DoubleTree by Hilton New York Downtown

For the NYC marathon, the hotel was a perfect fit. The ferry was an easy three-minute walk away, which made a big difference in keeping race day jitters down. The room was small, as you'd expect in NYC, but comfortable and did the job. The bed was so comfortable. The elevators were a pain at checkout, though we didn't have a real wait at other times. We took the advice to go up before going down, and it still took around 25 minutes to get fully out. We'd allowed time for that based on other reviews. The bell desk was a bit chaotic. We ended up going into the luggage ourselves to find our bags, but were glad the service was available at all.

The only real plus was the view from the room, which I attached below. Otherwise, the place felt congested, the room barely fit the bed, and I was always waiting for an elevator. Some staff were rude, and there was no microwave or refrigerator in the room. For the price and name, it wasn't good. I've stayed in much better two- and three-star places.

The Crabtree and Evelyn toiletries were the best part of the room. We expected the Doubletree brand to be as good as the one in London, but were disappointed by how small and basic this place felt. If the room had been bigger, I'd have been happier. Still, it worked as a good base for exploring. The Downtown Manhattan location was great, close to the Staten Island ferry, 9/11 memorial, and subway. The room was awkwardly shaped on a diagonal, leaving little space for luggage or getting ready. We paid extra for a city view, but from the top floor mostly saw two big buildings and a bit of river. Being up there also meant very slow lifts and a long wait. Reception staff were friendly, but my request for another luggage stand was missed three times during our four-night stay. I finally asked housekeeping the day before we left and got one within an hour, though by then it was a bit late. The bed was quite hard and not very comfortable.

The floor in our room was sticky, the toilet was dirty with dead bugs and debris in it, and there were bugs in the bathroom throughout our stay. What a waste of money. Hilton should be ashamed to have its name and reputation tied to this place. When I booked, I was told I could get an early check-in by calling on the day. I did, and was told it was very doable for a $50 charge. But when we arrived, it wasn't available. This is absolutely the worst hotel I've stayed in.