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Which Starwood hotel in New York City NYC ? [Master Thread]

Which Starwood hotel in New York City NYC ? [Master Thread]

Old Feb 9, 2015, 12:30 pm
  #406  
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
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Originally Posted by zjunyuan
Hi everyone, I am looking for some suggestions.

I will be in NY from 29/5 to 5/6 with my now fiancee, soon to be wife on our honeymoon from Singapore.

This will be my first time in NY but this will be the wife's third time. We will be mostly eating, shopping and just taking in the sights. Not big theatre fans.

I have already booked using points from 29/5 to 2/6 at WGC based on the recent reviews and recommendations on this thread, but am still open on the 3 and 4 of June.

I am SPG Plat and have about 36k SPG points left.

Any thoughts or suggestions?
Am thinking of spending cash on Parker Meridien for 1 night and then splurging the remainder of my points on a St Regis (35k vs 995 USD)
I would strongly advise against spending a night at the Parker Meridien. You can read the property's master thread for yourself, but suffice to say that the negative reviews on this property far outweigh the favorable reviews. Typical issues include lack of upgrades, nickel and diming for service items (e.g., $5 charge to have room service deliver a spoon), the addition of a "facilities charge" for amenities that are questionable if you'll use on a one night stay (pool, gym, etc.), plus questionable ethical issues with management (anyone remember starwood suing these guys for falsifying occupancy levels?)

Certainly enjoy a night at the St. Regis - great idea for a honeymoon. If you need an interim one stop night, that won't require lugging your belongings too far out of the way, I'd suggest the Sheraton New York, Westin Times Square or the Chatwal for the one night stay.
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Old Feb 11, 2015, 10:53 am
  #407  
 
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Thanks everyone that responded. I managed to BRG a night for St Regis to $560 a night before taxes so that's where I will be staying.
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Old Feb 16, 2015, 1:46 pm
  #408  
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How would the W Lex and Westin Grand Central compare to the Sheraton Times Square (the mega one)? I'm looking for a splurge, relaxing holiday...
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Old Mar 2, 2015, 1:19 pm
  #409  
 
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NYC over xmas

Thinking about spending a few days in NYC with the family (kids around 11/12) at xmas time. They have never been there. Thinking Time Square area to be central to tourist crap. W Times Square has good prices for both rooms and one bedroom suite. Anybody have good/bad experiences there to share? Better Starwood property to try in similar price range? I have low status with Starwood so not worried about upgrades. Plat with Marriott but I am sort of done with them.
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Old Mar 2, 2015, 1:57 pm
  #410  
 
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Originally Posted by SacTownGuy
Thinking about spending a few days in NYC with the family (kids around 11/12) at xmas time. They have never been there. Thinking Time Square area to be central to tourist crap. W Times Square has good prices for both rooms and one bedroom suite. Anybody have good/bad experiences there to share? Better Starwood property to try in similar price range? I have low status with Starwood so not worried about upgrades. Plat with Marriott but I am sort of done with them.
It's a great hotel for ADULTS, not preteens, so I would recommend it for a hip married couple (gay or straight) or two singles. But don't bring along the kids. The best parts of the experience are the low lighting, modern furnishings, the Living Room Bar (which opens at 11am), and the upgrades to a suite (available only if you are SPG Platinum).

If you are "low status" as you say, don't expect anything close to an upgrade; you won't get one at Starwood unless you pay for it. A better Starwood hotel for families and also nearby is the Sheraton Times Square New York.

Last edited by DCBob; Mar 2, 2015 at 2:37 pm
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Old Mar 2, 2015, 2:06 pm
  #411  
 
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Originally Posted by G-CIVC
How would the W Lex and Westin Grand Central compare to the Sheraton Times Square (the mega one)? I'm looking for a splurge, relaxing holiday...
I'm afraid none of them fit the bill, really. W Lex is incredibly cramped, Sheraton has good location and decent sized rooms, but will be neither luxurious, nor relaxing. Westin Grand Central is way too generic. I would recommend the W Union Square, but in the end it all boils down to location: do you have to be in Midtown?
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Old Mar 2, 2015, 5:26 pm
  #412  
 
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Originally Posted by RafKa
but in the end it all boils down to location: do you have to be in Midtown?
+1

We're opera fans, and like the Shearaton on 7th ave. Short walk to Lincoln ctr and decent rooms.
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Old Mar 2, 2015, 5:47 pm
  #413  
 
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I'm thinking with pre-teens I'd want (at least) breakfast included, and I've heard the Sheraton Times Square has the concierge lounge which is open 24/7 so they can grab whatever they want anytime they want. I'd shoot for the CL lounge there. And it is so close to Rockefeller Center with the tree and close to the Rockettes Christmas Show (are you going to that?).

