The Knickerbocker Hotel Reviews

I have very mixed feelings for The Knickerbocker Hotel. (Max 2.5 stars)
This hotel has its fair share of quirks / oddities and also provides some misleading information that is worth being aware of.
At first sight this hotel is certainly very impressive from the outside, the first quirk is when you walk in expecting to go to the front desk to check in, well the first desk you'll see is the concierge desk and the actual check in desk is tucked away in the rear left corner out of sight ?!

Once you've found the check in desk and provided your information (Incl payment card) to the very helpful staff they will issue you with a plastic card which is your room key and also your pass to operate the lifts, a great security measure to stop anyone just walking in and using the lifts and getting to the rooms! The payment information is taken to place a hold of some funds to cover any incidentals / other costs accrued during your stay like use of the mini bar in your room or other services to your room.

It is also worth noting that even though you may have already paid for the booking, there are additional "Mandatory fees" payable at the hotel (This was made very clear to me during the booking process) called a Resort Fee of USD 32.66 per accommodation, per night.

The misleading part is that during the advertising of the room you ll constantly see within the listing the misleading use of the word FREE especially were it refers to Free Newspaper / Free WiFi / Free Bottled water, however search for the Knickerbocker Hotel small print you ll find the following: resort fee inclusions: Internet access / Newspaper / Phone calls / in-room bottled water and the listing quite happily admits inclusions may be listed elsewhere on the page as free or for a surcharge I would suggest to do this is wrong and just very misleading! I don t believe anybody expects anything to be FREE, but why state that it is, when in fact it is NOT and is just false advertising of the services on offer at the hotel. Also inside the room a booklet is provided which states Complimentary Coffee Cart Mon through Sun 4 7am this was also found to be not the case when we asked on the first morning where to get our complimentary coffee!
On two occasions I had to chase for my FREE bottled water as it had not been provided to our room during the day, the first occasion I called via the in room phone direct to the front desk, the second time I felt compelled to visit the desk to complain about this issue as they were quite happy to now be charging me for a service of which they were not providing a refund was forthcoming to be fair, but I shouldn t have had to do this!
Surprisingly our room was exceptionally quiet considering the 24/7 noise outside of people & horns honking. We had made the decision not to pay extra for a view as after all you sleep and then go out all day. We were allocated a room on the 10th floor, but we didn t quite expect to be just seeing an office block opposite and a long way down to the alleyway beneath! We suspect this may have been in the middle hence no noise or decent view but that was our choice!

The bed was comfy, but let down by the pillows which looked 100% impressive size when not in use, but they completely collapsed when your head was placed on them going down to virtually 10% of original size. Not impressed by this at all.
Mini Bar / Snacks These were in the room but we opted not to use as they were very expensive, especially when Walgreens was only three mins walk away at much lower prices!
Safety Security Box This was provided and used.
Toilet / Shower / Washroom All private facilities for your use, the only downside were the handheld shower of which lacked power when used alone.
I personally would avoid returning to the Knickerbocker for the above reasons, only if this was my last choice for dates would I reconsider, the wife stated she enjoyed the location as close to the subway for shopping as all trains stop at Times Square 42nd Street.

the hotel is quite good too noisy,and the leds H & S are enaough to make you sick..imposible to sleep is too brilliant and the rooms doesnt have a good black out,the fitness room is very good but to get there is not easy,the rooftop is good and breakfast too.i want to say that the concierge Jeff is very bad ;very unpolite.the rest of the staff is good.the best is Valerie at the front desk.nobody speaks spanish...so spanish s speakers in this hotel you ll probably get lost!.and there was a tall men i dont remember his name very bad person too,he works in the door ..anyway we had great time.

I loved this hotel! Not only were the accommodations pristine (The pillows were like sleeping on cotton balls, sooooo soft!!!! ) but the service was impeccable! This was my first time to New York and I wanted to be close to Time Square and boy was I!! Time Square was literally at our doorstep! The Knickerbocker is in a great location. We were within walking distance to everything!! It is close to the Empire State Building (~10 min walk), Grand Central Station (~15 min walk), Broadway theatres, like Al Hirshfield (~7-10 min walk), and Juniors Cheesecake Restaurant (~5 - 7 min walk). I didn't go to it, but Madam Tussaud's Wax Museum is less than 5 min away, if you were wondering. It is about a block and a half away. Now for the service.... I truly felt like a celebrity! The doormen were incredibly friendly, accommodating (flagging down taxis when needed), and professional. I don't know his name but there was a very tall black man that really made my day daily. He always had a smile on his face and always spoke and asked how we were doing! Kudos to him! I wish I could remember his name! Also anytime I called the front desk, I was greeted with a friendly voice and all requests were expedited immediately; from a toothbrush to room service! Oh and the rooftop bar was cool! There is not much seating, but the staff will try to accommodate you. The drinks were good and service top-notch. Now, the brunch menu left a lot to be desired. It seemed a bit froo-froo for my taste but someone else might like ostrich eggs!! I on the other hand prefer my tried and true chicken eggs! Lol! Depending on when you go, the price will fluctuate a lot. We went in October and paid ~$250 a night! However, that same room goes for around $1200 a night around New Years! Beware....they do place a $200 incidentals hold on your credit card, so don't be shocked! All in all, they provided a memorable experience and I'll definitely be back!

