Emire

10/10

Exceptional

04 Jun 2026

Tabarlie

It was perfect.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

04 Jun 2026

David

Great location

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

03 Jun 2026

Yanet

Nice

10/10

Exceptional

03 Jun 2026

Heather

Great central location 2 restaurants and best gelato store next to hotel. Staff extremely friendly and helpful. Nice to be close to everything but also far enough from time square to not be in it but a short walk to it!!!

Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

03 Jun 2026

Rebecca

Hotel centrally located; staff quite nice and helpful, except for one thing. Stayed on 11th floor and every morning staff began moving equipment before 6 am. Was there for 3 nights, spoke to staff the second day and there was no moving on the 3rd morning but they \"forgot\" and made alot of noise again the following morning. Staff provided significant price reduction after we spoke with them when checking out. But still...how has the idea that this is a bad daily practice not occurred to management?

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

02 Jun 2026

Tania Rodriguez

It's centrally located, very clean and the staff is very nice and helpful. I recommend it 100%

Family_with_children

4/10

Poor

02 Jun 2026

prabhleen

The front desk staff was horrible and not telling you the rooftop bar isnt with the hotel and u must pay separately not good

Partner

8/10

Excellent

02 Jun 2026

Karen

Slightly dated in some wallpaper was peeling, excellent water pressure - shower was amazing

Family

4/10

Poor

02 Jun 2026

Jennifer

The lobby was impressive but the room and corridor was not. They require some updating especially the room!
Bed was extremely comfortable and the size of the room especially for a group/family.

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

01 Jun 2026

Eric

Kudos to the bellman who returned the $600 I accidentally lost. Great to know there are still good, honest people in this world.

Family

2/10

Poor

01 Jun 2026

karen

So called swimming pool was like a paddling pool
Room was very noisy small not even enough room for a chair and air con did not work, we had to pay another 400 dollars to attain a descent sized room

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

01 Jun 2026

Christine M

Met basic needs. Small rooms/bathroom. Definitely needs an upgrade, no usb charging ports, old furniture and the bathroom door damaged, lighting in room poor
Elevator slow and getting up to terrace/ pool stairs felt hazardous, it is an old building

Friends_and_family Family

10/10

Exceptional

01 Jun 2026

Joshua

Great location and staff!

Self

8/10

Excellent

01 Jun 2026

Derek

Clean and well maintained. Nothing to complain about.

Self

8/10

Excellent

01 Jun 2026

Ryan

Little issue with the shower in my room, but otherwise a very nice and comfortable stay.

Self

8/10

Excellent

31 May 2026

Marcia

Check in was a mess. Staff couldn’t find my reservation. Then said I only paid for one night when I had paid in full for entire stay. Then said she would need a $450 incidental deposit fee on my card.

I pulled up my reservation invoice and suddenly she found everything. What a mess plus she was rude.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

31 May 2026

steven

Quiet, convenient and great staff. Rooftop bar a bonus plus a pool. Definitely worth considering this.

Friends_and_family Family

2/10

Poor

31 May 2026

Sonia

We have stayed at this hotel quite a few times in the past, as recently as last month, but will probably never stay there again. We had booked a one-night stay, in a superior room for a Wednesday night in May.

It was by far the worst hotel room I have ever stayed at. Both windows faced a sizeable, extremely ugly, dingy air shaft with large, rusty mechanical devices, probably air conditioners. They were at our level, on the first floor, and not even a bit of sky was visible to counteract the ugliness.

The view was bad enough; what was much more problematic was the noise coming from that equipment. It was loud and constant throughout the day and the night. There was no letup. Occasionally, the tone changed but it never stopped.

We would have asked for a room change right then, but were already late for dinner and a concert, the lobby was filled with people waiting to check in, and we foolishly assumed the noise would abate later in the evening.

To make matters worse, I spoke to the manager in the morning about how awful the room was. He acknowledged that he knew we were repeat customers, and the room was undesirable but said the hotel was sold out. (We made this reservation about 10 days in advance.)

No one should be given this room, #111. It would have been far better to have been told there were no rooms available so that we would have stayed elsewhere than spend a night in that room.

