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The Excelsior Hotel

Exterior

At a Glance

    Pros

  • excellent neighborhoody Upper West Side location near Central Park
  • near foodie mecca Zabar's and popular burger joint Shake Shack
  • tranquil environment

    Cons

  • spotty front-desk staff
  • rooms are inconsistent
  • Wi-Fi is not free
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The Excelsior Hotel Review

Directly across the street from the American Museum of Natural History, this well-kept, old-school spot is comfortable but has occasionally inconsistent staff. Recently renovated rooms have warm lighting, comfortable beds, and work desks with ergonomic chairs. The hotel restaurant, Calle Ocho, is a Latin fusion spot that cooks up three meals a day and offers a cocktail list full of refreshing choices; the breakfast is especially good but pricey for the neighborhood. The library lounge, with leather sofas, a cozy fireplace, and tables with built-in game boards, is an unexpected plus. On the negative side is a staff that sometimes seems too busy to focus on customer service.

    Contact Information

  • Address: 45 W. 81st St., between Central Park W and Columbus Ave., Upper West Side, New York, NY, 10024 | Map It
  • Phone: 212/362 Ext. 9200
  • Website: www.excelsiorhotelny.com
  • Subway: B, C to 81st St.
  • Location: Upper West Side

    Hotel Details

  • 118 rooms, 80 suites.
  • Rate includes no meals.
  • Credit cards accepted.
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Fodorite Reviews

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    Overated

    I chose the Excelsior because of it's location, rating and the review written by another Fodor's member. I am writing to say that it gave me a very distorted perception of what I would find as a guest at this hotel. At check in, one of the employees (female) at the reception desk was talking to someone who was calling in for information. It was very apparent that she felt she had better things to do with her time than answer these questions, and ended up slamming down the phone in complete disgust. I don't know what they were asking, but her behavior was very unprofessional. I requested a museum view, and got just the opposite. When I mentioned it to the employee when he came to my room to fix the air conditioner, his response was "it's a view". It was a very hot day in New York (about 90 degrees), and upon entering my room I found that the air was not on and it was about 80 degrees. The room was dark and unappealing. There was no fan in the bathroom, so it was a cloud of steam after we took our showers. Last but not least, I was charged for a breakfast that I never had. I have contacted the hotel I have left a message and emailed), and after two weeks I have had no response. Needless to say, I will never go back and I would suggest you look for something else if you would like to be treated as a potential returning visitor to New York.

    by justdee476, 8/14/07

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    so i'm going to NYC in june and i'm coming in through penn station and going to be going to 373 fifth avenue around 3 pm and i was wondering how hard it would be to get a cab to the hotel from penn station. Read more

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