I've been wanting to try this property, but for whatever reason they NEVER seem to have our corporate rate (large company) available anymore. Has anyone had similar experience?

It used to be in the mid-200's, so I could see why they'd want to block us but it's ALWAYS unavailable now. Seems odd.

I've stayed twice at the Parker Meridien on award stays. I've been upgraded to the Junior Suite one of those two times (they had no availability the second time, but the front desk agent was somewhat sketchy about it - he said he would check to see availability and instead of looking at this computer screen, he went into the back room and came out 5 seconds later and said "no.")

The burger joint is convenient, and one of the cheapest "hotel restaurants" I have ever been to. The only downside is that they are rather independently run and cash-only so I cannot get points for eating there. :p

The gym is nice and free for Platinum members, but guests will have to pay $10/visit. The large free-weights section of the gym is a major reason I choose to stay at this hotel.

The staff varies in "niceness." Both times, I was checked-in by the same person. I believe his name was Brian(?). Both times, he looked at my billing address and told me the same story about one of his family members being married to a family member of the mayor of the city I live in. Nice guy. :)

One thing that bothered me was the fee (~$8-10?) they wanted to charge for using some wine glasses. Every other decent hotel I have been to allows for complimentary use of wine glasses. I think this is a stingy policy that doesn't generate much income but does generate a lot of bad-will. In any case, I was able to BUY a pair of pretty wine glasses from a wine shop around the corner for $5.

They also have some very strict text regarding minibar disputes, something along the lines of doing extensive research. A hotel has every right to do so, but why the attention-seeking, greedy message? New York City, we get it - you DESPISE tourists. But let's be honest now. You sure make a lot of money off of them, and in the end it is just a can of nuts.

Just for those interested that have recently been asking questions on upgrades. The Junior Suite is the only room type at this property to which they are willing to upgrade Platinums. My experience has been that this is strictly maintained by the front desk and front office staff. Excluded as upgradable rooms are Tower Junior Suites (even though they're exactly the same floorplan, just on higher floors).

There was no trouble or delay when I called down to get them to remove the $42 charge :eek: for the 200mL bottle of Grey Goose which I touched in our automated minibar. If I had touched everything in there, I wonder if they'd really have sent me a bill for it all without bothering to verify whether anything had actually been consumed.

$42 was the end of my extensive research.

Base on my recent stays here:

Free gym use if plat ^
Free internet if plat ^
Pool ^
Burger Joint ^
View of Central Park from room or roof top garden ^
Bed - one can get used to it but is nothing like a Sweet Sleeper or Heavenly bed
No premium channel (HBO, etc):td:
Some rooms smell of smoke :td:
Can have issues with A/C :td:
No water in room for Plats :td:
No lounge :td:

Just for the sake of it...

My wife and I will be using some free FWN awards Dec 10 & Dec 11. Already, the W TS and the Westin TS are sold out for Saturday night, but not Friday (?). However, the LPM has availability, and my wife indicated she would prefer that to the W Union Square.

After reading some reviews, I'm scratching my head... the going rate that weekend is $619+tax, which totals over $700. For one night. In a basic room. Wow.

Take the W Union Square. Le Parker Meridien is so underwhelming it's silly. You'll use your free nights, then pay $85 for breakfast for two. Great burger joint, but $40 for two people for a cheeseburger, fries, and shake?

The beds are just plain crappy. Uncomfortable. They're trying really hard to be hip and snappy, but it's fake; and trust me, the air of pretense in this place is the ONLY thing that could be called "cheap".

Try one of the W's on 39th, or Union Square; and keep checking back for TS availability, which WILL change.

Just do yourself a favor and avoid LPM. If you decide to go, please report back and tell me your thoughts.

Yes, they would have.

I'm sort of cornered into using this hotel because of a corporate arrangement. And, it's right across the street from where I work in the city. Still...ick. Anyway, our rate is in the 2's, and I've been able to confirm it multiple times a month all year long. If you feel you must try it, keep trying back. It will become available.

