The Renwick Hotel New York City, Curio Collection by Hilton {US-NY}
Jul 16, 2017, 7:29 am
#16
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: YOW
Programs: AC*SEMM, *G, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 897
I was able to book as a Points and Cash reward before the new dynamic pricing so I can say that I had a pretty good deal...!
Jul 23, 2017, 5:13 am
#18
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: YOW
Programs: AC*SEMM, *G, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 897
Here's what's leading me to the above conclusion...
1. If a family stays all in the same "standard" room (ie: Gallery 2 Queen), bedding will definitely be suitable and comfortable for 2 adults and 2 kids. However, as others have pointed out, storage space is quasi non-existent so if travelling with quite a bit of luggage, the typical room layout is not really suitable for more than one large piece of luggage (OK, sure you can lay luggage flat on the carpet and probably store a few pieces that way - but many people choose not to do so for fear of bedbugs)
2. They do apply Honors breakfast benefits to the letter: So max 2 vouchers per day/per room. Vouchers can be used for the prix fixe continental breakfast, or as others have pointed out a $10 credit toward the bill. There is no kids breakfast menu available so this means either sharing from your continental or forking out $$$ for pastries or a more complete breakfast. Now with that said, there are several cheap dining options nearby that could be used as an alternative
3. Hotel amenities are extremely limited (ok you don't go to NYC to spend your time in the hotel pool!!!). Room, on-site resto, small gym
Jul 26, 2017, 9:52 am
#19
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 907
Have a stay at this hotel this weekend.
I'm unclear if there are breakfast vouchers for Diamond members, and separate drinks vouchers - or just a breakfast voucher which can be used as a drinks voucher if so desired.
Either way, this looks like a decent property from the reviews and opinions here (which helped to direct my choice of property).
I'm unclear if there are breakfast vouchers for Diamond members, and separate drinks vouchers - or just a breakfast voucher which can be used as a drinks voucher if so desired.
Either way, this looks like a decent property from the reviews and opinions here (which helped to direct my choice of property).
Jul 26, 2017, 3:47 pm
#20
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Boston, MA
Programs: DL Diamond, HHonors Diamond, National Executive Elite
Posts: 2,362
It's the latter: the voucher may be redeemed for a set-menu continental breakfast, or $10 off anything else.
Jul 26, 2017, 4:18 pm
#21
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 907
I think my wife wants breakfast elsewhere so perhaps the 2x$10 will be enough for a drink for two people at the bar. My wife is looking forward to this stay. We picked up a "Historic Hotels of America" guide when we were at another US hotel (either the Hilton Fanueil Hall or the Curio in Rapid City, both of which are in the book), and saw this one in the book so thought it'd be nice to pop by whilst in the city this weekend.
Jul 26, 2017, 5:57 pm
#22
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: Hilton Diamond
Posts: 4,253
My wife is looking forward to this stay. We picked up a "Historic Hotels of America" guide when we were at another US hotel (either the Hilton Fanueil Hall or the Curio in Rapid City, both of which are in the book), and saw this one in the book so thought it'd be nice to pop by whilst in the city this weekend.
Jul 30, 2017, 10:20 am
#23
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 907
My wife had a great stay at this hotel.
A wonderful upgrade to a one king, one bedroom suite on a high floor (this wasn't even an option in the app when we booked). Originally, had booked a one king gallery room on a high floor/with a view. This was useful as it had lots of space. The room was apparently quite quiet which was good as we have had some noisy neighbours at other hotels in the past.
The hotel was very well situated for access to the Grand Central Terminal, as well as a bus terminal about 20 minutes walk away. Transports got into New York City early, and managed to check in around 11am which was great as bags could be dropped - and trundling could begin!
The staff were so friendly, pleasant, and were really engaging - this helped ensure a feeling of comfort.
The breakfast vouchers for Diamond members arrived. The only thing I'd mention is that I would double check the cost of anything that isn't covered in the breakfast set menu. My wife was quite a bit taken aback by the $10.00 for some fruit (she didn't really want anything on the menu as brunch was soon after) which she could have popped out to a shop for at half the price post checkout. She probably would have done that if she had known the price, as she wasn't told in advance. We were able to use the $10.00 credit for this, but you have to add on the inevitable tax plus any tea/coffees.
