My friend and I have just stayed in New York for 4 days at the end of a 10 day stint in Boston.
I only half heartedly read Trip Advisor comments usually because you never know who writes them and, having met lots of pretentious people on my travels, you quickly realise that some folks want champagne service for lemonade prices!
Anyway, we booked up because it looked like a good deal, and it was. The rooms were sensibly priced (given the location and standard of accomodation). Then Hurricane Sandy hit.
Yes we lost the power to our room, and yes, the water supply went too. The service lift was kept working via a generator (as mentioned by the previous chump!) and the staff did as best they could.
Yes there was no hot food available, and yes the bar wasn't open. The city was in a state of emergency for God's sake - what do people expect! The loss of power was not the hotels fault as the power company switched off the transformers up to 39th Street to prevent further damage, which is unfortunately where the St Giles was.
The staff were amazing and our heart goes out to them because some of them were unable to get home themselves - they stayed working at the hotel for 3 days straight. Spare a thought for them eh!
Although all the members of the St Giles team were great, I have to say a particular thanks to Danny. He helped my friend with our luggage to the hire car place.
Nothing special I hear you say? On the contrary .... he bought it down three blocks through the worst traffic I've seen outside China and Bangkok!! We can;t thank you enough for that mate. You are a legend. Simple as that.
The fact is that a lot of New York (a couple of days later) was operating as normal, but like many people, the St Giles was a victim of the storm. It was a natural disaster and a state of emergency was declared. If people fail to appreciate this and have the gall to moan that the lifts were out, they really need to get their heads from up their own arses I think - the hotel is great and we'll definitely go back.
I'll leave you with an old persian proverb - think about it eh!
"I once wept as I had no shoes .... until I saw a man without feet".
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