Been there just for drinks on the rooftop bar. It is a very special place to be.

Beautiful room with a view of Times Square. Roof top bar nice, but wanted something more lively

I stayed in the hotel for 8 nights. During the period I had to pump and store breast milk. The hotel spoiled 7.5 Litre/16 pint breast milk for me because of inappropriate handling and storage. Despite that I had repeatedly asked the hotel to store the breast milk in freezer, both via email and verbally.

The housekeeper also threw my breast pump away during cleaning service. Luckily I found out about it and called for a search. They found it for me in the end.

If you are breast feeding and need freezer facility, it's better to look elsewhere.

A grand dame of a hotel directly on lively vibrant Times Square with convenient access to transit. The rooms are elegant, modern, and up-to-date.

They accommodated us when they hurricane came through FL they extended out stay and let us keep the same room

If you like clean & friendly hotel this would be the best choice for you! But beware the noisy outside if you like quiet place! Only mins away time square so is very noisy even after 2 am

Very central .Roof top bar rooms are very big and comfortable

Good hotel with spacious rooms and fast room service. Rooms are very well maintained and ergonomic layout. Gym is okayish and I did not see the pool. WiFi is fast and of good strength everywhere.

Let's start with the positive, the hotel is very central, right on Times Square. The room was okay after I rejected the first one because of the extreme smell of mold. Big comfortable bed with a TV, the bathroom was clean and nicely decorated. The roof terrace is also a cool thing.
Coming to the negative, the hotel is very cold and not at all inviting. The staff tried hard but mostly overwhelmed. We had asked how long the terrace was open and we were told 1 o'clock (at night). When we and our customers wanted to go to them shortly after 12 noon, it was suddenly closed. Very embarrassing!
There are various bottled beers on the terrace but not understandably at the bar on the 4th floor .. Why? Or in a 5 star hotel, I simply expect that certain types of gin are offered to choose from and not just a gin from the lower price segment.
These are all small things, I am aware, but in total they are a bit too much for my taste.
Conclusion, the hotel is by no means a "Leading Hotel of the World" and does not deserve a 5 star.
The price is too high for that. We won't be back because we get a lot more for the same price in another 5 * hotel.

Its location is at Times Square and its rooms are spacious and clean

The rooms are very spacious for the rest of New York hotels, very old lifts and the doors of the rooms as well

I stayed in the structure for 10 days close to New Year.
The property is beautiful in a strategic position, a few steps from times square.
Despite this I have to identify some flaws:
Despite the price of a 5-star hotel in a very central location, I had to see that the carpet and the sofa were stained.
It happened a couple of times that the housekeepers forgot to replace the bathrobes and put the water back on.
At a certain time of the motte, despite having set the temperature of 24 degrees from the air conditioning nozzle, cold air began to come out (embarrassing).
From a 5 star hotel I expected that guests who do not know English perfectly, like me, have the possibility of having a receptionist for the check in activity ... it took me about 25 minutes to understand what they wanted to tell me ... all after a 9 hour flight.
I have never used the internal breakfast activity .... but the products offered have not, honestly, attracted me.
The cost, given the location, is fair. I would go back just for that. Convenient location.

Highly Rude Night Staff and Security.
Not Recommended.
Did not care and don t listen to guest.
Never Ever Go. I wish I booked some other hotel.

Expensive, nice hotel. Bets are firm, but it s clean and well kept. Also, it s up to date

Our stay at the Knickerbocker was bittersweet. We had booked and paid for 8 nights at another hotel nearby (Row NYC) and upon check-in, were told that our room had been sold to another guest and we were to be transferred. It was 2am by the time we arrived at the Knickerbocker and we were exhausted, hungry and irritable. The comparison of service offered at this hotel to the Row was incredible. We were greeted by the door staff, our bags taken directly to our room, seated at the check-in desk and offered water. The staff were so attentive and friendly and we felt like we were truly being looked after. The room was beautiful, clean and spacious. Despite only having one bed for my friend and I, it was so spacious and comfortable that it didn't matter. We were given a delicious complimentary breakfast in the morning. It was a difficult place to leave! I'd highly recommend this hotel.

