Hilton Garden Inn New York/Central Park South-Midtown West — Hotel in New York

Let me begin with I booked this hotel a few nights in advance because they advertised that they had 2 rooms with 2 beds available as I was bringing my family for their first visit to NYC on Easter weekend. I contacted the hotel about 3-4 hours prior to our arrival to let them know that we would be arriving late and to please note give our rooms away. The front desk, Sylvia, informed us that they were upgrading one of the rooms to a double queen and that our rooms would not be given away. FastForward to check-in, which we arrive to find out that the "manager on duty" not only gave away our room but now we were being split into king beds. I explained that would leave my teenage daughter alone in a room 10 floors up. Unfortunately, they said there was nothing they could do because the Manager had given our double beds away. I didn't make a fuss because I have been in the travel industry for over 20 years and realize things can happen. So, I asked what the plan was for the rest of our time, and they said they would make it right for us and to stop by the front desk in the morning. The next morning, I stopped by the front desk to meet the horrific Maranda. Maranda informed us that 3 out of 4 rooms need to be vacated immediately as they are moving us out of rooms and if we refuse then they would charge us. I explained what happened and that this was not our fault. I tried several times to explain why I felt that we shouldn't need to be moved and that we booked 2 of the room types we had. However, every time I would begin, she would snidely interrupt me. Maranda, as I later found out, is notorious for being rude, arrogant and downright nasty to guests. Her removal from any retail industry including hospitality should be done so immediately. I don't think I have ever been spoken to in a manner in which Maranda felt entitled to do so. She is the epitome of an angry woman with an ounce of power. I was hoping our terrible journey ended there, but no, we weren't that lucky. After asking several times to get a Manager, Maranda finally relinquished and brought a man by the name of Casey who said he was the "Manager on Duty". I question this as his behavior was unlike any manager I've ever seen. Again, I tried to explain the situation and why I felt it was on them to do something to assist us. Again, I was faced by interruptions and attitude. Casey then again explained to me that he would make us pay for any rooms if we didn't vacate them immediately. I asked him how in a world of travel that he felt like it was completely acceptable to inconvenience us not once but twice and was unwilling to do ANYTHING for the inconvenience? I do mean anything. I explained to him, after finally getting through his thick skull, that I would not move out of 2 of the 4 rooms. The hotel mathing skills is definitely an area of weakness. He finally admitted he only needed us to move out of 2 rooms instead of 3. This took an hour of my time, set us behind schedule where we missed one of the attractions the kids were super excited to visit-all because Maranda and Casey thought proving their power at the hotel was more valuable than their customers and/or customer service. This was my far the worst hotel experience I have ever had. All of it could have been easily preventable...a little remorse and empathy goes a LOOOOOOOOOOOOONG way. Neither Casey nor Maranda once apologized during this entire experience. @Hilton-I highly, highly encourage you to remove Casey/Maranda. They do not have the mentality or service heart to be in hospitality. We will not be coming back, and we will be reaching out to Hersher about how this particular group treats...

My husband and I had a pleasant stay at this Hilton location. The rooms were small but well appointed. All 3 table lamps had outlets and/or usb charging ports. There was a dresser that came in handy. Additionally, the room contained a slim wardrobe that contained some hangers as well as an ironing board and iron. The bathroom was clean and the shower had no issues as well. The toilet worked fine and without any problems. Blackout curtains were present and worked wonderfully. The microwave and mini fridge in our room proved to be useful during our 4 day stay. We had maid service on our second day there. Everything was refreshed nicely. The blankets (using that term loosely), however, were very thin. Upon asking for another blanket, one was promptly delivered. The lighting felt like ambient lightning throughout, with no light that could successfully illuminate the entire room. I did find that off putting. Yes the elevator situation is very interesting. I’ve never experienced so few elevators in a hotel. Plan accordingly. However, whenever we encountered any staff, be it engineer, housekeeping, etc., on the elevators, they were so helpful and kind. Our late check out request was granted without any issues. They do hold a $100 per night deposit, in addition to the charges for the actual stay. So be forewarned, and make sure you have the space on your credit card. The pending deposit charge did drop off in one day after our stay. We left the room neat and tidy, and did not partake in the use of the Keurig coffee pods, nor the complimentary bottled water. We typically purchase bottled water at a local grocery store or convenience store. We don’t like to be concerned about partaking of something that could potentially be considered an item we would be charged for. Plus, it’s much more cost effective to buy water and snacks outside the hotel. There is an in hotel restaurant, but the prices were quite high. We ate outside the hotel daily at well reviewed restaurants, up to about 30 minutes away. This is what we typically do, and have always enjoyed the new restaurants we visit. The hotel is near a subway station which was convenient. The lobby, upon arrival had high heat blowing. It became very stifling in a matter of minutes. Especially if you’re dressed for the winter weather. I could have confidently wore shorts and a tee shirt in the lobby and been perfectly fine.

