New York Marriott East Side

Not sure why the mediocre reviews. I have stayed in 5 star and 2 star locations in New York City several times and trust me this place is not that bad. The location is prime and off the beaten path so you are not overrun by tourists like in Times Square. This location sits near UN building and close to Rockefeller Center and a few blocks over from Times Square smack in mid town near Grand Central. The property is quite large with a spacious lobby and bar area with a very nice and helpful staff. Sure rooms are small, like any New York City hotel room, there is not much to the room, but if you are visiting, you aren’t in the room much anyway so who cares. Beds care comfortable, rooms are clean and equipped with all you need and everything seemed to be updated so not sure why those are reviewers mentioned that. If you are looking for a mid town location at a better than reasonable price, this is the place. Plus you can grab a cab to anywhere in the city within seconds. Book it, you won’t be sorry!

Great location, very friendly staff, I stayed the weekend with my family and everything was great, I request a roller bed and the bed was already in my room when arriving to the hotel, I read some previous review about the noise of the room, I don’t know what you want when you come to Manhattan is always noise, I recommend this hotel was a good experience.

We booked through
and selected a room with a King Bed. Upon arrival we were given a room with two double beds. Since it was just my Wife and I this was not desirable. We called the front desk and they were not willing to do anything for us and stated that since we booked through
we are not assured any particular type of room. I disagree because we had the option of selecting both types of room, with the two double bed variant being less expensive, but we opted for the one King bed so there were clearly two different accommodations being offered.
We contacted
and they in turn reached out to the hotel. All that was offered was an upgrade on a future stay. However we live across the country and do not visit the region often, so It really has no value to us. Disappointing.
That being said, the location is excellent, perfect really. The rooms are clean and quiet.
Beware the pricing in the bar/​restaurant downstairs however. The only «sticker shock» I experienced on our vacation in NYC was my $ 17 7&7 from the bar. It was a weak pour too!

Stayed here New Year’s Eve and it was a great experience. The M club had a great breakfast, with terrific coffee. The staff was all very friendly, and I felt the hotel and room were both very clean.

Great stay at this hotel. Super location for Mid-​town, Times Square access, and short walk to Grand Central for subway.
Most important — the staff — outstanding, friendly and the bellmen (Wade in particular) are first rate most have been there over 20 years! Thank you, we look forward to seeing you again soon. And, shout out to Marriott Corporate for allowing us to alter our reservation.

Old hotel, great location. Room was small and a little musty, and complimentary tv internet service (Netflix) was spotty, but it’s located in a great spot in midtown Manhattan — close to Grand Central and the 6 train. The concierge, bellmen and front desk were all helpful. Not the greatest bar or business service. I believe you have to pay to use the computers. Gym was modern and clean. Would stay there again if I found a good deal on rates.

I really enjoyed staying at this hotel. It’s location is really good to a lot of key places and the subway is nearby to anywhere else. The people who work here were very friendly. The breakfast for the elite members was very good and the cookies in the lobby one of the days was very delicious. The only weird thing is that they would have something really nice one day and nothing the next. And the lack of breakfast on Friday and Saturday was very disappointing. The beds were comfortable and the rooms were ok.
One note: Make sure you are aware of their ridiculous service charge at the bar downstairs. They don’t offer room service, yet charge you a crazy service fee for going downstairs and getting your own snacks and wine.

For what you get for your money (I ended up spending over $ 1000 for two nights, mid-​week) Marriott East Side is more two stars but that has to be tempered with the location and the overall fact that you’re in New York City on Lexington Ave. Location, of course, was wonderful. I had client meetings that were located on Park Ave, which made for quick & easy walking distance. It’s right near Grand Central, walking distance to the Empire State building and has a ton of cafes, shops and other necessities right nearby. Customer service, I found, to be pretty stellar. My check in was quick, efficient and friendly. The concierge and bell desk attendees were helpful and the doormen were attentive and polite.
During the day, the convenience of a large lounge area with wifi was great as I prepped for meetings with my coworkers. I ended up setting up shop there twice in between meetings.
That’s a decent list of «pros» that stopped from rating this hotel two stars. For a $ 500 a night hotel the room, hallways, and other aspects of my stay were way below expectations. I was glad I didn’t have to spend a lot of time in my room since it was not a pleasant place to be. For some reason, though I was traveling alone, I was given a room with two queen size beds. The room was so small, there was barely any room to walk around them or between them to navigage the closet, dresser, work desk and bathroom. The room was very cramped and old. The hallways were kind of depressing and elevators tiny & slow. It just didn’t equate to the type of hotel that should be charging these rates. The bathroom was okay-​not as clean as I would have preferred and the door actually blocked part of the shower door and toilet, making it very hard to navigate.
They have a restaurant onsite that only served a «buffet» breakfast which seemed wasteful and their gift shop was cash only or a charge to your room. Very few snacks or drinks available. I was very glad to only be there two nights and was in the room only to sleep. If I had to be in NY again on business travel I’d research other options in the area. It’s a given I will pay a lot but probably I can get a bit more for my money.