The hotel is very modern looking. The fitness center has tons of new and clean equipment. The views of Times Square from the roof and some of the rooms are vey good.

my wife and I were in the area and decided to stop in the knickerbocker hotel for brunch this past sunday 10/6/19. This is a very clean and luxurious brunch spot! a hidden gem right off of times square. I would definitely recommend the knickerbocker for anyone looking for a good time on a sunday morning or early afternoon. the food was great! my steak was cooked perfectly and the drinks were amazing!!. two thumbs up!!

Situated in a good spot, really close to times Square and the hotel is right opposite of H&M, hotel staff was friendly, rooms are really nice

Nice place with a great view. Drinks are very expensive. 17 for a rum and coke

Great experience up at the rooftop. Great service from the bartender George. Good view of the NYE ball drop from the balcony. Very much a hotspot

The rooms are big and design nicely design the roof top is expensive and not something special the location for tourist is great but no local will ever wanna be at time square

Nice roof spot, good respite from times square chaos after seeing a show

Modern interior. Clean rooms. Great location. Friendly staff. Not the best acoustics especially if the room has a connecting door.

I stayed in a junior suite with 2 queen at the knickerbocker. First thing is that the staff is super nice, caring and helpful, that part is truly exceptional. You feel like they genuinely care, nothing fake or passive that some may sense when in NYC. The room is clean, the shower is very spacious, looks all modern. Now I'm used to staying in 3 to 5k Sq. Ft. Places with the kids, but the room felt super small, but that's life in the city and when I was choosing a place this was qualified as a spacious one... so in the city be prepared to squeeze in, space is at a premium . So why not a 5 star? Being in the city, having a view should be a must, but my room had none at all and all better rooms were not available so for the price of these rooms, some view should be had I feel. In any case, it's an awesome place, I usually don't stay in hotels in the city, hard to compare to others... in the city everything is expensive, fast moving... you wonder how people can afford to live there... it sure is different and you have to adjust your expectations. Some great features of the city, everything is a minute walk away, super convenient and I always do feel safe in Manhattan walking around as well... Overall great hotel, great stay, being that I have a nice house in Jersey and I'm only 40 minutes from the city, I probably wouldn't stay in the city again, this was just to get out of town for one night with the kids... but it's like about $1.5k when you add all the little expenses, nothing too bad, but not necessary... I could have shown the kids the city and see what we wanted to see and save $1200...

I work at a hotel and customer service is something that is very important to me.

I first called a few weeks ago to get some rates after I read all your wonderful reviews. I was delighted to speak to Maria in reservations. You can tell she actually loves her job and is proud of what she does.
At the first call, I thought the rates were a little high, so I thanked her for her time and hung up.

Closer to the date, I got really anxious to book your hotel. I had the pleasure to speak with Titus (spelling might be off, I'm sorry). He gave me a AAA rate that didn't seem so bad. I gladly accepted the rate and made my reservation. I told Titus that it was a special weekend and we would be celebrating our anniversary.

About a few days before the reservation, I called to see what the AAA rate was and it was actually lower. In my mind, I thought that was great and no big deal to change.. I got Maria again and she said she would have to ask her supervisor. The supervisor approved changing the rate and i would be all set... However, there was a little dilemma ...but in the long run it was resolved...

Even though I was a little upset it couldn't be done right away.. the staff made sure it was taken care of by the end of the night..

Now enough with the reservation making.. I want to tell everyone how my stay was....

All I can say is I wish we could have stayed forever.

We had the pleasure to check in with a nice gentleman (I'm sorry I didnt get his name).. He said that we were upgraded to a bigger room.. Shortly after, he said his manager wanted to see me. I had the pleasure then meeting Leilani and Antoneta. They were so friendly and kind. Leilani escorted us to our guest room and showed us how to work everything.

The room was amazing. Usually in NYC, you get a tiny room with a bed, sink, toilet, shower and pay $300+. This room was gorgeous. The bed was unbelievable. So comfy!

After we came back from dinner, we had a nice piece of cake with a card welcoming us to the hotel. So yummy!

We then went to the roof top and met such a nice waitress.. I didn't catch her name but she originally was from CT and just moved to the area. She helped us with some suggestions and was super nice.

