Little things spoil the experience
An old art deco style hotel in a great midtown location - Madison Square Garden & Penn Station opposite, one block to Macys and Empire State a short walk. Many of the rooms are small. Generally a good standard considering their size. However, some now beginning to show need for another re-decoration, especially bathrooms. Coopers Tavern is smart, but expensive for the mid-town area. The Tick-Tock coffee shop is always busy and reasonably priced, with swift service. On previous visits I regularly ate there. However this year the side salad option with main meals does not come with the usual American choice of dressings (Thousand Island, Italian, etc.), but a "standard house vinaigarette". This was the most disgusting concoction served to me anywhere in the world. I know that the two ingrediants don't naturally mix well, but this example was a foul, thick, congealed mess that looked more like chocolate sauce than a salad dressing. When I commented to my waitress, she said that "everyone commented on how good it was". This was despite it being untouched on all the adjacent tables. A small thing, of course, but getting the little things right can make or break your experience. As a result, I ate most meals elsewhere on this trip. Following the 2006 -10 re-furbishment, the "official" hotel rating went up from 2.5 stars to 4 stars (with corresponding price increase). I thought this was an exageration at the time. Now I would not rate it more than 3.5 star. I will continue to use it regularly as the location suits me. However, they do need to work hard at keeping the standard up.