Horrible experience and customer service.
I stay at this hotel frequently for business, and more often than not, the experience is fine. I was there in December, however, and I've never been treated so poorly. I checked in late on a weeknight, only to be sent to a room where a guest was already staying. When I came back down, I was told there were no more rooms, so I'd have to stay in the presidential suite. The next morning, I received a call from the front desk ordering me to pack my bags so I could move to a smaller room, as they needed the suite for other guests. This would have been annoying at best, but manageable, except that I was on my way out the door for business meetings all day. I was told that concierge would move my bags to my new room for me. When I came back to the hotel, this had not been done, and it was a scramble to find my bags and a new room for me. When I finally checked out, the hotel tried to charge me extra for the presidental suite. The only sincere apology I received through this entire process, was from a kind bellman. Unacceptable. The Helmsley has permanently lost my business.