MikeBOS

I posted above a few weeks ago about a pretty unsatisfactory stay at the St Regis, suggesting the Peninsula across the street as an alternative. I just returned from another NY trip where I stayed for the first time at the New York Edition, on Madison Square Park, and I was very impressed. Beautiful room, great service, all the amenities you'd expect (including the ones the St. Regis doesn't provide in room); I thought it was, by far, the best Marriott property I've staying at in NYC, and I've stayed in many of them. For those willing to consider the location, the Edition is a great alternative to the St. Regis.

OssianBlue

Ok, I've got everything set but I was wondering what the best strategy here for SNAs is for a stay in early June. There were several upgraded room types available as SNA options below the Astor and Deluxe (?) Suites. I only put the two Suites as options in the SNA for now but I read one review that the Grand Luxe (I think it was) was a nice sized regular room.

derpelikan

hey guys.

I am helping to book my friends honeymoon trip. they will fly to newyork from frankfurt in firstclass.
He will use points for 5 days and what can he expect as an Ambassador in NYC in April? Should I inform the Hotel that a freshly marries Honeymoon Couple will arrive?

Btw. how is this hotel compared to the Singapore and Bangkok St. Regis, will he be satisfied? He has used both and he loves the Bangkok St. Regis. If the Hotel is not on par with the one in BKK, I would check other hotels for him. if you think the hotel is not as good the St. regis in bangkok, please let me know which hotel is better/ same level.

thanks guys !

daniellam

Unless your friend is booking (without getting upgraded) one of the Designer Suites (Milano, Dior, Tiffany, Bentley Suites), Imperial Suite, Royal Suite or Presidential Suite, then they should expect the St. Regis NY to be underwhelming in all other room/suite types. The service is nothing in comparison to the Asian properties in Bangkok and Singapore.

Kacee

I find this question somewhat ironic, given that the St. Regis NYC is the original St. Regis . . . the others are just using the name

That said, you should never expect 5* Asian service levels at a U.S. property. It's not a fair comparison.

While I like the Singapore SR, the service there is IME nothing special.

derpelikan

I agree with you on the St. Regis Singapore. Since the new Management took over many perks were killed. But still the service is much better than in most usa hotels.

I dont agree that I am not allowed to expect fantastic service in an American St. Regis. The rate at the St. Regis BKK is usually aroun 250USD while the Rate at the St. Regis in NYC is 1000 USD ++. Surely the cheaper labor costs play in favor of the St. Regis in Bangkok, but if the St. Regis in NYC is the starting point, than this hotel has to have the highest Standards, if I was the Manager of this hotel and cant ensure that, I would quit my job. simple as that.

judging from the pictures in this post, the St. Regis NYC looks pretty worn and old.
@Kacee and @ daniellam do you have any suggestion for other top notch hotels in nyc. lets say up to a price of 2K usd with a service they wll never forget and new and great suites/ rooms?

thanks !

Kacee

Perhaps a question better suited for the Luxury Hotels forum? Also depends on the preferred style - Peninsula is quite different from MO, for example.

The culture is different. You can expect competent service in the US, but IMO it cannot match what you'll get at the best hotels in Asia (especially not Thailand).

Also, since you mentioned comparative room rates and wages, note that Manhattan's average wage is approximately 25x the average wage in Thailand.

spgplat21

If you don't understand the inherent differences between the Bangkok and NYC hotel markets and a hotel built in 1904 vs. one built in 2011, I'm not sure any other advice provided in this thread will be very useful.

That said if you want more modern style rooms, I would look at the Baccarat, 1 Hotel Central Park, the Whitby, or maybe the Four Seasons Downtown. I would mention the Park Hyatt too, but I think their service level would fall short of your expectations. Unfortunately, $2K doesn't go quite as far as one might expect, although that should be enough to get at least some level of a suite at most of those properties.

Aventine

NYC will always have service problems at any price level. It's not a service culture like Thailand. I've had good stays at this hotel and some not-so-good ones. You're paying to stay at the original St. Regis and for location.

The suites were in fine shape when I last stayed there. Certainly nothing as dilapidated as PH Seoul's Park suite that had window film peeling off from the shower door.

strayersong

I've booked a one-night stay here. I will arrive at around 8pm so no chance to use the museum tickets for that day. Can I use the tickets for the checkout day instead?

Aventine

I would definitely ask the front desk but it should be possible.

Kacee

Yes, they are very flexible how you use the destination fee amenities.

strayersong

Thank you guys.

Kacee

This is a property that sparks widely differing opinions. After my weekend award stay, I am squarely in the "overrated" camp.

Arrival was disappointing. I pulled up in an Uber black. Doorman walked up, made eye contact, and . . . kept going. My driver pulled the bags out of the back, and I carried them up the stairs and all the way to check-in. Door staff here are simply awful. I was not greeted once the entire stay. St. Regis should send management to the Langham to see how a 5* front door is run.

Check-in area is very small and crowded. Desk is never staffed with more than two agents. This is insufficient. There is often a wait.

I won't repeat all my issues with room assignment. I did ultimately wind up in a St. Regis Suite. Details here and here. Suffice it to say that I was less than thrilled with how this was all handled.

The suite was spacious and quiet. Seventh floor, so no views, but there was natural light. As with several other of the older NYC properties, the suite layout is inefficient. Lots of hallways and connecting space, very little closet. Two full bathrooms - one had a shower, the other had a bathtub. Both had maintenance issues. The shower stall had a window that didn't seal properly, allowing blasts of cold winter air. The tub would not seal, and was essentially self-draining. If I'd paid $2k+ for the suite, I would not have been happy. Suite was otherwise in fine condition. The HVAC was particularly robust.

While I prefer staying downtown, the location worked well for me. Ran the park both mornings. Easy walk to Bloomingdales.

Butler service was a bright spot in a sea of service fails. My pages were consistently returned in less than a minute, and the butlers (all women, interestingly) could not have been nicer or more helpful.

Breakfast benefit is generous (American breakfast, or a $46 per person credit), but I found the food bland and unexceptional. I had a disappointing room service experience. Food was 20 minutes late, and my filet - ordered medium rare - arrived well done (literally gray in the middle). I sent it back. Second try was still overcooked, but better than the first.

Requested and was reluctantly given a 3 pm checkout. At 1 pm, one of the housekeeping managers did a "knock and walk." I told her I did not appreciate the absence of pause between knock and walk. She said, "you have a noon check-out, I expected the room to be empty." I suggested that if she were to check her list she would see I have a 3 pm check-out.

At check-out, the FDA was nice enough, but did not offer me a print of my bill, just an emailed copy. I asked to see a print. Glad I did, as they had charged me in full for both of my breakfasts (one at an astonishing $84 for bagel with salmon, juice, and coffee).

The multiple service fails I experienced in just two days would have been unsatisfactory at a much lesser property. I found them simply inexcusable at a purported five star. I felt more welcomed at the RI Downtown/World Trade Center where I spent Friday night.

At 60k points, there's no question I got very good value, and the butler service was a bright spot. But I will not return. Instead, I'll likely return to FHR'ing most of my NYC stays. Langham is a little cheaper than SR, and light years ahead in service.

Aventine

Yikes. Will you let these service failures go or see how Marriott Bonvoy responds with service recovery?