The next day, we had some plans and went into the Theater District. When we arrived back into our room, we had another card with two complimentary drinks for the 4th floor. Unfortunately, with our tight schedule, we didn't get to fit that in. A couple hours later, we got another amenity of a bottle of wine.

I must say from the start and to the end.. the customer service was truly amazing.

From the bellman outside, to passing the concierge with a bright smile, to the front desk, to the room service attendant, to housekeeping cleaning our room everyday...everyone was truly amazing.

They made this weekend one that we will always remember.

I can not wait to return to your hotel.
Sorry for the lengthy review, but i wanted to let everyone know how amazing everything was...

The hotel seems nice enough, the only problem is there is a giant post in the middle of the entry to our room and is very inconvenient.

Great lobby. Very NYC. Mostly spent time at St Cloud on rooftop bar and event space.

4 1/2 stars... Awesome service
Definitely will be back!!
Modern/clean Rooms..
front desk check in was the greatest experience I ever had.
Thank you

Customer service and decor is so classy and elegant. We love staying here

Great hotel! Great location! Great staff and great service! What more do you need?

Great location... this is the main selling feature, if you ask me. It s also clean and modern with decent-sized room and VERY friendly service, it has a high-end feel with the exceptional staff. I wish there was somewhere to wait when we arrived early to check-in (the cafe strangely was closed by that time)... there is a lounge on the top floor but we didn t feel like hauling our bags up. Generally, it s a really nice stay that puts you pretty much in the action at Times Square but it still has a tucked-away feel.

All I have to say is simply amazing. The amenities are fantastic. Great customer service. The rooms were comfy and everything was better than expected. The thing that blew me away most was the service. Hope was incredible. She is outstanding. On top of everything and catered to every single need. I will definitely be back just because she made this experience great. Shout out to Mino. Great manager of the rooftop restaurant. Thank you my friend for your great hospitality. I will see you in Forbes magazine shortly.

Convenient and especially the shampoo and shower gel from the hotel is a diptyque so it smells good to the guests

An excellent, quiet and luxurious hotel on Times Square.

Only went there for drinks and dinner visiting cousins who were staying there. Service is impeccable. Prices were as expected. We ate in the bar on the fourth floor but I could be mistaken on the floor. Starters in the $16 to $24 range, entrees in the $24 to$50 range and sides in the $8 to $20 range. We had an excellent Cabernet Sauvignon for $105 per bottle. Our family was on the 6th floor and you could not hear any noise from the street and it was noisy! A pricey place to stay but worth it if you can afford it.

Great hotel! Nothing else to say except nice rooms & great service!

Seems like a cool hotel. In the heart of times square. Very touristy.

Great hotel and super close to everything. Don't forget to check out the roof top bar.

for the price, tier and location I was expecting it to be flawless but cleanliness of my room left a lot to desire

There are a few reasons why I gave this review, including experience with dining, the roof top lounge, cleanliness of the room and the very pleasant fire alarms.

Dining: the food at the Charlie Palmer was overpriced and bland. Portions were small which is fine but it should not be $20 for a bland omelet with a 2 square inch hash brown. We payed $82 for 2 Omletes, 2 coffees and a croissant. Also when you order a coffee, they never bring you cream, sugar or a spoon. You have to ask for it. But they do make sure to circle the part of the check that recommends 20%. That part they can remember. Prepare to pay $24 for a cocktail that the bartender mixes up anyway. My martini was poured over the rocks and my boyfriends drink that should be served on the rocks was delivered in my martini glass.

Roof top lounge St Cloud: the drinks are overpriced here as well. Also you will sit down and be seen by the waitress but then she never comes back to check on you forcing you to have to go to the bar from your lounge seat to go get your drink and water. Your waitress will be in the bathroom on her cell phone when you go in there to find her to ask for your check. Here they also remember to circle the part of the check that recommends 20% and write thank you but can t remember to come back to get your drink orders.

Cleanliness : the hotel was very clean and smells great compared to the disgusting streets of New York but the makeup stain on your sheets is not so welcoming. Also the dust that developes overnight that coats your phone and glasses is lovely to blow off the next morning. Also the staff of the restaurants seriously need to think about personal hygiene. It is very unpleasant to smell your body odor when your cleaning the table next to me. I should not have to wince while eating my breakfast because your odor is so bad. Please shower before coming to work.

