Excelsior Hotel

On arrival we were greeted by a sour faced receptionist (always a giveaway) and sent up to our room. It was not what we had requested and paid for. After a brief argument on the telephone, she had no option but to give us a room with a double bed. The first night was very cold with no heating. When i enquired, i was told that the boiler had broken but had now been repaired. We then experienced periods of no heating for days. Apparently there is a system that only allows you to have heating for 20mins max. When we asked about the heating the staff were extremly rude except for one gentleman who tried to help us. A very high price to pay for a hotel with no heating!!!!!

We go to NY every year and have been staying at the Excelsion for the past several years. The location is beautiful - across from the Museum of Natural History and a block to Central Park - and the neighbourhood is friendly with terrific restaurants, stores, markets. Best of all the hotel is close to 2 subway lines [8th ave, 7th ave] which enable you to get to midtown in 10 minutes without having to put up with the midtown chaos 24/7. I find that the perfect combination. The rooms are clean and the staff is friendly.

The Excelsior Hotel is located on W. 81st Street; directly across the street from the Hayden Planetrium (which is a part of the American Museum of National History) and is one-half block from Central Park. Both bus and subway transportation are conveniently located from mere steps to a few short blocks away and provide access to near everywhere in Manhattan. The area is filled with shops, boutiques, and wonderful restaurants of nearly every type of cuisine imaginable. Two of the most enjoyable restaurants are the Ocean Grill for seafood and Bellini for Italian fare. The Magnolia Bakery is within walking distance should one desire specialty cupcakes; and even closer to the hotel is Lalo's which offers an immense selection of desserts. Lalo's was featured in the movie "You've Got Mail." There are two coffee shops within a half block (Starbuck's, and World Coffee which I highly recommend as World is less expensive than Starbuck's and has sandwiches, salads, breakfast items, and pastries on the menu; not to mention the delicious coffee. Andy's deli is a half block away and is handy for freshly made sandwiches, and for purchasing snacks, soda's, and other food items to have on hand in the hotel room. The hotel was recently refurbished, so the decor looks fresh and new. The rooms are tastefully appointed and include comfortable pillow top beds and fluffy pillows. Bath towels and toiletries are plentiful and hot water flowed instantly from the shower and sink. The room has good thermostatic controls and there was always such a blast of hot air that I turned the heat off many times as the room was comfortable even in the middle of December. The staff could not have been more helpful. All of my requests were responded to immediately including sending maintainence to unstop a clogged toilet. A member of my family decided to stay with me at the hotel, so I inquired about upgrading my twin room to accommodate an additional person. They offered me a suite at no extra charge. The suite was wonderful and included spa robes. I was never charged for the few pages that I printed from the guest computer either. Check out was a breeze and my bill was correct. This was my second stay at the Excelsior and I would not stay anywhere else. For those looking for ambiance and charm and a quieter setting than Mid-town Manhattan, this is the place to stay. The only drawbacks of the hotel is that the ice machines are located on the 1st, 3rd and 11th floors only, and the vending machines are only on the 1st floor next to the ice machine. The businness center for guests to access the computer is one computer in the area the size of a closet but the internet was fast. The hotel has a restaurant which offers Spanish cusine that is supposed to be quite good but in the mornings, a continental breakfast is offered for the price of $17.00. However, it is not an issue with the other eateries so close to the hotel. There are no mini refrigerators in the rooms (not even in the suite) but guests can request one for a cost of $10.00 per day or there-a-bouts. However, the wonderful staff and service, the comfortable and newly decorated rooms, and the convenient location are well worth over-looking a few minor details. The Excelsior is a rare find in Manhattan and I look forward to my next stay.

Clean, neat, tastefully decorated room. Old hotel, but with nicely redone modern decor.

Hotel is located across the street from Central Park about a block west from the enetrance. Directly across from the front door is the Roosevelt Park and teh Museum of Natural History. The subway stop is a half block away. The area is quaint, clean and most of all quiet. It was a welcome respite from the hustle & bustle of midtown. Easy walking to many good restaurants and pubs. The hotel room was clean, the beds comfortable, the bathroom was spacious & clean. Our interaction with the staff was fine, no problems. The entire facility was very well kept and clean. Rooms were solid & quiet. We look forward to staying ther again.

My daughter and I spent four nights at the Excelsior Hotel on 81st in New York. The staff was cordial, but not overwhelmingly so. The bar, which is run by an independent organization, was outstanding! The bartenders were friendly, talkative, and provided great service and drinks.

This is a very nice hotel in a great location, across the street from the Museum of Natural History. NIce quiet neighborhood, but only 1/2 block from the subway station. Many restaurants of all types and varieties just steps away. It has a great neighborhood feel, and perfect for walking and exploring. Central Park is 1 block away. A great little wine shop and a Starbucks within steps. My room had a separate sitting room as well, with a couch, desk and second TV. Very, very comfortable and friendly. I will certainly stay here again!

The hotel have a privilege location. It's a pity that the people at the counter is not very friendly. The maintenance of the room is 6 out of 10.

This is a lovely hotel in a great location. The beds were comfortable and the room was large. We loved being so close to friends and museums.

Awesome!