All-in-all, I believe this was a very enjoyable stay - and I can't wait to visit next time we're spending some meaningful time in NYC.
A wonderful upgrade to a one king, one bedroom suite on a high floor (this wasn't even an option in the app when we booked). Originally, had booked a one king gallery room on a high floor/with a view. This was useful as it had lots of space. The room was apparently quite quiet which was good as we have had some noisy neighbours at other hotels in the past.
The hotel was very well situated for access to the Grand Central Terminal, as well as a bus terminal about 20 minutes walk away. Transports got into New York City early, and managed to check in around 11am which was great as bags could be dropped - and trundling could begin!
The staff were so friendly, pleasant, and were really engaging - this helped ensure a feeling of comfort.
The breakfast vouchers for Diamond members arrived. The only thing I'd mention is that I would double check the cost of anything that isn't covered in the breakfast set menu. My wife was quite a bit taken aback by the $10.00 for some fruit (she didn't really want anything on the menu as brunch was soon after) which she could have popped out to a shop for at half the price post checkout. She probably would have done that if she had known the price, as she wasn't told in advance. We were able to use the $10.00 credit for this, but you have to add on the inevitable tax plus any tea/coffees.
All-in-all, I believe this was a very enjoyable stay - and I can't wait to visit next time we're spending some meaningful time in NYC.
Jul 30, 2017, 12:59 pm
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: IND
Programs: DL PM & 2MM™, Lifetime HHonors Diamond
Posts: 20,889
I will echo others. The hotel is fine. The room is nice and clean. Not bad size for NYC. I got sucked into the Shake Shack for lunch. I may try breakfast in the morning.
Aug 1, 2017, 3:00 pm
#25
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: GSO
Programs: AAdvantage Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, National Car Rental Exec. Elite
Posts: 134
Stayed again this past weekend on the top floor (17th). Overall, it was a good stay.
As others have noted, you can now use the breakfast voucher as a $10 restaurant credit (for breakfast or another meal) or continue to use it for the continental breakfast.
Note: My SO had the blueberry muffin, and it was rather dry. The pain au chocolat, was okay, but the croissant part was way too large for the amount of chocolate contained within (or the chocolate was too little). Waffles were still delicious.
As others have noted, you can now use the breakfast voucher as a $10 restaurant credit (for breakfast or another meal) or continue to use it for the continental breakfast.
Note: My SO had the blueberry muffin, and it was rather dry. The pain au chocolat, was okay, but the croissant part was way too large for the amount of chocolate contained within (or the chocolate was too little). Waffles were still delicious.
Aug 7, 2017, 1:18 pm
#26
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: stuck with AA in PHL
Posts: 112
wanted to chime in with a few thoughts, having stayed here on a recent weekend:
1) rooms are fresh, well maintained, and stylish
2) i stayed in a 2 queen room (standard, not suite), and this was a VERY nice size for NYC (certainly over 300 sf), but no closet. just a small armoire. so be prepared to put your bags on the floor. i peered into a 1 king room as it was being cleaned; it was quite possibly half the size. very small, even for NYC. don't attempt to stay in a king room with more than 2 people, even if it's permitted.
3) service is awful. the desk staff was nice enough, but there's usually only 1 person on duty. line gets quite long. there's also only 1 bellhop who was a nice guy (Nick, i believe), but again, seemed overwhelmed. understaffed for a 17 floor hotel! my calls to housekeeping were simply ignored (requests for towels, more soap/shampoo); calling front desk would prompt action IF i was lucky enough to get someone there to pickup the phone.
4) if you're arriving by train/subway, the hotel is 2 blocks from front door of Grand Central. great asset. and you'll avoid my next two points:
5) the loading zone in front of the hotel fits 2 cars and is book-ended by 2 no-stopping zones (with, at times, police enforcement due to diplomatic activity nearby), so it is quite difficult to drop-off/pick-up your bags without having someone stay in your car to guard it from a ticket.
