Thompson Central Park New York Launches "Upper Stories" Concept

Sounds a lot like the Hotel Beaux Arts within the JW Marriott Marquis in Miami. In that case it is treated as a separate hotel and not upgradeable from the main hotel.

“Direct line to Nordstrom flagship ambassador” is the best they can do for shopping in Manhattan?

Sounds like Nomad hotel inside the Park MGM in Vegas.

I stayed here in November 2021 around Thanksgiving time. It had an incredible location, amazing staff who were very friendly and eager to help (they seemed like they wanted to be there), the rooms were beautiful and practically designed (though smaller than average hotel rooms, which is expected in Manhattan, but they didn't seem cramped, I don't know if their a bit more spacious or if it was their design). They also had an awesome hole in the wall burger joint downstairs, and the Macy's day parade was less than a block away (you could hear it from the hotel room).

I also recently stayed at the Park Hyatt Toronto, which just recently opened after a renovation, and the design seemed quite similar in feel to the Thompson Central Park.

"If I had to guess..." Here's an idea: Rather than guessing, why not reach out to both hotel the hotel's management and WOH. And, god forbid, you could actually make a phone call.

@ Dom -- I'm always open to constructive feedback, but please be polite. There's no need for your tone. I think I addressed your point in the sentence immediately above the one you quoted:
"I’m working on getting an answer to that, and will report back when I have one."

I have official inquiries out about this, but as you'd expect, answers typically aren't instant. Why don't I phone up the hotel? Because I highly doubt front desk agents have been trained on this weeks before the new rooms even open. Beyond that, we all know that frontline employees have notoriously bad information. I don't want to go off what they tell me, then have people book based on that information, and then have that not be true.

That's why I'm waiting for an actually "official" response.

Fair?

@ JB -- Happy to hear you had a great stay! I'll have to check this place out, I guess. I still have bad memories from the games they played in the Starwood days.

Similar concept to the Qianhai JW Marriott's Glory Tower that opened last month, however, the glory tower is 1km away from the main jw site. Apparently the owner have difficulty selling them as apartments and converted them into a hotel with a hotel.

Don't understand NA hotel alot, when was having Dyson hairdryer such a good point to advertise? The nanning Renaissance charging less than 100USD have Dyson hairdryer down to the most basic room, with lounge that closes due to too many guests and instead offer a buffet to all. The room quality look better in Nanning renassiance than this hotel's new wing anyways. NA hotels seems like miles away from Asian hotels.

Is the Burger Joint still open?

I have stayed here 3 times since it reopened. During my first 2 visits there was still a lot of construction happening and only on my last visit was the main restaurant finally open. I'm a globalist and received a suite upgrade on each visit. The staff has been lovely, breakfast is very nice as is room service. The Andaz on 5th was my preferred Hyatt property in NYC but I've been repeating the Thompson because it has a superior gym (and 5 Peloton's although 3 were not signed in on my last visit). I hope you can clarify that comment Ben because I've used the gym on each visit and if it will eventually be only for the upper stories I'm not sure I would ever stay here again. Considering the plethora of suites and odds of an upgrade I'm not sure it would be worth it to me to book the upper stories. The only downside of the renovation is that the doors and hallways still feel like one of the old versions of the hotel although I'm not sure they could do too much with them.

Yes, and it's unchanged.

Most people would probably choose New York as a destination rather than Nanning, however.

There are a lot of lower end lounges in various hotels in New York. I think the honor bar idea makes the hotel look bad/cheap. What's the point in having a lounge when you have to pay for the drinks. Then it's just another hotel bar.

Dom, it's been a while since you posted - care to respond to Ben's immediate, thoughtful response? Or no, you're gone?

I accept the fact that this is all personal taste, and that maybe my own taste is not the best, but...
is it just me or is the decor in a lot of the places recently reviewed/reported really meh?
Is it a style that I am not getting? It's not ugly or anything, just very generic and lacking in flair.,

I stayed here a few months ago and the room service Globalist breakfast benefit was one of the least inspiring I've ever had as a Globalist. Avocado toast was two halves of an avocado on a soggy piece of bad bread. First world problems I know but I found the regular room to be excellent (apart from not having a coffee machine). It's the food that needs a major upgrade not the rooms.

