voco James Newbury Hudson Valley by IHG — Hotel in Town of Coxsackie

This is a new hotel in a building with an interesting history, which is superbly located in a quaint place by the Hudson River. The idea behind it appears to be minimalism and modernism in a serene natural place. While the latter has been achieved, at this time the minimalism and modernism appear to work against the functionality of a hotel. This, combined with the lack of services, made our stay much less than what we had enthusiastically expected.

Here are the issues we experienced: Our room had a round table but, other than a chaise-lounge and a low bench, it had no chair(s). The lack of chair(s) in a hotel room is unacceptable! Upon our complaint, two chairs were brought up to our room. The storage for clothing is extremely limited... Just three hangers to the left of the cabinet, which contains a refrigerator. In that same area, an ironing board further limits the space. One can hardly use that space for two winter coats or three shirts. Other than that, no dresser, no closet.... The body wash dispenser in the bathroom was empty and there was only a flimsy soap by the sink. Following our complaint, housekeeping brought a new container of body wash and two soaps. A ceiling lamp was not working. We reported it but is wasn't fixed during our stay. During our stay there was no housekeeping done in our room. After each of the first two nights, housekeeping placed a pile of clean towels in our room. Noticing that the room and the bed had not been made, after the first night we inquired with front desk and were told that they had been short of personnel that day. After the second night, we inquired again and especially as to whether or not housekeeping meant "making the bed" and "vacuuming," in addition to bringing a pile of towels and emptying the garbage cans. We were told that the issue would be investigated and we would be informed accordingly. We have not been informed as to what happened. The cellphone signal in the room and all other hotel inside spaces was "0".... This issue should be made known, in bold letters, on the hotel website. As personal and business communications are conducted through cell phones to a great extent, people should be warned about this problem at the hotel. On our first morning, a helpful front desk lady suggested to set the phones on "WiFi calling," which we did and were then able to make/receive calls from/in our room. The cellphone signal issue must have to do with the structure of this hotel since our cellphone carrier had good coverage for the area according to their service map. We booked the "best deal" (book three nights, get the third night free) but we arrived at the hotel to be told that the alleged discounted price for our stay was in fact the regular price for three nights... We asked to speak with the general manager, who called us the following day and solved this issue to our satisfaction. We were left to understand that the problem occurred due to website and reservation software issues they were experiencing and that they were in the process of revamping their system. We are wondering what would have happened had we not paid attention and not complained about the issue..... Beware when you make your reservation and triple check the accuracy upon booking, checking-in and checking-out!

After our stay we did not want to post a negative public review and we emailed the hotel a constructive criticism feedback. In the email we also told them that we were grateful for the issues that had been resolved during our stay and we thanked their personnel for their good manners and intentions. While our email did not require a lengthy response, it did require the courtesy of an acknowledgement, of a "thank you," or of an explanation for the unsolved issues. We have not received anything. We found this attitude rude and decided to write this...

As a General Manager in the retail industry, I understand firsthand the critical role that service plays in the overall customer/guest experience. It is for this reason that I feel compelled to share my most recent stay at your establishment—an experience that, unfortunately, did not meet the expectations set by prior visits.

My husband and I have been repeat guests at this beautiful property, returning despite a past incident where my husband injured his foot due to broken glass left in an improperly cleaned room. What brought us back was the professionalism and attentiveness of your staff, which at the time, stood out as a testament to your service standards.

However, even during previous stays, we encountered lapses in cleanliness. For example, during our last stay in the Heron Suite, we had to request additional cleaning due to hair in the bathtub. Upon departure, we discovered half-eaten pizza slices and used makeup wipes in the bathroom and kitchen cabinets—oversights I mentioned during checkout, not to complain, but in the hope of improving the experience for future guests. The front desk associate was apologetic and receptive to the feedback, which I appreciated.

This most recent stay, however, was profoundly disappointing—not due to any specific charge, but due to the apparent decline in customer service and overall hospitality.

Upon arrival, there was no one present at the front desk, and another guest was also waiting to be assisted. After several minutes, a bartender acknowledged the waiting guests but continued her task without engagement. Eventually, a staff member arrived, but without offering an apology or a warm welcome.

The next morning, my husband went to the lobby to get coffee and tea, something he has done during every visit. While trying to select tea without his reading glasses, he was met with curt responses from multiple staff members, one of whom eventually handed him a tea bag, only to inform him, abruptly, that it would be charged to our room. This came as a surprise, as we had never been charged for coffee or tea in previous visits, and no signage or prior communication indicated a change in policy.

When my husband asked for assistance with the hot water dispenser, staff responded with noticeable irritation and reluctance. He felt scrutinized and unwelcome, rather than treated as a valued guest. Only when a familiar staff member arrived for her shift did he feel comfortable enough to voice his concerns.

The issue was not the charge for a beverage, it was the manner in which the situation was handled. A lack of communication, unwelcoming body language, and dismissive interactions contributed to a deeply uncomfortable experience. A simple acknowledgment of policy changes, paired with a courteous and professional demeanor, would have made a world of difference.

As someone with extensive experience in retail, I urge you to invest in further customer service training for your team. Your property has so much potential, and we have enjoyed many aspects of it in the past. However, service must remain at the forefront if you wish to retain loyal IHG guests.

Thank you for taking the time to consider...

(Back story) We visited the James Newbury Hotel for the weekend since our friends were getting married there. Our reservations were made months in advance since we were going to be 2 couples sharing a room for the weekend.

As the four of us drove from Philly to the hotel's location, we received a phone call from Josh at the front desk that our weekend reservations were canceled. I had just gotten a confirmation email from them a few hours before, so I knew this was incorrect. I was told that there must have been a system error that canceled us and they would see what could be done further.

Josh had called me back to let me know they were going to pay for our weekend stay at the Best Western down the street since all the rooms were completely booked. The biggest problem we were coming across was we had a breastfeeding mother in our party and she needed to be able to pump and keep the milk fresh while we were away from our room. (This was the main reason to stay close to the wedding venue in the first place.) Finally, after a few back-and-forth phone calls, Josh was able to get us a room at the hotel the night of the wedding so we could stay close for our refrigeration needs.

(Room review) The hotel was nice and extremely modern at first glance. Maybe a little too minimalistic to our taste. Yes, it's a "boutique hotel," but our double queen room had horrible lighting and nowhere to do our makeup. The bathroom door didn't have a lock but still would get stuck and if the bathroom door was open, you couldn't get into the closet or fridge, which was annoying. There was a door that needed to be opened to get to the refrigerator and it was poorly vented, so the fridge was working overtime to stay cold and barely worked. The beds were comfy at least. Also, the sink in the bathroom is a cool design, but not functional when it comes to draining well, (pretty gross). Also, the breakfast the next morning was extremely disappointing. The eggs had a funny taste and texture, the bagels were ok, and the bacon was thick cut, but undercooked and sooooo unbelievably greasy I was taken aback.

This room was complimentary for us since the hotel messed up our reservation, so that is the positive side, if I had to pay for this stay I would have complained, but it was free.

I would just warn you to check that your reservation exists by calling even if you receive an email confirmation since we learned the hard way that the hotel system can delete...