manu08

Totally, but entrees can easily vary in price at some PHs by a 2x multiple ($20 vs $40) -- so I understand why some folks wonder if they can swap out the drink or entree for a handful of sides or whatever. I think the dollar value (e.g., up to $60 per person) is much clearer.

In any case, I've never had a PH charge me for breakfast, despite playing a little fast and loose with the menu type restrictions. But as Kacee points out, ymmv. Push the limit a little bit, and if you end up paying $30 for a $200 breakfast, so be it.

beachfan

that is my take. It’s a letter given out even when there are base level suites available.

beachfan

Happy to report that the smoked salmon is top quality durning this stay. Was even at Russ and Daughters but didn’t bother to buy any as it’s so good here.

After a few days I’ll go downstairs to try the lobster and eggs but haven’t been motivated yet as the lox is so good - silky, center cut slices, not too salty.

lsquare

I can't.

​​​​​​​Suggestions?

777 global mile hound

No worries the declining complimentary Globalist benefit at some hotels now comes with the option for government issued food stamps so you can afford additional sides
Thanks to this assistance top tier guests won’t go hungry any longer at their 1000 dollar a night hotels 😂

All kidding aside
I do think PHNYC salmon is adequate but if you want to venture out there is always Sadelles or Russ and Daughters
They both also deliver through Door Dash right to your room or hotel lobby as well
Another legend is Zabars on the upper West Side.They cut it right in front of you and their OJ is a lesson of
what 5 star hotels once were when it comes to freshly squeezed perfection.

I’ve started to become a big Door Dash customer as Food and beverage quality & variety as well as pricing in hotels have gotten out of control .I also get 5 points per dollar in spending through chase business cards 👍
Its cost effective with good value.Anytime I have been dissatisfied they offer a credit or refund too.

jbandy10

I'll echo the doordash tip, but my big complaint about DD is that hotel staff frequently peg these guys as soon as they walk up to the front door and grab the food so they can call my room and have it delivered so they can have an excuse to grab a tip. It's almost like a hostage situation that I have to calculate into the DD fee. Of course, ideally, I want to meet DD at the door myself to avoid this, but it doesn't always work out so well. Several 5 star properties have made a cottage industry out of intercepting mobile orders and turning them into a $5 bill. PH is no exception.

777 global mile hound

There may be times that would be quite desirable but not always certainly!
Although it’s work the Doordash App lets you know when the driver is arriving
So if you meet the dasher at the main entrance problem likely averted.Also if it happens to be hot food you want to get it without delay.At the IC San Francisco they have one dedicated table near the front door for all food delivery
No hustle.

OhDoctor

I wouldn't call it a hustle. 5 star hotels don't want DoorDash and UberEats drivers roaming the lobby and hallways. It makes the place look decidedly less upscale and it impugns the hotel's own F&B offerings.

jbandy10

True enough. Wish the DD app was more reliable so I could meet the drivers. Sometimes it will say "10 mins away" and suddenly marked delivered.

I'm leaning pretty heavily toward returning here next week over Thompson. Will report if so.

callmedtop

Thinking that a 5-star hotel with $1000+ nightly rates is trying to scam guests by running up their delivery from the lobby (which would otherwise require at least one, if not two elevator trips, depending on the delivery driver) for a $5 tip is pretty far-fetched. I would gladly pay $5 to avoid having to go downstairs for my food, and I'd imagine the vast majority of paying clientele would agree.

scubadu

Paying clientele are the key words there...

Regards

beachfan

I’m here now.

Smoked salmon is very good. Interestingly, varies by day, as the first couple days it was top quality. Today not the same. I’ll ask who there purveyor is.

I compare to Russ and Daughters, which is my usual. I usually buy from them to bring back to the room if salmon isn’t great.

If you want better than R&D, the only place I know is the Tsar cut from Petrossian. Zabars and Murray’s are good uptown alternatives.

Today I’m going to have the lobster and scrambled eggs via room service.

MarkOK

Last couple times I was at the Confidante in Miami Beach, they were taking the deliveries at the front entrance and calling rooms/holding the food there. It was kind of chaotic though (as is everything that happens in the lobby at that hotel!), and I had a delivery driver once that couldn't speak english who texted me that he was there. I went down and in his best english he was arguing with a staff member, refusing to relinquish the food to them.


Yeah, I strongly agree with this point. Even at low-cost hotels, I much rather deal with the policy that you meet food delivery in the lobby than allow just about anyone up and about the hallways. Not just due to safety and aesthetics, but just the sense of privacy and quiet.

Exactly. I think it's a nice touch to have staff deliver food, assuming they can do so with urgency, especially if upon delivery they offer/ask if there is anything else we need. That's the kind of service that makes me much more likely to return to that hotel in the future.

lsquare

Maybe I'm in the minority here, but I really dislike the tipping culture here. Pre-COVID, I spent the vast majority of my time in Asia and I just don't have to think about tipping in general. I could also make the case that the hotel shouldn't have to charge $5 when the daily rate is over $1k/night.

SP03

No one is charging you $5 here. You don't have to tip if you don't want to.