It was after a short helicopter and Uber ride, and nearly a week’s delay, that I arrived at The St. Regis New York, a legendary hotel in the city I had the pleasure of visiting for the first time.
As a reminder, here is the itinerary followed:
| # | Type | Review |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lounge | American Airlines Admirals Club, Boston Logan (unreported) |
| 2 | Flight | American Airlines Domestic First, Boston Logan – New-York JFK, Embraer 175 |
| 3 | Flight | Blade Helicopter, New-York JFK – Manhattan West 30th Street, Xcel Bell 407 |
| 4 | Hotel | The St. Regis New-York |
| 5 | Flight | Blade Helicopter, Manhattan West 30th Street – New-York JFK, Xcel Bell 407 |
| 6 | Lounge | British Airways & American Airlines Soho Lounge, New-York JFK (unreported) |
| 7 | Flight | American Airlines Domestic First, Boston Logan – New-York JFK, Embraer 175 (unreported) |
Booking
I booked the hotel about three weeks before my scheduled arrival. However, I had to cancel this reservation last minute, and the hotel was happy to do that without penalty when I experienced the incident I described in a previous report.
So it was following this that I made this new reservation a week later than the previous one, in a standard room and with my company’s corporate rate.
I checked in 48 hours in advance, and was delighted to discover on the morning of my arrival that I’d been upgraded by half a dozen categories to a Deluxe suite, which was quite unusual according to the hotel upgrade standards I’d found on FlyerTalk.
Nevertheless, within minutes of my arrival, I noticed a decrease in the upgrade to a Grand Luxe room, which is the equivalent of a mini-suite in this property.
Arrival
I arrived at the hotel shortly after 5pm, and a porter came to collect my luggage.
As I didn’t have much luggage, I took care of it myself. I made my way to the reception desk, which was completely deserted, and the receptionist checked in for me. Everything went very smoothly, and I apologized for not being able to interact more with the receptionist, as I was in the middle of a teleconference.
Nevertheless, I confirmed the breakfast as a Platinum benefit, and the receptionist indicated an upgrade, without specifying which one.
Room
My room was located on the sixth floor of the hotel. A little disappointing, given that superb views of Manhattan and Central Park are available from the 15th floor upwards, but I imagine that the most beautiful suites are located on the highest floors.
Nevertheless, my Grand Luxe room was beautifully appointed. As soon as you enter, on the left, was a large closet, equipped with a safe and plenty of storage space to set you up for a good week.
On the right was a large bathroom, equipped with bath and shower, toilet and double washbasin, making it easy for couples to get ready.
Opposite was a small living room with a large sofa and armchair and a coffee table, and on the right was the king-size bed facing the living area. Next to the window, to the right of the latter, was a large writing desk, allowing you to work in comfort during your stay.
The decoration is obviously very traditional in this hotel, in the early 20th century style. Like it or not, but I prefer more modern appointments. But I was fine for this two-night stay.
To finish, a virtual visit in video:
Hotel facilities
The hotel doesn’t have a spa or swimming pool. However, it does have a gym on the 19th floor. I had the pleasure of using it on the second morning of my stay, as it’s well-equipped with modern machines and plenty of them.
Catering
The hotel’s main food and beverage outlet, Astor Court, is located on the first floor near the lobby. The King Cole Bar is also available, and it’s mythical!
King Cole Bar
On the first evening of my stay, I had a drink at the bar to try the Bloody Mary, since the hotel boasts of being the inventor of this beverage.
But we all know here that this drink was invented at Harry’s New York Bar on rue Daunou in Paris, which Bertrand and I know very well.
While the service was excellent, I found the Bloody Mary very disappointing, not at all up to the standard one would expect from such an outlet.
Astor Court – Breakfast
I used the hotel’s main restaurant for breakfast both mornings of my stay. Being a Platinum member and having chosen breakfast as a benefit, I was entitled to a credit of $48 per person on breakfast.
This credit did cover my orders for a full American breakfast on the first morning and an à la carte order on the second. The service was very charming, attentive, and I was called by name both mornings of my stay, the waiter even remembered my order!
Service
As you may have noticed earlier, the service is really excellent at this hotel. Everything is done to make you feel at home, and when you’re on the move a lot like Bertrand or myself, it’s always very nice to feel pampered, like at home.
Departure
Check-out formalities were simple, as the bill had been sent to me by e-mail the night before my check-out, so all I had to do was drop my keys off at reception and hop in an Uber to the heliport.
Bottom line
An excellent stay, but to be totally honest, I’m not sure I’ll be back. I prefer hotels with a more modern decor, and although the service is excellent, it’s not really suited to a business stay.
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