Trump International Hotel & Tower New York - Review

Tower of Power

The entrance of Trump International Hotel & Tower New York in NYC

Donald Trump worked real estate magic when he purchased what was ranked one of the ten worst buildings in the nation, the old Gulf+Western on Columbus Circle — a building we have a particular nostalgia for, as it was home to the publishing house where we edited our first guidebooks. With the help of architect Philip Johnson, Trump turned it into a glitzy hotel-condo. The building was stripped of its outer skin and re-clothed in glass and steel, and its most recent $30 million renovation ensures its ongoing status as a mover and shaker in the city's hotel scene.

Trademark features remain intact — the most unique being the Trump Attaché, a valet assigned to each guest upon reservation to anticipate his or her every need and to record personal preferences for future visits. In fact, the changes are quite subtle: slate gray and deep purple tones in many of the suites; combined DVD/VCR/CD entertainment centers and 42" plasma TVs; and strategically placed chandeliers in the guest room corridors to better illuminate the artwork.

In all, there are 167 accommodations (this includes 129 one- and two-bedroom suites), which are located from the third to the seventeenth floors. Many have spectacular floor-to-ceiling views of Central Park and the Manhattan skyline; motorized shear drapes and roll down sunscreens enhance this asset. All rooms are furnished ultra-comfortably with plush pieces including sofas and Indonesian and Nepali rugs. They also come with extras such as telescopes and kitchens equipped with gourmet cooking utensils; your Attaché will be happy to arrange everything you need to create your menu or to have a chef from the hotel restaurant whip up an in-room meal for you.

Deluxe King room	Jean Georges

While luxury and leisure are priorities here, business needs are not forgotten. Guests can request personal computers, and complimentary amenities include business cards, personalized stationery, local telephone calls, in-room fax machines and local fax transmission and retrieval. Meeting space includes a Business Center Function Room with a lounge and wet bar, and an Executive Boardroom. You can even have your midnight, in-room teleconference catered by the restaurant.

The fitness center has a 55-foot lap pool, and offers an in-line skate trainer, a virtual reality bike, treatments at +1 Spa and special supervised workouts in Central Park. Need another reason to stay here? How about the cooking of award-winning chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, who oversees the kitchen of the acclaimed, sophisticated restaurant, Jean Georges. The restaurant is decorated with a hand-laid mosaic floor and warm woods, and contains the casual Nougatine, tucked between windows overlooking Central Park and the exhibition kitchen. Nougatine offers signature dishes along with daily specials, and in warm months Mistral Terrace features the Nougatine menu.