamest excuses I have heard in all of my years of traveling. I don't think there is any legally binding contract that states I had to be miserable in a dinky hotel room for an inflated rate. He then stated that there were no other rooms available and I was going to have to stay there.\nThe room was completely unacceptable. I will not be pushed into some third rate tiny room with a double bed when paying the rate of a King \"superior\" room. The hotel and the service was a complete joke.\nWe contacted another hotel and left immediately. When my husband stopped by the front desk to inform them they could have the room the associate would not even talk to him.\nOnce we were checked in to an alternate hotel we contacted Expedia to let them know of the situation and make sure that our credit card was refunded. At this time Expedia made a conference call with the Brown Palace. The hotel refused to refund us for Thursday night - which considering our extreme displeasure any first rate hotel would refund the charges - and tried to continue to charge us for Friday night as well. But that is not the most infuriating part. Now that we had left the Brown Palace and were checked in to an alternate hotel an associate at the Brown Palace relayed to Expedia that they offered to move us and we refused! An outright lie - definitely not a way to run a business.\nWhy in the world would we refuse to move to a new room and instead leave the hotel and pay for the night there as well as a night at another establishment!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If there is anything I simply cannot abide by it is lying.\nMy husband and I will make sure and pass on to all of our business and personal associates the message of the shoddy treatment and ridiculous room at the Brown Palace. We would not want anyone we know to be faced with this.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "As a Colorado native, I had never stayed at the Brown Palace. For my lady's birthday, I booked the room over the internet. The price was comparable to all the other hotels in the downtown area, so I though we'd try it. The valet parking fee is $24, reasonable for the area. Parking and check in were without problems. Inside the small room, like a previous rater had mentioned, there were these black bugs. After cleaning them up, we had to deal with the non intuitive electronic thermostat. The room was at 65 degrees with the air conditioner running, and the room didn't warm up for 3 hours. It's great that there was an ironing board, iron and hair dryer in the room, but where's the coffee maker? A pot costs $8 room service, but they only brought one cup, and forgot about bringing the other one. Wired high speed internet is complimentary. Terrycloth robes with monogram are a nice touch. The linens are top drawer. At 10:30 p.m. we were awakened by a drunk knocking on the door. Three others were standing outside the door drinking, and leering over the rail at the mezzanine. A call to security was made. It would seem that there would be more controlled access to rooms at night. A complaint the next morning resulted in a tacit smile. I won't be back, but I am looking at the Comfort Inn directly across the street for half the price, next time. HST", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "We stayed at the Brown on two different occasions. We really enjoyed the restaurants and bar but the rooms and service were disappointing for what we expected and what we paid. There are too many newer hotels in Denver that have just as good of service for the price. We'll do those from now on. We had a used room service menu in our room, we had no turn-down service and no clean-up in our room and no bathtub, which I had requested. I emailed and wrote the hotel but never received any type of response.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I live in Denver and purchased one of the Brown's overnight get-away packages. We were both VERY disappointed in the room. They put us in an old section that didn't appear to have been updated in decades. It was small, dark and dank, musty. The bathroom was like one out of a Motel 6. All was clean, no problem there. The only good thing I can say about our stay was that it included the Sunday brunch which was wonderful....I can recommend that, only. There are many, many fine hotels in and around the Denver metro area I will stay at before I ever go back to the Brown Palace. I would also note that in the past, I've often searched out old, historic, elegant hotels in my travels and more often than not, they all turn out to be just that, 'old'. I no longer do that. At one property in Alaska, I actually ended up leaving my 'old, historic, elegant' hotel after the first night because it was absolutely the worst place I'd ever stayed. Live n' learn.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "What a beautiful hotel, great bar and resturant. The room was nice, but beware of the bugs. I was very excited to stay at this historic hotel. I had heard great things about it from people who visited the lobby resturants but did not stay overnight. We noticed a few little black bugs that seemed to be confined to the bathroom. After killing a dozen or so, then the big ones came out. They were on the wall in the living area and one even found it's way to the bed. ICK! When complaining to the manangement, they sent someone up to check on the bugs and to tell us that there was nothing they could do since the hotel was fulll. They offered up free breakfast, but nothing else. I was very dissapointed in the experience. At $225 a night, I expected a little more.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We live in Denver and have tried giving the Brown Palace a try numerous times for our guests, for dinner and for drinks. 100% of the time the service is disinterested, slow and rude. We recently booked a last minute room there. When we arrived they told us (after they had charged our credit card) that we would be staying at the Comfort Inn - NOT the Brown Palace. After about a 30 minute conversation with the manager regarding how we could pay for a room at the Brown Palace but could put in the Comfort Inn - he charged us 50% more and put us in a very small room that smelled old and wet. The halls there are so narrow that you can hear your neighbors coming and going - which makes sleeping-in very difficult. The hotel lobby is beautiful - but just go there to look around - everything else is sure to be a disappointment and a waste of money.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husband & I travel frequently, and I can say without a doubt, this is my favorite hotel of what I would call the \"urban category\". My husband had a conference here last year, so I tagged along for the adventure. I went shopping during the day while he slaved away at the conference. The hotel is conveniently located 1-2 blocks away from the pedestrian-friendly \"shopper's paradise\". Denver has this cool street completely closed to traffic, except for buses that you can ride for free, & it's nothing but shops, bars, & restaurants.\nThe service at the hotel was wonderful - it was truly a 5 star experience! The rooms couldn't be any cuter or more comfortable.\nThis hotel is highly recommended!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "119993": {"reviews": [{"text": "This hotel is in an excellent location right on the 16th Street Mall. \nThe hotel itself is only OK. The rooms are bright and sunny. The walls are thin and the heat/air system is very loud. Biggest problem I had was the noise. I could hear the people in the other rooms talking and the heat/air system was really, really loud and woke me up everytime it turned on. I would suggest staying at the Adam's Mark just down the street...or the Comfort Inn on 17th Street. I know that the Comfort Inn sounds economical, but it is a really nice highrise hotel in a great area one block from the Adam's Mark Hotel. Courtyard was overpriced. \nAdam's Mark and Comfort Inn are usually less expensive and much nicer places to stay. Take this advice from someone who spends much time in downtown Denver and enjoys the 16th Street Mall area.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 13}]}, "83093": {"reviews": [{"text": "I have stayed at this hotel numerous times. The Cruise Bar is fabulous and the staff couldn't be nicer. BUT this hotel recently sponsored an anti-gay fundraising event and I can't imagine ever giving them another dime!! What could their management have been thinking?\nThere are other great hotels (Teatro) in Denver - or in Boulder you can try the funky but beautifully situated Chatauqua.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 26}, {"text": "I read the glowing reviews of the Oxford on this web site and was skeptical. As with many restored hotels I was expecting poorly patched plaster and some period threadbare carpeting. However, the reviews were correct. It has obviously had tons of money poured into its restoration to return it to its former grandeur. Everything was immaculate and the staff was exceptionally friendly and helpful. My wife and I booked the cheapest room, and we were surprised to find that it was certainly four-star quality. Its dimensions were about 20x20, with beautiful period-replica furnishings, a large flat-panel TV, beautiful bed linens and a very comfortable pillow-top mattress. As for location, it is right in the heart of historic downtown Denver, and there were multitudes of restaurant choices within a block or two. We had Italian for dinner at Il Fornaio (I had excellent rabbit), American for breakfast and Cuban for lunch at the Rumba Room, all within walking distance.\nWe experienced a few downsides to the hotel. First and foremost, there is a $21 charge for parking. Ouch! Second, it took about five minutes for the bathroom water to go from quite warm to hot. Third, a few spots in our bathroom had poor workmanship on the restoration; just cosmetics. Finally, each room lacks Internet access, with only one public computer on the second floor with Internet access.\nThat said, I would highly recommend it, and I would certainly stay there again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "We stayed here over Christmas 2004 and had a wonderful time. Our room was huge and the hotel staff so friendly. Great period furniture throughout the hotel, cushy beds, and large bath tub. Close to everything (Larimer Sq., 16th St. mall, great restaurants, and the wonderful Tattered Cover Bookstore.) The hotel offered a special holiday rate that made our stay not just delightful, but a bargain as well. I never wanted to leave.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I thought that this place was ok but nothing great. It has lots of character. Room was fairly large but in desperate need of updating;especially the bathroom. Bed was very comfortable. My biggest complaint was the noise factor from both inside and out. I was in an exterior room on the second floor so there was lots of traffic noise. I also wasn't that happy about hearing the room above me being vacuumed at 8 am. The staff was great - very friendly and helpful.\nOverall - I would try somewhere else next time.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "573340": {"reviews": [{"text": "We just returned from an unfortunate stay at this Hyatt. We arrived at the hotel with confirmed reservations for a special package including King nonsmoking room with valet and breakfast. A line of cars was waiting to park and a hotel employee was informing cars that only the partygoers were allowed to park - NOT HOTEL GUESTS. He said hotel guests would have to find \"other parking arrangements\" in downtown Denver on a Saturday night.(Denver tows cars left overnight). In disbelief we forged on. The front desk said that despite the inclusion of the valet parking charge of $25.00 we would have to find other arrangements and that we would have to \"see accounting\" the next day if we wanted the parking charge refunded! Not even sorry for the inconvenience. It is the hotel's policy to prefer the party attendees over hotel guests.The party goers were attending a \"Rio Jubalee\" in the hotel. We were not alone in being turned away - families, elderly guests all arrived to find they would have to schlep their own bags and fend for themselves.\nNeedless to say we were frustrated and annoyed but the hotel enforces a 48 hour cancellation fee of one nights charge if you cancel. Next, the hotel explained there were no king beds left - sorry. After some begging they located a room. The room was a new typical hotel room with a sleek design and nice views. The room and bedding were not exceptional.(hard mattress with scratchy sheets) While we were definitely tainted by the staff's policies I can honestly say that even without the parking fiasco, the hotel itself is very average in downtown Denver's array of options. Seriously consider the options before paying a premium to stay at an average hotel room were the guests are not the hotel's main priority as a matter of policy. \n*****One very noteworthy aspect of this behemoth was the 27th floor bar - really great. Amazing views!I would recommend foregoing the hotel stay but instead staying at the Westin Tabor Center hotel, Brown Palace, The Luna Hotel or The Teatro hotel and dropping in for a drink at the 27th floor bar at the Hyatt to see the Denver lights.(As a party goer - you'll receive preferential treatment to boot!)", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "One night in Denver, thought we would try the new Hyatt Regency Denver At Colorado Convention Center. Hotel is excellent, stylish, chic, great location and very helpful and professional staff. We were given a room on a high floor and the view was fantastic.The beds are so soft and the sheets and pillows are like velvet, the room looked as if we were the first to stay in it. The top floor bar has the same view and also follows the theme of a stylish retreat.The public areas are open spaced and uber chic mixed with natural textures in both the hard landscaping and soft fabrics. A 24 hour coffee shop near to reception is very practical. I think we had a new opening promotional rate on the room, but I would not hesitate to stay here again, even at a higher rate. Can't give higher praise other than to recommend it, great place to stay in Denver.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "We stayed in the brand new Hyatt Dec. 27, 2005. It had only been open for a week at the time and I believe we were the first to stay in our room. The rooms are not huge, but they are gorgeous with triple sheeted beds. The entire hotel is decorated very uniquely and tastefully. The staff bent over backwards to please. They asked where we were going and had the conceirge call our room with directions to our restaurant. We went to a performance at the Denver Performing Arts Center which is literally across the street. When we returned to the room, we were surprised to find a lovely complimentary appetizer tray of cheese, nuts, etc. and soft drinks for our family of four set up in our room. There is a great bar on the 27th floor with a view of the whole city. The next day the kids wanted to swim, but it was checkout time. The front desk staff gladly issued us a key to the pool and gym areas so we could stay longer. The pool is an indoor lap pool and the gym (no additional cost) has very high tech workout machines, each with their own television so you can change the channel. The locker room is fully stocked with shampoo, blow dryer, plush towels, etc. There are too many little touches to mention, but an example is the moving art with sound effects in the elevator (you just have to see it). I highly recommend this hotel to anyone who is visiting downtown Denver.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 22}]}, "1026992": {"reviews": []}, "308759": {"reviews": [{"text": "The JW Marriott Denver is a very unique hotel. Its in Cherry Creek North which almost has a small town/main street look. But though it looks main street/small town, its a very trendy area. Then you cross 1st Avenue which is 1 block away and you are at the Cherry Creek Mall, which has Saks, Neiman and many many other high end retailers. Also a few blocks away is the Tattered Cover Bookstore which is one of the largest in the US. The hotel is relatively small for a Marriott, but its not exactly a boutique hotel either. Its kind of a hybrid of the two. The public areas are very bold as far as Marriott goes, almost seemed Art Decoish. The hotel clientele seemed fairly rich and upscale and you probably wouldn't like the hotel if you don't have at least a little bit of sophistication in your blood. This hotel is very unique and very hard to classify. You have to go and see it for yourself to understand. It projected both the impression of a quaint boutique hotel on a Connecticut Mainstreet but also had vibes of a glitzy, pretentious hotel in NY. The decor was very daring and tantalizing but yet it still felt like a big box hotel retailer. It seemed both cozy and pretentious. I guess in a way this hotel is typical Denver, new meets old, east meets west, cowboy meets moviestar. Go check it out.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I recently spent two nights in the JW Marriott Denver while I was in town on business. I stayed there about a year ago, and the hotel was perhaps even better during my most recent stay. The hotel is right in the heart of the Cherry Creek district, with lots of shopping and several large financial firms within walking distance. There is no self-parking on the property, although valet parking is available for $22 per day. The upscale lobby is somewhat on the smallish side, but has a swanky bar and premium restaurant, while check-in is only a few steps from the main entrance. The rooms are very nice: upscale furnishings, large 32\" tube television with 37 channels and very comfortable bed (almost \"heavenly\"). The expansive bathroom is much better than most, with a granite counter, marble tile and glass-enclosed shower (in addition to a tub). The executive lounge was also better than average, with hot breakfast offerings in the morning (eggs, bacon or sausage) and sinful dessert offerings at night. Soft drinks and water along with beer and wine were provided there at no extra charge. The only minor complaint I had during my stay was that my shower water was only warm--not hot--on the second day. Overall, the JW Marriott is well-deserving of its AAA four-diamond rating. Although not cheap, the quality and service are worth every penny.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "578190": {"reviews": [{"text": "I travel about 50 weeks of the year and have stayed at a lot of hotels. The Residence Inn Denver City Center is, by far, the best hotel I have stayed at. Not only are the rooms appointed comfortably, the staff at this hotel, and the amenities, are A++++.\nI stayed at this hotel for two weeks while on business. All suites have kitchens and the staff will gladly run to the grocery store, with your list, and purchase your groceries. There is no charge for this service and the grocery receipt is photocopied before the charge for the food is added to your hotel bill. It's a great service that ALL hotels should be doing if they offer kitchens. To be able to cook fresh food for 2 weeks was a dream.\nThe bed linens are top notch. The beds are extremely comfortable. The rooms are spacious, with a marble \"bar\" kitchen table, sofa, chair, work desk, dressers and flat screen TV. The lighting is excellent. There are more lamps in the room than most hotels. A perk for me was that the window opens to let fresh air into the suite. Loved that.\nThe roof has a hot tub, outside. Nothing better than relaxing after a long day in a hot tub that over looks the Rocky Mountains. Simply amazing.\nBreakfast is served every morning. The assortment of waffles, eggs, breakfast meats, fruit, juices and coffee was simply outstanding. Better than most restaurants I've been too. They serve dinner Monday thru Thursday. I only took advantage of it once, Alaskan white fish and wild rice with a salad. Really good!\nI will say, again, the best thing about this amazing hotel is the staff. Friendly, reliable, courteous, experienced and you can tell they like what they do.\nIf you are coming to Denver, particularly if you are visiting for a lengthy amount of tiem, you should do yourself the favor and stay at this hotel. You'll be hard pressed to find another in the downtown area that is as nice, as clean and as comfortable.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 27}]}, "120058": {"reviews": [{"text": "Booked this at the last minute for a cross-country flight from the West Coast. We had tickets for the opera and were booked at the Hyatt. Tripadvisor warnings about that hotel not having valet parking available made me switch as we were going to be arriving after midnight.\nThe hotel is beautiful. We had a junior king suite which is actually comprised of two rooms. (I am guessing a \"petite room\" and a \"king room\".) We had NO view and looked out over air-conditioning units. If you were there for an extended stay ask for the other side (we were in Room 500).\nWe had two full bathrooms which were elegant and equipped. We loved the waterfall shower head and separate hand-held. They have made use of every square inch in this property. The desks in both rooms were set up for business. In the room with the king bed there was a full-size printer and fax.Internet was an upcharge. \nWe ate at the little cafe on-site after the opera and the food was amazing. For chi chi prices the portions were ample and the quality superb.\nThe only downside was the reservation process. We booked through the \"Club\" side of the website (affiliated with Small Hotels of Luxury). We were supposed to get continental breakfast, aromatherapy bath, and tickets to the fitness club. Traveling after a full week of work on Friday night, upon arriving at almost 1:00 am we didn't think to ask about it. The next morning, fortified by deep sleep with luxurious linens, I asked at the front desk. The girl there said \"You don't qualify for anything. SORRY.\" I didn't push it. We were there to relax, and it is a beautiful property in the best possible location for the opera. (less than a block away and most of it covered). Still. It was kind of embarrassing.\nAll in all, this is a great property. Valet parking was prompt. The rooms are excellent. The location next to the opera is unparalled. There are several excellent restaurants within two blocks. And a liquor store as well, which you will need as there are no ice machines in the hotel.:)", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I don't usually take the time to comment on a hotel, but the Hotel Teatro knocked my socks off!! I had booked online, and when I arrived, the very gracious receptionist said there was space enough to upgrade my room from a petite guestroom to a deluxe room at no additional charge. The room was beautiful, large, and very tastefully appointed with contemporary furniture, lighting, and art, a very comfortable bed with premium linens, a TV offering a huge range of first-run movies, minibar, and a splendid desk and work area. The bathroom was sumptuous, with a deep jacuzzi tub, a beautiful glass shower, marble vanity, delicious Frette towels and robes, television and phone, and lovely hair and skin products. I had a moment to look over the hotel services book, which, in addition to the wonderful in-room dining menu, highlighted a range of tailored services available through the hotel, from babysitting to transportation to local theaters. I happily made use of a well-appointed fitness room on the second floor. The concierge was very capable and had great suggestions for dinner and local entertainment. Every member of the staff called me by name and was gracious at every turn. I was only disappointed that, because it was Sunday, I was not able to enjoy the fabulous Restaurant Kevin Taylor off the hotel's lobby. After staying at a dizzying array of impersonal humdrum hotels, Hotel Teatro is a real standout. I can't wait to return!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My girlfriend and I spent our anniversary recently at Hotel Teatro. Pre arrival I called the concierge and was helped in arranging wine, chocolate covered strawberry's and a rose pedal turn down service. When we arrived we were surprised by the old style outside of the hotel and wondered what the inside had in store. We were instantly wowed, marble floors, great fixtures, music playing softly it was perfect. We checked in effortlessly and they upgraded us for the special occasion and congratulated us as well. Nice touch! Our room key was 20 years ahead of its time, more like a car key. Our room was amazing, all that one could want. I let my girlfriend go in first and she found the chocolate covered strawberry's and then the wine. The bathroom was spacious with a separate shower and tub. The only down side was our room looked at the convention center parking lot. But we didn't get the room for a view in downtown.\n We called down to the bellmen to inquire about a ride to the Fillmore Auditorium for a concert and they said the hotel vehicle would be available in 10 minutes. We went down stairs and they had a brand new Hotel Teatro Cadillac Esclade with I think 20 inch rims we were shocked. Our driver was really nice. Took us to the concert and we arrived in style to say the least. People thought we were rock stars, and they picked us up when it was over.\n The shower in the bathroom was also amazing, I have been meaning to call the hotel and ask them about there rainforest type shoer head that drips water on you from the top. Like its coming out of the ceiling.. Trully amazing and very very relaxing and romantic. \n We were the youngest guest in the hotel but that didn't bother us. We lived it up. The restaurant was closed for a private party which was very inconvenient and they had a great rock band that we were not allowed to partake in watching.. Oh well we didn't let that spoil our trip and just had room service. Which was ok, I think it was the same food from the restaurant. Keep n mind they stop service alcohol in room service at 2am at this hotel and there is no min bar in the room!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Beautiful hotel - but don't expect to be treated like one of the beautiful people.....customer service was frustrating to say the least! Called the first time and got a quote on the rooms - when called back the rates were different. Had to talk to someone else to get my original quote. Specifically requested king size beds, but when I checked in - got \"upgraded\" to queen size beds. Took over an hour to get settled into the correct rooms and to get luggage FINALLY delivered to our rooms!! Didn't have extra keys to the rooms and were charged $24 for parking the car overnight. Price / value - definitely not worth it. Would not stay there again.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 14}]}, "83040": {"reviews": [{"text": "A disaster! We could not check in because the computers were down, the rooms are plain and poorly remodeled, there were no sheets for the sofa bed, no batteries in the wall clock, two towels in a four-person suite. The cribs were decrepit. The parking elevators only work about half the time--you may end up walking outside on the street or at best get into the hotel and feel like a mouse in maze trying to get to the hotel elevators. The fitness room is a joke, as is Harry's bar. The lighting is funky-bad. They were out of eggs at breakfast and out of milk at milk and cookie time. The views are bad unless you want to look into someone else's room. They have about 10 free channels on TV, all other \"amenities\" they advertise are added to your room bill. Don't bother to complain either because the customer service is also bad.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 16}]}, "878358": {"reviews": [{"text": "Really wanted this to be good and they insisted it be bad...\nI was so looking forward to staying at this hotel. I have stayed in nice hotels around the world, but so far never at a Ritz. Being that it was newer and a 5 star hotel, I passed up on the excellent stay I had last year at the Hotel Monaco and booked the Ritz instead three months in advance of our trip. Since we would have four adults, I required 2 queen beds and hotels.com confirmed that room was available. A week before arrival I received a follow up confirmation from hotels.com for the 4 adults and beds.\nUpon arrival, we were informed of the hotel's completely sold out status due to the convention. We arrived at the hotel around 11:30 am and even though they were checking in the few guests in front of us in line, we were told that no rooms were cleaned and we would have to wait to get a room until later. Not to worry, as soon as one became available I would receive a phone call on my cell phone. They confirmed the number twice. We went the entire day until 6:30pm with no phone call. At this point we need to get ready for a dinner, so we went back to the hotel. We were slightly concerned that we went all day with no phone call and no room, but upon arriving back at the hotel, we were told our room was now available. I jokingly asked for Club Level upgrade since we never got a call and had spent hours killing time waiting for the room but the front desk attendant quickly denied it. He did tell us we could pay $100 a day to get access to the club, but we would still not be on the club level due to the hotel being sold out. We declined.\nA little bad goes to totally wrong...\nUpon receiving our keys we proceeded to our room to find one single bed. Without even setting down our bags, we immediately carried all our luggage back down to the lobby and front desk. I politely informed Marco, the same front desk associate that gave us our keys, that a mistake had been made and we were given a king room instead of the 2 queens that we had been confirmed. He quickly snapped back that there were no other rooms available. He offered no solutions until I pressed him how could four adults be expected to stay in a king bed. He eventually offered a roll away bed as the only possible solution, but kindly he wouldn't charge us the normal $30 a night fee for it. Are you kidding me? I have slept on roll aways before, but I refuse to at a 5 star hotel with arguably the best beds in the industry. And to even comment that you wouldn't charge me for your hotel's mistake...\nNeedless to say I asked for a manager. Amazingly enough right in front of my eyes, Marco transformed from the night shift desk clerk into a manager. I pressed him to speak to someone else. I was then given Gary who told me the same story: No more rooms. I asked how I could be confirmed with two beds and be given only one. I asked if showing him my confirmation would help. He said yes. I proceeded to locate the email and show him. Then he said there was still nothing he could do. Was proof of the confirmation just to amuse him? At this point he blamed hotels.com. He said hotels.com sent a reservation for only one bed. I argued, seeing no reason why they would send me a confirmation showing two beds when they intended to book only one. We went round and round. Finally I asked if the room could be cancelled and we would move to Hotel Monaco on the next block which had a two bed room. Gary told me that was impossible, the whole town was sold out, but we could cancel if we got approval thru hotels.com.\nWe went to our room, which by the way was beautiful and immaculate. I confirmed limited availability at Monaco and proceeded to call hotels.com. I explained the situation and the representative confirmed that a 2 bed reservation had been sent to the hotel. They resent my confirmation to me. They then put me on hold and contacted the hotel directly. After several minutes, the representative came back on the line. He said that the hotel now agrees that they were sent a 2 bed reservation, but at this point they had no other rooms to switch us to. I asked if I could get permission from hotels.com to cancel the reservation, as stated by Gary at the Ritz. The representative then informed me that I could switch hotels, but the RITZ would not grant me a refund for this one!!! Gary was one of the people the hotels.com rep had spoken with while I was on hold. I was shocked. After all this and Gary telling me I needed permission from hotels.com to cancel, he was now the one not willing to allow a refund. After hearing this, I asked to speak to a supervisor. I then received excellent customer service from hotels.com and was told that if we needed to switch hotels, we would receive a full refund for the Ritz reservation, even if the Ritz refused to give any money back. \nOnce hotels.com agreed to take care of me, I went downstairs to the front desk of the Ritz and asked what I needed to do to check out because we would be changing hotels. Marco, the original front desk attendant, stated in a slightly smarmy tone that we had to do nothing because the room was officially ours for the whole reservation since the Ritz would not be refunding any money. This irked me even more and I again asked to speak to the manager, who was Gary. Gary came out and once again told us it was all hotels.com fault and therefore the Ritz was taking no responsibility. I asked him if the Ritz knew there were four people in this room, which they had already admitted they knew, why they would assign us a single king bed. I asked if this was normal policy of a 5 star hotel, four people in one bed, and suprisingly he responded \"sometimes this does happen\".\nAt this point I knew this was going nowhere and I told him they really needed to rethink their customer service policy. Gary then took it one step further and told me \"to be honest, I hate dealing with hotels.com and expedia. They always cause problems.\" I told him I thought the problems lied within the hotel because the hotels.com rep had already confirmed with the Ritz that the Ritz had received a reservation for us for two beds, but gave the room to someone else. Gary's response and I quote: \"They are lying.\" I asked Gary if hotels.com was lying then how was Marco able to see that a reservation for two beds existed in the system after someone from hotels.com confirmed it with him personally. Gary then had to eat his words. Marco then showed him in their own system that a reservation for TWO beds WAS RECEIVED BY THE RITZ. They knew it all along and refused to admit it. How does the hotel manager not even know how to correctly look up a reservation in his own system. Gary then suprisingly mentioned that they were already giving us a roll away bed at no charge, there was nothing else they could do. I asked him why he would refuse to cancel our reservation at no penalty to hotels.com if he now knew the problem existed on the end of the Ritz. He finally agreed to this option again.\nWe went back up to our room to gather our luggage. As this had been an ordeal spanning well over an hour, we were already late for our business dinner. As we waited for a car, we had a drink at the bar. Realizing I had forgotten something in our room, I quickly ran back up to the room. Marco quickly followed me to the elevators and asked if we had vacated the room. I told him that because the ordeal had taken an hour and a half before being resolved, we had no choice but to leave our bags and attend our meeting. He quickly informed me that since they had agreed to refund our money, we would have to take our bags with us to the business meeting, since they were going to try and resell the room for that night. I thought that they couldn't push us any farther than what they already had, but he continued to suprise. I immediately called the Hotel Monaco back. Unfortunately now in the two hours that had passed since receiving our keys to the wrong room at the Ritz and this point in time, that room had already been taken at the other hotel. I informed Marco we were stuck at his hotel.\nThe following morning I requested at the front desk to be called if a room with two beds became available. My phone number was again confirmed by a friendly woman. She told me I would be contacted by the reservations coordinator once they arrived. Another day, another day without a phone call from the Ritz. Now I know that probably very few people checked out on a Friday, but by Saturday we witnessed several groups of people checking out. I am certain that over the three nights we were there, a two bed room could have been located. Yet instead of ever receiving a phone call, we consistantly received apologies for things that should have happened that did not. Without a doubt this was the worst front desk service I have ever received. Even though I was furious, I never raised my voice and never spoke unprofessionally to any of the staff I dealt with. At one point I told Gary that I was a member of Tripadvisor and I would be happy to document this event. He asked if I was threatening him, I told him it was a promise. Well even if the Ritz can't fulfill the promises that they make, I can. Please enjoy the recounting of this awful customer service.