Stayed at the Nines night before last. I was placed on 11th floor on opposite side of hotel from elevators. The hotel rooms are in a square around an open interior atrium so half the rooms face interior and half are exterior rooms.

The hotel is floors 6-15 of the building (no floor 13 - told it is storage area). Floor 6 is conference rooms. Floor 7 is Gym/Business center and rooms. Floor 8 is lobby reception and restaurants. There are several seating areas in the large open atrium of the 8th floor. A lovely environment.

Floor 12 is the lounge. As platinum I was given access to 12th floor lounge. Key card required for elevator to access any floor besides 8 and ground floor. My key card allowed access to Floor 11 with my room and Floor 12 with lounge. No need to check in with lounge staff and I was never asked for my name or room number. The fact you are there on 12th floor means you have lounge access on your room card.

The concierge staff were friendly and there was always at least two staff members every time I visited. I asked for wine and received a 10 or 12 oz portion. That took care of me for the New York Times reading hour.

Lounge is kind of dark. A great place for evening relaxing and every time I visited, there were only a few people in a space with seating for about 25 to 30. Lounge has large screen Sony Vaio computer for guest access.

Lounge seating only has two small tables conducive to eating breakfast. If those are in use, then you are left with couches and cushion chairs and coffee tables for eating.

My bedroom was small 12'x13' and I bet I was placed in the room with the smallest single window in the hotel (2.5 ft wide on a 13" wall). Unless they have a windowless room, I can't imagine a room with less natural light. (Interior atrium facing rooms have the large atrium with a glass ceiling.) The lack of window light caused me to pay particular attention to the four room lamps which I must say were absolutely gorgeous. Most rooms seemed to have much more window space from my observations when studying the hotel from the street outside. Perhaps I would have fared better just paying the $249 regular rate and receiving complimentary parking (a $32 value) rather than using the SPG50 half off rack rate for $199.50 available for 1,000 Starpoints. Particularly since I paid $16.50 to self-park in a garage on the next block.

Issues:
-Electronic mini-bar in hotel room was locked and front desk said an engineer would need to come to room to unlock it. I passed on that as I was only curious to see contents, not buy contents.
-I had to call desk twice before my room telephone worked for making outside calls.
-Keep that key card in your hand for using elevator or you find yourself on ground floor or 8th floor before you know it.
-I received a phone call at 12:51 am. Nobody on the line. Desk staff said there was no way to know who had called.
-After taking over 200 photos around the hotel over 18 hours, on my last photo before check-out I was asked by concierge what I planned to do with photos. I told him I write a hotel blog at BoardingArea.com. He informed me that I do not have permission to publish photos of the hotel private property and I need media permission from a hotel representative. The staff member who I am supposed to get permission from was not at the hotel yesterday.

Compliments:
-Bath towels are heavenly. Wrap up in the 6'x3' plush towel. (I actually measured it.)
-Room has a luxury feel, although a little small and I was disappointed with the small window and lack of natural light for my assigned room. Although I think I prefer the exterior room to an interior room with windows visible to diners and guests on the 8th floor.
-Complimentary wireless internet access. Worked fine in my 11th floor room.
-Complimentary local calls and toll-free calls.
-42" Phillips HDTV
-Boston Electronics clock/radio with remote.
-Great shower and marble tile and second compliment to towels.
-Staff quite sociable, and be assured everyone will greet you and the lounge staff will engage you in conversation. Can be a treat or annoying depending on your disposition.
- Bed was quite comfortable with all the bedding amenities.
-Lovely chandelier lighting in halls and small chandelier in room.
-Exercise room has lots of equipment.
- Interesting art designs and furniture arrangement in the open space lobby atrium. Plenty of places to group and socialize or place yourself on display in the seating areas for a single.

Overall opinion: The Nines has a feel of luxury, but still some rough edges to smooth out.