Sofitel New York Hotel Review 2019

Classification : 4.5 Star
Room Category : Superior Room
Month of Stay :  May 2019
Resort Fee: $17.21
Trip Advisor Ranking 120 of 506 (as of 11/03/19)
Trivago Rating  9 out of 10 (as of 11/03/19)

What kind of history goes with this hotel? Construction on the hotel began in 1997, and it opened in the year 2000. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) was reportedly responsible for funding the project after a design by Brennan Beer Gorman was chosen in an architectural competition which included entries from architects such as Michael Graves & Associates. After construction the building was awarded the 2000 Emporis Skyscraper Award.

When you arrived, how was the lobby and customer service? The lobby is fantastic and always smells so lovely, but when I arrived, they had the very large Tony award statue on view. The hotel is one of the official Tony awards hotels and hosts events prior to the show. They also had on display wonderful vintage Louis Vuitton luggage which made me smile! 

How fantastic or not so fantastic was the room? Their customer service is always fantastic here, and since I was only staying one night, I booked a smaller size room. They upgraded me to a room on a higher floor which was a nice surprise. The staff really go out of their way to give you the best service which is why I keep coming back. All rooms are generous size for New York City. 

The cleanliness of the hotel and room itself ? The hotel and room are always very clean, I have never had one single issue in all my stays.

Were you able to have sweet dreams with the comfy bed? The beds are so wonderful and comfy, they actually sell their bed sheets on their website. Your bed at home can be just as fantastic as your experience in the hotel!

The All-Important bathroom subject? Their bathroom is one of the best in all the hotels I have stayed within NYC. They are all very large, no matter your room size, separate shower with tub and marble floors. I cannot help but like a nice size bathroom when staying at a hotel. 

What kind of shower treats awaited you? Coffee maker in the room? Lanvin bath products are quite elegant to enjoy. No coffee maker but my favorite coffee shop, Gregory's is across the street. 

Did room service blow your mind or was just okay? I have dined here with room service before and it was always very good. The above items were welcome treats that awaited me when I returned from my Broadway show. A very nice touch that is not found in all hotels. 

Everyone wants to know, is Wi-Fi included? Yes, it is included

Is Fido allowed come with you? Yes, they can stay for FREE


Location is key, how does this hotel measure? Love this location as you are away from the tourists but close enough to plays, and attractions to walk everywhere. 3 minutes from Bryant Park and the NY Public Library. 5 minutes from Times Square, Broadway shows, Grand Central, Radio City, Rockefeller Center. And my favorite coffee shop, Gregory's, is across the street.

What was the best part of staying here? The customer service is always outstanding and the size of the rooms is fantastic for New York City. The location is also amazing as you really can walk everywhere and not need to use transportation. For this stay I was attending the press event at the Met , and enjoyed a Broadway show (which was just awesome). I was able to get in the room early, for no extra charge, and freshen up before the play. The staff makes an extra effort to really give top notch customer service. The staff notices if you have stayed at the hotel before and makes a big effort to be sure you are happy with your stay.

Would you change anything? The rooms could probably use a bit of updating, and maybe a coffee maker in the room would be nice.


Is this hotel worth it and why? I feel it is because I have enjoyed every stay here, from my first being upgraded to a suite to this last stay. Customer service is a big part of a hotel, and it makes you want to keep coming back. The location is ideal, rooms are nice size for New York City and for me as a solo traveler I feel very comfortable. I would recommend this hotel to anyone.


Overall Rating: 10/10



Conclusion: This hotel will continue to be one of my "go-to" hotels in the city. It has consistently been a pleasure to stay here, and I am hoping that if they update the rooms a bit, it will be even better. The location, fantastic bathrooms, customer service, and overall appeal of the place makes it a perfect hotel for me in every way. I look forward to my next stay!


Hotel prices are at their lowest in the months of January and February; their highest September and October. Sunday nights are the lowest prices for hotel rooms, in most cases. My go to places for checking prices for hotels are Trivago, Trip Advisor, Hotels.com and Travelzoo. Always remember to check the hotel's website itself, they are really trying to have you book direct and sometimes offer specials or a discount with AAA that is cheaper than the websites I mentioned above. I am also finding that if you book on your mobile device, you can save some money as well. I actually got a better rate via my mobile phone than using my AAA discount online direct at the hotel. You should really do some research on your price for hotel a few different ways, and ALWAYS book a room that you can cancel, you never know what may happen in the future. You also want the ability to change hotels if you should find a better option closer to your date of arrival.


