Marriott East Side is in a pretty good location for a visiting tourist. Within walking distance (a very hearty walk, but a walk nonetheless) of Central Park and Times Square and about eight blocks from Grand Central Station. The staff was very friendly and attentive. The room we got was advertised as a "Cozy Room", which had me worried. But, for my wife and I, it was plenty of room for us - especially since we were treating our New York experience like a Vegas experience, spending as little time in the room as possible and most of our time out in the city. Not a ton of elbow room, but there was plenty of room to put out an ironing board - stuff like that.
New York is an expensive city. I get that. You have to know that going in. Unless you're from San Francisco, everything in New York is going to be about twice as much as you're used to in certain areas. However, my jaw dropped when I found out that daily WiFi service is $16.95. That's the biggest stick-up crime in the hotel business and frequent travellers know it. I've personally decided to draw the line and not give in. Not if I'm travelling on business and my company is footing the bill, and certainly not if I'm on vacation and can afford it anyway. The more people roll their eyes, give in and pay, the more these hotels will continue to gouge WiFi charges. Heck - you can get WiFi service on a flying airplane for $10. But $17?? Theft.
I report the following in hopes that Marriott management reads this. Across 48th street from the Marriott is a Raddisson Hotel, and in their lobby is free WiFi, a Starbucks, and a lobby bar that does not include gratuity into all checks (525 Lex, the lobby bar of the Marriott, does). So, each morning, and each afternoon as we came back from sightseeing and were getting reorganized and cleaned up before going out for dinner, we visited the Raddisson - paying them $17 and then some - on coffee and breakfast, or afternoon cocktails, in order to use free WiFi. Again, after a while it comes down to principle when you, the "guest", keep getting racked with ridiculous fees that other competitors will gladly provide at no cost; or have the common sense to hide those costs somewhere else.
The Marriott East Side will likely not flinch if 100 other people follow my lead and put their foot down on WiFi price gouging, but I feel gratified supporting other hotels in other ways who have good customer service sense.
That little beef aside, this was a nice hotel in a good part of town and good for a visit.
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