Hotels

We stayed in early October, a great time of year with our two young boys at the Excelsior. The reviews on this site are amazingly accurate. The decor was a bit dated, but the room was large. The... more

We stayed in early October, a great time of year with our two young boys at the Excelsior. The reviews on this site are amazingly accurate. The decor was a bit dated, but the room was large. The people were nice. They upgraded us to a suite, but it lacked a great view. To be honest, we were simply thankful for the upgrade. After we had been traveling with our 7 and 4 year old, the space was welcome. The convenience of the location is fantastic, subway, coffee shops and food are all very walkable. Close

The staff were helpful but not overly friendly. The room was a large enough, we were situated in a room without a good view, at least there was a nice big window! The room didn't have a mini bar or... more

The staff were helpful but not overly friendly. The room was a large enough, we were situated in a room without a good view, at least there was a nice big window! The room didn't have a mini bar or fridge which was a bit annoying as we wanted to keep our water cool in the heat. The location was great, central enough to get to anywhere in the city using the subway or walk to the lovely Central Park or The Natural History Museum. Whatever you do don't have breakfast at the hotel, it's a rip off and you can find a Starbucks and so many cafes just a few blocks away around Amsterdam Ave. Close

Pros: We lucked out with a room with great views - priceless in NYC, especially at the excellent rate we got for the room. But note that if you book through an on-line service such as Expedia - you... more

Pros: We lucked out with a room with great views - priceless in NYC, especially at the excellent rate we got for the room. But note that if you book through an on-line service such as Expedia - you will only get what they have available on the day you check in. It will meet your basic requirements, eg one or two guests, but you might get a queen or twins. Most of the staff were polite and helpful. The room was small but great for NYC; clean and comfortable if not a picture on the wall. Fantastic Upper West side location, stone's throw from Central Park, right on top of the Natural History Musem. Cons: Very hot and stuffy room smelling heavily of new paint - we couldn't face shutting the windows but no fresh air even with the fan at full blast. Probably could've changed but didn't want to risk losing the awesome view. No mini-bar. Breakfast at $12 a complete and total rip-off - only one donut left, bad cereal, dry bread and machine coffee - don't do it! There is a Starbucks very nearby and plenty of walkable breakfast spots. One VERY curt and unpleasant receptionist somewhat marred the overall impression especially at check-out. Still, the bottom line is that this is a great hotel and we would definitely return. Close

The front desk employees are desperately in need of training in gratiously greeting their guests and providing pleasant costumer service during their stay. The housekeeping staff and the valet were... more

The front desk employees are desperately in need of training in gratiously greeting their guests and providing pleasant costumer service during their stay. The housekeeping staff and the valet were the complete opposites.....helpful and most accommodating. The rooms were incredibly heavy with bedroom odor...ie...bed head!! I had to spray perfume on my pillow to block out the odor. YUCK!! I asked for new pillows at the front desk and was abruptly told I could find extras in the closet. Guess what...no pillows in the closet and no pillow replacements were provided after informing the front desk that there were no pillows in the closet. The bathtub was half full of water by the time I finished my shower. YUCK again!! And, the hairdryer is a joke! It died after a minute...I suggest you take your own! It was so hot in the room that it was ridiculous...and this is November! A couple in the elevator with us said they thought they were in a steam bath all night and no satifation with the front desk in remedying the situation. Heads up!! Look further for lodging! You won't regret it!! Close

We stayed 3 nights and enjoyed our stay. The hotel was beautiful and the staff friendly and helpful. Even though we liked our stay, I would recommend avioding room 304. The room was spacious and... more

We stayed 3 nights and enjoyed our stay. The hotel was beautiful and the staff friendly and helpful. Even though we liked our stay, I would recommend avioding room 304. The room was spacious and clean BUT had no view as it was blocked by awnings above and below the windows. It also had a window unit that would not be very helpful in the heat of the summer. The bathroom was clean and had all the amenities that you need however it was very hot and became unbearable after a shower. The location was perfect. It is across the street from the Museum of Natural History (3 minute walk), less than a 5 minute walk to Central Park. Starbucks is around the corner but we enjoyed World Coffee each morning. 10 minutes away you have tons of resturants on Amsterdam Ave. to choose from. Time Square is about a $10 cab ride and there is a Metro station at the end of the block. I loved the neighborhood feel and would stay again.. Close