Hotel Plaza Athenee

Housekeeping came into our room twice while my lady and I were there naked. The first time was just an hour after check-in, and the next was at 8:45am while I was asleep. We didn’t have the “service my room” card on the door, but they still came in after waiting only 15 seconds following a knock. The service was poor in other ways too. Room service brought an overdone steak, and the doorman opened the door for me only about half the time. Our grand deluxe room didn’t look at all like the website photo. There were no complimentary water bottles or coffee, housekeeping left one bath towel for two people, and they took the toilet paper off the holder without replacing the other roll. When I brought it to a “manager,” he had no answers and kept blaming me, saying this is how it is in New York. I’ve been disappointed again and again, and had hoped to leave a good review. They don’t take responsibility for mistakes, and the treatment was worse than I’ve had at a Hilton.

I met someone staying here after work, and we had a drink at the tiny bar. It was nearly empty, so it could suit you if you want to drink somewhere private. Still, for the prices, I expected a more interesting place. There are plenty of nice upscale bars nearby.

This feels like old-school Manhattan, with a sophisticated, elegant atmosphere and wonderful staff. It’s also a great location, just two blocks from Central Park and, for example, two blocks from Daniel restaurant. The ground-floor cafe and restaurant were great, though I think I paid $16 for a cup of tea. The experience reminded me of the Carlyle, but at half the cost. Don’t expect anything complimentary, like water or coffee in the room. Overall, I had a great stay.

A random $16 charge appeared, and they still haven’t called us back about it. We also had to wait until 4:30pm to check in. The room was lousy, and when the hotel offered to clear the minibar so we could store our child’s food and drinks, they just took everything out and left it on the counter. There are much better options at this price. I guess this is what happens when you stay in a trophy asset of a two-bit dictator.