I debated whether or not I should stay here. The brash, 50 storied slab of bronzed glass hulking at Columbus Circle would not immediately suggest a hotel of very high standards, however its profile scrapes the clouds. Stay here, however, and you may be pleasantly surprised. The place is a good deal more restrained than one might expect from Donald Trump. Actually, he doesn't own it anymore, as the building was recently sold to General Electric. This was, after all, originally the General Electric building.

The Lobby

The lobby here has often been described as small, and this is a fair assessment. The room is handsomely paneled in Brazilian zebrawood, and has nothing more than a desk for registration, a smaller one for the concierge, and a small couch and two chairs. A far cry from the stupendous lobbies of yesteryear, but a testament to the sometimes elusive talents of Philip Johnson, the architect of record for the renovation.

Still, the space is restful and welcoming. I had to wait a few minutes for my room to be prepared, but then I arrived at 9:00 AM. To their credit, the staff had a suite for me within five minutes.

Chris, my "Trump representative", escorted me to the suite. On my way up, I noticed more of the Brazilian wood in the elevators, and noted that my key had to be placed in the elevator panel in order for the elevator to work. They do take security very seriously here.

Rooms and Suites

My first room was 416, a one bedroom suite with an incredible view of.....Columbus Circle.

In spite of the dismal view, the suite was extremely comfortable and inviting. A small bedroom adjoined the living room, and there was a well equipped kitchen as well. I later asked if they might have something without a view of DANCESPORT. They offered me a room directly facing the park, and a suite (No. 1622) on the rear corner. I took this one. If you really crane your neck, you can see Central Park.

Back to the rooms. They have really done a nice job here. Don't look too closely at the blonde, burled furniture. It looks good, but it does not bear close inspection. This is more of a hotel for creature comforts. Every detail counts here. The kitchen is stocked with china and silverware (OK, it's not really silver, but it still looks good). They have thought of a lot of the little things. There are even telescopes in the rooms, though these are almost more symbolic than useful.

The bedroom was not really very large, but it had a partial view of Central Park. The bed had a small stain on the headboard, but this was about the only blemish I found anywhere in the hotel. The linens were from Frette. Not bad at all.

Closets, of course, and a good number of them too. These were properly stocked with umbrellas, slippers, cloth laundry bags and even a shopping bag, in case you should get the sudden urge to advertise the hotel.

Finally, the desk has a computer, available for $19.00 for 24 hours. I had a few problems getting it to work, but they dispatched someone to fix the problem immediately.

Bath

Every inch of space counts here, but they have done an admirable job. Completely tiled in beige marble, these baths are very nicely fitted out. The gold fixtures are predictable Trump excess, but at least they had the sense to mute the gold so that it does not scream at you.

While it was the size of a standard bath tub, this one came with whirlpool jets. The bath amenities were from Forest Essentials, and were well presented. The gold foil bag for the shoe mitt was a bit much, but they may be forgiven for this. There were bath crystals in a bamboo box, and all sorts of q-tips, cotton balls and so forth. Towels were plentiful and huge.

Kitchen

Yes, the suites have kitchens, and this one came with just about everything one might need...the refrigerator is even stocked with drinks, but remember to notice the price list on the counter. These items are not free. If you prefer, a chef from Jean Georges downstairs can be dispatched to your suite to prepare dinner or whatever in your own kitchen. There is a minimum of three hours at $50.00 per hour.

Dining

The main dining room, the celebrated Jean Georges, is one of the best restaurants in New York. I had lunch here, and found it quite good. The details will soon be found in a separate review of the restaurant. Suffice to say that it was outstanding. The prices for lunch were really not bad at all. Two small courses were offered for $24.00 with additional courses available for $12.00 each. Not a bad deal at all.

They also have a restaurant for less formal dining, the spare and elegant Nougatine. The look is every bit as polished as the main restaurant, though the menu is not as adventurous. Breakfast there was surprisingly standard. There was nothing wrong with the Virginia ham and eggs and so on, but it was hardly daring stuff. If you are looking for creative food, bite the bullet and dine in the main dining room.

There is a bar at Nougatine as well.

Pool and Fitness

Take the elevator to the lower level, and you will find the health club. This is also used by residents of the condos upstairs. A two lane, 55 foot lap pool comes in handy for getting your laps in before lunch. Thy also have just about every kind of weight machine you could ever want. The place is quite large, with over 6000 square feet of space. The attendants are friendly, and the place is well looked after. Everywhere you turn, there is another polished Christofle tray of Fiji water.

Cost

I paid $375.00 through American Express Platinum Travel, a good deal when considering that I was upgraded to a suite. Furthermore, the rate included continental breakfast for two, as well as lunch for two in Nougatine. You might want to do what I did and go to Jean Georges instead and allow them to apply the value of the lunch to your bill there.

Standard rates are generally $475.00 for a standard room and suites start at about $895.00. There are a number of packages on offer these days, so you might want to check. Rates here through Expedia and Orbitz are not really lower than you might find on your own. Call the hotel directly before booking anything.

Service

From the start, they pull out all the stops here. There is a very high guest to staff ratio. The staff are trained to respond positively to most requests, and you will find your needs anticipated here, not merely met. Details again make the difference; like having your name on the writing paper and even your own business cards. The turn down service here includes more Fiji water (they must own the company), and good chocolates. A box of chocolates is also placed on your coffee table upon arrival. Shortly after checking in, a silver tray with coffee arrived at my door.

Perhaps most important, the staff here are actually friendly, and not at all glacial or condescending. You really get the feeling that they are glad you are there. How many hotels make you feel this way these days?


Trump International Hotel

One Central Park West
New York, NY 10023

Tel. 212-299-1000

FAX 212-299-1150

Toll free 800-448-7867 or 800-223-6800

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Recommended: Yes