6) valet parking was "full" when i arrived, so the parking company serving the hotel would not accept my car. there's a $65/day garage across the street but it closes (your car is locked in) each night, as it serves an office building. street parking is not readily available due to "commercial vehicle parking only" restrictions on the surrounding number streets and Lex. Ave. and Park Ave. (although Park Ave. is opened to all cars on weekends). i would suggest using the $65/day garage in conjunction with an Icon Parking groupon or a Best Parking coupon, both of which are accepted IF you print them before you retrieve your car.
7) i was offered 2 breakfast chits. i requested a 3rd, as i paid ($10/day extra) to register a 3rd person to my room, and had been rejected from the hotel's parking services; my request was honored. i was able to use the chits for a $30 discount ($10 per) off of lunch one day; never actually made it for breakfast. food was good, with a "cool/dark" ambiance, but service was pretty slow. don't expect to eat here quickly, as breakfast is not a buffet, just normal waited service.
8) i was upgraded to the top (17th) floor. not a status upgrade (Gold) - was told that this was the only 2 Queens room that was ready.
9) the surrounding area is Midtown East, so it's fairly dead at night, but not as bad as some other blocks (there's a diner on the corner that stays open fairly late). 6 train South or a cab/uber/etc. down 2nd ave. will get you to more lively nighttime areas downtown quickly.
overall, this is a place that will make your comfortable with its fun, fresh decor as long as you can "fend for yourself" as far as the lack of service goes. despite my complaints, my party had a great time. but be prepared!
1) rooms are fresh, well maintained, and stylish
2) i stayed in a 2 queen room (standard, not suite), and this was a VERY nice size for NYC (certainly over 300 sf), but no closet. just a small armoire. so be prepared to put your bags on the floor. i peered into a 1 king room as it was being cleaned; it was quite possibly half the size. very small, even for NYC. don't attempt to stay in a king room with more than 2 people, even if it's permitted.
3) service is awful. the desk staff was nice enough, but there's usually only 1 person on duty. line gets quite long. there's also only 1 bellhop who was a nice guy (Nick, i believe), but again, seemed overwhelmed. understaffed for a 17 floor hotel! my calls to housekeeping were simply ignored (requests for towels, more soap/shampoo); calling front desk would prompt action IF i was lucky enough to get someone there to pickup the phone.
4) if you're arriving by train/subway, the hotel is 2 blocks from front door of Grand Central. great asset. and you'll avoid my next two points:
5) the loading zone in front of the hotel fits 2 cars and is book-ended by 2 no-stopping zones (with, at times, police enforcement due to diplomatic activity nearby), so it is quite difficult to drop-off/pick-up your bags without having someone stay in your car to guard it from a ticket.
6) valet parking was "full" when i arrived, so the parking company serving the hotel would not accept my car. there's a $65/day garage across the street but it closes (your car is locked in) each night, as it serves an office building. street parking is not readily available due to "commercial vehicle parking only" restrictions on the surrounding number streets and Lex. Ave. and Park Ave. (although Park Ave. is opened to all cars on weekends). i would suggest using the $65/day garage in conjunction with an Icon Parking groupon or a Best Parking coupon, both of which are accepted IF you print them before you retrieve your car.
7) i was offered 2 breakfast chits. i requested a 3rd, as i paid ($10/day extra) to register a 3rd person to my room, and had been rejected from the hotel's parking services; my request was honored. i was able to use the chits for a $30 discount ($10 per) off of lunch one day; never actually made it for breakfast. food was good, with a "cool/dark" ambiance, but service was pretty slow. don't expect to eat here quickly, as breakfast is not a buffet, just normal waited service.
8) i was upgraded to the top (17th) floor. not a status upgrade (Gold) - was told that this was the only 2 Queens room that was ready.
