Waldorf Astoria New York

We visit NYC monthly and are fortunate to have stayed at many 5 star hotels. It was with great anticipation that we booked our stay at this recently remodeled legend. The public spaces are simply stunning, this is what a grand hotel is supposed to look like. Our Park Avenue Suite was elegant without being ostentatious, decorated with the very best of taste. There were a few issues, but once we informed management they stepped in to set things right and provide a better than anticipated stay. What really sets this property apart is its staff. Special thanks to Lok for going above and beyond to ensure we were satisfied. Beyond management, the team is full of all stars including John the "Ambassador", Ali in room service and especially our housekeeper, Mary who is the sort of team member a hotel dreams of having. I am a very particular, hard to please customer with high standards which the Waldorf met and then some. Well worth the price, we have already booked our next stay!

Unfortunately the service at the Waldorf Astoria New York was abysmal. We had a group trip for 3 nights and booked 4 Park Avenue Suites at approximately $2500/night. Prior to our trip, I had emailed the concierge twice and then also called to arrange a car from Teterboro Airport to the hotel but never heard back via phone or text from anyone. Upon check-in, Nilton at the front desk was condescending and unwelcoming. The hostess in the restaurant was dismissive and curt. We had several mishaps including impolite staff (except for room service and Titi the bellman, they were kind and accommodating), housekeeping entering the room while Do Not Disturb button was on (which was both startling and embarrassing), and the phone in my room emitting noises beginning at midnight until 2am during 2 nights of my stay (maintenance apparently was unable to properly fix it the day after it first occurred since it happened again, or perhaps they never bothered to attempt to fix it I'm unsure - I was told it was fixed but it was not). The most frustrating part of our stay though was the Front Desk texting feature - for anyone who has stayed at this property, you will be able to relate. Waldorf provides a number to text for communications but only about 25% of requests are fulfilled, you have to follow up later and someone else responds. Upon checking in for our 4 rooms, we repeatedly received texts that a room was ready and asking us to come to the front desk, only to find out it was an error and rooms were not ready (happened 3 times for 4 rooms). A different person responds for every message and this creates a significant disconnect with the staff - you have to repeat your requests more than once and then someone else responds (in one text exchange simply asking for ice, 3 different people responded from the front desk asking questions - and we did not receive the ice!). It was the most disjointed property at which I've stayed in several years, I have yet to hear back from anyone at the hotel regarding our experience despite several attempts to reach a general manager, one person will respond asking the nature of my enquiry but no one responds after that. The rooms were lovely and I wish our stay had been more enjoyable but the staff failed at every opportunity. If you're investing more than $30,000 in a weekend getaway, I would recommend a property such as the Four Seasons Hotels, particularly if courteous, organized, polished and attentive service is a priority.

Everything was perfect! Great room, great Peacock Alley food and drink, etc. But what was most special was the staff and service they provided. They were punctual, polite, and dependable in providing the highest level of service, and even anticipated what we might want before we had a chance to ask.

We have been Hilton Diamond members for many years and have traveled to many cities and hotels over the years. We recently had the pleasure of staying at the Waldorf NYC. Forget what you have ever heard about the "New York attitude". The employees we interacted with at the Waldorf were the best-trained, had the best personalities, and were the most accommodating hotel staff we have ever encountered! Yes, this was New York, the city known for its rough side. The accommodations were over the top. The room was gorgeous, expertly maintained, and felt like home. No detail was overlooked, from turn-down service and daily housekeeping to room amenities. Let's start with the hotel staff: Brian Tarabocchia is the hotel's Rooms Experience Manager. We first met Brian when he was in the same position at Hilton's Tempo Hotel at 47th and Broadway. Hilton should utilize Brian's personality and his dedication to guest service at all of its hotels. Brian is so professional, so caring, and so dedicated to providing the best guest experience. I could go on for days about Brian. I hope Hilton recognizes his strengths and keeps him flourishing in the Hilton system. Other staff that we encountered were David, who manned the entrance on Park Ave. The moment we stepped out of our car service door, he greeted us with warmth and personality, as if we had known him for years. Our check-in experience was the best ever at a Hilton property. We had the pleasure of being greeted by Renee and Amina. Once again, warmth and sincerity oozed from both of them. We were made to feel like honored Diamond Members. Renee escorted us to our fabulous room, as is the Waldorf's policy to explain features of the room and confirm we were happy with our accommodations. When we checked out, Amina was at the front desk again and gave us the biggest thank-you and send-off ever at a hotel. We had breakfast each day in the Peacock Room and were professionally served by Javier, Sara, and Isobel. Not only was the food outstanding, but their service was incredible. The two hostesses at the Peacock, Paula and Claire, were so welcoming to us each day and followed up to make sure we were happy and didn't need anything. Finally, our housekeeper, Mary, did an impeccable job each day of making sure we were happy with her service and the condition of the room. We like extra towels, and Mary only had to be told of our request once and made sure we had an ample supply each day. Mary was easily the best housekeeper we had ever encountered at a hotel. My wife and I were actually sad when we had to check out, feeling we had made new friends and were already looking forward to our visit to NYC, as we do every year for our Broadway fix. In our mind, it was a given that we return to the Waldorf again next year. We are still amazed at the consistency of the staff friendliness, excellent accommodations, and great food. We have a small family, but we felt our family grew in size during our amazing stay.

This was the most amazing experience. We needed to stay in NY for 3 weeks. Everyone at the Waldorf did their best to make sure it felt like home. From the concierge team (Big shout out to Alejandra! She was my angel!), Mangers (another shout out to Noah!) to the amazing restaurant staff, house cleaning, in room dining... just everyone was superb and kind beyond words. It will def be our home away from home the next time we come to NYC.