\nThere were a few highlights. James at valet was always friendly and always remembered us, asking hour our dinners were from the night before. James also coordinates the Rolls Royce that the hotel provides and he does a wonderful job. The driver, whom I can't remember his name, was also great as were the bellmen. There were some excellent staff, they just weren't at the front desk on our trip.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 20}]}, "530585": {"reviews": [{"text": "This was a really nice hotel if you need to stay close to the airport. Great rates- about $80 is what we paid, which includes breakfast. Nice rooms, equivalent to a Marriott. Good service- highly recommend!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "1149434": {"reviews": []}, "1845691": {"reviews": []}, "1859056": {"reviews": []}, "225100": {"reviews": [{"text": "I stayed in February at the Ritz DC for a week on a business trip, the room was very clean. Front desk staff were very helpful. Food was great. Hotel location is so convenient. However there is no free Wi-Fi and there is an extra fee for using the business center. I recommend it for business trips.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 29}, {"text": "Ok \n Bellperson ignored me and when I asked where is the front desk, he pointed with his finger and didn't even helped me with my luggage. The front desk wasn't helpful either. He didn't even show me my room and where to go. I went to a wrong way and he shouts my name and point with his hand where the elevator is. When I went back to the room, the room view was a construction site with a lot noise. I booked an executive room and I've never been treated like this. So I turned back and went to another 5 star hotel. What a bad service and an insult.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "Room was beautiful, down comforter and mattress pad were sublime. View was abysmal. In the end, I was unimpressed by what $400 (including tax) purchased.\nEvidently every time the weather changes, the doors stick. Room doors would frequently not latch properly when closed, and this disables the electronic key card reader. I was able to get into my room only after returning to the front desk and getting directions that I should pull the door toward me until it latched fully and swipe the card again. (This happened to at least one other guest who had returned to the front desk after not being able to get into her room.)\nDespite three calls from the company which had arranged my reservation and which was paying for the room, the front desk staff still claimed that they had no instructions on billing information and wanted to charge me directly. (Evidently the reservations staff neither input the billing information nor communicated with the front desk staff.) It took 8 hours, three calls from the company hosting me, and two calls by the front desk staff before the corporate account reservations manager and the front desk staff finally communicated and resolved the problem.\nWhen a room is costing $400, it just seems like a few more of the amentities should be gratis. I've stayed at less prestigious hotels which charge anywhere from $40 to $100, but where access to the pool was free. I kind of choked at the idea of being charged $12 to use the pool on top of a $400 room bill. (Their 100,000 sq. ft. gym is obviously top-notch, but when all one wants is a 30-minute swim to ensure a good night's sleep, it just seemed excessive.)\nFinally, I'd recommend avoiding room service. Prices were exhorbitant. ($10 plus delivery charges for a pot of drip-coffee.... Alcohol marked up by 1,000%....) Once again, I reflected that a less prestigious (and less expensive) hotel would probably have had a gratis continental breakfast in the lobby. In the end, I'd have to recommend the excellent local restaurants, particularly Pizzeria Paradiso, or the local StarBucks over room service.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My family and I stayed in three rooms over a recent weekend at the Ritz in DC. We stayed in the standard, non-upgrade rooms. Overall, we had a good experience, but I wouldn't call it excellent. Here are a few of the things we liked:\n1) Room service was very prompt and pretty tasty. Took about 25 minutes during the afternoon (though it was a small order)\n2) Bathrooms are HUGE, including a separate bath and shower, large sink, and a toilet with a door that you can close for privacy. \n3) Lots of light comes into the rooms when you want it, but you can also close the curtains for darkness.\n4) Staff was very courteous and polite. \n5) Had clothes pressed quickly, though they do charge for that service\n6) Beds are VERY comfortable, as is standard at all Ritz hotels.\n7) General cleanliness of the rooms and hotel is high.\n8) Cordless phones are a nice touch.\n9) Pretty decent selection of TV stations, including many foreign ones. \nHere are a few of the things we didn't like:\n1) Our shower leaked water all over the bathroom. And not a small amount, but a large pool of water that took several towels to clean up. This only occurred in one of the three rooms, so it was probably a room-specific issue. However, we were not compensated for it (didn't ask, though we told them about it at check-out)\n2) Along the same lines, the toilet in the same room clogged and overflowed even though someone only did \"number 1\" in it. The maids had clearly flushed something down it that clogged it. Again, a room-specific issue, but not pleasant. (With the shower water and the toilet water all over the floor, we used slippers the rest of the time we were there)\n3) The room service was VERY expensive, and INCLUDED a delivery charge as well as gratuity. \n4) The clothes-pressing was also expensive, and is a service many luxury hotels offer for free.\n5) The internet in the room is not free. \n6) No wireless internet access in the rooms. \n7) There is a health club open to the public on the second floor of the hotel. As a result, there is a lot of traffic in the elevators, and you need your room key to get to any floor, which is inconvenient and difficult to operate. Also, the health club is NOT free for hotel guests, which is ridiculous. \n8) At the restaurant in the hotel, our breakfast took over 45 minutes to arrive and one of the orders was entirely incorrect. \n9) The views are not terribly good. In two of the rooms, the view was on an interior \"courtyard\" and other rooms, which was not terribly attractive. The other side was worse, though, looking out onto an Exxon gas station and a construction site. Neither offered a view of any DC monuments, etc. \n10) The location is near Dupont circle, but far away from many of DC's tourist attractions. Too far to walk, for sure. Look on a map before booking, though cabs are readily available at the hotel. \nIn conclusion, it is a pretty nice hotel, and many of the above would not bother certain guests. It is much better than, say, the St. Regis hotel in DC. Keep in mind all of the extra costs, though, in addition to the room. If you have an elite membership in Starwood or another hotel program, you might be better served to use that and upgrade to a nice room at a slightly lower-scale hotel rather than stay at the Ritz where you pay for internet, clothes-pressing, and the health club. Our stay was pleasant, but we'd look at some of the other DC hotels on a subsequent visit.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Overall we had a great experience at this hotel. Service impecable. Everyone greets you, manager phones to see if you're alright.. a little much if you just want to be left alone but they weren't too imposing. 2nd time here and 2nd time was better. Stayed 4 nights in March. Large rooms, GREAT beds (I miss our \"marshmallow bed\"), big and luxiorous bathrooms. Good location if you're willing to walk. Views so-so (gas station on one side). Hidden extras, $12 extra per day for health club, no free high-speed internet. We got a good gov't rate; if you're paying more than $300 then it's probably not as good of a deal. Honestly, fellow guests were a bit too snooty for their own good, but hey it's the Ritz, whaddya expect? Will stay here again and as often as possible.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "All things considered, this is my favorite hotel in Washington, but it's certainly not perfect.\nI've always stayed on the Club Level. The rooms are quite nice; I've stayed in better rooms, but they're certainly in line with what I'd expect from a Ritz-Carlton.\nThe location is excellent and one of my favorite things about the place. One can easily walk to Dupont Circle and Georgetown.\nThe service, however, is uneven. None of the employees has ever been blatantly rude. But they're sometimes clueless. And many of them don't really go out of their way to provide excellent service. At the restaurant, one waiter is quite \"snooty.\" In the lobby bar, service is courteous but often quite slow. In the club lounge, the staff are often in the back room, leaving the lounge totally unstaffed.\nSome of the staff are indeed excellent, and I can think of many examples of excellent service there. But consistency is definitely a problem. If this were a Hilton or even a Westin, I'd say that the service is fine, but I think that most people expect more from a Ritz-Carlton.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Falls far below the traditional Ritz-Carlton standards. Service is very poor and is only comparable to a low-end motel chain. Management is impolite, loutish and offensive. Rooms are well-equipped and good size. Room service is horrendous, at best. With the solitary exception of the bar and lounge, restaurant food and service is awful. The worst views, I have experienced in a Ritz. The best of the views available is the Exxon gas station right in front of the main entrance. Gym is jam-packed, as it is open to the general public. Most definitely the worst Ritz, I have seen in the world.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "84092": {"reviews": []}, "253068": {"reviews": [{"text": "I recently stayed at the Georgetown Ritz due to the positive reviews I saw here. I was very underwhelmed by my experience. \nI checked in shortly before 1:30 pm (which I appreciated) since I had a conference call. The first room I was given had no cell phone reception so I asked to switch. Coverage was better (though still spotty) near the window of the second room. About 10 minutes into my call, a housekeeper came in to spruce up my room. I told her the room was fine, but she kept insisting so I finally said OK just to continue my call. She bustled around, then left. Some 20 minutes later, as I was still on my call, the phone rang and the housekeeper knocked again. She said she needed to remove an amenity meant for another guest. (It turns out she had placed it there mistakenly the first time she came in!) After she left, the phone rang again: It was reception, saying the housekeeper was going to stop by to pick up the amenity\u2026which I never even saw. By now, my call had been interrupted four times.\nThen, before going to bed, I requested a 7:00 am wake-up call. Shortly after midnight (!), I was awakened by a call from someone wanting to confirm my wake-up call for 7:00 am, which I confirmed. Then luckily I awoke by myself at 7:06 the next morning, because no wake-up call came in. To avoid being called while I was in the shower, I called the operator to say I no longer needed a call, and she responded, \"OK, I will cancel your 7:30 am wake-up call.\" Huh?\nWhen my breakfast arrived, the check showed a different price than what was on the menu (I was being charged $8 for cereal with yogurt, listed at $6). I pointed this out to the delivery person, who seemed very confused but ultimately said she would take care of it. She came back to my room 10 minutes later to tell me that I was wrong. At that point, I just let it go.\nFinally, as I was checking out, I alluded to having been surprised by several service glitches, which the receptionist brushed off, claiming \"computer problems.\" I had at least expected an apology, but I guess his response was consistent with my experience overall. \nHere's the clincher: I was so surprised by all this that I sent an email to the hotel detailing my experience. It took them a week to respond. When they finally did, they had barely edited what was clearly a form letter, which ended by offering me an upgrade on my next stay there! Needless to say, there will be no \"next stay.\"", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I had the great pleasure of visiting the Ritz-Carlton Georgetown several times for both business and pleasure. My job (I ran two public policy organizations) gave me the opportunity to host a small conference at the hotel. Other visits were for pure pleasure, where I enjoyed the lovely rooms...the great restaurant...and the fun bar.\nLet me first say that this Ritz looks like no other Ritz you've probably ever seen! The R-C Georgetown was the first Ritz to be built as a small, boutique hotel. Think \"steel\" and \"glass\"...not dark wood and antiques. Very modern. I, personally, love it.\nThe staff is amazing. Everyone I have encountered at the hotel -- from the doormen, to the valets, to the front desk staff, to the housekeepers, to the spa personnel, to the sales department, to the waiters and bartenders, right up to the general manager -- have impressed the heck out of me. Top notch service. \"The customer is always right.\" \"What can I do for you, Mr. Berry?\" I feel like royalty every time I visit the property.\nThe general manager of the hotel is Jenni Brown, an extremely professional young woman who has been with the Ritz-Carlton chain for many years in various countries. She actually lives on-site (reminds me of the old days when hotel general managers always lived on-site), which assures that the hotel is always run to her specificiations. Jenni runs a tight ship, and she never ceases to impress me.\nThe rooms are gorgeous -- large and modern. The beds and beddings are amazing. Bathrooms are stunning.\nThere is a fun bar on the first level called \"Degrees.\" Great atmosphere -- fun and safe. Doesn't feel like a hotel bar at all. The bartenders have great personalities. I just love visiting there.\nThe only restaurant is located on the 2nd floor of the hotel, and I have eaten there many times. I love their food: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The food is great (not 5-star but definitely 4-star), and the service is outstanding.\nFor female travelers who might be traveling alone: The hotel is very safe. 24 hours per day, a valid room cardkey is required to go up any elevator. This keeps strangers from roaming the halls. A small safety feature...but thoughtful.\nThere is a conference room located at the back of the hotel on level one. My conference attendees loved the space, the food, the rooms, the spa, and the service. The Ritz-Carlton Georgetown was a big hit! (Annabelle in the sales office handled the arrangements - she was terrific.)\nIn terms of location, the Ritz Georgetown is located one block off of \"M Street,\" which is the most fashionable shopping street/district in all of Washington, DC. The location cannot be beat in terms of strolling, shopping, visiting Georgetown University, etc. \nThe Ritz-Carlton Georgetown always charges more for rooms than its sister properties in downtown Washington, at Pentagon City, and at Tyson's Corner. Trust me: Georgetown is the best of all of them. \nJust a quick word about the other three properties (I have stayed at all of them):\nRitz Downtown Washington: The only reason to stay here is if you want access to a fancy gym. The Sports Club/LA is located in the same complex as the hotel, and hotels guests at this property are allowed to use The Sports Club during their stay.\nRitz Pentagon City: Great if you have business at the Pentagon or want to stay literally above a Metro (subway) station. Otherwise, why?\nRitz Tyson's Corner: Maestro, the top restaurant in this hotel, is truly 5-stars. I had one of the most amazing dinners of my life at Maestro, and even the Washington Post food critic (who doesn't gush about hardly any place) \"gushed\" about Maestro. Of course, you could always stay at the Ritz-Carlton Georgetown and arrange to have a Ritz car ferry you to Tyson's Corner hotel for dinner!\nI really can't say enough about this hotel. It's my favorite hotel in America.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Last year for Christmas I thought I would buy a bunch of friends a night of Mixology. This was a program they offered that let you step behind the bar at the Ritz and they would teach you how to make drinks. I saw it online and called to ask if I could buy this for my friends. I thought what a great idea and a lot of fun for only $50+ a person. I called ahead and was told I had to come in and order them. When I entered the Ritz at this location for the first time I was greeted by a very nice door man. I walked in and could not find the front desk person. I realized that the front desk looks more like a concierge but there was nothing telling where the front desk was. I waited 20 minutes for assistance as the front desk person (1) only person working in the lobby would ask me to step over after she had helped out her last person she had finished checking out. This is where I realized that the front desk and concierge are one in the same in this location.\nWhile I sat there she kept answered the phone while I waited patiently. When she asked how she could help me I inquired about the gift certificates and where I could get them from. I was told that I could only get them from 1 person and she was not there at this time. She then answered more phone calls and then walked away for a few minutes trying to find the contact information for this person. \nWhen I did call back during the Food and Beverage Managers office hours she took great care of me and told me that she would charge my card and have all the gift cards ready in 2 days. I thought that maybe my first visit that they were short staffed. I came back into the Ritz 2 days later to pick up the gift cards and the same thing happened with the front desk person who kept answering phones and she was the only one there at the time. This time there was no door man. I think this Ritz is very understaffed in this location. I have stayed at Many Ritz's and the service always stands out. I think this is why I was so shocked\nAfter I handed my friends these gift cards we all thought it would be fun to go together to this after the holiday. We called up to book and they told us the next available date would be April. We were kind of disappointed but we thought that it must be a lot of fun and they must have a lot of people doing this great idea. Well, April came along and one of my friends broke her nose so we called to change the date and they told us the next date available would be August. We took it. Just a few weeks ago I got a call saying that Ritz was canceling this program and that we needed to call this guy who is the Food and Beverage Manager to see what else we can use this gift cards for. I have now called 3x's with no call back from their Food and Beverage Manager. This follows in step with all the terrible service I have had at this location. I have not stayed here nor would I recommend it to any. If you think you are staying at a Ritz, you may get better service at 1 or 2 star hotel instead.\nI am still waiting on that call back!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Couldn't get picture on Fox News but Al-Jazeera came in fine, as well as Saudi Arabia TV. Soft rap music(?) played at dinner in Fahrenheit restaurant, quite unpleasant. Overall food was good. Most employees were courteous however a very small segment apparently resent Americans as evidenced through overt inattention, and in one case outlandish behavior. Definitely cannot recommend this hotel, felt unsafe due to a singular negative interaction with an employee (not to be believed), first in 32 years of business travel. Not your typical Ritz Carlton. \nYour choice, you decide.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "557199": {"reviews": [{"text": "Korman Communities (KC) is outstanding. The rooms are an excellent size (910 square foot for my 1 bed suite) and are well set out. The bed is divine. There is a great shower and the bath is deep enough for your toddler (if you have one) to swim in! They were extremely accomodating for children. The main living area is spacious and very well equipped. There are two Sony Wega TVs (both with their own satellite - with free HBOs), Sony Hi fi and DVD player, phone with free local calls and without hotel like charges for long distance (!), (fast and reliable) high speed internet and a great well stocked open plan kitchen (oven, microwave, dishwasher). There is also a utility cupboard with your own Bosch Washer and separate tumble drier). As you will see from my photos the rooms are anything but grimy! The rooms and the entire complex is spotless, and the weekly servicing is very good.\nThe staff were extremely friendly. The front desk is staffed round the clock and they are very helpful. When I couldn't set up the internet, they sent an engineer straight away who set up both my Mac and PC for internet. There is a free breakfast weekday mornings and free afternoon tea on weekday afternoons all served in a pleasant room next to the business centre. There is 24/7 free Starbucks coffee and Tazo tea.... if your in too much of a rush to grab breakfast, the doorman has his own supply of coffee and tea to give you on your way out! If you don't have your own PC there are 3 PCs and a printer/fax in the business centre for your use, as well as a boardroom for any meetings. The location, as you can see from the map is great (1 block from the Whitehouse) and it is a very short walk from 2 metro stations (Faragut North and Faragut West) which is handy as it covers 3 lines. There are a multitude of good restaurants, bars and shopping in the area.\nOverall our stay was outstanding. I checked several of the alternative similar DC appartments and suite hotels that come highly recommended, and I can promise you - they don't even come close. As for price..... a genuine bargain. We stayed here for 3 weeks and at the leading Tripadvisor DC hotel (the Sofitel). Whilst the Sofitel was great, I would have no hesitation in coming back the KC over the Sofitel for a short or long stay in DC. It's a great alternative to a luxury hotel. 10/10", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "498950": {"reviews": [{"text": "We just returned from a four night stay at the Residence Inn Capital.\n I chose the hotel based on Trip advisor users and their reviews....What a positive experience we had staying at the Residence Inn. We loved the convenience of the hotel. We were near the Metro and about a ten minute walk to the museums and the Mall. What a pleasure it was to head out and know you could pack up a backpack for the day and easily access some of the most amazing museums and sights!\nThe complimentary breakfast and dinner were well prepared, really tasty and made our hungry family happy and full without leaving the comfort of our hotel.. We really enjoyed the breakfasts and the attentive staff who maintained the food and the hotel guests.\nThe pool, laundry and workout room were nice add on's to the hotel. For families it adds an ease to a weekend away. The kids loved the pool, the hot tub looked pretty scary and not well maintained.\nThere are no places nearby to eat or walk to for dinner, so eat out or take a quick car ride or cab to Chinatown. There were many choices there and it was hopping on a Sunday night.We had fun seeing what was happening in this busy and diverse area of town.\nWe loved our two bedroom/ two bathroom suite with a full kitchen and pullout sofa! The comfort and space were critical to a relaxing and busy long weekend away.There is a Safeway grocery store very close by, so ask for directions and stock up on a few item.\nThe staff there are interested, friendly and seem to be focused on customer care and satisfaction.\nWe have always stayed in the suburbs, away from the D.C. area. After our positive experience at the Residence Inn, I would love to stay here again.\nThey are doing a wonderful job and the property is clean, well maintained and offers an excellent location for sightseeing and experiencing Washington, D.C.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I recently used Marriott Rewards points to take my family to DC for the weekend. This property is basically brand new - which is both the good and bad news. The good first: this place is tastefully decorated in a better-than-generic-Marriott contemporary style and located one block from the Metro and about four blocks from the Mall and Smithsonian museums. The bad news: the front desk staff seemed to be winging it and used my family as a training exercise. When I tried to gain entry to the underground parking before check-in, we were rudely treated like home invaders. This rebuff required a stunt-driving reverse exit with about 1 inch clearance on each side of the car. Once inside and checked-in, the $25 daily fee was described -- but the staff did not enter us into the system. So our second shot at the parking chute required us to beg and plead - even though we had just checked in about 2 minutes earlier ! Breakfast on Saturday morning was fine, but Sunday was a madhouse free-for-all. Staff were overwhelmed, all tables taken, no clean plates or silverware, etc. Upon final checkout, my bill came with full price charged to AMEX -- even though I used Marriott Rewards point to purchase. Bottom line: very good location and decent decor, but don't expect any level of sophisticated service.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 16}]}, "84064": {"reviews": [{"text": "This hotel -- from the rooms, to the staff, to the amenities and extras -- is a fabulous \"home-base\" for a family trip to Washington, D.C.\nOur 2-room suite was perfect for our family of 5 (kids 16, 14 & 10). It was roomy enough that we never felt crowded. In addition to the regular bathroom sink/mirror, there is a sink/mirror in the living room, and another sink/mirror in the bedroom - that made getting ready each morning so much easier for us! The pictures of the rooms on the website are completely accurate; our suite (room 630) included a sleeper sofa, several chairs, dining table, and fridge/microwave. The living room window overlooks the inside courtyard, while the bedroom window faces the street/buildings across the street.\nI must say a word about the excellent staff service. Kevin the concierge went above and beyond! He met us on the street as we pulled in, and quickly told us that since it was a holiday (day after Christmas), we could park that day on the street in front of the hotel for free, as long as we moved our vehicle into their garage or elsewhere by 7 the next morning. He even pointed us to a spot in front of the hotel that had just become vacant. That saved us about $34 right away! Kevin then met us with a luggage cart as we parked, escorted us inside, and happily pulled out maps and gave us an overview of our options for transportation and sights to see. His advice was invaluable -- everything from taxis to Metro (subway) lines/stops and how much money to prepay on each pass, to designing our own tour. He not only told us which restaurants were nearby, but pointed us in the right direction for each, and even escorted us to the bakery behind the hotel. Kevin obviously loves his job, and is very good at it! \nThe hotel location is great. There are two Metro stops nearby; we used the Foggy Bottom stop, about 3 blocks from the hotel, with a Starbucks on the way. The Metro runs every 4 - 8 minutes, and is a very short 5-minute or less ride to the Smithsonian Museums, Capitol Building, White House, and all monuments (within 2 - 4 stops from Foggy Bottom). You just can't beat the Metro for value and convenience -- for example, the Smithsonian stop brings you up right in front of the Smithsonian Castle, Natural History/Science and Air/Space Museums. We did take a taxi from the hotel one time, which was instantly hailed for us by the concierge on duty. Transportation is simple and easy from this hotel. Also, the surrounding neighborhood is picturesque, and even includes some embassies. \nIf you are absolutely intent upon walking to everything rather than taking the Metro, then this hotel may be a little out of the way (1/2 mile to the White House, which is at the opposite end of the Mall from the most popular Smithsonians and the Capitol Bldg). In our opinion, for a family with children, the size of the suites and the amentities at this hotel are more than worth the Metro or taxi ride. And since our family is from a semi-rural area, our kids enjoy learning how to navigate subways and public transportation.\nAfter a full day of walking and sight-seeing, the evening reception is a fabulous \"welcome back.\" We stayed 4 nights, and never missed the evening reception. It is THAT good, for both adults and children. Each night around 5:30, we grabbed free drinks and snacks, then settled in on the 2nd floor mezzanine for kids' movies. Our kids sat close to the screen, on comfy couches/bucket chairs, while my husband and I sat at one of the tables farther back, enjoying conversation and a few glasses of complimentary wine/beer. (They also offer a wide selection of cocktails - all complimentary). Every other night, they offered nachos with all the fixings; on other nights, the snack selection was limited to pretzel mix and veggies/dip. The line on nacho nights was sometimes long, but everyone was cheerful and glad to be enjoying the social time.\nThere is an up-scale Italian restaurant on-site. We ordered pizza for pick-up one night ($17 for a large pepperoni pizza), and a couple kids' meals for pick-up another night ($3.95 for the kids meals - very reasonable). We also visited a nearby grill/bar, The Front Page, twice during our stay, and highly recommend it. \nThe hotel breakfast is a step above the usual business-travel hotel fare. It includes cooked-to-order omelets (with an array of fresh ingredients including spinach and mushrooms), scrambled eggs, sausage, potatoes, oatmeal, pastries, make-your-own waffles, pancakes, and more. My only complaint about breakfast was that the fresh fruit selection was limited to bananas during our stay. Also, I was glad to have read the tip from other reviewers about bacon: you really do have to ask the omelet chef for bacon. It is not on the regular buffet, but the chef gladly provided our kids with generous servings when they asked - which I never would have known, without reading the Tripadvisor reviews!\nThe hotel is very family-friendly. Our kids enjoyed the pool, movies, and especially the fish-feeding (at 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. daily). The children start gathering near the koi pond a few minutes before each scheduled feeding. A staff person brings out a tray full of little cups of fish food, and each child grabs one and feeds the fish. The fish are so tame that our youngest practically hand-fed individual pellets into the open mouth of a waiting fish. During busier evenings, children should be aware that the fish food goes fast, and they should be waiting by the pond on time in order to participate.\nWe paid $159/night for our suite, which appeared to be on the lower end of rates for this hotel, perhaps because we visited during the winter. With the location, exceptional service, complimentary food/drinks, and amenties, we believe it was quite a bargain ... and the perfect home-base for our family vacation to D.C.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Let me begin by telling you that I researched hotels in DC for about 6 months before traveling there so it's safe to say I looked into most of the big name hotels. I got a travelers guide from the Visitors Bureau and looked at each and every hotel in their book.\nThe Embassy Suites isn't right for everyone but it fit our needs perfectly and may fit yours as well.\nWe were traveling with our children ages 12 and 15 so we wanted enough room to allow them privacy and have a place for us to unwind after a day of walking so the idea of a suite was a must for us. The Embassy Suites offer a true suite design with a bedroom that is totally seperate from the living room. Some of the \"suites\" we looked at were actually just a larger room than a normal hotel room and perhaps had a \"sitting area\" so don't be fooled by what some hotels call a suite.\nPrices will certainly vary depending on the time of year and the occupancy level but we paid $309 per night and was glad to pay it. Other hotels with similar rooms were almost twice this rate.\nOUTSIDE APPEARANCE: 3\n The outside of the ES is nothing to catch your eye but who cares! There are many eye catching hotels in DC but unless you plan on sitting on the curb and admirring the brick work for hours, the outside isn't that important. The drive was clean and the bellmen were dressed nicely and always helpful.\nLOBBY: 3\n Again...who cares. It's nothing to look at. The Concierge is to your left at a small desk and was VERY helpful and friendly. We were greeted within minutes and were checked in less than 5 . The staff were always smiling and friendly...every day.\nATRIUM: 5\n Near the elevators is the center atrium and it is very nice. There are small waterfalls and beautiful fish that surround the gift shop area with tables and chairs for relaxing at the Managers Special in the evening.\nROOM: 5\n Our room was nicely decorated, had a flat screen TV, was full of amenitites and the maid service did a WONDERFUL job cleaning it each day. It was big enough to utilize the pull out sofa AND add a roll-away if you wanted to. We had the King Corner suite and I would recommend getting that for the few extra dollars just because it is off-set in the corner and a bit more secluded and perhaps a bit quieter. The King bed was very comfortable, water pressure was good, never ran out of hot water. I did notice something that another reviewer mentioned: the tap water seems a bit warm at all times but aside from brushing my teeth, I never used the tap water. We bought a case of water at CVS and kept it in the refrigerator. The room was very quiet. We were on the 3rd floor but never noticed any traffic noise or the neighbors.\nFREE BREAKFAST: 5+\n How can you go wrong with this. We ate the free breakfast for 4 days in a row. Never had to wait and the food was great! Juice, coffee, omelets, waffles, becon, fresh fruit.... for a family of 4 each meal would have cost about $30-35 and it would have taken more time out of our day. This was a huge factor in our decision to stay at the ES and it was a BIG pay-off.\nEVENING MGRS SPECIAL: \n Can't really rate this because we only did it once. We had some popcorn and a few chips but neither of us drink alcohol so it wasn't a big thing for us. If you do like a cocktail or 2, this is a very neat thing. For 2 hours you are treated to FREE drinks! I noticed several people who seemed to be enjoying this special but for us.... it just wasn't that big of a deal.\nPOOL: 3\n Yes...it's true. It's small. If you are looking for a hotel to lay by the pool... look elsewhere. It's indoors, it's small, and it's full of kids. But that didn't stop us from enjoying the hottub. After a day of walking in DC, that hot tub felt pretty good and it's usually a good place to meet some interesting people. \nLOCATION: 4\n There is a CVS pharmacy right around the corner to pick up sodas and snacks and anything you may have forgotten. The guy at the register was stoned out of his mind the first day we were there but at least we got some drinks and snacks.\nWe always used the Foggy Bottom Metro and it's only about 4 blocks away. The walk always felt safe.\nI looked at many of the other hotels that I researched and considered while I was in DC and I can honestly say that have NO regrets for chosing the Embassy Suites downtown. The manager greeted us daily by name the place was always clean and neat.\nIf you have any questions about traveling to DC...feel free to give me a shout and hopefully I can help.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "This is a typical embassy suites. Rooms are spacious and comfortable. The staff was courteous. The breakfast buffet was good, especially the omelets, but crowded. They could use some more sitting areas. The evening \"happy hour\" was certainly needed after sightseeing with a bunch of kids! The on site restaurant had decent food but the seating area was the same as the buffet and happy hour. I would definately choose another dining spot.\nI chose this hotel because I came with 3 families and 6 kids. The hotel is nice since there are 2 living areas rather than a simple room with beds. What I also felt placed this hotel above others was the location and how \"kid friendly\" they were. It is an easy walk to nearby restaurants and the metro station near Georgetown U. Our youngest was 6 and there was no complaining about the 4 block walk. It is also a short taxi ride to other restaurants in Georgetown.\nI would definately recommend this hotel for families.