The Ridge Hotel

Jasmin at reception was amazing, and the rooftop view is hard to beat. I liked the location, too. The bed was comfy, the bathroom was nice, and there was coffee and water in the lobby. The coffee place next door is great. They don't have amenities like a gym, breakfast, or pool, but I never use those anyway.

The room was tiny, though that’s pretty normal for NYC, and there weren’t many towels for three adults. Check-in was a hassle: you’re meant to do it virtually, but my first attempt disappeared into the system, and there isn’t always anyone at the desk to help. Be sure you have your access code after they get your completed form before you arrive. The room was a little dusty, and I couldn’t tell if the AC worked, but neither caused a serious problem during our stay. I was glad there was a microwave and fridge. All in all, just OK.

We called at 5:00 PM to confirm our check-in and make sure everything was ready. After that, we called about every 40 minutes until 1:20 AM. Each time, we were told someone would come shortly to help us check in. We arrived late on a winter night with a fully paid reservation, then waited outside for more than four hours. Nobody came. After many calls, the staff stopped answering my number, though they still picked up when we called from other numbers. Leaving guests outside at night without checking them in, explaining what was happening, or offering a real solution was dangerous and completely irresponsible. The service was unacceptable. If you care about your safety, time, and peace of mind, choose another hotel.

I was asked to send pictures of my credit card and driver's license through a Google Form before my stay, which made me seriously uneasy about how the information would be handled. When the form gave me technical trouble, I got automated replies telling me to submit it again. I also tried calling the front desk several times, but the calls went straight to voicemail and nobody called back. Between those data security concerns and the lack of a response from customer service, this fell short of basic hospitality. I wouldn't recommend this hotel, and I'd tell potential guests to look at other options.