demue

+1. At sub 200$ rates (when available) this is a no brainer. Hard product is good and you just have to lower your service expectations down a few notches from what should be the IC standard and your are golden .

clubman

Surely the hotel should be rebranded as a CP?

stimpy

No, not at all. There's no CP that has that level of hard product. Certainly not in the US. The problem is the management is not very customer oriented. That has nothing to do with the branding.

The thing everyone has to realize is that this hotel is run this way because they want to run it this way. If it was going to change due to getting past the opening jitters, that would have probably happened by now. That doesn't mean the management couldn't change someday, but there's no point in holding out hope for that. For now it is what it is.

Aakste

Despite emailing the hotel in advance to confirm that we'd have access to the Club (I had booked a suite for our anniversary); and Guest Relations Manager responding affirmatively - we were not allowed into the club due to a private whiskey tasting. Went to the main bar, fuming, and asked again there. They confirmed - the club was not open to us. Contacted Guest Relations, they called back within 1 hour and said that now we could enter - but we were angry and would not have been comfortable doing so.
As compensation, our room rate was reduced at checkout by $120 but this really didn't offset our frustration.
We were allowed into the club on our second night but as we were seeing a show, had little time to enjoy it.
Additional issues: fruit plate was small and odd (grapefruit?).
No in-room gift.
No newspaper delivered during our stay.
Offputting attitude at check-in.
Let me say - I stayed at this property many times pre-renovation and always considered it to be sufficient.
No longer. The Barclay needs a customer service overhaul.
Have another stay booked there in January. If I don't cancel it, will cross my fingers and hope for the best.

demue

As stimpy mentioned, the hardware is high-end and definitely 5* (room size is relative in New York versus other markets) so the hotel being an Inter-Continental is absolutely justified by that standard.

The staff and service is ... well just very, very patchy and "uneven" in my book if I can call it that. Inconsistency is the name of the game and the moments were things go "splendid" are exceedingly rare from my own stays and the many reports here in the thread.

Gold39

I stayed at the Barclay last month and found the service to be excellent. Booked a deluxe suite and was surprised to find it came with lounge access since it wasn't mentioned in the description. The lounge was virtually empty and the staff in there are top notch. The suite was very nice and the hotel generally has that new car smell about it. I understand everybody's experiences will be different but I really found it to be one of the better NYC properties I have stayed in.

stimpy

The key point in your message is that you booked a suite. Perhaps we can assume that the staff treat high paying guests very well and low paying or reward guests poorly? So you have to book a higher level room/suite if you want to have a good experience here. Perhaps.

The phrase "you get what you pay for" applies to both the hard product and the soft product.

turner32

I'm currently staying at IC Times Square, but this afternoon took a walk over to the Barclay to see how the renovation was. I was there for maybe 5 minutes, and in that short amount of time I managed to look around the lobby, (nicely done, to be fair) and witness this same Italian agent having some sharp words with an unhappy guest. How do these people get a job in hospitality?!

broadwayboy

What, wifi is not free? How's for IHG member booking using points?

klmml

I have a booking from tomorrow at this hotel and the upgrade isn't showing on the web page as it usually does. What's the best course of action here? Email the hotel, or wait until checkin? I should arrive early tomorrow afternoon, but I don't really want to have to cause a fuss in person.

clubman

The cheap rates seem to be gone now, so I certainly wouldn't pay more than the IC TS considering the reviews.

nicolas75

^^

Shopfranceinc

Does anyone know if the Barclay has now started offering complimentary lounge access for RA's? We had to pay, but the new system-wide benefits went into effect Jan. 1. Does anyone have any experience at this property yet? Thanks.
Safe travels to all.

Land-of-Miles

Don't the new benefits only kick on the 1st Feb?

Shopfranceinc

Land-of-Miles, I believe you are right. I did just read that in another thread. Good grief! I have a stay this month. Thank you.