We booked this hotel for a large group trip to celebrate a friend’s birthday, and unfortunately, the experience was far from what the name “Sanctuary” suggests.
The stress started at check-in. The rooms were not ready at 3:00 PM, and after waiting, the front desk offered bar credit for the inconvenience.
When we tried to use that credit later, it suddenly became a problem. It was met with resistance and a very unfriendly attitude, as if we were asking for something unreasonable instead of what had been promised.
Mornings were another issue. Housekeeping begins loudly around 7:00 AM, banging doors repeatedly. Because the hallways are small, they don’t use carts from room to room, but every time they go back to the supply room, the door slams so hard it’s impossible to sleep past 7 AM. For a hotel that calls itself “Sanctuary,” there is very little peace or quiet.
Breakfast is $25 per person and absolutely not worth it. Very limited options for that price. On top of that, there is a $50 destination fee. Still, only $25 per day can actually be used, and that’s only if the restaurants are open.
Which brings me to the biggest issue: during a massive NYC blizzard, all four of the hotel’s restaurants closed. We are tourists from Florida with no car and canceled flights.
We literally could not leave safely. A hotel of that size should make basic accommodations for stranded guests during a weather emergency. Instead, it felt like, “Figure it out yourselves.” With restaurants closed and mini refrigerators in the rooms being extremely small, stocking up wasn’t even realistic.
When our flights were canceled, we tried to extend our stay. We were told that only two of our rooms could be extended, and we were jokingly told we should “cuddle.” That was incredibly inappropriate given the situation. When it came time to finalize the extension, the front desk had only one employee dealing with a long line of stressed guests. She was overwhelmed, nearly yelling, and asking people to step away from the desk. It was chaotic.
Because the restaurants were closed, we could use the $25 daily destination credit only once during the five-day stay. Again, no flexibility, no accommodation.
The final frustration: I accidentally left my Earbuds in the room. The location shows they are still there, charged, and another device keeps pinging the signal. I called at least eight times after realizing it at the airport. The response was simply that nothing was found, and they are not responsible for lost items. While I understand hotels are not liable for forgotten belongings, the complete lack of effort or concern was disappointing.
To be fair:
The rooms were clean.
The bed was comfortable.
The location is great
The rooftop staff, food, and drinks were excellent.
The porters were super nice and helpful
Unfortunately, the overall experience, especially the handling of basic guest care during a weather emergency.... overshadowed the positives. For a group trip and a special occasion, this hotel added stress instead of comfort.
