The Gregorian New York City Hotel

My upgraded room was fantastic in both size and style. The hotel looks like it's been renovated recently, and it feels cared for. Reception staff went out of their way to meet my needs, full marks to them. The downside is the noise. You're right in the street's rattle and hum, with an ambulance or firetruck going by every 45 seconds. The old-fashioned windows could use refurbishment, which might solve it.

We spent seven nights here on our first Manhattan trip, and the location worked really well. It was central, near the Empire State Building, subway entrances, restaurants, bars, and coffee shops, but tucked off a side street so it wasn't too loud or busy. The hotel and room looked like the online photos and were well maintained. The design is pretty and thoughtfully done, and our room was clean, quiet, and a good size. Staff were consistently attentive, courteous, and helpful, greeting us and opening the door each time we came back.

After the hassle with check-in, the room was at least surprisingly spacious for NYC. It had two small double beds, a fridge, smart TV, wardrobe, toiletries, and a hairdryer. The beds were comfortable and the heating and AC worked well. But the room felt old, dirty, tired, and uninviting. Our window faced a wall, so there was little natural light. The staff were very friendly, no complaints there. I arrived separately from the other two guests on our booking, for a room meant for three. They said my name wasn't on the reservation, left me to store my luggage, and I walked around NYC for eight hours while waiting. I was cold and exhausted, asked again, and then they conveniently found my name and let me into the room. The deposit was around $570, which is a lot, especially since there didn't seem to be anything in the room you could damage to that value. We later found an extra $280 charge for city tax, water, and Wi-Fi on top of the already overpriced room. Since when does a hotel charge for water and Wi-Fi? Those costs should be part of the room rate, and none of this was mentioned at booking or check-in. I think that's so wrong. There are plenty of nice hotels in NYC, stay elsewhere.

Just off Broadway and one street back from the Empire State Building, this hotel is a brilliant base for seeing Manhattan and NYC. The room was a good size and really comfortable. All the staff were amazing, friendly, and helpful. I'd definitely recommend staying here.