Dream Downtown, by Hyatt

Sarah, Latrell, and Seth made checkout easy, checked that the bill was right, and even helped me find a ride to the airport. Earlier, Kimberly explained my Amex benefits and the hotel amenities clearly at check-in, and manager Sierra quickly sorted out a small issue with a friendly, professional manner. I had an amazing Memorial Day weekend at Dream Downtown. 10 out of 10.

Jay was a big help arranging a taxi to JFK and telling us about discounts for Dream guests. The location is excellent, and our room was lovely, with a comfortable bed and a rain shower that had plenty of hot water. At check-in, the desk staff mentioned the club noise and offered us a room below the 9th floor we’d been assigned. We chose the 9th for the view, and they were right about it. My wife said earplugs blocked the club noise and my snoring; I didn’t need them, since the noise seemed fairly muted to me.

The location is perfect, and the hotel has good bones, contemporary design, and unusual facilities for NYC. Still, during my weeklong business stay, I missed some basics: potable water and replacement amenities. Parts of my room also needed repairs, so maintenance didn’t seem very efficient. Breakfast needs a rethink too. I didn’t feel there was a proper breakfast available and ended up going out every day just to get a basic coffee. I’d go back, but at check-in I’d need to ask the staff for several things to receive special attention.

The location is great. That’s the main positive I can give this hotel. We booked through Amex Collection and were very disappointed. The hotel feels worn: paint needs attention, and the leather bar furniture is so badly torn that my wife wouldn’t sit on it. Our room was small, which is expected in New York City, but the bed was awful, like an old blanket rolled out, and set very low to the floor. Service was lackluster. One gentleman we encountered one afternoon was pleasant, but the fuller figured woman at the counter in the mornings was consistently unpleasant and never smiled. The bar staff were much the same. The bartender and attendant stayed behind the bar, and nobody came around to ask if we wanted a drink or if everything was okay. The restaurant off the lobby was friendly, but it didn’t open until 7 on weekdays or 8 on weekends, late for a city where guests arrive from all over the world. The $75 nightly amenity fee didn’t seem to get us anything. We don’t mind paying a fee when there’s something for it, but there wasn’t even coffee in the room or lobby. The pool was closed for winter, and the patio around it was in disarray. We were given an “upgraded” room overlooking it, but would rather not have had that view. We’re in Manhattan at least monthly to see our son and don’t expect to spend much time in a New York hotel room. We usually stay with Amex FHR and thought we’d try the Hotel Collection. This fell far short, and you’d benefit from choosing somewhere else.