The Empire Hotel

Jay Villeneuve

Let's start with the good. 1) Location. A short walk to SO much. 2) The rooftop restaurant. Excellent food, cocktails and vibe. 3) friendly, helpful staff. Unfortunately, there were a few bad points. 1) There is a lot of wear and some outright rough looking spots. Taped wall paper, water damaged parts of ceiling and walls. 2) Size. We booked a queen room and we are 100% sure it was a full bed. We paid to move up to a king room and the bathroom had some sort of bump out in it that made using the sink next to impossible! 3) The "Fitness Center". They are updating so the machines weren't operational (that's fine), but it's a narrow space where two people couldn't walk past each other. It's great there's a fitness center at all, but don't expect a lot of room! 4) The wifi was also out for our stay. If it worked for location again, we MIGHT stay again (you can do worse), but it probably won't be our first choice.

Lakwan Hall

Let me start by saying—if you’re looking for a functional hotel that offers the bare minimum, this might work for you. But as someone who was born and raised in NYC and does staycations often, I can confidently say there are many better options out there. Staff The staff were truly lovely—kind, helpful, and accommodating. They consistently greeted us and opened the doors upon arrival and departure, which I appreciated. The Hotel My main issue is the overall condition of the hotel. Aside from the lobby, which is decent, everything else feels like it’s falling apart. The gym is located in the basement and has a good amount of equipment, but the paint and wallpaper are peeling everywhere. Several areas had visible spackle patches where repairs were started but never finished. There was also a sign saying the elliptical and treadmills were out of order—so no cardio machines were available. One night, we went to the rooftop bar around midnight, knowing it closed at 2 a.m. However, they were already 10 minutes from last call when we arrived, and even though we sat at the bar, it took a long time to get served. When we left, we got stuck in the elevator. All the buttons had been pressed, and none worked except the one for the rooftop. The elevator took us through six floors that looked like storage or laundry areas. As a woman, that experience was unsettling—not knowing what was going on or how long we’d be stuck there. Again, I want to stress that the hotel staff themselves were kind and professional throughout our stay. The Room This was my biggest disappointment. The room felt like it was falling apart. The door needed to be replaced, the carpet was poorly installed and had a visible hole, and the sink was clogged and draining slowly. The mini fridge and safe were awkwardly hidden behind a curtain on a rod, and the bathroom was quite small. The room itself was a decent size and seemed relatively clean. To be fair, when we informed the staff about the sink, they did have it fixed by the time we returned later that night. That was appreciated. However, another issue occurred when I tried to shower at 1 a.m.—the water was lukewarm at best. I had to turn it off and wait 10 minutes before it finally started getting warm. Location The location is convenient. You can walk to nearby spots, and the 1, A, and C trains are just a few blocks away. It’s also right next to the ballet and close to a mall. That said, if your plans are primarily in Midtown or Lower Manhattan, I’d recommend staying somewhere else to avoid a longer commute. Safety I felt very safe in the area. It was quiet at night, with few people hanging around after hours. Overall I wouldn’t stay here again. The quality of the rooms and the hotel overall just didn’t meet my expectations—especially for a staycation where the full experience matters to me. But if you’re just looking for a place to sleep and don’t mind the lack of polish, this could work. Personally, I need more than just the basics when taking time for a local getaway.

Emily Harter

We stayed at the empire hotel for a few nights and overall really enjoyed our stay! The staff was kind and let us check in early, and we loved the rooftop bar (definitely get the fried calamari!). The doormen were also fun to talk to and helpful with local recommendations. The only downside was that the rooms were a bit outdated and dysfunctional. The heater did not work at all (happy they gave us extra blankets!), the shower was always warm but never hot, & we had to open the curtains with a clothes hanger because the strings were broken. For the price and being walking distance from Columbus Circle, we thought it was worth it and wouldn’t mind staying here again.

Ed Price

Great hotel, located on upper west side, near Lincoln Center. The staff here, from doormen, valet, front desk and managers, are very helpful and friendly. The rooms are small, but comfortable and the only issue we had was we couldn't turn the heat up. The view was nice, the housekeeping staff was excellent and we really enjoyed our stay. Pasquale was very helpful when we checked out, and was able to facilitate baggage storage while we walked around for 2 hours before leaving for the airport. The rooftop bar is nice, and is also enclosed in winter. Highly recommended.

Jonah L

Great location and nice LOOKING rooms overshadowed by the reality of rude, negligent staff and poorly maintained spaces. The rooms aren't properly cleaned and the customer service was absolutely unacceptable. The furniture was in very bad condition. You'll see broken chairs and even busted up bathroom doors. Another thing- There's barely any amenities like coffee or hot water for tea. If you want your trip to be the least complicated and most comfortable as possible, spend your money elsewhere.