This is an excellent 3 star hotel, or a decent 4 star hotel, but as they charge 5-star hotel prices, it should be judged as such and unfortunately it is not a good one. For the comparison pool - I usually stay at 5-star hotels in NYC for weekends several times a year.
Positives: We booked a suite and it was spacious for NYC standards; The fact that the suite has a kitchen area and microwave was especially useful.
The bell staff and cleaning staff were helpful, friendly and professional.
Negatives: entirely service/communication driven.
Upon making the reservation, under special requests I asked if we might get a bathroom with a tub as opposed to a shower, if available. This was submitted but never acknowledged either by email or on check-in, and of course we received a room with a shower. If they'd simply sent a note saying only shower rooms were available, then no problem, but not much point to putting in a request if it is never even considered.
Also - due to flight changes, we arrived at the hotel early and I asked if we might be able to get early check-in if it became available through the day. The front desk told me that we'd be put on a priority list and get a call as soon as a room opened up. No call, and several hours later when I checked in no mention was made of the earlier priority list conversation.
What we did receive every day of our stay (including day of check in) was a text that told us how excited the Benjamin Sonesta staff was about our visit and to reply with any ways they could help us, but inquiries about either bathtub availability or early check-in were never answered.
Finally, we had booked the breakfast package. Upon check in, we were informed that this would not be honored if we requested delivery from the on-site restaurant. No, we had to go to the restaurant for a sit-down meal for the hotel to honor its package. One of those days we had a courteous server and good food. The other day we had a condescending server who ignored us and middling food. Not sure what this process got the hotel except a bad review of its restaurant service. I should also note that at every other 5-star hotel I've stayed in NYC where I get the breakfast package, the hotel does not distinguish in honoring that plan whether you go to the restaurant or order delivery.
Not huge issues in isolation, but just surprising for a hotel that bills itself as a 5-star property in New York. It suffers in comparison to its peers.
