I stayed at this hotel once in 2012 and several times in 2011 (I think four stays total, 3-4 nights each).

The nicest thing about this hotel is that the suites are enormous, probably the largest I've stayed in in Manhattan. I've been told by staff that there is actually no management relationship between this hotel and the Setai in Miami, but it resembles the Miami Setai in that the suite is pretty much an apartment. You have a living room (an actual separate room, not a living "area" like in some hotel suites), tons of closet space, and a real kitchen fully equipped with pots and pans, silverware, blender, etc. You can really cook in this hotel, which is definitely nice if you want to entertain or if you're staying for a long time.

The decor is sophisticated and clean, lots of creams and browns and grays. It's polished but ends up feeling a bit corporate and lacking in soul. A bit corporate and lacking in soul could just as well describe the neighborhood surrounding the hotel. It's in a very dull part of Midtown, though it is quite convenient to transportation hubs like Grand Central and Times Square. Entering and exiting the hotel you'll have to deal with crowds of tourists and office workers. It's not a fun neighborhood to walk around and there's not much of interest immediately nearby.

Service is very good, in my experience. The hotel's restaurant is very good as well, but the food is quite over the top: everything is drenched in butter and cream, it's all very heavy. Definitely eat there once during your stay but I wouldn't imagine it'd be a place you'd want to go night after night. Room service is good but not great.

I could see this hotel being ideal for someone who needs a luxurious, long term stay for business in Manhattan. But if you're visiting the city for a romantic trip or want to stay in an interesting neighborhood, you'd be best suited to staying elsewhere (like I decided I was).

We went there for a wonderful pre-Christmas week end having heard good things about the Setai in Miami.

First of all, the location, it’s on 5th and 37th which is a strange area not quite trendy downtown nor upmarket up town. Macy its two streets behind but the shops around the hotels are a bit tacky tourist places, having said that you are very quickly a few blocks in the nicer part of 5th.

The overall feeling of this hotel is that it looks nice but not luxurious. It’s very much a business hotel or feels that wayt. The staff was very helpful and friendly even though the wifi was down for two days (!).
The rooms are quite big for NY, very nice but blend a typical modern hotel with no particular soul. We had a suite so it felt very comfortable, not sure how nice the standard rooms are. The bathroom was perfect. A plus for us, the bed was extremely comfortable, perfect sheets and duvet. Breakfast was just breakfast!

So overall not a bad hotel at all, clean and modern BUT not the service or amenities that you expect for a 5 stars which normally makes you feel a bit special

Myself and my husband ended our honeymoon in The Setai for 3 night in Nov. I liked the hotel as soon as I arrived. Our bags were whisked into the lobby and the Italian receptionist was so friendly she used to live in ireland so it was nice to chat about common places we knew. She recommended a informal Italian two blocks over which was lovely and just want we wanted. We got upgraded to a room with a view of the empire state and received breakfast vouchers compliementary. The breakfasts were delicious.
The room was a great size for NY but the best part was the bathroom with the twin sinks and great tub. The best thing about the hotel were the staff. Brian and Eugenia went out of their way to organise restaurants and trips for us and Brett made sure we got to the restaurant (Budakaan) in the Masarti and the driver was really friendly. We loved the atmosphere in the bar which the jazz music. The only thing that we didn't get as honeymooners as we got in other hotels was a note and complimentary chocs or champers but the upgrade and breakfasts made up for this.
We are thinking of returning to NY for our first anniversary as 3 days wasn't enough and we hope to return to The Setai.

We booked a 1-bedroom suite for 4 nights, and this is the email that I sent the hotel, while staying there:

I just want to express some of my concerns about my current stay at this hotel... I will be checking out at some point today (Oct 15/12)...

1. When we arrived, we were told that there is complimentary refreshments including water and sodas... There were none, when we entered the room... When we inquired further about this, we were told this service has now been discontinued at your hotel. They did say they will honour it for this stay, but it took us asking 3 times to actually get them...

2. Room Service... This service was atrocious... On Friday, we ordered at 9:30 am... The attendant mentioned it could be up to an hour... I told her i had an important conference call at 10:30 am and that i need to eat something before then... she said they would try for 10:15 am... The food didnt arrive until 10:35am... by the time i finished my conference call, the food was cold, not to mention i was starving... For subsequent room service orders for breakfast, it wasnt any quicker... Not sure why room service takes so long at this hotel...

3. The speed of the internet is slower than dial up...or at least it feels that way... Why? Isnt this hotel relatively new?

4. I inquired to the front desk about where i can purchase the front door latch, which i found interesting... I was told they would get back to me shortly... This was on Friday, and I still have no response


I choose this hotel because of the rave reviews on trip advisor... I like my stays to be relatively perfect and problem free, as my expectations are generally high, specifically at a hotel of this caliber... Im guessing/hoping my experiences were an anomaly... I would expect the above to be the least of any guest's concerns at your property, as they are usual for any hotel... On a positive note, Luis, the personal assistant was great and so was the asian doorman (sorry, i forgot his name). Overall, the staff were pleasant... And, the room was also quite nice...

Im not sure i would come back, but I thought I would at least share my concerns...

AND to top it off… after taking the time to write and send my comments to the hotel, I received a pathetic response from, Natalie David-Szemes, with absolutely no personal touch to it... Im guessing they cut and pasted their response that they usually give to all their guests who write to them. Just Pathetic!