The London Lounge

Since the Carlyle in NY has taken a few hits on this forum, I would like to report a positive experience.

Last week, my wife and I celebrated our anniversary by booking a table at a favorite restaurant of hers. She arrived a few minutes ahead of me and was seated at the bar. When I arrived, the host asked my name, then showed me where my wife was and asked me to wait with her until our table was ready. He then spent some time chatting on the telephone and returned to tell me that our table upstairs would not be ready so we would be seated somewhere else. Since it was in the front window and very near another table, we asked for something else. After a few minutes, he returned and showed us another,occupied table that he promised would be opening soon and which looked fine to us. It then occurred to him that we had been there for about ten minutes in our coats so he took them, asking our names again. As it turned out, the table we were expecting to clear had different plans, which involved a second round of desserts and a chat with the owner - fine for them, but not doing us much good. With nothing to do but wait, we watched another couple be taken upstairs, since by then our reservation had been moved from the upstairs room to one of the downstairs tables. At that point we had enough and headed for the exit. While I retrieved our coats from the host, my wife stopped to talk to the owner and explain why we were walking out. As indifferent as the host may have been, the owner was the opposite, promising us everything under the sun and begging us to stay. It is no exaggeration to say that she followed us out the door and across the street. But by then, the evening was spoiled and my wife wanted nothing more than to go home.

On our way home, I persuaded my wife to at least stop for a quick drink in the Carlyle, since we have always enjoyed the bar and music rooms. Despite a grouchy mood she agreed. Neither the restaurant nor Bemelman's seemed suitable so I asked the restaurant host to recommend a place to go for a quiet drink and perhaps a small bite or dessert - he suggested downstairs to one of the lounges. It turned out to be the perfect choice.

The minute we walked in, we were treated like royalty. The lounge manager greeted us and introduced herself, took our coats, asked what we wanted to do and then showed us to an ideal table. The same excellent treatment extended all evening, and despite the parade of high-profile celebrities, tailors to the Foo, aging movie stars iammatt's father might have "dated" and American and foreign oligarchs marching through their doors, we were always treated like their most important guests. As the evening neared an end, I recalled the manager to thank her and her staff for turning what had begun as a miserable evening into a delightful night. Of course, that meant they returned with another dessert, this time with candle, and singing "Happy Anniversary".

After such a nice experience, we have already arranged to return. Because of certain dietary needs, we have already had detailed discussions to pre-arrange the food, the results of which they maintain in a file for each of their guests.

I have no idea how are the guest rooms, but if they match the service we received that night, I would certainly recommend the Carlyle.

BTW, according to the drink stirrers, the Carlyle is owned by the Rosewood Group, which I have not bothered to look up.

A heart warming story, indeed. Many thanks for sharing.

I've been a guest there since 1982. The hotel has a very unusual and interesting history. To make a very long story short, Rosewood bought the hotel a bit before 9/11. Corporate mentality took over. Some money was put into the place, but it was transformed from a highly private and polished place to a "property." Prices went way up, service declined, clientele changed as well. Lots of turnover in the staff, never a good sign.

Bemelmans bar has taken on a distinctly bridge and tunnel crowd. It used to be that you could go into the bar, and a waiter would approach, silently, you gave your order and it was fulfilled. All without any discussion. Now, it is: "Welcome to the Bemelmans bar." etc. I spend a lot of time each year in 5 star hotels. Almost all have suffered a similar fate. That said, you get an excellent location, clean public areas, and service at least as good as the competitors. We still stay there, and there is some hope for it since a new Managing Director has come on board: Erich Steinboch, from Vienna. I will show my age: the first time I went to the Cafe Carlyle, I heard Hugh Shannon sing and play. Now that was class!

Dopey, the rooms vary quite a bit. Some need modernizing, after all the building is circa 1930, a masterpiece of art deco design. The developer, Moses Ginsburg went bankrupt in the process. Since it is really a coop apt. building, the privately owned apts. can be quite spectacular in terms of design. The new "spa" will take your money at about twice the going rate, the restaurant good, not great.

One of the best things about the hotel is Ursus books on the second floor. It is a terrific art and design bookshop, with a very knowledgeable and helpful staff. I get all my art books and monographs from them.

