$232 Avg/night
Rate and special offer based on Check-in: May 27, 2013 Check-out: May 29, 2013

Excelsior Hotel

3 stars
45 West 81st St., New York, NY 10024
Hotel Overview
Reviewer score
4.2
out of 5
223 reviews
nice place to stay

good location-reasonable size rooms-quiet-near central park and the B/C subway lines. very good... See full review

  • wis visitor
  • May 13, 2013
Great location for us

We thoroughly enjoyed the Excelsior. Nice views from our window, great location to shows, Lincoln... See full review

  • Buckingham
  • May 13, 2013
Modern take on Old New York charm at trendy Upper West Side hotel

Dressed in classic New York City architecture and fully renovated, the Excelsior Hotel places guests at the best of the trendy Upper West Side neighborhood in Manhattan. The hotel overlooks the remarkable American Museum of Natural History and is less than a block from both Central Park and the subway station. The Art Deco design of Excelsior adds charm and style to a stay, with guest rooms graced in shades of cream and some featuring French doors. In-room Wi-Fi, a 32-inch LCD TV and an iPod docking station ensure total comfort. 

Highlights

  • Unwind in the Entertainment Room, with a library, working fireplace, fitness center and surround-sound TV
  • Enjoy Central Park and the American Museum of Natural History right at the doorstep of the hotel
  • Kick back in-room with Wi-Fi (fees apply), a 32-inch LCD TV and an iPod docking station

Location

Excelsior brings the hip Upper West Side of Manhattan to life, with a location just a few steps from Central Park and the American Museum of Natural History. The subway is right around the corner.

Rooms

Old Manhattan chic and modern luxury meet at the totally renovated Excelsior, with standard to deluxe guest rooms tailored in dark woods and cream shades. Each includes a host of amenities, including Wi-Fi access (fees apply), a phone with voice mail, a 32-inch LCD TV with LodgeNet On-Demand movies, an iPod docking station with radio, Natura bath products, a hair-dryer and a safe. 

Features

Kick off an adventurous day with breakfast buffet dining (fees apply) at the Excelsior Hotel. Other services include a fitness center with cardiovascular equipment, concierge services and express checkout.

Transportation

  • Grand Central Terminal (2.7 mi/4.3 km)
  • Penn Station (2.9 mi/4.6 km)
  • Statue Cruises, Battery Park (Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island ferry) (7.1 mi/11.4 km)
  • LaGuardia Airport (9.9 mi/16 km)
  • Newark Liberty International Airport (17.9 mi/28.7 km)
  • John F. Kennedy International Airport (19.4 mi/31.3 km)

Attractions

  • Central Park (0.1 mi/0.1 km)
  • American Museum of Natural History (0.2 mi/0.3 km)
  • Metropolitan Museum of Art (1 mi/1.6 km)
  • Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (1.4 mi/2.2 km)
  • Museum of Modern Art (2.1 mi/3.4 km)
  • Rockefeller Center (2.3 mi/3.7 km)
  • Madison Square Garden (2.6 mi/4.3 km)
  • Times Square (2.8 mi/4.6 km)
  • Empire State Building (3 mi/4.8 km)

Business


  • Two rooms for small or mid-sized events, plus an event coordinator (fees apply)
  • Hotel-wide Wi-Fi access (fees apply)

Policies and fees

Additional guest: All rates are based on double occupancy unless specified. A $20 USD charge is imposed for all guests 12 years and over.

This is not a comprehensive list of fees. Any amounts listed above may not include taxes and are subject to change.

