Sheraton Manhattan Hotel: Not Worthy of the Manhattan Title
Written: Sep 13 '08
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Clean and well located.
Cons: Rude and slow service, wrong bed size, no free breakfast, tiny room, overpriced.
The Bottom Line: Sheraton Manhattan Hotel is not worth the price nor the frustration.
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| jetbluefan1's Full Review: Sheraton Manhattan Hotel |
Recently my wife and I played "tourist" in New York City - just 20 miles from our house - and we decided to stay at the Sheraton Manhattan. The hotel is located in the upper part of Midtown, on the corner of Seventh Avenue and 51st Street. Across the street and down a block is the Sheraton New York - which offered the same price as the Sheraton Manhattan on the night we stayed there - at $288/night (including taxes). Why does Sheraton have two hotels across the street from each other? If anyone has the answer, let me know. On that note, we did book a stay in the Sheraton Manhattan for one night and also a stay in the Sheraton New York for a night two weeks later.
On that note, the Sheraton Manhattan is very well located for people who want all the excitement of New York but also want some quiet time and privacy. Times Square is located just eight blocks south, and Bryant Park is just a couple of blocks and avenues over. The location is perfect for grabbing the subway and heading Uptown to the Upper East or West Sides. Central Park is just two avenues to the west, and all the excitement of Fifth Avenue is just a four minute walk. Needless to say - it's in a great location.
The hotel, from the exterior, is not anything special - though one can rather easily tell that it is an older building - certainly much older than some of the buildings surrounding it. On that note, it is in very good condition from the outside. The interior gave me mixed impressions. The lobby is nothing impressive - clean and roomy, but the air conditioning was broken (on this hot summer evening). They did have some fans going, but it did nothing to alleviate the humidity. There is an internet "Link" center, which offers broadband services and such, but I didn't have the desire to check it out.
Check-in was quite a pain. We checked in around midnight, and we figured that no one would be there. We were wrong. There was a large family in front of us, then two women who had just come in from London. We were the third party in line, and there was only one person checking in customers. Fifteen minutes passed by, and the large family had still not budged from the counter. Finally, another representative came out and helped the women in front of us. About ten minutes later, we were finally called to the counter to check in, and we were promptly presented with two keys.
Our room was on the seventh floor of the hotel, all the way at the end of the hallway. When walking into the room, we were disappointed to find that it was about the size of a walk-in closet. I understand that real estate in Manhattan is very expensive, but for the love of God! Can $288 not purchase something just a tad larger? To top it off, though the bed was very comfortable, it was only a Queen size - though I had specifically booked a King size. When I went to the front desk to inquire about the mistake, I was quickly dismissed and curtly told that since the hotel was sold out, nothing could be done. Real nice.
Though the room was small and the bed was the wrong size, there were some nice touches. The linens matched the wallpaper with subtle gold and red tones - very pleasant to the eye. The room featured two night tables, a large wooden desk accompanied with a swivel chair, a small closet and a TV in a wooden armoire. There was also a coffee maker with some coffee packets, creamers, and sugar substitutes. Lighting in the room was adequate and not overbearing. The large window overlooked 7th Avenue, which is a very nice view.
The bath was small but clean and organized. The tub offered both warm and cold water with sufficient water pressure. (If I'm paying nearly $300, I better get good water pressure!) There were a few bars of soap, small bottles with conditioner, shampoo, lotion, as well as a shower cap. There was also a hair dryer, but there was no fan to air out the humidity.
Since we only stayed one night, we didn't have the time to check out the hotel's indoor pool or the breakfast buffet. I do know that a continental breakfast is offered for an additional fee (and can be purchased at the time of reservation-booking). I personally find the additional charge to be tacky; if Hampton Inn offers free continental breakfast to all guests, why doesn't Sheraton - a more expensive and luxurious hotel brand? Humph.
In conclusion, I did not find the Sheraton Manhattan to be anything special. Sheraton markets itself as a luxurious, upscale brand for trendy travelers. Unfortunately, the Sheraton Manhattan didn't fit this characteristic. For the quality of my stay, I overpaid and would have been better off staying at the Best Western a few blocks over for a fraction of the cost. The location is terrific and the hotel is clean, but the service was unfriendly and rude, my room reservation was not fulfilled, and the room was absolutely tiny. If you are headed to New York City anytime soon, take it from me: stay away from the Sheraton Manhattan.
Recommended:
No
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