This was the second time we had visited since my wife introduced us to this hotel 10 years ago. She was apprehensive about returning and she was right. It is still unfriendly, overcrowded and impersonal. And of course being located in the middle of Times Square means you are in the midst of madness.
Whilst we could tolerate the busy location, it was the room we were offered as the "Presidential Suite" that was the biggest shock. We have been in a number of Presidential Suites in some of the top hotels in the world - and this fell well below our expectations especially given the price point charged.
The shower, for example, had an ill-fitting shower curtain (not even the dignity of a basic floor-length shower curtain, never mind a proper shower screen or shower door given the type of room we were paying for). Additionally, there was an odd seat affixed to the wall in the shower which was all very bizarre and simply did not fit in with the rest of the bathroom. Infact, the aesthetic of the entire Suite was dark and uninviting and certainly shocking for the price paid. The bed had ants in it. And corners of the hallway had dirty piles of laundry unattended, as we were entering the Suite, which obviously left a bad first impression.
They also continue to charge our bankcard $1.07 at random intervals since we checked out, without any explanation. What (in a supposed 5 star hotel in New York) costs $1.07 to keep charging us at random intervals without explanation?