The Desmond Hotel and Conference Center Albany Review

The staff at the Desmond did an excellent job. The restaurant was very good and wait staff were attentive and polite. The ambience was very nice, although the layout does make it slightly confusing. Very nice hotel.

Beautiful inside, great place for large conferences. You MUST try the bread pudding!!!

This is a very unique hotel. Tons of history, currently updating room. Koi pond is awesome.

A friend and I arrived Sat. for a 1 night stay to attend a concert (Garth Brooks) we got to the hotel about 1:30..our room wasn't ready which was fine, the gentleman at the desk checked us in and took my cell number and suggested that we grab lunch...we went down the hall to the dining room where we met our first friend in Albany - Miss Pat...she seated us, we asked what was best on menu..she gave us great suggestions - we went with the Po'boy Special, An Apricot Chicken Salad Croissant Sandwich, the Calamari (scampi sauce) and New Eng
Clam chowder...dessert creme brulee and the choc. Chip cookie skillet with Ice cream...it was all delicious and we got the call our room was ready right after food arrived. Pierre and the rest of the restaurant staff were funny and sweet..very welcoming. We went to desk to get key, Tiffiany and the Gentleman whose name we missed.were very helpful and arranged for a can to take us to our venue...we went for a stroll through the facility to work off a bit of lunch and then sat by the heavenly fire in lobby. Room was wonderful, cab arrived on time, concert was incredible - only complaint was cab was requested to bring us back..we called and called and stood out in cold for 15min then hailed a cab with 2 other couples from other hotels that had also used Prestige and had no answer. Not hotel's fault..but we did inform the desk next morning. We had breakfast before we left - also delicious (little jelly jars were a huge hit) and gave Miss Pat a Garth Mug as we learned she was a fan too...we would definitely return there...we said we felt like orphan Annie in Daddy Warbuck's house...it was truly a treat.

The staff are extremely friendly. The rooms are pretty standard but nice. The courtyard is super cool and is a nice place to read in the morning. I didn't visit the tavern but people seemed to be enjoying themselves without being rowdy. Would definitely stay here in the future.

One in our party has a food allergy and during both meals the wait staff, chef and manager were very aware and attentive to the issue and went out of their way to be sure there was no contamination. Even made suggestions as to what to watch out for when eating out. Wonderful service and we felt well cared for and cared about. Thank you.

We stayed at the hotel on August 16. The room was adequate. Simpsons restaurant, their featured dining facility however was terrible and the restaurant manager was poor. We met guests for dinner at the restaurant which made it even worse. Two of us ordered the filet mignon for $32 each which would not be unusual if the meals were of decent quality. To the contrary the meat was so bad neither of us could eat it. The waitress was nice enough to tell the manager who came to our table and saw both dinners hardly touched. Instead of removing the meals and taking the $64 off the check she offered a free dessert. Very poor way to handle the situation. We went hungry and walked out having wasted a total of over $225 including tip (the waitress was not at fault). Pretty much ruined our stay to say the least.

All the people there were friendly and food was amazing.

Clean, comfortable beds, pleasant staff. Able to check in early. Food for several day conference was varied and flavorful. Desserts are divine! Large conference center with multitude of room sizes. Indoor courtyards gave a European feel to my stay. The koi pond was my favorite!

I've been all over Europe and spent a great deal of time in hotels, some of them spectacular. Spent one night here for an event, fantastic dinner and breakfast, very good service, comfortable bed, quiet room that faced an interior mall and very interesting! I liked the hotel a great deal and it's so close to the airport, very handy.

Amazing hotel. Super professional and friendly staff. Small but sufficient gym with a pool. Bar and restaurant on premises. Room service and amazing general area. Some rooms have balconies. Just super nice.

Great ambiance in The Tavern, and the Pork Wings are the best. Service is a bit slow however.

I loved the architecture of the hotel the court yard was beautiful. The service was lovely and the food was really good.

Great Thanksgiving buffet. The turkey and desert table was amazing

I loved how it looked like a small village inside it was amazing

Dependably clean and welcoming. Staff is very accommodating.

A little dated in some carpeting and fixtures but it has SO MUCH character. I love it.

Amazing hotel, Love the charm but the WiFI sucks! I have stayed several times and the wifi never fails to disappoint, Fix it!

Interesting arrangement. Hotel is set up like an outdoor village but all inside

The staff are very welcoming and the rooms are very clean. However the Wi-Fi is vary slow and the signal is vary week. That may be a problem for those on business trips to this location.

Nice place with very nice staff.
I've stayed there 2-3 times a year for conventions. Very Comfortable

Staff was nice! Food was good. The restaurants need more waiters thou

45 minutes wait for shuttle. Hotel smells bad. Poor service

Was there for a convention venue looks great not sure on the prices being I didn't stay onlyca day trip thinking of booking a weekend get away to check them out not sure about the amenities in the area

At first glance the Desmond appears to be a quaint, small, old fashioned cottage type hotel. Once inside though, it's large, well maintained and with conference facilities. Friendly staff, clean rooms, and easily accessible with rapid access to the airport.

Nice place, rooms are clean and very well decorated! Only complaint is that it is very easy to hear outside noise, hallway and common area, might bother light sleepers. Easy access to sites around the area. Excellent place for an event!

The inside was nice and so was lighting. Staff was good. Sound system sucked

Nice rooms, but infested with ants. Look around, you ll see them everywhere

Had a great time here, their courtyard is amazing and perfect for walking around hand in hand with the person you love

Went for Easter brunch. Food was great and it was a really nice venue. Did not stay in a room.

I left something there and they were so noce about it everyone who works they is so calm and professional i love it

Nice hotel! However I can plug my computer into a phone wall jack, listen to the old dial up sounds and still get faster internet than their wifi.