I guess the hotel would rather lose a guest than a room fee.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

31 May 2026

William

Location, decor, lobby, rooftop, soundproofing, staff help - all were excellent. Hot water takes along time but just be patient. Limited counter space in bathroom. I stayed in a superior King room which had ample space for two people and luggage. No coffeemaker in room or complimentary coffee in lobby but two coffee shops right next to entrance. Hotel does have an electric hot water maker if you ask. Overall an excellent place to stay for feeling safe ( Staff were very attentive and helpful) in the Central Park/ Lincoln Center area. Discounted parking offered by Hotel just a couple blocks away. Would definitely stay there again.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

31 May 2026

angie

Staff were really nice. Room was clean, small but typical of New York rooms and the bar was nice. Would stay again

Partner

8/10

Excellent

31 May 2026

Luis

Muy bien todo

Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

31 May 2026

Ruth

I love the location, but I HATE the door locks.

Friends

4/10

Poor

30 May 2026

Kimberly

No coffee in the room!! The hotel desperately needs an update. Its age really shows. It’s just not worth the prices they charge. And it’s so busy and full so they just aren’t investing in the property. The carpet and wallpaper are dreadful. The paint is dirty and needs a fresh coat. It really needs to be redone. The rooms really have no amenities other than TV, WiFi, iron and hairdryer. We had to switch rooms because the blinds were broken, the bathroom door was swollen and barely shut and made horrible squealing sound and the carpet had a huge tear in it.
We’ve stayed several times due to location but will not stay again as what you get for the price is not worth it at all.

Family_with_children

6/10

Pleasant

30 May 2026

Melissa

Great location on the upper west side. Food was great and staff were really helpful. Dated decor and hardly any storage in the room. No fan in the bathroom and no amenities in the room other than a fridge and safe. Gym was fairly average with limited equipment, amenities and room to move. On the whole it was a good experience.

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

30 May 2026

Gerald

Staff were very nice but they did not mention a bar or anything in the area. That would have been helpful

Self

6/10

Pleasant

30 May 2026

Janet

Water took a long time to get hot. Shower was poorly designed. Ended up getting the small bathroom very wet. No coffee at all. Only food was on the roof deck and was very expensive. Resort fee added to price. The beds were comfortable.

Family

6/10

Pleasant

30 May 2026

Nathaniel

Outdated hotel. Peeling wallpaper. No coffee or tea available in the room or room service. Called desk multiple times with no answer. Great location.

Business Self

6/10

Pleasant

30 May 2026

Sam

The hotel is in a perfect location near the Opera and theatre attractions around Lincoln Square. Unfortunately the AC in our room was broken, and the sink was missing a plug to keep objects like contact lenses and rings from falling into the P Trap. Sadly, our window was so dirty on the outside marring our view. Also getting coffee in the morning required us to step outsude in the rain to Starbucks. (No coffee or snacks are available inside the hotel.)

Partner

2/10

Poor

30 May 2026

Aurelio

Disgusting room with peeling wallpaper, bloodstained bedsheets, a thick layer of dust everywhere, smudged body lotion on the bed headrest, old carpet, and a gross bathroom shower curtain. STAY AWAY!

Partner

4/10

Poor

29 May 2026

Ivan

Rooms were super run down. Drinks were watery and expensive. Would never go again.

Partner

4/10

Poor

29 May 2026

Brooke

I stayed here for one night for my birthday just this past weekend. I was really excited as I am a HUGE fan of Gossip Girl and if you know, you know. However, I was genuinely really disappointed. One being that the floor was the floor so gross as if it hasn’t been vacuumed in weeks - and not only the floors but the shelves and the whole room entirely. The wallpaper was peeling off on all the walls, the curtain was broken so we couldn’t open the blinds, all the furniture in the room was ripped and very very outdated. Other than the rooms, the rest of the hotel was beautiful and definitely up to date which is why I didn’t expect the rooms to look the way they did. Would not stay here again.

