JW Marriott Essex House New York

5-star? Hardly — 3-star at best. Stayed 4 nights. The room was very small, humid, and had a persistent bad smell. The A/C was set to 60°F, yet the room stayed hot, making it almost impossible to sleep. There was no complimentary water in the room. After calling, they brought four tiny bottles. No coffee machine (which I don’t personally care about), but for a supposed luxury hotel, basic amenities were lacking. Room service starts at 9 a.m., and if you’re sleeping, you’re expected to call again. I tried for two days — no one ever showed up. After that, I gave up. The room was not cleaned once during the entire 4-night stay. Overall, this hotel does not come close to a 5-star experience.”

My daughter and I visited for her birthday in early December. We added on the American Girl Doll package. The website said it wasn’t available but I was able to add it on with a link the concierge sent. I’ve included a photo. She was over the moon and thought it was totally magical to arrive and have that set up. They also had a happy birthday cake waiting for us. The hotel itself was lovely. The concierge was incredibly helpful even weeks before I arrived. They had plenty of NYT’s available by the elevators and coffee in a lounge area in the front half of the restaurant in the morning. The front desk has free small water bottles and all kinds of things you might have forgotten, like deodorant and toothbrushes and toothpaste. The destination fee included $30 food and beverage credit per day (does not roll over one day to the next). You could also get free tickets to the Central Park Zoo and bikes (not the right season for us to use those perks). My only complaint was when we tried to order room service breakfast I waited on the phone a half hour before I gave up and went down to the restaurant. There were other people in the elevator who said they encountered the same issue. Service in the restaurant was slow, but the waiter was incredibly sweet and made all kinds of special accommodations for my daughter’s picky eater requests.

We spent Thanksgiving at the JW Marriott Essex House, and it was absolutely amazing from start to finish. The hotel was beautifully decorated for Christmas. Sparkling trees, elegant garlands, and festive touches everywhere. It truly felt magical the moment we stepped inside. Even before we arrived, Alicia from Guest Relations reached out to confirm details, offer suggestions, and ensure our stay would be perfect. That level of care set the tone for what turned out to be an unforgettable holiday trip. The location is perfection in one of the most iconic areas of the city. Our room overlooked Central Park, giving us stunning views throughout our stay. We booked the Thanksgiving package, which included a beautiful and impressive brunch spread, as well as access to a private viewing area for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade right in front of the hotel. Watching the parade from such an incredible vantage point was truly a bucket-list experience. The concierge team consisting of Carolyn and Christina, could not have been nicer or more helpful. They arranged a private tour of the city, secured restaurant reservations, and even snapped photos of our group in front of the gorgeous lobby Christmas tree. Truly a 10-star team... they were the best! The Executive Lounge offered a great selection of breakfast items and snacks throughout the day, adding even more convenience and comfort to our stay. The hotel’s restaurant and bar are stunning, and both the food and drinks were consistently on point. And the sales team, consisting of Olivia and Adrienne… WOW! What a powerhouse duo! There’s no question why this hotel earned Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Award. These two made Thanksgiving extra special for us and all the guests who purchased the Parade Experience package. They were kind, professional, and every single time we spoke with them (which was often) their parting words were, “If there is anything you need… just let us know.” Their warmth and hospitality truly made our stay unforgettable. I highly recommend JW Marriott Essex House, especially during the holidays. It’s festive, luxurious, flawlessly run, and a perfect place to make cherished holiday memories in New York City.

We had such a great stay at the JW Marriott Essex House during Thanksgiving week. There are a few people who really went above and beyond, and I just wanted to give them a shout out. First off, this was my second time working with Yamira. Just like before, she crushed it. Even with how busy the week was, she and Cesar were able to get us a really nice upgraded room for our 6 night stay. HUGE thank you to both of them. Adrienne was awesome too. If you have a special event, be sure to work with her. She’s the GOAT! Lol The gift bag she and Alicia put together had JW-branded Yeti mugs and a winter beanie, perfect for watching the parade in the cold. She really knows how to handle events and treat elite guests right.
 Some other folks who stood out: Christina at the concierge desk told us to check out Hutong for Peking duck. Great recommendation Mercy from 10th floor housekeeping was super kind. She made sure we had everything we needed. She also mentioned her brother Emmanuel had passed away recently, and I really felt for her. Sending prayers to her and her family Luis at the front door gave us great food tips, especially for Puerto Rican spots The staff in the Concierge Lounge greeted me by name and thanked me all the time for being an Ambassador Elite member. Loved that very much! Last but not least, the front desk crew who helped when Yamira and Cesar were off. Hannah, Felix, and Raidy were amazing. I called them the Filipino Hospitality Crew because of how warm and caring they were. Super friendly and ready to help. I usually stay at different Bonvoy hotels when I come to New York, but not anymore. This is my new go-to hotel. The staff here made all the difference. P.S. If you like Somebody Feed Phil on Netflix, Phil and Monica’s park benches in Central Park are right across the street. Super easy to find.

Currently staying in Essex House - can’t describe how bad the service is for a NY Marriott hotel. Room service that doesn’t answer the phone, room cleaning that barely cleans the room and a unionised set up that means house keeping doesn’t clean or remove your coffee mugs….because it’s an in-dining issue ( oh…and you have to ask to actually get coffee making facilities in your room ….its not a given…and don’t expect any treats there won’t be any). Overall effect - it’s just not a great place to stay