Great Potential... Under Construction
I stayed here over the weekend. This was previously a Helmsley hotel which is now going through a complete modernization. All the rooms are brand new and they are definitely up to Westin standards. The location in midtown is great! Unfortunately due to the construction, there is no lounge, restaurant or lobby that is open - except breakfast in the lobby restaurant and room service. There is no concierge lounge which I found surprising for a major hotel chain in NYC. This makes it basically a hotel with very nice rooms, but no NY vibe at all. I did use the new gym which is very large and well equiped. The concierge staff were excellent and all their recommendations were terrific. The room rate was competitive with other hotels of this caliber that were completely open and that is the rub. I did not hear any construction noise and there was no sign of the actual construction site, so it didn't feel like you were in a work zone. I would inquire before booking to make sure this meets your expectations.