Partner

8/10

Excellent

28 May 2026

Joanne

The location was ideal, directly across the street from Lincoln Center. The rooftop restaurant/bar was a nice feature, a large portion of it is enclosed.
The A/C is the room didn’t function properly and was pretty warm. However, I didn’t alert anyone of this since we were only staying for one evening. The hotel is a bit outdated and is in need of a refresh. The staff were kind and helpful. The check in/out process was quick. Valet parking was offered for $80. Overall I was pleased and would stay there again.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

27 May 2026

Merrie

We really enjoy the location and convenience of the Empire Hotel. Front desk staff and doormen were friendly and helpful. Bed is stiff as a board, but everything else is great.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

26 May 2026

Josr

The property was very nice and swanky right in the middle of West side Manhattan. Walking distance from shops, eateries, and entertainment, as well as subway stations and bus stops! I made the mistake of Ubering everywhere the first two days before I found out how affordable and amazing the New York City public transportation system is! Our hotel was so accessible from everywhere in the city and surrounding Burroughs. Central Park, Time Square, Lower Manhattan, all just a very short walk or ride away!

Partner

8/10

Excellent

26 May 2026

Michelle

Once elegant now a popular spot, the hotel offers a great rooftop bar, a sun deck and pool for guests, a nice restaurant, an adequate workout room and lovely public areas with music, seating and areas for conversation or relaxing. The guest rooms are New York small, with furnishings decades old, pealing wallpaper, strangely set up sinks with the facet too close to the basin so they spray up, showers that get the floor wet and limited room amenities - no coffee makers.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

26 May 2026

Mariuxi

The hotel is so beautiful, friendly and the food was so good

Partner

2/10

Poor

25 May 2026

Rachel

Hotel is in disrepair and beds are uncomfortable. When showed the front desk that I was staying there for a week and that there was no way to access the bathroom sink due to a pillar right in front of it they moved me but reluctantly. The sound proofing is also bad. Both weekends I was there I tried to get food on the roof and told I needed to wait several hours for reservations due to private events. They should have at least some tables opened for paying hotel guests.

Business

8/10

Excellent

25 May 2026

Joshua

Staff at the hotel were great, 5 stars there. The hotel room was decent, but the bed had an older mattress for sure and the curtains for total privacy wouldn't exactly stay closed because the HVAC unit in the room blew air right on them and you'll wake up with a 4-5\" opening every morning where people can see right into your room.

Self

6/10

Pleasant

24 May 2026

VICTORIA

Our AC didn’t work the first night. They did repair it pretty promptly, but we ended up having to change rooms and they gave us a small credit for that inconvenience. Everything was relatively clean, but it is an older hotel with dark carpet. I kept my socks on. The bathroom was very clean. I did see a roach in the middle of the night in the bathroom. The staff was extremely friendly and helpful. It’s a good location. I booked it because of the rooftop pool which ended up not being open because it doesn’t open till after Memorial Day a real bummer since we had 95° days the week before Memorial Day. This was not well advertised and I would not have stayed there had I known this. This was a package deal through Expedia, which turned out to be pretty good as it was close to where I needed to be. Not sure I would stay there again though.

Family

6/10

Pleasant

24 May 2026

Emil

Location, location, location.
The rest is just OK.

Friends

8/10

Excellent

24 May 2026

Ruben

Good location in Lincoln Square. Good surrounding area. Nice staff.

Friends_and_family Family

6/10

Pleasant

24 May 2026

Melissa

Great location. Staff was very nice but did not point out amenities or how to access them. A hotel lobby bar would be a nice addition - there seems to be one but it was closed/dark/empty on a Friday evening. Bathroom in the two-double bed room was small but modern and clean; the hot water took a full 5 minutes to warm up.
TIP: Request a high floor, and insist on it. Floors 1 - 3 are awful - noisy, dark and odd-numbered rooms only offer a view of the HVAC system with no sky to be seen. In-room air conditioner/heaters are tricky to set and re-set, and are also very loud - bring earplugs. And, there are not nearly enough lights/lamps in the rooms - VERY dark and hard to see in the rooms!

Family

10/10

Exceptional

24 May 2026

Lorraine

room was clean and staff was exceptional.

