paulr

I just returned from a two-night stay on the 17th floor, just down the hall from the executive lounge. Impressions:

• tiny bathrooms; I could barely sit on the toilet because with the door open, my knees hit it; I couldn't close the door or my knees would hit the closed door.
• there's a spiffy LCD TV, but the hotel cable system provides fuzzy pictures on several channels... oops.
• the staff in the exec lounge was very New York: brusque and unfriendly. The tables were messy, and the selection of foods was limited.
• poor shower: low pressure, low temperature, and a sloooow drain
• good location (at least for me), only a few blocks from my client and convenient to LGA
• excellent dinner special ($22 for parmesan-crusted salmon, minestrone, sides, and a slice of cheesecake)
• check-in kiosks that you can't actually use. My desk clerk said that on a typical day, fewer than 5 people use the kiosks; when I tried, I couldn't get it to give me a key, so I ended up at the counter anyway.

Overall, it wasn't bad for a hotel in NYC, but it wasn't anything to write home about either.

Gaza

I'm being offered a very good rate at this hotel for the period between Christmas and New Year. Has anyone stayed here recently? How would I be treated as a Diamond? Do they offer breakfast? Is there an Exec Lounge?

Eugene

I stayed there a couple weeks ago. There is a lounge, food selection is average. Lounge open for breakfast only, no afternoon munchies. Rooms are very small, even for NYC. 24" LCD TV, although image quality was disappointing (most likely, poor cable). Bed was quite comfortable, yet not quite on a par with the Heavenly Bed. As a Diamond, I was upgraded to an executive level king (booking was for a regular level queen). I was told that all suites were being renovated for the UN Session. Location is great, across the Waldorf=Astoria, right on the subway, within walking distance to anywhere in Midtown.

bruingirl

The lounge was not open on the weekend when I stayed here in August. They will give you breakfast coupons for the restaurant for the weekend, but beware, the restaurant was very crowded the weekend I was there.

The location is great and considering you are in NYC, do you really want to spend a lot of time in your room?

drron

Have stayed there in january when there was no lounge and again in the last week of august.There is a lounge but as was said is only open for breakfast.I felt hampton inns offer a better breakfast. It is a noisy hotel and you will here anything going on in nearby rooms and remember there is a firehouse and precinct station opposite on 51st.
So whether it is good value depends on the rate you are paying-both times I was on the opening special rate of less than $120 so for that I still thought it was very good value.
As diamond was stiil put on a higher floor despite my low rate.
Also a problem was the servicing of the room.On one day it was not done at all,another no towels left-so if you get a better rate at another hilton in NY I would take it.

JohnnyUSMC

Just stayed there this past weekend at an incredible rate of $208 (or really $239.32 after taxes) for a Jr. Suite with a balcony (Government Rate). Of course it was the weekend so the Excutive Lounge on the 17th floor was closed. Being a Gold HHonors Member was given a coupon for continental breakfast at the Met Grill, which ended working out to a full buffet breakfast for the two of us. Unfortunately the balcony is closed for all the Junior Suites due to renovation (nothing like having your door going outside locked). In the Junior Suites the bathroom is cramped!!! The bed I could have sworn was a "Heavenly Bed", but who knows... definately was better than the one I sleep in! Location is great, but since its right across from the Waldorf=Astoria, I'll probably just stay there (W=A) next time. Of course the Doubletree cookies are always welcome!

S/F
-John

SST

This hotel is a total conundrum for me. The bathrooms are so small, it makes no sense. The rooms are incredibly noisy. Yet the rates are reasonable some of the time, when other Hilton properties are just TOO high. The staff is unprofessional, there is an ugly crowd that comes in some time (I get the feeling a lot of very young couples plan wedding parties there, and perhaps they feel that the other guests' enjoyment of the property is no concern of theirs...) And the breakfast isn't very good. TVs are cool flat screens, but the cable service is poor, and the picture is no better than a $179 Zenith. There's no robes in the rooms. The HVAC sucks and is noisy. Bad wine selection in the bar. The enterprising bell staff/doormen are more interested in trying to cheat tourists out of $100 "black car!" rides to JFK than helping you with luggage or a cab; that bit is disgraceful. Hilton should reprimand someone.

Yet it's placed well in Manhattan.

I enjoyed my $133 reservations. I wouldn't be caught dead in the hotel when, like a few weeks ago, they were asking over $350 during the General Assembly Opening. Given what I've seen the last two or three times I've looked for a reservation, the hotel honestly believes it can ding people in the range of $250-300 a night if they play it right. They'll be picking someone else to suffer their old rooms, I think. YMMV.

davesfolhr

Just in case anyone is headed to NYC this week, the Doubletree Metropolitan lowered its Double Points rate to $139 (at least it did for this Thursday). I paid $250+ to stay there last week during the height of the shopping season, so I'll recoup some of that.

They must really be feeling the transit strike - that's the lowest rate posted online for that property.

cordelli

Just booked the Doubletree on Lex for $139 for a Monday night later in the month. If you have reservations in New York, may want to reprice them to see of you can take advantage of a lower rate.

Not sure why that dropped so low, but some of the others are down there too.

Would prefer being across the street, but for the $100 savings.....

tcook052

Great find! ^

BTW, I looked up 21 Feb and double HH points and miles room rate was only $10 more per night.

3timesalady

hilton offers tons of places in nyc for < $200 during the week. and although a lot of these places are the lower-end chains (hampton, hgi, etc), many are brand new and/ or recently renovated.

*wood sometimes has rooms at the skanky sheraton manhattan for < $200, but not nearly as consistently. plus, those rooms appear to be living shrines to mildew.

yea, hilton!

rbAA

Or $149 for the double points and miles, without having to prepay. Still, after the taxes, it comes out to $172.44. Reserved for the Monday, 2/27.

tcook052

Psst. See post #2.

777 global mile hound

I think I may have topped you!
AAA rate of 98 dollars at the Hilton Garden Inn Time Square NYC
I may just book it myself for Sunday and Monday! ^ ^ ^
Thank You Hilton for giving your customers high value options when you are slow instead of dumping rooms on a third party site ^
Doubletree is a very good value too!
I am more apt to pay higher rates for other rooms year round when there is a large cross section of rates like this to choose from.

KathyWdrf

....if only I could find some cheap transcon airfares on UA to get to NYC in the first place, I'd be good to go!

Anyhow, thanks for sharing.