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We have just returned from a week's stay in Washington DC. Our family (my wife and I and our 4 children (ages 16, 14, 12, 10) stayed at the Embassy Suites on 22nd Street. checking in on Friday Feb 17 and checking out on Friday Feb 23 (school vacation week in many areas of the northeast). We had read all of the reviews for this hotel both pro and con and we are definitely pro! Checking in was uneventful, however we were directed to the overflow parking at the Ritz Carlton. This is less than a block away and not a big deal. I moved my car to the Embassy Suites on Monday when parking was available. We found that we walked or took the Metro everywhere and did not even use the car for the entire week.\nSpeaking of the Metro, we found it very convenient using either Dupont Circle for the Red Line or Foggy Bottom for the Blue Line. Maybe because we did not mind walking we felt both were convenient.\nThe room was as we expected. We had two doubles for my wife and I and two daughters, while my two sons (16 and 14) slept in the living room. One slept on the pullout couch and one slept on an AERO bed we had brought. One problem we had was a blocked toilet but this was quickly remedied by a very personable maintenance man by the name of Buddy.\nThe pool IS small, but my daughters (12 and 10) could not have cared less. We had to drag them out every time!\nMuch has been made of the cooked to order breakfasts. We found them to be very good (not 5 star, but we did not expect that) with a variety of foods including scrambled eggs, home fries, sausage, bacon, cereal, oatmeal, grits, fruit, yogurt, pastries, bagels, toast, beverages and of course the made to order omelets. With six of us this was both a great time saver and money saver! With the exception of Sunday morning, there were no lines and even then there may have been 10 people waiting for omelets. If you did not want an omelet you were in and out quickly.\nThe afternoon manager\u2019s reception was fine. They usually had salsa and chips, potato chips, popcorn and either cheese and crackers or vegetables and dip. My wife and I had draft beers one night and the kids always went down for the sodas. It was a good break upon returning to the hotel after sightseeing and held everyone over until dinner.\nWe met many people who said they used this hotel every time they came to Washington. We can see why. The staff was friendly and accommodating. Even though we were there for a full week we did not see everything the city had to offer. It is overwhelming! If you go to Washington prioritize what you want to see and don\u2019t try to do too much. We hope to return and if we do the Embassy Suites would be a great place to stay.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 28}, {"text": "Just got back from the Embassy Suites Hotel in DC. I picked the hotel based on the reviews on TripAdvisor and I wasn't disappointed. There were a lot of choices in the $150 - $200/night price range but the Embassy Suites won out based on the location and room layout. \nThe staff was great - they were friendly and went out of their way to be helpful. Cocktail reception was great, I've stayed at a number of Embassy Suites while away on business trips in the past but never made it to the cocktail reception. They offered everthing from beer and wine to Martinis. I didn't know what to expect for the breakfast rush - based on a prior posting, the hotel seemed crowded with a ton of kids running around because of school vacation but the breakfast ran smoothly. \nThe room was in good shape - the bed was very comfortable and the bathroom was a good size and in good shape. \nWe walked up to Dupont Circle to get the Metro - it was pretty convenient but the walk was tough - DC got some snow and ice last week and most of it hasn't melted yet so the walking is tough.\nAll is all - you can't go wrong at the Embassy Suites.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Stayed in 5 different hotels during my december vacations, this was the best, wrote my review in december but TA deleted (told me it was because I didn\u2019t respond one e.-mail they sent me, really so strange) but I feel is my obligation to rewrite my great experience in this hotel.\nPros:\n1) Price: $130 for night is a gift \n2) Location: really nice neighborhood, if you are in good shape walk to the mall or walk 10 minutes to Dupont of Foggy sub station depending to the place you are going to visit.\n2) Breakfast: never have a free and so great breakfast. omelet, bread, fruits, lemonade, orange juice etc in 4 days didn\u2019t\u2019 have the opportunity to try everything.\n3) Rooms: big, spacious, clean beautiful.\n4) 7 PC with free internet: a must in any hotel but in this trip found 2 hotels with only wireless access: common in my vacation I will not carry my laptop.\n5) Staff: very helpful when I need their help\nCons\nDidn\u2019t find\nOthers\n1) Have dinner two times in the hotel, reasonable price, pepperonis pizza was great\n2) They have parking garage but have to pay a fee.\n3) Take the super shuttle if arriving to Dulles airport, found lot of traffic so a taxi should be expensive\n4) If renting a car for some days you could do it a Union Station just take the Dupont subway ant it stops in that place.\n5) Potomac Millls, a great shopping place also just in front of it you find a Best Buy and a Wal Mart, you must need a car.\n6) Safe box in the lobby.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "We (my wife and I) had a wonderful experience at this Embassy Suites. We desperately needed a relaxing, pampering, top-notch, no hassle get-away and this did the trick! Everything from the cocktails and appetizers in the spacious lobby, to the superb room service, excellent food and room accommodations was truly \"over-the-top.\"\nWe cannot recommend this hotel highly enough. We WILL return!\nJay & Nancie Kenney\nRockville, Maryland", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My husband and I traveled to DC for 5 days with our 4 older teenage children and had a great experience in the Embassy Suites. The hotel has recently been renovated so everything is new (beds, bedding, rug, furniture, etc)! The staff was friendly and helpful, however, I was disappointed that the doorman didn't open the door for us once (oh well). There is complimentary (made to order) breakfast and happy hour. Needless to say that we saved a BUNDLE on breakfast (omlettes, scrambled eggs, bacon, oatmeal, cereal, breads, muffins, OMG...everything was free)! The cocktail hours were also great (beer, wine, brand name liquor, mixed drinks, with and without umbrellas)! The atrium was very pretty! My only semi-quasi comment is that the atrium was cold in the morning for breakfast; we ate with our coats on. However, overall the hotel and its location was great! OH...for those who wrote about an \"uphill walk to the metro...\" I have no idea where they got this...the metro station (Foggybottom) was 2 blocks away and it wasn't uphill. Very centrally located! Would definitely stay there again!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My husband and I were somewhat concerned about staying here based upon a few of the reviews we had read. However, we were pleasantly surprised and happy with our choice to stay here. The staff was very pleasant. They allowed us to check in early, which was very convenient. The rooms were huge and clean and contained everything we needed and wanted. The breakfast buffet was very good if you did the made to order omelettes and the pancakes and bagels. The rest was not very fresh tasting, but overall there is so much to choose from that is good, that it didn't really matter. The Starbucks coffee was great. The evening reception was wonderful. For two hours you could get virtually any type of alcoholic drink that you wanted and not just well brands either (my husband's favorite part!). We found that we had nothing to complain about and the location was within walking distance to the Foggy Bottom Metro Station. Several people wrote about being able to walk to Georgetown. We tried one evening, after walking all around the city that day, and found it to be quite a ways to walk to the main central area of Georgetown (corner of M & Wisconsin). The next day, we took the Georgetown Shuttle ($1.50 each way per person) and it was well worth it. You can pick it up near the Foggy Bottom Metro stop. Too bad you coudn't ride there and back for $1.50 per person. Anyway, we would definitely stay there again and plan to.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed at the 22nd Street NW Embassy Suites before, and it is located near Sports Club L.A. which my wife uses daily, so we booked our six day stay here for August 2006. We know what to expect from Embassy Suites, but this location has a number of draw-backs. Right away when we arrived we were told there was no room for our car in the parking garage, so we had to park a block away (15 minutes if you get lost but that's my fault) at the Four Seasons Hotel. Another time, we wanted to have our room cleaned late because we'd just arrived exhausted from Europe after the bomb plot in London, but no deal. When we just asked for towels, nothing happened until we called a couple of times more. Go to the gym where no kids are allowed and you'll find many kids playing on the equipment with or without their oblivious parents. There is no lunch on the premises for what that's worth. My main peeve is that the front desk staff are charmless, often untrained and not trying very hard-almost to a man. As for the bell desk-if you arrive late at night (11 p.m.) you're on your own.\nOn the positive side, the hotel is just a 10 minute walk to all the shopping,eateries and sights of Georgetown, and minutes from many other Washington attractions. The roooms are big: two large queens in the master bedroom and a pull-out couch (comfortable rating from my teenager:OK) in the living room. You'll also get HD on the plasma TV in the living room, which is reasonably impressive. There is wireless and ethernet capacity for your computer at $10 a day, but a little confusing on how it works billing wise.The bathroom is narrow and water pressure was poor, and there was an unpleasant odor coming from the pipes, but nothing unbearable.\nOverall, Embassy Suites has many attractive features and this hotel is well located, but service is uneven, the atmosphere is flat and I was disappointed.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I just stayed at the Embassy Suites Washington DC Downtown and it was excellent! When you enter the hotel they have a nine story atrium, which has palm trees, two story waterfalls, large pond with fish, and three glass elevators. The check-in process was very quick and all staff members were extremely friendly and helpful throughout the entire stay. \nI stayed in a room 605, which the room type was called \u201cKing Corner\u201d. The room was by far the largest on the floor, and was in the shape of a \u201cY\u201d. When you enter it had a dining room with seating for six people around a large table. Beyond the dining room the living room was on the right and the bedroom was on the left. The room had two large windows, both which faced a quiet outdoor courtyard with brick sidewalks. The living room had a sofa, armchair, and another chair with ottoman. There was also a 32 inch high definition television in one corner of the living room. Next, the bedroom area had one king bed, along with an armchair and reading table, work desk, and another television. Finally, the room was in excellent condition throughout the entire stay with regard to it being clean.\nWith regard to the evening reception and breakfast, I thought they were both exceptional. The evening reception was from 5:30PM to 7:30PM in their atrium. The evening reception had cocktails available in one line, but there was also another area where you could get soda from a Coca-Cola machine. At the evening reception they typically served popcorn, chips, salsa, jalapeno peppers, pretzels, and a snack mix. I never encountered any problems at all during the reception with regard to quality or quantity. Note they also had a \u201cKids Club\u201d which was located on mezzanine lounge in their atrium. This club was basically where children could watch a movie and be separated somewhat from the adults. \nThe breakfast as noted was excellent, and I never encountered any delays and/or seating problems. Again, they have seating on the first floor but also another seating area on a mezzanine lounge. At the breakfast, they had a cooked to order section where they would cook omelets, eggs, etc. With omelets you could have any combination of these ingredients: bell peppers, jalapenos, onions, bacon, sausage, spinach, ham, tomatoes, mushrooms, cheddar cheese. They also had a section with pancakes, hash browns, bacon/sausage, etc. They did serve three types of Starbucks coffee in addition to having a machine that would make cappuccinos.\nAdditionally, the hotel did have a heated indoor pool, whirlpool, sauna, and game room. I believe it was open from 6AM-11PM daily. I did not notice any problems with it every being overly crowded, especially if you came late at night (Approx. 10:15PM) or mid-afternoon (2:15PM). They also had a complete fitness center on the second floor, which was actually directly above the indoor pool area.\nOverall I would return to the Embassy Suites DC anytime I\u2019m in Washington. If you\u2019re looking for a hotel that has excellent value, service, and amenities for the price paid this would be the place to stay. They are within walking distance to numerous great restaurants as well including Mei Wah (Chinese); Grill Fish (Seafood) and many restaurants in Georgetown as well. Additionally, the Metro station at GWU is relatively close. It took at most ten minutes to walk from the Metro to the hotel.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "My family of five (children are 14, 11, and 7) stayed here June 15-June 20th. Check in was quick, but immediately we found that parking would be an issue, since the garage is extremely small, and although we were able to manuever our minivan okay in it, anything bigger would have some difficulty I believe. We only drove around one evening, and found upon our return, there was not a single space available (and at almost $20/day, I would certainly expect to have one available). I waited in the garage while my wife went upstairs to complain, at which time an employee immediately came back down and moved her car out to make room (there is a note on the garage that employees are not supposed to park there). Other than that, the room we stayed in was an EXECUTIVE Suite, which from what I could see, was slightly larger, but did not have windows facing in towards the Atrium, (which may be great, to lessen the noise from the Atrium crowds), but was a wonderful corner room, with windows on both sides of the corner.\nThe carpeting was a little worn out, but the beds were very comfortable, and the flat screen den television was nice. I will totally agree with the previous post regarding the breakfast-Wonderful, and the free \"happy hour\" was great, we took advantage of it daily. (It is not just cheap beer, they had a great selection on tap, and full mixed drink options also)\nLocation is something I may reconsider in the future. It is about equally located between the Dupont and Foggy Bottom Metro stops, and sometimes after a long day of touring, it was a long walk back, but not too bad. I would have liked to have had more 'family' friendly restaurants around, since it seemed most were upscale or after-business day hangouts. The hotel restaurant was good, but not a highlight of any dining experience. The bar was a nice place to catch a few World Cup matches.\nOne other negative would be Internet Access. I find it ridiculous to stay at a $250+ hotel and still be nickel and dimed with a charge for internet. ($9.95/day) We stayed in Williamsburg for half the room rate of the Embassy Suites, at a Hilton Family Hampton Inn (Embassy Suites are Hilton also), and had free internet there !!! \nJust a pet peave I guess !!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I stayed here with my father and brother for a week and every single thing was perfect. We enjoyed the fabulous and abundant complimentary breakfast every morning and the Happy Hour every evening. Many days those were our only \"meals\" as DC is a very very busy place full of exciting things to do. The room was spacious and comfortable for 3 people with comfortable beds, two great TV's, a nice view and quiet. The atrium is gorgeous with tall trees, huge waterfalls, a large Koi pond. A relaxing and friendly atmosphere to hang out. Staff was very friendly everywhere. I even lost my glasses one day and the staff person approached me the next evening remembering me from my table the evening before to tell me where she had turned them in! Walking distance to Dupont Circle and many restaurants (the one at the hotel is average), coffee shops, art galleries and the Metro. Fabulous..better than I expected!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed 3 nights in May at the Embassy Suites Hotel. 6 adults in 2 suites. Everything was OK. The rooms are clean and spacious and the complimentary breakfast was welcome(good but not great). I stayed last year at the St Gregory Hotel and I decided to change this time regarding the complimentary breakfast for 6 people. The Atrium Lobby is attractive with its water falls and green life. Staff was pleasant but nothing special. To compare with the St Gregory where I also stayed in a suite I'd say: The room and attention from the staff are a little better at the St Gregory. The Lobby and breakfast better at the Embassy suites. If you are looking for quietness St Gregory is the choice, if you're coming with family or friends go to Embassy.\nAnyway, both are good establishments.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Recently, our family of 6 stayed at the Embassy Suites Downtown in Washington D.C. It was a wonderful rare vacation for our family to be able to get together before each begins graduating from college. The hotel was excellent. The room was plenty big enough for our family to crash in after 5 days of sight-seeing! The breakfast was terrific and something we took advantage of every morning. Even though June 1-6 is a time of many students visiting Washington, the hotel handled all of us very well. In addition, the manager's reception in the evening was very relaxing as well. All the beverages and chips were complimentary. It was great to come back to after touring and walking all day! The hotel has a business computer room in which I was able to print my boarding passes as a service for hotel guests. It would have been over $10.00 per day to have internet service for our lap top computer so we opted for the hotel service instead. The walk to the Metro at Washington Circle was about 1/3 to 1/2 mile but a very nice and safe walk. The DuPont Cirle route was a little shadier at night for us small town people! I hope this review will help anyone deciding where to stay in Washington because this website definitely helped me with information to make our once in a lifetime vacation the best!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "My family of four stayed at the Embassy Suites on 22nd Stree for two nights in April and we were very happy with the accommodations. The king bed was very comfortable (firm) and the pullout couch was adequate for our kids. Rollaways are not available because there isn\u2019t enough room in the two room suite. Plenty of extra sheets, blankets, pillows and towels were available. Microwave, refrigerator and extra sink and counter space were helpful. The full hot breakfast was wonderful every morning and included in the price. Safe, off street parking at an additional fee (~$25) per day was worth it. Hotel is very centrally located \u2013 4 blocks in one direction for the Blue line and 4 blocks in the other direction for the Red line, which gets you pretty much anywhere in town. Cabs are accessible. The pool is very small and was filled with little kids (all under the age of 10) when we were there. I would highly recommend this establishment as a clean, cost effective and centrally located family hotel.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "This hotel was great for our family of six. Easy check-in and rooms were wonderful. There is a small indoor pool that the young kids loved and a computer room my teen loved. As for the adults free breakfast which was okay and from 530 to 730 free alcohol for you. The metro is a small walk and the area is safe and friendly. The only downside to it is that the hotel has sky lights and can get hot at times with the sun coming in, get a room on the lower floors and you will be fine we were on the top and it was warm even with the air all the way down. This hotel was great for us with plenty of room for everyone.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Just got back from a 4 day stay at the Embassy Suites hotel in downtown Washington with our family of 5. I'll break it down to Positives and Negatives:\nPositives:\n1. Location, location, location. Even though a bit of walking is needed to take the M transit, it still is possible to walk to all the sights if your family is up for some walking. Plenty of restaurants within a few blocks along with other stores.\n2. Room size and layout. With a family of 5, there is usually an odd man out in most hotels. Embassy has two queen size beds and a queen sleeper sofa. Also has two sinks outside the bathroom, needed with 2 daughters.\n3. Breakfast. The food was very good. Made to order omelletes. Pancakes and other hot foods. Fruits, cereals, bagels, etc. Our family are not big eaters, but this was great for getting out and seeing the sights without looking for a place to eat breakfast every morning.\n4. Staff. No problems with check in or check out. The Concierge was most helpful in arranging tours and suggested eating.\n5. Quietness. Outside of some late night sirens (This is DC), no late night surprises.\nNegatives.\n1. Parking. $20 a day to park. The garage was 2 blocks away also since their own parking was full. Inconveinent if your planing on using your car often\n2. Lines for eating breakfast. I hate buffets, but understand the situation. Most tables are either taken or need to have the left over tray removed to sit down. No place to leave your trays when your done creates a mess. Recommend getting up early (opens at 7:30am) to get in and out and be on your way.\n3. The managers reception is nice, but mainly just for drinking. Food is minimal and average at best. Still free and yes, I'm being picky.\n4. Pool. The pool is very small and rather cold. Kids liked it but not warm enough for me. Hot tub is crowded full of parents and cold kids.\nOverall It fits our needs. I would recommend shopping around for the best price, since you getting the same room no matter what.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I will agree with other posters that this is a great spot for families. So must everyone else because the place was over-run with kids. Granted, we were there for Spring Break so I wasn't expecting anything else. We are a family of 5 (12-17). Other hotels would have required 2 rooms and cost us much, much more in addition to adding the cost of breakfast.\nThe location was great, a few blocks to both the Foggy Bottom and Dupont Circle Metro stops. No need for a car....the transit system is outstanding! And you are only 10 minutes from DCA (Reagan National) Airport.\nOn arrival, it is a typical Embassy Suites look.......waterfall, glass elevators, plants and fish ponds. The doormen were extremely friendly and helpful.\nWe are HH VIP gold members so even though we had reserved the executive suite (larger), I think we received an additional upgrade to the best of their best rooms. It was on the far corner (the 33 room) and it was HUGE. I mean cavernous. Larger than the other standard suites I viewed and even larger than our friends exec. suite (the 41 room). It was VERY quiet and tucked away..... so much so that I was struck every time I opened the door to hear the noise from the lobby. The room was relatively clean but could use some updating (I did see lingering evidence of former tenants that had been overlooked by cleaning staff.......never a welcome sight).\nEven though the breakfast buffet was quite plentiful.... a lot of food does not mean good food. It's hard to explain because the food was fresh but the quality of what was offered was just not great. The hotel was jam packed and the lines in the morning were huge as well. The layout of the buffet needs to be re-examined as you need to fight through crowds at the hot buffet line just get a napkin, fork, plate or tray even if you want to get fruit or breads from a different area. You took your life in your hands carrying hot beverages through the narrowing passageways of tables and people. Not only did they not clear the tables of former diners, they did not offer a place for consciencious guests to clear their own dishes. Consequently, you would have to clear other people's messes before you could sit down to eat. There were stacks of trays and dirty dishes, food and cups and glasses on every table, spare chair or bench, railing, potted plant or step. It was kind of gross.\nHappy hour was the same. So was the front desk at check out with just one person behind the desk. It seems as if this was primarily a staffing issue that could be rectified.\nThe internet was down for 3 days, the small pool and gym were cramed with young children but we spent most of the day out and about in the beautiful weather and had a great time. Ultimately, the price was right and the city was great and that's what we will remember.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We are a family of six, with kids ranging between 7 and 15. This was one of the few places that could accomodate us without two rooms. Not knowing Washington D.C. beforehand we had to rely on the opinions and locations suggested by other reviewers. This turned out to be an excellent choice for us. The neighborhood is quiet and safe, located within a block of the Ritz Carlton, Fairmont, Marriot, and Westin, as well as the Embassy of Nigeria and Qatar. The location gave easy walking access to Georgetown and all the stores and restaurant of M Street, the only real concentrated area for shopping and eating that we encountered in the whole downtown area. Dupont Circle was a 10-15 minute walk, limited by the number of cross walks and traffic lights you need to cross. Same with Foggy Bottom Metro stop for the blue line. The Luna Grill and Dinner on Connecticut is a great, and inexpensive, place to eat just around the corner from the Dupont Circle Station.\nThe hotel has a convenient business center for internet access and printing, but the broadband was out 3 days of 4 days stay. Dial up access was actually much faster in the room when their system was up and running. We also had a problem with ants, even though we were on the 9th floor. A couple of calls to the front desk finally had the problem taken care of.\nFood was on par with Embassy Suites quality and quantity. This is a high volume operation when feeding eveyone in the hotel between 6:30 am and 9:30 a.m.. The lines can get long but never more than 10-15 minutes when ordering made to order eggs/omelet. The serving trays of pancake, hash, bacon, sausages, etc. can cool off while sitting in the serving bar.\nPool area was nice and well serviced with towels. The pool had a max depth of 4 feet. The jacuzzi was on the hot side.\nStaff was overall very friendly and helpful. I would definitely stay here again, even after visiting some of the other hotels I considered during this stay.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed March 19-25th for our spring break. We traveled with our 12(girl) and 10 (boy) year old children. First, you can't beat having a suite for the privacy and extra space. However the only bathroom is in the bedroom area, so the kids would have to open our lockable bedroom door to access it-somewhat suboptimal but better than one big room. Our kids tend to kick each other so tried to get a cot but they don't carry any. So, they just had to get used to sleeping in the fold out couch. They had a flat screen TV and we let them watch a movie one night. \nWe loved the free cocktails in the evening-looked forward to it. If you tip the bartenders, they really appreciate it but it's not necessary. The kids had nachos and popcorn and shirley temples nightly. We really liked the variety of food offered at the breakfast each am. If you want bacon or sausage, you have to ask for it behind the counter but that makes sense. Kids would take 10 pieces each otherwise. The starbucks coffee was a major plus for my husband and I. Cereal, bagles, yogurt and fruit, eggs and hashbrowns, oatmeal or cream of wheat were all good. We never ordered the made to order omlettes, etc. \nOur second morning the fire alarm went off at about 7:30am. I was in shower, husband in bed, and kids sleeping. A continuous voice over the loudspeakers told all to evacuate, no elevators and use stairs immediately. Of course I thought it was a mistake or a drill! NOT! My husband looked out the door and the entire lobby was filling up with smoke and rising(we were 6th floor). It smelled terrible. Our kids were out the door before we could even think-school fire drills prepared them (in pj's and no shoes and 40 degrees out). We dressed and grabbed purse, computer, wallet and got out. Firemen were running up the stairs as we got down to street level. (7 fire trucks showed up) Turns out that it was an electrical fire in a control room. There were some undressed people in towels etc.! The staff and guests(full hotel) were all sent to the lobby of the Marriott across the street and camped out there for about 1 and a half hours.(poor marriott guests!) They couldn't be nicer, brought blankets, coffee and hot chocolate for all the kids. You couldn't make this story up! It was sure unexpected. Between the extremely nice staff of the Embassy Suites and the Marriot, it wasn't so bad. \nThe hotel smelled horrible for about 2 days after, so maybe that's what the other reviewer was talking about that her room smelled like smoke! You could open your bedroom window which helped.\nThe atrium is very pretty with waterfalls and trees. The fish did smell one day, but it was taken care of quickly. We walked to the metro every day-took about 10 minutes. The neighborhood is very upscale, lots of professionals live there. Our kids did great with it. If they were younger, the walk might be a problem. Close to restaurants, starbucks, nightclubs. This was one of our best vacations ever for the education and sight-seeing, etc. What a great city! \nWe were looking at staying at Jurys Hotel in Dupont Circle (right at the metro stop) but for about the same price you get so much less! (no cocktail hour, breakfasts or separate bedroom!)\nWe would definitely stay here again. Staff goes out of their way to be nice each and every day.\nOn a side note, we are grateful the fire wasn't serious enough to cause us injury but it kind of unnerved us that our kids bolted out of the hotel without us! Our daughter just wanted \"OUT\"! We realized that since they were alone, if something worse happened and they were stuck we wouldn't know where they were! It was a learning experience for us all. When we made it to the street several minutes behind them, they were both crying.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "This Hotel is perfect for a family. The kids LOVED having their own LCD Flat screen TV, the indoor pool, the pancakes,etc at breakfast and the snacks and sodas during the managers cocktail hour. All of our friends at other hotels came by and swam at ours. The adults will also love the privacy the two bedroom suite offers, the made to order breakfast with cappucino or mocha coffee and the cocktail hour(I had a martini every night after our full days!)\nIt is situated exactly between the Foggy Bottom and Dupont Circle metro stops, within walking distance to Georgetown and surrounded by many good and varied restaurants.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "The Pros:\n- very good location (Georgetown, downtown, Foggy Bottom, DuPont Circle all within a short walk)\n- very clean, attractive rooms with comfortable beds and HD TV.\n- convenient breakfast buffet included in all nightly rates.\nThe Cons:\n- there are hotels that are closer to the Metro stations (namely those near Foggy Bottom, DuPont Circle and Farragut stops)\n- this is a family-oriented hotel (not exactly a con), but adults travelling without kids should be aware of this.\n- it's a large, corporate hotel that lacks much of the style of some other hotels in Washington. However, it is a new facility and it appears to be very well maintained.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Satyed at this hotel recently with two children.\nThe staff at the hotel are brilliant, always happy and willing to help. The free 'happy hour' from 5:30 to 7:30 provides free drinks, crisps, popcorn ect. The free breakfast is great will cold and hot food, cooked to order!\nThe hotel was great as we were able to save money with only having one room but sill have 3 beds! Our room came with a huge LCD television! Rooms are clean and well equiped.\nWe found that the hotel was close, but not too close to the city centre. The Foggy Bottom metro station was neerest, about 4 blocks walk.\nOverall a great stay.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Embassy Suites. The rates are very reasonable, especially considering other hotels in the area. The staff was very helpful with all questions we had. Parking is safe and convenient, although you do have to pay for it. The layout of the rooms is great. Our son enjoyed the adventure of sleeping on the sleeper sofa, and we had the privacy of the bedroom. The complimentary full breakfast is simply wonderful, much more than the typical continental breakfast fare you find in hotels. Walking to the Foggy Bottom Metro stop only takes about 5 minutes. We would highly recommend this hotel!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "After reading mostly positive reviews, my family and I had high expectations. Thankfully, the Embassy Suites lived up to them and I highly recommend this hotel, especially if you are traveling with your family.\nRooms were clean and spacious. Great layout if you are traveling with children - there are also two televisions (at least there were in our room), a microwave and a decent sized fridge.\nStaff was helpful, friendly and attentive. They gave us a band-aid when we needed one, and printed directions and a subway map too.\nBreakfast was diverse - with many options for all palettes and tastes. My egg white omelette with cheese & veggies was delicious. Nice bonus was happy hour - with free drinks - not just wine & beer, but hard liquor too if you so desire.\nThere is also a full exercise room, and a small pool, whirlpool and a sauna too.\nLocation is great - walking distance to two Metro stops (Foggy Bottom & Dupont Circle), as well as near numerous restaurants, shops and Georgetown. If you like BBQ, make sure you stop at Old Glory in Georgetown.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My family and I stayed at Embassy Suits over the July 4th weekend. Everything was fine until I forgot my phone on the bed the last day we were there. When we came back to the room that night my phone was no where to be found. After extensively searching for it throughout the entire room I called the front desk. No phone had been turned into the lost and found but they would check again in the morning and let us know. In addition, we noticed that my dad\u2019s phone, which was packed in the bottom of our suitcase, was missing as well. The next morning my phone had mysteriously appeared in the lost and found and the manager said that it must have got caught up in the bedding when the sheets were changed, but the sheets weren\u2019t changed the entire weekend!! My dad\u2019s phone is still missing as well as my mother\u2019s camera adaptor cord and memory stick. Not only is it going to cost around 3-500 dollars to replace everything but the hotel is completely blowing us off!!!! If you stay here make sure you lock your suitcases and DO NOT leave anything of value out in the open or it will be STOLEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We just got back from a 4-day stay, leaving the morning of July 5th. We took our 9-year old son, and he loved the hotel. The breakfast was good, and although it was crowded, we were always able to get what we wanted and able to find a place to sit. The atrium is cool, and the room was clean and spacious.\nA couple of notes: I would not stay here without children, as it caters so much to families that at times I felt like I was in a Chuck E. Cheese. With kids it was fine, but without it could have been pretty obnoxious. Also the four blocks to the Metro are long blocks, so we got pretty tired of walking them.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We traveled to DC, 4-16 to 4-23-05 and had wonderful stay at Embassy Suites in downtown area. We have a 12 and 14 old. I'm sure you've read the reviews on the hotel and yes it is being renovated, but by the time you come it should be done and you will have a great room with new furniture, granite, sink fixtures, new mattress and everything. I am a very picky traveler and do my share of research, this hotel was very clean and I felt the bedding was clean also. I liked that we were able to open windows for fresh air.