Do NOT stay here at the weekend
I've stayed in the Gild Hall several times, and have to say I was deeply disappointed this time. The hotel is effectively shut at the weekend, so all they are selling you is a bedroom (at not inconsiderable cost). As always at the Gild Hall, the room was nice - comfortably and fashionably furnished is a sort of 'leather and dark wood generic American boutique hotel' sort of way; not imaginative - just that sort of US Luxe look that you see on makeover shows. It's cute that they provide an in-house magazine worth reading - but frankly I'd rather they actually OPENED the hotel properly at the weekend. They don't provide breakfast (unless you count a mount of cheap muffins and other sugar-based substances as 'breakfast'. It's 'continental only' at the weekend - served casually on a table in an un-lit corner of the bar / reception area). Frankly, it's depressing. You're made to feel like you are staying over in a boarding school after everyone else has left. To get a hot breakfast i had to go find a local diner - OK for what it was, but after spending to be in a luxurious hotel, don't expect to breakfast in a diner with the hobos. There's no room service either (the front desk provided takeaway menus, which was kind of them, but again not really a solution). The worst element is that (presumably in order to save electricity / the planet) they only light a tiny part of the reception area - leaving the (shut) ground floor / first floor bars and the restaurant in darkness - which adds to the feeling that you're not welcome. In it's favour, it's close to Fulton Street subway, and Century 21, the location has atmosphere and it's not that expensive. But Thompson Hotels big themselves up as the coolest thing since sliced bread. This place lacks the fundamental hospitality I expect of a hotel, anywhere in the world at any time of the week. It's NOT MY FAULT it's the weekend. If they don't want to run a hotel at the weekend they should just shut down Friday thru Sunday. Never again.