The Pierre, A Taj Hotel, New York — Hotel in New York

I’m going to preface this noting I am very fortunate to have stayed at luxury hotels around the globe. If you check my other reviews, you’ll see nothing but glowing recommendations. This is my first bad review EVER.||We booked at The Pierre to celebrate a big anniversary weekend. My husband chose the location due to its proximity to Central Park, which is where we were married. Check in was easy, the front desk was kind and noted it was busy due to the UN being in session the next week. The rooms are well appointed but a bit dated - views are great, but there is a bit of a rundown feel you would not expect from a hotel of this caliber. Example: the elevators, which are likely hundreds of years old had portable air conditioners plugged into them and sat on the floor - not something you expect from a hotel charging $$$$ per night. ||We received a breakfast credit - $96. You think that is generous until you order avocado toast, eggs Benedict and 2 coffees and still owe $17. We lived in NYC proper for 10 years, I actively work and dine in the city - this pricing is outrageous.||We spent our first (and only) day happily shopping and having fun in the city. When we returned to our room to change for dinner, we noticed the smell of cigarette smoke. (Worth noting: my husband smelled it first, then I mentioned it a few minutes later). We couldn’t shake it and called down to the front desk. We were assured we were on a no -smoking floor and they would send someone up to check it out and air out our room.||We go to dinner and a show, return to the hotel for a nightcap and are told at the hotel bar that there is a $50 minimum spend required per guest. When we noted we were staying at the hotel as guests, we were told there were no exceptions. I’m going to say here: it’s not hard to spend $50 on drinks in NYC. The likelihood that I’d have 2 cocktails was high, but having that news delivered to me as I sat down felt so cheap - again for a hotel or this rating. We left - no drinks - and stopped at the front desk to ask if they had checked in on the smell of smoke in our room. We are told yes, they had come up and brought in some kind of air purifier and everything was fine. We also complained about the $50 minimum spend at the bar - the woman at the desk was sympathetic but told me it was policy and I should drop a note to management.||We enter our room - and you guessed it - it still smells of cigarette smoke. It’s now 10:00 at night and my husband calls down to the front desk and we’re told they have no options for us. There is a wedding at the hotel, UN is session. My husband speaks to the front desk and asks if it’s possible to get a refund and they tell him since he booked through Booking.com, he would have to take it up with them. They gave us no options. No one from the staff offered to come up and see what we were talking about. Zero interest in making the customer happy. Sad. I’m sure they just wrote us off thinking we were looking for a free room. It couldn’t be further from the truth. We spend the year being the primary caregivers to my mother with cancer who recently passed away, we needed a weekend away badly and were so excited to spend it in NYC.||We checked out and when we called Booking.com to refund the one night, the hotel refused it saying the general manager went to the room and didn’t smell the smoke. Then why tell us they had come to the room and aired it out earlier? Why wouldn’t you send someone to the room while we were there to check it out? No one did anything. Honestly, they just didn’t care. We would have moved rooms, that option wasn’t given or deferred to “we’re booked.” I think the staff saw my husband booked through a third party and didn’t want to deal with us directly.||So, shame on you to The Pierre, you ruined an anniversary weekend for a couple who met and fell in love in New York...

Disappointing. Service was spotty for the several issues that occurred. A shower with no cold water? Stained carpet in my upgraded suite and a dirty hand print on the closet door. Service requests made but not fulfilled. My expectations were based on the price, location, and reviews.

Just as I was preparing to go out, I attempt to take a shower. My shower only had scalding hot water. Maintenance came quickly, confirmed the issue, went to look for parts, came back, tinkered more, said he couldn't quickly find the replacement parts, and suggested a new room or more time to look for the parts. I get it. This is an old property and I can forgive that. But I needed to get ready for the evening.

I got an upgraded room. It was much larger, but had stains on the carpet and a dirty hand print on the closet door. This led to the next sagging service. The front desk said a bellman was scheduled to help move me at 5 pm, but he came at 510 pm. Housekeeping was going to come and move my items from the fridge. After 30 minutes passed, I did it myself. This was the time I was hoping to be getting ready for my evening outing. Instead, I was waiting for the service providers or doing the service myself.

Problems were clear even before this sour shower experience. When I made my reservation, I asked for a tour to be arranged of the historic hotel. When I spoke with the reservations specialist, Anali, on the phone, she cautioned my request for a history tour was an unusual request. If this request was too exotic, then tell me it can't be accommodated rather than have me ask for it again. Instead, when I got to the hotel and asked the Concierge, he looked at me puzzled and said, "We don't really have a tour of our property." When he looked for his architecture book to loan me of neighboring properties, it was missing.

