Raffles

Just been in the lounge. Big space on the ground floor, more like Paris than London. Soft opening this week (just breakfast) with evening food and drinks hopefully added next week. $150 per room supplement.

In terms of Ambassador gift, take the free drink vouchers. They are good for 2 drinks of $20 each (just got 2 cocktails) which beats a flat $20 of overpriced minibar credit.

My issue with the property, to be honest, is that there isn't much going on. You are paying 60k points for a nice room (albeit small once they start excluding Exec from redemptions as will happen in time) in a location with little around it. I am also guessing, judging by the crowd checking in tonight, that the hotel is discounting massively via private channels to tour groups or the like. Times Square is even worse for public space, of course, but the area - if you head away from the Square - has more going on and the views are better if you get a high floor.

Excellent wifi, by the way. Just a shame the desk has nowhere to charge devices :-)

Land-of-Miles

The rooms/studios at the ICTS (well the ones I get) are very large by NY standards, the neighbourhood also has some interesting bars and restaurants and convenience for airport subway.

RA recognition at the TS is also consistently excellent and the minibar is decent.

I don't tend to hang around in hotel lobbies so the lack of public space at the TS is irrelevant to my needs. The bar/restaurant is OK and a Shake Shack in the building is also a nice to have.

Raffles

An internal IHG presentation was accidentally posted online, now removed. See (my article):

http://www.headforpoints.com/2016/06...ges-this-year/

demue

2 free drinks certainly are the best value, just that in the early days when I stayed that wasn't offered. But I don't want to be ungrateful as we got breakfast comped for 2 days (usually a $40++ per guest charge). The offering was a bit limited with not a huge amount of choices, but quality was good. I told them to consider a small menu with egg and other breakfast dishes for order (like the Club Lounges @ IC BKK, IC SGN, IC KUL) as no egg station for what would be a 40 bucks charge was not really acceptable. You can go to the Waldorf around the corner and have "the original" Eggs Benedict, fresh OJ and coffee for the same price.

loyaltypointschaser

hmmm..sounds like they have decided to charge more for the club access than initial planned.

I enquired about the club lounge price for my upcoming stay few weeks ago and was told that it will be $100 and AMB will get further discount…

Raffles

$100 would be cheaper than Paris or London, if breakfast is $40 I doubt Club for 2 would be $100.

loyaltypointschaser

To be honset, I was quite surprised by the quoted price I received. I thought it is such a good value, especially the AMB price was even lower.

beachfan

I'm going to be flopping for a Sunday night to use my Chase cert before it expires.

Is the comparison between the two that the Barclay has the better furnishings but the service is better/warmer/more Amb friedly at the TS?

As a non-Ambassador who just wants a nice room for about 15 hours, I'm leaning towards the better furnishings. But maybe the deluxe room at TS is larger than the room the same award books into the Barclay.

Raffles

They really are different hotels. Barclay is classic decor, TS is glass walled rooms and a modern style. TS has virtually no public space, more like an apartment block than a hotel. Lot of Barclay rooms will have views into brick walls, the best TS rooms have substantial NY views.

turner32

I was planning on a stay here over Christmas and New Year, but from what I've read, I may pass.
RA recognition used to be excellent here, but now it seems that upgrades are minimal and things are lacklustre overall.

Raffles

'Lacklustre' is a bit unfair. You can see they have spent a huge amount of money but they can't stick in a pool or knock down adjacent buildings to improve daylight.

That is no excuse for not putting many plug sockets in the rooms though!

Without even a proper restaurant, though, you need to question what the hotel is for. Both TS and te Barclay give the impression of being 'bed factories' and little more. TS is worse though and up there with Ritz Carlton Battery Park for the prize of 'smallest amount of public space in a new build hotel'.

TravelTheWorld66

I was reading the reviews for this place on the IHG website, and man are they getting bashed! Almost all reviews mention poor AMB/RA recognition. I have a 5-night paid stay here in a few weeks and I hope they get their act together before I get there. I have a history of setting hotels straight on proper RA bennies

turner32

Exactly my point. Lots of examples of people booking certain room categories, then on check-in, being told they had been "upgraded" to the very same room category that they had already booked.

boonkoh

They might be improving their act. My paid booking has been Modified in my account, and the room choice has been upgraded from Deluxe King to executive King. I'm a basic AMB member.

My BOGO weekend booking hasn't been upgraded yet however (superior).

Raffles

I thought they pulled this scam on me. I then went to a different clerk the next day and he looked up my room - Barclay King.

I was upgraded.

Yet .... the website says Barclay King has 'unique' mural artwork and separate high-end toiletries. Not so for me.

Unless they are blatantly lying, I get a weird feeling that their booking system has miscategorised some rooms.