Then you would be recomending at stay at the St Giles?

http://www.stgilesnewyork.com/default.aspx?pg=contact

Two Starwood properties lost their flags, they were a real Dump

I agree with you on the beds being crappy. I prefer the Westin bed.

You are in a hotel food is expensive, don't complain, and it is NYC it is to be expected. Higher rent, higher costs, you catch my drift.

If you want to be cheap go on Chowhound and find the holes in the wall spots.

You can charge Burger Joint to your room and earn points accordingly. No credit cards, though, but for LPM guests the room charge is a workaround.


This is not correct. I frequently got Tower Junior Suites when I stayed there weekly for ~4 months. I'd say my upgrades were about 50% Junior Suite, 50% Tower Junior Suite. Really no difference except for floor.




I'm also a fan of W Union Square. However, I wouldn't stay at Tuscany or Court over LPM, even if they were still a part of SPG. I changed from those to LPM for my weekly stays and really appreciated the consistency of good service at LPM.

Interesting. As noted, I was a weekly there for a long time as well, with a similarly competitive rate. I always appreciated the service of the staff, the consistency of the upgrade, the cleanliness, etc. An all-around solid property for weekly NYC trips.

Nice place
 

Hi -

Just finished a two-night stay at LPM using cash and points. You can't beat the value, last minute booking $90 plus 4800 points a night.

As Platinum, upgraded to Tower Junior Suite without asking. I would have preferred a normal room with a view of Central Park, but nothing was available.

The view from the pool area (and walk up the two flights of stairs from the pool to the roof) is amazing. Central Park and the city. Breathtaking.

The Burger Joint is a gem of a place. Can't speak highly enough about the burgers. I heard it makes the top five burger places in town regularly. Love being able to call down there from the room and effectively jumping the line.

Staff were great. Room was great. No complaints!

(Unrelated to the LPM (except it was up 56th street half a block), I was bumped by a large tall guy outside in the street, who then dropped his glasses. He tried to tell me that I caused it. I'm convinced it was a scam, but we'll never know)

Nope, it is correct...at least based on the very significant lecture that I was given by the front desk manager.

I was given a Tower Suite on the 41st floor, which I think is the highest level in the place (42nd floor is PH with pool etc.).

Front desk staff are very knowledgeable about Platinum guests and what they should give them.

Considering to stay LPM or Sheraton NY. Is breakfast not free for plats at LPM?

I just enjoyed a weekend at the LPM and had a positive experience.

I am a lowly gold with SPG so don't get all excited worrying about free gyms, free internet, free upgrades to Presidential Suites that so many plats seem to hint that they are entitled to (hehe, I know I'll get flamed for that one :p) and so forth.

I found check-in staff to be quite friendly, telling me a bit about the restaurants, bar and amenities.

I booked a Jr Suite and was placed on the 28th floor, which had fairly dark carpeting and walls in the hallway, with soft lighting visible at regular intervals and from the doors to each room.

I found the decor to be fine, and wouldn't describe it as cheesy or trying to be trendy over 10 years ago, as one poster previously described. Yes, it is a bit worn on the edges here and there, but nothing too serious IMHO.

The location is great - it's just far enough away from the crowds to be quiet, yet close enough for a 15-20 minute walk to Times Square, Central Park or 5th Ave shopping. It was a treat to be able to escape the crowds and come back at the end of the day.

I found the bed to be quite comfortable, actually - and am one of those who has a hard time sleeping on an inadequate mattress. A/C was fine and it was neither too hot or cold in my room - I did notice small signs on the thermostats asking me to contact the front desk if I was uncomfortable.

I know others have complained about the lack of an LCD tv, but this didn't really bother me. I did notice the couch had a seam splitting along the armrest, and that the bathroom tiles were starting to crack and had visible sealant placed along deteroriating grout lines, so suspect the place could use a bit more sprucing in the nearish future. You can pull out the metal plug on the shower stem to divert water to the flexible wand attachment, as a way to warm the water up prior to dealing with the main showerhead, as there's nowhere to run when cold water comes out (you're between glass and ceramic walls).

I didn't check out the burger joint or the restaurant, but found the Dean & Deluca just across the street and down a couple of doors to be quick and quite delicious.