\nOn our first day we went on the trolley tour and got the all around basics and did all the memorials that day. Yes, you are very tired and my kids could care less about going out to eat, so most nights we let them have room service ( great hamburgers by the way) or order pizza delivered to the lobby from local pizzeria. One night my husband and I went to Shula's around the corner and had an excellent steak dinner. The metro from Foggy Bottom or Dupont Circle to most of the sites is 5-10 mins. We are from S. California and never have been back east so the walking around in between gave us the city atmosphere to experience. The kids get tired with the walking to the metro station, about 3-4 blocks each way by the end of the trip. I would suggest taking a taxi to the museums in morning, especially if you want to get there early for the timed tickets. Taxi's with four people about $7-12.00 one way to most attractions. Bureau of Engraving, Capital, Halocaust, etc are the ones we did and we would have to leave at 6:45 - 7:00am to get the early part of the day tickets. That\u2019s when the free breakfast is real handy. They serve at 6:30am. Also, I should mention that they serve 4 different Starbucks coffees! Some mornings I would go and have breakfast and bring back a couple of bowls of cereal for the kids.\n I love where we stayed, safe neighborhood, charming old homes, beautiful tulips and flowers. Something else the hotel has is a nice fitness room, arcade next to the pool, and a business center with 3 computers to use anytime. .25c a min., $1.00 for 5 min, $5.00 for 20 mins. There is a great CVS store around the corner to load up on snacks and drinks. I also wanted to let you know having the living area/bedroom combination was a great plus, a nice space at the end of the day. Our teenagers are as tall as us now and I can't imagine 7 nights in a one room, 2 beds for night time relaxation. And for more space ask for a corner room. I know for a corner room on their last 2 floors, 8 and 9, they charge more which we had. # 933. They are the only floors with views. Remember your in a city and most hotels are next to other buildings.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We have recently returned from our week's stay in DC at this hotel.\nWe enjoyed it here very much and it is ideally situated being as it it being the Foggy Bottom and Dupont Circle METRO stations. (If you get off the Metro at Dupont Circle you need to take the Dupont Circle South exit). As the last poster has correctly stated this hotel is currently being refurbished so if you go there now, there are various hotel type items (mattresses, tables etc) placed on the corridors. On the seventh floor we were on however, these items were placed away from any hotel room and I did not see anyone distrubed unduly by the works in progress. \nWe paid extra for a two bedroom corner suite and found the room to be nicely sized as well as quiet (an important consideration for us). There was a microwave and a fridge located in one of the cupboards.\nBreakfast is included in the cost and it's a nice hotel bonus. There was a choice of hot foods (omelettes cooked to order) along with cereals and bread items. Its best to get there early especially on the weekend as it does get busy later on. \nWe used the swimming pool and the water was warm enough.\nWe found all the staff to be helpful and polite.\nWe would certainly stay here again on our next visit to DC.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Stayed at this hotel the weekend of April 6-10, the peak of the cherry blossom festival. It was a significant disappointment....enough that I'm taking the time to write this reveiw. I'm a Hilton Gold Honors member and have stayed at many Hiltons/Embassy Suites all over the US.\nThe problems began at checkin. We had reserved an upgraded non-smoking king suite paying $280 per night. We arrived at 9pm and was told that the only choice of rooms was a SMOKING king or a two doubles. After complaining to the manager, we were given room 305, a very large king suite. This sounded great until we got off the elevator on the 3rd floor. The entire south side of the 3rd floor was under construction. There were broken pieces of furniture and bedding completely filling the hallway, making it virtually impossible to navigate to the doorway of the room. There was a lamp that had to be moved to put the electronic key into the door. It was disgusting.\nThe room was indeed large, a corner suite....however there was virtually no furniture and both TVs were very old with poor cable reception. The 15 inchTV in the bedroom was SO FAR AWAY from the bed that the image was too small to see adequately. The room WAS clean...but every morning we tolerated the hammering and drilling. The hotel was full and complaints to management were met with \"the entire hotel is under renovation\". We could not find this \"disclaimer\" on any of our reservation documents nor were we informed about this when booking on-line. There was no offer for a room discount or voucher for a future stay.\nThe breakfast buffet was disappointing. This is typically the selling point of the Embassy Suites \"brand\"....a hot, delicious, cooked to order breakfast. In this case, the suasage and bacon was not part of the buffet but was placed behind the counter and had to be requested from the staff (even though they were precooked). I believe this is an attempt to reduce consumption of the more expensive meat items and for the most part it worked. Usually there was nobody there to ASK to serve you bacon/sausage as they were busy making omelletes for a long line of customers. The remaining buffet items were either cold (eggs) or dry (potatoes). The only good thing was the freshly brewed Starbucks coffee.\nThe only positives of the stay were the proximity of the hotel to several excellent nearby restaurants (I Ricci, Italian....Penang, Malaysian) and fairly close proximity to metro stops on both the red and orange/blue lines. This meant that DC National airport was only 25 minutes away by walking/metro train for a cost of $1.65. The conceirge was also very helpful. \nThere were four computers at the business center. The overall decor of the lobby was excellent. Room cleanliness and maid service good.\nOverall, this was a poor experience. I have written the management of the hotel and have included pictures of the hallway outside our room. I will post here if and when I receive a reply.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My wife and I made reservations via the hotel website and selected the upgraded suite, which was well worth the extra money in terms of size and view. Additionally, when you factor in that a full buffet breakfast and two hour happy hour is included, you can't go wrong. The location is close to two metro stops and located in a safe neighborhood. We would definitely stay here again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "For a Hilton hotel, the rooms are dissapointing at first, with decorating schemes belonging to a much cheaper hotel. However, the rooms are spotlessly clean. The sofa beds although squeally give suprisingly comfortable rest. The atrium is quite amazing, the way the tables are laid out for privacy is quite nice. Unfortunately sometimes they turn on flourescent lights. The breakfast is big, although somewhat lacking in flavor. For Southerners there are no biscuits. However it will certainly help cut down on your travel budget, as you won't have to eat lunch. The snacks in the evening can certainly fill you up as well. Do not come to this hotel looking for any lovely architectual aspects. The swimming pool is small, and they certainly kick you out at the assigned hour. If you are looking for a chic bathroom, go to the pool bathrooms. The excercise room is small but appropriate. The staff is friendly. Beware of parking on the street on the weekends, as of 6:00 a.m. the city tows your car (it happened to us)! The Dupont Circle Metro is closer and offers a nice walk through cute townhouses. Definitelly a good choice for families.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 29}, {"text": "Please note: My family and I have stayed in approximately 100 hotels in the past few years; everything from Comfort Inn to Four Seasons. We are not picky and so we arrive with no unrealistic expectations. My family of 4 (2 adults and 2 children) stayed at Embassy Suites Washington D.C. \nduring the last week of 2003 and have the following comments: GOOD: At less than $120 plus tax, the size and amenities of our King Suite provided a good value for the location. 2 TVs, 3 phones, microwave, refrigerator, and an in-suite dining room (in addition to a bedroom and a living room). (Note: see mattress descriptions under \"UGLY\" later in this review.) As mentioned in other reviews, the lobby is really nice and provides a fun setting for the free 2-hour happy hour each evening. \nThe pool is small but functional. The business center provides free high-speed internet connections. The concierge was helpful answering our questions. BAD: Parking is a problem. Upon arrival we were directed to park at the Ritz Carlton down the street. This was a major inconvenience, especially at $20 per night. We finally got into the Embassy Suites parking garage after our second request during our second day there. Food service is a big problem. We ate in the hotel restaurant the first night; one dinner arrived 15 minutes after the others were delivered and some food never arrived at all. Our server was very nice but overwhelmed. (We were comped for a portion of the meal and appreciate the gesture, but overall the experience was disappointing.) The breakfast (included in the price of the room) was also disappointing. On the first morning of our stay we arrived at 8:30 and the lines for hot food snaked thoughout the lobby. We settled for toast and cold cereal that day. The next morning we arrived at opening time (7:30) and did not have to wait long, but found the buffet's \"hot\" foods to be cool-to-warm at best. (Note: Guests may also order food and presumably that food arrives hot.) As a warning, the lines were again at least 50-people deep by 8:30 or so. UGLY: The bed portion of the suite's pull-out coach was sharply slanted toward the middle. The in-room video game system did not work. (Our fee was refunded.) Although not within the hotel's control, we were surprised to see a brawl occuring in the alley within 2 blocks of the hotel following dinner out one evening, and disappointed to see an arrest occur in the Embassy Suites lobby after a man who was not a guest was caught eating the free breakfast. Overall the Embassy Suites is a nice facility with a lot of potential, but the food service and parking issues will lead us to stay elsewhere during out next Washington visit.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 14}]}, "498949": {"reviews": [{"text": "I accompanied my husband to Washington DC on a business trip. We booked the Hampton Inn Convention Center because it was within walking distance to the office my husband\u2019s meeting was held in and because we are never disappointed with Hampton Inns. This one was no exception. We were greeted on the sidewalk and helped inside with our luggage. The lobby was exceptionally large and sported an aquarium, a concierge (first Hampton Inn I\u2019d stayed in that offered that convenience) and coffee or tea and juices available all day. There is comfortable and ample seating to people watch. There is a business center with high speed computers available for those who don\u2019t have their own computer.\nChecking in took minutes. When we were initially given a room on the second floor, I asked for a room on a higher floor, preferably a corner with a view to the south and we were cheerfully reassigned. We had room 902 which gave us a wonderful view, highlighted by the Washington Monument. The scrupulously clean room featured a king-sized bed, comfortable easy chair with ottoman, 25\" color television and high-speed internet access with a desk workspace. There was a microwave and small refrigerator and also a coffee maker and iron and ironing board. There was a tub and shower and plenty of toiletries and soft towels provided each day. The bed was dreamy, pardon my bad pun. Soft sheets, a choice of firm or soft pillows and a comforter that was just enough to keep us toasty during the night. The heater was controlled by a wall thermostat and our room was always comfortably warm. \nThe complimentary breakfast was different each day and offered several choices from toast and cereal to breakfast pizzas and biscuits and gravy, always accompanied by fresh fruit and yoghurt, several juice choices and milk and coffee. Each evening when we returned to the hotel we were greeted with the wonderful smell of chocolate chip cookies which tasted as good as they smelled. \nThe location of the hotel was perfect for sightseeing on foot. It was only a few minutes walk to the National Mall which many of the museums face. I walked to The White House and to the Lincoln Monument and made my way back past the Vietnam Memorial, the newer Korean Memorial and the brand new World War II Memorial to the Washington Monument. Being in Washington DC in January is a plus in spite of the cold weather and occasional rain showers because there are no crowds. There was no one in line to get a free ticket to ride the 70 seconds to the top of the Washington Monument and no one blocking my view through the small windows. \nAnother day I walked through Downtown to Georgetown University and through some of the quaint neighborhoods in that area. There are plenty of transportation opportunities including the Metro a couple of blocks from the hotel, a Circulator Bus that stops in the same block and the Metro Buses, but I preferred to go at my own pace and stop and look at whatever I wanted and spend as much time as I wanted. I never felt uneasy or worried about my safety and with a map available at the concierge\u2019s desk, it was easy to navigate. I wouldn\u2019t feel uncomfortable walking alone in the evening to go out to eat or shop as long as I stayed south of Massaschusetts Avenue and no further east than 6th St. in the immediate area of the hotel. \nA highlight of our trip was the motorcade carrying President Bush back to the White House following the State of the Union address passed directly beneath our windows. Although we didn't catch a glimpse of the President through the heavily tinted windows of the limousine (which was actually no big disappointment!) we did enjoy the excitement of the motorcycles and police cars escorting the suburbans and limousines.\nI highly recommend the Hampton Inn Convention Center for its central location, excellent breakfast, friendly staff and the value especially compared to other hotels in the area. There are sirens of firetrucks and police cars day and night but that is to be expected in the center of a large metropolitan area and the sight of the Washington Monument viewed right out our window diminished any inconvenience or irritation.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "This is the nicest Hampton Inn that I have ever stayed in. The rooms had an city trendy feel to them, large rooms for a \"city\" hotel. Very comfortable beds! Very clean. Large bathroom with granite counter tops, nice toiletries, laptop desk., nice touch. I was pleasantly surprized. I was extremely impressed with the hotel and room...can not go wrong, especially when paying top dollar in this very expensive city.\nEntire hotel was wireless....free access, the front desk gives you the code to wireless system. I actually had decent speed , no troubling accessing their network.\nBreakfast was more than a typical continetal. They had eggs, waffles, sausage, cinnimon biskets, plus the usual yogurts, breads, begals, ect. Not bad!\nMy only complainant was that my room was not ready upon check in and I had to wait 40 minutes. This was over Memorial Day weekend, so the hotel was extremely busy, I will cut them a break.\nThe location was very easy to walk to the National Mall, nice feature. The hotel is practically adjacent to Chinatown, which is an older section of town, a touch run down, but I felt fairly safe walking through the surrounding area to get to the Mall and Penns. Ave.\nI would absolutely stay there again. 2 thumbs up!", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We've now stayed at this Hampton Inn twice. First time, we were in a corner suite, and it was magnificent. Absolutely the best value in DC I have ever found - and I stay there frequently. The room we had this time was quite adequate but not the stunning value of the suite. The decor is very up-scale for a \"budget\" range hotel. The rooms have refrigerators and microwaves and decent coffee makers.\nThe hotel is relatively new and in a convenient location for me. The staff is very helpful and efficient. No bar or restaurant, but there are plenty of stores and restaurants (particularly Chinese) nearby.\nWe have stayed when it was quite full and with a high school group at that! The staff was quite good about getting them settled. The complimentary breakfast buffet is decent but can be something of a madhouse. Again, the staff does a great job of keeping things under control. \nI would stay here again any time it's available for its location and the value.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We took our first family trip to DC over our winter break (Feb 2007) and had a wonderful experience at the Hampton Inn! The hotel is practically brand new, the staff was extremely helpful (sometimes a slight language barrier) but they went out of their way to help us. The rooms are well furnished, clean and modern. The bed was extremely comfortable, the best we've ever stayed in. The down side, the towels were a bit scratchy though and there was no DVD player in the room for our kids. Breakfast was great and a lot of variety was available to us. The best part was that the hotel is close to everything! The Chinatown metro is only a few easy blocks away or there is always the Circulator bus (red) that we used to get around to every part of the city we wanted to see. The best part, it only cost a dollar with free transfer passes for the entire day. We would recommend this hotel for its great location, and wouldn't hestitate to stay here again. Our kids are 7 and 10 and the Hampton Inn really made our stay in DC very pleasurable.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We recently stayed at this hotel for a week and had a great stay! I was traveling for a conference, and my husband and three of my kids, ages 4, 3, and 11 months traveled with me to see DC. This was our first time in DC and we booked this hotel based on the price and the tripadvisor reviews. We were not disappointed.\nThe front desk staff was friendly and accomodating. Although we had requested a high floor, we were first given a room on a low floor. The only room on a high floor that was available was smoking. The lady assured me that she was a non-smoker and she wouldn't have any problem staying the the room. So, they switched our rooms. I could smell the smoke as we got off the elevator, and the smell in the room was unbearable. They moved us to a lower non-smoking room, without any hastle. (Lesson... do NOT settle for a smoking room if you don't smoke!)\nOur room was clean and average size. It had 2 queen beds, a recliner, and a desk. There was still room for our portable crib, too. Although there was not enough drawer and closet space for the 5 of us for a week, I would consider the storage space generous compared to other hotels. The bathroom was also very large. \nWe especially appreciated the refridgerator and microwave. We ate many meals in the room and lobby saving some money on eating out.\nThe lobby was comfortable and attractive. My husband and the kids spent lots of time at the tables in the lobby coloring and playing while I was at a conference. It was nice to have that area for the kids to spread out.\nThe indoor pool and hottub area was also nice. Although, the pool was too cold to really enjoy. The hottub was warm enough to relax, but still cool enough for the kids to get in. Although I did not use the gym, it appeared to be adequate.\nOne of the best features of this hotel is the breakfast! It varied from day to day. A few things served were french toast sticks, bacon, ham, eggs, breakfast pizza (Yummy!), fruit, cereal, juice, toast, etc... My only complaint is that I wish the hours were longer, especially on the weekends. There was always cofee/tea/hot chocolate in the lobby, which was great after long, cold days out in DC. They even served cookies in the lobby every night at 6:00 pm!\nThe hotel was a short walk (about 2 1/2 blocks) from the Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro Station which was very convenient. It is also within walking distance of many good restaurants in Chinatown! It is only a short distance to the heart of DC, if you are up for a stroll. There was also almost always a taxi out front to catch, if that is what you prefer. The circulator bus also stops about 1/2 block form the hotel.\nMany sites within just a few blocks of the hotel include Chinatown, the National Portrait Gallery and Art Museum, the Spy Museum, the National Building Museum, the Verizon Center, the Convention Center, amoung other things.\nI read other reviews that commented on the homeless people in the area. There were homeless people, but we never felt threated as we walked the streets at night with our stroller and small kids. \nWe were very pleased with our stay and recommend this hotel to anyone traveling to DC, especially those with small children!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "This is not a review of the hotel; this is a review of my recent STAY at this hotel. If everything would have worked, I would probably have rated this hotel 4. However:\n- we booked a double-queen room, and called the hotel on the day of arrival to confirm it. The rate had a 24-hour cancelation policy, so we practically PAID for the room by that time\n- when we arrived, late at night, they only had a \"king suite\" for us, which had one king and one pull-out sofa. There was no point arguing, so we took it; the kids spent the first night on the sofa. The \"suite\" was small; with the sofa open, there was no space left to move. Even with the sofa closed the bed didn't have more than 3 feet at each side of it.\n- the next morning they said they would move us to a double queen room. We were asked to pack and bring our luggage to the baggage room, which we did. We returned our keys, and when we arrived later that evening, there was again no double-queen available.\n- we ended up in the same king suite for the second night. They did say they won't charge us for the first two night.\n- but when we checked out, they charged us 50% more than our rate for the third night.\n- we showed the manager our reservation and he adjusted the charge.\n- but when we checked the credit card trascript we were charged double what we were supposed to, including $22 for \"postage\".\n- during our interaction with the reception staff, the words 'sorry' or 'appologize' were never uttered. This seemed like hotel policy; once I felt one of them WAS sorry for us, but she won't say it.\nIn sum, what could have been a decent hotel turned out to be a totally mis-managed property. This hotel cannot honor your reservation, your rate or your credit card charge. We won't come back.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "After going thru the reviews of many hotels on TripAdvisor, we decided upon Hampton Inn. The second choice was Embassy Suites but we chose HI because of -\n1. Microwave & Fridge\n2. Circulator Bus near the door (didnt want to deal with underground Metro) for sight-seeing\n3. Good value for the budget\n4. Like Chinese food, so wanted to be close to Chinatown.\n5. Complimentary Internet.\nNow the Good - \n1. Met most of our needs as listed above.\n2. The bed & pillows - extra comfy & soft, loved it after all the walking.\n3. Everything was new & clean.\n4. The complimentary hot breakfast was excellent - wide variety - even yogurt & fruits - esp loved the hot biscuits. Better than many Embassy Suites we have stayed in.\n5. Heated indoor pool.\nAnd Not-so-Good - \n1. Location - Well, the homeless are more visible around this area as well. And Chinatown is almost a 'run-down' area (if you have been to NYC etc) - with many Chinese restaurants we did not even like going near - didnt look clean to us at all. If you are looking for a more lively, happening area - Dupont Circle would be a better choice. Luckily we did try Burma Restaurant - great food, must try their Ginger Salad!!\n2. Their valet parking service was poor.\n3. They had a fire alarm go off in the building once - evacuation - a pant put in by a guest in the laundry caught fire since it had traces of some combustible material on it, we were told.\n4. There is a rescue squad station on 6th and F - so there were sirens that disturbed us daily, being on the 13th floor didnt help. In a city, guess that would be expected.\nOverall a good value for the money. Many Thanks to TripAdvisor and other posters.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Our family stayed for 3 nights at the Hampton Inn in Washington and were very impressed with this hotel. It is 3 blocks walking distance from the Metro station. It is a good walk from all Washington attractions if you don't mind walking. The staff were all very helpful and courteous. The room was comfortable, beds were queen sized and very comfortable, down pillows and duvet, sheets fresh and crisp. The bathroom was large, marble and clean. Housekeeping staff provided more than enough towels for the 5 of us during our stay. The continental breakfast was the best I have ever had--it included at least 2 hot items which changed daily, some choices were scrambled eggs, french toast, belgian waffles, biscuits with country gravy, breakfast pizzas. Daily items included yogurt, fresh fruit, fruit cocktail, bagels, muffins, pastries, cereal, oatmeal, toast etc. The parking is valet and pricey at $22 per day, but even with the cost of parking this hotel was cheaper than others outside of Washington and convenient to all attractions. We would definately stay here again .", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Took the family down DC for a quick weekend getaway. After checking hotel web sites, found that this property, although far from the mall, had an excellent weekend rate and provided a complimentary breakfast. \nWith the circulator buses, the negative of being far from the national mall disappeared. Two of the DC Circulator buses pass real close to this hotel. The DC Circulator is great. For $3 you can ride all day on any of three circulator busses. The Red circulator - which goes to the national mall can be caught about two blocks away at the Chinatown Metro Station (on 7th). The Gold circulator passes in front of the hotel and goes a couple of blocks away from the White House. (The third circulator goes around the national mall from about the capital to the washington monument - you can get to it by taking the red circulator)\nThere are ample places to eat on 7th street near this hotel. They range from McD's, to sit down chains like Ruth Chris and Legal Sea Foods, a few sandwich shops and some decent Chineese restaraunts.\nThe hotel room was very clean and nice. (The hotel looked new), The pool area was fairly deserted friday night but packed with kids on saturday evening. Getting breakfast was difficult on Saturday (around 9:15 am) because of all the people but was fine on Sunday (around 8:15am) . \nWhen I plan another weekend trip to DC , I would definately consider staying at this hotel again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed here end of July for 2 nights with our 3 teenage grand children. We had 2 rooms and asked for adjoining rooms but when we got there they said they had no adjoing rooms with a door in between. But it worked out okay. They have a nice hot breakfast every morning and serve something different every day. Staff very helpful and friendly. Metro and restarurants within a 2 block walk. It is in the chinatown area so had chinese dinner one night and the kids really enjoyed the meal. Best to stay in groups as the neighborhood changes within 1 block of the restaurants so stay within those 2 blocks. We made sure we were home by dark so no problem. Many families like us walking to and from the hotel to restaurants and metro. Rooms had down comforters and comfortable beds. Would stay here again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "In DC for a conference. Because the Renaissance- Convention Center could not accomdodate an extra night, we decided on the Hampton Inn for our entire stay. It is only a short walk to the convenion center and I am very happy we made the change. We had a king suite which is wonderful. Very roomy and quite comfortable. Not being able to close the curtains made me a bit uneasy, but who would be looking up 8 stories?\n The whirlpool was not working properly and the pool was cold, however after a full day of walking, it turned out okay. \nOne of the two elevators being broken was a huge problem. Taking the stairs up 8 flights only occured once as I thought I was going to have a heart attack. If you are in a hurry in the early morning, do not plan on using the elevators. \nBreakfast was okay. There were several choices and the food was edible. In 5 days, I never had a problem getting a table. \nThe concierges were all very pleasant and helpful. The free internet access is great. The area is not the greatest - many homeless people in the park across the street. After dark, I was a little apprehensive but I felt safe as I had my husband with me. I would not walk alone after dark. \nA short walk (through a not so great area) brings you to a variety of restaurants and ethnic diversity. A word of advice - Do not eat at Ruby Tuesday. Besides being totally filthy, the food was disgusting. A total waste of money. ESPN Zone was very good.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We were looking for a hotel that felt safe, clean, was reasonably priced, and was within walking distance to the National Mall. This was definitely it! The parking was $22, but they let us come in early in the morning, drop the car off (even though check-in time wasn't until 4pm), and go walk around D.C. We checked in later that night with no problems. Then we walked a couple blocks later at night to a local bar, and felt safe along the way. In the morning, we just put our luggage with the valet guy, and walked around to more monuments. As long as we were back to get our car by 2pm, they didn't charge us anymore than one day ($22) for parking. The staff was friendly. We will definitely stay here again if we're in town.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We recently stayed at the Hampton Inn Convention Center hotel in Washington, DC for four nights. The hotel is very nice, very clean and new. The bathrooms are spacious and the showers are wonderful. Plenty of seating for the morning breakfast buffet. The staff was friendly and helpful. We paid $170.00 a night. The only drawback to the hotel is the neighborhood. It's not terrible, but not great either. A bit of a mixed bag. We always felt safe however. The hotel is on 6th Street. I would recommend walking to the Mall via 7th street. Much nicer atmosphere. It's about a 10 block (20-25 minute) walk to the Mall area. We found some nice restaurants on 9th street. The overall rating for the hotel is above average, but the location is so-so.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I am staying at the Hampton Inn in Washington DC and am quite impressed with this new hotel in Washington DC. Room is clean with added amenities like a microwave, refrigerator, room safe, free internet access and free morning breakfast! Add to this a swimming pool and fitness center and you have all of special benefits of a four star hotel at three star price. The hotel is a ten minute walk to the Gallery Chinatown Metro stop and across the street from National Public Radio.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I am a very particular and travel to DC frequently for work, so I have stayed at many, many properties. The Hampton Inn was wonderful. The feel is much more cosmpolitan than most hotels of that class and this property worked hard to be friendly and welcoming. The room was great and the bed is a very nice new touch from the Hampton Inn chain. I would stay here again as the location is good and the experience was positive.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "My family of four just returned from a fabulous stay at this new hotel. We booked our stay based on the positive comments posted on TripAdvisor, and the hotel exceeded our expectations in terms of its convenient location for a moderate price. All the furnishings are new and very comfortable. The staff is friendly and helpful. Our children enjoyed the pool and hot tub (small but still relaxing). The continental breakfast was convienent but nothing fancy. If you need to stash a car for a couple days, valet parking is available but expensive. There is a computer available in the business center but the network connection is very slow, making it hard for anyone to be quick on it. The best surprise for us was a new set of three bus lines known as the Circulator buses. The fare is $1 and includes a transfer, which is good for boarding any circulator for the day. One line runs East/West from Union Station past the hotel all the way to Georgetown. Another line, which is one block from the hotel on 7th, runs North/South from the convention center through Chinatown (past the Metro stop) through the National Mall (where you can hop on the third Circulator line, which runs around the mall) to the waterfront. The hotel is a couple blocks from Chinatown where there are a lot of restaurants of all kinds. The neighborhood has had a lot of new construction and development because it is a couple blocks away from the convention center. There ia still an occasional harmless bum, but we felt the neighborhood was safe.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 29}, {"text": "Just return from the Easter weekend stay at the hotel, with my family. Overall, it exceeded my expectation. We like the double queen beds, since have 2 young kids. The front desk was assigning us a room at 3rd floor, but I cited having little kids and would like to have one more quiet. Without hesitation, she gave me one on 13th, and at a corner. Didn't hear any noice at all for 2 nights stay there. The hotel is quite clean. I particularly checked the air filter (since my wife is highly sensitive to dust and smell), didn't need to wash it myself.\nThe free breakfast was good. They even changed the items day to day.\nThe pool is almost useless though. Too small.\nPersonally I don't like Valet parking. I would rather pay same amount of money, and park myself. It's more convenient. As to the charge, I found it comparable to nearby garages. A couple dollars more, but you save the walk.\nIt's very close to the Mall. But the surrounding neiborhood could be nicer. We have a car, so most of the time don't need to walk. I walked once to the Metro station in Chinatown. Walking back from 7th steet is better than 6th. Living close to New York, I don't see any concerns walking on those steets. But if you are single woman, and have to walk all the time, indeed this may not be good location to stay.\nBottom line, it's a good value. I would say it's a great value.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "We just returned from a wonderful stay at the Hampton Inn in DC. I was truly impressed with everything about this hotel. The rooms were clean with new furniture, a spacious bathroom and a refrigerator and microwave. They had complimentary internet service, and free local phone calls that was great for planning our sightseeing adventures. The breakfast every morning was really convenient and there was a good variety of food to chose from. Our kids enjoyed the pool and I enjoyed the hot tub after a long day of walking to all of the sightseeing attractions!\nThe hotel is only about 3 blocks from the Metro and Chinatown. I was initially concerned about the neighborhood but really never had any problems... I don't know that I would recommend walking alone at night but you can find that in any major city. \nThe greatest feature about this hotel is the staff. We have traveled many times and I have never come across a more accomodating and friendly staff. I would not hesistate to recommend this hotel to anyone.