JW Marriott Essex House: Great new lounge, great location but rooms are very hit or miss

Basic room but great location at the JW Essex House in New York City

R was back in New York City for a meeting and stayed at the JW Marriott Essex House.

I love the location given it is directly across the street from Central Park. It was great to be able to walk to everything in-mid town, including my meeting, while also being able to go for a walk through the park early in the morning.

The rooms on the other hand are a bit hit or miss. And I say this as someone who has stayed there as a Bonvoy Platinum, Titanium and Ambassador member. No matter my status when I stayed there, my upgrades never happened and while you can get a nice view of the park, I’ve often gotten views of the other side of the street or even a central view of a building on the other side of the window. 

Rooms are fine. Standard JW quality. For the price point, we would expect that. 

I will say that the JW lounge for Platinum and up guests is pretty strong for an American hotel lounge. They have candy to take whenever you want. Great breakfast. A nice bar service in the evening, including light snacks. 

Because of that, despite the fact that views are hit or miss, I prefer the JW Essex House to the Ritz Carlton a block over. The Ritz’s rooms are similar to the JW and lounge access is included at the JW for Platinum and above. 

Take a look for yourself.