Not Lovingly Preserved
It should be obvious to just about everyone viewing this site that this is not a world class stunner of a hotel. It's very old, like most buildings in New York, but one would expect such structures to be renovated, or at least properly maintained, and this place is not. I stayed here with my family in 2006, but it doesn't seem like much has changed since then. This was during one of NYC's most wickedly hot summers and even though we're from Miami, the extreme, concrete-contained humidity in the hundreds was like nothing we'd experienced. As we made our way through the mildew-scented, dingy-looking corridors (after entering through the immaculate lobby, of course), a sense of dread crept over us. This hotel was not going to be our shelter from the swelter. Our room was so hot and stuffy, we could barely make ourselves comfortable. Nor could even begin to assess the anciently drab decor. We just started calling our local relatives in panic and complaining to the staff. We were then upgraded to a "suite" with a shoddily-furnished sitting area, only one queen-sized bed paired with the most spine-disfiguring cot, and a temperature that was just a few touches tolerable. The view was nice, though. So, we stayed. But, we won't return. This place needs a renovation desperately.