9) the surrounding area is Midtown East, so it's fairly dead at night, but not as bad as some other blocks (there's a diner on the corner that stays open fairly late). 6 train South or a cab/uber/etc. down 2nd ave. will get you to more lively nighttime areas downtown quickly.
overall, this is a place that will make your comfortable with its fun, fresh decor as long as you can "fend for yourself" as far as the lack of service goes. despite my complaints, my party had a great time. but be prepared!
Sep 8, 2017, 11:16 am
#27
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,804
This place has immediately elevated itself to my new "favourite Hilton in Manhattan" status, second only to the Library Hotel, with its generally insane room rates, nearby. I've just noticed, after drafting this review beforehand, my friend Andriyko's comments upthread, had no idea they had been here, but not surprised they came to the same conclusion.
I suspect someone had a look at the Library in designing the Renwick, there are some shared quirks.
Why do I like it?
1) Noise: as a country guy, city noise can be tricky for me. My room was only on the 14th floor and yet it was quiet. A/C not too noisy, and guess what, you can open the window!
2) Location. It's under 5 minutes walk from Grand Central subway, 2 small blocks away. Much of New York is easy to get to, walking or subway. JFK Tip: use Howard Beach rather than Jamaica on the Airtrain. Jamaica shows as quicker on the various journey planners, but a simple and easy pair of changes at Fulton and Howard Beach is going to be far more relaxing than the stressful Jamaica route. I got from hotel reception to T7 security in just under 90 minutes without rushing.
3) Breakfast: I was going without lunch, so I used my two $10 chits to subsidise for a large breakfast. Excellent all round for a Diamond Hilton. The core breakfast, 3 out of 4 items menu, is upthread, so you can take your choice as to where to head. This is the poached eggs and fruit yoghurt.
4) Practical but quirky room, which I enjoyed. The work table and seat were useful and comfortable. The bluetooth on the Sangean WR-22 worked first time and sounded great, allowing my mobile telephone to send music and UK radio to the room. This is a King Gallery, I booked a Queen Gallery.
Who wouldn't like it? If you're into traditional hotels, big lobby, large rooms then this may not be for you. The lobby photo below, plus a small front desk area is all there is to it. Also the whole set up is a bit squeezed in from parking to the room, so if you have a family or a very young child then it may not work so well. Singles and couples should find it works better for them.
Last edited by corporate-wage-slave; Sep 8, 2017 at 12:34 pm Reason: typo
Sep 28, 2017, 12:27 pm
#29
Join Date: Aug 2015
Programs: Virtuoso Luxury Travel Agent; Bonvoy Titanium Elite; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 664
This is one of the worst Hiltons I've ever stayed in.
- Awful, surly staff
- Uncleaned room, with around 1/10th of a donut lying next to the AC. Signs of non-cleaned room was everywhere, hairs around and so forth
- Rat trap under the AC unit
- Rat sighting at around 1 am - promptly checked out after that
- Odd, moldy smell
This was in one of their suites
Never coming back. Googled a bit and seems several people have encountered rats at this property. lovely when you're paying $450 a night.
- Awful, surly staff
- Uncleaned room, with around 1/10th of a donut lying next to the AC. Signs of non-cleaned room was everywhere, hairs around and so forth
- Rat trap under the AC unit
- Rat sighting at around 1 am - promptly checked out after that
- Odd, moldy smell
This was in one of their suites
Never coming back. Googled a bit and seems several people have encountered rats at this property. lovely when you're paying $450 a night.
Nov 13, 2017, 9:56 am
#30
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: On strike
Posts: 8,135
Just completed a two-night stay, our first at this property, and I have a lot of thoughts on it.
Location
Location
Superb. Hotel is closest to 40th/Lexington, so you're a 3-block walk to the main Grand Central entrance at 42nd/Park. (Subway users will want to stroll up Lexington & use the side entrance to the Grand Central complex between 42nd & 43rd; access to the subway is ~40'-50' inside the door.)
ArrivalJust past the foyer, there are several (~7-8) steps down into the lobby area. Bell staff was quick to insist on helping with our bags even though we were managing just fine. The lobby is small but tastefully decorated (as seen in the photo posted above by corporate wage slave).
