Hampton Inn Manhattan Grand Central

The beds were really hard and uncomfortable, and I had one frustrating breakfast moment. I arrived with five minutes left, tried to make a waffle, and the attendant said she'd already switched off both irons. When I asked her to turn one back on, she said it would take too long to heat up. There was still time in breakfast hours, and her tone wasn't welcoming. Otherwise, the hotel gave us what we needed. The front desk staff were helpful and hospitable, and we were close to the subways. I especially appreciated housekeeping. We rushed out on our first morning and left the room in a mess by accident. Although we usually put up the do not disturb sign, we'd forgotten it. Our things had been carefully set aside, the beds made, and the toiletries on the sink neatly arranged in cups. We later learned our housekeeper was Adriana. I hope she received the cash tip and note we left in an envelope at the front desk. On our last night, my daughter got a stomach bug and threw up. My husband cleaned as best he could, and I left another envelope, note, and tip for the next housekeeper to apologize. My son caught it too, though thankfully we were already home by then. The lobby is small, while the breakfast area is larger.

The location near Grand Central is hard to beat, and the front desk staff were excellent. The room itself was a letdown for a Diamond member. It was set to 85 degrees when we arrived, and there was a musty, moldy smell I couldn't place. I also dislike sliding bathroom doors because they don't give enough privacy, and this one was about an inch too narrow and stuck out at least an inch. There were only a couple of useful outlets, and I learned in the morning that my phone hadn't charged. Not fun trying to navigate an unfamiliar city with a dead phone. In the dining area, one woman was eating and standing where she blocked guests trying to get food. She needed to move out of the way. The room did the basic job, but it cost far too many points for such a poor stay. I won't return.

Those waffles were so good I'm still thinking about them. After our red-eye flight, we were exhausted, and being able to pay a little extra for a 6am early check-in was a relief. We had breakfast, then slept for hours in the king bed. The room was warm when we arrived, but easy to cool down. In such an expensive city, the comfortable room, convenient location, good breakfast, and service were a great combination. Everyone was friendly, caring, professional, and helpful. The little stockings hanging in the lobby for the staff added to the good atmosphere. It felt like a place that cares about its team.

We had a lovely two-night stay, thanks to the staff. Housekeeping were friendly and accommodating, and Donte and Asia at reception went out of their way to help with our mobility limitations. Everyone was professional, five-star caliber, and we really appreciate them. We'll be back. One note for other guests: cell reception was poor inside.