Hilton Garden Inn NYC Financial Center/Manhattan D

Staff were quick and friendly, including when helping with an early check-in and local suggestions. The rooms felt clean and comfortable, with good beds, a Keurig, and a microwave, though they are standard small NYC rooms. It’s a peaceful spot away from the Times Square bustle, but still central. Battery Park, the ferries, Wall Street, and subway rides to Midtown are all close by. Good value for downtown Manhattan, and I’d stay again.

For a week in New York, the location worked really well for subway trips and evenings out, even with kids. We also used the on-site washer and dryer twice, and the cleaning team was very accommodating. The front desk answered all our questions and helped whenever we needed something. The room was clean, though very small, which is what you expect here. One real concern was poor ventilation and mold growth. Even with that issue, we’d recommend staying here again.

Getting around was easy from here, with Times Square, Chinatown, Little Italy, and the Statue of Liberty all accessible. The daytime front desk receptionist was great and even helped me figure out the subway. There’s a bar right behind the hotel, though, and we kept hearing what sounded like fights. My late-night interactions with Alecia were a different story. When I arrived to check in, she was in the back office, and another guest had to go get her. She rolled her eyes and sighed, as though I were bothering her. Later, when I came down for our pizza, she was again in the office and acted the same way. At 2 a.m. I checked out, after the daytime staff had kindly offered to order me a car to the airport. Around 2:15 I had to knock on Alecia’s office door; she told me to wait without seeming to know what I meant. Her attitude was rude and made me less inclined to return. I can see why she works nights, with less contact with guests.

The hotel seemed fairly new and decent for a short visit, so I expected to rate it four stars. Instead, several frustrating problems made me glad to leave. At checkout I asked for one night comped, and they agreed readily, but nobody apologized. The biggest delay came when the electronic door lock failed. Maintenance seemed puzzled and took nearly two hours to get the door open. It turned out the mechanism needed replacing, not just a new battery or keycard. I was given another room and eventually retrieved my belongings from the first one. Earlier, at check-in, staff said my reservation wasn’t in their system. I gave them the Expedia confirmation, and they sorted it out in about ten minutes, but offered neither explanation nor apology. There was also a loose bathroom faucet in room 2101 that wobbled as I turned it, with a very stiff handle. I wondered why housekeeping hadn’t reported it for repair. Hospitality and accommodation didn’t feel like strengths here.