Planning a trip late fall to NY with family for 3 days. Want to stay at one of these 2 properties. Which one? I need your help.

Please share with me your experience. How's the hotel service, the rooms / ammenties, the SPA facility (sauna, pool, etc.) Which is more kid friendly? What's there to do near these 2 properties (only my 2nd time to NY).

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Stanhope is right across the street from The Metropolitan Museum of Art and near many other museums and high end Madison avenue shopping (in high end residential neighborhood). Also, Central Park is right across the street.

Waldorf is in an area with several hotels but mostly office buildings. Also close to Grand Central terminal and midtown, not a residential area.

I'm a New Yorker and haven't stayed at either, but I would assume just by neighborhood, between these two choices, you're much better off at the Stanhope in terms of kid-friendly areas. More food and 'running around" options right nearby, the streets are not quite as crowded or noisy, but you can get to midtown by a nice 20+ block walk or a bus ride (4 bus lines down 5th avenue stop across the street from the hotel)

The Stanhope is also much smaller than the Waldorf. That may create a better experience since there are fewer guests and you won't have to walk 10 miles to get to your room.

The Stanhope is now a Park Hyatt hotel, which is the luxury branch of the Hyatt chain.

I'm staying at the Waldorf this weekend and will let you know how it is, if you can wait...

Stanhope all the way. Janie is right that the Stanhope is a "better" neighborhood -- although the Waldorf is easy walking distance to 5th Ave, Rockefeller Center and theatre district, it is in a location that is a little "dead" at night. More restaurants, etc, around the Stanhope, across the street from the park, close to most of the major museums (the Metropolitan Museum is right across the street).

Also, while the lobby at the Waldorf is beautiful, some of the rooms are very small and, well, older looking. The Stanhope (as others have mentioned) is a smaller hotel where you will get better service, IMO.

By the way, the Stanhope has a great afternoon tea.

I don't know if either property has a pool -- they are much less common in NY than in other places.

I stayed at both hotels during my visit to NY in May. The Stanhope was a nice hotel except it was a hike to get there. I always found myself endng my day in midtown, then had to walk 20 blocks to the hotel. When my flight was cancelled, I checked into the Waldorf, loved it ! Great location, nice room, priced like the rest of NY hotels. I have stayed in many hotels in NY and the Waldorf is my favorite !

I beg to differ with Lisa. The Waldorf Astoria is a lovely older hotel that is more upscale. And, the rooms are between moderate size to spacious. It is located on Park Avenue between 49th & 50th Streets, within walking distance to Rockefeller Center, Radio City Music Hall, St. Patrick's Cathedral, etc. The rooms at the Waldorf Towers are larger. The Waldorf is a superb hotel.

I stayed at the Waldorf for 30 days on business, and had to be moved to a new room mid-stay due to renovations on the floor.

My first room was lovely. Spacious, fake fireplace, comfortable king size bed.

When I had to be moved, I had learned by then that there were plenty of undesirable rooms as well. So I asked to go look at a few rooms before I chose one. All three were WAY below the quality of my original room! In two of them, you could barely walk around the bed! And all three were only marginally clean.

A teenager who visited with my daughter put it best when she was on the phone with her parents and they asked where she was staying. She told them and they were, "Oh, the Waldorf! Is it nice?" She looked a little confused and said, "Is it supposed to be special or something? The room isn't any nicer than the one we had at the Holiday Inn last summer!"

So there are excellent rooms...and there are bad rooms.

My family and I have stayed at both The Waldorf Astoria and the Waldorf Towers. The regular hotel is wonderful but does have some horrible rooms. The Towers is much better. The rooms are larger, on higher floors and the serive is much, much better. The Stanhope is a nice property and the neighborhood is nice however, is is somewhat removed from the action of midtown and is a long walk from the typical New York tourist sights (Rocerfeller Center, St. Patricks, Radio City, etc.) The Waldorf can't be beat for its histroy and it's price. Opt for The Waldorf Towers, we got our room for less than $300. It also included access to the concierge lounge which can drastically reduce the price of some of your meals. Go with the Towers you won't be disappointed.

Just to add to the comments so far, how you'd enjoy these two spots depends on what aspect of NYC you want to experience, age of your kids, what you'll be doing here... I personally also would vote for the Stanhope -- a smaller, upscale hotel in prime Upper East side Manhattan neighborhood. It's across the street from the Met and Central Park, with two playgrounds and great people-watching (also beautiful in autumn). Madison Avenue/Upper East side has the shops, restaurants where you'd more likely find hangouts of Manhattan families. An easy ride on crosstown 79th St. bus will get you to the Natl. History museum and Planetarium, and 5th Avenue bus makes downtown loci pretty convenient. Waldorf Astoria is a grand old hotel, home of visiting dignitaries, but in the business district of Park Avenue. You'll get the buzz of midtown NY at work and it's more convenient to many popular tourist attractions. Park Avenue in the 50's is pretty deserted at night. Hope this helps.

The Waldorf is the wonderful grande dame of NYC hotels.....but very hustly-bustly....people all over the huge lobby coming and going. Lots of meetings, conventions and the official residence of the United Nations, so you never know when there is a large summit taking place and the entire area surrounding the hotel is cordoned off to all traffic, cars and pedestrians. Also, the President stays here when he is in NYC. You have not lived until you are stuck in traffic waiting for that damned motorcade to pass by.

The Stanhope is much much smaller and very charming. The President would never stay there!