What I am about to say could happen at any property but I would not expect our experience at the Waldorf to be experienced at other prestigious properties around the world. This property with its 2 ton clock in its lobby is definitely slipping. The management should understand that it is the small things that count more than the icing on the cake.
To start with I have been at the Waldorf several times in the past and it was always on the top of the list but this time the hotel seems to have lost its touch somewhat. First when arriving in the under-hotel entrance the service and treatment was at its best and the bellman was great and very helpful. When we took a stroll through the lobby to the main entrance from Park Avenue we noticed the plain look of the entrance and no longer is the grand chandelier is hanging displaying its beauty, yep gone. Walking up the stairs to the lobby while passing through the foyer I looked up to the ceiling and the tile is missing, the area is now painted a cheap silver and were the tile once was is now just an outline where the tile was. The workman never cleaned the area of what appears to be grout or cement which is still showing. An unfinished job looks terrible to say the least. In the main lobby looked about the same and still preserved its richness.
We arrived on Sunday the month of late September about 13:30 and after looking about went to the reception to check in. We were told our room was not yet ready and would have to wait until 15:00 or so. We were told we could take lunch at the buffet or eat around the corner at Oscars to kill time. We also were told we (receptionist) will send you a text message when your room is ready. Ok fine and off we went to have a bite to eat and look about. When 16:00 arrived and not message had arrived we headed back to the hotel and the receptionist stated the room was not ready, wait a moment. After several minutes (10) and a couple of calls we were told they had an upgraded room in the Waldorf Towers and sorry about the delay and there is two bottles of complementary water in the mini bar for us. No cookies or treats which is the usual gift plus water given upon check in at most Hilton family hotels to diamond and gold members. I asked about this and was told we never heard of this.
In the room we found the following discrepancies: the sink stopper was stuck and had not been moved in years, no throw rug in the bath, one pair of slippers in the closet (can’t but two peoples feet in one pair of slippers), when painting the bathroom the painters never removed the speaker cover or vent so paint was plugging nearly all holes and the vent grill had paint over an eighth of an inch thick, painting about the room was in the same condition as well as the hotel hallways very thick. Chips, dings and other damages were just covered with paint without blending the damage and some receptacles were not removed for painting just painted over, called down for another pair of slippers and they did show up later. The curtain on one window had come loose from the traverse rod and remained in that condition for the balance of our stay. The body cream in the bath was not replaced and had been used by the previous occupant. Proof of this was the bottle was half empty and cap pressed back on. A final observation was the room did not appear to have been vacuumed or dusted during the time of our stay. In fact there was not a vacuum cleaner seen on the floor when the maids were cleaning our rooms.
Every day, we had two new pair of slippers in the room even though we had the ones being used in the closet. The room was very pretty and we had plenty of room and a good view from the windows.
I made some inquires not of the check in staff but the workers and found out the hotel is a Hilton family hotel but there is a management company running the property. I must say that it is very noticeable that Hilton is not involved in the day to day routine of things. Some Hampton Inns I have stayed in are better in some respects. Some of the staff at this property appears not to be happy with the management company and the way the go about accomplishing things and policies but in place.
We had several drinks at the lobby bar while in residence which I found very expensive. For a Dewar’s and water and Tanqueray and tonic the price was $17.00 and $18.00 each which is double the nominal cost in the finest restaurant.
Now we usually stay at the Hilton on Avenue of the Americas and find this hotel very adequate for our stays and we always use the executive floor rooms and the lounge is much better than the Waldorf.
The bottom line is, would I stay at the Waldorf again whether in the main hotel or the Towers, I must say NO. The property is nice, pretty room settings and staff good but the property just does not stand up to its original level years ago and the appearance and conditions of certain items just doesn’t measure up.
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