The Blue Bar

The Algonquin Hotel is a historic hotel located at 59 West 44th Street in Manhattan (New York). The hotel has been designated as a New York City Historic Landmark.

The 181-room hotel, opened in 1902, was designed by architect Goldwin Starret. It was originally conceived as a residential hotel but was quickly converted to a traditional lodging establishment. Its first owner-manager, Frank Case (who bought the hotel in 1927), established many of the hotel’s traditions. Perhaps its best-known tradition is hosting literary and theatrical notables, most prominently the members of the Algonquin Round Table.

Located in the heart of Midtown Manhattan on 44th Street, the hotel is close to the bustling Times Square and Fifth Avenue precincts.

Check in time is 4pm so the room was not ready after my arrival from Europe. I used this as an opportunity to explore the hotel’s Blue Bar and enjoying a $7 Coke.

The room was average in size for a typical New York hotel. The bathroom however was bigger than expected. The bed was comfortable to sleep in.

There was no minibar or coffee maker in the room; nor did the hotel have a room service offering. I found this below standard for a hotel of the Marriott’s Autograph collection category. Turn-down service was also available on request only. (No information given at check-in)

There was a broken lift (of total 2 lifts available) which lead to long waiting times and lots of people using the small stairs. This caused disturbance from early morning to late night.

Staff were doing their job without making a big effort of being charming or welcoming.

If not for the history and the location I would not recommend this hotel. The choice of hotels in Manhattan is nearly unlimited and there are certainly plenty of other options.

 

http://www.algonquinhotel.com/

Hotel and Restaurant views:

my Junior Suite:

Suites:

 

The Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof is a luxurious five-star hotel, ideally located in the heart of central Frankfurt. This hotel features the finest of modern amenities and opulent comforts including a Michelin-star restaurant, a modern spa and magnificent panoramic views.

Easily accessible, the hotel is located in close proximity to many of the region’s most renowned attractions and is located a mere 10 minutes walk from Frankfurt’s main train station.

Check-in was fast and easy. I had pre-booked a junior suite but was allocated a large room type which did not correspond to the pictures on the hotel’s website. I queried this and was assigned another suite. No explanation was given on the different room types. This time I was given the nice suite that I booked on the 5th floor with a great view including 2 small balconies.

The suite was recently renovated and very stylish. There was a lounge area, a bar area with minibar, Nespresso maker and a tea station. A large wardrobe was available with an option of overnight shoe shining service which I used and was well done.

The bathroom was large with a bathtub, an oversized shower and a separate toilet. The rain shower had an option with fancy changing light in many colours. I found this a little strange and I’m not sure if many people really use or like this feature.

What I really loved about the room were the electric power outlets conveniently located just next to the bed. Many hotel rooms these days still lack electric plugs at convenient locations. Great job here, including the different types of outlets.

The restaurant Oscar’s offers a nice food choice including a legendary Wiener Schnitzel which was truly excellent. There is the Michelin Star French restaurant and a great bar which is stylish, discreet and offers a nice lemonade created by the Chef de Bar which has been working there for decades. This special lemonade is now even available in bottles and available in the minibar and for purchase at the hotel.

The staff at the Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof are formal, a bit reserved and not overly welcoming.

One little letdown was that I accidentally left my phone charger in my room and was not notified by the hotel. I would have expected a short e-mail with the information that I left something in the room. When I sent an e-mail to inquire I was informed that nothing had been found. When I was in Frankfurt a week later, I checked personally at the hotel and surprisingly my charger had been found and it was returned. Maybe the hotel’s lost-and-found procedures should be re-evaluated.

https://www.steigenberger.com/en/hotels/all-hotels/germany/frankfurt/steigenberger-frankfurter-hof?utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=sea&utm_campaign=frankfurt_frankfurter_hof&utm_content=shr