Stayed here again last week for a few nights for Fleet Week NYC. Award stay 29k/night, a week prior exchanged emails with VIP Manager (who coordinated return of my lost key fobs last year) who indicated hotel was heavily booked and he was uncertain of “as available at check-in” suite upgrade (as I received last year), few days prior called “next available” MHC to apply a SUA. Sent emails to VIP Manager and my MHC requesting Upper Stories Lounge access (with or without Upper Stories room or suite) “perhaps as a courtesy to a repeat Globalist guest Navy retired veteran during Fleet Week, maybe as an additional Customer Service Recovery after last year’s unfortunate experience” (discussed in posts 344, 347 “Maybe next time they’ll give me lounge access ?”, 349).

Confirmed reservation by phone 2 and 3 days prior, each time was told “1 bedroom suite lounge access” or “1 bedroom suite Upper Stories”. “Welcome” email a few days prior included the quote below.

Upper Stories check-in on 3rd floor, nearest to back/higher floors elevators, just outside Upper Stories lounge, single agent sitting at table/desk who also checks (tell agent room # and name) guests into the lounge. I was told I could have breakfast in the lounge OR the restaurant, I did the lounge 3 of 3 days mainly for expediency, last year breakfast in the restaurant was more time consuming.

Upper Stories 1 bedroom suite is similar to website photos, with some relatively insignificant differences (hairdryer, ??). 2 closets each with safe, minifridge, plenty of dresser drawer space (large dresser in bedroom, each closet with 2 drawers), walk-in shower with fixed half-length glass wall which is effective only for flooding the bathroom floor during a shower, (suggest a rolled up towel along the low step at the edge of the shower floor). Connecting door near entrance door to adjoining room (at my back in first picture below). Bathroom identical to that pictured a few posts up except for larger towel rack and wire shelf in shower for gel and shampoo.

Upper Stories lounge to which I never saw the door closed (near higher floors elevators) and meeting rooms/restrooms (near main lobby elevators) are both on the 3rd floor, with an atrium from the lobby/restaurant to the 4th floor and non-intuitive walking access between lounge and meeting rooms/restrooms. Lounge was never crowded, usually 6-8 people in 3-4 groups, during 2-3 daily visits, usually breakfast, mid-afternoon and evening canapés time. Espresso/latte machine, sodas all the time. (No alcohol for me this stay.) Breakfast mostly continental with scrambled eggs and 1 other hot dish, plenty of cut melons and breads/pastries, yogurt. Light snacks are whole apples, oranges, bananas, peanuts, trail mix, choco covered pretzels, small bite sized cakes pieces. Evening canapés mostly cut veggies and 2 hot dishes (fried mozzarella, pigs/blanket/meatballs) enough for my typical small dinner, doubtful enough for dinner for most people. I didn’t visit the lounge during “evening desserts” hours.

2 bottles of water, which I do not drink, were in the room at check-in and delivered to the room each day, usually by housekeeping during daily service, one time hung in plastic bag on outside door handle. At checkout, there were 8 unopened bottles of water on the table and counter above the fridge.

Parking garage did not lose my key fob this year, I still traveled with 2 of them. Front desk ALWAYS took forever to reach by phone, including several calls prior to my stay and several calls during the stay. Prior to check-out I asked several people how long ahead to call for car (from valet), front desk agent in-person day prior said 20 minutes, front desk agent by phone morning of 3pm check-out said 10 minutes, operator when I couldn’t get through to front desk an hour or 2 prior to check-out said 30 minutes.

I called 5 minutes prior to going down to checkout in person to get hard copy (zero balance) folio. Took 2 minutes to check-out, walked to parking garage, sat for 5-10 minutes in the wrong (adjacent) parking garage waiting room, upon walking 5-8 yards to correct parking garage entrance my car was there, had to walk down the ramp to get the key fob.

(Sorry, among my pet peeves is GIGANTIC photos posted on these forums.)