Renaissance New York Harlem Hotel

The restaurant staff were the best part of my stay, always polite. I chose the hotel because it’s a convenient base for seeing family in nyc, and I love Harlem, so I’d hoped this might become my regular place. Instead, the room’s cleanliness was concerning: there was a hole in the sheets, a hair in the shower, and another folded into a towel. The water pressure was inconsistent, too. I asked for a deep clean while I was out, but came back to a remade bed and little else. When I raised the issue, management said they’d make it right, then seemed to dismiss my concerns. Staff and the supervisor weren’t communicating, so my messages didn’t get through. I had to keep explaining the story, and it almost felt as if they didn’t believe me. At checkout, the supervisor said she’d review “my case” and call with a voicemail, but I never got any follow-up.

The one thing we liked was the shower pressure. The rest was a mess, and the pricing felt dishonest for what the hotel offers. There’s no fridge for leftovers, and the room layout was annoying: handles on the curtains stuck out where we kept bumping into them. The concrete floor had black paint or gel marks, which they called “part of the interior design.” They sent someone, but it still wasn’t fully cleaned. Our first blanket was dirty, and the replacement had a crusty-feeling patch. After room cleaning, some towels and the toilet paper hadn’t been replenished. My wife was told they needed to charge a credit card for the first night, then refund the fee. Instead, we were given $25 vouchers for each night, and only realized days later that they were meant to cover the charge. We plan to dispute it and won’t return. This place was gross and overpriced.

I was excited to stay here, and the welcoming staff, comfortable room for two, and design throughout the hotel made a great impression. The Victoria restaurant was delicious, and the 18% gratuity on each bill felt deserved. The location was fantastic, and I’d come back. A couple of things bothered me: the shower floods, the bathroom only has a sliding door, and the walls are so thin you can nearly hear every word from a loud neighbor. Still, I enjoyed my stay.

I thought the hotel itself was amazing, but the beds were a problem. They sit extremely low, which is hard for an elderly person or someone with a disability or leg issues. For a hotel of this luxury level, I was surprised by the poor mattress and lack of a box spring. Fixing the bed setup would make the stay better.