Resort fees are something I am seeing at more New York hotels, about 82 of the over 400 hotels in New York City now charge. These fees can run you between $30 to $60 per night for your stay. They list services such as newspapers, in room coffee or WiFi for these fees, and if you book with a hotel that has this fee, you are obligated to pay it. When checking your prices, be sure to look for the small print if there is an additional resort fee and make your decision whether you want that additional charge. Some of the hotels in New York City that charge the fee are: Park Central Hotel $40.16, WestHouse New York $53.93, Avalon Hotel $22.95, Royalton Park Avenue $40.00, The James New York Soho $45.90, The James New York NoMad $38.11, The Warwick $25.00, The Benjamin $38.11, The Quin $21.78, Crowne Plaza Times Square $34.43, Hotel 48Lex $60.00, The Redbury New York $32.66, The Knickerbocker $34.43, The Viceroy Central Park $29.00. These prices are as of 03/25/18.


Remember to take into account for your total cost the NYC Hotel tax of 14.75% plus Daily $2.00 per room occupancy fee.


Disclosure: This stay was paid for by me. I will always state at the end of each review whether my stay was paid for by myself or if I was hosted by the hotel. I will honestly tell you about my experience at this hotel, not being swayed in any way by complimentary services. I know you trust my opinion, & it is important to me to be as honest as possible.  All opinions are my own. Thank you so much.

To be assured not miss a post, sign up for each one to be emailed to you HERE. Be sure to check for your Feedburner confirmation email, or your subscription will not be processed. Your email is not sold or shared with anyone. Thank you so much for visiting! 

Afternoon Tea at Bluebird London October 2019

I had the pleasure of attending afternoon tea at Bluebird London located in the shops at Columbus Circle. It was my second time at the restaurant, one I had been wanting to get to for a while. 

From the Shops at Columbus Circle website:

Bluebird London is an oasis of glamour and style in the heart of Manhattan. Named after the hugely successful Bluebird Chelsea in London’s King’s Road and designed by the esteemed architects Cetra Ruddy, Bluebird London is a valuable addition to the New York social scene. Bluebird London boasts a vibrant bar, gallery, café and private dining room overlooking the ever-changing seasonal backdrop of Central Park.

The decor is just so lovely and unique 

We were thrilled to enjoy the Pink Tea in honor of breast cancer awareness month. 

I choose a blue tea which was so gorgeous in the cup and saucer and tasted pretty good too! 

It wasn't the best afternoon tea I have had, but very enjoyable and beautiful presentation 

The tea sandwiches with white bread could have been a bit more interesting 

The scones were very yummy along with my favorite, clotted cream. The strawberry jam had a whole strawberry inside! 

The desserts were lovely to look at and tasted pretty good too 

I just love the colorful decor, it just makes you smile 

The views of Columbus Circle, if you are lucky enough to get a window seat, are sublime. 

Risotto with mussels was quite tasty 

I had to try the sticky toffee pudding - it was okay, I don't think I would order it again but it was interesting. 

Those views 

The bathrooms were even so gorgeous they deserved a photo ! 

Isn't the decor just divine? 

The staff is very customer service friendly and I visited during the week therefore I was not rushed out. We sat for our tea for about 3 hours which was really nice and relaxing. I would highly recommend stopping here if you are in the area for a bite to enjoy. The food is tasty and the atmosphere is simply luxurious. 

Bluebird London NYC 

Dining Room

BREAKFAST:

Mon-Fri: 8:00am-11:30am

LUNCH:

Mon-Fri: 11:30am-2:30pm

BRUNCH:

Sat-Sun: 10:00am-3:00pm

AFTERNOON TEA:

Daily: 1:30-4:30pm

DINNER:

Tue-Sat: 5:00pm-10:00pm

Sun-Mon: 5:00pm-9:00pm

The Parlour

Mon-Fri: 8:00am-8:00pm

Sat-Sun: 10:00am-8:00pm

The Gallery 

Daily: 11:30am-10:00pm

To be assured not miss a post, sign up for each one to be emailed to you HERE. Be sure to check for your Feedburner confirmation email, or your subscription will not be processed. Your email is not sold or shared with anyone. Thank you so much for visiting! 

The Quin Central Park by Hilton Club Hotel Review 2018

Classification : Five Star
Room Category : Premier Room
Month of Stay :  December 2018
Resort Fee:         NONE

Trip Advisor Ranking 116 of 505 (as of 10/05/19)

Trivago Rating  8.8 out of 10 (as of 10/05/19)

What kind of history goes with this hotel? In a storied beaux arts building once frequented by famed artists and musicians, this posh hotel across the street from Carnegie Hall is less than 2 blocks from Central Park and the subway. Prior to its 2013 reopening, the Quin was originally the Buckingham Hotel, designed by American architect, Emery Roth, which opened in 1929. Some of the famous folks who stayed here were Georgia O'Keefe and Marc Chagall. June of 2018 it was announced the sale of the Quin to Hilton Hotels for $175 million US dollars.