Otherwise, I'd pick a Marriott (since you are Plat) that includes those extras, even if they did something to annoy you. It seems they all do something to annoy some of the people all of the time (or all of the people some of the time).
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Old Mar 2, 2015, 5:47 pm
  #414  
 
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Originally Posted by SacTownGuy
Thinking about spending a few days in NYC with the family (kids around 11/12) at xmas time. They have never been there. Thinking Time Square area to be central to tourist crap. W Times Square has good prices for both rooms and one bedroom suite. Anybody have good/bad experiences there to share? Better Starwood property to try in similar price range? I have low status with Starwood so not worried about upgrades. Plat with Marriott but I am sort of done with them.
Element TS is family friendly and just a few blocks off TS. They have some rooms with two double/queen beds if you want to share one room.

They treat most guests the same and don't upgrade platinums to suites. Just point out that you're a low status member and ask for a high floor.
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Old Mar 2, 2015, 6:18 pm
  #415  
 
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Originally Posted by RafKa
Westin Grand Central is way too generic.
Any details on this property, RafKa ... or any trip reports from other FTers? There's little info on Westin Grand Central on FT, but it has generally good reviews on Tripadvisor.

I've done the Sheraton (which I find generic, crowded, and the lounge is a constant free-for-all with people trying to grab/hoard food ... like a grocery store in the hours before a big storm hits), Parker Meridian (liked it - had a NY feel - but ridiculously priced, even by Manhattan standards), Element Times Square (hated it -- noisy, lacked charm and service was mediocre, felt very institutional). Absolutely no interest in staying at the W or the Westin in the tourist trap that is Times Sq. Haven't yet stayed at Union Sq or downtown ... we like midtown for accessibility.

So ... anyone with experiences at or details on Westin Grand Central??
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Old Mar 2, 2015, 7:50 pm
  #416  
 
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Just booked the Westin Times Square to take my 9 year old daughter to see Aladdin, looks like a great hotel and on the same block as the theater!
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Old Mar 2, 2015, 9:10 pm
  #417  
 
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Westin Grand Central thread

Originally Posted by FlyerJ
Any details on this property, RafKa ... or any trip reports from other FTers? There's little info on Westin Grand Central on FT, but it has generally good reviews on Tripadvisor. So ... anyone with experiences at or details on Westin Grand Central??
So the best advice I can give you, FlyerJ, is get to know your way around FT:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/starw...er-thread.html
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Old Mar 2, 2015, 9:22 pm
  #418  
 
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Originally Posted by Antonio8069
So the best advice I can give you, FlyerJ, is get to know your way around FT:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/starw...er-thread.html


I swear I searched ... and missed that thread somehow.

Why isn't it included in the list of NY hotels in the "sticky" at the top of this forum -- the hotel master thread list?? (That's the first place I looked! And I'm pretty sure it's not there ... but I may be FT-challenged today?!)
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Old Apr 14, 2015, 5:15 pm
  #419  
 
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I'm looking to make a booking in the NYC area after the conclusion of BRT16 and I'm deciding between the Sheraton LaGuardia and Four Points Long Island City. Location between the two isn't very much of an issue since my flight isn't early. Anyone have a recommendation for or against either? FWIW I'm gold staying on points (both hotels are the same categories).
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Old Apr 14, 2015, 9:33 pm
  #420  
 
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Originally Posted by steveman518
I'm looking to make a booking in the NYC area after the conclusion of BRT16 and I'm deciding between the Sheraton LaGuardia and Four Points Long Island City. Location between the two isn't very much of an issue since my flight isn't early. Anyone have a recommendation for or against either? FWIW I'm gold staying on points (both hotels are the same categories).
The Sheraton LGA used to provide lounge access to Gold, so that's a good point to consider. Close to the subway and has a quite convenient shuttle to LGA.
Don't know the 4P so I cannot really compare...
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