Partner

10/10

Exceptional

23 May 2026

Mary

friendly staff, clean quiet rooms, practically on doorstep of Lincoln Center

Partner

8/10

Excellent

23 May 2026

Mary

I did not like it, in fact I was extraordinarily disappointed that there was not a bathtub in our bathroom. Everything else was Grade A.

Mary Sullivan Rm. 609

4/10

Poor

22 May 2026

Ian

Bad decor - old noisy air conditioners. interior rooms overlook air conditioning shaft extremely noisy. I had to move rooms. Never again.

Self

6/10

Pleasant

22 May 2026

Karen

Air conditioning was very poor.

6/10

Pleasant

22 May 2026

Tammy

I've stayed at this hotel 9 or 10 times. You know going in that the rooms are small (NYC), but the rooftop bar/restaurant and location make it my favorite place to stay. This past visit was very disappointing. The room had no closet. There were three pegs for hanging your clothes. Yes, pegs. One peg held the ironing board. The middle peg was missing. So, really there was one peg. I tried to call the front desk, but the phone/line wasn't working. I tried to call housekeeping. Again, the phone/line wasn't working soI sent an e-mail. I just wanted a hanger to hang my dress for my daughter's graduation. I went downstairs and spoke to a manger. to ask for a discount and a hanger. She said since I booked with a third party there was nothing she could do except waive the daily charges. . She asked if she could send engineering up. I said sure. Again, I just wanted a hanger. The maintenance man came to the room, spent two seconds looking at the missing peg and said he would send housekeeping up with a hanger. I ended up draping my dress on the back of the chair. The nonchalant attitude was really disappointing. Upon check out, I asked if none of the rooms had closets or places to actually hang your clothes on a hanger. She seemed to truly not know. She told me that one guest had asked for 21 hangers, and that was probably why I couldn't get a hanger. Asking for a clothes hanger seems reasonable in a $400/night hotel. Next time I'll stay at the Hilton Midtown.

Self

8/10

Excellent

21 May 2026

Elaine

Great location, helpful staff but our room was quite dark (interior room) and tired.

Family

4/10

Poor

21 May 2026

Ashley

Air conditioning in the room wasn’t working and temperature in the room was 86 degrees
- AC was off on entering the room. Turned it on and the unit started making a really loud noise. This was something that the hotel staff must have known about since it was about 630pm
- engineer came to fix it. AC started to work and temperature fell to 82. However, after about 10 minutes noise restarted and AC no longer working
- other guests had the same issue

Staff werent very helpful. The hotel was full so other rooms weren’t available. After about 3 hrs we switched to a different hotel and did end up getting a full refund. One staff member was helpful (Sorsha) the rest were treating the situation as an inconvenience to them.

4/10

Poor

21 May 2026

Elham

The staff was very nice, the location is excellent but the hotel and room needs renovations

Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

21 May 2026

Deborah

Good location, easy access to subway. The hotel rooms need some tlc, one of our shades was broken, windows were dirty. Outdated and old.

Family

8/10

Excellent

21 May 2026

Dena

The Empire has a stellar location near Columbus Circle and the Lincoln Center for ballet, opera and jazz at the Lincoln Center and the staff id very good and friendly. However it needs a serious infusion of cash to do some very deferred maintenance. The room we were in which was supposedly deluxe had frayed carpets, torn wallpaper and sub par bathroom facilities. I am never a proponent of corporations taking over mom and pop or private businesses but this hotel needs to be saved by a Marriott or Hilton and get a complete overhaul. It's a shame to let a location like this not live to it's full potential.

Friends_and_family Friends

8/10

Excellent

20 May 2026

Lawrence

Location

10/10

Exceptional

19 May 2026

Joseph

Great location with cool rooftop bar. Very friendly staff

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

19 May 2026

Jeff

The bathroom is severely out of date. The location is great and super convenient. The room is completely acceptable. Just wish the bathroom didn’t seem like a cheap rental apartment.

Friends_and_family Family

6/10

Pleasant

17 May 2026

caryn

The room was a little dark and dingy and are view was terrible…of some sort of shaft with equipment.

