Hotel Millennium Hilton New York One UN Plaza

The staff were lovely, and the beds were wonderfully comfortable. Our room was spacious and had a lovely city view, though it was a Queen room rather than the upgrade we'd been promised. It was well placed for getting around: about a 20-minute walk to Times Square and 10 minutes to Grand Central Station.

We had a really enjoyable four days here. The room was spacious, spotless, and well equipped, and everyone on staff we dealt with was friendly and helpful. The location is great, though the WiFi dropped out now and then. We didn't eat at the hotel or use the bar. The $35 daily destination fee is clearly stated when booking and was explained at check-in. It's per room, doesn't roll over, and applies on arrival or departure days too. You can use it in the restaurants, bars, or lobby grab-and-go shop. We picked up pastries, soft drinks, and granola bars to use the credit. New Yorkers can seem brisk, but I wouldn't take that as rudeness.

The front desk staff were the worst part of our stay, especially Amy, who was the rudest hospitality worker I've ever dealt with. Staff came across as incompetent and rude. There was also a $35 daily charge that felt hidden, with sneaky ways of squeezing more money out of guests, so we ended up paying more than we'd expected when booking. The hotel itself is old, dated, expensive, and dirty. The room looked like it hadn't been properly cleaned in years. A close look at the windowsill showed just how grim it was. Our New York trip was wonderful, but staying here was its one low point. Don't stay here.

I've never stayed at a worse Hilton, or a worse New York hotel for the price and service. At 7 a.m., while we were asleep, an automated recording called to advertise hotel facilities. We also asked twice for bottled water, which wasn't supplied in the room, and it still hadn't arrived two hours later. Getting into the room took me an hour and a half. The reservation was in my wife's name, and she was in a meeting at UN Headquarters. I showed them my printed Booking.com confirmation, with my name listed as both a guest and the person who booked it, but they wouldn't accept it. Only after I complained to the manager in desperation did they let me in. They said a printed Booking.com document could be fake. The room had a good view, but was small, with a closet only 60 cm wide and no shelves or drawers. UN Cafe's service hours were limited, not 24 hours like most hotels in this category, and ordering was only available through its website. They sent two teas instead of a coffee and a tea. When I called, the restaurant employee insisted I was wrong and hung up rudely. I had to call reception to complain before they sent the coffee. The food was inedible and arrived in a paper takeout bag with plastic cutlery and cups and cardboard plates, not like room service. For these rates, the food quality was appalling.