I've loved this hotel from two previous stays, always booked through Expedia as the hotel's website doesn't offer any discounts. I book a park view room as I adore (dahling) the Central Park view. I haven't minded the dated frumpy decor that reminds me of little old ladies - colors are rose, cream and violet - but am tired of having the wallpaper peeling off in every room I have booked.
However! This recent stay was the last straw. I booked a non-smoking room; they gave me a freshly smoked-in one. It gave me a headache within a minute and I had to spend another half-hour waiting in the lobby after a long cross-country flight while they pretended there were no other rooms but then magically found one. Why oh why would you not set aside the requested reserved pre-paid room in the first place?
The AC never worked well, the room was always hot and stuffy. Just like the city. It was more comfortable being outside.
The over-desk room mirror had handprints on it that were never cleaned off during our entire stay.
The internet access doesn't work! But they charged me anyways, until I complained that it never worked. Their in-room book says they charge 9.95 but they wanted $15 - and for more nights than I had stayed. That info book also says that the safe is an 'in-iron' safe. Clearly they meant 'in-room' but they never bothered to proof-read. Or to update.
I will say the fridge was a great help...even though it lived, oddly enough, in the bathroom. Is that even sanitary? And I enjoyed picking up little chocolates when I passed the front desk.
The Helmsley Park Lane has great potential but is faltering... stumbling...used to be great... but now has a broken hip....
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