6/10

Pleasant

17 May 2026

Ruanne

Hotel rooms are old
Wear and tear
Need to renovate
Would choose a different hotel next time

Partner

8/10

Excellent

17 May 2026

Margaret

The location of this hotel is amazing, no question—but it’s a little rough around the edges (e.g., rust spot in the tub, peeling wallpaper, broken shade, broken drawer in nightstand). Also, these rooms are made for TALL people. I’m on the shorter side (5 ft, 4 in.), and there were some things (like the closet) that were a bit challenging. The fitness center is fine, but they have two large televisions with no remote, which was a bummer. But the location is really quite fabulous.

Family

2/10

Poor

17 May 2026

Vijay

Balet parking

10/10

Exceptional

16 May 2026

Caroline

Excellent stay, great staff, especially Adrik who did our check-in, and was friendly and very helpful.

Family

6/10

Pleasant

16 May 2026

Parisa.

The hotel location was amazing. The rooms were outdated, and very average. It was ok for one night.

Family_with_children

4/10

Poor

16 May 2026

Sareen

I looked at reviews before staying here. Very disappointing!! The AC didn’t work, we were sweating all night in the room. No amenities at the hotel. Very base level accommodation. I was shocked and disappointed by the hotel I booked! Do not believe the reviews. I’d never stay here again

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

15 May 2026

peter

Loved the price point on such short notice

Self

10/10

Exceptional

15 May 2026

Emily

Ideal location close to Columbus Circle.

Family

4/10

Poor

15 May 2026

Anne

This hotel needs a total overhaul! One cannot open the blinds so room is always dark. Rusty mirror in bathroom, cabinet doors do not close. No phone in the room so had to go to front desk to talk to the staff. Horrible experience. 2-3 stars at best and should be charged accordingly. They have a nice looking lobby but the rooms are really bad.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

15 May 2026

Ellen T.

The Empire is my favorite hotel in New York. It's a grand dame, so not new and spiffy, but the rooms are well-maintained and I find the bedding terric. In New York, the Empire is a bargain, but it's so much more. The location is outstanding at Lincoln Center surrounded by restaurants and cultural institutions, and it's on the #1 subway. Taxis and Ubers also very easily available. I don't worry about not having a coffee maker in the room. There is a Starbucks a few steps from the front door; a great bakery (Breads) across the street (Broadway), and additional options up and down Broadway. People, you're in New York! I love the free bottles of water. Pasquale at the front desk has been especially kind, but all the front desk staff and doormen seem extremely helpful.

Self

6/10

Pleasant

15 May 2026

Darren

The hotel is showing signs of wear and neglect. It clearly underwent a facelift a few past, the materials used and installed were not designed to last. Small items were also unaddressed, like we did not have enough towels. In the end it was expensive for the conditions. The location is great.

Partner

2/10

Poor

14 May 2026

Kelli

No chairs in room, no desk to do work on, room way too small, wallpaper unsightly. No microwave to use in the hotel. Staff was friendly.

Family

2/10

Poor

14 May 2026

Gustavus

My room was on the first floor. Directly outside my window, looking out onto a small airshaft, was a collection of HVAC turbines constantly roaring. Like, mere feet away. I instantly asked to be moved, but the hotel was full. Was up til 4am the first night, got earplugs for the second night. Seriously, this should not be a hotel room at all, let alone in a supposed four star hotel. It should be an office or storage. And the staff were stone faced. Yes the hotel was full but there are still things you can do--a comped cocktail or discount in the restaurant, a reduced fee, anything to acknowledge that this was a ludicrous room to be paying 800 dollars for two nights in. The room itself was bare and bleak--and of course there was no sunlight at all, just that airshaft and the roar of the turbines. Left feeling totally snookered.

Self

4/10

Poor

14 May 2026

Lynn

The a/c was not working in the room and had to call maintenance to fix. The TV was not connected, so maintenance connected it while they were there fixing a/c.

Water damage in bathroom and tiles missing. Shower handle broken, but I was able to get hot water.

Hotel bed frame dusty/dirty.

Hotel does not have restaurant or bar. It has a Mexican restaurant entrance on second floor.