When you arrived, how was the lobby and customer service? This was my second stay at this hotel and I was there to celebrate my birthday in December. The lobby is one of my favorites, so classy and lots of artwork to admire. The customer service was okay, I felt it could have been better since I was a return guest, but no real complaints. For the level of a 5 Star, I would expect more.

How fantastic or not so fantastic was the room? They did give me an upgrade of a room, a corner room which was a lovely size. Their rooms are usually very well sized, one of my favorites in the city.

The cleanliness of the hotel and room itself ? The room was very clean, no issues whatsoever.

Were you able to have sweet dreams with the comfy bed? The bed was extremely comfortable. Italian lines are so soft and make for very pleasant dreams.

The All-Important bathroom subject? One of my most favorite hotel bathrooms. Mostly marble everywhere, a gorgeous rain shower and plenty of room to do all the bathroom things! I love the marble seat in the shower, if you just want to take a relax while enjoying the rain shower. 

What kind of shower treats awaited you? Coffee maker in the room? Fresh toiletries are always a joy to use and a wonderful Nespresso machine was provided with beautiful cups and free water. 

Did room service blow your mind or was just okay? I did not order room service this time, but when I did before it was very good.

Everyone wants to know, is Wi-Fi included? FREE Wi-Fi for all

Is Fido allowed come with you? Sorry, no pets allowed

Location is key, how does this hotel measure? This location is really great. You are a block away from 5th Avenue, near Central Park, Columbus Circle, Carnegie Hall.

What was the best part of staying here? I would say the location and the luxury of the hotel. It is a very comfortable place to return to after exploring the city. The rooms are a great size for NYC and you can walk most places or take a quick cab. It is a great hotel to explore the Upper West Side as well as you are not far from that spectacular area of the city.

Would you change anything? I think they could be more generous with upgrading your room if you are a repeat visitor and welcome gifts would be a nice touch waiting for you in the room. I feel as well for a 5 star that the customer service overall could be very improved.

Is this hotel worth it and why? This will always be on of my favorite hotels and I hope that Hilton keeps up the luxury service that I have been used to. It will be a hotel I will stay at again and again when I wish to be in this area of the city provided Hilton does not lower the standards.

Overall Rating: 8

Conclusion: 

Hotel prices are at their lowest in the months of January and February; their highest September and October. Sunday nights are the lowest prices for hotel rooms, in most cases. My go to places for checking prices for hotels are Trivago, Trip Advisor, Hotels.com and Travelzoo. Always remember to check the hotel's website itself, they are really trying to have you book direct and sometimes offer specials or a discount with AAA that is cheaper than the websites I mentioned above. I am also finding that if you book on your mobile device, you can save some money as well. I actually got a better rate via my mobile phone than using my AAA discount online direct at the hotel. You should really do some research on your price for hotel a few different ways, and ALWAYS book a room that you can cancel, you never know what may happen in the future. You also want the ability to change hotels if you should find a better option closer to your date of arrival. 

Resort fees are something I am seeing at more New York hotels, about 82 of the over 400 hotels in New York City now charge. These fees can run you between $30 to $60 per night for your stay. They list services such as newspapers, in room coffee or WiFi for these fees, and if you book with a hotel that has this fee, you are obligated to pay it. When checking your prices, be sure to look for the small print if there is an additional resort fee and make your decision whether you want that additional charge. Some of the hotels in New York City that charge the fee are: Park Central Hotel $40.16, WestHouse New York $53.93, Avalon Hotel $22.95, Royalton Park Avenue $40.00, The James New York Soho $45.90, The James New York NoMad $38.11, The Warwick $25.00, The Benjamin $38.11, The Quin $21.78, Crowne Plaza Times Square $34.43, Hotel 48Lex $60.00, The Redbury New York $32.66, The Knickerbocker $34.43, The Viceroy Central Park $29.00. These prices are as of 03/25/18. 

Remember to take into account for your total cost the NYC Hotel tax of 14.75% plus Daily $2.00 per room occupancy fee.

Disclosure: This stay was paid for by me. I will always state at the end of each review whether my stay was paid for by myself or if I was hosted by the hotel. I will honestly tell you about my experience at this hotel, not being swayed in any way by complimentary services. I know you trust my opinion, & it is important to me to be as honest as possible.  All opinions are my own. Thank you so much.

To be assured not miss a post, sign up for each one to be emailed to you HERE. Be sure to check for your Feedburner confirmation email, or your subscription will not be processed. Your email is not sold or shared with anyone. Thank you so much for visiting!