Overall, I would recommend this place. If you really crave the excitement of Times Square, then I would go for the W Times Square, as I've enjoyed that property in the past as well!

So don't take the negative reviews too seriously and enjoy your next trip! :)

Just checked in am staying here right now for two nights using my FWN award (it was the only hotel that had availability for this weekend). As I needed a room with two beds we ended up in a tiny room on the 26th floor. Have made some pictures will post them later am a bit underwhelmed. Do they have Jr. Suits with two beds?

Will report back after the stay.

I Do Not Plan To Ever Return
 

To write in detail about my experience here for my 2 day stay would only result in further frustration for me. So, suffice it to say that my personal disappointment does take into account my platinum status and what I have experienced elsewhere. I have not done much complaining here about Starwood properties, especially Meridien properties (check out my recent 3 reports on Piccadilly London and the report on Brussels, Belguim). Those hotels were simply wonderful. Both of those hotels are filled with staff (and management) that deeply care about their guests and desire to make your stay a fantastic experience. Time to move on.

There are alot of negative feedbacks lately. I stayed in April and thought it was a decent hotel for the price I paid. Got a Jr. Suite. I do agree with the water for plt's, they should offer it.

To Chanp
 

Chanp - Truly, it is more than just the lack of a bottle of water (or the $6 charge to have some glasses brought to your room mentioned by someone else) (or how about the $20 charge for the toothbrush and touthpaste - see also hotel's reply over on T.A. concerning the "Italian" toothpaste though!!). It is the overall attitude of the management in my opinion. Hey ... I stayed in Starwood hotels for about 42 straight days this Summer and to end up with -2-bad nights (and 40 great nights)... those are great odds. I plan on preparing a email to the top Starwood "brass" about my 42 nights in a row at their hotels and, quite frankly, my two disappointing nights at this hotel may stand out like a "sore thumb" to them when they read about my enjoyment with the other 40 nights. What they chose to do about it, of course, will be entirely up to them. Nice to exchange some comments with you.

any experience with upgrades from jr. suites for plats?
 

any experience with upgrades from jr. suites for plats? planning on booking a jr suite; was wondering if anyone had any experiences with upgrades from jr. suites

fdw

I stayed here recently and was not impressed. The furniture in the room was threadbare, the carpet was stained, the television had very few channels to choose from and was not in HD (very disappointing on a college football Saturday). There was no price list for the minibar, which suggests the adage: "if you have to ask..." All the electrical outlets within a 2m radius of the desk were inoperative, so I had to construct a series of scaffolds to support my laptop power cable running from the wall outlet to the desk with minimal sag (otherwise, the tension from the sagging cable would yank it out of the computer).

I won't stay here again.

I've had another excellent stay here. The hotel is sold out, I am using FWNs, but I got a junior suite. It was on a lower floor than below, and has a smaller configuration. Still, it was an excellent use of space, with a table and chairs for two, a sofa, and a desk running the width of the window. The bedroom has two small closets, one for each of us. The only thing I didn't like was the small bathroom that opened right off the entry. I would have preferred entry from the bedroom.

The wife of the GM is Indian, and soft products were ordered in India - including front desk uniforms. I like the discrete pattern of the bedspread and the embroidery on the decorate pillowcases. They could do away with the orange accent towels but that's a small thing.

My husband took a workout class at Gravity for free as I am a platinum.

The hotel location works well for us. There are many small restaurants within a couple blocks, including Carnegie Deli. It's an easy walk to the theatre district. Yet the hotel is on a relatively quiet street.

I've got top status in a lot of chains with New York properties. This hotel works best for us. I've never failed to get a junior suite, and like the hotel for the reasons just given.

Considering booking the incoming family at LPM for a weekend in Dec, and upgrading to a Jr Suite, but after reading some of the reviews, reconsidering the booking for W US instead.

Any thoughts or comments -- as it is 2 adults and 2 children, 2 beds was the only requirement (hence the Jr Suite which has a pullout)?
but now considering the issue of bed comfort.