Check-inIt's a small(ish) property, so there are only two check-in stations at the front desk. Things were a bit busy when we arrived ~2pm, so there was a wait of a few minutes--NBD.
Our reservation was a good test for a FDC's skills: we had two back-to-back one-night stays (and not a single two-night res) because we'd used different instruments to book the two nights. We explained this very clearly to the FDC & also handed over printouts for the individual reservations. Check-in went quickly, with the FDC giving us info on breakfast hours without prompting.
Once we got up to the room, however, I noticed that our key jacket included only two breakfast vouchers--for two people x two nights--and that the departure date written down was the following day. When I asked on our way out later on, the same FDC said we'd get the second set of vouchers when we had our room keys re-keyed on Day 2. At this point I'm thinking, "Other hotels I've stayed at have managed to link separate reservations & authorize keys for the full stay" and "Maybe you could have mentioned that instead of leaving us to figure it out on our own." (This gets even better; see below.)
Elite recognitionOur reservation was a good test for a FDC's skills: we had two back-to-back one-night stays (and not a single two-night res) because we'd used different instruments to book the two nights. We explained this very clearly to the FDC & also handed over printouts for the individual reservations. Check-in went quickly, with the FDC giving us info on breakfast hours without prompting.
Once we got up to the room, however, I noticed that our key jacket included only two breakfast vouchers--for two people x two nights--and that the departure date written down was the following day. When I asked on our way out later on, the same FDC said we'd get the second set of vouchers when we had our room keys re-keyed on Day 2. At this point I'm thinking, "Other hotels I've stayed at have managed to link separate reservations & authorize keys for the full stay" and "Maybe you could have mentioned that instead of leaving us to figure it out on our own." (This gets even better; see below.)
Room was booked in the name of my DW, a Diamond. Don't recall if the FDC explicitly mentioned her Diamond status, but as noted above we got breakfast vouchers. No mention of room upgrade & there's no indication we got one. (Also, see below re post-stay experience.)
RoomMy DW's profile lists a preference for rooms on higher floors; we ended up on the 7th of the Renwick's ~15 floors.
Our King room looked very much like the photos posted up-thread by corporate wage slave and Evo40. Décor was stylish, with good layout in bed & bath areas.
Unfortunately, here too the execution was somewhat lacking. The first thing I saw when we walked in was the false drawer-front on the wardrobe (which is supposed to conceal the safe) flipped down. It turns out that the hinge arms were both very visibly broken, meaning that the panel couldn't be flipped up & out of the way.
The shelf above the toilet was in almost as bad shape. When I nudged it while unpacking & setting up toiletries, the glass shelf literally slid out of the bracket; if my hand hadn't been positioned to catch it, we'd have had broken glass all over the bathroom floor within 5 minutes of entering the room.
Per Evo40's photo, the room also had a sort of open closet (behind the full-length mirror) with a bar for hanging items. Bizarrely, there were no hangers. The separate wardrobe space had a few hangers (maybe 3-4).
I had a weird experience with the hot water completely shutting off while I was in the shower. Normally I'd chalk this up to peak demand, except that was ~7pm on a Saturday evening, not a weekday morning. Seemed to be a transient issue as my DW showered 10 mins. later with no such trouble.
Finally, the contour sheet on the bed had a lot of pilling and a small tear that wound up making it harder for my DW (who is not over-sensitive to such things) to fall asleep.
HousekeepingOur King room looked very much like the photos posted up-thread by corporate wage slave and Evo40. Décor was stylish, with good layout in bed & bath areas.
Unfortunately, here too the execution was somewhat lacking. The first thing I saw when we walked in was the false drawer-front on the wardrobe (which is supposed to conceal the safe) flipped down. It turns out that the hinge arms were both very visibly broken, meaning that the panel couldn't be flipped up & out of the way.
The shelf above the toilet was in almost as bad shape. When I nudged it while unpacking & setting up toiletries, the glass shelf literally slid out of the bracket; if my hand hadn't been positioned to catch it, we'd have had broken glass all over the bathroom floor within 5 minutes of entering the room.