This is such a fantastic hotel. It is away from the craziness of Times Square and closer to the Empire State Building if that helps put things in perspective. I used the Marriott app to pre-​check in so upon arrival the check in process was very quick. They knew was time I was arriving and had my room key ready. So easy! I was thankful for that because it was late at night.
I am used to going to NYC and staying in okay hotels with not a lot of room. My room here was on the 12^th floor (1235). It was at the end of a hallway which made things pretty quiet and spacious. Aside from the usual NYC traffic you can hear in hotel rooms everything was fantastic! I loved the TVs as you had channels for Hulu, Netflix and Crackle.
As a Marriott elite member I also had access to the club lounge which was on the 2^nd floor. It was very nice. I loved having access to the free breakfast and bottled water. The breakfast was good and more than just pastries. I had egg whites with spinach, bacon or sausage (depending on the day), breakfast potatoes in addition to oatmeal, cereal, fruit, pastries, etc. There were quite a few TVs which was nice to catch the morning news.
All in all I’d definitely stay at this hotel given the chance in the future.

Did anyone who stayed there recently bring bed bugs home with you? Apparently we did! Not a great hotel to begin with but I’m covered with bites & very annoyed.

Spectacular customer service.
There was a glitch recognizing my platinum status on check-​in. Management reconciled and offered wine and cheese in reconciliation. Nice.
I’ll be back with more business travel.

Slowest elevators I’ve ever taken.
Decent location, but I came into my hotel room with a dirty rag left near the chair and no lotion or shampoo. That’s a little gross and makes it seem like someone forgot to finish cleaning the room halfway.
there are better places to stay in midtown for this price point.

My parents stayed here one weekend when they were in the city to visit, and I spent a night here as a result. The room was a good size for NYC, but dingy with tiny windows, and the service was awful. They wouldn’t bring a wine opener up to our room — I was told that they don’t provide any room service to guests’ rooms, but we would need to go downstairs to the bar in the lobby and get it ourselves. Between my family and me, we have stayed in countless hotels and have never had anything like this happen in a ~$ 300 a night hotel. It’s not a Marriott rule, apparently, but is specific to this hotel. They don’t provide any extras like Internet, but no room service… seriously?
Also, when we got back to our room at 5 pm, the room had been made up except for the fact that one of the beds was still unmade. Why make one and not the other? So bizarre. Also, as a previous reviewer noted, the «doormen» don’t open the door for guests or offer any assistance with cabs.
You can absolutely find a better hotel in the city for this price. The room might be smaller, but the service won’t be nearly as horrible.

As a frequent guest here, I attempted to check in last night after a grueling day of travel and meetings. The gentleman at the front desk informed me that I was in one of a handful of newly renovated rooms, and it had a veranda. After an elevator ride up to 16 and a swipe of the key, I couldn’t believe my eyes as I gazed out over a 1,000 sq ft private deck. But wait a minute — my room has no bed, just a couch and a dining set. In fact, my room is a lock-​out from the suite next door — apparently the parlor.
I went back to the front desk and said there’s been a mistake — my room has no bed. I was curtly informed that they’re «pretty much full for the night», and that’s all they can offer me. I replied that «pretty much» indicates that there is a room available, right? He then told me that those rooms were being held in case of travelers with platinum status, and he offered to see if there are other hotels available. I told him that my reservation number (and gold status) should be good enough to warrant a bed, but he declined.
As of this morning my company travel desk is working to remove the Marriott chain in NY from our «approved/​preferred» list.
Enjoy your stay…

I stayed here a couple times with my wife while in the city. The rooms are nicely renovated, but are extremely small. The staff was pleasant, but nothing extraordinary. The hotel bar is actual a nice place for a quick drink and the restaurant is not that bad either. The hotel is nicely located next to many restaurants and is a short walk to Times Square and many broadway theaters. For the price I don’t think you can beat it.

I arrive with two suitcases, a laptop case, and a diaper bag, while my wife pushed the little in a stroller. The doorman just watched; never offering help. During our four days at the hotel never once did a doorman greet us or offer help.
The front desk personnel could not have more opposite than the doormen. Everyone at the front desk was helpful. They were always quick to help and provided answers to all questions.
The room décor was nice but the beds were not comfortable. The bathroom was spacious and clean. The wireless internet was sufficient, along with the desk for workspace. A refrigerator is included as well.
But I got never shake the first impression of the doormen never offering help. What are they standing there for?

Stayed at this hotel for five nights. Compared to other full service Marriotts, I was not super impressed by this one. Mainly the place felt run down and the rooms were not very clean (hair on bathroom floor upon check-​in, dust all windowsill, etc). The rooms were also shaped a little awkward and had no view, or at least I didn’t have one.
It was in a decent location though — close to Central Park and Grand Central, which was nice.
On the plus side, the lounge, if you have Marriott status, was very nice and was above average.

