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The Desmond Albany: Traveler Reviews

660 Albany-Shaker Road, Albany, NY 12211
Hotel amenities
The Desmond Albany
Ranked #10 of 49 hotels in Albany
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245 reviews from our community

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Date Rating
Troy, New York
1 review
“A stay worth mentioning”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed January 12, 2013

My wife and I stayed at The Desmond for a little time away from the real world. Originally, we had planned on going away but our financial standing just would not allow it at this time. From the time we checked in to the time we left, I must say that our little time away from home was well spent at the Desmond.

Service was key to our stay as we felt that the staff throughout the hotel was more than what we had expected. It seemed like at every wrong turn, their was someone asking if we needed help. This was a major plus since the hotel is very large and we had gotten lost quite frequently.

The hotel offers shuttle service to all their guests and we were able to dine outside the hotel and even take in a movie. The bell hops also serve as drivers which I found quite interesting..

Our stay was short but the ambiance of the hotel and the great staff made our getaway a success.

Room Tip: Rooms are very clean although the furnishing can use a little updating. We had a room with a King be...
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  • Stayed January 2013, traveled as a couple
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 5 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
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Ask Norka R about The Desmond Albany
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
oakisland
Senior Contributor
28 reviews 28 reviews
11 hotel reviews
Reviews in 15 cities Reviews in 15 cities
6 helpful votes 6 helpful votes
“A Truly Full Service Hotel in Albany”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed January 10, 2013

Located within a mile of the airport, the Desmond Hotel is a large full service property that is very busy hosting meetings and large and small groups. The hotel is quite experienced at meeting the needs of large functions. A particular strength of the hotel is the quality of service and food that is offered overnite attendees when they stay at the hotel. If you are willing to pay the price, the hotel is very convenient to the airport for single or multiple night stays for those in town for business. The hotel offers shuttle services upon request. Having stayed at the hotel over 20 times for meetings, I was never disappointed.

  • Stayed October 2012, traveled on business
    • 3 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 5 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 4 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Nyack, New York
Senior Reviewer
8 reviews 8 reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
3 helpful votes 3 helpful votes
“Great Albany Hotel”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed January 9, 2013

This hotel was a great value. Clean and updated rooms made to look like Colonial America. Rooms face the courtyard indoors and it looks and feels like a village. Used the work out room and swam in the indoor pool. Also used the whirlpool spa...worked great. And all were clean and a pleasure to use. But the best part was the restaurants...Scrimshaw ( fine dining at it's best ) and from appetizer to soup to entree to dinner...unreal...the best New England clam chowder ever ! Simpson's and The Tavern...both great places for food. And the service...top notch. Will definitely stay here again if traveling to Albany and areas nearby. Mr. Frank Rivera...director of restaurants...you deserve a lot of credit for managing and running great restaurants. A great experience all around.

Room Tip: Ask for any room facing the indoor courtyards.....a great look. Not noisy even with events going on...
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  • Stayed January 2013, traveled on business
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 5 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Stanfordville
Contributor
13 reviews 13 reviews
5 hotel reviews
Reviews in 10 cities Reviews in 10 cities
3 helpful votes 3 helpful votes
“Great hotel for early flights”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed January 6, 2013

We often take an early Christmas morning flight from the Albany Airport and find the Desmond an excellent sleep the night before. The rooms are spacious and clean with the morning in room coffee several notches above the usual. Staff is efficient and friendly. We leave our car there while we are gone knowing that it will be looked after. When we arrive back an early call from the airport gets the snow cleaned off!! The restaurants are well staffed and the food is excellent. We had a first - fried calamari in garlic sauce. Yummy

  • Stayed December 2012, traveled as a couple
    • 4 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 5 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 4 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
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Ask Johanna S about The Desmond Albany
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Burlington, Vermont
1 review
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
“Lovely place”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed January 3, 2013

I was intrigued by the courtyard of the hotel, which is made to look like an old-fashioned town. We had a nice-sized room with a pull-out couch for my son. My whole family slept amazingly well, even my small baby.

We had trouble starting our car in the morning because it had been very cold overnight. A member of the hotel staff was extremely helpful. He stayed with us a good fifteen minutes - out in the bitter cold - figuring out what was wrong and helping us on our way. He went above and beyond, in terms of service.

Great, great place to stay.

  • Stayed January 2013, traveled with family
    • 4 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Location
    • 5 of 5 stars Sleep Quality
    • 5 of 5 stars Rooms
    • 5 of 5 stars Cleanliness
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
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Ask Connor M about The Desmond Albany
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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Additional Information about The Desmond Albany

Also Known As:
The Desmond Albany Hotel Albany
The Desmond Albany Hotel
Desmond Americana
The Desmond Hotel Albany
Desmond Hotel
Desmond Hotel Albany
Address: 660 Albany-Shaker Road, Albany, NY 12211
Region: United States > New York > Albany
Amenities:
Bar/Lounge Business Center Fitness Center Free High-Speed Internet Free Parking Restaurant Room Service Shuttle Bus service Suites Swimming Pool Wheelchair access
Hotel Style:
#4 Best Value Hotels in Albany
#6 Business Hotels in Albany
#12 Family Hotels in Albany
Price Range: $$
Official Description (provided by the hotel):
The Desmond is Albany's premier hotel and conference center in the heart of Tech Valley. The landmark hotel is conveniently located within minutes of the Albany International Airport (ALB) at the crossroads of I-87, I-90 and downtown Albany. The Desmond offers elegance and charm with contemporary comfort in a business friendly environment. Voted 2012 "Best Local Hotel" five consecutive years by the Times Union Newspaper readers. Discerning and seasoned travelers appreciate the hotel's modern amenities and smoke-free environment. The hotel offers 323 elegantly appointed guest rooms and suites. Guests can choose from deluxe spacious accommodations; two queen beds or a California king bed option or executive, junior, duplex and presidential suites. Hotel amenities including: complimentary WiFi, complimentary parking and local/airport shuttle, on-site ATM, indoor pool with Jacuzzi, fitness center, 24-hour business center, room service, billiard room and gift shop. Our exquisite ballrooms and indoor atria are stunning venues for weddings, other social events and business meetings. The hotel offers over 24,000 square feet of attractive event space encompassing 22 function rooms and boardrooms. Guests of The Desmond enjoy an excellent choice of cuisine at three popular restaurants: Scrimshaw, a AAA Four Diamond-rated fine dining experience offering classical Continental cuisine, Simpson's Grille, casual dining for breakfast, lunch and dinner and The Tavern, an English pub complete with a sprawling copper bar, flat screen televisions and comfortable table seating for cocktails and lite fare. We invite you to be our guest. A one-of-a-kind hotel awaits you at The Desmond. ... more   less 
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The Desmond Albany
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