Miesque

I agree with that. But, I was never keen on that and was not if my sentiment was I wasn't just me being dowdy/unhip.

Miesque

What is very evident to me after spending time looking at NYC rates over the last year is that the Andazs in NYC are not able to charge as much of a premium above the other Hyatt NYC rates as they probably anticipated when they were released (hence why you are seeing the cost cutting)

Andaz5

Well the Andaz Wall Street and Andaz 5th Avenue Hotels were never where hipsters frequented.... You want hipsters you need to go down to the Standard Hotel or the Gansevoort Hotel in the Meatpacking District or the W in Union Square. Hipsters don't hang out in Midtown or Wall Street, they are in the East Village, Greenwich Village and now the West Village, Meatpacking area.

The Andaz concept is alive and well in London, Amsterdam and Napa.... I know the London hotel is not frequented by hipsters nor is Napa. The Andaz - Liverpool is located in the Wall Street area of London, it is frequented by bankers and brokers who are closing billion dollar deals.

So your concept of Andaz is a bit incorrect.

ma91pmh

I agree I think Andaz brand appeals to the middle aged, upper middle class crowd more than the hipster crowd. I think Andaz 5th was well targeted. I mean they seem to be selling rooms at good prices so despite the service decline I am sure their bottom line is doing just fine and that's ultimately what gets the GM paid

Kacee

I don't care about the Andaz concept. The rooms are good sized and the amenities strong. I'll book when the price is right; otherwise I'll book somewhere else.

Actually you seem to have misread JetAway's post. The reference to "hipsters" was directed at Andaz staff who stand around the lobby in their own clothes holding iPads, not the hotel guests.

Although truth be told the Andaz staff generally (and thankfully) lack the ridiculous facial hair and tacky plaid shirts that primarily characterize the hipster set these days.

StuckinITH

After our first stay at the Andaz Fifth Avenue in September 2013 was so good we thought we had found our new home in Manhattan (see post #979). After our second stay in June 2014 was so bad we knew we would never return. We don't like rollercoasters. We'd rather stay in hotels that consistently hit the 80s than in a hotel that hit 100 one time and 20 the next time.

beltway

Can you elaborate?

StuckinITH

On our second visit, we arrived at about noon for a one night stay. The young person at check-in acknowledged that we had stayed there before. She smiled, mentioned that she had upgraded us but that the room was not ready. No problem, we go to our meeting. At about 3:00 PM we receive a call from the hotel that our room is ready. We return to the hotel. The same young person gives us the keys. My wife notices that our room is on a low floor (our preferences are for rooms on high floors) so she asks if we can have a room on a higher floor. The young person says no and directs us to the North Tower (a.k.a. Siberia). The room had a small window with the glass part far away from the interior side of the wall making it extremely dark. The room was extremely small. So small that there was not even space for a closet to hang the clothes. There was a contraption to hang the closes but they would remain in full view.

The staff in general was much less cheerful than during our first stay but what was most disappointed is what happened at happy hour. When we got there, there were three persons already sitting in the library area, each with a glass of wine in front of them. We sit down. Ten minutes later, young man #1 comes and pours 2 glasses of wine for people who were just checking-in. When he passes in front of us he tells us that he will come back to take our order. Twenty minutes later, young man #2 comes, slams the door of the closet where they keep the glasses and the bottles of wine and gives us a dirty look (like we had touched his closet). Ten minutes later, young man #1 comes back and apologizes that he forgot all about us. The waiting time was not too much of a problem as I was chatting with my dear wife. But we were shocked by the violence of the gesture of young man #2. Not something that we ever experienced in a hotel of that category.

Maybe we had too high expectations after the WOW experience we had during our first stay. The staff and our room were just superb then. But, as I said before, I like consistency.

mmgm

This is my first stay since October. The chocolates and Chips are gone from the minibar- replaced by inferior treats. Morning newspapers are no longer put out- you have to ask at the front desk to get one. Minibar service is on request only. There is no longer a clock in the bedroom that is lit at night. They couldn't even find one when I requested one- I like to see the time when I wake up.
All minor but all decreases in service unfortunately.

Aventine

That really is cheaping out. Not so hopeful for our October stay here now.

missmelon437

^

I love Andaz properties and look forward to trying this place out in August. In most hotels, the luxury product is usually made with different and cheaper ingredients anyway, so it's not a huge deal.