I expected more out of Marriott. At first, we were pleased because the bell hop was great and the lobby was grand. But then it all went downhill from there. We had a reservation for the Saturday night of Mother’s Day. I understand that it was probably booked to capacity, but the check-​in counter agents were not friendly and not courteous. Unfortunately, we were put on the 4^th floor and our view was of an alleyway. We had minimal lighting in our room, and it felt dark regardless of how bright it was outside, because we were closed off by the other side of the hotel (I think the hotel is sort of a U shape). If that’s the case, and you don’t get much natural lighting streaming in, don’t you think you should install more lights in the room? Our double room was quite small. The restroom was disappointing with poor ventilation and terrible tub drainage. At least it was well-​lit. The room had a good number of mirrors, at least, so it wasn’t terrible for 3 women to simultaneously get ready.
The public wifi in the lobby wasn’t working for the whole duration of our stay, and when I asked the concierge and bell hops, they couldn’t get the wifi to work on their devices either and didn’t really make an attempt to remedy the situation.
The lobby and the dining area was respectable, at least, and we took several pictures by their fireplace. But the rooms were just a disappointment. The Fairfield Inn & Suites next to Penn Station, which we stayed at the next night, was the same price for the same night we stayed at the this Marriott. We would’ve done well to have chose the Fairfield Inn over this Marriott instead. I don’t think we will be returning.

I’ll do a good/​bad rundown in a second, and I’ve posted many pictures so you can actually see things for yourself… but first I want to address the person who said everyone here is dressed very upscale — specifically, «no casual dressing here.» Please. It’s a Marriott. There are plenty of people dressed casually. You do not need to show up in an evening gown. Maybe not ripped jean shorts and crocs, but it’s definitely not evening-​attire only.
Okay, the good: My double room was spacious, clean, and comfortable. I’m Platinum Elite and was upgraded to a corner room with a view, so that means extra street noise, but it wasn’t really a problem. I always suggest that people not from NYC bring earplugs with them (especially if you are a light sleeper) since, yes, cabs honk day and night. But the beds are comfy enough so that it shouldn’t be a huge issue.
If you have Gold or Platinum status, the CL is decent. Plenty of free water, soda, snacks, and hot food. Don’t, however, choose this Marriott if you’ll be staying on a weekend. The CL closes at 10am on Friday and doesn’t reopen until Monday. They also don’t comp your breakfast. They do give you 1,000 points, but that conversion rate doesn’t equal a decent breakfast in Manhattan.
The bad?
People rave about the location. Why? There are many other Marriott properties in better locations. This isn’t in a bad neighborhood, mind you, but you’ll have a decent walk to pretty much anything most people go to NYC for (theater, museums, restaurants, etc).
Oh, hello elevators! Yes, there are six, and yes, they are split (floors 1 – 16, and 16 and above), but they are still very small and INCREDIBLY slow. If you want to go to the gym, drop me a line when you get there… it should be around 2018, as you have to make a couple changes. If you want to leave your room between 7 and 9 am, the stairs are a good option…
No room service??? WTF, Marriott? You have a restaurant in your lobby! Just hire a couple people to do deliveries and add 22% to the tab — you’re good at that.
Housekeeping was good but not great (if you want great Housekeeping, go to The Algonquin, also a Marriott property). At East Side, they regularly forgot to refill things in the room «coffee bar,» so I had to go down to the CL and bring coffee/​cream back up (tough life, I know). Toilet paper was never replaced during our four nights there, and on the last day we were like Elaine in that Seinfeld bathroom (can you spare a square?). But, beds were made and they were very polite when I ran into them in the hall on the last day. So, not bad — but not great. And yes, I tipped every day.
No coffee in the lobby. Only saw a water station once (Saturday morning).
So, would I choose to stay here again? No. There are too many other options in Manhattan to bother with this place again. But, if it were offered for free, would I shun a free room in NYC? Nope!

Les chambres sont très spacieuses et propres avec des lites très confortables et bien plus larges qu’en France (chambre double). Rien à dire niveau propreté. Les parties communes sont très bien entretenues et le décor à l’ancienne nous plonge dans l’ambiance d’un vieux hôtel. Le brunch est copieux mais assez redondant, par contre l’amabilité du personnel qui le sert laisse à désirer (interdiction de choisir sa place donc impossible de manger entre collègues…).
Assez déçue par le fait que le wifi né soit disponible quand dans le hall d’accueil, un peu désuet surtout concernant un hôtel de ce standing.

This Marriott location is a good location. Easy to get to 5^th Ave, Rockefeller Center, Times Square.
I booked two rooms via Priceline bid for $ 160 a night for a Saturday night. Can’t beat that! The check in was swift and painless and they asked me if I wanted a king or two double beds, even with a Priceline bid too.
Got two drinks (Manhattan and Absolut n soda) at their lobby bar where they automatically add a 15% tip. Total $ 41. Expensive but we are in NYC.
Parking is expensive here ($ 60) per night. There are many parking garages nearby to save some $ too.
Looks like this hotel was recently renovated. No complaints and recommend this place.