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Our family of 5 took a trip to Washington DC for our first time. I chose this hotel because it was close to the Metro, close to Chinatown, and offered free breakfast and internet access. The neighborhood did seem kind of shady, but we always traveled in a group, and the metro was close by, so that was not a big deal. My family is Chinese, so it was convenient to have Chinatown nearby for dinners. I was impressed by the clean lobby and friendly staff, and even more so by our room. The furniture seemed new, beds and pillows were fluffy and nice, bathroom was clean, and they even provided a nice sized roll away bed at no additional cost. The breakfast in the morning was a great plus. There were eggs and either ham or sausage, buscuits, muffins, bagels, fruit, and juice. That was very convenient for us so we didn't have to go out to look for breakfast. My only complain about the hotel is the price we paid for it. It was an average of $160.00 a night...probably because it was around spring break. All in all, we had a great vacation touring DC on our own, and our stay at the Hampton Inn was very enjoyable.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "Definitely a great hotel- the staff were all very nice, everyone was clean and new and it was only a few minutes from the Metro.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "This is a modern design Hampton Inn with all the high speed amenities business travelers expect. Terrific location for all types. Two blocks from metro center. I especially liked the cool color schemes for the rooms and in-room high speed internet for free. Good complimentary breakfast. Everyone was terrifically friendly; very convenient to good dining too! Go eat at Poste in the Monaco (three blocks away). The beds are truly excellent (and I am way picky). Complimentary in room safe also was a nice touch. They will keep your bags for hours if you have meetings on the day you check out. Top Pick.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "Just returned from an incredible week in D.C. This Hampton Inn is quite new, having opened just this year (2005). Located at 6th and Massachusetts NW, it was only two blocks from the Chinatown metro and within walking distance of any number of good restaurants. The area is undergoing a revival with a new convention center. We were initially concerned about the area but found nothing in this area that was of any more concern than any other. \nMy wife and I stayed in a standard room with two queen beds. The rooms were a fairly standard size, but well appointed and laid out well. The room had a refrigerator and microwave tucked away in their own cabinet with space in it to put a small amount of grocery items. Coffee maker, hair dryer, ironing board etc... It also has free local calls and free internet access in every room or in a business center downstairs.\nThe decor is contemporary with dark cabinets, glass topped work desk, a stuffed easy chair, and beds with down comforters. The room rate was very reasonable in comparison to everything else that we priced. We paid $174 to $184 a night. The hotel has a fairly good breakfast including hot food like sausage and eggs, biscuits and gravy or french toast as well as oatmeal, dry cereals, fruit, rolls, muffins and bagels. For those that were in a hurry, they had already made \"to-go\" bags, which had a muffin, breakfast bar, fruit and a bottle of water to take with you.\nThe hotel has an indoor pool and Jacuzzi with a lifeguard on duty. It is on the second floor tucked away from traffic, so you did not feel like you were on display to other guests. They have a fitness room with cardio equipment. I would liked to have seen some weight equipment, or perhaps resistance bands or a fitness ball to supplement the cardio. They have a laundry room which we used twice while we were there. It is laid out with a folding table and chairs to wait with if you wanted.\nWhat we were most impressed with was the five star service we received from everyone we dealt with at the hotel. I have never had a more consistently friendly, attentive and helpful staff in all of my years of traveling. We requested a number of items from different staff members and were always accommodated courteously and efficiently. \nFor example, the beds are quite new and were perfectly firm and comfortable for me. My wife found them to be a little too firm for her. When we talked to the front desk they immediately brought up a number of extra blankets to try and pillow the mattress. The next morning my wife was still not satisfied so they found some of the down comforters to use as a pillow top, and my wife slept like a baby for the rest of the trip. The staff was most helpful in directing us to places to eat, shopping, or whatever else we needed. \nWe truly felt like we were just part of the family there. I cannot speak highly enough of their entire staff. I would not hesitate to stay here again or recommend it to a fellow traveler, either for business or pleasure.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 32}, {"text": "Stayed 5 nights at the new Hampton Inn Washington DC Convention Center in September 2005. Convieniently close to the Convention Center and other nearby hotels. The rooms are on the small side, but clean, with spacious bathrooms. The staff were friendly and very helpfull with any hitches. I definitley enjoyed my stay.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "We stayed at the Hampton Inn March 29-April 2 with a school fieldtrip of 16 people and 5 rooms - and were very pleased with the accomodations. The hotel had been open 3 weeks and was very clean. Having a refrigerator and microwave in the rooms was a plus. The locations was very central to the Gallery-Place/China Town Metro stop. However be aware that there are some homeless to contend with as you exit the stop. They were not troublesome...but simply a facet of city life. The pool heater was under repair so the water was a little chilly in the indoor pool. Also the pool-maintenance guy was TOOOO FRIENDLY with the female students, and I would not be comfortable leaving my kids in the pool area alone to swim. The front desk was very helpful and the breakfast was above average for a Hampton Inn. \nAlthough located close to a Fire Department, the noise was easily ignored. They also messed up our bill, but quickly fixed it when I pointed it out. There were LOTS of restaurants close by - mostly Asian but also some seafood and fastfood. There was a CVS pharmacy close by, too.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I am typing this review from my room on their complementary high speed Internet - a definite bonus. Though the room is immaculately clean, the noise has almost driven me to the checkout line. The hotel location is OK and just 2 blocks from the Chinatown Metro station, but is also close to a fire department and a busy intersection. I was awoken at least every 30 minutes every night by fire trucks, honking horns, and even people yelling. Perhaps the hotel should upgrade to some better sound-proof windows?!?\nRemove the noise and this place gets 4 or 5 stars from me. Check-in took about 30 seconds - the keys were ready and the staff was friendly. The elevator was waiting and I was in my room about 2 minutes after walking in the front door. The room is wonderfully adorned and the dark redwood business desk, furniture, and bed are very nice. The glass adorned business desk has power outlets and Internet plug-ins directly above it - no climbing under the desk to find an outlet that is already occupied. And the chair and lighting are excellent - a definite bonus for the business traveler. The bed (king size) is immensely comfortable (though I was made aware of it's comfort throughout the night because of the noise!). Breakfast was of the typical complimentary type - nothing to write home about.\nThough the location is convenient, I was solicited for money by homeless people three times during the two block walk from the Metro station. I would not feel comfortable with my wife and child walking those two blocks at night.\nIn all, everything inside the hotel is perfect, but it's the stuff on the outside (noise, security, etc.) that hurts this hotel.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 21}]}, "2038749": {"reviews": []}, "114575": {"reviews": []}, "84115": {"reviews": [{"text": "I stayed at the Hotel Madera for one night during the week on a business trip in March 2006. \nUpon arrival, I was slightly confused because there was no valet to be seen outside and I had to parallel park my car in a tiny spot on the street in front of the hotel. Also, I had to carry my own bags inside. This is not typical for me on a business trip, but I had booked the Hotel Madera knowing that it is a small, boutique hotel and that reviews of it on this board had said that service was lacking.\nHowever, once I got inside to the front desk I had very good service from the woman staffing it. She immediately radioed down for a valet to move my car. While my room wasn't immediately ready, she had the valet also store my bags. While I camped out on the lobby sofa across from the front desk to check my email and voicemails, my room became ready and she sent me upstairs. My bags arrived about five minutes later. \nAs I am a Kimpton in touch member, I did enjoy the bottled water and fruit basket, along with handwritten welcome note in my room. The room was incredibly spacious for the city, with a full size sofa in front of floor to ceiling windows that opened out onto a small balcony with great views of New Hampshire ave. The bed was comfortable and they let me select pillows from the pillow menu. I was disappointed that the high speed internet connection was not wireless, however. \nAll in all, I had a nice time at this hotel and would stay again for business. However, if you have a car that needs to be parked, be prepared for slow service from the valet. Next time I am in DC for business I will probably just take a cab from the airport. There were almost always cabs out front and the metro is just two blocks away in Dupont Circle.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed at the Hotel Madera for four nights beginning on 2/1/06. From the minute we walked in the door until the time we checked out, the service was impeccable. We were especially impressed with Kevin. He made us feel as though we were guests in his home. \nThe hotel is quite and centrally located. We have stayed in many properties in the area and this was by far the best. We look forward to our next visit.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husband and I LOVED staying at hotel Madera in DC and thought the staff was wonderful. So much that I felt compelled to write about it! Although our stay was brief, I could really appreciate all the detail that went into making our visit an enjoyable one. My husband and I were so disappointed we couldn\u2019t stay longer. From the greeting upon arrival, to the lovely room and high-end amenities, I am grateful to hotels such as this that go above and beyond to make one's stay as comfortable and relaxing as possible. Our favorite part was wine hour, which we participated in each evening! Cheers! \nHaving traveled a lot, there aren't many hotels that pay attention to detail quite like this one.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I spent 4 nights at Hotel Madera in September 2005. I booked through hotwire but I am a Kimpton In Touch member. When I checked in, I got MAJOR attitude from the front desk. For example, they would not give me the welcome kit that all In Touch members are supposed to receive (regardless of where you book through). I was put in a room with a yucky location, windows facing the loading dock, with workers out all the time. Consequently I had to keep my curtains drawn or I would have been visible to the loading dock the whole time. I had other service issues - for example, the light to indicate phone messages didn't work, and I also could not access the messages. I called to report it and the same front desk clerk acted as though she really didn't care to help me - I don't know why, I certainly didn't do anything to her! They eventually got it fixed but without so much as an apology. I had other issues throughout my stay and always go the same slow-to-help attitude.\nDespite the uppity, unhelpful service, I found the room simply stunning. I loved the fantastic stereo, the beautiful decor, the wonderful Aveda products. The hotel's location is great, so close to all those great Dupont Circle restaurants. Plus their own restaurant, Firefly, is wonderful.\nHowever, I don't think I'll return. When I contacted the Kimptom management to report the troubles I had, they were not very responsive. I guess because I used hotwire once, I am no longer a true Kimptom In Touch member? There are too many other fabulous hotels to go back to one that treated me rudely.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "We stayed 3 nights at the Madera and it was the highlight of our 2-week trip. The location was excellent, the room was enormous and lovely, and we had a fantastic dinner at the Firefly restaurant.\nOur room was on the front side of the building, facing the street, with a full-length balcony. As another reviewer noted, these rooms are larger than those facing the other direction, but if you are sensitive to street noise you might prefer them. The decor is soothing and tasteful; Kimpton offers a variety of styles, so I advise you to look at their website to see which appeals to you, since they have several properties in the area. I was elated when I walked into this beautiful room.\nThe bathroom is split into a spacious dressing area with a huge closet (with a velvet curtain rather than doors) opposite the vanity with tons of counter space, and a tiny room with the toilet and tub/shower (see photo). I agree with others who've noted this cramped space is one of the few negatives - it struck me as oddly out of keeping with the overall comfort of the room. But it was adequate, and I like having the sink & dressing area separate from the toilet and shower room.\nThe lobby area is also quite tiny, but they do offer a happy hour with free wine. And there is a free \"business center\" (alcove) down the hall with a PC and printer, where you can access the Internet if you don't have a laptop with you.\nOur dinner at Firefly was exceptional, and the service was outstanding - in fact, we returned for drinks and dessert at the bar the next night because we enjoyed the place so much.\nI would absolutely stay here again, and recommend it highly.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My partner and I visited Washington, DC for three nights one hot August weekend and we stayed at the Hotel Madera. We got excellent rates through their website. Their \u201cHot Dates, Great Rates\u201d deal was for an amazing $129/night.\nLOCATION\nThe first thing you need to know about the Hotel Madera is its perfect location. Two blocks from trendy Dupont Circle \u2013 where myriad restaurants and chic shops abound \u2013 but on quiet New Hampshire Avenue, the Hotel Madera gives you the best of both worlds. The hotel offers overnight parking at a hefty price ($24/night); so if you can, leave the car at home and take the DC\u2019s magnificent Metro \u2013 which takes you almost everywhere you need to go \u2013 from Union Station or Washington National Airport. The nearest Metro station (Dupont Circle on the red line) is also conveniently located two blocks away.\nLOBBY/HALLWAYS\nAlthough a bit of a disappointment, the hotel\u2019s lobby is perfectly fine. There\u2019s really not much of a lobby to speak of, but they\u2019ve clearly done as much as they can, given the dimensions of the space: put a desk, plop a banquette, use lots of dark, hip colors, and douse everything in soft lighting. If you arrive in the early evening, you\u2019ll most likely be greeted by a few guests taking advantage of the complimentary wine hour (a nice and friendly touch). A couple of small elevators off the lobby will take you to your floor where lively carpeting and surprisingly harsh lighting await you. Each door is topped with a decorative molding that\u2019s incongruous to the hotel\u2019s modern d\u00e9cor, but it somehow works.\nROOM\nYou open your door and discover where the Hotel Madera really shines. We\u2019ve stayed in many boutique hotels where rooms are barely bigger than the beds, but our room at the Hotel Madera was comfortable, beautiful, and spacious. And very quiet, which is definitely a plus. The room\u2019s d\u00e9cor was modern and hip without being too painfully so. Someone definitely paid attention to the details, down to the woven wallpaper. Our king-sized bed was comfortable. And the room came with Internet access, cable, and a nice CD-stereo system. The bathroom was small, as others have pointed out, but just fine. The multiple-setting massaging showerhead more than made up for that shortcoming. The one thing that kept our room from being absolutely perfect was the air conditioner. Maybe it was just too hot outside, but for some reason, while it was comfortable, the room was not getting cold. We had to keep turning down the thermostat to get to a nice temperature. This was a small flaw in an otherwise excellent room.\nSERVICE\nThe staff is extremely friendly and helpful. They strike a good balance between being professional and casual. There were a few hitches (one day, I had to wait a while for my car, but the next day, it was there in no time), but service is overall good. The staff may not always run like clockwork, but service is always delivered with a friendly smile, and that goes a long way in my book. An example: one early morning, while I was waiting for my car, an alarm went off at the front desk and the clerk turned it off and made a call to a room. That was a wake-up call! Yes, a clock at the front desk keeps all the wake-up call requests and they actually call the individual guests. I had to try it the next morning and sure enough, I got a call at the appointed hour with a human voice on the other line greeting me with a happy \u201cGood morning,\u201d instead of a computer coldly telling me this is my wake-up call.\nRESTAURANT\nThe hotel\u2019s restaurant, Firefly, features a great room dominated by the large \u201cFirefly\u201d tree in the middle and a wall lined with birch tree trunks. While the food was not the best we had in Washington, it\u2019s certainly good and the room is worth the visit. I had a chilled tomato soup that was perfect for a hot summer evening, and a juicy braised lamb shoulder that hit the right spot. Diners should check their low-carb diets at the door and try the truffled Parmesan fries; it\u2019s the sophisticated salty childhood treat you never had. If you can\u2019t come for dinner, at least come for drinks. The lounge area is the perfect place for a cosmo and quiet conversation. Service at the restaurant was similar to the hotel, slightly imperfect (I couldn\u2019t hear half of what our server was saying), but professional and always warm and friendly.\nSUMMARY\nThe Hotel Madera is that small boutique hotel that\u2019s perfect for the traveler who\u2019s willing to forego the usual amenities (room service, fitness room, grand lobby) in exchange for warm and friendly service and beautiful, comfortable rooms in a perfect location. This was our first Kimpton hotel and I have a feeling it won\u2019t be our last. Note to pet owners: the Madera is very pet friendly, down to the water bowl by the lobby.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 24}, {"text": "I stayed at the Madera for a business trip -- had a dinner meeting at the Ritz Carlton, which is only 2-3 blocks away.\nThe location (aside from my meeting) was perfect. The area is lovely for a leisurely walk (felt very safe at night), and plenty of bistros, coffee shops, and wonderful bookstores. \nAnd it's just a few steps from the Dupont Circle stop on the Metro. I decided to take the Metro to the hotel from National Airport (DCA) and it was a breeze -- and less than $2.00, ha! I simply took the Metro from the airport and got off at the Galleries/Chinatown stop, and then took the next train to the Dupont Circle. The hotel was 2 short blocks away. An easy stroll. The entire trip from the airport took perhaps twenty minutes from the moment I picked up my bag at the luggage carousel.\nAnd the welcome I received at the hotel? It knocked my socks off. Gracious, warm, charming, polished, efficient. You'd have sworn I was a long lost relative. Or a royal duchess who'd deigned to visit them. Seriously, I was nonplussed at how lovely they were, especially Victor at the front desk.\nI arrived just in time for the free wine, which was delicious. I took a glass into the little business center and sipped while I checked my email and printed off some background info on the potential client we were wooing.\nThis is a boutique hotel -- tiny lobby, tiny business center (closet-sized room with computer and printer, free internet), no room service, etc.\nBut the service and atmosphere were extraordinary. I can't say I've EVER had better service. When I called and asked for a clothes steamer and a bigger hair dryer -- these items not only arrived promptly but I got a telephone call asking if the items had been delivered (they had). When I called and asked for another robe -- it arrived in seconds.\nThe room (I was on the 10th floor, I think it was 1005, no balcony, not facing the White House or Capitol) was lovely. Very pleasing contemporary decor, free wi-fi, great portable telephone, great bed, nice sound system (wonderful music was playing when I entered the room), fabulous fabrics on the chairs, windows, and bed. Tres cool lamps and artwork. Impressive and stylish. \nThe wash basin and counter are in an alcove separate from the bathroom, which is very European in size. (In other words, quite small: if you have an ensuite bath in most continental hotels, there's just enough room for the bathtub and toilet.) But I'd rather have the large airy room than a spacious bathroom, and I'm accustomed to small bathrooms in France and Italy.\nVictor at the front desk took very good care of me. Recommendations, directions, taxis, cookies and milk when I came back \"home\" at night. I felt like a V.I.P. and I wasn't -- just an ordinary business traveler.\nBreakfast at the adjoining restaurant was fine - pasties, bagels, juices, coffee/tea, jams, muffins, yogurt, cereals and milk. Not a big buffet but perfectly adequate.\nBut the best thing was the staff and the lovely room. I would stay here again in a heartbeat.\nThe nearby metro station is sooooo convenient -- you can get to the Smithsonian or Capitol Hill in a flash.\n(I previously stayed at the Grand Hyatt, which has a truly spectacular,massive lobby and is great if you need multiple restaurants/bars, big conference rooms, etc. But the personal welcome and impeccable service at the Madera were second to none.)", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "We just spent three days there as part of our honeymoon in Washington DC. Upon arrival, check-in was speedy and the reception was very friendly and welcoming. The staff were extremely courteous and helpful, our porter explained how all the in-room features worked: these included a large-screen TV with (pay per view) movies and TV on demand, safe and mini-bar. The bed was large and comfortable. In general the room was elegantly decorated although the bathroom was very small; the tub was pointless and would have been better replaced by a high-quality shower stall.\nThe hotel hosts a free wine-tasting every evening 5.30 - 6.30. There is only ever one red and one white and it only changes monthly so in effect this is an hour of free wine, and again the staff are very helpful and actually on one occasion let us take a bottle back to our room.\nThere is complimentary broadband internet in the room via an Ethernet port, but if you haven't got a laptop with you then there's a small room with a PC you can use, a useful touch. \nThe Firefly restaurant is cosy, friendly and very high quality, with prices to match. I had a spicy steak with possibly the world's best mustard mashed potato, while my wife had a very delicately-cooked monkfish. The wine list is small but well-chosen. One point to note is that the front desk said we wouldn't need reservations but when we went to dinner we were lucky to get one: I would recommend sticking you head round the corner and making sure of a nice table.\nThe Dupont Circle area is one of the nicest in the city with interesting shops, pleasant restaurants and a generally safe feel. There is a 24-hour drugstore only 2 minutes walk away. The Madera is a five-minute walk from the nearest Metro line and for non-locals the message is leave your car at home: the safe, clean Metro is the best in the country and the hotel will arrange both pickup and return to Dulles or Reagan airports (although they need 24 hours notice of this).\nTo conclude, the hotel is a fine choice for a few nights of relative luxury in the capital.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "84122": {"reviews": []}, "84047": {"reviews": [{"text": "Comfortable, solid furniture. Lots of space and light, well stocked with provisions, including animal print robes!! Our room was a medium-sized room according to the floor plan (the ones at the back seem to be the biggest). food was pricey, but we took advantage of Dupont Circle cafes and restaurants a short walk away. The \"business center\" is a tiny room with one computer terminal, but they will do printing and copying for you at a reasonable charge. Free wireless internet in your own room! The decor is very whacky -- deliberately garish with polkadots, stripes and checks altogether (see the photos someone has posted), but it is clean and very comfortable, and lots of fun this way. The staff were perfectly friendly, very laid back and non-intrusive.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I will not be returning to the Topaz. It is not beacuse it is a quirky, yoga themed hotel, the reason is because of the filthy, stained carpet. I never wanted to take my shoes off. It was very overpriced at over $300 per night. You'd think they could take this money and invest in updating the carpet, The room service menu was very limited. Found the staff to be friendly. For some reason, there was always a police car parked in front of the hotel. When I asked about it at the front desk, was told it was for extra security. I did complain about the carpet and received an apologetic email from the manager stating that they were investigating replacing it.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We stayed at the Topaz for 3 nights during the Easter week. The location was perfect - the hotel is on a quiet residential street. It is 2 blocks from the Metro and 1 block away from Connecticut Ave with plenty of places to eat. Krispy Kreme by the Metro, Starbucks on the corner, and the CA Pizza kitchen had great food!! We even found a MacDonald's for the children 3 blocks away. We loved the location, very hip, safe, and everything you needed was within walking distance including a 24 hour CVS on the other side of the Metro. The Zoo was 1 stop away and one of the best attractions we visited. Despite all the walking during the day in DC, the children never complained about the walk back to the hotel from the Metro.\nThe hotel had the most comfortable beds - even our two children were amazed at how comfortable the beds were. There was a big teapot with all types of tea to drink. (During the spring/summer, I believe there are energy drinks but it was still March so they had tea instead.) There is no pool but the front office has passes to the local Y. The Aveda products were a nice touch. Free wireless internet is available but we didn't use it. The only thing that we forgot to ask for was a combo bath/shower when booking our reservations. We got a shower only but it was fine. After a full day of walking it would have been nice to relax in a bath. We used our AAA card and the rate was $170 but this was prime season, and cheaper than others in this area. We also brought the 2005 AAA tour book and gave them the ad to receive FREE parking (that's $26 + tax per night) so don't forget to bring the book with the ad. The reservation clerk will not know about the free parking ad but she asked us to bring it with our AAA ID; when we arrived, the front desk honored the ad! Our room was not that big but we only needed 2 Queen beds and were hardly in the room until the evening. The hotel is ideal for couples especially with the bar downstairs. Originally, we were to stay 4 nights - when I tried to call before the trip and change it to 3 nights, they said it was a change and my rate would change from $170 to $230 so we left the reservation intact. When we arrived, we asked if we could leave one night earlier and they said it was no problem and didn't change the rate on us; the front desk was truly customer friendly!. All in all, we're glad we booked here after reading some of the other reviews. The location was perfect!!!!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Stayed at the Topaz for one night (Jan 6 2005); wish I could have stayed longer! Here's why:\nWhile the concrete building housing the Topaz is out of place and not visually appealing amongst all the brick residences on N Street, once you enter the hotel you will not be disappointed. The lobby is simple yet tasteful and elegant. The decor is retro-chic throughout and was very pleasing.\nMy room was large (two armchairs, king-size bed, separate office area, separate dressing/make-up room, in addition to an average-sized bathroom).\nThe decor was worth noting: green and beige broad-striped wallpaper with matching curtains and lampshades. Maroon accents throughout and dark mahogany finish furniture. This unusual decor was surprisingly pleasing!\nThe bed was plush and extremely comfortable. I slept better there than I have at any hotel in recent memory.\nThe plush bathrobe was a treat to wear.\nThe free in-room tea selection included wonderfully aromatic organic earl grey and darjeeling in silk teabags!!\nThe room was very clean. The bathroom was spotless, modern and also very elegant.\nRoom service was not the fastest, but the food was good. Be sure to try the indonesian vegetable rolls!\nDid I mention the free wireless internet in the room? I'm always happier when I have that!\nI strongly recommend the Topaz for a high quality, comfortable stay in DC. Book through the Kimpton web site and don't forget to get your AAA discount! When my family visits DC at the end of June this year, we're hoping we will be able to stay at the Topaz!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "We stayed for three nights at the Topaz and had a fantastic time. The room was very quiet, large, and alluring. Nice to have a CD player. The elevator did break down but was fixed quickly. The service was so-so. \nIt really depended upon the individual you were dealing with. A very romantic place. The bed was one of the most comfortable I have ever slept on in a hotel. Unfortunately we never made it up in time for the \"energy\" breakfast. Maybe they should keep the breakfast bar open until 11 a.m., but hotels don't like to do that as a rule.\nMy three small gripes:\nFor a hotel that promotes wellness, I think the bathtubs should definitely be larger and cleaner.\nAgain, for a hotel that promotes wellness, I was surprised at how smoky the reception lounge/bar area was. I was hoping to enjoy a quiet glass of wine but was chased away by the thick clouds of cigarette smoke.\nI keep trying to get booked on the Kimpton Group bonus frequent-visitor program but have not been successful after 4 attempts online and asking the management. The front desk staff just shrugged.\nOtherwise, a truly memorable stay. Far far better than the Hotel Helix, also run by Kimpton Group in DC. I found that hotel very poorly run with poor unprofessional service and filled with ambitious but generally failed interior design. A design concept that had potential but could not rise about the government standard-issue architecture and finishes. Go to the Topaz instead!", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 14}]}, "84131": {"reviews": [{"text": "My wife and I stayed and the Willard last week and found the hotel to be just about the best Intercontinental we\u2019ve stayed at (and there have been a few between us!) Firstly, the staff was friendly and accommodating \u2013 even with a last minute change to the booking to include a friend who was in town that night and short of a bed! We were upgraded from a double room on the 4th floor to a huge room with two queen size beds on the 10th, at no extra charge! \nThe hotel has a great location and the valet parking was fast and efficient. By the time we had checked in and got up to our room, our bags had arrived. The location is, as others have noted, great for anything downtown and all the sights around the Mall are within walking distance (ok, the Jefferson monument is a hike, but worth the trek!)\nD\u00e9cor throughout the hotel was in excellent condition, and equipment in the exercise room was varied and in excellent condition. The only thing this place lacked was a pool! Watch out for the auto-tallying mini-bar; it counts anything you pick up! We didn\u2019t eat at the hotel as there are plenty of great restaurants around the area, but the menu and d\u00e9cor of the Willard Room has to be seen. The Round Robin bar was interesting, if a little crowded but for the cigar connoisseur, try Sheila\u2019s Backroom (near the corner of 14th & G streets). A locally recommended is Ceiba\u2019s on 14th St, which has fantastic food.\nIf could make one change, then my only niggling complaint about the Willard is that it better sound insulation on the windows. Double glazing would not have to change the appearance of the hotel, and it would remove a lot of street noise that one finds in city centres.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed in this hotel for our wedding night, and the Willard could not have done more to make it perfect. \nWhen we arrived, we were told that our room was not ready, so they upgraded us and personally escorted us to the Diplomat Suite -- the second largest suite and right across from the Presidential Suite. \nThe furnishings were elegant and comfortable. The suite was sprawling in size: large entrance hallway with powder room, a giant living area and full dining area with full size dining table and chairs, butlers pantry, a very large bedroom with a sitting area, mini bar, large marble bathroom with huge soaking tub, shower, separate toilet area. It even had two entrances. When they rang the doorbell we weren't sure which door to answer since there was more than one door to the hallway!\nThey brought up champagne and chocolate covered strawberries for us (complimentary), and even a vase for my wedding bouquet. The room service was excellent; we ordered dinner that night and breakfast the next morning and were very pleased with the food. \nThe bed was giant, and incredibly comfortable. I can't say enough about the service and quality of this hotel. I can't believe we ended up staying in a $1500/night suite for just a couple hundred dollars. I think we will be coming back here for many, many years to come for anniversaries and other occasions. \nThe hotel is centrally located; on Pennsylvania Avenue, one block from the White House, a few blocks from the Washington Monument, near the theatre, and close to all the great restaurants downtown. The valet area is warmed with space heaters in winter which is a plus when you are waiting for your car or a taxi.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Excellent classical hotel. I stayed December 21-24, 2005. My flight into Washington was delayed, but I called ahead and when I arrived my bed was turned down, Christmas music was playing on the radio, and ice was in the bucket. Staff was always gracious and friendly and both Cafe 1401 and the Willard Room, two of the hotel restaurants, were outstanding. I recommend the rack of lamb BTW at the Willard Room! The workout center was large, but actually crowded when I used it. Rooms are also large and beds extremely comfortable. For those worried about smoke, a recent smoking ban in Washington has barred smoking in the lobby area. Now, smoking is only allowed in the Red Robin Bar and that too will be banned next January. Overall, an excellent hotel that I will continue to use when business takes me to Washington. No complaints at all except for the price, which really is worth it.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "I was so excited to stay at the Willard, I had seen it on the Travel Chanel and had heard so much about it's historical significance. But I have to be honest, I was very disappointed. I'll break down the good and the bad of staying at this hotel...\nThe Good:\n- Lobby was beautiful with amazing floral displays, it smelled heavenly!\n- Staff puts a fresh orchid in your bathroom each day\n- Location is very good, not far from the museums and about a block from the White House\n- Chocolates on your pillow each night\n- Good restaurants around the area\nThe Bad:\n- Room was small and dark\n- An old hair tie (left from the last person?) with hair attached to it was in between my blankets--yuck!\n- Staff was stuffy and I found a majority of them to be quite rude\n- Bars covering my view\n- Didn't have hot water for 2 days of my stay\n- Concierge forgot to make us reservations\nOverall, I would recommend going to the Willard, walking through the lobby, but definitely not staying there. The JW Marriott is right across the street and although it may not have as much history, it is clean, the staff is personable, and it is waaaay less expensive.