Hotel Review from Tripadvisor.com
 

Just curious to know whether anyone here has relied on a review of the Westin Times Square from www.tripadvisor.com prior to staying there? I've been researching some options for my Sept trip to NYC. From Tripadvisor, it would seem to me that a lot of the reviews of the Westin are negative (mainly service issues), whereas most here on flyertalk find the hotel more positive. Are the tripadvisor reviews reliable? On the other hand, I think that more of the posters here on flyertalk are SPG Platinum (I am too), whereas on tridadvisor, they are more "everyday" travellers. Could this be why we here get the better service and upgrades from the hotel, and then write to report about our positive experience?

Most web travel forums get negative reports far more quickly than positive reports. Partly its human nature, partly its people with a bone to pick or trying a bit of extortion. The net result is a definite bias towards bad news for all properties, and sometimes glaring inaccuracies (reporting physical features that don't exist, or were changed years ago, making you wonder if that person had actually done that trip recently). It is part of the web. FT seems to filter out the casual traveler and the reports are markedly more accurate, complete and unbiased compared to tripadvisor. Or so it has been in my limited sampling. Partly FT may have more status while traveling, partly more experienced travelers who know the ropes (both before and after) and partly a genuine desire to help fellow travelers and give the straight dope. It works well enough that I keep reading (and posting) on FT (and I don't on tripadvisor, etc.).

Some of the jr. suites have windows over the sitting area in the couch, others don't. The ones that don't are disappointing to me and those are the ones I've gotten.

Anyone know which floors have the windows? The front desk sure doesn't.

PS The TV remote controls always turn on the bedroom TV as well as the living room TV, pretty maddening when your spouse is sleeping.

What type of room is usually given for the award bookings at the Westin Times Square? I called the Platinum Desk and the lady told me that standard rooms were not available in the inventory for 19-20 September, so she could only offer me the Club Floor rooms (at 11,500 points instead of 10K points). Looking on the website, however, I noted that there were a lot of Deluxe rooms available (these are the lowest-rate rooms). I thought that SPG did not differentiate between standard rooms booked on revenue vs. those booked on points?

Besides, I am Platinum, and I believe that I would get access to the Club Lounge anyway (am I right? I've never been to the Westin Times Square before). So, what good would it do to burn an extra 1,500 points for a benefit I am entitled to?

A room that you can pay for with points? ;)

Westin New York Times Square [Master Thread]
 

Recently stayed there for the first time but was disappointed with this hotel. Looks great, location is great, lobby is great, staff is great, but the rooms are really quite ordinary. Also as a Plat I hoped for a real suite upgrade and was given a junior which was OK but really when you look closely at the room, it was really quite cold and ordinary. Also the curtains do not pull and completely cover the sunlight in the morning. I give it a 3.5 star rating only.

That's really low!!!... I've never been there but will be staying there next weekend and you got me really concerned. I don't think I will change my booking but I hope that I get a nice room that look at least like a 4*. Being Platinum, I guess I may have a slight chance.

Any specific room requests that I should ask upon check in (renovated rooms/high floor/corner/facing east or west/ etc..)?

Thanks

IMO the rooms are okay. Standard rooms are, well, standard. The Club Floors are nicer, and the rooms appreciably bigger. I'd go for that if possible (note that club floors are actually on the lower floors). Except for very loud plumbing, and sometimes interior noises (it's a large hotel, so lots of rooms, etc) it shouldn't be a bad stay. Of course it depends on what you're looking for. Remember the Westin TS is only category 4.... I personally like the W Union Square more, but you can't beat the Westin's location.

I just stayed there on points - I used two 50K points for 5 nights – two rooms. Both rooms were upgraded to corner rooms on the 38th and 42nd floor. The higher floors are marked a "preferred" floors, I forget the exact words. The views from these corner rooms, up high, are spectacular. The staff was great! I had six people in my entourage - me, wife, two teen daughters who each brought a friend. All of us were treated as Plats. Free health club access, free lounge access, free upgrade.

As for the lounge making you sign in and there being a spot for a tip. I like the fact that there was a spot for a tip - it made things easier for me. Moreover, I think other hotels should consider a similar option. I come in there go through the food and beverages a couple times and leave a mess on the table. USA protocol says I should leave a tip - which I prefer to do even though the food is free. Half the time I do not have any small denomination bills with me and things get complicated. At the WTS lounge I can just sign a paper and leave a buck or two - it's great.

After the second day I went to the kids room – on a different floor – where they had two doubles for the four of them. It looked like a bomb went off – what a disaster. I told my oldest she need to leave a few dollars each day on the pillow so the maid won’t hate them.

I did have a reality check at the lobby bar. I have been to a few W's, SF, LA, Chicago, etc., and know what they charge for "top shelf" booze. I ordered two Padron tequila’s and when the bill came I was charge $19 each. The most I paid at the W was $12-14. Ouch - but, they were very strong pours and I did not really care as I was on vacation.

All in all, a great hotel - a solid 4 star property.

I just spent four nights there. I arrived late-ish the first evening, and there were limited (i.e., no) upgrade opportunities, but she did give me some room selections. I thought some view and away from noise would be best. I took a room on the 30th Floor, which was ok. She did tell me I could check the next day for a Jr. Suite or other upgraded accomodations. I had a "Westin Workout Package" which was supposed to have 2 bottles of water in the room each day, and a "Westin Wellness Breakfast" in the restaurant each day, although at check-in, she told me to have breakfast in the club lounge. Water never came to the room. Room was turned down all but one day.

The lounge this morning was unbelivably crowded, noisy, and barely a place to sit.

As I was really ill on this trip, and was busy most of the day each day on business, I really didn't feel like packing up again, etc, and so never checked for another room, and just got a couple gallon jugs of water to bring to the room.

I did mention the issues at check out and without asking for anything particular, she offered me 500 points, which really doesn't make up for the 4 days of a better breakfast, but I took them and thanked her

The location was great for where I needed to be (Marriott Marquis - and MUCH better than the Marriott), and I'm sure the hotel would have accomodated my complaints had I made them. (Of course, one shouldn't have to make them.)

All in all, I'd stay again, but speak up faster if I needed to. (Funny how a high fever makes you just happy you have a cushy bed to get into.)

I hope you didn't spend 50K points for five nights! You get the "fifth night free" at Categories 3, 4, 5, and 6 hotels. Thus, at this Category 4 hotel, five nights should have cost 40K points per room.

Westin New York Times Square [Master Thread]
 

appreciate any feedback on this place>how good or bad is it?best bet in times square area?any other ideas?how does it compare to the bryant park?

Welcome to FT!

There are multiple postings on Starwood Preferred Guest forum which Westin is part of. Anyway here are some threads on Westin Times Squares. BTW, I will be staying there in mid December...

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=175935

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=464882

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=448009

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=423348

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=410689

I've stayed there several times and the Westin TS is my first choice for this type of hotel in NYC. The location is extremely convenient from a traffic and transportation standpoint.

High floor Corner rooms are just amazing! Also Yankess Opponoents stay at the hotel as well--I've seen Boston Red Sox in May and today ran into Tampa Bay DRays.