A recap of my April stay - 2 nights using Chase cc free nights. We were here to attend a concert at Carnegie Hall. I have Diamond status this year, but not sure if will make next year, and I don't have the wide experience with HGP that most of you do. This is my second stay here - first time last year in Sept.

Check In
Check-in person was better this time, she greeted us downstairs and bypassed the desk, accompanied us all the way to the room, asked whether I preferred amenity or points, volunteered the Diamond breakfast (value of 57th St) with option for room service ($6.50), she made sure we were happy with the room and came back to personally deliver an item I requested.

Room
Was upgraded to 20th Floor Park Deluxe (one step up from base room, seems the standard upgrade for Diamonds). The building and rooms - won't rehash the previous descriptions. I personally love the clean aesthetic. We faced Carnegie Hall, which I didn't last year in the same room category, so that was nice. Bathroom clock is not there anymore. Pharmacopia bath salts not provided. On second night was awakened by voices around 2am. Couple was having a conversation, not loud enough to make out words but loud enough to wake me. I couldn't pinpoint the source. If I had to guess it was the ventilation system.

Pool
I do love this light-filled area. No more individual bottled water. There was a pitcher of room temperature water and some glasses on a table, with no presentation at all. Even no place to put the used glasses, ugh. Hot tub is always lukewarm. On our 2nd day, it was not heating at all. The lifeguard was aware, and was walking back and forth between the tub and the back room trying to figure it out. 5 minutes later the Spa Manager comes in and fiddles with it also. An alarm starts beeping. We didn't stay to see the outcome.

Living Room/ Bar
Fine, although sometimes awkward to go past the ladies in black, because they seem to accost you upon entry and want to know if you're going to order something. So forgive my saying so but it just makes it appear like an ordinary bar in NY... Anyway, I have no compunction about saying "No, I'm just going to sit here and relax", but the two occasions I was there I did want to order something. Just the in-your-face approach kind of threw me off. The long bar is beautiful and the bartenders there are entertaining.

Back Room
I can't explain my thoughts on this. Maybe I was expecting people to read my mind? I was here for dinner. I asked the greeter (again one of those ladies in black) for a quiet table and specifically gestured at a table away from other guests - not the other end of the room, maybe 4 tables away. Because my pet peeve is an empty restaurant where they squeeze all the guests next to each other. She cheerfully complies. What does she do 30 minutes later? She comes back and seats a couple right next to us. Really that doesn't bother me per se, I know people sit elbow to elbow in NY, but I really thought I had dropped enough hints that we wanted privacy, and again the restaurant was half empty. More than half, because it was early.

I explained to our server that we were somewhat time constrained as I was going to meet someone in about 1.5 hours and that we wanted the prix fixe menu since it would probably be quicker, and would that be ok time wise. She says, in effect, no problem. OK, then I messed it up, by asking if we could take our desserts away in a box, because we probably wouldn't have space for dessert. (Note: taking the dessert in a box was actually first suggested by the greeter earlier, when I asked her how we would probably do on time. She said that some guests just take the dessert portion of the prix fixe and enjoy it in their room after a show. It seemed a good idea to me at the time.) Our server says that the desserts won't keep well because they all have ice cream in them. I thought, well that's not good menu planning, but I said, no problem, just don't give us the dessert, just the first two courses. She says, well why don't you just order from the regular menu then? She says I can order the prix fixe items individually. So, I ended up ordering from the regular menu the exact same 2 courses. It occurred to me later that of course the entree prices are also more $$ individually, in spite of the prix fixe having the same size portions. Oh well.

At the end of the meal, after having asked for the bill and checking my watch, she delays and comes back with a complimentary dessert of something with ice cream.

I really can't understand my experience here. Did I do something wrong?

On the other hand my breakfast experience here was great, (with a different server).

Check Out
Checked my final bill at the Desk on the morning of departure because I was expecting mistakes. Sure enough both days of breakfasts weren't removed, and I pointed this out to the lone agent at the desk. She says oops sorry and adjusts it. I look at it again, and she only removed one day. I explained it to her again. She says oops very sorry again, and this time it's finally corrected. She inadvertently also removes the room service delivery fee. Sigh. (She is newly transferred to NY from a European Hyatt - I can't remember now - with an H1 visa that renews every year, and is still getting over her NYC culture shock.)

Leaving
The doormen downstairs took it upon themselves to hail a cab already heading east, since we were heading to LGA. Once one had hailed a cab on the other side of the street, the other one picked up our bags and escorted us across 57th street. This for the first time during our stay I felt was great service, in terms of, they actually were thinking about what they were doing in order to make my stay better.

Pardon any mistakes, and my candor, it's late but I wanted to jot these thoughts down. Since we didn't pay cash for the room, I'm not joining the ongoing debate on value for money, merely wanted to share my experience. I ask myself, IF I had paid cash for the room, would I be satisfied with this experience?