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "The Willard Intercontinental Hotel in Washington, DC has the best location in DC. The Willard is located two blocks from the White House and within walking distance of the National Mall.\nThe room that my family and I stayed at included two queen beds, a luxurious bathroom with a toilet and bidet, large/spacious room and two views of Washington, DC. On one window, we had a view of 14th Street and on the other window, we had a view of Pennsylvania Avenue. The beds were extremely comfortable and the room was tastefully appointed with colorful decor. We saw a few rooms in the hotel and noticed that no room appears to look alike. Each room has a different theme/color that makes each room special.\nThe lobby was amazing, with each of the 50 states being represented with their seals on the golden ceiling. The concierge desk is located on the left hand side and is where Jeff, Michael, and Alex are ready to help you with dining reservations and making your stay in Washington, DC a memorable one. (The only setback to the lobby is the fact that guests are allowed to smoke, but besides that aspect, the hotel is excellent) *Concierge can help guests with complimentary Holocaust Museum tickets and sells Spy Museum / Trolley tickets.\nMy family and I were unable to dine at the Willard Room and Cafe 1401, but both dining options are available to guests. Cafe 1401 is a casual restuarant where breakfast and lunch are offered daily (Dinner on Sundays). The Willard Room is the luxurious dining room where dinner is served nightly and is a great place for a romantic dinner. For great food outside of the hotel, be sure to visit the Old Ebbit Grille and Georgia Brown's.\nWe were at the Willard Intercontinental Hotel for the 4th of July weekend and were glad to see that the Willard was the most patriotic hotel in the area. The front side of the hotel was covered with American flags.\nWith excellent hotel accomodations, a luxurious lobby, great concierge service, and walking distance to the historic sites and a trolley stop in front of the hotel....the Willard Intercontinental Hotel is the place to stay during your visit to Washington, DC.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Stayed one night at the Willard. Lobby contained some beautiful wood work and the ceiling was interesting (with all of the states and symbols). That is the best thing I can say about The Willard.\nSmoking is allowed in the lobby. But, the whole place smelled of smoke. Including our non-smoking room. The bed linens are worn out. You could hear everything going on outside (even though we were on a high floor). That has to do with the age of the building and the windows being old and not insulated for sound I suppose.\nI would not suggest staying here to anyone. It is not worth the rate and frankly I would not stay a night for free.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "During my two-night stay, I was generally very pleased with my room, which overlooked the courtyard, and with the service. A minor issue was the slight musty odor to the room which I soon ceased to notice. The only other negative was the noise from construction in the courtyard, which I believe was the reconstruction of their fitness center. Apart from that disturbance, the room was very quiet. I did not notice noise from banging doors, which another reviewer complained of and which has bothered me at some other hotels. I also found no basis for another reviewer's complaint of unfriendly staff. The staff were more reserved than at some other hotels, but they were polite, pleasant, and efficient, which is all I expect. I did strike me, though, that in a city with an Afro-American majority, blacks seemed to be under-represented at the front desk. I hope that this impression was mistaken.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Have just got back from a 4 night stay, room was large and clean, bathroom was also clean if a little dimly lit, very quiet and slept very well, great location, staff and service excellent. It was the added details that made it a little special, i.e chocolates and next days weather report when the beds were turned down after we returned from a long day out siteseeing. We paid a vastly reduced rate for the accommodation, due to my work, but I have to admit I would grumble at paying full price for a room which I see as 3 star, but I have to add it was a 5 star service.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "I have stayed at this hotel at least four times, three times on business and once on vacation with my family. The hotel lobby is beautiful and the location of the hotel is near perfect to the sites, but at some point, unless you enjoy smoking, you have to draw a line. This hotel has nice but not exceptional rooms or resturants. Smoke runs through the entire lobby and main hallway, as smoking is not only permitted, it is encouraged ostensibly for historical reasons. But you must change with the times, and there are exceptional hotels next door that do not permit smoking in public places, as most good hotels do not. During one hazy lobby moment, I even inquired about the smoke with the staff and it was clear that they were embarassed by it, the front desk person told me that virtually no other hotel in Washington embraced smoking the way the Willard did. So, despite the rating, unless you are a smoker, I would avoid the Willard like the plague, you can do better, much better, and for less cash, right next door.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 28}, {"text": "There probably isn't enough space for me to say all of the nice things I have to say about the Willard. We came with our 3 kids (ages 1, 7, 9) for a 4 night stay during the Cherry Blossom Festival. The first thing that hit us was how elegant the lobby was - I had to take pictures! I noticed that many other people in the lobby were in business attire or elegant casual - being tourists with 3 kids, we definitely were not! Not once were we ever made to feel uncomfortable for being a typical tourist family. On the contrary, the hotel staff bent over backwards for us! Our room was large, beautiful and comfortable, and I loved the orchid in the bathroom. \nParticulary wonderful was Concierge Joseph Coston and his staff. These people went WAY above and beyond the call of duty. Our 1 year old baby became very ill the first night we arrived with a high fever and much vomiting, and remained ill the entire stay. He never left the room (with my husband and I playing tag-team sightseeing with the other 2). Joseph and his staff checked on us constantly, and even found a doctor and transportation to the hospital for us. The marvelous housekeeping staff brought a never-ending supply of towels and sheets day and night, and never made us feel like we were an inconvenience. In fact, they learned the baby's name and were very kind to him and us. Knowing this put a damper on the trip for the other 2 kids, Joseph made sure they each got a special gift from him, and always showed an interest in their day.\nBeing confined to the room, we ate breakfast and dinner every day from room service - with the most wonderful menu I've ever seen at a hotel. It was the same fabulous food from the elegant dining room downstairs! (Of course, with the same high prices, but at this point, who cares?) On our last day, Joseph arranged a driver and car for us to do a final trip around the city - a friendly and knowledgeable man with a very clean car.\nI have to say, this was our best experience EVER in a hotel, and we travel a LOT! I would return there in a heartbeat.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "I love this place! Great deal on Hotwire. First time, I stayed for a week and ended up getting upgraded to a suite at check in. (Not sure why as I did not pay for it.) Have stayed four more times for business though never got a suite again, but this hotel is definitely something to include in your DC experience! My rooms have always overlooked the courtyard and the White House, which coming from the Midwest, I have found to be a very cool thing! Lobby is fabulous, service stupendous, and the location is convenient as heck to shopping, subway system, fabulous dining and area attractions. And in my humble opinion as a frequent business flyer who has the opportunity to stay in many 4 and 5 star hotels...THE BEST THING ABOUT THIS GLORIOUS PLACE...are the BEDS! They have a feather topper on them, and as someone who never sleeps very well...I could sleep for a week straight. Very comfortable. In fact, this hotel is so comfortable and accomodating, I am going back next month for a little R&R.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "We stayed during the Cherry Blossom Festival and found the hotel to be stunningly elegant. We were greeted to a lobby filled with potted cherry tree branches in bloom, pianist playing classical music and curteous, attentive staff. There is tremendous history attached to this hotel, with past Presidents staying here. Beautifully restored Landmark Building, with every detail met. \nWe stayed in a deluxe room that was comfortable for four adults, although there was limited chair seating. Brocaded draperies, traditonal cherry furniture, comfortable mattress with quiet ambience and marble bath were the highlights of the room. The tub/shower combo was surprisingly basic with no spa features but the water pressure was quite adequate. There was a nice touch with an orchid in the bathroom. Housekeeping staff was efficient and attentive. Requests were immediately addressed. \nThe location was fantastic with just 2 blocks to the White House. The city trolley stops right in front of the hotel which is great for first timers who want a guided tour of the area. Conceirge was helpful for local dining spots. Did not dine at the hotel, although the main dining room would be a truly formal and elegant experience. The historic Old Ebbitt Grill is just a block from the hotel and is a superior choice for breakfast/lunch.\nThis is a very expensive and formal, adult hotel that deserves to be a neighbor to the White House.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}]}, "217770": {"reviews": [{"text": "Stayed at the Fairmont for just one night over Memorial Day Weekend. Had a friend visit from Idaho who had never been to Washington. We took a quick trip up from NC just because the price at the Fairmont was so good Sunday night ($139). Exceptional pricing! Parked on the street since it was weekend and holiday so no charge at meter. I understand that parking is $28 at the hotel otherwise. The hotel is in a quiet, business neighborhood of not particularly interesting buildings. Two blocks west of the Ritz-Carlton which is also on M at 22nd. Neither of these hotels are interesting to look at, basically like office buildings. The Farimont has a really nice lobby (much nicer than the Ritz-Carlton, and a truly lovely courtyard with restaurant; this is the best feature of the hotel). The courtyard rooms overlook the flowers and umbrellas, fountain and tables. Coffee and pastries/cookies in the morning! Check in was fine. I asked for an upgrade and was accomodated without charge to a Deluxe room instead of a Standard (was told the only difference is that the views are better; all I was able to see from my room was Georgetown University and the courtyard, but it was fine). Had a little balcony that was a nice touch. Can't sit out there, just stand. Also, I joined the President's Club online after reading that the health club was a charge unless you joined. Did this 2 weeks before visit, and everything was in order. The room was very nice, about what you would expect from a nice 4 star hotel, very clean, nice king size bed with lots of pillows, a nice chair and ottoman, desk, etc. BIG floor-to-ceiling windows including the balcony door and nice draperies that kept out light when closed. Bathroom was clean and crisp, with lots of shampoo, nice soaps.etc. The air conditioning did not work particularly well, and the room seemed warm though the temperature read 69 degrees on the thermostat. Had a little trouble sleeping since the room was muggy (a very warm and muggy Memorial Day). The health club is ok, nice machines, but the pool area and jacuzzi are gloomy and a little depressing. This area could use some work. The locker room is typical nice wooden lockers with lots of amenities like razors, towels, shaving cream, etc. Only complaint was the wet areas. The hotel is in a quiet area (espcecially on the weekend) with not many restaurants, but Georgetown is only a few blocks west, Dupont Circle/Adams Morgan about 5 blocks or so NE, and the White house about 10 blocks S. (maybe 30 min). I like to walk, and I know this area, so walking was no problem. Pretty to walk through the GW University area on the way to the Mall. If you walk due S, safe. You hit the Mall right about the White House and GW monument. Check out was no problem, and I left my bags with the doorman and came back later in the day to claim and leave for NC. Overall, very nice for the price, but would feel ripped off if had to pay the regular prices (about $3-500 during the week). At least as nice as the RItz-Carlton, and much nicer public spaces. Would certainly recommend if the price is right. Check out the hotel's website for best deals not found online elsewhere.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "To all the DC Experts: for my trip in general, a very grateful thank you for your recommendations; they were invaluable. I'll wirte report on my trip later - this is my review of Fairmont Hotel. \nExterior - brick building; once inside it is a very lovely hotel, great location, good food/room service, great concierge and fantastic service.\nI'm a picky traveler so when I give an \"Excellent\" rating, it is well deserved. This hotel works for both business and tourist traveler. Join the Presidents' club and internet is free (as are many upgrades). Rooms are spotless and lovely; rooms are good sized, nice furnishings, bed was very comfortable, bathroom large-very nice plus robe; overall good amenities. Was lucky to be upgraded and had balcony, which was nice, but appreciated AC more (it was muggy & hot). I used the DC Circulator (stops 1 block from hotel) and it was great. Easy transport to and from the sights, and the price can't be beat ($1 each direction). Easy walking distance (& safe) to Georgetown. Basically, really liked this hotel and definitely would stay here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed at the Fairmont in April. We booked two connecting rooms--one for my husband and three boys, the other, for my brother, a quadriplegic, who needed handicap accesibility. I found the valet staff upon arrival very curt and unfriendly, Neither the valet, or, his staff welcomed us with a smile, or a \"Welcome, to the Fairmont\". I was instantly irritated with this considering my great experiences with other \"higher end\" hotels, and their courteous and accomodating staff. I was always under the impression, as far as hotels go, that you get what you pay for. This is not so at the Fairmont, strike number one. The amount we paid for each room went as follows:(first night $199, second night $299, third night $522). As we checked in, my husband asked if he could have the bill split two ways--one bill I would pay for my room, the other to my brother, for his room--The clerk replied with \"We can't do that.\" strike number two. We wanted a hotel with a pool, so the boys could swim. We were charged $10.00 each day, for use of the pool and the fitness center. The children were not allowed into the fitness center, this was evident by the large red signs stating no one under the age of 18 allowed. I understand this, but when my son, came into the fitness center to find me, and ask a question, he was hounded by a fitness staffer. It was obvious he was not supposed to be there. The children were designated to swim in a very small area of the pool, and not allowed into the whirlpool, which was two feet away from the pool, or, the sauna, which was three feet away--Not even the option \"children allowed if accompanied by an adult\". My husband was so enraged with this, he intentionally went into the sauna with my boys and was asked to leave by a man, who was sitting in the sauna. Strike number three. The second day, I was to meet my neice and her boyfriend for lunch, I suggested eating outside in the open air atrium, where they have many table,chairs and umbrella's. I aproached the staff person and said my neice would be meeting me for lunch, and we would love to eat outside. She replied with \"We are not set up to do lunches outside\". I turned to my left and pointed out the women eating a lunch at one of the tables, in the atrium. She turned in a huff and asked her manager if this was o.k.. He reluctantly agreed, once again pointing out that it was not set up for lunch. Strike number four. I could write more, but I think I've made my point. This being said, I would not recommend the Fairmont to anyone with children, husbands, a upscale place for outside dining, , or, for someone who equates higher priced hotels with excellent service, and a friendly, accomodating staff.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "My wife and I stayed in the hotel Friday-Monday mainly as a getaway weekend, choosing a deluxe king to get a little bit extra room. The bed and pillows were quite comfortable, and an upholstered chair with separate foot rest was ideal for reading. Overall we loved the hotel, and had room service once which was very nice. Staff was very helpful without being intrusive. We did not dine in the hotel. As many other reviews have mentioned, the fitness center is really more of a full scale gym housed in a hotel. Bring your own DVD's if you want to workout and watch a movie at the same time. My wife had a one hour massage ($90) from a professional, highly skilled person who knew what she was doing. [Please note that per a sign in the fitness center, the workout machines are going to be upgraded from late February to early March of 2006; guests will have priviledges at another location. ] \nSuggestions if you stay:\nSign up for the free Fairmont President's club so that misc fees (workout center, internet, etc) are waived.\nBest Pizza - Pizzeria Paradiso near Dupont Circle, small crowded dining room, though.\nNice bakery one block away - Bread and Chocolate\nIf coming from BWI Airport/MD, ignore hotel directions which take you in Connecticut Avenue and a lot of lights; instead, take 495 to Canal Road (follows Potomoc River in to Georgetown area), get on Whitehurst Freeway, exits onto K Street at 26'th or so, go down to 24'th street and turn left. Note Canal road is oneway out of DC in afternoon. Suggest you check local traffic on the 8's at WTOP 103.5 FM to find out whether the Washington Beltway is worth avoiding. Mapquest will probably take you in via BW parkway/New York Avenue, which is a good alternative if Washington beltway is jammed.\nNot checked:\nIn room Internet access \nFYI:\nHotel parking is $29 per night, but add on tips because valet parking is mandatory\nBusiness center (at least when unstaffed) requires credit card swipe at ridiculous rate to use a computer; all I wanted to do was check local trafic conditions.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed here for a weekend when we were attending a friend's wedding in Maryland. The staff were friendly, helpful and gracious from the moment we pulled up to the front door. I had requested a room with some kind of view and they happily obliged. The room itself was spacious, comfortable and exceptionally clean (shockingly, not always the case at 4- and 5-star hotels). There may not have been any super-chic gimmicks -- the toiletries are average, no fancy turn-down service -- but for my money, this was a perfect hotel experience. We were extraordinarily comfortable, which is in itself a real luxury. If you are staying over a weekend, do not miss their exceptional champagne Sunday brunch.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "84109": {"reviews": [{"text": "Stayed at the Carlyle Suites for 5 nights and thought the accomodation was great. The room itself was very roomy & well set out. There was a sitting area with a sofa & a small table & chairs. The kitchen was small but well equipped. Although we did not cook the utensils etc appeared in good condition and the fridge was a good size for storing our wine & breakfast stuff!. The bathroom was very small but the shower was good & there was a separate vanity area with a mirror & hairdryer etc. Plenty of space to unpack & store suitcases. The room throughout was spotless and very light & airy. The laundry room was great with washers & dryers & also had snack & drinks machines. We found the staff on the front desk to be very helpful & knowledgeable with things such as directions, cashing travellers cheques etc. We loved the area. The surrounding streets were mainly residential but there were plenty of restaurants & shops nearby (would recommend the Italian restaurant round the corner from the hotel and the Front page Bar & Grill at Dupont Circle!). Felt very safe walking back from metro around midnight! If you enjoy walking you will not need to use the metro every day. We walked to the White House in about half an hour. Will definately stay here on our next trip to DC!! :0)", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed at the Carlyle Suites for a few days in July '05. We booked the hotel through Expedia becuase we wanted the comfort of a suite hotel with a kitchenette, and this seemed like the best value for money.\nThe rooms are big. Very roomy, reading area, vanity area, lots of drawers and closet space. Good AC, quite clean.\nThe kitchenette was equiped with a small fridge, a microwave, a coffee maker and a toaster. The pots were dirty and rusty and not in a shape to be used, but the rest of the dishes were OK.\nThe shower and bathroom are tiny, with a counter so small we had to keep our toothbrushes in the next room.\nParking is impossible. We were lucky, and got a space, and then were too afraid to move the car for the four days we were there. Alternatives are parking buildings several blocks away with no access to the car at night.\nSo the room is pretty nice, and we got parking, and the kitchenette was usable. HOWEVER... God is in the details, and this hotel falls very VERY short on these. Not providing shampoo in a hotel that cost $180 a night?! the pots and pans were in terrible shape, and for some reason there were no towel racks, so we had to hang our towels off the backs of chairs around the room. This is just weird for a hotel charging this sum.\nThe lobby has four chairs which are constantly taken, so no public area to speak of.\nSummary: Considering the scant options for a suite in central locations, this hotel gives good value for the cost. Next time we will either book embassy suites, or stay outside the city and use the metro to get in - if we do not have the car anyway for four days, might as well save some money on the hotel bill.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}]}, "120556": {"reviews": [{"text": "Our family of 4 stayed at the Hotel George for 7 nights, April 8th through the 15th, 2007. After reading the reviews, I decided to check out the Hotel George a month prior to our family's up coming stay. I was in town on business in March and dropped by to check it out, having lunch in the Bistro Bis.\nThis exploritory visit convinced me to keep my reservations, although I didn't check out the rooms, the hotel lobby and the fine restaurant convinced me that this was a first class establishment.\nWe received a very attractive corporate rate. I shop extensively and the next closest price per night I could fine was at the Hilton Garden Inn, which was going for $100 more per night (however, that did include two free breakfasts each day). I felt I could feed all four of us breakfast for less than $100.\nI did treat the family to breakfast at the Willard Intercontinental, which was a little over $100, but when you have such a great rate you feel you can splurge every now and then.\nBack the the Hotel George. The staff was extremely friendly and helpful. I don't understand any of the negative reviews I read. The people who wrote them must have been unreasonable and rude people themselves to have received anything but the most courteous and attentive service. We give the staff, the entire staff, at the Hotel George an A++. \nThe room was large, flat panel TV, robes, very comfortable beds, linens, towels, etc. We received an apple and bottled water upon our arrival and departure. Not the greatest welcoming gift, but more than I receive at any other hotel we've stay at. And, they do it the night before your departure, too, thanking you for staying with them. I believe this is because I signed up for their frequent traveller program.\nThe bathroon was very nice. The shower was great, water pressure and hot water. We always had our room clean and fresh towels, and always FOUR not three, like some hotels. They knew that we had four people in the room and never forgot.\nWe had trouble with the internet connection on the second day, and although we called twice to the front desk before someone came up to fix it. The did have it fixed in less than 30 minutes. The man who came to the room had to open the floor plate and just reconnect a loose connection.\nAs for the FREE wine reception each night Monday through Friday, it was better than one of the negative reviews described. For one, they do serve a nice Australian Chardonney or Syrah. And, they don't limit you to only one glass. One evening the fellow removing the wine for the night noticed I was watching him. Instead of just taking the wine away, he walked over to me and filled my glass full before taking the wine away. Each night we drank as much free wine as we wanted. \nThis was a great way to meet other guests. One evening a woman we met who was travelling alone, accepted our invitation to have dinner with us in the Bistro Bis. We had a very nice dinner with her. Each night we met an interesting couple or person whom we enjoyed talking to.\nThe concierge was always available, whether to give directions, suggest a restaurant, or have ketcup brought up to our room for our boys hamburgers that we bought from the Capitol City Brewery down the street.\nThe only area of the hotel I would suggest needs improvement is in the hallways outside the rooms. They just didn't look as clean as the lobby or the rooms. Other than that, everything else was great.\nAs for the location, it was fantastic. You're only about 1 1/2 to 2 blocks from the Union Station Metro/Amtrak Station. We bought the $22 weekly pass for all four of us and used it extensively. We had dinner at the Capitol City Brewery, B. Smith's and Charlie Palmer's, which are all walking distance from the hotel. You can also walk to the Capitol, Supreme Court and Library of Congress.\nDepending on your walking endurance, there are many more sights within walking distance, but in any event, the Metro is only a very short walk from the hotel.\nTo sum it up, I wouldn't pay the book rate, but if you can't find a less expensive hotel other than a Holiday Inn, Days Inn or similar two or three star hotel. You should give the Hotel George a try. I don't think you'll be disappointed, unless you're like that other lady who probably can't be pleased by anyone or anything. This is a GREAT hotel, at a great location.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed here for 2 nights at the start of our holiday - what a great way to start! Check in was quick and efficient - the bell hop took our luggage and met us at our room. He explained everything - how to dim the lights to how the TV worked - very good.\nThe room was large, bright and clean - the beds were huge and comfortable. The bathroom was large and luxurious - the shower was huge. The complimentary Herschey chocolates were a bonus.\nThe location was close to Union Station - which has got a good shopping and dining area. If you turn right outside the hotel is an area we avoided, as there always seemed to be groups of pan handlers - they were not threatening, but they did come up to you - this was a couple of blocks away.\nWithin walking distance to Congress and the city - but well worth taking the Red Tour Bus from Union Station.\nWe would stay here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "The first room in which they put me was between a service room and the elevators. It had no bathtub, and there was a wind tunnel/machinery noise that was constant. I had asked for a quiet room, as even they admitted. They did not tell me until the next day that they had not reviewed my preferences before holding rooms and that this had been the last room available. Had they done so, I would have moved to another hotel. \nThe second room, which they claimed to be quiet, was over the dumpsters and a parking lot. Garbage trucks started at 6 am. The bed was defective, which they denied until I reminded them I had been in another room and thereby had some perspective. \nTo top it off, they tried to charge me a perviously-undisclosed $50 cancellation fee when I left a day early. Only after I reminded them of the problems, noted that I had not asked for a refund fo either miserable night, and reminded them that I could simply report the experience to my corporate travel manager were they willing to back off. \nAll in all, a miserable stay.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "84118": {"reviews": []}, "84065": {"reviews": [{"text": "My wife and I stayed here for two nights with our four-month-old daughter. Every moment of our stay was perfect. The staff is friendly and not a hint of pretensiousness. The room was spotless, comfortable and well-equipped. The restaurant was outstanding for both dinner and breakfast. The location is great, too! Georgetown is a beautiful spot for a walk and shopping, and to get down to the tourist sites there is a 'Circulator' bus that goes straight (with transfer) to the Mall and other major downtown spots. The bus was only ONE dollar and we never waited more than a few minutes for one. It was also spotless and is a European-style transit bus with a low floor so we were able to push the stroller right on and go! This made up for the slightly out-of-the-way location of the hotel, and even better due to the convenience of a bus vs. a taxi or car service when traveling with a small child. Even though we stayed there for just two nights we were so pleased with our stay it felt like we were there for a week. Highly recommended and I can't imagine anything that could have been better!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "After staying at outstanding hotels of the chain earlier (New York, London, Budapest , Prague) I arrived with very high expectations. Unfortunately it was a disappointment. Although the location is perfect and the front-desk people was really nice, for $800 a night we had a view of a container full with garbage from our room. Some other guests seemingly got sick due to excessive alcohol consumption and throw-up in the hotel\u2019s elevator, which kept the unpleasant smell during our stay. Our executive suite was nice and roomy, all the materials used in the rooms were high quality, unfortunately the upholstery on chairs and sofas were not up to the standard \u2013 slightly dirty and aging. I'd go againg though - the location is really great.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I spent my birthday weekend at the Four Seasons in Georgetown. When our car delivered us to the lobby, we were greeted by a knowledgeable staff who was friendly, courteous and made us so welcome. We were escorted to our room which was simply wonderful. The room was decorated in exquisite taste and I loved the robes, jacuzzi and separate shower as well as private toilet - all enclosed behind the double doors. I asked for a CD player, which was not there, I called and (really!) before I hung up, two CD players with remotes were delivered (for each night stand). Room service was delicious, every time we ordered. I sat in wing chairs and relaxed in the sitting area. There was also a large crystal display with every kind of decadent candy you could think of. The fridge was also stocked with juices and waters and sodas. \nI wasn't aware that my husband's card was billed for everything we ate or drank (from the crystal display and the fridge). After sending an email to the (comments/complaints) department, my husband's card was credited for the charges with no problem.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "My huband and I treat ourselves to an anniversary stay here - we did that 2 times so far (and possibly again next year)....Each time it's awesome. It is 4-5 star. Rooms are beautiful, bathrooms are gorgeous. If you are paying for a regular room, the room and breakfast package is usually only a little bit more per night and believe me, it's worth it. You can eat in the restaurant or have room service - treat yourself and get the room service - they even pour your cream in your coffee for you. The table is wheeled up to your room already set and with flowers. You can order as much or as little as you want and each time we ordered, if we had bought it in the restaurant it would have been $60 and we only paid about $5 more per night for the breakfast included so it's well worth it.\nThe staff is absolutely fabulous - they will greet you then escort you to the elevator and the bell staff even offered to unpack our clothes for us once. The fitness center is top top notch and includes juice and water. Had a massage here once, also good. There's a lap pool and hot tub. All rooms come with bath robes. There's a locker room that includes tiled showers with shampoo and conditioner in them and dressing mirrors with hair dryers and you can also get a robe in the locker room too. It's just every luxury you can think of - you are paying for it - enjoy it.\nI read the review of someone saying they got ripped off - can't even imagine that - this place is top notch everything is expensive and their staff would be getting tipped quite handsomely as well as getting paid a good hourly wage - I can't imagine getting ripped off at this place - it's so far above the average that it's hard to believe. The clientele here, for the most part, is upper middle and upper class so all the staff gets tipped well for the most part. They have no need to steal unless you are leaving obvious valuables in open view. I still can't picture it though.\nAs for the neighborhood - it's nice to explore Georgetown - you can walk to the mall and all the other shops - go up some of the side roads, too - there's a liquor store about 5 minutes away and deli stores too, lot of restaurants but the best is down at the waterfront on the Potomac. Go to Tony and Joe's for casual outdoor eating, nice cocktails and an awesome view of the water and watergate and the Kennedy Center - or go to Sequoia (same location) for nicer indoor eats. I believe you can get there just by taking the side entrance from the hotel and taking that side street all the way down to the water.\nI LOVE this place.....it's a CAN'T MISS!\nNote : Last time I was there was 2002 - we go in the late summer. Also - I believe the base rate is now $395 per night (it's gone up).", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "We had the pleasure of staying here in January 2004. Our Executive Suite -- 800 sq. feet -- was very attractively furnished with thoughtful touches (e.g., the bedside, dimming reading lights), an exceedingly comfortable bed, and a huge, sumptuous bathroom. There is, however, a major drawback to the layout of the Executive Suites: there is but a partial wall between the bedroom and the living room, i.e., the two rooms cannot be entirely closed off from each other so that one's sleep might very well be disturbed if another member of your party wants to work at the desk in the living room or watch television there. Also, we heard more noise in the wee hours of the morning from the next-door suite than I would have expected -- but our neighbors were apparently a bevy of bridesmaids who had partied long & hard, so your experience might be better :-)\nThe housekeeping was excellent, but the level of service otherwise -- at the front desk, in the cocktail lounge, the dining room --was fairly indifferent. Not terrible by any means, but not as attentive as we've experienced at other high-end hotels.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 15}]}, "84090": {"reviews": [{"text": "I read many reviews regarding this hotel needing renovation and have an update. As of August 1, 2005, the Park Hyatt closed its doors for a 24 million dollar renovation. They are slated to re-open in May 2006 (just around the corner).