8/10 Very good
21 Dec 2024
It’s a mixed bag of a hotel experience
Staying at Public was a strange experience! The room was comfortable and even though very small (as is the norm in NYC), you could tell a lot of thought had gone into the design and maximising storage and hanging space. The bed was very comfortable and the shower was great. It’s the ‘open plan’ type of bathroom so I wouldn’t be comfortable sharing with someone I’m not in a relationship with! Very little privacy.
The weird part is that you pay hundreds of dollars a night to not talk to any staff. It’s kind of like a really pricey hostel. Everything is self service (down to making your own key cards) or QR code based. It felt odd and sometimes annoying. We just wanted to go up the roof bar for a drink yet everything online and in the room suggests you have to make reservations. You don’t! After about three tries we finally found one helpful person who told us just to go to Level L and skip the non-residents line.
The resort fee is laughable. You can do gym classes or get free coffee in the guest lounge…but only between 6-8am. That’s it really.
The location is great and we loved the view from our room. We had a great trip overall but I think I would stay somewhere else next time.
Verified traveller
4-night trip
Verified Hotels.com guest review
