How can this be a Conrad hotel?
After a stay last year in the Conrad in Brussels (an excellent hotel), we were really looking forward to the Conrad in New York. What a tremendous disappointment it turned out to be. If this hotel would subscribe to the Hampton philosophy "If you're not 100% satisfied, we don't expect you to pay", we would have ended up paying nothing for the four nights we stayed here. If you like some excitement during your stay in NYC (like fire alarms in the middle of the night), this is the hotel for you!
Night 1: Arrival from Europe and we just wanted to go out for a quick drink. However, we found out that the in-room safety box was not functioning (and carrying an expensive professional camera we really needed it). Called service, who arrived promptly, only to find out that it was beyond repair (something that must have been known to the staff already). No problem they would move us into a new room the next day (the hotel was full that night). After moving to a new room the following day, we found out the save in this room had exactly the same problem!! Can you image moving guests without making sure that their new room doesn't have the same problem? 
Night 2: Still jet-legged our teenage daughter wanted to go to bed early, while we want to go out for a late dinner. However, the sofa bed in the new room hasn't been made yet. So we call the front desk to ask for it to be made at 10:25 PM. At 10:45 we call again, asking what's happening, only to be told that housekeeping is on their way (and hence a lie!). Twenty minutes later I go down to the reception that gives some weird explanation why nothing is happening but assures me that housekeeping will be there any minute. Finally, at 11:25, a full hour after our first call, housekeeping arrives with the sheets and pillows. By this time our daughter has fallen asleep in our bed, and we are also too tired for dinner. In stead, I took a Snickers bar from the minibar (for which they charged us 4 USD, of course: at least this was a cheap dinner!). I need to add that we received a fruit basket with an apology the following day. 
Night 3: FIRE ALARM at 02:00 AM. Quite distressing since it was not clear at all from the beginning what was going on. It turned out to be a false alarm. Of course, this could happen in any hotel (although it never happed to me, a frequent traveller, before), but…
Night 4: FIRE ALARM AGAIN at 02:00 AM, believe it or not, and once again false alarm. I find it too hard to express my contempt for this in words.
In addition, there were some minor irritations as well: the restaurant staff at breakfast was very inattentive (on three out of four mornings, I had to remind them of my order for orange juice!!), one day the minibar was locked with no obvious reason. 
It is clear from the reviews of this hotel that it is highly appreciated by some other travellers. That is: as long as nothing out of the ordinary occurs. As soon as the staff is confronted with a problem, they are obviously both incompetent and unwilling to be of assistance. 
The location of this hotel is wonderful close to the Hudson River and Battery Park.