The Carlyle Hotel, New York

The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel 

35 E 75 Street, New York, NY 10021

(212) 744-1600

https://www.rosewoodhotels.com/en/the-carlyle-new-york

My Rating: 73%

Price Rating: $$$$$

Tour of my room at the Carlyle Hotel, New York

Summary of Stay: The Carlyle has been near the top of my “hotel bucket-list” for decades. It’s a legendary second-home for celebrities, taste-makers, and royalty. It is “the place” to stay and get ready for the Met Gala. And while all of this is true, and while the hotel does hold some magic, I couldn’t overlook some of their glaring flaws. 

One of the main drawbacks is the location on the Upper East Side. While the location is fine, with close proximity to great restaurants, shopping, and to Central Park, it’s miles away from most of the tourist attractions and entertainment that NYC is known for. 

Secondly, the hotel opened in 1930 and some of the spaces aren’t well designed. When you come in the revolving door, you need to immediately clear out as there is no space. Upon checking in, it appeared that the hotel had no more storage for luggage, and guest’s suitcases were overflowing into the lobby. The concierge is set up in a cramped closet where you have to shuffle around other guests in order to enter/exit. If you’re claustrophobic, the elevators are cute but very cosy. This extends beyond the common spaces and into the guest suites. Now, I loved my room but there is one thing I always look for….closet space. Dear reader - there was no closet at all. There was a miniscule area where I could hang a few shirts and awkwardly stuff my suitcase, but it was ridiculous. It also didn’t have a door, so that was a major flaw. 

The main entrance where the doormen are incredible and friendly

Highlight of the Room: Now on to a few favourable things about my stay. My room, with the exception of the missing closet, was stunning. Giving a nod to it’s art deco roots while still being modern, the room was everything I hoped it would be. The wall of windows and the view were certainly the highlight. While I have had lovely views at some other NYC properties, this one took the cake. I did have one minor setback when the blackout blinds got stuck and maintenance had to come in and fix it. (Blackout blinds are a traveller’s best friend so you can sleep on your schedule) 

The bathroom was spacious and nicely laid out. The mirrors made it feel larger than it was. Toiletries were a mix of in-house branded and Kiel’s (which I thought was a bit pedestrian for one of the grandest hotels in the world) and Diptyque (which seemed much more appropriate). But the toiletries were regularly replenished and I did appreciate the Kiel’s lip balm. There were however an area of the shower where the paint was cracked and peeling - at first I thought it was mildew but it was the paint. 

Bathroom

The bed was very, very soft (coming from someone who appreciates a soft bed). I almost thought it was a waterbed at first, but no. The bedding were plush and smooth. The bedside stands are well wired and modernized - so you can easily plug in your phone, dim the lights, close the blinds - all while being in bed. I slept well and had no traffic noise - which again is a massive plus. Side note: The first time I visited NYC, I was a broke guy just out of university and my hotel in NYC wasn’t nearly as luxurious as the Carlyle. But I’ll never forget that the nights were spent exhausted, trying to block out the sounds of honking drivers. So that’s why I mention it… 

The desk space was actually very useful and practical. There was an assortment of stationary and overall, considering the lay out, I thought this was the wisest piece of furniture in the room. 

Bed with a view

The mini bar area, while lovely and very top shelf, was a bit impractical and took up way too much space. (Dear Management, this is where the entry closet should be. Rip out the minibar, put in the bedroom and return a glorious doored closet please! Thanks!). I did have my Nespresso in the mornings and imagined that George Clooney had used the same coffee maker as myself. Not-so-fun fact, housekeeping didn’t replenish the Nespresso pods, to-go cups, sugar etc. (Deducting big points for that…I hate having to call housekeeping and ask them to replenish basic things like this, which is what I had to do).

Happy Hour

Highlight of the Hotel: The hotel, like many NYC iconic hotels, is known for their level of service and not their amenities. Infinity pools were not something that was front-of-mind a hundred years ago. The highlight was likely people-watching while I was in the common spaces. You imagine bumping into Brad Pitt in the elevator or waiting for your car alongside Madonna. This is likely a first - but nothing specifically about the hotel impressed me - and that is partially the point. This hotel is the definition of understated elegance. It is meant to feel more like a second home than a glitzy hotel. 