We've spent several weeks each year there and expect to continue that, so I suppose that's an endorsement. (I do find the Rubinacci tie display cases tasteless. The former owners are rolling over in their graves I'm sure, but that's indicative of the "branding" and "marketing" mentality of the new corporate owners from Dallas).

tteplitzmd wrote: * * * I will show my age: the first time I went to the Cafe Carlyle, I heard Hugh Shannon sing and play. Now that was class! * * *

I congratulate you. I have heard of Mr. Shannon, and I recall reading a profile in either New York or The New Yorker. I never saw him perform. I think that he made only one or two recordings.

In any event, I like the Carlyle very much, and we have always been treated very well.

Hugh Shannon:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxPC9tfn7PE

Your experience in the first restaurant is disappointing though all too common.

I blame it on absence of a professional maitre d.

All too often in the US, restaurants put a young, pretty face at the door and that's when the problems start. There are many species of maitres and they set the tone for your dining experience, for better or worse. I'm sure we all have our stories.

Painting with a broad brush, I just find restaurant service in the US appalling. One shouldn't have to gird oneself before entering a restaurant to do mortal battle with the maitre. And entering dressed well should count for something though it does not. You want great service, go to Paris.

As to the Carlyle, I used to stay there when in NYC though that was a long time ago. I spent some memorable nights there.

A classically minded guy like you, D, should consider spending the night there. Magical and discrete. Leave the kids at home. But bring the wife. No Spitzers.

tteplitzmd wrote:It used to be that you could go into the bar, and a waiter would approach, silently, you gave your order and it was fulfilled. All without any discussion. Now, it is: "Welcome to the Bemelmans bar." etc.

So true. And, that followed by, 'My name is Joe, and I will be your server this evening' etc etc, all with a practised but daft grin on their faces... It seems to me that the suburbs are invading other parts of the country, making the whole of the US hospitality trade behave like a branch of a suburban 'family restaurant' chain.

The sad thing is that someone in "marketing" decided that this informational verbal service was desired.

I used to enjoy a variation on the "silent" transaction at the American Bar at the old Connaught:
I would put my room key on the bar or table, with the room number showing. I never had to articulate anything to the waiter or bartender, beyond my drink order. The charge was always properly posted upon departure. Now, with the advent of the electronic/magnetic key cards, that conceit is impossible, although I suppose I've got "privacy" now.

uppercase wrote:. . .

As to the Carlyle, I used to stay there when in NYC though that was a long time ago. I spent some memorable nights there.

A classically minded guy like you, D, should consider spending the night there. Magical and discrete. Leave the kids at home. But bring the wife. No Spitzers.

Ha!

I am not sure how my wife would react to that.

Whatever reputation the Carlyle may have among out-of-towners, to New Yorkers, the Carlyle is a place to stay when you are having an affair or get thrown out of your house (or tell people you walked out). One of its prized features is the lack of street-level lobby, making it a discreet place to go without being spotted by anyone not themselves too compromised to present a risk.

I can only imagine the conversation a week later:
"I don't mean to start any trouble, but . . ."
"yes?"
"last week I saw your husband having breakfast with some woman at the Carlyle."
"Really, who was he with?"
"I don't know. I didn't get a good look. I was afraid he would notice me, so I kept my head down."
"What were you doing there?"
"Oh look!! I haven't seen her in ages."

Busted!!

We had a friend who worked for the hotel. We got to see a number of the rooms including the spectacular suites where the millionaires and celebrities stay, such as French President Sarkozy and Paul McCartney.

A couple of those suites were duplexes with living rooms, dens, pianos, etc. Each are decorated individually. One suite had a New York theme.

It is interesting to note that Anderson & Sheppard, Richard Anderson, and Rubinacci call the Carlyle their New York homes.

My wife and I stayed in the Carlyle for a week last summer. We very much enjoyed the old time feel and elegance of the place. The staff were great and the room was huge compared to other New York hotels I've stayed in. My major issue was the fact that, despite the high room prices, you are expected to pay $15 a day for wifi internet access - in this day and age wifi should not be a paid for 'luxury' in a hotel of the Carlyle's quality. Having said that, we will stay there again next time we visit New York.

Yes, the wi fi charge is annoying. The new manager is very savvy, and I would appeal to him to rethink this corporate imposed policy. I just use the "business center."