The Roosevelt Hotel

First night, I got into the shower, there was a soap box that had been opened on top of the stack of towels that were on the shower towel rack. That tells me the towels were not changed between guests. EEWW.

One night it was very cold. We had no heat. Took two maintenance men to repair the heater and two hours of our time.

I repeatedly heard a clicking noise around the heater. I thought perhaps it was the heater and the water system... (I had no clue). You can imagine my surprise, the last night we were there, to hear little feet scurrying through our room. RATS. When I turned on the light, they ran into that heating unit, answering my question of what that noise was. They were huge RATS. The hotel gave me $100 off my total $900 something bill because of the RATS.

The bellmen are very nice. Couldn't get one to hang up from his personal call, though, to help me. The concierge are rude... surprise! The front desk staff very nice to me. Maybe it was because of the rats.

The bathrooms are small. Too small to even put a toothbrush and small makeup kit down.

The television is awful. Barely any channels.

Now, nice things.... the lobby is everything you want it to be. Very grand. We made beautiful photos in front of the Christmas tree in the lobby.

The location is fabulous. Couldn't be beat.

So, you have to decide if you're okay staying at a nasty hotel for location and lobby grandeur.

It was a beautiful place and the food was great. I was disappointed with the lack of wireless internet service. The problem was that I reserved rooms for others and their room service was charged to my credit card after I was assured that would not happen because they checked in with their own credit cards. The hotel could not fix the problem so I had to be reimbursed by others. It was a big nuisance.

If you are on a budget, it is likely that you'll find a great online rate at the Roosevelt. I paid $147 for one of the single rooms and expected a closet, but it turned out to be a decent size (for New York). The location is also a benefit as the hotel is near shopping and Grand Central Station.

The overall ambience is that of a of a hotel that must have been considered posh in a bygone era. Therefore, it will appear dated and shabby to some. In a recent stay, my room had a strong odor of vinegar, but was clean. In addition, the beds were very comfortable.

If you are looking for a convenient place to hang your hat in New York, then I would recommend this hotel. If you are looking for a trendy hangout, I would look elsewhere.

I got a great deal on this centrally located hotel in mid-town just steps away from Grand Central. It is, as the name suggests, a historic property and as such, it has a "dated" feeling to it. That said, I felt unusually at home and could not beat the location. For under $200, I don't think you will do much better in Manhattan.

The location is excellent. The staff is helpful and knowledgeable. It could have used a larger screen television in the room and slightly brighter lighting.