Lobby staff could not print out my bill until I checked out. I was charged more than what I booked on Expedia.

Overall the hotel needs renovation, and I have no reason to stay there again.

10/10

Exceptional

14 May 2026

Nira

Great location , nice lobby , friendly staff

Partner

8/10

Excellent

13 May 2026

Martha

Located in a very safe area and liked how restaurants where close to the hotel and Central Park is about 6 minutes away which I liked a lot.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

13 May 2026

Alejandra

Clean room, great location, cleaning staff is lovely, would stay again.

6/10

Pleasant

12 May 2026

Li

No comment

Partner

2/10

Poor

12 May 2026

James Keith

This is a busy, well located hotel near to Lincoln Center and Columbus Circle. But the hotel took 40 minutes to check in, the room was grubby and the blinds had fallen down on one of the windows which couldn’t be fixed until the next day and then it only went up halfway. On two nights I went to the bathroom to find a couple of cockroaches in the sink. There is no bar or restaurant but fortunately there are plenty nearby. Also the tv didn’t work. Not great and I stay in NYC regularly. I won’t be returning.

Self

6/10

Pleasant

12 May 2026

Eden

The price was right but the rooms are small (typical for NYC) and very, very old. The bathroom/shower are also not great. The hotel needs an update badly, especially the rugs, but then it would probably be less affordable. The location is great and very convenient!

Self

8/10

Excellent

11 May 2026

mona

I thought the Hotel Lobby was very nice. All the staff were friendly and I feel did an excellent job. The elevators and hallways were very nice. The room I had for myself was an adequate size and very nice. The bed and pillows were very comfortable. The door had some holes in it where the extra latch used to be. That certainly could have been filled in. The bathroom was very small and not in great condition. The tiles in the shower were old and the rain shower was kind of annoying because the shower was small. Because of the shape of the handheld sprayer, it sprayed everywhere. The door in the bathroom was chipped and in not nice condition.
All in all, except for the bathroom, it was a perfect hotel and perfectly situated for my stay. Some updating of the bathrooms could make it a 4 star hotel.

Self

2/10

Poor

10 May 2026

kristin

Rooms are very icky with chipped paint and nasty carpet. Was moved to a new room but still really needs alot of upgrades. Chuck Bass needs to come back and renovate this one😂
Beds are very creaky with every move you make. Charged my card 9 separate times and the front desk guy was rude when trying to find out why they kept charging over 3k in holds etc. I will not go back! Very disappointed.

10/10

Exceptional

10 May 2026

Mark

Great stay

Family

10/10

Exceptional

10 May 2026

Cristina

Lovely

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

09 May 2026

Audrea

Clean spacious room, the staff was friendly and prompt & the location is spectacular!

Family_with_children

8/10

Excellent

09 May 2026

Ellen

Great location, room was adequate and comfortable, enjoyed the rooftop bar.

Self

8/10

Excellent

09 May 2026

Bob

Room was smaller than expected for the price, some peeling wallpaper, some tiles in the shower and the bathroom door showed past water damage.
Room was cleaned every day, staff was helpful, they handled parking the car.
Excellent location by Lincoln Center and Broadway. Rooftop bar pricey but excellent service and view.

Partner

2/10

Poor

09 May 2026

Alex

The worst, I couldn’t even stay the first night.

Partner

6/10

Pleasant

08 May 2026

amber

Have stayed at the empire many times after its renovation but it has probably been 10 years since I last stayed there. What was once the place to be has now been let fall apart. The aircon heats when it’s supposed to cool. No more amenities in the rooms. Dust everywhere. Roll up blinds do not roll up. Elevators are incredibly dirty - carpet need steam cleaning. Bathroom has no vents so the moisture has caused years of damage to the walls. Such a shame to have let the property end up this way. It’s a wonderful location, sad to see the lobby bar closed down - it really used to be so bustling. Do not recommend. Most of the staff we very pleasant and helpful.

