Waldorf-Astoria
 

Hi!
Does anyone have any comments/opinions about the Waldorf-Astoria?
Staff
Building
Location
Surrounding area
Walking distances to key places
Anything else...

I'm looking into staying at that particular hotel during this coming New Year's weekend.
Thanks for any help!

Reports on tripadvisor have been rude staff, rooms in desperate need of updating. The public areas are still quite grand. The location's "ok" The front of the hotel faces Park Ave. so surrounded by office skyscrapers. The back faces Lexington Ave. where there are "services" like delis, restaurants etc. Not far from Grand Central. Walking distance to Fifth Ave. shops and Rockefeller Center. The great benefit to the location for NYE weekend would be it's away from the Times Square mess. But there may be some big events in the ballroom there.

Within a few blocks of that location, I personally would prefer the Drake Swissotel, the Elsysee, the Benjamin...

I agree with previous poster except our room was REALLY in need of updating-bathrioom fixtures dripped, cracked tile, carpet had worn spots..
I'd pick the Drake...

Thank you both!
Do you have any comments about the New York Palace hotel? It's mentioned on this website, also my friend has a corporate rate discount with the hotel. From the website, it does look nice and is still in the same vicinity to the W-A.

Reviews on tripadvisor fantastic!!

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rev..._New_York.html

Book it quickly!! The public rooms are fantastic, the location terrific.

Classy is a good word to describe the Palace. And, it's in a great location. If the price is right, book it immediately!

In case you need any more votes against the Waldorf-Astoria, consider this truth from a child. I was on business staying at the W-A and my nine year old niece came to visit. I told her the hotel was famous and she looked around my room and said, "Why? It's a dump!"

To be fair, I have stayed at the W-A many times and had nice, renovated rooms half the time. But I've yet to deal with decent people at the desk and complaints have not been handled well at all. If I have to stay there now, I insist on the keys to several rooms so I can choose the best.

Thank you mclaurie, traveler24, Howard, and Postal. I looked at several websites and got mixed reviews. There are several good opinions on the W-A, but as well there are many negative opinions.
As for the Palace, my friend has reserved 4 rooms there so I might just grab one. Again, thank you!

YES stay at the Palace. It is my favorite hotel in the city, and I live here, lol. The lobby area is really beautiful and most of the rooms have been completely rennovated within the last year or so.

Cirque 2000 is right in the hotel and is one of the best restaurants in the city.

You can't beat the the location, just steps off 5th Ave.

Often there is a jazz group playing in the lobby so you can have a drink and relax in the bar area.

I always recommend the Palace to friends and have had several clients stay there. Most recently a client and his wife on their anniversary and they said the hotel was great. The hotel even had a basket of chocolate and a bottle of champage in the room for them, a nice touch.

Have a GREAT time while you are here.

Grab that room at the Palace! I've stayed there & it really is lovely. Responsive staff. Decent location for getting around. Right behind St. Pat's.

Going against the grain, the couple times I've stayed at the WA, it has been wondeerful. Staff was very pleasant, rooms wonderful, service excellent.

The Palace and the WA are sort of catty-cornered to each other. The Palace underwent extensive renovations and a name change several years before. It is nicer of the two.

Thank you everyone!
From your opinions and my research, it seem that the NY Palace is the better of the two. The rooms seem nicer and it's less expensive. My friends and I were able to reserve 5 rooms so everything will be fine for having a place to stay during NYE. Now we just have to figure out exactly where to go and what to do on that night. Haha!