Per Evo40's photo, the room also had a sort of open closet (behind the full-length mirror) with a bar for hanging items. Bizarrely, there were no hangers. The separate wardrobe space had a few hangers (maybe 3-4).
I had a weird experience with the hot water completely shutting off while I was in the shower. Normally I'd chalk this up to peak demand, except that was ~7pm on a Saturday evening, not a weekday morning. Seemed to be a transient issue as my DW showered 10 mins. later with no such trouble.
Finally, the contour sheet on the bed had a lot of pilling and a small tear that wound up making it harder for my DW (who is not over-sensitive to such things) to fall asleep.
Efficient & inconspicuous. Changed contour sheet in response to a note left with tip. More importantly, respected the DND sign on the door handle at all times.
RestaurantThere's no lounge, so Golds/Diamonds take breakfast in the restaurant, Bedford & Co. As others have noted, you get a choice of 3 out of 4 main items, plus one juice or coffee.
The waffles are excellent & the Greek yogurt and pastries are fine. The oatmeal was a watery mess, however. Service was slow & oddly haphazard. Orders showed up partially or not at all. A server brought my yogurt & waffles, then disappeared without saying anything about the fate of my oatmeal (which arrived much later). The couple next to us never got their side of bacon. On Day 3 (departure), my oatmeal arrived without the standard cinnamon-apple topping. (Hard to say how to apportion blame between kitchen staff & wait staff.)
MiscellaneousThe waffles are excellent & the Greek yogurt and pastries are fine. The oatmeal was a watery mess, however. Service was slow & oddly haphazard. Orders showed up partially or not at all. A server brought my yogurt & waffles, then disappeared without saying anything about the fate of my oatmeal (which arrived much later). The couple next to us never got their side of bacon. On Day 3 (departure), my oatmeal arrived without the standard cinnamon-apple topping. (Hard to say how to apportion blame between kitchen staff & wait staff.)
There are only two elevators for 173 rooms, but service was quick. (Dare I mention that the clock on the display inside the cabs hadn't been changed to reflect the end of DST?)
When we stopped by the front desk to have our room keys re-keyed on Day 2, we also asked for late check-out the following day & were cheerfully given until 2 pm. Unfortunately, when we came back to the room the next day around 1:30 to collect our bags -- you guessed it -- our keys didn't work and I had to head back downstairs to resolve this. (For those counting, that's three separate visits to have keys enabled: check-in, day 2 renewal, and afternoon of departure.)
Check-outWhen we stopped by the front desk to have our room keys re-keyed on Day 2, we also asked for late check-out the following day & were cheerfully given until 2 pm. Unfortunately, when we came back to the room the next day around 1:30 to collect our bags -- you guessed it -- our keys didn't work and I had to head back downstairs to resolve this. (For those counting, that's three separate visits to have keys enabled: check-in, day 2 renewal, and afternoon of departure.)
Went smoothly. FDC asked if we wanted a printed bill & I said yes; the folio correctly showed a couple of minor charges.
Today, of course, I noticed that we'd received two separate emailed invoices (again, owing to back-to-back reservations). The one for the first night showed a charge for premium wifi a few lines below the notation of my DW's status as a Diamond (ergo, no charge for premium wifi). Had to call the hotel's accounting desk to ask for correction.
SummaryToday, of course, I noticed that we'd received two separate emailed invoices (again, owing to back-to-back reservations). The one for the first night showed a charge for premium wifi a few lines below the notation of my DW's status as a Diamond (ergo, no charge for premium wifi). Had to call the hotel's accounting desk to ask for correction.
I really, really wanted to like this hotel, and part of me does. In general, the physical accommodations are very nice. However, between the sore-thumb-obvious maintenance problems (broken hinges on flip-down drawer-front; bathroom shelf) and the constant small but annoying service failures and omissions, this was not a great experience. I get it that nobody's perfect & slip-ups happen, but they were too numerous here to ignore.
Last edited by beltway; Nov 13, 2017 at 3:13 pm