A few notes

1. I always travel with over the door hooks to utilize all the space available. I also bring suction hooks to use in the bathroom to hang my loofah or wash cloth. In some instances (such as visiting family or a personal home), I bring foldable travel hangars.
2. I also always travel with an illuminated makeup mirror, so the lighting did not bother me as much as is it could have.
3. I travel with a small heater or fan depending on the location I’m visiting. This way we’re always comfortable, and less dependent on the temperature control device. The room had an Ecobee or something, that was adjustable, and worked great at regulating the temperature in the room.
4. I always bring a flat, washable, travel laundry bag to separate dirty laundry, while also having a means to bring the dirty clothes to the in house laundromat.

I’ve found that these small conveniences make a big difference in how we enjoy our stays away from home. Overall we had a problem free,...

Our group of Hospitality Management students from Penn State stayed at this Hilton Garden Inn while visiting New York City, and the experience was unlike any other—full of learning moments, unexpected challenges, and a truly impressive display of professionalism from the hotel staff.

The hotel itself has potential, but maintenance issues were noticeable. In our room (1409), we had problems with the shower diverter—the dial would shift on its own unless wet and heated—and the toilet constantly ran after flushing. Several others in our group reported similar toilet issues. There was also a loose toilet paper holder and a window that wouldn’t latch properly, causing a draft. The rooms were clean and fairly modern, but quite small, especially with four college students sharing two double beds. That part was on us for booking room types that weren’t ideal for our group size, but it's worth noting for larger parties. Additionally, the on-site Wifi was simply unusable due to how slow it was.

One of the biggest operational concerns was the elevator system. With only three small elevators that are frequently mentioned in past reviews as unreliable, we were not surprised when one or more were intermittently out of service. For a high-occupancy property, this created delays and inconvenience. It’s clear this issue has persisted over time and needs to be prioritized by management.

That said, the service was fantastic. From check-in to departure, staff were welcoming, helpful, and efficient—even with a large group like ours. The standout moment, however, came on our final night.

At approximately 12:30 a.m., a major water main burst on the third floor, directly impacting many members of our group. What followed was something I never expected to see firsthand: water pouring from ceilings in all four corners of the lobby, streams coming down from the elevator shafts, and chaos throughout the building. Even with all of this unfolding, the single front desk agent on duty handled the situation with remarkable composure.

She remained calm, professional, and responsive under immense pressure—fielding calls, coordinating help, and dealing with a lobby full of stressed and displaced guests. Some demanded immediate relocation to other hotels, while others were simply looking for answers, but she handled all of it with grace. Her commitment and clear-headedness during such an extreme, late-night emergency was nothing short of admirable.

By morning, the lobby was impressively cleaned up, water was restored to the unaffected floors, and the staff had a plan for checkouts despite all elevators being out of service. Guests were kept informed and supported through an incident that no one could have predicted. As students studying hospitality, we were in awe—not just of the situation, but of how well the team rose to the occasion.

While this hotel has some operational shortcomings that justify a 3-star rating, the staff deserve 5 stars—especially the front desk associate working alone that night. I didn’t catch her name, but she absolutely deserves recognition for her professionalism, poise, and commitment to guest care in a truly difficult situation.

Thank you to the Hilton Garden Inn team for handling the unimaginable with grace. You showed us what real hospitality looks like when it...