Dyson hairdryer for $200/night - sign me up! :roll eyes:

Unless the lounge is absolutely superb AND moves to include alcoholic drinks, this seems like a tough sell.

This is what I was reminded of too

You can use better examples - all UrCove by Hyatt, as cheap as $30 per night, use Dyson.

Sounds similar to the Gold Floor at Fairmonts. ALL Elites aren't upgraded into Gold rooms and can't use the Gold lounges. Really is a hotel within a hotel concept. Must work though because they seem to command a decent premium.

I don’t understand how you can earn points in what is essentially a club or executive floor but not access it with elite status. If you can’t use your status then you shouldn’t be able to earn points. They’re trying to have it both ways. They are either a Hyatt or they aren’t. I have a feeling more Hyatt properties will be going this way.

I seriously hate that “hotel within a hotel” stuff. This is the type of stuff Hilton does (ie. What they did with the Waldorf Towers”. So disappointing that a Hyatt property is pulling this BS.

Couldn’t agree more. Elite recognition was lame bordering on non-existent. Zero upgrade even though many categories were for sale at checkin. Terrible GLOB breakfast benefit. At their price point now often 800 usd+ just look for a corporate rate at the park hyatt across the street….

If only managements put as much effort into making and maintaining a good product as they do into how to weasel out of loyalty program obligations while taking the loyalty program upsides.

Managements tend to think that the priority is to not offend anybody.
In a location with only a few hotels I can see the logic.
In somewhere like NY where there are lots of competitors so any one hotel can only satisfy <5% of relevant demand, I would have thought they would do better to enthuse say 30% of the market even if that puts off the other 70%.

During the month of Apr 22, I stayed in this hotel . I was upgraded as a globalist with the amazing in room breakfast. There was construction going on in the front of the hotel. However, there was a odd smell coming in my room (dampness). I reported to the front desk. I dont know how they fixed it after I came back from my walk. The staff were friendly and helpful.

I don't know how this is permissible. There is NOTHING in the WOH terms that allow a property to deny an elite access to a club lounge.

I recently stayed at the Thompson CP prior in a studio suite which looks a lot like the Upper Stories room with slightly different finishes and color palette. We were upgraded to the 17th floor and informed that the only rooms with park views were not open yet (Upper Stories). I found it odd that we had an empty mini-fridge and barware but no coffee maker. This hotel also has a very small lobby with the only other indoor gathering space being the restaurant.

It would seem then that the main differentiator for the Upper Stories rooms are having a park view room (versus only city views), a Nespresso machine (versus not having one) and access to a lounge when you want socialize or grab a snack.

As a Globalist, I have no complaints about the service I received during my stay and I also agree that it is frustrating that this premium area being made inaccessible to Globalists.

I stayed a few months ago. Not impressed. I’ll never go back. It’s the worst Thompson I’ve ever experienced.

Just got an Upper Stories King room, it was small with no desk and no view but was available for check in at 10 am. Went to the lounge and got breakfast, it was limited but pretty fancy and the service is nearly over-attentive. Concierge said that Globalists staying in Upper Stories may still use the restaurant for breakfast, so they have 3 choices - restaurant, room service, or lounge, 6 am to 11 am. Lounge also serves evening buffet starting at 5 pm.

We needed a desk for work and didn’t want to use the lounge (though it’s common for residents to do work in the lounge like a coworking space, large table in the center, plenty of chargers everywhere and also separated booths). So we decided to go back to the original room I was assigned, which is a lower level Studio King. Still no view and no lounge access but the desk in the room is very convenient and we don’t really need the lounge access.

Anyways, just wanted to correct the post to say that Globalists in Upper Stories are still allowed to take breakfast in the restaurant! It’s one entree plus one hot beverage and one cold beverage per person. No actual dollar limit.