After checking out a lot of places to stay before arriving to NYC, I found this hotel here at TA, so I choose it as my hotel and I could not be happier! Located in a very fancy area, the hotel is near the AMNH and it has the 81st B C subway station just half a block away, just exit the hotel and walk straight to your left and there it is!! About the room, I found it very clean and nice, the bed was great and comfortable! The pillows seemed uncomfortable, they weren't, I slept as a baby here! Yes, it may be because I was tired as hell too, but seriously, comfortable bed. The bathroom was also very clean and compared to the hotels I stayed in Europe, it was big, the bath tub was cozy and perfect for a nice relax time! Water,pressure great too! As for the services, the cleaning staff were so great. The hotel serves full buffet breakfast for an additional 17 bucks, I found it not that tasty as I tought it would be for that price, since you can have a nicer breakfast at some European cafe shop or Starbucks or stuff, but if you are in a hurry or you do not want to waste time looking for a place to have something to eat, it will be just ok to have it here. The reason I do not give this hotel a 5 star grade is because I think they could get better at some points, for instance, I found that the reception staff could smile more, you know, a little smile doesn't hurt, but maybe it is NYC standard, and I am not saying that they were rude or something, not at all, they were very helpful when I needed directions and in check in/out, but they do not seem to be enjoying working there and that reflects onto guests. Also one thing they should really consider is to have complementary wi-fi all over the place not only lobby and second floor, the reason I think this way is because internet is such a basic service this days, for me not to have free wifi at my room is like not having a bathroom or a bed or something like that, yet I found that this is also a NYC standard for most hotels, but they should consider making wifi available for all guests even if they include it in the room rates before so when you book a room you have already payed for the service and you can use it, that way the lobby or the second floor will not be as crowded as it was and you can just share all your photos or have that skype call in your room! Other than that I think this is the place for me to stay whenever I go to NYC!

We started staying at the Excelsior in the '90's to visit relatives and friends on the Upper West Side. It was alway consistently good service and accommodations. Stalwart standards. We have stayed elsewhere more recently to be downtown, but now times have come full circle. Family and friends have migrated back to the Upper West Side again.

The Excelsior, though always good, had gotten dated, so we were reluctant to try it at first. We went for a trendier new hotel a few blocks west. Much to our dismay. In a pinch we needed to switch this past Saturday and got a last minute suite at the Excelsior and were given access in the late morning. We needed that. The suite was updated with original bathroom. View not great. But, a quiet respite with no pets allowed, no cloying cleaning sprays, and a great night's sleep.

The lobby has changed with a more raucous crowd at Calle Ocho restaurant. But, the location is great and it's been a constant friend. Glad we discovered it again.

Small dated room, nice view. You have to park your car in the underground parking garage across the street at the Natural History Museum and hike a short way thru the park and down the street to the hotel if you aren't cabbing it. A very small unremarkable lobby. Only a sofa and a couple of chairs. For rooms... You have a choice of 2 single beds or one queen. The room is approx. 13' x 13'. Window A/C unit. Carpet needs cleaning. Roll down blackout shade w/ curtains. Small dated bathroom. Bed is firm. Pillows thick and foamy. It does have a beautiful view though! For $214 / nt....not bad.