Alphabet City Holidays from AU$3,217

The hotel’s website showed beautiful, remodeled, spacious rooms with views, so I booked a nine-night stay. Unfortunately, what I found was nothing like the photos. I checked in late and immediately discovered the air conditioning was so loud that sleeping was unimaginable. The sconce between the beds was basically decorative, and the only other lights—four ceiling spots—were programmed to turn off every few minutes. I requested a room change and was given a much larger room on the first floor that felt more like a basement or warehouse. Totally wrinkled “Roman shades”, no rug, no bed blankets, the same useless lighting, and tinted windows facing a filthy terrace, leaving the room with virtually no natural light. The next morning, the shower ran cold for ages, then suddenly turned scorching hot with no way to regulate the temperature. So, for the third time, I returned to the front desk and requested another room—this time asking for the apparently unreasonable advertised luxuries of actual windows, functional lighting, and warm, adjustable water, as advertised. I got a third room- small, same problem with the lights and a damaged bathtub… only with windows this time! When trying to use the breakfast coupons at their small bar, I was told it only included one of two croissant options and a cup of drip coffee, Nine nights here? Not even one!!! Huge disappointment and completely different from what the website advertised. Total ripoff.

The staff has lodged me in a wrong room and I had to start over the reservation. Not good. Also, the breakfast room was so crowded that I had the feeling I was in the US Navy facility with so many people around. Overall the stay was good.