Priceline Hotel: 4* NYC (MTE) Waldorf-Astoria

[tanabutler]

NOTE: I was in NYC for less than 24 hours, capitalizing on a American Airlines promotion that awarded a free trip anywhere in the world if you fly San Francisco-NYC twice before April 15. I bid $100 on a 4-Star in any of six NYC neighborhoods, and literally squealed out loud when "Congratulations" and "Waldorf-Astoria" appeared on the screen.

Unfortunately, it was like a bad blind date.

Here is the letter I sent to management at the Waldorf, and to which they have never replied.

Well, it's too long to fit this onto a comment card. I am about to check out soon and have composed this to give you a glimpse into what was supposed to be a thrilling stay at the Waldorf-Astoria on my whirlwind tour of New York (this time around).

Room 1607 was perfect. Lovely room with an incomparable view all the way up Park Avenue. And a deep tub, the one thing I'd requested! Alas, no internet. This is a necessity, as I'm a web designer traveling with ongoing work. I requested a room with DSL, and was transferred to 1135. The transfer took quite a long time: I think they were turning down the bed.

Room 1135's DSL worked fine. However, I became aware of the one pervasive noise: the elevators. The bathroom walls (marble walls, enhancing the conductivity of sound) shared a wall with the elevator shafts. I asked myself, "Do I really want my stay at the Waldorf-Astoria to be characterized with that irritation?"

I did not, and called for help again. How embarrassing, but given the choice between asking for a quieter room and thinking how I'd feel if I listened to the elevator all night, I made the phone call. This time, after too long a wait, I called back and said, "There is no need to turn down the bed if that's creating this delay."

So at about 8 PM (I'd arrived shortly after 6 PM), I was ushered into my third room.

Room 1341 (I can't remember)? By now I was starving, and unpacked a little before heading out to dinner. I returned before 11 PM. I started to run a bath, and hooked up my computer, unpacking a little more while I waited for it to boot up.

Long story short: The DSL in that room was malfunctioning. I spent 20 minutes with a very kind young man on remote tech support, and to no avail.

After another inordinately long wait (turning down the bed for a woman who's ready to fall into it headfirst, after awakening at 4 AM in California, flying 2500 miles and walking seemingly another 10 miles through airports? NOT NECESSARY!), I arrived at my present room, 1141.

I was so exhausted that I just took a quick hot bath--in the sadly shallow but neverthless adequately long tub--and fell into bed, hoping to sleep the sleep of the dead. Woe is me, for I could not figure out how to set the alarm. I pressed some button and it came blaring on. It's still on, with the volume down. I couldn't figure out how to turn it off, so I just shut it up and called for a wake-up call.

Meanwhile, in my exhaustion, I forgot to put the DND sign on the door. After sleeping fitfully all night (despite the very quiet room, I didn't sleep well), a maid knocked and started to enter. I admit to grumpily calling, "Oh, go away!" and felt bad because of that. Realizing that my wake-up

call was imminent, I got up and began my day. Very tired indeed.

Oh, here's the bill for my stay thus far, and though I've only been here for 15 hours, I've been double-dinged for two 24 hour passes on the internet.

After packing and starting to get dressed, I realized I needed to iron my pants. Got out the iron and set it up. Plugged it in to the same strip the DSL modem is in, I waited five minutes or so while packing other things. Ice cold iron.

Ice cold.

Twenty minutes later, a new iron arrives. Light switches are checked: yes, I had it plugged in. Yes, I had it turned on. Ice cold iron.

New iron. Nice long cord! Put in a little water to make the steam, as my pants need a little bit of steam. This iron, no doubt, is hot. I can hear it heat up.

Setting: lowest amounf of steam.

Result: scalding water POURS out of the iron, results in multiple irreparable blisters on the surface of my best pair of pants.

I'm starting to think of the Waldorf as a blind date that just didn't work out, despite everyone's best intentions.

I start to wonder if this is what people who score a good deal through Priceline can expect. By now, all the rooms blur together. One was missing a corkscrew (and the girl on the phone didn't know what one was! She had only ever heard "wine opener." Am I that old? Is "corkscrew" an odd word? I'm not complaining that she didn't know, but it sure gave me a strange feeling).

Don't get me wrong: this place is gorgeous and the staff are impeccably kind and helpful. You know that. Susan in particular, in Guest Services. (I wish I knew her last name. She wrote it on the second room key envelope, but here I am in my fourth room and I can't find that paper anywhere.)

And now my time is drawing to a close...I wish I could stay longer. Especially since my plane leaves at 6:45 tonight and I can't stay in my room because you charge $35 an hour.

Anyway. That concludes my big glamourous trip to the Waldorf-Astoria. I accept my fate, that you get what you pay for. Next time I'll bid for a five-star and see what they can come up with. Blow-dryers that incinerate your hair?

Sincerely,

Tana Butler

[thereuare]

Sorry to hear of your disappointing stay.

Sounds like the hotel did try to accomodate your needs but it just wasn't meant to be :)

Unfortunately bidding 5* in this zone will land you inside the same property at the Waldorf Towers.

Hope your future stays are better ones.

As always, thanks for sharing.

PS- you may want to copy/paste part of the above to the HOTEL REVIEWS section of the board.