Over Labor Day Weekend I was in New York for the US Open, courtesy of the Starwood American Express thanks to the ”AmEx Stars” program I’m participating in. I decided to fly out a day early, however, as I was planning on seeing family in New York. So I’ll be reviewing my experience at the…
Continue reading: Review: W New York Times Square
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
@ Brian -- Grr, nice catch! Fixed, though hardly sure which was more accurate...
Genuine question - why do you keep staying at W hotels if you feel "they are all style, and no substance?".
@ Amnesiac -- I don't, I've vowed to stop staying at Ws. This was for a stay two weeks ago, my stay at the W Union Square was booked as part of the AmEx Stars program (though I actually quite liked that hotel). After the W Santiago I wanted to give W hotels one more try, and the W Times Square was the stay that made me decide to avoid them in the future once and for all.
were there Fantastic Suites available for upgrade? those are usually the standard suite upgrades for Platinum guests. If there was, I would've pressed the issue (but I'm a Platinum guest...Youtube video lol)
@lucky I was in a similar situation with being recently checked into a SPG property. I was tired and it was late- FDA didn't want to give me a junior suite upgrade- showed 2 as available before I walked up to check-in. Didn't press the issue (just like in your case). As a Platinum guest, I was put in the old non-renovated tower right by the ice machine and elevators with a view of the back parking lot. Again, it was an airport hotel and I didn't press the issue- but I should've. Did you have any regrets not pressing the issue about the Fantastic Suites being available that same day?
@ Jamison -- Hah, I can certainly relate! At the end of the day the room was perfectly sufficient (it doesn't sound as bad as room you had in above example) and it was more based on principle. That being said, at a certain point you realize some brands just aren't worth it, and Ws are one of them. I'll just take my business elsewhere and move on, I think.
I wasn't that impressed either when I stayed at this hotel a couple years ago. I've stayed elsewhere in Manhatten since then. But darn, why did you have to give this hotel (and the W brand) such a bad review. Now I can no longer call you "a paid shill for SPG". 😉 I kind of enjoyed busting your balls after your last great review that was paid for by SPG Amex (what was it Sheraton Tribeca or something?). 🙂
@ gregorygrady -- Hah, see, I said my stays wouldn't change radically.
That being said, SPG did pay for my stays at the Westin Times Square and W Union Square, and as luck would have it I did enjoy those hotels more.
I thought the Westin was much more reasonably priced and I found the service to be better, though I still wouldn't stay in Times Square anyway.
And I quite liked the W Union Square, given the fact that it didn't really feel like a W.
But that's for another post!
The W Union Square is quite nice. But such a hard job, lucky, to have to stay *in* Times Square!
Lucky I have had issues with Plat upgrades too. Suites show up on the website but the inventory never matches. You should have seen the initial design of the showers when the hotel first opened. They didn't have that lip at the entrance to the shower and you can imagine where the water ended up!
Lucky: Based on my experiences at places you have reviewed, I think your reviews are quite fair. As such, I have been wondering if hotels/airlines reach out to you after you summarise your experiences with quotes like, "Anyway, I’m happy to have tried the hotel, as it’s now on my list of hotels to avoid. The service was indifferent at best, the hotel goes the cheapest possible route with Platinum benefits, and the hotel is designed with style over substance in mind (as is the case with most W hotels)." If they do reach out to you, do they seek more details or simply apologise and hope that you'll follow-up with a better experience and review?
@ SINjim -- Thanks! Of the hundreds of reviews I've written, I've been contacted by a travel provider maybe a handful of times at most. And in those cases it was just to get more info on the situation. But surprisingly enough follow up is rare.
Lucky,
Stupid question, but...is the shower faucet in a fixed position? If not, then just point it away from you. Of course, if it is fixed, then yeah, that is a very dumb design if there is only one faucet and you can't change the direction of it...
Cozy cool corner room! I wish you could have availed to a suite upgrade for the best hotel experience. I must say you still had a good accommodations and food looks so delicious especially the empanadas!
@Lucky, do any hotels have your loyalty account flagged? At this point, I am amazed SPG hasn’t flagged your SPG number with a note that instructs staff to go the extra mile for you. In this case going the extra mile would mean following the rules of their own program.
@ David -- I believe you can provide feedback directly to them, though I doubt it would change anything.
@ Dan -- To the best of my knowledge no programs do.
It looks W hotels are to be avoided.
For a tennis fan like me can hardly wait on your review of the US Open!
That desk in the room looks like it is fit for a high school student's bedroom or a college dorm.
@ wwk5d -- It was more or less fixed. It could move only very little, not enough to sneak in there without getting drenched.
"Why not instead place the shower controls on the opposite side of the shower head?"
Gecause that would require like 3x the length and complexity of plumbing, to run the pipes from one wall all the way around or above the shower to the opposite wall. Not to mention that it would result in a significantly greater quantity of cold/unheated water remaining in the significantly longer pipe between the controls and the shower head, thereby exacerbating the very problem that you're complaining about. Oh, and any temperature changes that you make with the controls would take 3x as long to be felt, since the water would have to travel that much longer distance from the controls to the shower head. In general, it is optimal to have the controls as close to the shower head as possible.
May have already mentioned, but this is the proposed site of the Freddies and possibly also Frequent Traveler U next year.
Will avoid it if possible.