\nThat said, I have to respectfully dissent from the reviews that criticized the service and decor of this hotel. In November 2004, I decided to propose to my girlfriend (who is now my wife, so it all worked out). I live in DC and had a shabby one bedroom apartment and wanted someplace nice to stay. I researched it, and decided on the Park Hyatt for a specialized Government rate (higher than the actual government rate for DC, but lower than most discounted rates I found). I wrote on the on-line reservation form that I needed a canister for champagne as I intended to propose that night. \nUpon my arrival I had roses with me. The front desk clerk immediately identified me by the roses. I was stunned that the hotel actually READ MY COMMENTS in the on line reservation form. She asked me for the champagne that I brought, asked me whether I was nervous. She then informed me that they would bring up the champagne (chilled no less) and chocolate covered strawberries at whatever time I designated. I was really impressed. The entire desk staff wished me luck and I was on my way to the room to prepare and drop off our bags. Before I left the area, the desk clerk stopped me and informed they had upgraded my room, and she was certain my girlfriend would be impressed. Impressed? Really too tame of a descriptor. Floored is more like it. The Ambassador suite was about 8 times the size of my apartment, with three balconies, 8 - 12 person dining room and a bathroom with a Jacuzzi tub that I think I could have swam laps in. Upon our return from dinner, the staff looked up at us (oh, and the bellman greeted me by name our entire stay) asked to see her hand, and broke into applause. This was the epitome of customer service. Back in the room were strawberries, champagne and a turned down bed.\nWe were both so utterly impressed we wanted to stay there for the first night of our honeymoon before leaving for Europe. But alas, we wanted to stay the night before Aug 1, 2005 and were told they would be happy to host our first anniversary, but did not have enough staff the night before they closed. We wholly intend to take them up on their offer, and look forward to seeing how the renovation came out. This was, hands down, the best hotel experience of my life, and I travel once a week for work. Highest recommendation possible.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "The Park Hyatt in DC isn't horrible, but it is nowhere near a 4 or 5 star property in its present state. It is extremely subdued to the point that you feel you are staying in a residential building instead of a hotel. That isn't all bad - if that is the atmosphere that you want. \nThe location is good.\nThe rooms are large, but worn. Upgraded to Exec King Suite with no complaints. Furnishings and bathrooms were showing their age. Hotel is closing Aug 1 to completely refurbish, so I will give this another try when it reopens.\nMelrose for breakfast only - it was fine. Though can't really speak to how good the food is since it was only breakfast.\nReview probably doesn't mean much since only about 6 weeks left in its current state - but if it were me, I would try Fairmont or Westin across street unil the Park Hyatt gets the redo.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "This is a first class hotel within easy walking distance of Georgetown and a short cab ride to the White House and Washington Mall. The rooms are very comfortable. The restaurant is also excellent if a little on the pricey side. I just came back from a conference at the Park Hyatt, so I got an deal on the room rates, but the posted rates are high. Still, I think you get what you pay for in this case.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "I stayed at the Park Hyatt for several nights recently and thoroughly enjoyed it and the staff. Had a malfunctioning tv and they sent a fellow up within minutes and he fixed it. The front desk staff was very helpful in arranging a reservation for dinner. It was A-1.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}]}, "235513": {"reviews": [{"text": "Enough said , right? Except that when we showed the proof, they did nothing, in fact denied there was a problem. \nSTAY CLEAR until they fix this problem!!!!!!", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "I stayed in the Sofitel for two nights in mid-September. When I arrived at about 10 p.m., I was fairly tired after ten hours of commuting from Dublin through Boston to Washington. The executive in charge behind the check-in desk asked me whether , in view of my lengthy journey, I would like to be upgraded to a suite. I quickly accepted this kind offer without realising the full extent of its generosity. When the bell boy opened the door to my suite (which simply bore an ordinary set of numerals on its door), I noticed a beautiful hexagonal hallway with two beguiling paintings on the walls. I followed him down a long corridor, past a palatial marbled bathroom complete with its own anteroom, into my bedroom which housed one of the most comfortable beds known to mankind.\nOn checking through my rooms ten minutes later, I realised that it was the Presidential Suite and that it also contained two sitting rooms and an office complete with mahogany consultation table and fax machine. Paradise found ! Faced with this Utopia, I asked myself \"Where's the catch ?\" But there wasn't any.\nI found all of the staff in the hotel to be charming, friendly individuals. The hotel boasts a chic bar on the left hand side as you enter the building and the jewel in its crown, Cafe 15, on the right hand side, where I had breakfast on the second day of my stay. It's a bright, airy room with a number of eye-catching paintings. The breakfast was served with panache by a waitress with a broad smile and the good food on offer was consumed with gusto by yours truly.\nAll in all, I had an incredibly memorable stay at the Sofitel in Lafayette Square. It's situated literally five minutes walk away from the White House and the Washington Monument is within easy striking distance. Although I do not expect an upgrade of the same calibre next time I visit a Sofitel, I love their way of doing things and I will return to them again and again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I had made reservations at another well-known DC hotel, but after reading negative online reviews, I started to search around for the Best of DC. The Sofitel received the best online feedback, so I immediately switched my reservation to Sofitel. My stay there was incredible and I'm happy I made the change! It is the best hotel in DC.\nCheck in was very quick and friendly. I gave my last name and the staff person took my CC. I also gave her my Sofitel Privilege card. Make sure to sign up for the card before you book your online reservations. You get some benefits (free drinks, gift, early check in/late check out). I had signed up for the card after I made my reservations, so my room wasn't ready with my gift.\nIf you make your reservation with the Sofitel website, you can save a lot. There is a great offer listed where the only stipulation is you can't make any changes/cancellations. They charge your credit card immediately when you make the reservation. Take this offer if you have definite dates set! I saved A LOT on a room that could have cost me $500. Using the offer, my room was <$150.\nI was upgraded to a deluxe suite. It was a corner room with large windows and views on two sides. My room looked different than what they showed on the Sofitel website. The rooms on the website look very colorful. My room was beautiful, but it was all white and beige. Original art is hung above the bed. The bed is so soft! They have huge, soft pillows. It was honestly the most comfortable bed I have ever been in. I joked about stealing a pillow (I didn't!).\nThe bathroom was clean. There was a fresh white orchid stem in a sterling silver vase. There are sterling silver trays and sterling silver cup covers. There are glasses. There is a box with cotton swabs, cotton wipes, mints, nail files, and a shower cap. There were clean white slippers in the bathroom. There is a glass wall shower with a separate tub. In other reviews people rave of the Roger and Gallet products. I didn't like them, but it was better than nothing. One thing I noticed was we had three full towels and two hand towels, but no face towels. I thought it was odd they didn't put these out. \nThe closet and dresser are hidden behind glass doors. Here you'll find wooden and padded hangers. There is a small ironing board and iron. There is also a safe. The glasses and ice bucket are hidden above the dresser. You'll also find a basket with a shoe horn and a clothes brush.\nOur room also had a large desk, TV, radio/alarm clock, French magazines, and mini bar. The mini bar has sensors, so if you remove something, it immediately charges you. This means you can't move anything around to put in your own drinks or food. \nThe menu for room service looks impressive. At turn down service, they leave you one bottle of Evian and a room service breakfast menu where you can check off what you want and then hang on the door before 2AM. You can buy any breakfast and get free coffee, juice, and a paper (they also leave free newspapers on tables near the elevators). The average breakfast is $14. However, we didn't order anything. There is a 18% gratuity and $2.50 delivery charge. We didn't try the bar or restaurant. They look nice and offer a great menu, but we had other plans scheduled. \nEvery morning, there is free coffee and tea service. The layout is beautiful. They have a wide selection of teas. Off to the side, they even offer To Go cups, which is great for people heading out to enjoy DC. \nThe McPherson Metro is literally right around the corner. It's a great hotel, in a great location.\nThe staff is very kind. You really feel like everyone is taking care of you. The door men are extremely friendly. At one point, we had two people opening both doors for us. The concierge is helpful. The bellmen are nice, too. At one point, we ran out of cash and couldn't tip a bellman. The bellman we couldn't tip was still friendly when he helped us a second time. We had cash the second time we saw him, so we were able to tip then. \nIt was a great experience. Things I didn't have like my Privilege Card gift and face towels did not make a difference. I feel like if I had called down and asked for them, or anything for that matter, they would have accommodated my requests.\nStay at the Sofitel!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "We stayed at the Sofitel over Labor Day weekend, arriving on Friday, Sep 1. The doorman immediately ran out to greet our cab and held an umbrella over us to shield us from the driving rain. He returned to the cab to fetch our luggage and waited in the lobby with our bags until we had completed check-in.\nCheck-in was handled in less than one minute. I gave the front desk clerk my name and credit card. She imprinted the card and handed me the check-in packet with the keys. When I made the reservation, the reservation agent asked me what time we would be arriving and the hotel had everything ready for us at that time. Excellent service!\nI highly recommend that you sign up on the Sofitel website for their Privilege card in advance of your stay. Because we had the card we received a voucher for a free drink in the bar, a complementary late check-out (2 pm), and a lovely small gift of chocolates was waiting for us in our room. \nThe doorman escorted us to our room, brought in our luggage (no calling down to have the bags brought up!), and then offered to get us some ice. I travel frequently and I have not had such personalized service upon check-in in a great while.\nThe room was beautiful and very comfortable. A word of caution - the hotel has less than 20 double bedded rooms. If you require one of these, rather than a king-sized bed, you need to contact the hotel directly so that they can allocate one to you.\nWe enjoyed cocktails in the bar and complementary coffee service there the next morning. We only used the restaurant for breakfast, but it was elegant and the food was delicious.\nThe service throughout our stay was wonderful, yet I never sensed anyone had their hand out for a tip. \nService, location and comfort were superb. It is clear why this hotel has such a high rating by travelers.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "We stayed at the Sofitel Lafayette 7/7/06-7/10/06. Overall, we were very pleased with our choice. A few minor glitches did make me wonder if Sofitel should indeed have been rated Tripadvisor\u2019s #1 pick for Washington D.C. Upon arriving to the hotel, we found it surrounded by police cars, fire trucks, and the hazmat team. The receptionist simply said \u201cOh, it happens all the time\u201d. Interesting. We also found it a bit amusing that she told us we were being \"upgraded\" to a deluxe room, particularly since we had booked a \"deluxe room\". The staff was generally very helpful. We did not witness individuals always looking for a tip as a previous review stated. \n The room itself was not terribly large, but it was nicely decorated and clean. The bathroom had both shower stall and bath and was decorated with fresh flowers and a candle. The bedding was very comfortable. We ordered room service for breakfast 2 mornings. Breakfast entrees are accompanied by fresh squeezed juice, and your choice of hot chocolate, coffee, or tea. Fresh fruit was also included. Breakfast at the hotel was definitely a convenience, but while certainly OK, none of the entrees were fabulous (we had the waffles, eggs benedict, fresh berries, and an omelette). Also something to consider is that the bill for 2 days breakfast for 2 was $91 after added gratuities and delivery charges!\n The location was fabulous. The hotel is about 2 blocks from the McPherson Square train station. It is a $1.70 17 minute ride to the airport on the blue line. All of the sites were within walking distance, but if you prefer to take a cab, there was usually 1 up front waiting for use. We walked to dinner each night to places suggested by the concierge, and always felt safe. As mentioned by other reviewers, Old Ebbitt Grill (about 1-2 blocks away) is a nice place with lots of variety on the menu. It was still packed at 11:00 on a Friday night. The M&S Grill was OK (stuffed shrimp were great; the prime rib special was a bit tough). \n As for the aforementioned glitches, we felt like our room had not been completely finished the first night (we were missing some toiletries, a robe, and washcloths). A note left for the maid the next day remedied this. We did not get the turndown service mentioned in some of the reviews. Finally, we received a 6:20 am wake-up on one morning with them trying to deliver us room service which we had not ordered. This is easily written off as a mistake, but it is interesting that one of the other reviewers encountered the same situation! Nonetheless, the Sofitel is a very nice hotel, and we would not hesitate to stay there again.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed here over Memorial Day weekend. Both of us are amazed by any review that is anything other than positive.\nFirst, we flew in on the red-eye, got to the hotel at 6:30 in the morning. We told the bellman that we just wanted to drop our bags off, but he suggested that we might be able to check in. We actually got our room, pretty amazing to us. The room, corner room on the 7th floor and there was not a single thing wrong with this room. We took a short break, unpacked, showered and hit the ground running. \nA block and a half from McPherson metro station on the blue and orange lines and probably 4 easy blocks from Metro Center. Better yet, easy walk to the White House, in fact our first morning we walked all the way down to Lincoln and up the Mall to Air & Space. Starbuck's across the street and during the week quite a few deli places (the hotel is located in an office area explaining why some places close come weekend). Old Ebbit down the street and I think Bobby Van's is the name of the steak place across the street.\nThe staff was very friendly and helpful. No one was in your face, no one was looking for a tip. In my opinion they were very reserved and were there if you needed them. Every morning the bellman greeted us and wished us a good day and every night the new bellman wished us a good evening.\nTurndown service every night between 6:30 and 9 was great. They left water and changed out any towels you may have used during the day. The beds were great and the room was quiet.\nOverall, for $204 a night, it was a bargain.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "Spent a weekend at the Sofitel at the beginning of May. The location of the hotel couldn't be better, centrally located to everything one would want to see on a weekend visit. The room was exceptionally nice, clean and well equipped. The bathroom has a large tub, separate shower and wonderful amenities. The only negative with this hotel is the unfriendly attitude of the staff. Not rude, just \"couldn't be bothered\" and slow. In addtion, tried to contact the hotel several times regarding a left behind item. I was always transferred to voicemail and never received a response to my message. The service and attitude at this hotel keeps it at \"good\" vs. great.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}, {"text": "My husband and I spent the night at the Sofitel Lafyette Square and we thought it was nearly perfect. We are well heeled travelers and not easily satisfied where hotels are concerned. We both agreed that this hotel is first rate. The spacious, well appointed rooms are exceptionally clean and comfortable. I am often disgusted by beds in even the best hotels and I found the bed and bedding in our room to be wonderful. The rooms are also wonderfully quiet-- I didn't hear anything or anyone in the hallway or nearby rooms.\nThe only flaw in the equation is the efficency of the valet parking operation. It just takes too long for the valet to retrieve your car. Be prepared and call for your car in advance. \nSofitel as a brand always conjured an image of a run down hotel by a train station in any European city. When my husband suggested the hotel, the mental image was not favorable. The reality was something quite different than I expected and we enjoyed the hotel so much that we will make a point of seeking out Sofitel Hotels wherever we go.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "We stayed at this hotel for two nights for about $250 per night. I'll break down to negatives and positivies about this hotel.\nNegatives:\n1. Front desk people seemed to not know much about anything. We got lost looking for the hotel due to the traffic and the one way streets, so we called them for a land mark or directions. We were transfered to 3 different people, put on hold for about 15 minutes, then hung up on. Eventually, we found the hotel on our own, as it turned out we were one block away from the hotel, not 1 hour away as they told us. \n2. It seemed like everytime we turned around the hotel staff had their hands out expecting a tip. This was even case for something as simple as opening the door for us when we walked through. We had no problem tipping the bellboys, housekeepers, or valet attendants because they actually helped us with something. However, we had a big problem with feeling like we were obligated to hand out money for no reason.\n3. We had to put in 3 different requests to housekeeping in the same afternoon before we received extra towels.\n4. Valet parking sometimes took up to 30 minutes before delivering the car, and this was on the weekend when there's not traffic.\n5. The food at the hotel was overpriced, not very good, and there's an 18% tip automatically added to your bill. Again, we felt that the tips should reflect the service, not demanded. This is not because we're cheap, our usually tip is between 15% to 40%.\nPositives:\n1. Location, location, location\n2. Cleanliness\n3. Great designs\n4. In room safe\n5. Very quiet", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "We arrived with three children after a day of soccer followed by hours of driving. How do you suppose we looked? Yet the staff greeted us like we were royalty. Every person from valet to consierge was warm and helpful. If only every hotel stay was like this.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "My husband and I decided to stay her after reading reviews here. The staff was friendly and the room had all the amenties we needed. However, I could not give it a five rating because the condition of our room was not necessarily up to par. The carpet had alot of stains and the wall/ceiling looked like someone threw red punch on it. I was surprised at the quality and slight disrepair of the room for such an expensive hotel. We could have easily complained but we were so tired when we arrived, we just decided to settle in. The bed was extremely comfortable though and the location was great. I would consider staying here again albeit with some reservations and only if I got a good price on the room.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 20}, {"text": "I have just returned from a fabulous stay at the Sotifel. The staff were wonderful, they treated my family and I as though we were the only guests staying in the hotel. From valet parking, front desk, housekeeping to restaurant staff you couldn't wish for better service.\nThe bedroom was decorated in a modern yet luxurious style. The beds were extremely comfortable...the shower superb...in fact I didn't want to get out of either! Bar and restaurant are excellent, the complimentary coffee and newspapers until 10am are a welcome touch.\nIf you are travelling to Washington DC then stay here...you won't be disappointed.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "Checked in on a Friday for a long weekend in Mid October. Arriving around 230PM we were made to wait until around 5PM to check in - due to late check outs. We were offered one complimentary glass of wine in the bar while waiting, were charged 10.00 for the additional glass. Upon checking in I enquired if the Sofitel chain was affiliated with either NWA or BA for frequent flier miles and the front desk rep had no idea. He did not volunteer to check on it for me either, just a simple I don't know. I would find it hard to believe I was the first person to ever ask about frequent flier miles but you never know.After we checked in our bags were not brought to our adjoining rooms like we were promised. Still more time wasted waiting for them. I was not given a key card for the outer door of our adjoining rooms, unfortunate for me I did not discover this till my friend and I split up to do different errands. The key kerfuffle was not handled well by the front desk...even more waiting while they got someone in security to make me the proper key. Around 1030PM Friday night I was awakened by Room Service entering my room. Apparently they had been knocking but I did not hear them ( the beds are very comfortable ). I did not think it was appropriate for them to just enter, especially when they had the wrong room. The coffee bar in the morning was nice. The last thing I did not appreciate was that on Sunday when I enquired about a late check out by 2 hours I was told NO, they had guests arriving that afternoon and needed the rooms ready by 3PM. That was interesting since it did not matter to them that I sat in the lobby about 2.5 hours on Friday due to late check outs. I have written well over a month ago to Sofitel Guest Relations with these and other concerns from my stay but they have yet to respond. I was unimpressed with their service and would not choose their hotel again. After spending 500 per room ( 1000 total ) for a weekend I expected a little more.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 49}, {"text": "Everywhere we went in the hotel was accessible - the staff are all charming and helpful.\nOur room was spacious with a sitting area beyond the kingsize bed. All the handicapped rooms are No. 31 on each floor and all look out on to a large inner square, making the rooms fairly dark. But if you are out all day, it doesn't really matter.\nThe bathroom was big with a bath and with 2 shower stalls, one a flat entry with grab rails, the other, a regular one. No shower stool, but I requested one and it was made available very quickly. The toilet was a little higher than normal, also with a grab rail. The mono tap at the wash basin was much too stiff and though they sent an engineer to release it, not much was achieved. The mirror was much too high in the bathroom and also in the bedroom, as were the bedside light switches. All in all, it was not perfect handicapped accommodation but then, nowhere is! It was most acceptable.\nThe hotel itself is delightful, with a really great and sophisticated bar and a wonderful dining room. We were happy to dine there on a wet and windy evening, though we also had a light meal in the bar the evening we arrived after a long flight. Breakfast was excellent for $16, with the best coffee we have ever had in the States.\nWe recommend this hotel to anyone - well placed as it is, only 2 blocks from the White House and not far from the shopping area.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "You can't complain about this hotel. For location, cost, quality and service it was a great hotel (no hotel deserves excellent).\nLocation - 2 minutes walk from McPherson Square Metro, National Airport is 20 minutes away. The White House is 5 minutes walk, Washington Monument a brisk 15 minutes. Ok - the area is not flush with restaurants but the Metro makes any only 30 minutes away.\nCost - we got charged a flat $175 for 5 nights in a superior double (2 queens) when the 3rd, 4th and 5th should have been racked upto $275. Bar food is reasonably priced as is bar food - but who eats in Hotel restaurants ??\nQuality - Great room, great beds - no view (in our room) but who cares you don't stay in your room to look at the view from your room ?!?. Boutique-style but not pretentious.\nService - couldn't fault what we used of it. Front desk were efficient and courteous, Concierge knowledgable and quick to help out reserving restaurants and making suggestions for lunch on Thanksgiving), Door-men very friendly.\nTips - walk to places (Capitol is a great 40 minute stroll) get the Metro back - it's all very safe. Ebbit Grill is great value for money. Don't bother with Georgia Brown's - way over-priced unless your going to eat all Sunday and not do anything else. We found Georgetown over-rated - Just like Marlow, Bucks. (England) and Manchester (England) rolled into one (probably a novelty for U.S. citizens. The Deli round the corner (Loeb's ???) is good for breakfast. Brunch at the Market Lunch (Eastern Market) is a must). Anyway find out yourself but don't go complaining.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "The Sofitel has pluses and minuses:\nPluses:\n1. Location: Close to subway and attractions.\n2. Rooms: Are small but new, well appointed, have great beds, and have good bathroom separate shower and small tub.\n3. Quiet: My room was quiet.\n4. Bar: The bar is lively and popular.\n5. Bell staff: Make the stay better and are friendly, remember your name.\nMinuses:\n1. Housekeeping: Other guests in my party had no toiletries. My tub was not cleaned during a 5 day stay. Sometimes housekeeping showed up after 5pm. Cleaning was spotty.\n2. Breakfast: 2 OJ's, 2 coffees, 2 granolas = $60 they added an insulting 18% tip for ok service. Try Starbucks or the diner down the street.\n3. Deluxe Room: I booked one but never got one as I asked for non-smoking.\n4. Smoking: Non smoking requests are not guaranteed. The smoking room I walked into smelt like an ashtray.\nI recommend this hotel for convenience, location and the bar. It is not 5 star but why should anyone in there right mind pay $503 at Ritz Downtown, $585 at the Ritz Gtown, or $600 of the Four Seasons. The Sofitel runs about $215-300 and for DC has value, with a few flaws.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "I stayed with Sofitel August 11- 14 and I highly recommend this establishment. What everyone has said is more than true. The service is impeccable, the staff friendly and professional, and the facilities could not have been better appointed (and very clean). A lovely touch is the Roger and Gallet toilettries - very nice! It's true that the staff seems to know who is a guest in their hotel by face; on more than once I was greeted by name and always with genuine courtesy. I had a noisy door upon check in (it rattled in the jamb whenever someone opened a door in the hallway), reported the problem to the front desk, and it was rectified immediately. This hotel is quiet and sleeping in those phenominal beds was never a problem - love the linens and pillows! I cannot comment on the conciege as I didn't require their services on this trip. I found the hotel's location to be quite handy as it is literally around the corner from the McPherson Square Metro. If you don't have to travel too far outside of the District, you do not need a rental car. The Metro is clean, safe, conveniently located, and inexpensive, and has remained so for the 20 years I have been familiar with it - a model of what rapid transit should be everywhere. As a female traveling alone, I never felt unsafe or threatened in any way - and I went everywhere, even out for dinner in a different part of the city each evening, returning to the hotel after 11:00 each night. Sofitel has complimentary coffee/tea in the bar each morning - the coffee is exceptional. (If you have a Starbucks fixation, there is one 1/2 block down the street.) There is a complimentary work station for quickies - checking email or online airline check-in, etc. I cannot say enough positive things about my experience here and will definitely stay with Sofitel again, especially in DC.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 15}, {"text": "Visited DC in June 2005.\nSofitel hotels are always great.\nThis one was wonderful. Huge bathroom, comfortable bed, in-room internet available, everything you could ever want.\nStaff, especially bellmen and valet were extremely kind, helpful, attentive, nice.\nVery convenient location to see White House and some local attractions.\nLong walk to Capitol and Smithsonian, use taxis or metro.\nNot a ton of restaurants nearby, but the hotel has good but pricey restaurant. Don't miss their amazing cheese/fruit plate and also fried wontons.\nHotel parking is expensive, you really don't need a car in DC to see everything, just use taxis and it's ultimately cheaper than renting a car and paying for parking. \nHotel is luxurious and peaceful and relaxing. Yes, it's expensive, but SO worth it if you're spending the day walking in the humid heat amid the stinky tourists and musty museums.\nHighly recommend new Air & Space Museum Udvar-Hazy Facility, take Smithsonian shuttle bus or drive there.\nAlso recommend restaurants Ten Penh, Perry's, and the Left Bank.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Mu husband, daughter and I stayed here for one night. We had a reservation and were told check in was at 3pm. Arrived at 3:30 and were told the room wasn't ready due to late check outs that day. Returned at 5:30 and were told the room still wasn't ready! Night manager told us it would be 20 more minutes! I told him this was not acceptable since we had dinner reservations at 6pm and needed to get ready. He upgraded us to a suite that was available. Manager told us we would have turndown service later in the evening and sofa would be made up for us. Although the suite was very nice, my husband volunteered to sleep on the sofabed but its just not the same as sleeping in a bed! Our reservation was for a room with 2 double beds.\nWhen we returned at 11pm, housekeeping had not been to our room, so there were no sheets for the sofabed. We called the front desk and housekeeping, and there was no answer at either place. We tried again 20 minutes later, and housekeeping brought us some sheets. When we checked out, I told the front desk of this problem and they went to talk to the manager. He returned to say that they were deeply sorry. No compensation was offered. \nIt's just unacceptable when you have a reservation for your room not to be available 2hrs after check in time. They tried to compensate for one problem but didnt even offer a credit or other compensation for the further poor service we received.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "A great place to stay just like everybody said before me. From the moment we arrived by taxi our luggage was taken care of by the staff. The doormen really make you feel special as they always greet you with a smile morning, noon and night.\nThe room was nicely decorated with a super sof feather bed and super soft pillows. I really enjoyed the decor of the room especially the cool light fixtures.\nThe bathroom was even better. Marble everywhere with a nice shower head. Even the bathroom toiletries smelled so good (Roger & Gallet, Paris) The orchids and candle were a nice touch.\nHousekeeping kept the room super clean and they offer turndown service which we skipped on.\nThe hotel is in a great location. Like others said, it is a block away from the McPherson Square Metro so you can easily catch the metro to anywhere in the city. Two blocks from the White House which has plenty of security around, so we always felt safe walking late at night.\nWhat we also liked was that we always stayed out late, and for late night dinner there is Old Ebbit Grill right on 15th. There are always plenty of people there, and they even serve half price oysters, clams, shrimp after 11pm (not sure if every day though). \nThere are also some food places one block over on 14th like Quiznos and more food places at the Shops at National Place. \nLastly, Cafe 15 in the hotel provided a quiet meal with excellent food. Some of the best food I have ever had from appetizer to dessert. It was a memorable dinner with nice ambience and of course great service.\nWe spent 5 nights at this hotel and I would definitely stay here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "Stayed here from July 2-4. Everything about this hotel was great. The location is perfect as it is two blocks from the White House, and 1 block from a subway station that will take you anywhere in the city. \nThe rooms were ideal. The bed was more comfortable or at least as comfortable as the Westin Heavenly beds. The bathroon was great with a separate shower and bathtub. Nice phone in bathroom. \nThe staff was friendly and helpful. We were greeted every time we exited and entered the hotel.\nThe hotel bar was a nice place for a drink after a day of sightseeing. The chairs are so comfortable.\nI would definitely stay here again. We booked directly through the hotel website for $125 a night (had to prepay, but worth it).\nAlso recommend \"The Old Ebbitt Grill\" - about two blocks south of the hotel on 15th St for excellent food.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 14}, {"text": "Following the advice and recommendations of many here we booked a room at the Sofitel to stay over on July 4th. The hotel is in easy walking distance to the mall, Smithsonian, etc. Everything worked out perfectly, from the time the valet parking took our van to holding our luggage early before checking so we could see the 4th parade. Everyone there was super friendly and helpful. The room was awesome, and we loved the bed - my wife said it was the best sleep she's ever had.\nIf the hotel was just good, we wouldn't have bothered to write a review, however our stay there lived up to every expectation we had and more. Next year we are coming back for the 4th festivities in DC and staying here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "From the moment we pulled up to the front entrance to the moment we headed home...everything was perfect! Before I begin though, I must say that using TripAdvisor has become second nature for me before I book any of my trips - short or long. I highly recommend them to one and all! Because of all the excellent reviews I read prior to making my reservation, we picked this hotel.\nMy boyfriend and I stayed at the Sofitel from July 1 to July 3...we arrived from New York at 11:30am and amazingly, our room was ready! I had taken the time to join up for the Sofitel Privilege card (free on their website) thus allowing early check-in. We were also entitled to late check-out ( uo to 4pm) at no additional cost. The doorman , valet, bellhop and front desk manager were all friendly. courteous and extremely gracious. Our luggage arrived at our room 1 minute after we did..and what a magnificent room! \nI had upgraded to a deluxe king with a city view contacting Sofitel direct ( fantastic rate- $145 per night) and it was absolutely beautiful! Luxurious and spotless.a corner room with windows facing out onto 15th street. I cannot stress how immaculate the room was...furnishings on the modern side , many fluffy pillows on the bed and a super soft duvet. The bath had a separate glass enclosed shower and separate tub. While not exceptionally deep, it served the purpose rather well. The water pressure was strong and the water as hot as you wanted. Toiletries and towels well supplied. The front closet had a safe and I especially liked the storage for shoes and drawers...well out of sight. While the room had no refrigerator or coffee maker, we managed to be creative. I brought along a small cooler from home to hold water, coffee creamer and other assorted goodies. As the ice machine was right outside, we just kept replenishing as needed. The hotel offers a complimentary coffee bar from 6:30am to 10am in their downstairs lounge. We just filled a carafe and brought it up to the room. Excellent coffee.