Peter Smyth

Review of Jumeirah Essex House Hotel

The location opposite Central Park is great, but o...

The location opposite Central Park is great, but our 5th floor room was showing its age, and some of the fittings were in need of replacement. A luxury hotel really should not have the enamel peeling off the bathtub and the faucet loose in the wall, nor should the doors and fittings be scuffed and chipped in places. Our room was comfortable, although the sound insulation was somewhat deficient, and street noise occasionally threatened to become an issue. But these are minor issues. What really disappointed was the Southtgate restaurant. On Christmas night my wife and I paid almost $300 for a very indifferent meal. The lobster bisque was almost cold, although the plates it came in were scaldingly hot. There were no accompaniments. The mains were disappointingly sparse. The wine, however, was very good; but for the price - even in NY - I do not expect to sit at a plastic-topped table without a tablecloth in what was essentially a family dining area.
My sense is that the Essex House is getting by on its location and reputation, but it lacks the finesse and attention to detail possessed by the best hotels with a similar rating in other parts of the world. Perhaps if we had paid more and booked a room with a view over Central Park, all these reservations would have faded into insignificance.
Peter Smyth
Date of visit December 23 - 27 2016