Radiant Flyer

HUH... what luxury properties do you stay at?

Any true luxury hotel would not offer any product using cheaper ingredients, you are totally wrong there.

missmelon437

I stayed at the Andaz Maui over the new year. I contemplated bringing the bathroom amenities home because I liked the smell. However, I found the ingredients of the Malie products in-store & online to be different than what was used.

You can purchase the products here, which is the site I used for research, and found the ingredients to be different:
http://www.malie.com/product/royal-hawaiian-amenities/

I do not recall the exact difference - I believe less "organic" used. Either way, this is one example. I have noticed it before since I travel so much and debate whether it's worth it to bring the amenities home. I'll try and make a more specific note of it on future travels.

I know that Bliss is the same.

RichardInSF

This is often done by luxury hotels in order to have a sub-brand that is unique to the hotel yet still from a prestigious manufacturer. So this generally should not be used to judge a hotel; the amenity manufacturer knows their name is on the bottle so usually will not lower their standards.

777 global mile hound

My Stay
I checked into Andaz 5th Avenue for a return visit of 5 nights after checking out of the Ritz Carlton Battery Park (Andaz Wall Street was mostly sold out)
As others have noted there has been some very minor slippage in the performance and friendliness of some @ the hotel which may be due to team turnover.
Everyone was polite and professional when approached which at the end of the day is what really matters
I did one night on points and the rest at a AAA rate of around 500 dollars plus tax a night. Taxes in NYC are now simply shocking!
Making me only want to use points
There was a time when this would have been unthinkable to me at the above price point.
As I prefer to stay between 200 and 300 dollars a night in NYC which is getting much tougher to do in NYC weekdays.
However thanks to the new and recently improved Citibank Prestige Card benefits I can consider it now with their 4th night free benefit ^
I now avoid completely the Hyatt Visa and the Starwood Business card (Open)which gets card members a 5% discount on all Hyatt Hotels in North America excluding Hyatt Place ^
SPG AMEX Open I have used and continue to typically on stays of less than 4 nights

Check in
Was highly adequate and the hotel had upgraded me to a suite complimentary on the incoming first night as a very kind good will gesture
That was combined with my confirmed space for the additional 4 nights in a suite confirmed with my DSU in advance on revenue
The suite was lovely, large and spacious with a huge soaking tub and wonderful living room with electric shades throughout
There was a lovely card from the GM welcoming Terry and Betsy to the hotel
Except that those who know me know that my name is neither Terry or Betsy
The jokes ran through the week about which one I was
Its all about the thought and I appreciated the card none the less!^

Accomodations
The Suite faced 5th Avenue and there was a fair amount of NYC street noise the only thing that occasionally disrupted an otherwise pleasant stay.
Sadly the hotel never got really great soundproofing
And on my past stays my preferred rooms/suites were not facing 5th
Because I had guests traveling with me this still worked out nicely
Housekeeping was good and paid attention to most details and keeping the room clean without unnecessary air fresheners, sprays and perfumes
Temperature control was excellent and adequately kept me comfortable at all times
Shower pressure was adequate and water temperature ok but not great>my guess is the hotel set a limit on the temperature as it only
gets so hot on the highest temp and trying to slightly adjust it down didn't work so well
Not a biggie but not great either

Breakfast @ The Shop
This is where the hotel really shines.
In the 5 years the hotel has been in operation I can't remember when the kitchen staff really nailed 99% of the time outstanding execution and attention to detail
My guests poached eggs or my own scrambled with basil and parmesan cheese were excellent
The Lemon Soufflé pancake an iconic breakfast legend at the hotel still is a must have and a standout.
Its also best split with your traveling companions as it puts one to sleep for the rest of the day. Acts like a great tranquilizer
Yes I consumed an entire one on my first morning
The Fruit plate small or large consists of Blueberry strawberries blackberries and pears primarily absent unfortunately is
pineapple watermelon and cantaloupe stopping me from calling the best Hyatt breakfast in the country. Yet even so its up there in my eyes
The biggest loss in the 5 years of hotel operation was Stamos who transferred to the Park Hyatt NYC restaurant
I'm starting to seriously think they will never or not for some time find someone in his league with his guest skills.
The restaurant tries hard but the welcomes while professional enough no longer have the exceptional warm hospitable
friendliness that once made it a standout when he was a part of the team.The team to their credit is remarkably proficient none the less and they get the job done

