For my wife's birthday, I had the opportunity to splurge and use up all 15,000 of my Sheraton frequent guest program points for one night's free stay at the St. Regis. Were all of those nights at the Sheraton in Dover, DE away from my family worth it? Not a chance, but this hotel is by far the best hotel I have ever had the pleasure of staying in.

From the moment you step inside you know you are in for something special. Being greeted at the front desk by name ("hello, Mr. M____, we were expecting you! Your room is ready on the 18th floor...") after casually mentioning it to the bellhop when we got out of the car was nice. Having the desk attendant come out from behind the hotel desk and walk us around the hotel, describing the amenities and features of the building as well as the restaruants, then walking us to the elevator and handing us our keys, was special.

But when our butler greeted us on the 18th floor at the elevator, we knew we were in for something special.

Others have mentioned it in their reviews, so I won't dwell, but the St. Regis takes luxury and pampering to a whole other level -- beyond the Ritz-Carlton, beyond the Four Seasons, and well beyond anything most of us are likely to enjoy for most of our lives. For the 18 hours we spent there, my wife and I experienced what it must be like to be royalty.

Every detail is attended to, from exclusive hair and bath products in the bathroom to fresh fruit in the room upon arrival, to a complimentary shoe polish or clothes press by the butler after you unpack. The rooms are large for New York, small by most other standards, but are so well appointed and lavishly decorated that you won't care. The staff was polite, but not off-putting, and the butler was wonderful.

We ate dinner in the "casual" restaurant, and the food was amazing. Our waiter wasn't the most pleasant person in the world, but not the worst we've ever had, and even though he didn't add much to the atmosphere, the dinner and the surroundings more than made up for it. We don't drink, so we can't comment on the wine list (which was extensive, however, and made for some good conversation about why a bottle of wine would ever cost $15,000) and dinner was expensive but not outrageous at about $125 with a tip (actually rather reasonable for New York).

In the morning, we decided to be totally pampered and have breakfast brought to the room. Fresh fruit, fresh juices, eggs, etc. all arrived on a cart that opened to a full round table, complete with roses and cherry wood upholstered chairs that were neatly stashed in the closet. The crystal was Waterford, the china Lenox, and we were in our hotel-provided bathrobes and slippers. It was heavenly.

When we finished, the butler made it all go away in the blink of an eye. The hotel graciously stored our bags so we could walk Fifth avenue for a while before leaving the city, and the doorman was able to retrieve our car for us with about 20 minutes notice.

It was hard to leave, and it will be a while before we'll be able to get back there again, but spending a night at the St. Regis is a memory that we will carry the rest of our lives. Put it on your list.


Recommended: Yes