\nOn our first night, after a long day of sightseeing, we decided to order room service. My boyfriend called to inquire about the crabcake burger. The young lady who answered wasn't sure of the reply and had the chef call our room to converse with my boyfriend! I was completely amazed and impressed!! If that is not service, then I don't know what is! The food was hot, delicious and delivered quickly. So that the tables don't stay in your room or in the hallway, all you do is call and they will retrieve it for you upon completion. The conceirge gave us a list of restaurants in the Chinatown area (about 7-8 blocks away) and we brought in takeout on our second evening.\nThe air-conditioning worked well and the room was well sound-proofed. Turn-down service is provided if you like. My request for extra towels, pillows and soap was handled promptly and with a smile. The only suggestion I have is provide two robes if there are two guests. The valet brought our car quickly with no problems. \nCheck-out was quick, the bill was correct and the conceirge answered all of our questions and more. For me, there is NO other hotel in Washington! We take many short weekend trips and have for quite a few years. I have to say that this hotel is in my top two ever and I cannot think of a higher compliment to give them!\nWe spoke to the day manager, Mr. Fix, about booking for later this year and he advised us to call him so he could arrange for our room and any other requests we might have. Service above and beyond. As you can see, I cannot say enough wonderful things about the Sofitel Lafayette Square but don't take my word for it - stay there and experience it for yourselves!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 18}, {"text": "Stayed in the Sofitel for 8 nights in May. \nThe Pluses:\nThe rooms were beautiful (see pics). Beds have a down mattress pad that is very soft but not to soft, baths have full shower and tub. Bathroom products are standard Sofitel which means Roger et Gallet which is excellent. Beautiful heavy curtains that blocked out the light well. Staff was outstanding. The concierge was very helpful and helped us with restaurant ideas and reservations on more than one occassion. We had eaten at Old Ebbitts near the hotel on our own and had to wait 1h20 mins for a table. latter in the trip we wanted to eat there again and the concierge was able to secure a reservation for the same evening only 2 hours in advance. Saved us the wait and we were given a very nice table. Room service breakfast was a fair value at 14 dollars for a continental with fresh squeezed juice, croissants, raisin danish and coffee. The bar was a hopping place and seemed well liked amoung locals. its a short walk to the White House and a quick metro ride to the Mall.\nThe Minuses:\nHousekeeping is usually outstanding in Sofitels however, I felt it was only good in this hotel. The rooms were always clean and the beds well made but they did not do the little extras like straighten up the room when clothes,book, shoes, belts etc. were about. They never changed the fresh flowers in the 8 nights we were there so they were quite dead. They often forgot to leave the room service breakfast order form.\nWith the exception of breakfast the room service menu was over priced and uninteresting. The hotel restaurant was also uninspiring and pricey.\nAlthough close to the sites, it is a business area so it clears out at 6 pm and is very dead on the weekend. There are very few restaurants within walking distance of the hotel that are open for dinner. \nTerrible view from the window. Check it out in my photos. We had two rooms, both with the same view. From looking at the floor map it looked like several rooms on each floor had this type of view. Be sure to ask for a room facing the street if you like to look out the window.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 23}, {"text": "This hotel exceded my expectations. Super smoth check in. Every employee was very helpful. The room had a separate shower and bath. Great soap and shampoo. Large fluffy towels. The bed was very comfortable. Excellent free coffee in the morning. Location was perfect and close to many restaurants and shops. Can't wait to go back.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 39}, {"text": "I work at a firm down the street from the Sofitel, and use it as a \"home away from home\" during busy periods. I've spent the better part of 30 nights there in the past 18 months. Short summary: I love the place, and always look foward to staying there (even if I'm there because it means I'm too busy at the office to go home at the end of the day).\nThe rooms consistently have the best beds I have encountered anywhere, with heavy down duvets and many down pillows (I will admit the \"Heavenly\" brand beds found at high-end Westin properties come in a very close second). Built-in individual halogen reading lamps in the headboard over each side of the bed are a nice touch.\nStandard rooms are a bit on the small side by U.S. standards, but should be very comfortable for European travellers and those used to hotels in older buildings in big cities. Even a one tier upgrade, to their \"deluxe\" rooms, can make a tremendous difference in size, particularly in rooms that face H street (great soundproofing in all rooms, btw. Never hear road noise, even during rushhour on low floors). \nThe rooms are uniformly clean, both upon arrival and at the end of each day. Adequate storage space for clothes for stays up to about a week; much more than that and you may end up keeping some things in your suitcases. Cleaning staff is good about straightening up personal items left in the room, without leaving you with a feeling that someone has gone through your things.\nThe bathrooms make the place, with everything you would need already provided, and great water pressure. They also scent the rooms with something. It is a smell that to this day I cannot identify, but that I associate with soothing feelings even in times of great stress. \nHigh speed internet access is good, but expensive - as are the contents of the Minibar. Rooms always seem to have a good work desk and lots of lighting. Staff is excellent, and very responsive, even if there are too many French accents about for my taste.\nFood in the restaraunt is uniformly good, but uniformly expensive - I rarely ate there when I could not expense it. This is not a problem, as there are a number of good options close by: directly across the street is world-class steak at Bobby Van's (Not cheap either, but i'd put the porterhouse for 2 against Peter Lugar's in NYC). As another user mentioned, Georgia Brown's is 2 blocks away, and a D.C. favorite (Not cheap either, but less than the hotel). The deli at the end of the block (15th and I) is also a great lunch option, as is the Corner Bakery one block further up 15th. If you can get reservations (or are willing to wait for a table / eat at the bar), the Old Ebbitt Grill at the corner of 15th and G is slightly less expensive and not to be missed. For breakfast, there are literally five Starbucks locations within three blocks of the hotel.\nAll told, there are better hotels in the world that this Sofitel, but they are few, far between, and generally much more expensive. No there is not a pool, and no, you don't have a view of the White House (2 blocks away), but for what you actually use a hotel for - the bed, the bath, and a central location, you simply can't go wrong with this one if it is within your price range.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 52}, {"text": "Recently stayed at the DC Sofitel in February 2005. We were planning a grown up weekend away and wanted to stay in a nicer hotel, but didn't really want to be in the Georgetown area. We looked at the Four Season and Ritz, room rates started at $300 for the Ritz and $400 for the Four Season and both were down in Georgetown. We were planning to do the touristy stuff around the Mall so we picked the Sofitel. We paid $239 and that was a 2 level upgrade. I don't really know what that got us other than an outside room. Their website doesn't give a lot of room info, at least as far as descriptions of the various room catagories. I really liked the hotel, the location is great, for warmer weather, it's well within walking distance to all the museums. We left our car with valet, which was quick and courteous as was all the staff at the hotel, bellman, check-in, room service. We always were acknowledged upon departure or return. I thought in comparison to what alot of the hotels in DC run, this was a reasonable rate for a nicer hotel. I can't imagine that the room at the Ritz would have been any nicer for close to $100 more. Really nice down comforter, comfy pillows, a little contemporary in style, separate tub and marble shower, nice toiletries. I was very pleased. I would recommend, especially if you want to be in more of the Downtown area.", "score": 4.0, "num_helpful": 16}]}, "84093": {"reviews": [{"text": "The whole problem with the Palomar can be understood when you look at their bathroom sinks (see the pics) . Each bathroom has a beautiful vessel sink, with a square basin and a rectangular spout, which look really modern and wonderful. The problem? The way the sink is designed, when you wash your hands, water hits your hands and shoots out to each side and literally sprays all over the counter. It's impossible to carry water from your hands to your face without bumping into the spout b/c it's so poorly designed. And to top it all off, the sink never had hot water. This is really the whole problem with the hotel. Nice amenities, decor, and a very trendy theme, but they ultimately prove to be all show and completely useless. Another example: nice L'Occitane bath products... which all had expiration dates from last year. \nPROS:\n- Pretty, spacious rooms\n- Complimentary yoga bag, upon request\n- iPod clock radio\n- Environmentally friendly, have a recycling bin in the room\nCONS:\n- We were first assigned to a room about 5 steps away from and eye-level with the pool area - zero privacy\n- They couldn't change our rooms til the next day. They gave us the key to another room - but the room belonged to someone else! (as we discovered when we went in their room!)\n- It was hard to reach the front desk and especially room service on the phone - 24 hr rm service proved to be nonexistent\n- The free wireless internet was very spotty and unreliable\n- They business center offers printing, but it cost us $8 to use a computer for 5 minutes and print 3 pages (plus the toner was out)\n- The walls were SUPER thin - we could hear everything going on around us, above us, you name it. When our neighbors opened the door to their room, it literally sounded like they were coming into our room.\n- Our keycards kept deactivating - we had to have 3 of our cards rekeyed, and other people on our floor complained of the same problem.\n- There are only about 2 outlets in the entire hotel room! If we were ever to stay here again (which we would NOT), we would need to bring a power strip.\n- The staff, who, according to the hotel pamphlet, are \"trained by the Joffrey Ballet in grace\" and other mumbo jumbo, were, for the most part, clueless and pretty unfriendly.\nOverall, we were really disappointed by the whole experience. At $300+/night (corporate rate), there are much, much better places to spend your money (for example, the Sofitel Lafayette, which we stayed at last month and really enjoyed).", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Here is an update from June 2006:\nI attempted to stay at the Palomar on a business trip.\nThe hotel is still under heavy construction (the hammering\nstarts at 0700). In the first room the bathroom flooded\nthrough the recessed light fixture. In the second room,\nworkers were scraping plaster outside the door at 7am.\nNo restaurant, no room service, no booze in the minibar\nfor attempting to forget the bad mistake you made by reserving\na room there. \nBut I must say: the desk staff are really wonderful.\nFantastic attitudes, polite, friendly and very sympathetic.\nThey should give training classes on how to put\nup with bad management with a smile.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}, "84117": {"reviews": [{"text": "I realize three stars is unusual for this hotel. I'm usually probably overly generous with my ratings, but in this case I think the mediocre review is warranted, and hopefully will include some helpful tips for others.\n Let me jump in with a huge issue--not a problem so much, but a caveat. The issue is room views. The hotel markets its views of the White House ad nauseum, but keep in mind only a small fraction of the rooms have these views. I assume it's only one-eighth of the rooms or less (the upper floors on the front only). You will, of course, pay an enormous premium for these rooms. All other rooms have very average views at best. Many rooms are marketed as having \"church views\", which sounds lovely, but the church is a small, unassuming building framed by two ugly concrete offices; nothing you will gaze at for any length of time. So, your choices are to pay a fortune for a view of the White House in the distance, or have no significant view at all. It's not an easy or pleasant choice to make.\n One other note on views: A number of reviewers have praised the roof terrace, which I don't get at all. You can't use it! It's closed except for functions, so unless you're there for a wedding it's off limits. We did ask the concierge to take us up for a viewing, which he very willingly did, but a two-minute glance is hardly the same as enjoying drinks or dinner on the roof.\n We were really disappointed that we were given a room directly across from the elevator and service storeroom, even though it appeared that the hotel was not full. I expect five-star hotels to assign rooms intelligently based on quality, quietness, and location when the hotel isn't packed. The noise was not earsplitting, but we could very easily hear the elevator ring every time it stopped at our floor, servants going in and out of the storeroom, and people getting ice at an ice machine. We could also pretty clearly hear other guests through the walls. My wife and I commented that it felt more like we were at a Motel 6 off the Interstate than a five-star hotel. Be sure to ask for a room that is not next to the elevators, and prepare to hear your neighbors a bit more than you would like.\n The room was fine, although fairly small; nothing breathtaking, just nice, clean, and elegant. The service was fine, although in seven nights at the hotel we did not get turndown service twice, which seemed odd.\n The service downstairs at reception and the restaurant was uniformly polite and helpful. In fact, one night we asked for a cab and the bellman directed us to a free car service instead, which was quite a nice luxury.\n We had dinner in the restaurant and ate breakfast there every day. The wait staff was extremely attentive and helpful. My only small complaint is that the prices are extremely high. A small glass of juice, when you factor in a tip, is approaching ten dollars! I guess high prices are to be expected at a place like this, but at some point you cross the reasonableness threshold into absurd, and this restaurant is not too far away from that line.\n The location of the hotel is mostly a positive. It certainly is fun stepping outside and immediately seeing the White House, and the hotel is fairly close to most historical sights and neighborhoods. I would point out it is a bit of a hike to the major museums and monuments; the Willard is a bit closer to the Mall and major museums, although the Hay Adams is certainly well located, too.\n Overall, we just had a negative feeling about this hotel. Sure, it's historic and pleasant and has a nice staff. But, there are painfully clear classes of \"haves\" and \"have-nots\" when it comes to room views, rooms with elevator, neighbor, and others noises filtering in from all sides, and other little issues that intruded on our experience. It is by no means a bad hotel, but use caution when settling in for a long stay and consider other options if you're particularly sensitive about the issues mentioned above.", "score": 3.0, "num_helpful": 22}, {"text": "I just encountered some very rude service at the Hay Adams. \nFirst, I called from San Francisco to speak to someone at the hotel and was told that they were too busy to talk and could I call back in 10 mins. I have never had someone say that to me at a hotel I am about to give $800. \nSecond, when I called back 10 mins later to explain that I had to cancel the reservation for one of the two rooms I had reserved only last night because my mother couldn't join me for my trip after all, the manager told me that I would be charged the entire price for the room anyway because of their 24 hour cancellation policy. When I explained that the person in reservations I had spoken to never mentioned this policy -- and that most hotels do mention if they have this policy and that if they had mentioned it, I would have called 3 hours ago because I do not generally like to waste $400 -- he told me that he didn't believe me. \nThe fact that I only reserved the room about 12 hours ago, making it fairly unlikely that they would have rented it to someone else, seemed to make no difference. \nNeedless to say, never staying here again, and I recommend that you don't either. Situations like these are the real test of good service, and no hotel with rates this high should treat customers like this.", "score": 1.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "My husband and I spent six wonderful nights at the Hay-Adams July 23-28, 2006. We were enchanted even before we stepped inside. The staff seemed genuinely happy to see us and eager to take care of us. Sean at the front desk was friendly and efficient without being forward. The bellman not only delivered our luggage, but gave a thorough introduction to the room and its features. \n The room itself was beautifully appointed and the bed was absolutely sumptuous. The housekeeping staff did a meticulous job and the turn-down service was complete, down to the mat and slippers at bedside. \n We dined at the the Lafayette restauant the second night of our stay. The food was carefully and thoughtfully prepared and the wait staff was diligent and attentive, always arriving at the perfect time. One waiter even recognized us at the \"Off the Record\" bar on a subsequent evening and remembered our drink preferences. Yes, he had paid that much attention. \n For a dinner reservation nearby, but beyond comfortable walking distance, the hotel car and driver were offered to us.\n There was plenty to love about this property and I was disappointed by only two things. We stayed in room 632, an \"interior\" room. We knew the view would not be impressive, but were surprised by being awakened by the sounds of the emptying of dumpsters in the alley very, very early in the morning. Other parts of the building probably don't have this problem. Secondly, while adequate, the bathroom reflected the history of the building and was beautiful but rather small. \n I would certainly recommend this gem of a hotel and would book a room here again in a heartbeat! The tagline, \"Where nothing is overlooked except the Whitehouse\" is the truth!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "My husband and I stayed at the Hay Adams Hotel this past weekend and were very pleased with the central location. Our room was lovely but the service did not match that of a five star hotel at times. Many employees were extremely helpful and others were largely indifferent. \nOne notable feature was the difference in service received if we \"dressed the part\" as we did for a medical conference near the hotel versus a more casual dress for sightseeing. When we were in our \"high-end\" dress we were promptly greeted at the door and welcomed into the lobby with great flourish and attentiveness. In more casual dress from walking around seeing the sites we were often ignored when entering the hotel and several times were \"bypassed\" in order to give weathier appearing clients more attention. I find this type of double standard offensive at any hotel but it seemed particularly pronounced at the Hay Adams. Would not stay again.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 19}, {"text": "We stayed at the Hay-Adams over Memorial Weekend for a one night special treat. It was very expensive but worth it. I had my 7 and 10 year old with me and was concerned they would be out of place but it was fine. I did see some other children at the hotel. Excellent service; outstanding room. We did not book a Whitehouse view room but the hotel is so close to the Whitehouse, it did not matter. My kids enjoyed the turn down service with the slippers and chocolate and soft lighting. Elegant bathroom. We did not eat there but I would recommend the Old Ebbit Grill that is within walking distance from the hotel. We moved to another hotel (Marriott Metro) for the rest of the weekend and what a let down it was!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "I just returned from a three day stay at the Hay-Adams, I was in room #432, which is a queen size bed with no view. The room was very elegant and well kept, no stains or signs of wear and tear, it was in wonderful condition. The bathroom was small, but elegant with marble and gleaming brass fixtures. Staff at the hotel will do backflips to make sure you're stay in a good one. Ask about weekend rates or packages which start at $329 a night.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "We stayed in Room 428 from March 22 through 25, 2006. Our room was large with two queen beds and a big bathroom. Everything is immaculately clean and comfortable. The room service was excellent (room cleaners, food delivery, laundry service). The hotel is beautifully decorated and well maintained. Frette sheets on the comfortable beds, nice water pressure in the shower. You can't beat the location, right across the street from the White House and within a mile or two of most of the museums, monuments, etc. The room we had was described as having a \"city view\" but was actually very close to a multi-story office building with views directly into offices and no view of the city. The rooms facing the White House go for $75.00 more per night (we paid $500.00 per night for the office view room). The Off the Record bar is fun (except for the cigarette and cigar smoke). The Lafayette Restaurant is pretty but cold (all white, no color, a bit sterile). If you want to go up on the roof to enjoy the bird's eye view of the White House and Lafayette Park you must ask the hotel staff to get clearance from the White House for security reasons (not such a difficult thing to do per the hotel staff). If you like to walk you're close enough to the Smithsonian museums to get there on foot. If you can't walk a mile or so, board the trolley across the street from the hotel (advance reservations should be made with the hotel concierge) and get an early start so you can get off at some or all of the 16 stops and reboard all day. We took cabs a few times during our stay and all cabs were clean and driven by very polite and friendly drivers who were able to share interesting facts about the city and its citizens. We regret that we had only three days to enjoy this beautiful and clean city. I hope I can return to D.C. and stay at the Hay-Adams again for a bit longer next time.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 21}, {"text": "We stayed the weekend of March 31 to see the cherry blossoms and tour. The HaY Adams was wonderful. We received a very pleasant welcome and the service was always friendly and accomodating. The room was beautifully decorated and very comfortable.And the hotel is right accross from the White House, so you can easily tour.\n The breakfast in the dining room was a little disapointing. It was overpriced and nothing special. They charged for a bread basket and juice was $8.00.\n Other than that, we had a great time and we would definitely stay at the Hay Adams again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "I stayed at the Hay Adams for two nights in February for a very quick business trip. It is a beautiful hotel with wonderful character, excellent service, and a great location. It was about a 5 minute taxi ride from Ronald Reagan airport (by the way, I took several taxis and all the drivers were very courteous and excellent drivers who obeyed the traffic laws - how refreshing!). One morning I needed a ride to my meeting and the hotel provided a ride in their brand new Mercedes with no charge.\nRoom service was quick and delicious, although quite pricey. \nMy room was jusat gorgeous, with great bedding, a well stocked mini bar, and all the amenities you'd expect. I booked directly with the hotel but quoted them the Expedia price of $309 per night and they honored that price even though I didn't book with Expedia.\nI'd definitely stay here again.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 13}, {"text": "Just returned from a weekend romantic get-away. I chose the Hay Adams because of the decor-lush, semi-canopied beds in toile fabric and the calming beige on beige interior to the rooms. We had such a great time. We were in a room overlooking St.John's church which I got for $340 booking over the internet.(I learned to definitely check by phone and internet-they were asking for $100 more for same room by calling) The room and bath were so pretty and different than standard hotel rooms. They may be a bit small but this is an old hotel and things were much smaller than. I found everyone very curteous and there was a nice jar of cookies at the reception desk. The location is fabulous-right across the park from the White House. We tried to go up to the hotel rooftop but security was posted there and the door was locked. They said there was something going on at The White House and we couldn't go up then but they would arrange it later if we wanted.(we declined) Apparently, they have to call the White House to get clearance first! We ordered dinner in from room service and it was very quick(under 30min.) and they sat it up on a lovely table with flowers. It was all hot and very good. The next morning we ate breakfast in the Lafayette Room and that was outstanding. They had a piano player and again the colors were all muted greens and beiges (nice couches at some of the tables and beautiful crystal chandeliers). My husband had the filet mignon with bernaise sauce and eggs which was terrific and I had the grilled grapefruit with honey and french toast with berries-delicious. Service again was very good and attentive. Meals are somewhat expensive but the portions are very good. The one snafu was at checkout when examing the bill they had charged an exorbadent rate for local calls I made home to VA which they had said were complimentary in their services guide. They did remove these charges with no question however. The hotel is also very easy to reach from 14th st.and so close to the entrance of DC it makes for a great get-away.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 17}, {"text": "I stayed at The Hay-Adams for one night in a St John's Church View Room (Room 518) for $388.16USD (inc tax) on 22 Feb 2006.\nAs a Leader's Club member (a Leading Hotels of the World (LHW) rewards program) I receive a few additional benefits when staying at LHW listed hotels (which includes The Hay-Adams). This includes upgrade to the next class of room (where available), early check-in, late check-out, and a personalised booking service.\nDespite a correct and descriptive booking being made by the Leader's Club for me at this hotel (and I know that they did because I receive a copy of the booking notices) when I arrived my reservation information was incorrect (they had me sharing a room with someone I had never heard of and certainly not mentioned on the booking notice) and I was asked (because I was staying on a options package which offered a choice of one room upgrade, or American Breakfast, or Valet Parking) what I wanted for my options package despite it being indicated in the booking sheet that I wanted the American Breakfast. I was also less than impressed that despite being offered a room upgrade as part of the Options Package (if I gave up my selected option of American Breakfast) that I was not given one as a Leader's Club member as is part of the program (since an upgraded room was obviously available). While I did check-in early I found this check-in process very poor indeed and hardly a sign of good service. Indeed the check-in clerk didn't apologise at all for the cock-up with the booking and the whole check-in process took me twice as long to get through as is the norm. \nThe bellman, however, was very good and took the time out to introduce me to the hotel and explain where everything was in the room.\nAs to the room itself it is nicely decorated but small in size and the bathroom is practically a broom closet. Indeed, as a definate sign of bad design, the toliet is placed almost flush with the wall and the toliet roll dispenser actually overhangs the toliet seat so that it presses into you when you sit down making it practically unusable. I actually had to remove the toliet roll from the dispenser to comfortably sit on the toliet and use the toliet paper. This is well below par!\nThe bath and shower are pretty atypical for most American hotels with a water saving shower head (not great for getting clean) and a shallow bath (only the most keen would bother using it).\nThe bed itself was comfortable (about the same as the Hilton Sweet Sleeper) with alright pillows and a highbacked padded bedrest. \nThe evening turndown service didn't replenish the tolietries but left a bottle of water near the TV and undereye cream on the floor near the bed and the robe on the bed.\nThe rooms aren't terribly sound-proofed and the sound of slamming doors can be heard late into the evening and early in the morning.\nBreakfast at The Lafayette was a mixed affair. Service was slow and absent minded despite the place being half empty. A cappuccino that I ordered on being seated failed to turn up and I had to ask (after 20 minutes of no show) for it again and it arrived after I had finished everything else. The filet minion was good but the scrambled eggs were boring and disappointing. Toast was delivered at room temp and came without butter despite me asking for some - and I was charged $4 for the four slices of toast to boot.\nAll in all I found The Hay-Adams disappointing. For a place that has a marketing tagline of \"Where nothing is overlooked but the White House\" I would say they hardly lived up to this motto. I didn't think this hotel added much value to what I received during my stay at the Fairmont Washington DC and I paid over $100USD less per night at the Fairmont. The only stand-outs at this hotel are the doormen and women and the bell staff - the rest need to pick up there act if they want to justify a five star tag.", "score": 2.0, "num_helpful": 26}, {"text": "I checked in this hotel after having a horrible experience elsewhere in DC and was so disappointed that I had been too cheap to stay here the whole time. The service was impeccable, the room was fabulous and the location was great.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 11}, {"text": "The Hay Adams is a beautiful hotel which has been very tastefully decorated. It was Christmas time and the tree and trimmings were gorgeous. The room itself was spacious and overlooked St John's Church. The staff (too many of them if anything) did their best to meet all requests with a pleasant manner. The basement bar was great little hangout to people watch. We only had breakfast in the hotel on one morning. It was a fantastic breakfast but far too formal for that time in the morning. Not relaxing at all really. This would be my only criticism. The roof terrace is normally closed during winter, but one night we noticed there was a private party and asked if we could slip upstairs and take in the view. The concierge kindly escorted us. It as the most breathtaking site - a full vista of the whitehouse at night. I scene I shall never forget. If you visit the Hay Adams, pop into Bobby Van's steakhouse a couple of blocks away. Even just for a quick drink at the bar, it is entertaining and fun - and the food is very good too!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Our stay at the Hay-Adams was outstanding. We've experienced quite a few 5-star hotels around the world and this is now one of our Top 5 favorites.\nOf course the location is hard to beat -- across the street from the White House and just 2 short blocks from a Metro station. \nThe decor is exceptionally lovely and tasteful. The bathroom and room amenities are delightful and the Frette linens are downright decadent. The turndown service is the most elaborate I've experienced, with nightly toiletry samples (Evian spray, foot cream, etc) on the pillow in addition to chocolates and Fiji bottled water. Our room had great noiseproofing -- we never heard our neighbors in a 5-night stay.\nWe asked the concierge for a restaurant recommendation one night and were very happy with the place he suggested, and pleased to get an instant reservation at a very full restaurant. The concierge also gave us friendly and very accurate directions on several occasions. (Yes, any concierge should be able to do this, but you'd be amazed how many don't manage it.) He even arranged a towncar for our return to Reagan/National airport, for which, to our surprise, we were not charged.\nThe Lafayette Room restaurant is elegant. The Off the Record bar is atmospheric and has outstanding service. (Unfortunately there doesn't appear to be a non-smoking section in the bar, though.)\nOur only disappointment was with the food. I think it's fair to say the quality is \"mixed.\" We ate one breakfast, one lunch and one dinner in the Lafayette Room. We also had two breakfasts and a dinner through room service, and a dinner in the bar. So I think we gave it a fair shake, and then some.\nIn general we thought the appetizers and desserts were excellent, but the entrees ranged from average to terrible. Avoid the halibut on the Lafayette's dinner menu -- it was nearly inedible, overcooked (actually charred) and served with distinctly undercooked diced \"roasted root vegetables\" that showed no sign of having been roasted. (I should have sent it back, and don't ask me why I didn't.) Also avoid the corned beef hash at breakfast. It seems to be straight out of a can, which is ridiculous at these prices! The eggs were perfectly cooked, however.\nService in the Lafayette room was equally mixed. One day at lunch we were woefully neglected (among other things, they poured one cup of coffee and that was the last we saw of them for 20+ minutes, until we got the manager to bring us our bill). Other times the service was as attentive as one could wish.\nThe bar offers tasty complimentary snacks. The Mediterranean plate available in the bar was excellent and a relative bargain at $19, since it included four nice-sized lamb chops as well as other delicious items. The Continental breakfast was quite nice, with fresh juice, good coffee/tea and decent pastries.\nOverall, a fantastic hotel, but I'd recommend sticking with Continental breakfast and the bar food until they get a better chef.", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}, {"text": "Just arrived home from an extened vacation which included a 5 night stay with my family of 4. I could go on and on but in a nutshell-WOW! What fun! It is a Vintage hotel-it's not slick and modern. It's warm and cosey and fun. I would give this hotel a six star rating. That should save me about 5 paragraphs of writing. We had just stayed wiithin 3 months at the Four Seasons and The Peninsula, Chicago and the Mandarin in San Fran. The Hay Adams beat them all....We kept asking ourselves are we the only ones in this hotel?\nWe took one child to dinner in the dinning room one night and they coddled after her. Presidents have spoken in that dining room and she was the most important person that night. The location to the White House is amazing. \nBy the way, you are being watched-everywhere...We thought it was cool-SS men everywhere and especially at the Hay Adams because of it's location. Everyone including the SS will stop and take a moment to share a detail of this amazing place and the kids loved it!\nTaxi's are a dream-one zone $11.00. Easy to figure into the budget.\nDon't miss: Restaurants: The top of Hotel Washington, Hay Adams, Willard Hotel. Alexandria is so much fun. The town of DC-very very safe! You can walk anywhere within the tour areas which is huge all day and night.\n9/11 has changed things-did I mention your being watched?\nThis is a formal town-dress code is on the higher end. The men wear the most crisp shirts and ties. I have never seen such drycleaning. I felt confortable in simple skirts and casual dresses. \nI would recommend getting a church view to your room and keep a watchful eye on Sundays. You might see the President. We missed him because he went out the side door. So keep a watch on all doors....My daughter really wanted to see President Bush. Get some tours lined up in advance-security clearance is actually needed on some of them. Just an FYI.\nHave fun!", "score": 5.0, "num_helpful": 12}]}}
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