I asked for a fridge in my room. Housekeeping came to clear out space in my mini-fridge, since every bottle sits on a pressure sensitive coaster that automatically bills my room if items are removed by the guest. This act by housekeeping would supposedly prevent the charges. I viewed my bill on the TV, as I was rushing to pack the morning of my departure. There were 14 charges at $8/item.

I called the front desk, and Crystal said the charges would be removed. An hour later, to be certain, I checked out at the front desk. I was asked whether I wanted to review the bill in detail. Yes. The charges were still there. JC(?) had no note that I spoke to Crystal an hour before and I had to explain again I wanted the charges removed because housekeeping removed the bottles for me. The charges were removed. The front desk attendant noted my nice upgraded room, but that ignored that I had to ask for the bottles to be removed, ask Crystal to remove the charges, and then ask again to get the charges removed.

Like one reviewer said, the turndown service merely closes the shades and turns down the lights, no chocolate is left. There were no gifts like other guests received. Well, there was a bottle of champagne, for the previous day's unexpected water issue, which I only noticed when the tap water was brown and rusty. Yes, this is a different water issue than my shower water being scalding hot. I would have preferred a choice, at least something other than alcohol.

The good news: The in-room dining staff was fantastic. Liton and the person who answers the room service phone were polite and warm. The maintenance person tried his hardest to fit the shower problem. The elevator staff, which were present on two of my three days, were warm, welcoming, and inquisitive. Denzel, the Concierge, did his best to give me an impromptu history tour. And the doorman on the way out, he took the initiative to grab my bag and load it in my vehicle without me asking. After dealing with my front desk minibar checkout issue, that last gesture meant the most out of all my...

I had the pleasure of staying at The Pierre Hotel in New York City, and I can confidently say it was one of the best hotel experiences I’ve ever had. I specifically chose this hotel because it has bathtubs and it is close to an event venue at which I needed to be. Before staying here, I had no idea what was Upper East Side. Believe me, I understand now.

From the moment I arrived on my birthday, the staff went above and beyond to make my stay special. They surprised me with a beautiful birthday cake and French champagne, which was such a thoughtful gesture. Every interaction with the staff made me feel truly welcomed and valued—they genuinely seemed to care about my experience.

Seamless Check-In & Attentive Service • Upon arrival, I was asked to leave my bags at reception, and the gentleman who checked me in personally escorted me to my room. • He took the time to show me around the room, ensuring that everything was working properly—this was a great touch that more hotels should adopt. • My bags arrived promptly, just a few minutes after I was settled in my room. • The doorman was fantastic at hailing taxis for me whenever I needed one.

Luxurious Accommodations • Soaking Bathtub: A highlight of my stay—perfect for unwinding. • Comfortable Bed: Plush and cozy, ensuring a restful sleep. • Spacious Closet: Plenty of space for my belongings. • Gorgeous City View: Waking up to the view of New York was breathtaking.

Dining at Perrine – A Fantastic Breakfast Experience • I had three breakfasts at Perrine during my stay and was very pleased with the meals. • I booked my stay through Expedia with the breakfast-included option, and it was absolutely worth it. • The food quality and service at Perrine matched the overall excellence of the hotel.

Complimentary Car Service – A Great Perk • The hotel offers a complimentary car service, which is first-come, first-served. If I recall correctly, the service starts at noon and takes guests as far as 30 blocks in either direction. • There is one luxury car available, making it a convenient, but limited perk. • I was lucky enough to use it once to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which was a fantastic experience.

Minor Downsides

While my stay was exceptional, the one drawback was that the bathtub water was lukewarm. It felt slightly above 100°F, but it needed to be hotter for a truly relaxing soak. Given how luxurious everything else was, I expected better temperature control for the bath.

Outstanding Service & Amenities • The Concierge: Extremely helpful with anything I needed. • Dental Kit: I forgot a toothbrush, and they provided a high-quality dental kit right away. • Friendly & Attentive Staff: Special shoutout to Katie (elevator operator) for a lovely (though brief) conversation, and to Crystal and Denzel for their excellent assistance.

Worth Every Penny

Yes, this was the most expensive hotel I’ve ever stayed at, but it was worth every dollar. The level of service, comfort, and attention to detail made my stay unforgettable. I was in town for a local event just a few blocks away, which made The Pierre the perfect location.

Final Thoughts

I truly felt at home here, and I’m already hoping to return next year to make this an annual tradition. If you’re looking for luxury, impeccable service, and a hotel that makes you feel special, The Pierre is the...