NDDomer86

I am staying in the hotel as I write this. Checked in around 2:30 PM and told the front desk agent that I knew it was early but that I'd be happy to wait if an upgrade would become available at a later time (was not expecting a suite, just one of the larger shoeboxes). I was told that they would preblock a suite for me but that I'd have to store my bags and check in later, which was totally fine. Came back around 4:30 PM and the suite was still not ready, so I fully expected them to stick me in a room instead of a suite (as long as it wasn't one of the tiny cozy rooms, I would have been fine with this). Much to my surprise, they put me in an 18th (top) floor corner Fantastic Suite with a small balcony and views out over Lexington and 49th ^. The only downside to this room is that the bedroom (with two walls of windows on the SW corner and 12 foot ceilings) would not cool down at all during the day despite the a/c running full blast. Also housekeeping seems to have missed a blatantly obvious beer bottle sitting near the bathroom, but all in all a much nicer room than my previous stay here, and surprisingly, no games about upgrade availability.

abk

I was just there for two nights and was very pleasantly surprised. Over the years I have come to expect tiny rooms, crappy service, no upgrade and lots of attitude. The only reason I stay there is the location is the best for my business in the city.

Sunday, i checked in at 1:00pm and was told I was upgraded to a suite and the room was ready. The service was great and they couldn't have been nicer at the front desk. The room was a 34 room on the 48th street side in the back and it was very nice and extremely quiet. They did charge for the internet and when I asked them to take if off they were even apologetic for putting it on in the first place. Maybe this place is making a comeback.

Andie007

So I'm really looking forward to my stay the starting on Friday

nologic

I think the risk of the worst room in the SPG universe is very high. Suspect this hotel runs at high occ because of it's location, and too many rooms are closets, no matter how fabulous they make them sound. A corner suite on the 38th floor sounds nice and I am sure they have some nice rooms. Would be happy to be proven wrong that things have changed.

NDDomer86

But perhaps impossible given that the 18th floor is the top floor of this hotel (see my previous comment)

lax01

What are the chances during Thanksgiving week of an upgrade? Just curious...I'm between this and the Union Square W...but for about 8k less points I can get this W on Lex...

Also, how much is parking here?

:::Edit booked a fantastic suite (500 sqft) for 14k points...I can always cancel. Already requested a plat upgrade to the Marvelous suite

BudgetJetsetter

You mean 24k points right?

For parking try www.primospot.com

You'll get street parking regulations and the rates of nearby parking garages. You can save $ on parking if you plan on leaving the car there and walking/taxing to wherever you need to guy.

BudgetJetsetter

I just had a recent really great stay here. I wasn't expecting much as a lowly gold and I know most golds if they do get an upgrade will get one category up.

I checked in around 3 pm on Sat and found a sizable crowd thanks to the NYC Marathon scheduled to happen the next day.

The desk agent said they were going to upgrade me to a loft style suite (I assumed the spa suite) from my original booking of a fantastic suite. I told the agent I don't know if I truly want the upgrade because it's my girlfriend birthday and we're having guests over and would prefer the privacy of a separate bedroom. She said she'll try to do something nice for me, went in the back to ask her supervisor something and then upgraded me to a duplex wow suite!

The view of the suite on the 18th floor isn't that great, you mainly get to stare at the hotel across the street. However the room is very impressive with it's 2 story floor to ceiling windows, motorized window shares, 1.5 bathrooms, etc.

The staff during the day is extremely pleasant from the waitresses at the bar to the check in staff. However at night the staff do get a little rude and obnoxious. Perhaps they deal with too many drunk people that they start to develop that attitude?

Keyser

if you have booked a suite then you are not supposed to get any further upgrade, doesn't matter if you are a gold or platinum....

BudgetJetsetter

Good to know. I guess that makes me feel even more giddy about being upgraded.

Keyser

its true....you did get an amazing upgrade....

tmf

I've looked at booking this suite (on a client's dime) and it runs around $2,000 per night... good score

BudgetJetsetter

At check in the (rather pretty actually) person checking me in mentioned something along the lines of "that's what being a SPG member is all about".

While I know people do have bad experiences, I've yet to have a bad one at any of my SPG stays. It really is experiences like this that will create lifelong customers out of people like me.

ma91pmh

I just finished a three night stay here for what must be the millionth time, but first time ever as SPG plat. It worked out pretty nicely. I asked if an upgrade was available at check-in and they said no suite but could get me larger room (I book using very deep discount SET code so get the tiniest rooms always). Not too bad I thought. I got given a room on 6th floor overlooking 49th and some fire engines were screaming outside and I could not hear myself think. So I had a quick look on spg.com, plenty of suites available. So figure call whatever/whenever and ask. They said nothing available. I very politely said "that's odd seems to be showing up online". They transferred me to the "manager" and anyway the person who picked up said they could get me in a suite for the next night (so 2 out of 3 nights for me). I said that is fine, but did they have anything at all higher up for the first night. She got me up on 12th in a nice room over Lex and that worked out fine. Some guy brought me the key within 5 minutes, and the next day when I got back everything had been transferred to the suite. Not sure what kind it was, had two rooms and was in the corner. Anyway nice to finally have some SPACE in this place after so many stays in their teeny-tiny rooms.

cjzhang2000

Would some tell me experience staying at the W New York (541 Lexington Ave), since I will spend the coming weekend (Award stay) in the hotel with my girlfriend. I am SPG Plat, and will be driving to the hotel.

I also checked the valet parking is $70 per day/night in the hotel. Any alternative, nearby? Thanks,