Self

10/10

Exceptional

08 May 2026

Laura

We enjoyed our stay at The Empire. It felt like you were stepping back in time when you entered the beautiful art deco lobby with music playing from the ‘30’s and ‘40’s. The room was nicely decorated in a mid-century modern decor and was very clean. The staff was friendly and helpful, and the location was great. Lincoln Center was across the street, Central Park was a couple of blocks away, and there were several good restaurants at the hotel and very near it. We highly recommend The Empire to anyone looking for a hotel on the upper west side.

Friends_and_family Family

6/10

Pleasant

08 May 2026

Ros

wallpaper peeling off walls. rust. pool and deck closed. bad gym. no amenities in the room. no room service.

Friends

2/10

Poor

08 May 2026

marisa

This was, without question, one of the worst hotel experiences I’ve ever had.

I booked a stay at the Empire Hotel for my birthday and upgraded the day before arrival—directly through the hotel—to a Superior One-Bedroom Double Suite. I was charged $1,563.03 for this upgrade and was explicitly told everything was confirmed.

When we arrived, we were given a standard room instead of the suite I paid for. No warning, no explanation—just the wrong room.

When I went to the front desk, staff acknowledged that I had been charged for the suite and that it was noted on my reservation, yet still told me there was “nothing they could do” because no suites were available. I asked multiple times to speak to a manager, and the manager refused to come out and speak with me. Everything was relayed through staff, which was incredibly dismissive and unprofessional.

What’s even worse is that there was no attempt to proactively correct the situation. If I hadn’t gone back downstairs to question it, they seemingly would have been perfectly willing to keep the full $1,500+ for a room I never received.

Instead of resolving the issue, I was told to come back the next day to find out how much I would be refunded—after already having my birthday night completely ruined.

The room we were given wasn’t even in good condition. There were visible maintenance issues, including a loose thermostat and peeling wallpaper, which made the situation feel even more terrible

8/10

Excellent

07 May 2026

Alana

Overall, I had a good stay. I understand the building is old, but there were things that are basic maintenance that needed to be done. Example, paint chipping off the doors and moulding, the ceiling above the shower was bubbling from the moisture, and there's no fan/vent in the bathroom. The heater did not work, it was blowing out cold air and actually dropped the temperature of the room, thankfully we had warmer weather. It was overall very clean, and the sheets and towels were fresh and clean. I only stayed one night, and it was good enough for that, if I was staying longer, I definitely would have asked for the heat to be addressed. The staff was very nice and check in was very smooth.

Family_with_children

10/10

Exceptional

07 May 2026

Barbara

My room had problems with the ventilation and I could not sleep. I was upgraded to a wonderful room for which I was very grateful and very much enjoyed. Thanks to the hotel staff who solved the problem in the most hospitable manner.

Self

2/10

Poor

07 May 2026

Rosemarie

Poor room conditions that ended up us having no sleep all night

Partner

4/10

Poor

07 May 2026

Maureen

I changed rooms and then left early. The rooms are in horrible condition and all or most of the metal surfaces in the bathroom are rusty. The carpeting has runs in it and the room had a random Ironing board leaning against the wall. I couldn't control the temperature in the room housekeeping had to come up and turn it off entirely. Very disappointing.

Self

4/10

Poor

07 May 2026

Yam

Not a clean hotel. Staff seem tired. Location is good.

6/10

Pleasant

07 May 2026

Eno

Everything but the rooms were very good. Rusted heat/ac unit, rusted bathroom door. Very old windows. Small bathroom, old and beat up vanity, and sink small water bounces out.

Friends

10/10

Exceptional

07 May 2026

Seth

Great location and comfortable room. Friendly staff.

10/10

Exceptional

06 May 2026

Catherine

Great location for Fordham University Lincoln Center events!

Self

8/10

Excellent

06 May 2026

Maureen

Location is great, close to Lincoln Center. Every staff member was so friendly and helpful. The lobby and restaurants beautiful. But the rooms are dated and could use an upgrade. But we enjoyed our stay.

Family

10/10

Exceptional

06 May 2026

NATALIA

The hotel met all my expectations and the Reception / Guest service exceeded them. Thank you!

Self

10/10

Exceptional

06 May 2026

Michael

Loved it