If you are expecting the comfort of a Sheraton Sweet Sleeper Bed or a Westin Heavenly Bed, then the beds at the Le Parker Meridien will be a disappointment.

Will be staying at the hotel soon.

Can I do this "trick" and have the bill charged to the room to get points?

Alternatively, if there is no line, can I dine there and then charge the bill to the room to get points?

Thanks,

NJ

W US blows this property away, we are a family of 4 and have stayed at both. LM rooms were too basic and needed better cleaning. Weak bathrooms. W plat recognition is good, I believe most rooms have iPod docks, more bells and whistles over all. Unless you are we'd to being close to Central Park, stay at the W US. Plenty of good burgers all over manhattan.

The Mrs and I stayed at LPM a year ago and thought it would be good for a family of four. Whilst the room wasn't cutting edge modern it was in good repair and the bed was comfortable. Not quite as comfortable as a Sheraton/Westin/W bed but still very comfortable.

The only real issue I had with the property was the lack of normal hotel facilities, the bar was about the size of a large cupboard and consequently got very busy with the smallest number of occupants. I also did not know that I had to make an advance reservation for breakfast. I get that Norma's is a destination in itself but surely all the more reason to tell guests in advance that they should perhaps make a reservation for breakfast.

We are trying the W US on our next visit over the thanksgiving weekend, but I would be happy to return to the Meridien especially now that we are aware of the 2 issues above. Are there any good bars in close proximity to LPM?

Much better bar options around Union Square, including at the W itself. LM in a sleepy neighborhood of midtown. Busy during day, but too quiet at night. The only reason I ever stay here is if I'm trying to spend a free night (W US is Cat 6, so typically excluded) or if I want to run in the park the next morning. On weekends, outdoor food market at W US also a plus, at least for those living close by (40 miles away, in my case).

I don't disagree with any of that and appreciate the US neighbourhood is much better for drinking and dining options (hence my upcoming stay there), but I can see that if I preferred to stay further up town (e.g. a shopping trip) the LPM is a good option.

Rates at the LPM can be quite attractive and Plat treatment was pretty good. On the other hand I am forming the view that the potential for upgrades at the W US is likely to be "limited". I guess I will be able to form a proper comparison at the end of the month, I do like the Union Square area though.

Of course, Carnegie Hall is just steps away down 57th street. :rolleyes:

IIRC I was able to charge it to the room, but I doubt if we get points for 3rd party dining. I remember the charge because I tried to use a CC, and they don't take them, but they did offer to do the room charge. Hopefully I'm remember this correctly. And yes, I did call down and pre-order and bypassed the line.

-David

I thought the burger joint was a separate entity from Westin... did you just ask the cashier to charge it to your room?

BTW, preference: Shake Shack or Burger Joint??

If you use your spg amex card on a room charge and if you have spg plat, you get extra points on top of the regular pts u get for the burger, :D

Burger Joint can charge to the room.

Thanks, David! But, this isn't a 3rd party dining place because it is in the hotel and listed on it's website, right?

Thanks!

I just don't remember if I got points for it or not. I'm guessing "no".

It is physically in the hotel, but it's not managed by the hotel, etc. That's what I'm thinking. We don't get points for parking either. Plus it doesn't seem like the kind of place that needs to drive SPG loyalty to it. I could easily be wrong.

When I tried to charge it to the CC, she noticed my long room key and said she could charge it to the room.

So are you going to pass on Burger Joint if you don't get points for it? :D

-David

"W US blows this property away, we are a family of 4 and have stayed at both. LM rooms were too basic and needed better cleaning. Weak bathrooms. W plat recognition is good, I believe most rooms have iPod docks, more bells and whistles over all. Unless you are we'd to being close to Central Park, stay at the W US. Plenty of good burgers all over manhattan."

W Times Square - a fabulous property. Management really cares about their guests over there.

Sheraton Times Square - a nice property. Management really cares about their guests over there.

Manhattan - a nice property. Management really cares about their guests over there.

W Lexington - a nice property. Management really cares about their guests over there.

Westin Times Square -a very nice property. Management really cares about their guests over there.