Well this hotel has charm; there is no denying that fact! The main lobby, bars, restaurants and shops drip with old world/hollywood glamour. The price was right - about $300 a night. Here are my overarching thoughts:
1. Even though I wrote the management twice before arriving, they did not accomodate my request for any type of an upgrade. (and I have alot of starwood points)I asked because my mom was with me and it was her first trip to NY. She is 77 and has always wanted to stay at the W.A. When I asked the man who checked me in, he was not impressed with my numerous attempts to contact the manager, he gave me a room next to the elevator. I did not want to upset my mom, so we did not trapse down to the lobby and ask for another room. Wish we had - mebbe I could have wowed my mom.
2) Our room was on the 12th floor and had no view. The room was very dark with no sunlight at all coming in. Otherwise, it was a nice-enuf, old, well kept room. Reminded me of a hotel we stayed at in Copenhagen (Palace). Old world charm.
3) The drinks at the bar are mad expensive. Room service is for Trump-like money-makers only.
4) The theater ticket Ladies in the lobby are SNOOOOOTY!. I am not a wealthy person, but also make three to four times what they do! Maybe it was my mom and me standing there, looking sort of nice and mid-western, but they were oddly rude to us. They were clacking back and forth to each other and could not be bothered when I said I would not pay more than $200 per ticket.
5) I asked the concierge where to take my mom for lunch; I said she loves old world charm and old nieghborhood flavor with a hint of glamour. We had already lunched at the boathouse and numersous other locations. She sent us to a restaurant that was in the MEATPACKING district. We got out of the cab and gagged from the stench. We ran to the nearest diner - and stayed! BTW the diner in that area has horrible service.
6) We ended up checking out and checking into the Shearton Chelsea. That hotel is cute!
7) Stay one night only unless you have mad money. Don't go at all if you dont LOVE old hotels. Cus this one's a bit of a stinker.
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