For the first time in years, I actually got on a plane without my laptop.
Fortunately, our New York hotel has computers in the lobby for guests to use to check their email.
This is a good thing, because apparently, NONE of the cameraphone photos I tried to send to the blog made it over here. You will have to wait until I get back to see pictures of Dylan's Candy Bar, us riding the hansom cab around Central Park, the coolest looking Apple Store in the world, and more.
Not such a good thing is how the hotel is actually performing.
After I dropped out of showbiz, I took a job as a meeting and convention planner, so have a little bit of experience working with hotels. I am spoiled -- not happy unless the place has four stars. And I tend to favor the big chains: Hyatt, Westin, Sheraton, Marriott. (Don't like Hiltons -- they were always miserable to work with on contracts, and I got the impression that they skimp on the quality of their food.)
Our traveling partners, however, are used to a completely different level of hotel service. For Tim and Debbie, I get the feeling that four stars is kind of slumming it. They prefer smaller, luxury type places with lots of style and service. If you're gonna travel with another family, you have to be willing to compromise a little. So I found a boutique hotel I trusted -- we stayed at one of their other properties on our visit to the Pacific Northwest last year and were impressed. And Tim and Debbie reserved a suite.
And I have to tell you -- I stressed a little bit after wards, because I worried whether Tim would like it or not. (He can be somewhat tightly wound.) Last month, I asked Debbie if she thought we should change our reservation to one of the W's. Her answer: All New York hotels are kind of disappointing because the demand exceeds the supply. And her recent stay at the 5-star Peninsula left much to be admired. Don't worry.
My nervousness returned when we checked in yesterday and their "suite" turned out to be just a tiny bit bigger than our regular sized bedroom. For several hundred dollars a night more. Tim marched down to the front desk to complain. Debbie and I took the kids into the hotel's small restaurant and had a drink. It turned out that the previous guest using the hotel's large suite had decided to stay and extra day, and so it wasn't available when we checked in. The hotel should have told them - and also that they weren't being charged for the suite they weren't using.
We've been assured that the suite will be available for them today, and that it's big and beautiful and has a balcony with a view of the Empire State Building. "You watch," I told Debbie. "I bet when we get back to the room tonight, you'll have some kind of amenity from the hotel to appease you a little bit for their screwup."
Sure enough, after our sightseeing walk around 5th Avenue, there was a nice bottle of wine and a note from the manager waiting for them in their room. We all went to bed happy. The room is small, but nicely appointed. The bathroom amenities are from L'Occitane. They serve free wine in the evenings and good quality free coffee in the mornings. What's not to like?
This is: I woke up around 7:00 and decided to take a shower and run down here so I could blog without irritating HWSNBN. And was dismayed to find that a note had been slipped under our door. A note stating that due to emergency repairs, ConEdison has been called and that there is NO HOT WATER anywhere in the hotel. I asked the woman at the front desk if she had some kind of ETA for the repair. "We're hoping it will be done by the end of the day," was the reply.
This is not good.
"If you need to take a shower, you can use our gym," she continued. "Unfortunately, it's offsite. You'll have to walk a few blocks."
I'm not looking forward to hearing what the rest of our group has to say when they hear this.
Recent Comments