The "Duniway" should be "Done Away"
Wow. This was one of the worst & most exhausting hotel stays I have had. Not because the space is bad, but because almost none of it is being allowed to function.
To start with the positives, because they deserve mention. The bedding/sleep quality was excellent. Breakfast at Mayrose was genuinely outstanding. I had a breakfast slider and the Bloody Mary which were both steallar. Also had nitro cold brew coffee, which was easily the best cup of coffee I had in the city. Jeff, the bartender at breakfast, was knowledgeable, warm, and professional. Brown, a valet attendant working for a 3rd party parking service, was the single most helpful person I encountered. He explained confusing policies and genuinely tried to improve my experience before any tip was involved. These individuals clearly understand hospitality.
Unfortunately, everything around them is broken. I booked this stay through Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts, which advertises specific benefits: Early check in at Noon, potential room upgrade, daily breakfast credit for two, 4 PM late checkout, complimentary WiFi, and a $100 experience credit. This is also a Hilton property, so Hilton Gold benefits are supposedly in play as well. In practice, these programs collide instead of complementing each other.
I arrived at 2pm and while I was able to check in early, parking immediately became the first layer of confusion. Valet costs $59/ night with no access after hours. Self parking is at the sister property but cannot be billed to the room, meaning FHR credits cannot be applied. This was never explained by anyone other than Brown.
After check in; I decided to have lunch. However at that time, nothing was open. No bar. No restaurant. No amenities. I was handed a confusing flow sheet listing closures and hours with no clear explanation (See photo attached). Early check in existed yes, but to the room only since all amenities were closed. Luckily there was a Canes chicken nearby who was willing to feed this starving traveler.
In the room, I booked an ADA King, with complimentary upgrades listed as part of both FHR and Hilton Gold. I initially believed I had been placed in a single Queen because the bed felt smaller than expected within the space. After follow up communication with management, I understand the room was a standard King. That said, no upgrade was offered despite availability language in both FHR and Hilton Gold benefits.
The bar at Mayrose, operates as lounge service only in the evenings. This means roughly twenty seats for a room full of guests. Table service unavailable, so guests stood in line to order drinks while large sections of the restaurant sat empty behind closed signs. After seeing a few guests enter the closed section and be seated, I asked if I could sit there as well (I had been waiting about ten minutes at this point). The bartender explained that while those guests were allowed to sit there to be nice, the area was technically closed. That moment summarizes the entire stay. Rules exist, but they are applied selectively. Guests who follow them are penalized. Guests who quietly bypass them are accommodated. None of this is the fault of the bartenders, who were clearly understaffed and overwhelmed.
Decided to cross the street and visit the sister property hoping for relief. The same situation awaited. Huge open areas. Most seating closed. Two solo bartenders managing crowds. No improvement. I contacted the GM via the hotel app to express frustration, and the response quietly walked back the early check in promise, framed closures as scheduling choices, and redirected me once again to the sister property or to canned cocktails from a market. It addressed none of the underlying issues. During my entire stay, amid visible guest frustration and obvious staff strain, I never once saw a member of management present on the floor.
The in room experience continued the theme. The refrigerator was plugged in and running, yet hot to the touch. There is no minibar, no room service, no printed menus, and no clear guidance. Everything is pushed to QR codes. So instead of being welcomed, you are onboarded. Instead of care, you get compliance. Instead of warmth, you get a bored gatekeeper irritated that you interrupted her screen time.
Despite being guaranteed a 4 PM late checkout, I chose to leave EARLY. At that point, I had simply had enough. The most frustrating part is the unused space. Beautiful rooms, gorgeous public areas, massive square footage; all sitting behind closed signs while guests wait and staff burn out.
This hotel has enormous potential, but it is paralyzed by poor operational decisions and invisible leadership. At $300 per night, this is unacceptable. The Duniway should be renamed "The Wrongway" if you ask me. Simply because everything here sends you in the opposite direction of clarity, ease, and hospitality.
ZERO STARS AVOID AT ALL COST!
