The Ludlow Hotel

We had a very nice stay. The hotel is elegant, our room was a reasonable size, and the shower was roomy. The bar and restaurant have a lively, appealing feel and seem quite popular. Above all, thanks to Omar, one of the managers, who went out of his way to make our visit better.

I love the Ludlow Hotel. The rooms are spectacular, room service is wonderful, and the bar has a great cocktail list and a fun vibe. Dirty French does amazing food, especially the burger. I also love the LES, with its cool shops, galleries, places to eat, street art, and Katz. It has that gritty city buzz that reminds me a bit of Shoreditch or Hackney in London. But I’m furious about how a room change was handled. I was staying two days in a bath tub room and had another consecutive two days booked. The night before the change, I asked if the next room could be ready close to checkout. I was told it wouldn’t be available until 3 p.m. and that I should leave the hotel and come back then. They wouldn’t let me stay in my current room while waiting, even though I was already staying there. I had luggage and work to do during those crucial hours, and being stuck in the lobby wrecked my plans for the day. Worse, I watched other guests arrive and check in early while I waited. I’d been told getting my room ready was a priority, but it clearly wasn’t. Staff seemed unable to help. No one tried to ask housekeeping to clean it right away, or even within 20-30 minutes of the previous guest leaving. I just heard, “sorry, you’re gonna have to wait.” That inflexibility made me question whether I’d ever stay at the Ludlow again. It felt like pure incompetence.

Service was a strong point, from the doorman to the front desk. They were top notch. The room was nicely decorated, and the shower had the best water pressure I’ve had at a hotel in NYC. The location is handy for lots of bars and restaurants, with F, M, J, and Z subway stops a couple of blocks away. I found The Ludlow Hotel a bit overpriced. The soundproofing wasn’t good, and we woke up several times at night to loud or drunk guests returning to their rooms, as well as the guests above us being... intimate. The bar looked like a cool place to spend time, but it was always packed with what seemed mostly like non-guests, so we never got to hang out there. They do make a good Negroni, though. I probably wouldn’t stay again, but I can see it working well for certain people.

The neighborhood is the best amenity here. The hotel’s in a great spot, and the lobby and patio have a fun, lively atmosphere throughout the day. Dirty French serves classic French dishes with a touch of Moroccan spice. The rooms are lovely, though NYC sized, and service is excellent. It feels like a home away from home. The only hassle is that the two elevators can be slow.