Guest User
October 14, 2025
Dear Trip Team
This is the formal complain I have made also to the westin
Following my recent stay at The Westin New York Grand Central, I wanted to share some detailed feedback as the experience fell well below the standards I would expect from a Westin property — and certainly not in line with the price paid.
As you know, when I checked in there was already an issue: all of the bedding sheets were crinkled and creased, which is not what one expects from a hotel of this calibre. Having stayed in many Westins around the world, I have consistently found them to uphold a much higher level of presentation and care.
Unfortunately, that initial impression was borne out by a number of other issues throughout my stay:
Room cleanliness and condition
The fridge emitted a very loud noise, forcing me to unplug it.
The air conditioning unit was extremely loud and largely ineffective.
The tissue holder in the bathroom is cracked and broken, and was never repaired.
The room had a persistent damp, mouldy odour.
There were visible stains on soft furnishings, including the carpet and sofa.
The blind does not fully raise, limiting natural light.
The cups, coffee pods and amenities were inconsistently replaced, and those provided were of a very low quality — including plastic cups and containers.
The bedding and pillows felt synthetic, hot and cheap, which detracted from comfort and sleep quality.
Housekeeping and service
On one occasion, the housekeeper placed my glasses lenses-down on the desk, leaving visible scratches.
When I requested that my room be cleaned later in the day, the housekeeping staff member responded quite offhandedly and appeared visibly irritated — again, not the level of courtesy or professionalism one expects from a Westin or indeed any high-end hotel.
In general, the housekeeping was careless: items left untidied, and even the robe simply thrown over the sofa rather than hung properly.
The overall impression was of a hotel operating at a far lower standard than Westin’s usual reputation, and the experience was frankly disappointing.
To put this in perspective, I booked through Trip.com at a total cost of £2,838.39 (approximately US $3,787.35) for three nights — or about US $946.83 per night. That is an exceptionally high rate by any measure, and for that level of expenditure I would reasonably expect impeccable service, spotless rooms, and premium amenities.
Given the number and seriousness of these issues, I believe a partial refund or equivalent compensation is entirely justified. I appreciate that my booking was made via a third-party site, but I would expect the Westin brand to take ownership of guest experience regardless of the booking channel.
I have now checked out of the hotel, but I would be grateful if you could confirm what you can offer by way of refund or credit. I would appreciate a reply within three business days, after which I will consider escalating this through corporate channels and via Trip.com’s complaint process.
I am providing this feedback because I believe it’s important that management is aware of these issues, both to ensure consistency with Westin’s global standards and to prevent future guests from experiencing the same.
I have already been in touch with your colleagues Veronica and Allen - and I am going to copy you into the thread with them where I resend this message.
Kind regards,
Ben