Update: The hotel responded to this post saying that they have upgraded their WiFi system and that speeds have increased. This is completely false as it is still extremely slow.

It was vary nice, somewhat dated but while maintained.

Had a holiday breakfast there with a group. Wonderful service and they have a real wood fire in the lobby

This is a beautiful old hotel. Not your modern day cookie cutter chain. The Desmond has colonial era charm, but still has all of the amenities that you would expect from an upscale property. Onsite restaurants that are top notch. Conference rooms, catering, wedding accommodations...the rooms tend to be on the smaller side, but they are comfortable and well appointed and maintained. There are always events and conferences, so it can be quite busy. Perfectly located near the airport and close by to malls, shopping centers and restaurants.

Beautiful hotel with a giant indoor court yard. Great place to host parties and events.

Stayed March 5th 2014 for one night. Where to begin. First these hotel rooms are VERY outdated. The carpet and wallpapers are from the early 70's at best. The floral curtains are much older. You have to ask yourself, "How many times have the curtains been washed?" The bed, TV, and bathroom, all second rate. The hotel itself is only slightly better. The bar was ok but the bartender was outmatched by the three customers she had. The pool and fitness area.... disgusting, the "pool" was a joke for a hotel that describes themselves as a premier hotel. It looked like a outdoor pool you would see in a rustic Motel 8. Overall, I will never stay here again. For the price, I honestly feel ripped off. The only good point was the front desk woman, she said she was new, she was the only good experience.

Not a bad hotel. I went for a new years eve event. We have gone for a few years. Event was good.

Great place, if a little kitschy. Large pleasant room, good service, and you can't beat it for convenience to the Albany Airport. Go to the Tavern for a nice selection of beers and don't miss the clam chowder!

This was my first time staying with The Desmond Hotel and this will be my last. I stayed the last 3 days for the annual NYSABA conference and the staff was rude, slow and disrespectful. Both when I had dinner at Simpsons and at The Tavern the staff was very unprofessional and just down right mean to us during our meal, let alone, the server spilled half of my martini on my lap and rolled his eyes when I asked for another one. The beds were okay in my room, even though the wallpaper was peeling and there were chips of paint missing in the wall. Lastly, the breakfast that was served was cold and there was absolutely no protein served, so I had to load up on fruit for my nutrients which is a ton of unwanted sugar. Never will I stay at this hotel again.

Very nice rooms at a decent price with a very nice atrium. Only lost a star because the use those half pillows that are about the size of a text book.

Needs a make over. Great staff. Air conditioning needs to be upgraded

Rooms are very dated, wallpaper like at your grandma's house. Wi-Fi is terrible. The food at the tavern is excellent with a nice selection of craft beers which makes the experience bearable.

Update

The Wifi issues have been improved earning another star

Always beautifully decorated for the holidays! Very comfortable and spacious rooms. Ask for an inside balcony to enjoy the views of the atrium! Easy off and on the highway. The banquet service is great! Cocktail hour and dinner were delicious at the work holiday party we attended! Koodos to the chef!! Great restaurant and separate bar on location! Delicious breakfast!

One of the most peculiar hotels I've ever stayed at. Imagine a new england town circa 1800 turned inside out. The central atrium area is a series of interconnected squares with plants and fountains surrounded by colonial storefronts and house fronts. Go "inside" and find convention space and hotel rooms. It's worth mentioning that the restaurant here is quite good and has a good wine list.

Nice entrance that reminded me of a colonial subdivision but when you enter the building and go past the check in desk, it looks like you are outdoors looking at the houses. The staff was nice and the next day they gave us a ride to the airport. I would stay here again.

At hotel for work conference. Great space. Cramped in meeting rooms and food served was subpar.

I enjoyed the food. I enjoyed the cleanliness of the rooms. I got out of the shower on my last night's stay and saw A RAT RUN UNDER THE BED. The issue, I looked for the rat to have an escape whole. There was none, which mean the rat was lingering under my bed.

Went to the NYS Craft beer fest at the desmond. Fantastic atmosphere and about the only negative was finding bathrooms that didnt have huge wait times. Otherwise it was fantastic.

I attended my company's Holiday party at the Desmond and was very impressed with the event. Dinner was fantastic, the carving station was top shelf and the staff was very attentive and non-intrusive. The temperature inside was just right for a cold winter night. A beautiful facility and friendly staff made for a very entertaining night.

This is a nice hotel to have an event in. The rooms are comfortable and the staff pleasant. There are beautiful large atriums. Walking around the complex can be a bit confusing since signs for elevators are not prominent. We asked housekeeping for extra pillows and they didn't have any.

The food and service at the Desmond were excellent! There was live music playing in the bar area, with plenty of happy hour music specials. The private dining rooms are also beautiful.

Great Hotel. Expected conditions for an older style, due to the type of hotel. Could do for a up grade,but overall good service.

The food is always great, and the accommodations always comfortable.

I just came back from the 14th annual liberty partnership program youth summit and had loads of fun! The food is great, Fort Orange looks absolutely beautiful and the people were friendly. I can't wait to go back next year!!!

Very old decor. My rooms bathroom is dated. The tub's enamel and fixtures are scratched. And the cold water runs warm. This is like a house that was last renoivated in the 80's, and everythings need to be updated. Staff and concept are great though.

Nice place
But they have bed bugs there!!!! So please guys becareful.....
The shuttle driver was very rude and impatient always complained about having to drive back and forth...

Unique one of a kind hotel. Never started at another place quite like it. IHG branded which is nice. The hotel has a very unique facade that makes it look like it's old timey. Four poster bed in each room and the mattress was very comfortable. Free internet, but was too slow got me to use for business. The bathroom was nice but the shower head felt cheap and reminded me of a community gym. The place was very busy and I'd highly recommend if you're in Albany.