St. Regis New York City - November 2013

The St. Regis New York.

An iconic hotel in one of the most famous cities in the world.

The St Regis New York was opened in 1904, as often mentioned in advertisements by the hotel, and was one of the tallest hotels at that time.

The hotel was opened by John Jacob Astor who was arguably the richest man on the Titanic.

The official website is http://www.stregisnewyork.com/ , the Facebook page ( https://www.facebook.com/StRegisNewYork ) and the hotel is located at 2 East 55th Street at 5th Avenue in NYC.

Having undergone a major renovation recently, the hotel maintains a classical atmosphere with a brand new look.

Why choose this hotel?

The rich history and classical decor makes this a place to experience. My friends are all amazed at the beautiful pictures of the hotel.

The location is great for shopping at 5th Avenue and Times Square is not too far away either.

However, the daily rates may be tough to swallow. The basic room may go higher than $1000 USD per night.

 

The Management

St. Regis New York is the pioneer of the St. Regis brand under Starwood.

Getting to the Hotel

New York City is served by JFK, EWR and LGA airports.
Getting a taxi or airport shuttle should be easy from any of the airports.

The Hotel

The hotel should be rather visible with the large St. Regis flag above the entrance.

The lobby is rather small, but the Old World beauty is apparent.

I am particularly impressed by the detail in the elevator.

However, the lobby seem a little cluttered for my taste.

There is also a small 'study' at the walkway between the lobby and King Cole Bar for visitors.

The rest of the hotel was definitely well-decorated, from the lift lobby to the corridors.

The Rooms

The rooms are big for NYC at 40sqm/430sq ft for the basic (Superior) Room.
My room was a St. Regis Suite, which, according to the website, "offers the ability to convert the suite to one or two bedrooms. Interior views ensure tranquility, while the marble foyer separating the living room and bedroom guarantees privacy. This suite also features a large closet and two full Italian marble bathrooms."

A lovely chandelier in the bedroom lights it up beautifully.

Other details include this small cabinet.

And some floral display.

There are 2 bathrooms in the suite which both have a standing shower, but the main bathroom has a large bathtub as well.

The tiles in the room are heated and felt comfortably warm in the cold weather.

The views from the room were not too great, but not unexpected.

The Food and Drinks

The only place for food is the King Cole Bar, often mentioned to be the birthplace of the Bloody Mary/Red Snapper and has its own website at http://www.kingcolebar.com/.

The place was also included in the recent renovation.

The prices are actually rather reasonable for a luxury hotel and the quality is good.

Breakfast here was very good! The pastries were warm and buttery and the lady at the counter was very warm.

The room service was unexpectedly excellent.

The Service

Expectations often precede disappointment. Unfortunately, this was also true for this hotel.

For the price, one may expect really warm and spontaneous response from the staff.

The service is very good I have to acknowledge (and some of the people were excellent) , but somehow many of the smiles and greetings often felt forced and not genuine.

The first experience with the Butler service was unsatisfactory. The call was answered with "WHO'S THAT?". The Butler claimed the room was marked as unoccupied and hence thought it was a prank call.

Apologies were profusely dispensed, but the experience was cold, especially when compounded with the chilly weather outside.

Welcome Treats

French-pressed coffee by the Butler

The Gym

A small gym is located in the lower level which also houses the Remede Spa.
I feel it is rather cramped with cardio machines and I really do not like it very much. No hint of the 'luxury hotel' atmosphere in my opinion.

The Remede Spa

No comments as we did not undergo any packages, but the staff is definitely attentive and friendly to guests exploring the place.

The Location

As mentioned earlier, the hotel is great for 5th Avenue shopping. The Apple store is nearby and next to FAO Schwarz which would be lotsa fun for the children!

In Summary

The hotel is definitely an attraction in itself.


The service is good, however, one should tone down expectations.


The rooms are exceedingly beautiful, and that may actually be a disadvantage as it may be tempting to just relax in the room instead of exploring NYC.


Nightly rates may be very high in this hotel which is listed as the most expensive in NYC by Business Insider.


Happy Travels everyone!

Warmest Regards,
fred