Fire Alarm: this was the icing on the cake of our stay. At 12:30 in the morning you will be woken up by the fire alarm that stays on for 15 minutes and a voice that says sorry for the inconvenience, disregard the alarm. Then your awake for another 30 minutes from all the fire trucks that have to come to the non-emergent alaram. Then you will be woken up again at 7:30 to the same alarm that continues on until 9:30. And I m saying 9:30 because that s what time we came to breakfast and of course the alarm wasn t heard in the Charlie Palmer because the staff doesn t want to hear it and when you go back to your room it s still on. Hmmmmm yes they care very much. And when you ask what the alarm is from an innocent house keeper who barley speaks English tells you one of the workers hit the alarm with a cart. Well that s a blatant lie that management probably told that innocent man to say because you have to push then pull a bar down to set off the alarm. A table couldn t just simply run into it and set it off. Way to blame the staff management.

Needless to say we will not be returning to this hotel. Not only is New York a disgusting, hyped up city, the hotel was NOT up to our standards based on price and ratings.

A newly refurbished hotel, spacious rooms and very nice bathrooms. Strange that the bar is closed on Sundays?

Hotel was clean staff was very good. Price was very good for the location

Modern and gorgeous, with a staff that's aching to please. Truly five stars.

Very comfortable, great restaurant & a bar at the top

A very nice hotel in the middle of Times Square.

While the front desk staff weren't the friendliest, the doormen were great.

The carpet in the halls is not in good shape. My guess is that the designer/architect selected carpet that wasn't suitable for the purpose.

My only issue is the daily $35 resort fee, which is a scam, but which an increasing number of hotels are charging.

Hopefully, one of these days the Federal Trade Commission or Congress will require a "truth in advertising" for hotels and these resort fees will go away.

Great location right by Times Square. Prices were a little bit more on the pricier side, but atmosphere was amazing especially in outdoor patio. Service and staff were friendly and helpful. Good service.

Top hotel in best location. Room very clean, comfortable and very spacious for New York standards. Friendly and very helpful staff. Subway stop directly on the corner of the house. Times Square and Bryant Park in the immediate vicinity. We have been regulars since our first visit

Great Hotel and roof top bar Charlie Palmer at the Knick is an wonderful restaurant

This hotel was amazing and the staff exceptional. This was my 3rd trip to New York but I wasn t enthralled with it until this trip - the hotel you stay in makes a huge difference! They handled all my reservations without a hiccup and their recommendations for restaurants were fantastic. There was a tall man at the door that I called Andre the giant he was amazing. The hotel staff we encountered on our stay were all very nice. It has been 3 weeks since our stay and I am still blown away by our stay here! Great job Knickerbocker!!

Excellent hotel. Fair price and classy. Staff is friend and dressed in 1920's "Knickerbocker" theme. Currently they provide some drinks and other goodies free. Great location at the end of Time Square & right next to a subway stop (for 42nd). Bathrooms are nice and modern. Cons: there is only one half window in the normal room but you don't really notice. The lobby is small but nice. The rooftop bar and lounge was not yet open but should open June of 2015.

Best hotel I've ever stayed at. Room has a modern feel and upgrades, while still comfortable. Staff was great and bent over backwards to make sure my stay was nothing but the best.

Great location if you like to be close to TIMES square, good premises for a decent price considering the location

We stayed here last year when we were attending an event at the Javits Center for work. The location was great but some of the service was lacking and a bit frustrating. When I mentioned it to a previous manager, she let me know that if they could help us make our next stay better, don't hesitate to call......So when it came time for our stay again this year, I decided to give them another shot. I'm glad to say I did. Our stay with them was A+++. The manager I worked with, Titus, gave us an awesome rate and upgraded rooms, and the staff from check in through check out were excellent. I really appreciate them going the extra mile, and I would stay there again, no question.

An oasis in the midst of Times Square, amazing large rooms, great restaurant and spectacular rooftop

Stayed for 6 nights suit with breakfast and was clean beautiful and breakfast was lovely abit of confusion ober the crossover of layout from buffet to a la cart. Would recomend Jonathan as your waiter was superb amd so bright and cheery a credit to them.

Just returned from a quick 4 day trip, this is definitely the place to stay! The staff is impeccable! The doorman and bellhops are outstanding! They have you covered before you even know what you need! Checking in/ out was a breeze with the wonderful staff. The hotel is superbly clean and housekeeping is on top of their game too. I had several items of clothing dry cleaned or laundered and they were returned promptly and nicely finished. The food is awesome and the food top bar is top notch! My wife and I have travelled across the US and this hotel has THE BEST staff I have ever seen honestly! Good job Knick and hope to see you again soon!!!!

Rooftop bar was great, drinks and view were both amazing.