The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel

I am someone who is fortunate enough to stay and have stayed in many 5 Star hotels all over the world. Some leave you feeling exquisite with every level of perfection and service, some leave you feeling robbed and resentful of the money you paid. The Carlyle is a hotel where they seem to have the focus on things that don’t really make a 5 star hotel, you don’t need someone to push the rotary door at the entrance, you don’t need someone to push the elevator button, you don’t need a person to walk you to a table, to then have a ‘Captain’ to then have a server. Oh and by the way they ALL need tipping apparently all the time. I find it all rather vulgar, there is nothing classy or refined about this. The whole tipping culture is, in my opinion, totally out of hand. Everyone I spoke to in the hotel felt as awkward and uncomfortable as we did. The constant demand for tipping at a serious level 25% for each person.. So for Breakfast that’s 25% for the server and an additional 25% for tbeCaptain oh and an auto gratuity as well, this is ridiculous. I spoke to people, who like us, used the stairs or the back entrance to avoid the awkwardness of the tip expectation. I understand that the hotel (and other organisations) don’t pay their staff properly so expect it from the guests in tips, can I suggest companies, who are clearly charging enough, pay their staff properly and save us all feeling awkward. Everything is crazily expensive but for no good reason, when you have a basic continental breakfast of pastries, yoghurts and fruits and it is nothing special to then receive the $300 bill, this firmly, for me, puts it in the ‘felt robbed’ category. How ever much money one has are there really people who are happy to just waste it like this, extraordinary if so. The rooms are ok, cannot say more than that really. I booked the hotel as the advertised text stated that the hotel has 190 rooms most of which have sweeping views of Central Park. We had 3 rooms and not basic rooms, all had views of a wall… The whole service appears to be set up around needing to ask for things that should, for a 5 star hotel, be naturally provided. Example being the Shampoo, Conditioner and Body Wash, with 2 adults in each room we had tiny metal tubes (very irritating to use) that appeared each to be mostly full of air, we never had enough to use. Therefore requiring us to call down to request more, and yes you guessed it then having to tip the person bringing it up. The Airconditioning in the room was pre set to a maximum cooling temperature. So as much as you tried to cool the room more it appeared the AC was set, as a general hotel default to 20 degrees, therefore never achieving a cooler temperature and often not achieving that during the hot days. I understand it saves money for the hotel but when you are in a 5 star hotel this is not right at all, especially at the cost everyone is paying. I suspect that the reviews one reads from hotel critics are somewhat different to reality. When you are provided with the best rooms with the views and don’t have to worry about tipping everyone and anyone the whole experience is somewhat different. In summary, if this wasn’t in NYC you would feel robbed paying more than $300 a night, however it is more like $2,000 a night for no good reason that I could see.. do yourself a favour, unless you are happy to burn cash for no good reason, and find yourself somewhere else.

Mattress sagged and pillows flat. Knob fell off of the shower faucet. Bathroom sink drained slowly and stopper didn't work. Piping on the chair in the room was worn. Just a tired room. Waited over an hour for room service the only time we ordered in. Bemelmans was great, however. Hotel staff was great.

calling all foodies! 😋 this hotel is a culinary adventure. every meal was mind-blowing. they've got this rooftop garden where they grow their own herbs and veggies. the chef offers cooking classes, and i learned to make the most amazing risotto. and don't even get me started on the wine pairing dinner - absolute perfection. if you travel for the food, you've got to check this place out.