DoubleTree by Hilton New York Midtown Fifth Ave

The location is especially good around Christmas, with so many sights and sounds close by. I travel for work often and almost always stay at Hilton properties. This time I used points and told the staff I planned to propose to my now-fiancée. They went well beyond what I expected. The day after, they gave us two bottles of champagne and two nice stainless steel water bottles, and had made two towel swans for the bed. Their thoughtfulness really impressed me. I’ll definitely stay again and highly recommend it.

The location is the hotel's best feature. It's just a few steps from Rockefeller Center, you can see Radio City Hall, and it's between Fifth and Sixth Avenue, so we walked everywhere. The hotel itself felt older than I like, and the room setup wasn't very practical. I expected the Hilton I know, but this felt like a lesser branch. Small things like no slippers or cotton swabs added to that feeling. The elevator was unbelievably slow, and the room cleaning wasn't perfect. The staff, though, were all attentive, available, and helpful, which I really appreciated.

We left after one night and moved to a Marriott. Around 5 pm the elevators stopped working, and nobody on staff told the lobby full of guests. They stayed behind the desk while a line stretched out the door. We had to climb to the 15th floor and arrived late for dinner. There are only two elevators, and they announce every floor they pass. Staff also use them all day for carts, vacuums, and supplies, so guests end up waiting while employees go from floor to floor. The lobby is tiny and gets packed, especially around 3 pm check-in. Getting through three sets of doors with more than one bag is a hassle, and inside it felt like pushing through a crowded subway car. Our room had plenty of problems too: the blinds slipped off their tracks and let in light, the barn-style bathroom door hung from a top track and swung open at the bottom with no privacy, and the mini fridge was unplugged. The door lock was jammed or partly broken, so it took four or five swipes and tries to get inside. Hilton customer service did nothing when we called. They only told us to call again after checking out and didn’t ask how they could make it right. I’ve been a Hilton fan for a long time, but this hotel really dropped the ball. Save your money and stay elsewhere.

We stayed in mid-September and would come back. The location is great, right by Rockefeller Center, and staff were friendly and helpful. Our Queen Deluxe room was a good size for two, and the restaurant served very good breakfast and dinner. There’s also a store next door with a Walgreens for drinks and snacks. The lobby is tiny, gets crowded, and has nowhere to sit, so it won’t work if you like to spend time there or get work done. The two elevators are slow for a hotel with more than 20 floors and a restaurant. Usually we waited a couple of minutes, but once it was over 10 minutes. The sliding bathroom door didn’t close fully, letting in too much light at night, and the shower door also didn’t shut all the way, as if it had been installed incorrectly.