Excelsior Hotel Rooms

Double Double
Beautifully decorated with a modern flair. This spacious guest accommodation includes two double beds, complimentary USA Today newspaper, flat screen T.V. in room movies, AM/FM and MP3 Alarm docking stations, in room safe, wireless internet access, iron and Natura bathroom amenities including hair dryer. Approximately 270 square feet of living space.
Classic Queen
Traditional Queen room is comfortable and decorated with modern elegance; perfect for the business traveler. Accommodations include 1 Queen bed, complimentary USA Today newspaper, flat screen T.V., in room movies, AM/FM & MP3 Alarm docking station, in room safe, wireless internet access, iron and Natura bathrooom amenities including hair dryer. Approximately 230 square feet of living space.
Excelsior Superior
Our interpretation of elegance, beautifully decorated with class. Superior guest accommodations include either 1 Queen bed or 2 Double beds, French Doors and a seating parlor, complimentary USA Today newspaper, flat screen T.V. in room movies, AM/FM & MP3 Alarm docking station, in room safe, wireless internet access, iron and Natura bathroom amenities including hair dryer. This impressive room is spaciously designed with approximately 370 square feet of living space.
Excelsior Deluxe
Our interpretation of elegance, beautifully decorated with class. Excelsior Deluxe guest accommodation includes One Queen Bed, Two Double Beds or One King Bed with French Doors separating a seating parlor. This beautifully stylish decorated room has it all, flat screen T.V. in room movies, bath robe, AM/FM & MP3 Alarm docking station, in room safe, wireless internet access, iron and bathroom amenities including hair dryer, This luxurious room is spaciously designed with approximately 470 square feet of living space. This room is perfect for the savvy business traveler or families needing the extra room at added value

Amenities

  • Wireless internet
General
Concierge
Activities
Health club
Spa services
Dining
Restaurant
Services
Conference facilities
Internet
Wireless internet
Accessibility
Handicapped rooms/facilities

Recommendations for you

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Reviewer score 3.0 out of 5

Hotel Map

40.7832 -73.9737
Area served
New York
Nearby airports
LaGuardia International, Kennedy International, Newark International
Area description
Nearby Airports * New York LaGuardia International - 9 miles * New York Kennedy International - 17 miles * Newark (NJ) International - 19 miles

Nearby points of interest

  • Beresford: 0.1 mi
  • American Museum of Natural History: 0.2 mi
  • Shakespeare Gardens: 0.3 mi
  • Children's Museum of Manhattan: 0.3 mi
  • Belvedere Castle: 0.4 mi
  • Henry Luce Nature Observatory: 0.4 mi
  • Americas Society: 0.4 mi
  • Central Park: 0.5 mi
  • The Obelisk: 0.5 mi
  • International Center of Photography: 0.6 mi
  • Metropolitan Museum of Art: 0.6 mi
  • Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument: 0.7 mi
  • Guggenheim Museum: 0.8 mi
  • National Academy: 0.8 mi
  • Lincoln Square: 0.9 mi
  • Beresford: 0.1 mi
  • American Museum of Natural History: 0.2 mi
  • Shakespeare Gardens: 0.3 mi
  • Children's Museum of Manhattan: 0.3 mi
  • Belvedere Castle: 0.4 mi
  • Henry Luce Nature Observatory: 0.4 mi
  • Americas Society: 0.4 mi
  • Central Park: 0.5 mi
  • The Obelisk: 0.5 mi
  • International Center of Photography: 0.6 mi
  • Metropolitan Museum of Art: 0.6 mi
  • Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument: 0.7 mi
  • Guggenheim Museum: 0.8 mi
  • National Academy: 0.8 mi
  • Lincoln Square: 0.9 mi
  • Whitney Museum of American Art: 0.9 mi
  • Frick Collection: 0.9 mi
  • Metropolitan Opera: 0.9 mi
  • Jewish Museum: 0.9 mi
  • Broadway: 1 mi
  • Council On Foreign Relations: 1.1 mi
  • Knickerbocker Club: 1.2 mi
  • Bloomingdale's: 1.2 mi
  • Metropolitan Club: 1.3 mi
  • Fifth Avenue: 1.3 mi
  • Harmonie Club: 1.3 mi
  • Carnegie Hall: 1.3 mi
  • FAO Schwarz: 1.3 mi
  • Park Avenue: 1.3 mi
  • El Museo Del Barrio: 1.4 mi
  • Tuscan Square: 1.4 mi
  • Conservatory Garden: 1.4 mi
  • Nicholaas Roerich Museum: 1.4 mi
  • Trump Tower: 1.4 mi
  • Henri Bendel: 1.4 mi
  • Roseland: 1.5 mi
  • University Club: 1.5 mi
  • Sony Building: 1.5 mi
  • New Amsterdam Theater: 1.5 mi
  • Museum of American Folk Art: 1.5 mi
  • American Craft Museum: 1.5 mi
  • CBS Building: 1.5 mi
  • Equitable Center: 1.5 mi
  • Museum of Modern Art (MOMA): 1.6 mi
  • Paine Webber Art Gallery: 1.6 mi

Meeting facilities

Meeting Info
Two meeting rooms available.