What some diners may not be aware of
Two Perhaps hidden secrets on weekend brunch (Saturday and Sunday)
There is a surprisingly excellent fresh Maine Lobster roll served with salad or chips ^
I was afraid of the Japanese mayo but it was barley detectable and did have a bit of zing to it but surprisingly pleasant and understated(Im a traditionalist)
My only issue with this exceptional dish was a bit to much claw meat and not enough center cut lobster
Another very welcome surprise hot pastrami that I thought ranked up there with best of New York delis other than Katz and Carnegie Deli (now temporarily closed)
During the week I was told these items may be available for lunch too something I would certainly do now that I know they have some desirable dishes
to order besides the standard breakfast items they excel at.

Diamond members rejoice the hotel generously removed ALL breakfast charges at check out and most had been wiped out previously
Here is a Hyatt Hotel where a suite is a real suite when using an upgrade and a breakfast is a true culinary privilege ^
Ask for Justina or Paul when dining @ The Shop they seem to be the best of the Shops servers at present with kindness, personality and efficiency
They also know their menu inside out! The dinner menu gets to weird for my taste and I would suggest they keep it simple and do classics well
as they do general for breakfast and lunch. One fights to get in for breakfast and dinner is usually empty which tells me most of the picture.

My suggestions to all Andaz hotel guests book/reserve tables day prior for breakfast and be on time!
The Shop has a very high demand for tables and many are disappointed by not being able to wait 30 or more minutes for a table
Its a hot spot for dining, people watching and where local business folks go before going onto the office or leisure activities
The vibe here is awesome and the room can easily get noisy as diners pack themselves in to eat well and drink their cappuccinos,coffee and espressos
passionately. Its what most cafes breakfast spots try to be but rarely succeed. I had heard in the past year that a new chef is on board
I applaud whoever it is in charge for not tampering with what clearly works brilliantly and actually improving the classics.

Newspapers
Now a free for all in the lobby first come first served when they run out downstairs you are simply out of luck
To the teams credit when they saw I was disappointed after been unable to get any paper they immediately
had two of my personal preference at my door every morning after having to go to a nearby hotel to purchase one ^

Mini Bar
As others noted its not a guarantee that it will be refreshed daily except by request.
I had no problem the few times I needed something I saw them in the hallway luckily and never had to call
Once they knew I preferred sparking to still they gave me a few extra sparkling waters to keep on hand
As others have previously noted the chocolate bar and other snack is gone substituted by something else.
Being I was never a fan of the previous snacks no great loss but I think they should have something basic like potato chips or pretzels.
It didn't affect my stay but could see how other past guests might be disappointed.

Management
Although some others have debated this with me I am going to give the nod to the current GM on board as the best GM the hotel as ever had since opening
While some select team members didn't shine as brightly as they did in the past overall it worked well enough for me.
Under the exceptional leadership of Cornelia Samara and her inner team and front office
the hotel has a culture of making a considerable effort with requests and to please Diamonds and most guests for that matter.
More importantly to me as a seasoned traveler and a Diamond member the hotel jumps through hoops with requests for upgrades based upon availability as it should be.
If only the Park Hyatt NYC could have such exceptional business culture
It is everything I could possibly hope for in a relationship and for that reason and consistent breakfast Andaz 5th Avenue
for today gets my personal vote as the best Hyatt in New York City when I look at average daily rate,management culture and hard product

Check out
Went smoothly however the unique, creative and sweet departing amenity was either discontinued or forgotten

Closing Thoughts
I realize that the Andaz brand may not be for all guests
For those seeking a high end boutique hotel that's relaxed I cannot recommend this hotel enough for the general reasons above I outline.
More importantly when I think of most of the W Hotels and other brands that followed Hyatt has triumphed where others have failed for so many reasons
I endorse and highly recommend the hotel to all business and leisure travelers for one of the better experiences of my many decades
living in and visiting New York City.
My sincere thanks to all those at Andaz 5th Avenue responsible
And more importantly for being one of those Hyatt hotels that exceeds expectations of many a Hyatt property worldwide and leading the way in solid brand standards
YMMV!!

" The Shop" Breakfast/Brunch/Lunch :-::-::-::-:
Management Business CRM Culture :-::-::-::-::-:
Hyatt GP Diamond Elite Value & Recognition :-::-::-::-::-:
Total Experience :-::-::-::-: plus