New NYC hotel added in place of Crown Plaza

[abc31 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close abc31]

Along with my annual fees bill for $1210 (60 points), came a newsletter containing changes to Royal Holiday resorts. In place of the Crown Plaza in NYC, they have added The Roosevelt Hotel. The Tripadvisor reviews for this hotel are awful! I miss the Affinia hotels! The location is midtown, close to Grand Central Station. I checked the resort guide. The points needed for 1 week is 70,000. I used to get 2 weeks at the Affinia for my 60,000 points. Now I can't even get one.

They have also substituted the Nell Gwenn in London, but I don't remember the name of the new one.

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

If it makes you feel any better, friends of ours held their wedding at the Roosevelt Hotel ths summer and it is a lovely and elegant hotel with a great location. Many guests stayed over (we did not) and I did not hear any complaints - the rooms were fine.

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

I have stayed at the Roosevelt in the last few years and was very happy there. Location is right near Grand Central.

[jamesd84 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close jamesd84]

Devalued Points

The changing of contracted hotels year over year, coupled with the increased points required for a weeks stay, results in a serious devaluation of RHC points.

For example compare how many points are required for a the same weeks stay at the Crowne Plaza versus the Rooservelt, then compare the rack rate at these hotels for those same weeks.

As the OP stated, his points used to get him two weeks in NYC and now not even one.

Add to this the restriction that RHC imposes that is preventing the unification of accounts beyond the 200,000 points and your ability to stay ahead of this points creep is limited. It doesn't make sense to me when the maximum points account (200K) can't even reserve two weeks at the best resort in the system?

[mav Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close mav]

Europe

They are tacking on a MANDATORY $25 per person per day breakfast charge at the hotels they have in Europe that have a complimentary breakfast. We find that very disappointing.

[SteveH Member Find all posts View Profile Close SteveH]

I just paid my MF of $790 for my 30K points account and up to now I've been reasonably pleased with the value I've gotten for my points. I had booked the Allen House and the Mayfair this past spring, but couldn't fly because of the volcanic ash. RHC told me they couldn't re-credit any of my points and although we were extremely upset, I can understand when they claim that they pay for yearly contracts and don't get reimbursed themselves.
I do agree that the value of RHC points continues to erode. For me NYC would require two years of fees plus some extra points; that would be $1600-$1700 for a week in a studio! The Mayfair in Rome and Allen House still represent decent value for now, but as MFs continue to climb, this too will soon be gone. I'm nearly at the tipping point with RHC.

Steve

[MarySmith Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close MarySmith]

Does RHC still have Ambassador Weekly ownerships

I had two weekly memberships that I sold but they used to get me weekly usage any place they had Ambassador accommodations. I used to routinely get NYC at the Affina and I used to rent it out. I'm talking the one bedroom apartment. I paid around $700 a week in MFs.. I also had a 15K contract that was virtually useless. I wonder if these memberships still exist.

[Skimeup Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Skimeup]

Ambassador and Studio weeks

I have both a studio and an ambassador week and I can still use them in New York. RHC also has the Barclay Intercontinental Hotel in addition to the Roosevelt now. I can use them at the Barclay but not the Roosevelt - so of course I have booked two weeks in New York. Theoretically, I could get the one bedroom unit with the Ambassador but I feel lucky to have gotten a studio for it. The hotel lists only one bed though, not convenient when traveling with a non-sig0. Anyone stayed there yet and been able to work out two beds?

The reservation people really don't have a clue about what to do with the weeks memberships - they get very confused. But they generally confuse easily...

[pranas Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close pranas]

Along with my annual fees bill for $1210 (60 points), came a newsletter containing changes to Royal Holiday resorts. In place of the Crown Plaza in NYC, they have added The Roosevelt Hotel. I checked the resort guide. The points needed for 1 week is 70,000. I used to get 2 weeks at the Affinia for my 60,000 points. Now I can't even get one.

This post upset me because I thought that i would not be able to go to NYC as often as I like. But, I just booked a studio week at the Roosevelt for this May for 30,00 points. A one bedroom was 50,000 points. More points are needed for fall exchanges.

[PeelBoy Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close PeelBoy]

New York City has disappeared from the online booking list. Is it a bug? Or, RHC will eliminate NYC from its inventories.

[pranas Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close pranas]

I booked mine over the phone so I cannot answer this question.

[SamH Member Find all posts View Profile Close SamH]

Has anyone stayed in a one bedroom unit at the Roosevelt Hotel? If so, how did you like it and what was the layout? Did it have one or two bathrooms?

Thanks.

Sam