Hotel Review: Hyatt Herald Square New York

While in New York City this week, I spent a night at one of my old mainstays, the Hyatt Herald Square New York. I used to work not far from this hotel on West 31st Street and the hotel remains an affordable choice with easy access to most places in NYC and some great eats in nearby Koreatown.

Anthony’s Take: The hotel has pretty tiny rooms (starting at about 195 square feet). I was lucky to be upgraded into the hotel’s only suite, known as the Empire Suite. It sits almost double the size of some rooms at 378 square feet and is a fun and comfortable space. The hotel offers great views of the Empire State building from some rooms, this suite, and its rooftop terrace. It’s one of the few remaining Hyatt-branded hotels. There are tons of Hyatt Regency, Hyatt House, and Hyatt Place locations, but I can only think of three other US hotels under this flag: Hyatt at Olive 8 in Seattle, Hyatt Palm Springs, and Hyatt Rosemont in Illinois.

Booking

I booked a 1 King Bed room for $191 (this was reduced when the $20 destination fee was removed as it is for all Globalists). The hotel is a Category 5 property and room redemptions range from 17,000 to 23,000 per night.

I was notified when I checked in with the app earlier in the day that my room had been upgraded to the hotel’s sole suite. It was selling for $774 the night I stayed, so this was a nice surprise.

The destination fee includes the items above. If you’re going to have a drink and take advantage of the coffee in the lobby, it’s not too bad. I’m not a fan of these fees, though, and would rather just see hotels raise rates slightly.  It’s $20 plus tax per night, which is in line or a bit cheaper than some other NYC hotels. Luckily, it was waived for me as a Globalist.

Transportation to/from the Hotel

I was staying at the Park South Hotel – JdV by Hyatt the night before (review here). I walked from one hotel to the other.

Location

The hotel is located on West 31st Street between Broadway and 5th Avenue. The Empire State Building, Madison Square Park, Bryant Park, and tons of shopping and restaurants are nearby. I had a great view of The Empire State Building from my suite.

Check-in

I arrived at the hotel around 3:30 PM. The suite was ready. I actually did a mobile check-in and it said the suite was ready since 11:00 AM. The agent welcomed me as a Globalist and explained that breakfast was in the hotel’s restaurant. I was not asked if I needed a late checkout, but I requested 3:00 PM and it was granted on the spot. Keys were printed and I was on my way to the suite within minutes.

There are a few seats in the center of the lobby.

The check-in desk is to the left of the entrance and a separate concierge/check-in desk is found on the right.

A market with grab-and-go items is available 24 hours a day in the lobby. It sells snacks, candy, and some beverages as well as a few toiletries and medicines.

A long counter with built-in stools run the length of the left wall. The bar and restaurant are tucked in the back.

The hallways are dark and fairly small.

My suite was tucked into an alcove with another room.

Empire Suite (1801)

There are 122 rooms and 1 suite at the hotel.

The suite opens into a long hallway. The walls are textured with one of several fabrics throughout the suite that give it color and interest.

To the right of this hallway is the living room. It’s a decently large space with plenty of seating. It includes a sofa, coffee table, dining table with two chairs, buffet, and entertainment center with TV.

The couch was comfy and I spent some time working on it.

On surprise amenity (that was not meant to be there) was a wrench, which I’m guessing was left by maintenance.

The buffet held a Keurig, cups, and a refrigerator.

The Keurig had coffee pods and condiments in the drawers under it.

Cups and an ice bucket were found in the cabinet underneath.

A refrigerator with several complimentary bottles of water was in the other cabinet.

A bottle of red wine and another bottle of water were on the table as a welcome amenity.

The bedroom was off of the living room to the right. It was sparsely decorated and had a king-sized bed, nightstands, and a wall-mounted TV.

The safe was in the left nightstand.

The closet was open and the bedroom door when slid closed covered it. It held an iron, ironing board, and a robe.

The cavernous bathroom was to the left of the bed. The room was huge and had lots of open space.

Towels, extra tissues, and toilet paper were stacked on a shelves near the door. The suite is accessible with bars around the toilet and shower. I normally decline accessible rooms, but this is the only suite and they did not bother me in here.

Even in such a big bathroom, the vanity only held one sink.

Toiletries were found throughout the bathroom. A soap bar was near the sink.

Wall-mounted Pharmacopia brand body lotion was also available.

The shower room was also huge. It has a small bench and a rain shower head. Another bar of soap was on the bench.

More Pharmacopia pumps were in the shower.

Breakfast

Globalists are offered complimentary breakfast in the hotel’s restaurant, The Den & Library Bar. I grabbed a menu to check it out, but did not have time for breakfast.

Coffee is also set up in the morning nearby for all guests (it’s included in the destination fee).

Public Areas & Amenities

The hotel has a fitness center, a restaurant, a rooftop terrace, and some seating in the lobby.

The fitness center is in the basement. It’s small, but functional.

Overall Impression:

It was good to be back at the Hyatt Herald Square New York. The upgrade, service, and treatment of elite members made it just that much sweeter. I’ll definitely be staying here again.

(Rooftop and Fitness Center Image Credits: Hyatt.)