Dining

Breakfast room
Breakfast is available from 7 AM to 11:30 AM for an additional fee.

Hotel Policies

Check-in:
1500
Check-out:
1200

Terms and conditions

Rates quoted in currencies other than the hotel's base currency are subject to the rate of the international exchange. Rate may change throughout stay. Rate may reflect average nightly rate. Extra charges may apply. Incidental charges, such as room service, are not included in the rate.

The amenities and/or facilities may not be located at the hotel, but within a reasonable distance, and additional charges may apply for use.

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Guest Reviews (223)

Ratings and reviews for Excelsior Hotel

Overall score

4.2 / 5
223 out of 223
Amenities:
3.5
Room cleanliness:
4.5
Hotel staff:
4
Room comfort:
4.3
Location:
4.7
Value:
4.1

92% would recommend to a friend.

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Review of Excelsior Hotel

Reviewer score

1
JIR
Chicago, Il
Mar 8, 2010

Gave away room ordered

room provided was not as ordered by our reservation. We were to have been provided a deluxe double with 2 double beds and instead was given a small room with vey sparse furniture ( a side chair served as a nightstand) and only one double bed. We checked in early AM and came back for the key in the evening. We were told hotel was sold out and this was all that was left for us. Hotel clerk said that when we book through [...] that we take our chances on what is left over.

Hotel features (5 = best, 1 = worst):
Amenities:
1
Room cleanliness:
3
Hotel staff:
1
Room comfort:
1
Location:
4
Value:
2
Review of Excelsior Hotel

Reviewer score

2
Anonymous
Business
Montreal, QC
Dec 12, 2007

My review of Excelsior Hotel

The hotel is old & tired. Requires a major renovation program.

Hotel features (5 = best, 1 = worst):
Amenities:
2
Room cleanliness:
4
Hotel staff:
4
Room comfort:
2
Location:
5
Value:
2
Trip purpose:

Business

Review of Excelsior Hotel

Reviewer score

2
Anonymous
Business
USA
Dec 7, 2007

Very unfriendly attitude from the staff

We have stayed at many hotels in New York City where we felt like we were valued guests in someone's home. At the Excelsior, we felt like intruders. We found the registration people unfriendly, surly, and not at all helpful. We were disappointed that for the money, there was no continental breakfast included. It is much easier to have some basic foods available for a quick bite to eat before dashing off to work. The bell man and door man were exceptionally helpful but we found other employees not at all friendly or courteous. We would NEVER choose to stay there again.

Hotel features (5 = best, 1 = worst):
Amenities:
3
Room cleanliness:
5
Hotel staff:
1
Room comfort:
4
Location:
5
Value:
2
Trip purpose:

Business

Sightseeing tip: Short walk from hotel

Natural History Museum was a short walk and an excellent venue

Review of Excelsior Hotel

Reviewer score

2
Anonymous
Tokyo
May 8, 2009

Your Auntie invites you to stay

The rooms are clean, but everything is really basic. It's a place to stay in a great location. And be sure to eat at the restaurant in the lobby of the hotel called "81", it's amazing!

Hotel features (5 = best, 1 = worst):
Amenities:
1
Room cleanliness:
3
Hotel staff:
3
Room comfort:
2
Location:
5
Value:
4
Dining tip: In Hotel

The restaurant in the hotel ("81") is amazingly good.

