Hotel Le Bleu

I was eager to leave. The staff were rude, and it took several requests to get body wash because they refused to bring soap and wash to our room. They wanted me to go down to the lobby and fetch it myself, then finally delivered it after I said I’d make an official complaint. The hotel is next to a Uhaul storage facility, where noise starts at 7am on the weekend, so sleeping in wasn’t possible. The AC sits right beside the bed and blows cold air at your face, with no way to adjust the airflow.

The room setup was uncomfortable, with the AC blowing straight at the bed and no way for me to adjust it. The bathroom was right beside the bed, so a couple has almost no privacy. When I asked the front desk to bring up shower gel, they told me to come downstairs and get it myself. The staff seemed uninterested, and a simple request became a hassle. Basic amenities and decent service should be expected at a hotel. The poor customer service lasted from the greeting onward. I left very disappointed, wouldn't recommend staying here, and won't be back.

I booked a king room with a downtown and balcony view, but the view also faces the U-HAUL parking lot, which most photos don't show. Room 702 reeked of cigarettes as soon as we entered, so we changed rooms. The elevator smelled of cigarettes and marijuana too. We were told it had just been cleaned, so I'm not sure why the smell hadn't been noticed. I was traveling with my two-year-old and hate smoke, so that was a deal breaker. Service was the main reason for this low rating. The front desk staff were constantly on their personal phones. I asked housekeeping to pick up trash, explaining that I didn't need the room cleaned. While I was busy with my daughter, the cleaner threw away my newly ordered restaurant lunch, about $50 worth of food. I only noticed after showering my toddler and myself, then found the bag in the hallway garbage. The front desk said nothing could be done until the manager came in Monday, though it was only Friday. The AC was awful, and all its buttons were broken. I wouldn't come back unless you want a janky stay with no accountability.

The rooms are roomy, comfortable, and clean, and the building feels solid. We've stayed twice, years apart, and the sturdy construction keeps sound from carrying between rooms, which helps with noisy neighbors. Still, the doors are thin, so hallway noise gets through. The price also isn't outrageous for Brooklyn, and the hotel is highly accessible. Some signs of age are hard to miss. The elevator buttons sort of light up, but not reliably, so it's sometimes unclear where the lift will go. The blinds let light in along one side, so light sleepers should bring a mask. And that tiny balcony is almost useless. The main drawback nearby is the U-Haul location, which is always noisy. Without that racket, the stay would be even better.