Refinery Hotel — Hotel in New York

I have stayed at the Refinery Hotel numerous times since they opened 2 years ago. In the beginning, it was of course very nice and… well, new.

As time went on small issues in the hotel began turning into larger issues. The biggest was, it was obvious that no additional money was put back into upgrading or maintaining the hotel.

From day one, the issue of the terribly uncomfortable and potentially dangerous desk chair was never dealt with by anyone. The way the chair was built makes it very easy to tip over, and with it being on a wooden floor just made it all the more dangerous. To this day, the chair remains. Another small issue: when brass screws would come out of the door handles / hinges they would be replaced by larger stainless steel ones. The corners of the carpet that cover a section of the room are curling at the corners. No attention to detail by the management. Things like this might seem insignificant if you are staying at a less expensive hotel, but when you are paying the rates they charge, you expect & deserve more.

The rooftop bar and the security lines to get up there in the lobby and outside of the hotel have been a hot button issue. As a guest of the hotel we have been left with two slow elevators when the rooftop bar is open as the third one is roped off for guests of the rooftop. While standing around waiting we grow even more irritated when we would see the other two elevators on the top floor picking people up to bring them back down from the bar. My guests and myself have been irritated with how often the rooftop would be closed for a private party.

The other big issue with the rooftop bar is the rope man in the lobby. Very rude and abrasive while looking over people in line to find the prettiest and well off patrons. When I had several rooms booked for friends from Texas we had several bad experiences involving the rooftop. The worst was on a Sunday when two of my guests went to the rooftop before me. I arrived about 15 minutes later and found them seated in the back on a bench near the bathrooms. Since they had already had drinks (that they had to get themselves from the bar) I sat with them and waited about 10 more minutes with them to see if anyone would come check on them or ask if I wanted anything to drink. A few more minutes went by and then two more friends joined us. We waited about another 20 minutes and still nobody approached. We discussed why were being ignored and at first we thought it was because the first two guests were African American as well as one of the final two guests – but later we just figured it was that they had a terrible crew on that day. We left and reported the issue but felt that the issue fell on deaf ears.

The other issue that we have been brought up since the opening is the lack of storage space in the rooms. Only a cabinet is offered with a couple drawers and one side for hanging clothes. Even after complaints were filed, they went and hung an umbrella on the rod (taking up more space) with a price tag on it – just in case they hadn’t gotten every penny from you. If you’re a couple or god forbid a family traveling plan on living out of your luggage for the most part.

The final straw came on my last visit in July when while getting ready to go out with friends. While finishing up a shower, the vent from the ceiling (about 12 feet above) fell onto my head and bounced out onto the bathroom floor. After reporting the incident, the on duty manager, a maintenance man and a security guard came to my room. After the maintenance man secured the vent back into the ceiling, the manager made a joke about maybe I shouldn’t be jumping up and down in the shower anymore. I suppose I should’ve pointed out how the toilet paper roll pin had also fallen off too, but I was still dealing with the headache and the lame joke from the manager.

Maybe one day someone will buy out the owners and make the hotel a priority. Until then, I believe the hotel will continue to fall apart. Literally and...

In short- Hotel and room had good aesthetic appeal, but was lacking in the level of service and finishing touches you’d expect from a “Five Star”. Elements of our stay were disappointing that alone would be minor inconveniences but just compounded as the stay went on. Visited with my mother in May 2025.

The room itself –atelier king ‘suite’ - was spacious, well lit, quiet, clean and cool vibe… but some functional issues took away from what was clearly a focus on design. Weak blow drier No suitcase holder, only 8 hangers Overly complex coffee situation w/ warped burn marks all over the desk/table Odd corners cut out of the rug? HVAC system tied to a motion sensor that deactivated at night despite leaving the air on. Biggest functional gripe: two TVs that were interconnected with the same remote which meant as you're dozing off and try to shut down one TV the other would turn on, until you finally give up and drag yourself out of bed to turn it off manually. Biggest ‘eye-roll’ gripe: a sign in the minibar that said not to use the refrigerator for anything personal or risk being charged.

Additionally, was puzzled by the service. Once late at night (after 10pm) and twice in the early morning (before 9am) heard knocks on our door despite having a DND sign on and sleeping. Figured it might be a lost guest those times, but over the course of the weekend we had housekeeping enter the room twice while we inside with DND. When the room was serviced, I noticed twice that things had been swept off my bedside table and were laying on the floor behind/underneath the table (eye mask, phone charger and jewelry). Nothing was missing, but it gave me a sense of unease having someone access the room while away.

