Hard Rock Hotel New York City Times Square

التاريخ: 01/11/2025 Pros: * Brand Spanking New right in Midtown….and super walkable to most locations nearby from low-key to High End. * Has Musical Memorabilia all over the property The service right when I checked in from the Belldesk attendant Gabriel was what luxury hotels are made of. He went above and beyond to tell me key details about the hotel. And made sure that he took my bags and personally walked me up to the front desk for check in. It was a nice touch. Then later he personally brought the bags up to my room and gave me more information about the features of the room which I greatly appreciated. The Check in Attendant I had was also named Gabriel a different person completely than the belldesk attendant. He was very professional and personable at the same time. He understood that I was there to celebrate a friends birthday and assisted me with choosing the right room. He also went above and beyond for advice on things to do and places to eat including at the property. There was a second attendant there Julivia who also assisted Gabriel with the checkin process and just general details about the room. Her level of care and attention to detail is what helped to make my checkin experience completely 5 star. She knows what it means to give excellent service and it was greatly appreciated. The both of them together was a perfect pair and I mentioned this to them. The room was brand spanking new. I mean I don’t know If me writing this will completely grasp this experience. So I believe I had a slight upgrade to a Superior model from the classic that I booked and the level of detail and opulence in the room was on another level. For it to be the size that it was everything was thought out perfectly to the water placement and closet space and sliding doors it was beautiful. And we had a partial view of Times Square. A very modern room. The food onsite was mainly at one location named Sessions but they do offer room service I believe until 11pm. I had Breakfast and lunch at Sessions and both times the food was good. The attendant I had for breakfast assisted me with standard service and the food was delicious for what it was. But the lunch experience by our server Sandro was on another level. His attention to detail and knowledge of all things on the menu and just overall professionalism was key in making my friends birthday celebration. The food was epic we had 2 salads I believe and drinks were some of the best tasting and looking cocktails that I’ve ever had and that’s saying a lot. They also have a popular rooftop bar here but I wasn’t able to make it there. I do believe the lounge opened at 4pm but we had other plans. The property is very secure which is why I only stay at 4 or 5 star Forbes Properties when I travel. There was security on the first floor which is street level and in the main area at all times which I felt great about and everyone I came into contact with greeted me perfectly with a smile. There is also a gym on site but I have a membership at lifetime which was very close by so I worked out there. Cons: * Just something to be aware of because it might affect a trip if you’re not prepared for it. They do a $100 per day authorization on your credit card for incidentals and additional basically $50 for something like a resort fee but you get wifi and free $20 food credit and access the gym with it. So the total checkin will be at least $150 authorization additional from the room and taxes you have already paid right when you check in if staying for 1 night. They also offered a $200 early check in fee which I didn’t take because I was going to workout anyway and when I finished working out the room was ready so it was a smart choice in my case. But again if you arrive early and are in need of or expecting access to the room be aware of this so your not surprised so that would be $150 plus $200 additionally than what you’ve already paid for room and tax when you check in early. Honestly I would recommend it just because there were many people it seemed who choose to not pay the early checkin and ultimately it’s all about experience $200 is a small price to pay for early access to the room on your trip or vacation. They also offer upgrades depending on availability but this is also for a significant cost. Again I have traveled a lot and this aspect of the checkin I will categorize as “corporate”. * No Pool * No Spa * No House Car (But you can use Uber) * No 24 Hour Room Service (But opened to 11 pm) * Standard Rooms could be considered on the smaller side so if possible I would either be prepared for that or just upgrade to one of the suites. Either room is nice though. * The elevators sometimes didn’t register when I was hitting the keys it appears but that could be a one off experience * I had an early check out and the main stairs were closed off so you had to take the elevators but ladies were cleaning. It just took more time but I understand that the food options were there so they had to close it off. Summary: Honestly I would categorize my experience as magical I would highly recommend this hotel especially if it’s a special occasion. The service and beauty of the property make it a stand out. Just if you book it online or if your wanting an experience just call ahead and pay all of the extras $200 early checkin possible $500 plus for the suite so that your experience is amazing and you don’t experience this in the moment you can be prepared. But I give it 5 stars and i understand why it’s on the Forbes travel guide. *Thumbs Up For Me Read less