Common areas

Highlight of the Stay: This was my first time staying at the Carlyle, but I had certainly visited several times. Cafe Carlyle is a NYC institution known for it’s intimate setting and eclectic range of performers. On my last trip to NYC, I had seen Lisa Loeb perform at the Cafe and she was incredible. Upon check-in, I noticed in the elevators that Isaac Mizrahi was performing that night. I already had tickets to see Patti Lupone in Company, but she would be there again the next day, and Mr. Mizrahi would not! So I called the concierge who I had met earlier in the day. The show was sold out, but he personally went to speak to the Maître D’ and within twenty minutes, they had managed to adjust the set-up and added a table for 2. Also did I mention that my table was 5 feet from Issac? (He was so charming and entertaining!) I appreciate how they took care of me and the night was a huge highlight of my trip as I dined next to fellow Canadian Dan Levy (also a real sweetheart!) Next time you’re in New York, I suggest you look at Cafe Carlyle’s schedule and go see one of your fave performers up close. The night is a bit pricey, but when you factor in the cost of an elegant dinner and a show in NYC, it’s on par and much more memorable. 

Eww David! Just Kidding - Dan Levy was so kind

Drawbacks: So there were a few issues with the stay that should be noted. I mentioned there were issues with the blinds, but that was quickly and professionally remedied. I noticed that some of the common areas had walls that were badly scuffed and dinged - and were badly needing to be refreshed. 

Another thing that I was disappointed with was the lack of elevator attendants. Now I’m not that high maintenance, but after watching the movie “Always at the Carlyle” - I was disappointed that in my 3 days there, I never encountered a single operator. It’s likely for the best because the elevators are small!

I had an issue booking tickets through Telecharge (they had restricted my account until they could confirm my identity) and the concierge wasn’t able to assist with simply buying me theatre tickets. The only access he had to theatre tickets was through a broker and the price was 2-3X the price of tickets on Telecharge. At a hotel of this status, I feel this is unacceptable.

One thing that also rubbed me the wrong way is that the Carlyle has a history of monogramming their guest’s pillowcases - and as silly as it sounds, this is something that I was really looking forward to. (It takes a lot to surprise me at a hotel, and I really thought that this was an extremely personal touch). Once I got to my room, the bellman gave me a tour of the room. I noticed that the pillowcases hadn’t been monogrammed. I asked him if they still did this and he said yes, and if I would like it, just to call down to the front desk. So after generously tipping him, I gave the front desk a call and inquired if this was a possibility - this is where I was told that this service was reserved for only Very Important Guests. I guess I know where I stand - Haha.

NOT VIP!

A picture from 3 years ago from another guest…notice the lovely monogrammed pillowcase. Haha

Lastly, after my incredible dinner at Cafe Carlyle, I went over to Bemelmans’ Bar. Correction, the Maître D’ from the Cafe escorted me over to Bemelmans to ensure I was looked after. The hotel gives guests a pass so you skip lines, get priority seating etc. Bemelmans is a very popular spot, especially with monied yuppies and UES socialites. I was shocked to see people crammed into the extremely loud space. Staff could barely walk around to serve tables. The bar was 2-3 people deep. As I stood waiting to be acknowledged and get a seat, I begun to wonder if it was worth it. After about 15 minutes, the male host came up to me and asked what I was doing standing there? I told him that I was looking for a seat and that the Maître D’ had brought me here. He was annoyed, arrogant and clearly put out by my presence. He found me a place and I was grateful, even it was the worst seat in the house, crammed into the corner of the bar. I sat there for another twenty minutes without so much as being acknowledged by a bartender or server. And considering I wasn’t thrilled with the company next to me, I packed it in and left, thirsty. This was certainly not the same level of service as Cafe Carlyle, nor was it the same crowd.