Review of Excelsior Hotel

Reviewer score

2
Anonymous
Walnut Creek, CA
Nov 8, 2009

Bait and Switch

I don't know what the bell-hop was for, between two people we had 4 suitcases all the bell-hop did was put our luggage on a luggage dolly inside the hotel and left, we had to take the rest to our room. When my husband and I got to our room there were 2 double beds instead of the queen bed I thought I was paying for. When I called the front desk she said when reserving a room from anywhere but at the hotel the bed type is merely just a suggestion and that all the other queen beds were taken. The heater worked too well in our room, in that it would not shut off and was incredibly loud. Also the cable was spliced between hotel rooms so most channels were very fuzzy that is if they came in at all. The second day we stayed there my husband took a very cold shower because they seemed to have run out of hot water that morning. The hotel was the worst part of the trip thankfully we spent little time there. The only good thing about this hotel was that it was within walking distance of everything without having to be in the middle of it all.

Hotel features (5 = best, 1 = worst):
Amenities:
2
Room cleanliness:
4
Hotel staff:
2
Room comfort:
2
Location:
5
Value:
3
Review of Excelsior Hotel

Reviewer score

2
Anonymous
Birmingham, AL
Dec 29, 2009

won't go there again

The two concierges were very friendly and helpful. The rest of the staff were not.

Hotel features (5 = best, 1 = worst):
Amenities:
1
Room cleanliness:
3
Hotel staff:
2
Room comfort:
2
Location:
3
Value:
1
Review of Excelsior Hotel

Reviewer score

2
Anonymous
Lincoln, NE
Jan 2, 2010

Good location, only acceptable otherwise

The Pros? This hotel is in a great location, and that is the best thing that can be said about it. It's close to a subway stop, right across the street from the American Museum of Natural History, and less than a block from Central Park. The Cons? When we arrived, it was apparent that someone had taken a smoke break in our bathroom. Housekeeping did immediately change the stinky towels, but the smell never completely went away. The windows were so flimsy we could see the mini-blinds moving when the wind blew! The bathroom was tiny. The breakfast was $12, even if all you ate was a bowl of cereal. Still $12. The temperature was hard to regulate - it was either too hot or too cold. You had to pay extra for your internet connection. There are better choices in the neighborhood- The Beacon or the Lucerne, if you can get in.

Hotel features (5 = best, 1 = worst):
Amenities:
3
Room cleanliness:
3
Hotel staff:
3
Room comfort:
3
Location:
5
Value:
3
Sightseeing tip: Short walk from hotel

If you don't care for crowds or horribly congested traffic, don't go the last week in December for New Years! Too many people!

Review of Excelsior Hotel

Reviewer score

2
Anonymous
Fernandina Beach, FL
Jan 3, 2010

New Years

The location was nice. The staff at the Hotel were very unfriendly. We had to change rooms four times because they messed they room up each time and didnt take the time to listen to our request.

Hotel features (5 = best, 1 = worst):
Amenities:
1
Room cleanliness:
4
Hotel staff:
1
Room comfort:
2
Location:
4
Value:
2
Review of Excelsior Hotel

Reviewer score

2
Anonymous
Toronto, On
Mar 19, 2010

Hotel needs new staff!

I had booked a room with double beds, but was given a single queen. When I went back down to the front desk, they reluctantly gave me a 2 double bed room. They were unfriendly and rude. The front desk staff needs to be trained for customer service. The room was nicely appointed and clean. The only complaint is that its noisy, we could hear the guy above us and the children beside us! Also the toilet kept on running. Despite the noise, it was the customer service that was a turn off.

Hotel features (5 = best, 1 = worst):
Amenities:
4
Room cleanliness:
4
Hotel staff:
1
Room comfort:
3
Location:
3
Value:
3
Review of Excelsior Hotel

Reviewer score

2
Anonymous
Miami, Fl
Mar 21, 2011

Nice Hotel Mean Service

The hotel was nice well decorated and decent sized, considering it is a NYC hotel. The price was right for what you get, but the service was terrible. I did not think hospitality would be of importance to me, but every single person was rude! No one was willing to help even when we asked for help it would not get done. ***Please Note: Do not leave chocolate in your room, housekeepers will eat it!!!! Bad Service!

Hotel features (5 = best, 1 = worst):
Amenities:
1
Room cleanliness:
3
Hotel staff:
1
Room comfort:
4
Location:
5
Value:
3
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