This is my third review of The Carlyle over the years (across probably 25 stays), and, sadly, the first one where I didn't feel I could give the hotel five stars. Although this is specifically about a stay in November 2022, it relates more generally to the renovated rooms at The Carlyle -- and here, the 11/22 stay was our third in a renovated room. Two were in Superior Suites, and one was in a Rosewood Suite. First, the good: The service continues to terrific, and greetings from the staff are genuine and caring. Across the board, when I raised an issue, someone tried to make things better. Housekeeping did not miss a beat. The bedding and linens are top notch. I found the beds in all three rooms terrific. And, the renovations fixed what had been a tendency for the HVAC to be spotty, depending on the room. The renovated systems worked flawlessly. And, the rooms are quiet -- no street noise or noise from adjoining rooms. In the Superior Suites, the bathrooms are small. In one of the two we stayed in, we had a half bath, which made things a bit better. But, if you want a big bathroom, then look elsewhere. I find the baths adequate, and the showers delightful (as they have been across 30 years). Now, the not so good: The lighting the renovated rooms is atrocious. In the living rooms of all three suites, there wasn't enough light to read in the evening, other than in the one chair that they equipped with a reading light. The desk lamp -- while stylish -- gives off about the equivalent of a 40 watt light bulb. Who does that? There are wall mounted sconces -- with the equivalent of 15 watt bulbs in them. One room had a ceiling unit that had 3 bulbs with the equivalent of 40 watt bulbs. Why? The traditional Carlyle had great lighting -- three way bulbs with up to 150 watts in total in each of 3 or 4 lamps in the room. In this version, I feel depressed in the rooms in the evening. And then there's the bedroom. While there are lamps on the end tables next to the bed, they are on one switch. Either both are on, or neither. Why? Why not have them separately switched? There's a spot-like reading light on each side of the bed -- but that's a poor substitute from the warmth of the bedside table light. Why would anyone design a hotel room this way? I suppose if all one does in a hotel room is look at one's phone or computer, or watch TV, the lighting will suffice. But if you want to read? Forget it. And then you get to storage. In each of the three suites there was no storage at all for your things (I've seen reviews that show some rooms having dressers). Each of the living room and bedroom had shelving, but the room designers filled the shelves with design stuff that serves no purpose, leaving those unavailable to the guest. Even the closets lack usable shelving, other than a high shelf above the hanging clothes. The old Carlyle rooms had vast amounts of storage space in large dressers. It's almost as if the room design
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On the prestigious corner of Madison Avenue and 76th Street, just off Central Park, sits the Carlyle Hotel. It is surrounded by galleries and designer boutiques and is just blocks from MOMA, the Guggenheim, the Frick and is within easy distance of the Museum Mile. I applauded my Deluxe King accommodations with city view, nearly 400 sq. ft. of space, beautiful desk peering out the window and dual geometrically pattered rugs. A white/dark beige palette adorned the area, with a foyer, funky pictures, wave bed tables and modern furniture. The marble bathroom featured underfloor heating and spacious rain shower. The Carlyle is rich in eating, drinking and entertainment facilities. The Dowling is the principle restaurant serving up dishes that range from Steak Diane to Lobster Bisque to Veal Ossa Bucco and more. I fell for Octopus Carpaccio and Dover sole ...a savoury medley from the sea. Bemelmans Bar is one of the greatest old school cocktail spots in NYC. I took in Ludwig Bemelman's (the creator of the classic Madeline children's books) whimsical murals on the wall, savoured a signature martini from the bar and listened to the incredible nightly piano talent. The Cafe Carlyle is a Cabaret-styled Supper Club, sporting entertainment luminaries and a minimalist menu borrowed from the Dowling. The Carlyle has notable amenities in the form of the Valmont Spa: a luxe wellness centre allowing guests to experience a bevy of treatment options, a Fitness Center, amply outfitted, allowing me to follow my exercise regime while traveling, and Afternoon tea is offered in the Gallery. So, if you are looking for a legendary, nostalgic and special hotel on the Upper East Side .......then try the ...........Carlyle .................A Classic Hotel.
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