Lobby staff had a major hit or miss attitude. When we arrived early to leave bags around 1:30pm, it felt like we were inconveniencing them to even ask if a room would be ready before 3 but at actual check-in, a different attendant was much warmer. We found that most times when we exited or returned to the lobby, staff were preoccupied with eachother and waved off questions, despite not actively assisting anyone. When I asked about grabbing a disposable razor, they said they didn’t have any at the desk but could send one up with housekeeping… I said that would be great but I would be heading out of the room in about 30 min and I just got an “oh, well sorry then”. At the rooftop, staff were rude when asking about open tables/wait times or use of the bar. Had seen reviews ahead of our trip that mentioned the rooftop doesn't give any kind of priority to guests so I wasn’t expecting to jump the line or anything... but to be waved away to the bar when we didn't have a reservation and watch empty tables sit untouched the rest of the evening... no one asked if they could book us for a later time/day during our stay either… just another eye roll moment. Later we received a marketing text from the hotel at 9pm on Sat night saying we hope you join us for our special Sunday rooftop brunch – just felt gauche tbh. Maybe things were crazy busy up there with patio season kicking off, but it honestly felt like the rooftop operation was the Refinery’s main priority and hotel guests were an afterthought.

In short, the room itself and location of the hotel worked well for our trip. I was just very disappointed with the service, and that is the make or break of a great hotel experience for me - especially when you’re billing it as a ‘Five...

An extraordinary visit! I will edit to update once I get home. Just couldn’t wait to express our gratitude for such a great visit!

Edited to add: Pre-trip Responsiveness: I was a nervous Nelly about a few things, especially parking. But when I emailed the hotel weeks and then days in advance with my questions, I received replies each time within minutes. Their responses were helpful and reassuring. I didn't feel like I was a bother at all, and that was exactly how they made us feel our entire stay as well.

Parking: The drive into the city isn't easy for most of us, but once I got my bearings out of Lincoln Tunnel, it wasn't difficult to find. Pull up in front of the hotel on the left in the loading zone to go check in/drop your bags, get your pink ticket (about $65 for24 hours), then head back out to park directly across from the hotel. My small Corolla was no problem, but bigger vehicles will certainly not be able to be parked there. Just ask via email ahead of time and they will help you. You can't access your vehicle during your stay so grab all your belongings. Drop off and pick up were both quick despite the poor ratings on their page.

Luggage: Our room wasn't ready, but they checked our luggage both in advance and the next day after we checked out so that we could explore the city without our bags.

Overall attitude: Every employee was absolutely kind and helpful! We were just so impressed!

Food & Drink: There is complimentary wine for guests in the evening - nice touch! We ate lunch and the following breakfast at the adjoining restaurant Parker & Quinn. The decor was lovely and the food just right! It's not cheap, but also not over the top. We loved the margherita flatbread so much that we ordered more late night in our room before our show. The drinks were strong and the coffee was hot. There's a rooftop bar/restaurant, and although it appears to be a 21+ club atmosphere starting around 4pm, before then we were able to go up to eat and/or see the great view of the Empire State Building. Don't miss that!

Location: We were close enough to walk to all we wanted to see this trip though we saw staff hailing cabs and calling for cars for guests. We walked about 11 blocks north to Radio City and Rockefeller Center. Bryant Park's Winter fest is just a block and half north. Macy's is about 5 blocks south and Times Square a few blocks to the west. There were plenty of options for shopping and eating, and we felt safe walking everywhere even after dark.

Room: We had a rare double queen room, and it was HUGE for NYC! The ceilings are high, and that certainly helps with the feeling of spaciousness. There was a closet and a bathroom with a tub/shower. There was a large tv and a tall window. No fridge as expected, and there were lots of drinks/snacks for sale right in your room in case the need hits you. We didn't hear really any street noise at all on the 10th floor and slept well. Temp control was right in our room. Everything was clean and perfect.

Details: We were celebrating a birthday, and when we returned to our room at one point, there was an extraordinary surprise waiting for us. I couldn't believe the attention to detail -- perfect! I am recommending this hotel to all going to NYC, especially for...