The Element Times Square Hotel Review is part of the Trip Report TPOL in NYC.
I’ve stayed at too many SPG properties in New York to count.This was my first time staying at the Element brand. It’s supposed to be a Westin offshoot much like Aloft is a W offshoot. I really like Westin and its soaps so I had high expectations for this property. While the service was good, the hotel was not.
The Location
If you have work in Midtown, the Element is in a decent location. Between 8th and 9th Avenue on 39th street, the hotel is a short stroll to the law offices of whomever you are arbitrating against.
The Room
The room is more like a Hyatt House than an Aloft den. It has a kitchenette, fridge, and even a dishwasher. That’s more than my crap apartment had in Brooklyn. Although it had the amenities, the room looked dated. It didn’t help that I was on the second floor with a view of nothing, and it was drastically dark. It also was odd to find leftover food and a half-opened bottle of water in the fridge.
The Bed
The bed wasn’t the same level of comfort as the Aloft. Maybe the psychology of the colorful pillows and backdrop made a difference, or maybe it was because I thought someone was sleeping in my bed before I got there. (reference Dru Hill)
The Bathroom
The toilet seat was up, there was no toilet paper, and the soap was open. That was a bit off-putting. The shower does not have the same soaps as Westin. It has the same dispensers found as the Aloft or Four Points but not the sweet smell of Westin aloe.
The Service
I promptly told the hotel about the issue. Since it was 2am and I had a hearing in the morning, I was in no mood to move. The hotel felt really bad and generously gave me 12k SPG points for my Goldilocks and the 3 Bears Experience.
Overall
I wasn’t impressed with this dated hotel and only stayed because the price was right.
The elevators in that hotel are the worst. They take forever. The breakfast in the lobby is like hogs feeding at a trough. I found the service okay but my room was also not properly cleaned. I had a 2-day stay booked and left after the first one because the elevator took over 45 minutes and I missed a meeting three blocks away.
That’s why i was happy with the second floor the next morning.
The dishwasher looks noisy!
Lol no detergent!
Weird. When I was reading up on hotels to stay at for the amazing Phish Baker’s Dozen run at MSG I looked at the Element, but the reviews all said to stay away and that it wasn’t worthy of the SPG brand.
Truly is not.